No one knows how long Yukari Yakumo has existed; or perhaps, if anyone does, that person is likely as ancient, if not more so, than she is, and such individuals generally keep their secrets... including Yukari Yakumo herself.

Most of the protagonists currently active in Gensokyo are relative newcomers, with only a select few exceptions. Whether it's the Scarlet Devil Mansion, Eientei, the Moriya Shrine, or the Star Festival, they have only appeared in Gensokyo within the last few years or decades, having previously resided in the outside world or remained secluded. Naturally, these individuals could not possibly know what transpired during Gensokyo's five-hundred-year history.

While some beings have resided on this land since before Gensokyo even existed, very few of them, whether human or youkai, paid attention to the minute details of Gensokyo. The only two who truly watched over Gensokyo and worked to maintain its balance were Yukari Yakumo and the Hakurei Miko!

Reimu's servant, Chen, once said something profoundly true: What could a mere human who has lived barely a dozen years possibly comprehend about a youkai who has lived for countless years?

Marisa, a girl not yet twenty, certainly couldn't know the events of Gensokyo's five-hundred-year span. Given her carefree nature, punctuated by occasional thoughtlessness, she certainly wouldn't bother learning. Thus, she met Yukari Yakumo's decision with only anger and confusion, leading her to confront Yukari head-on.

She failed to consider the past or the future, judging everything solely by the present moment... Yet, even in these few sentences, one can sense the underlying gentleness and deep loyalty of the Kirisame lineage. No matter how carefree she might seem, at a crucial juncture, she will unwaveringly stand by her friends and look out for their interests.

Like Marisa, Lin Luo could not see the past or the future, but unlike her, he was aware of their existence. Regarding Yukari Yakumo, he had long tried to put himself in her shoes.

Throughout Gensokyo's five-hundred-year history, including Reimu, there have been twelve Hakurei Miko. Except for the first one, who died the very moment Gensokyo was established, the other ten Miko passed away sequentially, and Yukari Yakumo personally witnessed the passing of every single one.

The sorrow of the long-lived is not merely the loneliness felt amidst the vast river of time; the greater sorrow is the powerlessness in watching those around them fade away one by one.

No matter how you look at it, the relationship between Yukari Yakumo and the Hakurei Miko was never as simple as merely cooperating to maintain Gensokyo. They were not just friends; they could be considered soulmates. Yet... every few decades, she would lose a soulmate—irrevocable, unforgivable. What profound sorrow is that!

In these mere five centuries, Yukari Yakumo had become accustomed to parting and death. What agony that must have been? And isn't this habit born of pain itself another form of tragedy?

At least from Lin Luo's perspective, this sorrow was something no normal person could endure. If he were Yukari, he would either be perpetually despondent or desperately try to prevent such tragedies. But Yukari, after her grief subsided, still viewed the world with detached eyes... It wasn't that she was heartless; it was just that her tears fell where no one else could see them.

Moreover, she never intervened, because to stop such tragedies, she would first have to destroy Gensokyo. And if Gensokyo were shattered, what would become of the sacrifices made by the previous Miko? Reimu had served as the Hakurei Miko since her loli days, yet Yukari first met her during the Spring Snow Incident. Considering their relationship, this timing was clearly unnatural; even if it were just a cooperative arrangement, Yukari should have met Reimu the moment she became Miko.

Why the delay in meeting?

Was it precisely because the inevitable tragedy would eventually arrive again, making her reluctant to invest too much emotion in the new Miko?

Because the more emotion invested, the more agonizing the eventual pain would be.

And now, Reimu was dead. Yukari showed no immediate grief, but that didn't mean she felt none. At the very least, her usual smile was gone, wasn't it?

Her urgency in installing Mei-mu as the next Miko at this juncture wasn't solely for the sake of Gensokyo.

Reimu's death had destabilized the foundation of the Hakurei Shrine, a result that directly caused the Great Barrier to thin out, more severely than at any other point in history. If a new Miko wasn't installed swiftly, the disappearance of the Great Barrier would become inevitable.

If that happened, wouldn't the sacrifices of all twelve Miko, including Reimu, have been in vain?!

The establishment of the Great Barrier and the formation of Gensokyo were based on the principle of equivalent exchange. If the shattered Gensokyo were to be rebuilt, one life must be sacrificed... The last time it was the first Miko. If Gensokyo wasn't secured this time, who would be the next sacrifice?

Viewing things from Yukari Yakumo's perspective, Lin Luo considered countless issues, and so he understood her actions. Rationally speaking, Yukari's choice was the most correct one: abandoning the attempt to save Reimu could immediately resolve the crisis facing Gensokyo and avoid any unforeseen complications... But!

Understanding did not equate to supporting, and the most correct choice was not necessarily the one he would make. He could comprehend Yukari's stance—sacrificing Reimu for the sake of Gensokyo and the five centuries of effort and perseverance by all the Hakurei Miko—but he would not abandon her!

