The ending of the story failed to satisfy a certain teenager.
All he saw in this ending was a great responsibility that was given by a brave warrior to his successor.
It was a disappointing conclusion.
Yeah, he had absolutely no right to judge the weight of a precious promise formed between those two people.
He also had no right to curse the man who had entrusted his hopes and shared his burden with someone he cared for and believed in.
He was simply a complete outsider. A 100% outsider who would never understand even a fraction of the value behind what had just unfolded before his eyes.
That scene was definitely a touching one.
The emotions were well conveyed, and the memory shown could surely be considered a precious one to someone—an indispensable part of shaping who they were to become.
But even so…
He didn't feel moved or inspired by the ending laid out before him.
Maybe countless others would have appreciated the hidden meaning behind that ending.
Maybe they would have been touched or burst into tears?
Maybe they would have shown care or empathy?
Maybe they would have remained silent out of respect for the man who had made such a difficult choice?
Or maybe they would have cheered on the successor taking on that great burden?
He had no idea what the other viewers felt, but he understood very clearly the emotion swirling inside his chest.
It was strange for something artificial, no more than a mass of compiled data, to attribute something so lofty as emotion to itself.
But even so.
He was engulfed in a suffocating silence after witnessing the ending of that man's life through the eyes of his daughter.
What he felt now wasn't some complex or layered emotion.
It was extremely simple—something that could be summarized in terms of like and dislike.
He simply felt irritated.
Yes, all he felt was frustration and discomfort at the ending laid out before him. Nothing more than that.
You could say he was grinding his teeth and clicking his tongue in annoyance.
He didn't bother to suppress his trivial emotions with manners or restraint in front of others.
He ignored that boring, so-called social courtesy.
Someone might call him immature.
Someone might say he was lacking in maturity.
Someone might even brand him a fool who couldn't see the bigger picture.
But even so. What did it matter if his view was narrow? Was he supposed to lift his head and care about that?
Isn't it true that sometimes, the simple truths are ignored by viewers just because they want to seem deep—chasing after profound meanings hidden behind a finish line that was already in plain sight?
Sometimes, you don't need to see the whole picture to understand the problem when the answer is already right in front of you.
So…
So…
<
<<…>>
<<..?>>
The moment he opened his mouth with that crude and irritated voice, the people on either side of him showed different reactions.
Siegfried was contemplative.
Ai-chan, still sitting on his shoulder, looked at him suspiciously. But he didn't stop. The simulated Yumeji kept speaking resolutely, regardless of everyone else.
<
He unleashed a barrage of sharp, cutting words soaked in pure anger and frustration.
Maybe he was disappointed.
Disappointed that the enemy he had anticipated turned out to be so pathetic.
Every word spoken by the simulated Yumeji sounded no more meaningful than a childish complaint.
But he had also exposed a naked truth through that rant of his.
That is: all the father of that girl ever did was abandon his own daughter and throw the responsibility of protecting the world at her under the guise of a promise.
There's nothing more to it—someone with literary sensibilities could write a tragic and noble ode to praise this kind of sorrow, or someone else might easily understand the deeper reasons behind such an action.
But still.
No matter how you color it, no matter how you dress up this story in poetic language, it cannot change one simple truth: that man abandoned his daughter, and that act stirred a deep sense of injustice in one particular teenager.
Perhaps that teenager was nothing more than a mass of computer data.
But even so, he had things he liked and things he hated.
From the very beginning, the girl's reason for fighting was something as small as wanting to see her father smile. Maybe that reason evolved and expanded as she grew older, but its root came from something so simple.
That's why he wouldn't let them overlook that precious, small wish—not even the father who told his daughter to become a hero and protect the world, nor the daughter who proudly fought for something grand called "the world."
He would make sure they never forgot that simple, innocent feeling—and would not let it be smothered under lofty ideals of heroism.
From the very beginning—what even is the world?
A newly born bundle of data like Simulated Yumeji probably wouldn't have the right answer.
But he knew it must be vast, filled with all kinds of people, overflowing with life and all kinds of fascinating things.
