Almost the instant the diary entry updated, Keisha sent a reassurance through the Dark Plane link to every angel who had a Diary Instance:
"Stay calm."
Her voice was calm and steady, like an anchor holding firm in a storm. It instantly quelled the turmoil in the angels' hearts.
"This is only a future that hasn't happened yet."
Those words gradually calmed all the angels.
That's right.
These things... hadn't happened yet.
However, Keisha's next words made several Little Angels' hearts tighten again:
"And even if I really am gone, you still have to be strong and lead the angels toward a brighter future."
Angel Leng: Her Majesty is invincible. How could that possibly...
Angel Yan: Your Majesty... How could something like this happen...
Azhui: Please don't, Your Majesty...
Lingxi: Sob sob Your Majesty, we can't live without you...
Zhixin: Your Majesty... We...
"Fledglings must learn to fly someday." There was a rare hint of tenderness in Keisha's voice.
"I can't... guide you forever."
Keisha's voice echoed in the ears of the Little Angels, carrying an unshakable resolve:
"The Angel Civilization has existed for tens of thousands of years. Over those long years, we've known prosperity and decline, victory and sacrifice."
"But no matter what happened, the angels endured."
"Because the angels' 'justice' has never rested on any one person."
"It lives in the heart of every angel who believes in justice and practices it."
Yan and the others could almost see Keisha's tender, satisfied smile.
"So even if I really do 'go offline,' the angels won't fall."
"The Justice Order will endure."
"Because you... are the new 'pillars.'"
"Your Majesty..." For the first time, Yan's voice trembled. "Can we... do it?"
"Yes." Keisha didn't hesitate.
"Because you... are the warriors I chose, the children I trust, and... the future of the angels."
Her voice rang out with absolute confidence:
"So don't be afraid of the future."
"Because the future... is in your hands."
[Although Keisha was really just tired and didn't want to do this anymore—This old lady could leave, but she wasn't leaving. She was just tired and wanted to retire. Was that so wrong?]
The satisfied smile that had just been on Keisha's face froze the next moment.
The corner of her eye twitched.
Seriously... I'd just given them a heartfelt lecture, and now you turn around and pull this on me?
Keisha... didn't she deserve to save face?
The angels had just been swept up in emotion by Keisha's words about "legacy," "responsibility," and "the future."
Now, seeing the diary say that she "could leave but wouldn't," they were at a loss for words.
It was like... you were moved to tears over some tragic future, ready to fight to the death, when suddenly someone told you—
"Stop crying. The protagonist just doesn't want to go to work and deliberately got herself killed."
The feeling left every angel in a strange silence.
Merlo Heavenly Court.
Hexi was the first to lose it. She burst out laughing.
"Ahem..." She hurriedly covered her mouth, but her shoulders were still shaking.
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"Ha ha ha! 'This old lady could leave, but she just won't.' The way that womanizer put it is spot-on!"
Keisha stared at her expressionlessly, her eyes saying, "Are you trying to die?"
But Hexi wasn't afraid at all. She laughed even harder:
"I'm tired. I don't want to do this anymore. I just want to retire!"
Hexi wiped the tears of laughter from the corners of her eyes.
"Oh, our King of Gods is so willful."
Keisha: "..."
She suddenly felt that her moving speech just now had been... a little unnecessary.
Island villa.
Yan and Azhui exchanged glances. They could both see the same helpless amusement in each other's eyes.
"Sister Yan..." Azhui said softly. "Was Her Majesty really just 'tired'?"
"...I don't know." Yan pressed a hand to her forehead. "But that's what the diary says... Maybe... it really is possible?"
After all, Her Majesty had led the angels for tens of thousands of years.
Tens of thousands of years of war, tens of thousands of years of responsibility, tens of thousands of years of... loneliness.
If one day she really felt tired and wanted to rest...
Well... that wasn't so hard to understand, was it?
"But..." Azhui hesitated. "Her Majesty just said..."
"That we should carry on her will and lead the angels into the future?" Yan gave a wry smile. "Maybe she was... preparing us for it?"
"Huh?"
"What she means is," Yan explained, "'I'm tired and don't want to do this anymore. I'm leaving this whole mess to you from now on. Do a good job, and don't let me down.'"
Azhui: "..."
That explanation... actually made some sense?
Fei Leize.
Zhixin stared blankly at the diary, her scientific mind racing:
"If Her Majesty really chose to 'go offline' because she was 'tired,' then her going offline could be seen as a deliberate 'strategic retreat' or a 'transfer of responsibility'..."
"Then the apparent events—the destruction of Emerald Star and her being blown to pieces—might just be 'an act'..."
"The goal would be to 'make a graceful exit' while... giving Sister Yan and the next generation of angels room to grow..."
The more she thought about it, the more... it made sense.
After all, with Her Majesty's abilities, who could stop her if she really wanted to leave?
But she hadn't left.
Why?
Because... she didn't want to leave.
She wanted to "clock out."
That conclusion suddenly made Zhixin feel... a lot more at ease.
If Her Majesty had chosen to "go offline" of her own accord, then her "death" wasn't a tragedy.
Merlo Heavenly Court.
Angel Leng's expression shifted from shock to confusion, then to... relief.
"So... that's what happened." She murmured to herself, "Her Majesty was just tired."
That explanation suddenly dispelled her lingering conviction that Her Majesty was invincible and couldn't possibly lose.
That's right. Her Majesty was human too. She could get tired.
She had protected the angels for tens of thousands of years. It was time for her to... rest.
"So..." Leng looked at Lingxi. "When Her Majesty said all that just now, was she actually... making her final arrangements?"
Lingxi: "..." (Sister Leng, don't you think that question is a little beyond me?)
Without waiting for Lingxi to answer, Angel Leng sent Keisha a message through the diary system:
"Your Majesty! Retire in peace—we'll lead the angels toward an even brighter future!"
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