Even if there were only a sliver of hope, he would fight desperately for it!

Seeing Yukari's unchanging expression, Lin Luo spoke, "We should still have enough time for a private talk outside."

"...Very well." Yukari hesitated for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

Lin Luo smiled faintly, then looked towards the others in the room. "I'll leave Reimu in your care for now. Don't worry, we'll find a way."

Then, Lin Luo and Yukari Yakumo left the room and walked outside.

After the two departed, Marisa finally looked away, sitting by the bedside with a crestfallen expression. "Did I do wrong? Although I know that Yukari isn't someone heartless or unjust, and even though she often enjoys teasing people, thinking about it, Gensokyo's continued peace is fundamentally due to the efforts of Yukari and the Miko. If a new Miko needs to be chosen, it’s only to maintain that peace. In fact, we're the ones who haven't done much, just enjoying this peace every day. Perhaps I... spoke too harshly just now?"

It was rare for Marisa to ponder an issue so seriously. Normally, everyone would assume she had lost her mind and would only mock or ridicule her. But at this moment, the question was also on everyone else's mind, so no one joked or mocked.

Alice comforted her, "Marisa, you aren't wrong. In reality, we are all the same; we all hope Reimu can live. Yukari surely wishes the same, but she considers more factors, while you, due to your directness, only focused on saving Reimu."

"So, I really am a dull-witted idiot?" Marisa said with self-mockery, then added, "Actually, what made me angry wasn't Yukari's decision not to save Reimu, but her detached attitude. After all, we are all trying so hard to think of a solution, and... Mei-mu is so young; how can she bear such a blow?"

A few sighs echoed in the room, followed by silence. After a moment, Yuyuko said, "There's no point dwelling on this now. Everyone, stop torturing yourselves. Let's wait until Lin Luo and Yukari finish their discussion before we decide what to do. Besides, Reimu's current state doesn't require so many people hovering around; the air in here is too suffocating. I suggest everyone takes a breath of fresh air outside before they return."

"That's a good idea. This room's oppressive atmosphere is making even thinking difficult."

Yuyuko's suggestion met with universal approval. Finally, the group filed out of the room one by one. Of course, Suika, Sanae, and Marisa remained behind to watch over Reimu, checking if her condition had changed.

Holding Reimu's hand, even the inherently cheerful Iibuki Suika wore a worried frown, muttering, "Reimu, do you know that because of you, everyone nearly got into a fight just now? This is an Incident; why won't you wake up and deal with it? If you don't wake up soon, I'll cause an even bigger Incident. Oh, right, if you wake up, I promise to give you half... hmm, I'll give you half of all my sake, alright?"

On a hillside not far from the Hakurei Shrine, from this vantage point, one could see nearly the entire panorama of Gensokyo. At this moment, Lin Luo and Yukari Yakumo stood here.

"Yukari, what is the most important thing to you?" Lin Luo gazed out over Gensokyo and asked.

Yukari Yakumo looked down upon the world with calm eyes and replied, "Gensokyo, and everything that exists within it."

"In other words, what you wish to protect is not just Gensokyo, but every blade of grass, every tree, every person, and every youkai here?" Lin Luo countered.

"Balance." Facing this question, Yukari spoke only two words.

Flora, fauna, humans, and youkai—Yukari would not deliberately protect one over the others, but rather the balance between them. Only by maintaining relative equilibrium could the peace of Gensokyo remain unbroken.

Lin Luo nodded and continued, "If I'm not mistaken, the balance of Gensokyo originates from the Hakurei Shrine. In other words, the Hakurei Shrine is the foundation of all Gensokyo, and the Hakurei Miko is its soul. With a soul and a foundation, this vibrant world of Gensokyo is formed. Because the Shrine and the Miko are so vital, the Hakurei Miko is invincible within Gensokyo. Am I correct?"

"Correct," Yukari nodded. "The establishment of Gensokyo was based on the principle of equivalent exchange. The price paid to make the Hakurei Miko the soul of this world was the life of the first Miko. Subsequently, every following Hakurei Miko, upon taking office, receives the soul of Gensokyo. This power grants the Miko immunity from all external harm within Gensokyo... Of course, the Miko can choose not to accept this soul through her own will, but that's not a major issue, because even without relying on that invincible power, the Hakurei Miko, gathering the world's luck in conflict, can still suppress almost any youkai."

"Including you?"

"Yes, as long as I acknowledge myself as a part of Gensokyo," Yukari stated calmly. "After all, when Gensokyo was established, the first Miko and I held different roles. She was in charge of conflict and suppression—that is, resolving Incidents and maintaining Gensokyo's balance. I, however, was in charge of vitality and knowledge—simply put, the stability of the Great Barrier and all of Gensokyo's unknown secrets. You could call it the civil and military aspects. It is precisely because of this clear division of labor that Gensokyo can remain perpetually peaceful and unaffected by external environments." "In other words, you understand everything about Gensokyo better than anyone else?"