That's why—it should have been a world big enough to easily hold the tiny wish of a certain little girl.
It should've been a place everyone worked together to protect, not a place where so-called heroes were raised as pillars to bear the entire burden just because they were "special."
***
You should protect your own world.
That might be a small world like your family's happiness, a personal joy, a peaceful little corner, or a secret base you built when you were a child.
No matter what you protect, no matter how small it may seem, it's still your beloved world—something filled with the little things you've cherished.
The worlds of many individuals intertwine to form the grand thing we call the world.
The precious world of one person will always differ from that of a group, a people, or a nation.
That act of selfishness—of thinking only of your own world—might be called immature or self-centered. It could very well be the seed of conflict, discord, or war, because everyone's values are inherently different.
But we live in a world of freedom and free will from the very beginning. So, you don't need to bow your head just because you have selfish, ugly desires.
As long as you don't cross the boundaries of ethics or the law, it's fine.
That should be one of the few good things this world owes you.
And if the world is a cruel place that tramples all the budding dreams and wishes that are born in people's hearts, not even allowing them the chance to sprout—
Then even if such a world were to be destroyed, would that really be such a tragedy?
***
Yumeji Satsuki was never meant to be called a good person.
He should've just been some careless, ridiculously childish brat.
He'd no doubt be labeled as someone ill-natured and thoroughly unlikable in the eyes of many.
He definitely wasn't the type to devote himself to society, no matter what special talents he might possess.
He would rather drop down into the "ordinary" category and do just enough to live a comfortable life—one he wouldn't have to complain too much about.
He had no intention of becoming someone beloved and celebrated like a superstar or a hero.
It's not a matter of whether he could be that person—he simply didn't want to.
He had a tendency to prioritize himself and his own will over anything else.
And yet, he was also stubborn and someone who kept his promises.
That's all you really need to know to understand the person named Yumeji Satsuki.
So what traits would a simulated Yumeji, born from that template, end up possessing?
Which aspects of Yumeji Satsuki's character had left such a deep impression on a girl named Kiana Kaslana?
The answer is absurdly simple—if you asked her, she probably wouldn't be able to explain it clearly, but she had always been both envious of and deeply admired that part of Yumeji Satsuki.
The heroic girl, who would fight to protect others with a smile even if it meant tearing herself apart, must've thought something like this:
"What the hell? Why is that arrogant, insufferable bastard so willing to throw himself into danger to save others like it's nothing?"
And if she ever asked Yumeji that, he would probably just reply:
"Because I don't want that kind of thing to leave a bitter aftertaste in my mouth. If doing it means I can sleep well at night, I won't complain."
Every righteous act he did was rooted in personal whim and desire. He would never sugarcoat it with lines like "I did it for someone else," just to make it sound more noble.
This held true even when he risked his life to save Himeko. What he thought was simple:
"Why the hell should I sit through a third-rate tragedy where people close to each other end up hurt over some dumb reason?"
It was the same when he used his rhetoric to save Kallen:
"What the hell is this? That whole self-sacrifice idea is disgustingly pathetic. Are they seriously trying to turn this into a tragic drama? These idiot bystanders whispering piss me off—fine, I'll shut them all up. I'd rather stage a farce that even a kid could laugh at than let some boring, lousy tragedy unfold."
Even if he never said it aloud or consciously thought it in such words, deep down, Yumeji Satsuki was definitely driven by such thoughts—and that's what moved him to act.
((Yumeji: Wait a minute, I'm not that mean. Stop putting words in my mouth, author!
Author: Are you sure you've never thought about that, even once? And I'm the one who created you, so I know what you're thinking, kehehehehe.
Yumeji: Shut up. At that time, I just wanted to look cool. Even if I don't want to be famous, who doesn't want to make people stare in awe? I also have some childish desires to be as cool as the main characters in some Shounen series!
Author: So you've said it. As expected, you're not a good person at all.
Yumeji: You're the worst one here!! Don't act like I don't know that you added this part because you're out of ideas, you damn author.
