Chapter 56: Himeko: We Are No Longer Friends
The system informs you that you are an individual extracted from the negative personality of your host. Because you possess your host's negative personality and experienced unfavorable upbringing, you became what you are now.
However, there is still a chance. Countless deceptions will eventually shatter that warm heart.
When her hope in you is extinguished like a small flame under a torrential rain…
How could it ever be rekindled?
You must make up for the faults in your heart. The sins left behind by that terrible "you" must still be atoned for by yourself.
You once borrowed money from that kind girl one hundred and five times, using various excuses…
But during the first one hundred and four times, she comforted you and encouraged you, never looking at you with strange eyes like everyone else did.
Yet "you" only intensified your behavior, showing no remorse at all, drifting further and further down the path of depravity…
You reviewed the memories in your mind, while a mixture of emotions stirred within you.
Guilt. Regret.
Your gaze passed through the noisy crowd, looking toward the direction the girl had gone. It seemed as though you could see Himeko, lonely and sorrowful in the forest outside the city.
The alcohol in your body slowly dissipated as you breathed steadily…
You had become quite sober.
Suddenly you remembered that today was Himeko's birthday.
You decided to do something.
You stood up and walked out of the casino.
Looking at the dazzling pastry shop nearby, you realized that the only money you had was the money pouch Himeko had left in your pocket.
The copper coins inside had long been wasted at the gambling table.
A bitter smile formed on your lips. If only you had transmigrated a few minutes earlier.
However, you understood that such thoughts were useless and would not change your current state of poverty.
You staggered along, smelling of sweat and alcohol, looking at the not-so-busy street.
Himeko's hometown did not seem very prosperous.
A mechanical repair shop in a corner caught your attention.
It was a store that repaired various small household appliances. Although its location was not ideal, it still had plenty of customers.
You slowly walked over. The current you was a mechanical genius.
You wanted to earn money, repay your gambling debts, and return the money to the girl.
Otherwise, your conscience would not be at peace.
While thinking about this, you had already reached the shop.
"Where did this beggar come from? Get lost!"
The boss shouted arrogantly, unwilling to deal with a disheveled blond like you.
However, you quickly silenced him with your actions.
You picked up a radio labeled "scrap." Thanks to your natural sensitivity to machines, you quickly replaced a capacitor and a diode inside the radio…
When the radio—something he had already considered trash—began playing sound again, the boss was completely shocked.
You smiled faintly. Such a small toy was not even worth sacrificing your lifespan for.
You looked at the boss, who was still stunned, and did not stop your movements.
The basket filled with simple items labeled as scrap was quickly repaired one by one. You discovered that most repair shops here only knew how to replace parts, with only superficial knowledge of how they worked.
This was undoubtedly a place where money could be made.
Soon, the boss invited you to work for him. Repairmen like you, who could turn trash into treasure, were rare.
With you, his profits could multiply several times.
"Alright, but I want one month's salary in advance."
You calmly stated your request.
"With so many people as witnesses—and you know the federal laws—there's no way I could take your money and run from the police…"
The greedy boss quickly agreed to your request.
He handed you two gold coins.
This was the monthly salary you had agreed upon.
It was nothing remarkable. From what you had just observed, the boss would quickly earn back those two gold coins with the small items you had repaired.
You took the coins and left the shop calmly.
You changed your clothes, dyed your blond hair back to black, removed your earrings, and took a thorough shower.
You cared greatly about managing your appearance. Afterwards, you bought a cake and walked in the direction Himeko had gone.
From today onward, everything would be different.
---
Following the path in your memories, a winding trail led through the forest to a lake.
That lake was a place Himeko often visited whenever she was in a bad mood.
If everything went well, you would find her there and politely apologize, repaying her for everything she had done for "you" over the years.
And celebrate her birthday.
In this way, the guilt brought by the original host's memories would naturally disappear, and you could live your life without regrets.
Ideals are always grand.
But reality often does not go the way you want.
When you reached the lake, the girl who had just turned sixteen today was not sadly staring at the lakeshore as you had imagined.
Instead, she was standing beside a train that was half-submerged in the lake.
She did not notice your arrival at all—or perhaps she simply ignored you.
You could see a bright light in the girl's eyes.
There was no trace of the sadness she had shown earlier.
"Miss Himeko…"
"Miss Himeko?"
You called softly.
Finally she seemed to come back to her senses and looked at you. Your appearance had changed, but she did not react in any special way.
She stared at you for a long time, as if recovering from immense joy.
"Su Xiaobai…"
Her tone carried a trace of seriousness.
"I think our friendship is over."
"You're not a friend who can make me feel at ease."
You fell silent.
Every memory told you that it was not her fault; she had already done more than enough for you.
Her enthusiasm toward you had been exhausted by those one hundred and four deceptions.
"I once thought we had the same dream, but I discovered that we don't."
"Well, don't keep apologizing. I've heard it many times over the years. Thank you for remembering my birthday, but the cake… it isn't necessary."
"Take it back."
"Use that money to live well."
You were about to speak, but you realized that any words you said now would sound just like your previous lies.
A feeling of resentment briefly arose in your heart, but it was quickly suppressed by an intense sense of guilt.
You could only turn around and leave the forest.
She was not a saint; she could not tolerate it forever.
However, there seemed to be something new in her eyes—something called an ideal.
Within that half-submerged train, she had found her ideal, something no one could take away from her.
Well, it seemed you could only take a long-term approach.
You cursed the original host in your heart, but then remembered that this was a "trial," and you calmed down again.
If there were no difficulties, how could it be called a "trial"?
You looked gently at the bright starry sky, only to see a broken Astral Express glowing with a faint blue light, streaking across the sky like a meteor.
That was the Astral Express.
And she was the navigator of the train.