The unwavering goal of Yukari Yakumo had always been to establish a Gensokyo where happiness was possible for all, irrespective of race or power level. She couldn't recall precisely when this ideal first germinated, but once the notion took root in her heart, she found she could no longer restrain herself.

For millennia, she pressed forward toward this vision with her own strength. There were countless setbacks, moments of utter despair, yet she endured. And now, at this very moment, Gensokyo was finally established. But—her heart held no elation, no joy; only an endless sorrow, for the price exacted had been devastatingly heavy.

Behind the Hakurei Shrine lay a small grove. Beneath the cold, clear moonlight, a campfire crackled softly. Yakumo Yukari and the Hakurei Shrine Maiden sat beside it, their backs pressed together, silent for a long time.

“If you don’t say something soon, it will be too late, you know,” the Maiden finally spoke, a faint, almost playful smile gracing her lips.

Yukari’s heart felt as if it were being twisted. The gentle breeze swept through her golden hair. She tilted her head back slightly, her bangs obscuring her eyes, making her expression unreadable, yet the profound sadness on her face could not be hidden. In a low, desolate voice, she asked, “Did you know this would be the outcome all along?”

The Maiden responded naturally, “We borrowed power from the Dragon God. This is the price.”

Yukari’s body trembled. As if in a fit of pique, she retorted, “If one of us had to vanish, wouldn't it have been more advantageous for you to eliminate me, a demon?”

“Because… your life is longer than mine, and you love this land even more deeply than I do. I can see every one of your passionate and lonely dreams.” The Maiden grasped Yukari’s hand, watching as her own feet began to transform into sparks, dissipating bit by bit. Yet, she continued to smile tenderly. “Yagumo, please be strong. Even if my life ceases, even if I turn to ash and dust, my spirit is intertwined with your dream, continuing eternally. Now, I must depart for another battlefield. I entrust everything of Gensokyo to you, and only you—be my eyes, be my hands. Then, you will truly see the dream of Gensokyo…”

Yukari felt her hand go suddenly empty. She turned abruptly. In her sight, the Maiden—who shone as brightly as the sun, who was as pure as a clear spring—had vanished. All that remained were the tiny sparks that were the essence of the Maiden’s life, drifting in the air before slowly fading away.

“Is… is this the price?”

Yukari reached out, but could grasp nothing she desired. The moment she looked up, her bangs fell away, and her once clear eyes were now brimming with tears.

…

“The dream is over… wake up,” Lin Luo snapped his fingers lightly, looking at the two girls opposite him.

Marisa and Renko shivered and slowly opened their eyes. Tears slipped silently down their cheeks. They instinctively reached up to wipe them away, yet found they could never truly dry them. They cried even as they laughed, murmuring to themselves, “What’s happening… It was just a dream… I knew it wasn't real… Why… why does my heart hurt so much… Why won't the tears stop… Haha, this is so strange…”

Lin Luo sighed inwardly. “It’s all real. We entered a genuine dreamscape, and what you witnessed really happened in reality. What you are feeling now is their shared sorrow, which is why you are heartbroken and weeping.”

“Even if it’s real… I’m not that sentimental… I wouldn't cry endlessly like this…” Renko stubbornly insisted, wiping her tears, though her words were clearly hollow. Tears continued to trace paths down her face, and she was crying harder than Marisa, her face nearly a blotchy mess.

Marisa felt no less sorrow than Renko, but being naturally more composed, she wiped her face after a moment. She looked at Lin Luo, her voice somewhat hoarse. “You didn’t have us watch that dream for no reason, did you? What is the purpose?”

“With your intelligence, you should already understand,” Lin Luo replied.

Marisa’s pupils contracted. After a moment of hesitation, she asked, “What is the exact relationship between that demon, that Shrine Maiden, and us?”

As Marisa posed the question, an answer was already forming in her mind. She had always dreamed, and in those dreams, she frequently saw the demon named Yukari Yakumo. However, those dreams were usually vague. This time, the vision was so vivid, and the demon looked exactly like her… Though she hesitated to accept it, the answer seemed terrifyingly close to the surface.

“Do you truly wish to know? The truth might be quite harsh for you,” Lin Luo said to them seriously.

Marisa remained silent, giving a slight nod.

Renko was still crying, though less intensely than before. She furiously rubbed her face with her sleeve and complained, “Damn it! I wasn't interested at all originally, but after seeing a dream like that, how am I supposed to suppress my curiosity! If you don't tell me, I'll kill you myself to make you talk.”

