Huh??

Rinne's original goal had merely been to stabilize [Eden]. She had only wanted to suppress Huanyue's memories by touching her whenever they began to loosen.

Then she could continue being a background character, quietly watching over everyone's happiness and all that.

But—

No one had told her things would turn out like this!!!

"I feel like..." Qian Huanyue leaned closer, an incredibly complicated emotion showing in her eyes. She slowly moved nearer, half-lidded eyes fixed on Rinne, before an impish smile unconsciously appeared on her face.

Dislike?

No.

Like?

Not that either.

But she had an incredibly complicated feeling toward Rinne, as though the two of them had once shared some kind of encounter that had been both pleasant and unpleasant.

It was precisely because her emotions had become so strange that Qian Huanyue looked at her with such interest.

"I've definitely seen you somewhere before." Though a sense of familiarity remained, her thoughts seemed veiled by a thin mist. Qian Huanyue still firmly believed her own judgment.

"Huh?" Rinne instinctively held her breath and unconsciously leaned closer as well. [Eden] quietly activated, temporarily erasing the impression that had just surfaced in Qian Huanyue's mind.

At least within this area covered by the barrier, she still had some strength left.

That was close—!

...If this keeps up... my power won't be enough to sustain this place. Eden... will be completely finished... haha...

Huanyue-chan wouldn't be able to take it.

A faint sheen of sweat appeared on Rinne's cheeks. Her brows were drawn together, but her expression remained gentle. "Huanyue-chan and I have met before. What's wrong, Huanyue-chan? Could it be... that you forgot?"

Shiori nodded from the side and added, "Mm, last time Huanyue even praised the homemade snacks Rinne made."

In Shiori's memories, this childhood friend had indeed often