[Event · Friends Game]
[Felicity, the Goddess of Abundance, has crafted a towering wooden colossus in human shape. Yet as she admires her creation, a lingering worry haunts her—who does it truly belong to? Just then, you, an uninvited guest, stumble in and are swiftly discovered. Intrigued rather than enraged, Felicity proposes a game.]
[Surrender all the cosmic fragments in your possession as a token of friendship. In return, Felicity will grant you the temporary honor of being her friend. And for her friends—she always has little 'gifts.']
Dialogue Choices:
[1. Hey, we're basically the same, right? Can I get it for free?][2. Sister Felicity! This week's friend fee, freshly delivered!]
If you choose Option 1:
—You're not seriously trying that, are you?
[Felicity, smiling without warmth, confiscates half your cosmic fragments by force. In exchange, you receive half of all Blessings of Abundance, and one strange, defective Curio.]
If you choose Option 2:
—I like obedient little ones. Here—take these. You've earned it.
[Felicity accepts all your cosmic fragments, tucks them into a treasure chest, and hides it away in a forgotten corner. Perhaps one day, your paths will cross again.][You gain all Blessings of Abundance, and a rare Curio.]
[Special Curio: Life Engine]A replica clearly modeled after a certain unnamed creation engine. Can be summoned once in combat by consuming Fate Echo energy. The summoned Life Engine takes its place in the action sequence, dealing fixed damage and periodically healing your team.
Felicity hummed in satisfaction at the event she'd orchestrated. The little drama had played out perfectly. Yet even as the echoes of her amusement faded, a familiar emptiness began to stir within her.
She was… bored.
Herta had once told her she was free to do as she pleased in the Simulated Universe. But now that she had all this freedom, Felicity realized with frustration that she had no idea what to do.
Purpose was necessary for creation. Otherwise, wasn't she just a lost child stumbling through the dark?
Besides, her powers had… changed. Here, within this world of data and illusion, her strength had been amplified.
Enhanced?
Her eyes gleamed.
A peculiar idea took root in her mind—an idea both thrilling and troubling.
It was going to be a long, difficult game.
Stelle awoke with a start, as though yanked from a terrible dream.
Her hand instinctively touched her forehead. Her bangs were damp with sweat, clinging to her skin. She sat up from the cold ground, forcing her breathing to steady.
"...Weird. I thought I saw—"
She blinked slowly, taking in her surroundings. A vast, ruined cathedral rose around her, half-swallowed by age. Fractured stone walls stretched upward like jagged ribs, and a faded crimson carpet ran along the aisle until it ended at an iron door, rusted and chained.
"I definitely saw Felicity… in the Simulated Universe..."
Her thoughts scattered as her eyes landed on a figure slumped against the wall.
Silver hair dulled by dust. A once-pristine white dress now tattered and stained.
Felicity.
Stelle's heart dropped. She scrambled to her feet and rushed over, gently lifting the girl into her arms. Her skin was cold. Lifeless.
Blood had soaked the floor beneath her, forming two streaks of deep crimson beside her delicate hand.
[Even if the guidance has long been broken, please become the king of the trash can.]
"...What?"
Stelle could only stare. The words meant nothing to her. With a sigh, she hoisted Felicity onto her back and rose to her feet again.
She pushed open the iron door. A cloud of dust burst forth.
Beyond it lay a crumbling staircase, and far off in the distance—stretching toward the heavens like something out of myth—a colossal golden tree shimmered on the horizon.
Still carrying Felicity, Stelle began to walk forward.
At the end of the broken stone path, she spotted an ancient wooden bridge suspended over a chasm, its other side anchored to a familiar platform.
"...That's the space station's platform?"
The architecture was all wrong. Medieval ruins blended awkwardly with high-tech structures. The contradictions jarred her memory.
This had to still be… the Simulated Universe.
Wait—if there's a platform, then—
Before she could finish the thought, the sky split open with a thunderous crash. A massive figure came plummeting down.
Stelle's breath caught.
"The Doomsday Beast?! Herta! Can you hear me?!"
No answer.
She had no choice. She carefully set Felicity against the wall, then stepped onto the broken bridge alone.
[Special Event: Praise of Abundance]
[A video of you carrying your friend's body has gone viral online. The passing Goddess of Abundance gave you a thumbs-up.][You've gained +1 Blessing of Abundance.]
"Why is it always the Blessing of Abundance!?"
Stelle groaned as she raised her bat and stepped into battle, standing alone before the towering beast.
"I need to focus..."
She quickly checked her newly received blessing.
[Blessing of Abundance · Red Dewdrop Holy Grail Bottle]Star rating: ?
Without warning, a massive palm came crashing down from above.
The Doomsday Beast clearly had no patience for anime-style dramatic pauses.
Stelle rolled to the side, barely dodging in time.
"I have knees?!"
The nonsensical thought escaped her lips. She shook her head, forcing herself to focus.
Her gaze flicked back to Felicity's motionless form.
Her fingers clenched tightly around the bat.
"...I'm taking her with me today. Whoever wants to stop me—come and try."
"What kind of nonsense have you stirred up this time?"
Herta's expression was stormy as she glared at Felicity, who had left her assigned parameters in the Simulated Universe and rewritten entire sectors of it at will.
"I only made some minor adjustments to make the experience more fun for Stelle," Felicity said, brimming with smugness.
"You rewrote my entire scenario!" Herta snapped. "Though honestly… the structure's intact, and you didn't touch the code. It's like... like the carriage is somehow pulling the horse now."
Screwllum, observing from the side, chuckled warmly.
"I find it quite delightful. The Simulated Universe is more alive than ever. Working with Miss Felicity is always… eventful."
"Fun doesn't fix everything," Herta muttered.
She turned her gaze back to the display, just in time to see Stelle struggling across the simulation, Felicity's lifeless form draped on her back.
A twitch pulled at the corner of Herta's mouth.
"I wonder what that silly creature would think if she knew the 'corpse' she's dragging around is just a bundle of data."
"To be precise," Felicity corrected, eyes serious, "that's still me. Merely… a planted seed."
--+--