Early morning.
Kael was jolted awake by a voice echoing inside his head.
[Cooldown complete. Life Simulation System has been reactivated. Host, would you like to initiate a life simulation?]
Finally!
The system was back online!
"Wait, I have questions! Let me ask them first before we start!"
These past few days in Mondstadt had left Kael with a stomach full of questions he needed answered.
[Host may ask questions. The system will answer as appropriate within the designated parameters.]
Tch, as appropriate.
After all these days, the system was still just as stingy.
"Why does Amber still retain the emotions from the life simulation — not just toward me, but toward Diluc too?"
[In the life simulation, any character who develops emotional entanglements with the host will have those emotions projected into reality. The stronger the feelings toward the host, the higher the concentration of the projection.]
"So basically, if a character didn't interact with me much in the simulation, they won't have strong feelings toward me in reality — or at most, only faint ones?"
[Correct.]
"But wait, you said the emotions projected depend on how strong the feelings toward me were. What does Diluc have to do with it?"
[The character developed resentment due to the host. As long as the character retains feelings toward the host — whether love, hate, or anything else — emotions tied to the host will be projected. By the same principle, the strength of the emotion is determined by the simulation's final state.]
"So that means... Kamisato Ayaka would also currently be full of hatred toward Raiden Shogun in reality?"
[In theory, yes. However, emotions not directed at the host will begin at their strongest upon projection, and then gradually fade over time.]
Good.
If Amber kept hating Diluc forever, or if a major figure like Kamisato Ayaka held an unending grudge against Raiden Shogun, it would throw Mondstadt and Inazuma into complete chaos.
"Then... will the feelings directed toward me also fade over time?"
[No. Feelings toward the host will remain eternally frozen at the final moment of the life simulation.]
"..."
[Host, would you like to initiate a life simulation now?]
"Wait! I still have another question! Why did the Amber from the life simulation appear in the real world?! That was seriously terrifying!"
Kael had always thought of the life simulations like dreams, or at most, like completing missions inside a game.
To have something from there suddenly cross into reality — it honestly felt like too much pressure to handle!
[This occurred because Amber's feelings toward the host at the start had an extremely high synchronization with her counterpart in the life simulation. After the host and the real-world Amber develop new experiences together, the synchronization will gradually decrease until it vanishes.]
[Additionally, after every life simulation, the system absorbs all remaining energy. Under normal circumstances, the passage for character projection remains closed. However, in this case, the emotions overflowed with such intensity that it generated enough energy to open the passage.]
[Host can rest assured: both conditions must be met for a character from a life simulation to project into reality.]
Overflowing emotions...
How had Amber suddenly...
Could it have been because of that kiss???
Well, at least now he knew that characters from the simulations wouldn't just randomly jump out into the real world.
He could finally relax a little.
[Host, would you like to initiate a life simulation now?]
Kael thought it over.
It seemed like he didn't have any more questions for now.
"Start it."
[Received. Life Simulator is about to begin.]
[Please randomly select three talents from the list below. Talents will affect the outcome of your life. If your final evaluation reaches S-tier, you will not only receive rewards but also be able to permanently retain one talent for yourself. Please choose carefully.]
[Rarity is ranked from lowest to highest as White, Blue, Red, Gold, and Black.]
[Reincarnator (Black): After death, you will gain one chance at rebirth.]
[Unbearable to Look At (White): You were born face-first into the ground, so hideously ugly it's beyond words.]
[Black Stockings Fetish (White): You have a particular fondness for girls who wear black stockings.]
[Dragon Among Men (Red): You are born with two genders and will switch when exposed to water.]
[Born Rich (White): You are born into a wealthy family, and your fortune will always be exceptionally good, often receiving unexpected windfalls.]
[Head Chef (White): You are highly skilled in cooking.]
[Reckless Brute (White): You are brave and fearless in the face of any difficulty, but you are prone to rashness and often make irreparable mistakes.]
What the hell — another batch of strange talents again.
What even is Black Stockings Fetish?
Could it be the system is referencing his personal...
And what about Dragon Among Men and Unbearable to Look At?
He didn't want either of those at all!!!
"System, why do the talents you offer keep getting worse? It's really killing my motivation to work, you know!"
[Because this time, a Black-rarity talent appeared. As a result, the other talents are of relatively lower rarity. This is a matter of energy conservation.]
[If the host does not wish to retain a personal talent, you may choose to abandon it after the life simulation concludes.]
Reincarnator really was a mouthwatering talent.
It was essentially an extra life.
"Fine then."
Kael carefully reviewed the list of talents.
Reincarnator — he absolutely had to pick this one.
A Black talent must not be missed!
As for the rest, Born Rich seemed worth grabbing too.
The other talents... whatever.
But if he used up all the good talents in the first round...
The later two rounds would be a lot tougher.
He needed to strategically combine his talents.
For the first round, he decided—
"I'll pick 'Reincarnator,' 'Black Stockings Fetish,' and 'Head Chef.'"
[Life Simulation Begins.]
[Age 0: You were born into an ordinary family. Your parents run a small restaurant in Liyue, and your life is relatively well-off.]
This starting point seemed decent... although...
[Age 1: Your father went out to gather ingredients and encountered the Treasure Hoarders. He fiercely resisted, refusing to hand over his goods, and was accidentally killed during the struggle.]
Here we go again.
[Age 2: With only your mother left, she couldn't keep the restaurant running, and it quickly went bankrupt.]
[Age 3: Life became extremely difficult for you and your mother. One day, unable to endure any longer, she abandoned you and ran off with a merchant from Mondstadt.]
How unsurprising.
In every life simulation, Kael always seemed cursed with bad parental luck.
The system just had to turn him into an orphan to be satisfied.
[You cried your heart out, watching your mother's figure disappear from the doorway of your crumbling home. Although she told you she was going out to buy you a candied hawthorn, deep down, you instinctively knew — you might never see her again.]
[You spent several days alone in the house, without food or water. You didn't dare step outside — terrified that if you left, your mother might return and not find you.]
[Days of starvation and dehydration pushed your young body to its limits. Eventually, you collapsed.]
[Even as you fainted, you were clutching the little rabbit doll your mother had sewn for you.]
...
Was he really going to have to use Reincarnator this early?
[When you opened your eyes again, a man appeared before you.]
[He told you he was a friend of your father's. His surname was Mao, and he also ran a restaurant in Liyue.]
[He said he would take you home. From now on, he would be your father.]
Wait a second — could it be Chef Mao from Wanmin Restaurant???