“Alright, I intended to tell you anyway. I just wanted you to be mentally prepared,” Lin Luo said, settling down against the wall and gesturing for the girls to sit as well. “Let’s start with the Shrine Maiden. The Maiden died; her life was expended as the price, and her soul merged into the Great Barrier. This result meant she could not undergo reincarnation like ordinary people after death…”

“How pitiful, after giving up so much…” Renko couldn't help but exclaim, simultaneously shooting Lin Luo several fierce glares, as if he were personally responsible for the First Generation Maiden’s fate.

Lin Luo managed a strained smile. Given their current emotional state, he offered no immediate defense and continued, “That was indeed how it should have been. But fate intervened, or perhaps it was inevitable… During the constant repair and patching of the Great Barrier, although its function remained as perfect as the beginning, its essence ceased to be pure. When this impurity emerged, a small fragment of the First Maiden’s soul flowed out of the Barrier and entered the cycle of reincarnation…”

“The Maiden was reincarnated? Where did she go?” Renko interrupted before Lin Luo could finish, clearly having become the First Maiden’s most devoted fan after witnessing the dream, despite never caring for celebrities. Although she had reservations about reincarnation, she desperately hoped the Maiden had been reborn into a good family, spared the hardship of her past life. Perhaps, Renko thought secretly, if she reincarnated in this era, we could even be friends…

Such is the naivete of a young girl's fantasy.

Lin Luo remained unaware of the young girl’s wistful daydreaming. He fixed his gaze on Renko and stated gravely, “Yes. A portion of the Maiden’s soul was indeed reincarnated, and she is alive in this very era, as a young girl.”

“Who is it?” Renko asked immediately, having somehow guessed correctly, excitement bubbling up.

Lin Luo looked at her. “…That girl is called Usami Renko.”

Marisa: “…”

“Usami//Fastest update from Shumi Lou “…” Lin Luo remained silent.

“…” Marisa continued to be speechless. She had actually considered that if Yukari Yakumo was her counterpart, the Maiden must be Renko, despite the fact that the two looked nothing alike.

However, Renko hadn't quite processed the information. After a moment of high-pitched squealing, she suddenly lunged forward, fiercely gripping the collar of Lin Luo’s coat. She completely forgot that this man, whom she held in extremely low regard, might have just revealed the terrifying “fact” that he could have forced himself upon her. She leaned in close, glaring directly into Lin Luo’s eyes. “What did you just say?!”

Lin Luo stated calmly, “I can assure you responsibly that you heard correctly.”

“I am the First Shrine Maiden of the Hakurei Shrine?”

“Yes, and no.”

“What does that mean?”

“…Before I answer that, I think you should step back a bit. You know, I might be a lecherous pervert harboring dark thoughts,” Lin Luo warned her earnestly.

“Ah!” Renko finally reacted, jumping back instantly, regarding Lin Luo with defensive suspicion… That proximity had been quite alarming just now; she had nearly been taken advantage of.

“Tell me, what exactly is going on?” Renko asked again once she had calmed slightly.

“I explained this earlier. Only a small part of the Maiden’s soul underwent reincarnation—you could call it a remnant soul. Therefore, the new you born from this remnant soul, while technically the First Shrine Maiden, is also not, due to the soul’s incompleteness,” Lin Luo explained.

“…” Hearing this, Renko fully understood, yet a deep melancholy settled in her heart. She was stunned into silence… I am only a remnant soul?

“That’s why I said the truth is rather cruel,” Lin Luo sighed seeing her reaction.

Renko seemed not to have heard him. She quietly moved to the side and sat down, curling her knees to her chest, burying her head in them. Lin Luo and Marisa exchanged glances, unsure how to comfort her. Moments later, they heard faint sobbing coming from Renko’s direction.

“Um… while the remnant soul thing is a bit unfair, you don’t need to cry over it. You are still you,” Lin Luo couldn't help but say.

To his surprise, Renko suddenly lifted her head, fiercely wiped away her tears, and exclaimed loudly, “I don’t care about being a remnant soul! It’s just that the me from the previous life was so miserable! Poor food, poor clothes, poor living conditions, no computer to play on, and she even had to die for others! If I don’t cry for a while, how can I be satisfied!” (Nuo Qiu)

“…” Hearing this, Lin Luo was instantly overcome with tears of his own. This is supposed to be a mournful atmosphere, please stop messing around like this!

P.S.: Melodramatic, isn't it? So dramatic, right? Late at night, are there any readers who enjoy this kind of melodrama? If so, please cast a monthly ticket.