☀️ Arselia and Akonia

- You shouldn't talk like that,” Ayano said with unwavering self-assurance, befitting an imperial princess of two planets. She ignored the physical (though not failing to gracefully dodge/mitigate the impact where possible) and, on one hand, predictable, yet on the other, surprisingly, reprimanded the relic for such reasoning. “It may seem obvious to you, or even to both of you, but from my perspective, I see people who, while unusual and somewhat detached from earthly reality, are still understandable. This may sound completely out of place at first, but… I, more than anyone, have experienced firsthand that in any situation, one can find new meaning, no matter how unsuitable one’s background may be. And no matter who you are, there is nothing wrong with striving for a better outcome. And even the concept of ‘outcome’ is flexible.” Simultaneously breaking free from all possible constraints, she looked the empress in the eye with utmost seriousness: “If you and she cannot currently find meaning for yourselves, then I fear you have no choice but to rely on the fresh perspective of others. If necessary, I will do it for you. And not just me. Phyr-dono, Sonata-chan, the criminal brothers – anyone. And not just us, the Bdeligms. A vast number of Anuzish’s sons and daughters inspired me to keep going, gritting my teeth, even in the most difficult moments, and to find something to hold onto. This is a universal value, regardless of the world involved. And here I am, even though half a year ago, I could have easily lost my mind. You may not consider my experience to be significant, but you must understand that, given my nature, it is something that even you cannot access, and it has meaning.” After a pause and a glance into the unknown, she continued: “I happened to hear something today. A glimpse into ancient times. A story about the time of the struggle against the cosmic squids, about the very event that laid the foundation for the current paradigm of existence. I heard this from third parties, not from you… but I don’t hold it against you. The story says that it was all a terrible misunderstanding. Top 10 anime misunderstandings, as they say. Is that true? You don’t have to answer. I was ready to believe that something like this was true even last summer. To be honest, this story lifted a weight off my heart in a way that nothing ever has before. I… I am truly happy that things are the way they are, and not otherwise, and that you are who you seem to be, and on top of that, I am not making a terrible mistake,” she said, masking a tear that had escaped her eye. “So, regardless… you are who you are at this moment in time, not who you were five thousand years ago. Yes, you shouldn’t ignore your origins, no matter how traumatic they may be. But you shouldn’t dwell on them as if they were your only destiny. You are who you are at this moment, according to all the factors that surround you. There is nothing strange or shameful about that. Times and people change, singularities, transcendences, whatever. Change is the natural order of things, both on Anuzish and everywhere else. And if your friend has become bored with spending her endless time, and you have some kind of conflict, then… we, the younger generation, will have to cheer you up, you seniors. It’s easy to give up on something old that seems outdated, no one argues with that, especially when you give it a dramatic flair. But you have to understand that for the overall picture, this will not be a ‘legacy,’ but merely your personal escape from reality.” Scratching her head and shaking it, Ayano lowered her gaze: “I’m sure all of this sounds like something an ant would say. But this is what my heart feels, even if it’s on a low level of understanding.”