Airi: Chang Yuan, I want that. Buy it for me.

The final result was just as he had expected. Because Airi was so cute, the ticket seller gave them a friendly discount.

The two of them got their tickets at a low price.

"Hehe, sure enough, cute girls have privileges everywhere."

Holding the tickets, Airi said happily as she skipped along.

"That's right, that's right. Even I benefited from your charm, Airi."

If they had bought them at full price, it would not have been crippling, but it still would have cost several hours' wages. Saving where they could was always best.

"Alright, let's go in. It's my first time at an opera house. I'm so excited~"

Humming some little tune he did not recognize, Airi slowly walked into the opera house.

They eventually found the seats assigned to her and Chang Yuan.

After sitting down, Airi began eagerly anticipating the start of the opera.

After Chang Yuan settled in, they waited around another five minutes before the opera officially began.

While Airi listened with great relish, Chang Yuan was like a boar unable to appreciate fine grain.

After all, he truly had no ear for music.

It would soon reach its conclusion.

"This song is so beautiful. If there's a next time, I definitely want to come again."

"Hm? Do you like this opera too?"

"Yes. Are you the same, big sister?"

Hearing the voice from beside her, Airi turned and saw a little girl with wine-red hair who was slightly taller than her.

Chang Yuan had noticed that girl from the very beginning.

There was no helping it. With that brilliant wine-red hair, she was impossible not to recognize.

"That's right. I really like classical operas like this. I have several albums here. Since you like them too, I'll give them to you. I still have plenty at home."

Taking out several albums, the wine-red-haired girl handed them to Airi.

"Thank you. Oh, right, what's your name? My name is Airi. Everyone who knows me calls me Airi, and you can too. This is Big Brother Chang Yuan."

"My name is Eden. Don't mention it. I collected many copies of these albums, just in case they were damaged someday."

With a faint smile, Eden nodded at the two of them.

"Eden? That's such a lovely name."

"Yours is nice too. Alright, the opera is over, and I should be leaving as well. I live nearby. If fate allows, we'll meet again. It was nice meeting you."

Seeing that the final opera was not the kind of classical opera she was interested in, Eden stood and left.

Airi waved goodbye as well.

In her heart, she remembered the name Eden. She had a feeling that they would meet again in the future.

"Maybe Eden will become a singer famous throughout the world someday."

"Hm? Big Brother Chang Yuan, why do you say that? Eden never said she wanted to become a singer."

Hearing Chang Yuan say something she did not understand again, Airi curiously asked him once more.

"I have a feeling. She will definitely become a world-famous singer in the future, perhaps even a singer who represents an entire civilization."

"Ehh~, Big Brother Chang Yuan, you think that highly of Eden?"

Airi was somewhat surprised by his words.

They had only met for the first time. Why did Chang Yuan give her such a high evaluation?

Airi could not understand that at all.

But how could Chang Yuan explain it? Should he say that he had read the plot? It was not impossible, but he would have to hide it from Airi.

If she learned her identity in advance, she might sacrifice herself as soon as the First Herrscher was born.

Then she would gamble that the subsequent Herrschers could all retain their humanity, ultimately preserving this civilization.

That was precisely the decision Airi had not made after finishing her journey around the world.

If she did not make that decision, then this Airi would not be the Airi he liked.

So no matter what, he could tell anyone except Airi in advance. If possible, he hoped to keep it from her forever.

Once she learned her true identity, the chance of Airi sacrificing herself would be as high as 99.99%.

The only sliver of uncertainty was because nothing in the world was absolute.

Setting that aside, her sacrifice would become inevitable.

"I think very highly of you too. Maybe you'll become the center of the world someday."

"Hmph hmph, I think so too. After all, cute girls can do anything."

Afterward, Airi put the album Eden had given her into her little backpack.

Ever since Chang Yuan had started making money, the two of them had upgraded their gear.

It could be said that even if they were surviving in the wilderness now, they could last for a month.

When the opera finally ended, Airi left the opera house still wanting more.

"Big Brother Chang Yuan, do you think we'll have a chance to come again someday?"

"Yes. We definitely will."

Chang Yuan was utterly certain about that.

After all, in the future, Airi and Eden would become the closest of best friends, so close they hardly seemed like ordinary best friends anymore.

"Alright then. If we don't come back in the future, that means you lied."

Quietly remembering those words, Airi said with a smile.

"Don't worry. I'll never lie to you."

Knowing the plot made him invincible.

"Mhm~, who knows? But... I want that. Buy it for me."

Pointing at a vendor in the distance, Airi said this.

What could Chang Yuan do about it? He could only buy it. After all, she was the girlfriend he was raising.

Although he might not succeed, he could at least become someone like her unforgettable first love.

Still, he felt somewhat conflicted. He wanted Airi to love him selfishly, yet he also did not want her to love him selfishly.

He feared the words once spoken by some demon: if the queen loved me, then she would no longer be a queen.

Likewise, if Airi loved him selfishly, then she would no longer be the Airi he liked.

Though part of why he liked Airi was her appearance, most of it was because of her personality.

After all, there had never been a shortage of attractive anime characters, but there was only one Airi.

"Mm, it's a little too sweet, Big Brother Chang Yuan. You should eat it instead. I don't want cavities."

"...So you're fine with me getting cavities?"

Taking the bite Airi had handed over, Chang Yuan's lips twitched slightly.

"Ehehe~"

Airi put both hands behind her back, blinked mischievously, and stuck out her tongue.

"But you already bit here."

Pointing to a spot dampened by saliva and clumped together, Chang Yuan said this.

"Eh, eh, eh, I almost forgot. Big Brother Chang Yuan, you're already a grown boy. We can't do things like we used to."

Only then did Airi realize that they were no longer children. Back then, they had both been innocent and ignorant, so they could share a loaf of bread between them.

Now that they had grown up, they naturally could not keep doing that.