Yukari glanced at him doubtfully, not understanding why he was steering the conversation this way. She had expected Lin Luo to focus on Reimu. However, she didn't conceal the truth and replied honestly, "Yes."

"Then you should also know why Reimu died, correct?"

Hearing this, Yukari's heart skipped a beat. She had been tricked into speaking!

In the past, she would never have fallen for such a simple trap, but at this moment, flustered and agitated, she hadn't thought things through, and thus fell for Lin Luo's scheme.

However, since the words were already out, she didn't intend to deny it and nodded, "You are correct. I do know the cause of Reimu's death."

"Then tell me."

"I cannot."

"Why?"

Yukari offered no answer.

In fact, she didn't need to answer, as the reply to that question had already been given in her very first statement the moment she appeared earlier.

"Because Reimu's death is not the consequence, but the cause, isn't that right?" Lin Luo questioned.

"Since you already know, then stop asking," Yukari sighed. She knew the man beside her was far from unintelligent. Since the conversation had reached this point, there was no point in further concealment. She conceded, "Actually, reviving Reimu is not difficult; it could even be called easy. The key lies in the consequences of bringing her back—consequences that none of us can bear."

"Reimu died from a Reverse Causality!" Lin Luo stated gravely.

"Yes, but she was not the direct initiator of the Reverse Causality; she was an indirect victim."

"What do you mean?"

"The Reverse Causality existing within Gensokyo—the entity truly entangled with it is not her, but someone else. Because this Reverse Causality has never been resolved, the moment for its explosion has finally arrived. Therefore, it needed an eruption point. Originally, this point was meant to be all of Gensokyo, but there are too many hosts within the realm. The World Heart instinctively resists; even Reverse Causality cannot completely invade. Thus, as a substitute, Reimu, possessing the soul of Gensokyo, became the eruption point... If you look at it plainly, her death was the most innocent, hence why she is a victim."

"The one who killed her was us?" Lin Luo's expression shifted.

"...You could put it that way." Yukari nodded sadly. "But we cannot save her. You also know that Reverse Causality generally does not erupt; it only acts up when it is resolved. But now, without being resolved, it is directly affecting a host, causing an inexplicable death—a death that even a World Heart cannot withstand. So, if it were to erupt fully resolved, how intense would it be?"

At this point, Yukari looked at Lin Luo with a serious expression and said in a low voice, "Even you and I would be instantly reduced to ash!"

Lin Luo paused, then stated grimly, "Then you accept that Reimu will die in our stead?"

Yukari sighed internally, avoiding the direct question, and instead said, "After this eruption, the Reverse Causality will fall dormant until it disappears into some unknown corner, never posing a threat again. Gensokyo and we will no longer be endangered. Furthermore, although Reimu's World Heart could not save her life, it can preserve her body and existence. If, in the future... in the future, when our strength advances to the Third Realm of Heaven Rank, saving her might not be impossible."

"What you say is very logical. If we win the God War, we can spend time becoming stronger later, and Reimu can still be revived. However... forgive me, I cannot agree."

"Why?" Yukari suddenly turned around, looking at Lin Luo with incomprehension, even a hint of anger. "The Reverse Causality afflicting Gensokyo is something we are utterly incapable of resisting now. A mere indirect burst has already caused the death of someone close to a Quasi-Heaven Rank host. If the Reverse Causality were to burst out directly, do you know what would happen? It wouldn't just be our deaths; it would be the annihilation of Gensokyo and perhaps the entire world. Everyone, even those in your world, might not survive! Do you realize that?!"

"Moreover, the crucial point is that while Reimu is dead now, there is hope for her revival in the future. Be a little more rational; don't let temporary sorrow lead to greater, permanent sorrow." Yukari tried her utmost to persuade him.

Lin Luo had to admit that what she said was highly rational, and perhaps his own demand was reckless. But he simply could not accept something so fundamentally unreasonable!

"Indeed, your rational choice might be the most correct one, but I repeat my words... The most correct choice is not the choice I wish to make. Yukari, are you truly content to live forever threatened by Reverse Causality? And everything you mentioned is uncertain; why not fight for it?"

Yukari offered a bitter smile. "Fight? How do you intend to fight? Once the Reverse Causality is resolved, the Original Sin will erupt immediately. Can you even imagine the power of that Original Sin? When that calamity capable of destroying heaven and earth descends, no one will escape death!"

Though Yukari's arguments were sound, Lin Luo's choice remained firm. Looking into her eyes, he stated seriously, "If saving Reimu invites the Original Sin of Reverse Causality, then I will bear all the sin myself!"

His tone was resolute!

"You!" Yukari was profoundly moved and could find no words left to speak.