Author: Ahem. Who said I'm out of ideas!? I just didn't want you to nag me for cutting your role for too long.
Yumeji: If that's the case, then shut up and continue the story, you slippery author.
Author: No need for you to remind me!))
Remember, if we only consider the number of times they've clashed since they met, only God can accurately describe their current relationship.
Yumeji might display politeness and courtesy when talking to Mei.
He might show kindness and a certain respect towards his teacher, Himeko.
He might exhibit trust and sharing with Bronya.
He might show a childish, needy, even whiny side, like a little kid, to Fu Hua.
But when it comes to Kiana?
He would display unnecessary vanity.
He would show competitiveness and unwillingness to yield.
He might use exaggerated, boastful words to mock her.
No matter how you look at it, Yumeji always shows his most annoying traits when he's around Kiana.
He doesn't feel the need to act like a hero to be admired.
No need to appear likable and kind to be loved.
Everything he shows is extremely arbitrary and doesn't fit any mold.
His attitude fluctuates when he's with Kiana.
Their relationship is as tangled as a ball of yarn.
But precisely because of that, Kiana admired him.
Admired the person who carries his boundless free will and brings a happy ending to others' stories without any profound or grand reason.
But at the same time, she was also envious of that person, who doesn't hesitate to show his cowardice, weakness, and ugliness, who is willing to fall into the mire dozens of times to climb up and seize the happiness he deserves.
You don't need to be praised or have a heroic epic to be happy.
What's wrong with feeling happy just because you get to eat your favorite food, sleep in a warm bed during winter, or feel joy attending your beloved idol's live show?
Those trivial desires are nothing to be ashamed of.
So go ahead and kick out those who bring troubles and bad vibes affecting your daily life.
Live for others? Protect the world? Become some savior hero? Become someone everyone respects?
Hahaha, those wonderful ideals are indeed beautiful and precious. But so what? Do you really think they carry weight?
Do you really think someone will listen and praise a wonderful person who is willing to sacrifice themselves for others?
No. The reason they are remembered is simply because they helped us keep our personal happiness. Period.
Someone who can't even grasp happiness for themselves in their damn life, yet wants to protect the world? What the hell is that? Don't make me laugh; it sounds so hollow.
Of course, there are great people with high morals who have accomplished that. Are they happy? Maybe, because their efforts were rewarded. Are they joyful? Perhaps, because they've resolved their worries through that sacrifice.
But do they find it enjoyable?
Do they find life truly interesting and full of wonderful things?
No.
Definitely not. Why would something exchanged through fatigue, pain, and effort be enjoyable? They don't even care about the process; the result is big enough to overshadow it. Is there any experience there that makes them excited to watch again and again, or is it just a boring and dull process where they abandon their free will to achieve that result for the masses?
So even if the story they compose is heroic, no matter how great the beginning and end are, no one would want to watch the middle part where they forge the process to that end, because watching it would only bring melancholy, a gloomy mood, and a bad taste in the mouth.
Well, those who can smile while watching that process are the ones who laugh out loud when they see someone hanging themselves in the middle of the city square, chuckle when they see someone commit suicide for some silly reason, start recording videos, taking photos, and writing some nonsense emotional messages when they see that.
That's how it is.
The simulated Yumeji is an amplification of that personality trait Kiana saw in the real Yumeji Satsuki.
The one who retains the childishness, arbitrariness, arrogance, unpleasantness, and boundless free will of Yumeji Satsuki, which has been amplified tenfold, a hundredfold by Kiana's subjective thoughts.
That is the simulated Yumeji.
Therefore...
No need for more words; he will follow his free will to teach the bastard in front of him a lesson.
He will ignore all the profound reasons behind it. A father who can only do things that make his daughter feel sad and lonely deserves a punch, even if he's a stranger.
So, he clenched his fist to deal with his discomfort.
Talking to understand can come later; they can even resolve it during the battle.
So be ready.
Because this rebellious kid is going to give you a beating, you damn old man.