Chapter 288: Is this some kind of regret novel?

"Perhaps I should apologize to you, kid."

Under the clear, blue yet "colorful" sky, Father Enrique, whose appearance had changed a little, looked at himself floating in the air and spoke softly.

Father Enrique was still the same, still wearing the same robe, except for some deep blue of the ocean and wave-like patterns, there weren't many changes. As for the body... because Mobius had "optimized" it several times, the physical changes of later people would not be too many, nor would they be too obvious.

After all, retaining the original posture while adding new strength and new capabilities is itself a kind of progress, an "evolutionary" direction worth exploring, isn't it?

As for him, or Nozomi... he was still the same, wearing a dark "hunter's suit," floating and half lying in the air, his hands moving rhythmically, and a substance that seemed to be "Soulium" but slightly different was constantly changing and shaping in his hands, and finally gradually took on the shape of a small puppet.

It was a very cute little fellow, with a stylish little hat on its long straight hair like the night sky, and pupils as blue as the sky at that moment. Its Gothic skirt with a white background and red spots fluttered slightly, covering the striped stockings underneath, revealing only the pair of black leather boots.

The "blood relative" who had been following him quietly leaned forward, looked at the "doll" in his hand, and frowned slightly... She didn't like this guy very much because it had hurt the "blood relative" before... Even if it was unintentional, it was not acceptable.

But the "blood relative" seems to like it quite a bit, so... forget it.

Blood relations are important.

"If I had come earlier and met you earlier, perhaps those things would not have happened, child."

Father Enrique looked at Nozomi at this moment, his eyes revealing a little... sadness and pity.

He subconsciously raised his hand, wanting to touch the cross pendant on his chest, but in the end, he seemed to react and slowly put his hand down—now, it was his [compatriot], not just a pendant or a pure ornament.

"Father, of all these people, you are the one who least needs to say this to me."

Nozomi helped the "puppet" in his hand to comb its long hair slightly, stared at it for a while, and then as if he had let go of something, he gently let it go, letting it float in the air, and finally, it was wrapped in a bubble and floated away.

"No matter when, no matter 'which time,' you have been trying to save me, and you have done it, Father... Perhaps, you know it under the guidance of 'Him' or 'Sisters,' or perhaps, you have more impressions and 'memories' left because of some more special reasons."

"But you kept trying to help me anyway... along with Sister Teresa."

"So, you have nothing to apologize to me for, Father... Rather, I should apologize to you."

Nozomi paused for a moment before responding softly.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't be what you imagined."

"No, child."

Father Enrique smiled gently as always.

"You've grown a lot. Although this time it's a little... strange, you've grown a lot anyway."

"Just like you, just like me, the past has accumulated and finally made us who we are now, and I also believe that we will do better in the future..."

"Of course."

Nozomi also responded with a smile.

"sigh…"

Nozomi exhaled slightly, and several bubbles appeared out of thin air and floated upwards, and then shattered and disappeared in a trance... Now, the sky has become his "ocean" where they travel, and soon, space will become their main target of exploration.

The "Mother" is still by his side, always by his side, supporting him and giving him strength. Even with the sudden increase in his "brothers and sisters," the "Mother" is willing to accept them.

As expected, "Mother" is tolerant, loving, and partial to him.

'Ha… in the end, I'm still a willful "child"… I really can't stand myself at all.'

"......"

Seeing this, Father Enrique on the side stopped talking. He just smiled gently, tapped his toes, floated in the air, and then "swam" away quietly in the air... At this time, don't disturb him too much.

Nozomi could naturally sense Father Enrique's actions and understood his thoughts, so he had no objection. He just floated in the air, occasionally rubbing the cheek of his "blood relative" beside him, smoothing her hair, and looking up at the blue and "colorful" sky.

Compared to Mei's tension and anxiety, Nozomi's side seemed very peaceful and harmonious. Compared to the seawater and dark rain clouds that Irine was wary of, the sky here was so beautiful.

This is not an illusion, nor is it the scenery in Griseo's "painting," but the reality... Just like in a raging typhoon, there will be an exceptionally peaceful "eye of the typhoon," the place where Nozomi is located is similar to this.

'Ha... that's not right. After all, Mei now leads very few people, and the territory they own is also pitifully small. To be precise, their side is the 'eye of the typhoon,' but it's not peaceful there, haha.'

'...So what happens next? After all this is over...it seems like there are still a lot of things to do, but it seems like there is nothing for him to do. After all, after sharing the [authority], other interested people will naturally do something, especially the doctor and Vill-V. The two of them were so excited that they, together with other scientific researchers, dragged Kosma into outer space.'

'Speaking of Kosma, after Dystopia woke up, the two of them were in a stalemate for a long time... After all, they were a pair of lovers who had feelings for each other from the beginning to the end, and they were successful on the 'third time' and 'fourth time,' and even had results.'

'As for 'this time'... although there were some twists and turns along the way, and Kosma was still so taciturn, the progress of the two was still a bit... subtle.'

'Fortunately, since she had 'thoughts,' Dystopia no longer had to guess what Kosma was thinking and could sense it directly. This caused a lot of jokes, and even Kosma complained several times.'

'Ah yes... and the Griseo family. Hen had to wait a little longer because Blanca woke up later, but they were reunited after all... When Blanca woke up, she sighed that she and Hen had been combined all along and could not escape from each other's hands. It was really... subtle.'

'Maybe this is 'fate.' Everything is still on the established track, and the whole 'story' has not yet jumped out of the original framework.'

'And as for Li and Yin... they woke up quite late, and I could see a strange complexity in their eyes. I was quite happy when I heard them mutter 'record player' in a troubled tone.'

'Everything that 'used to be' is constantly piling up, and finally appearing one by one...it makes people nostalgic.'

'The only pity is...'

Nozomi looked up at the azure and 'colorful' sky and stretched out his hand. His fingertips gently stroked the sky, leaving a long, thin azure watermark in the air, which then quietly dissipated and faded away.

'There is no way to go back to the past. Even if everything from the past is revealed, it has become different...'

'Keep moving forward, and only move forward...'

'Everything is for... that [better future].'

Crash——

The gentle sound of waves came to his ears.

It was a gentle voice coming from beneath him, it was his 'mother' expressing her concern for him.

he can still feel the soft, slightly itchy touch on his skin; that is the hair of his 'blood relative.'

'......'

In response to this, Nozomi remained speechless. He just lowered his body slightly, 'sunk' from the original mid-air to the rippling sea water and just hugged the 'blood relative' in his arms slightly.

Just feel the slight push from the waves, like a 'mother' rocking the cradle, gently and tenderly.

'I just feel the softness from my fingertips, the warmth from my arms, and the unchanging feeling of being with 'blood relative.''

'From the beginning to now, only these two things have not changed.'

"Mother."

Nozomi spoke softly.

"If all this were gone...if my connection with you also became weak, would I still be your "child"?"

Crash——

The sound of waves followed closely.

"...Yes, thank you."

Nozomi raised the corner of his mouth slightly and responded with a smile.

Although what he said was impossible to happen, after all, for him, everything would only be 'recorded,' carved and remembered, and everything in the 'past' would only overlap and become his strength, without losing a single bit.

But...as expected, he was favored.

'......'

He wanted to say something else, but frowned, sensing someone approaching, looking for him.

The seawater surged slightly, and 'mother' gently pushed him up. Nozomi also took the opportunity to 'swim' a bit and slightly straightened his body.

As for Skadi, she frowned without hesitation—she didn't like the person who came, or in other words, she was more or less repulsive, or even disgusted by anyone who was not 'recognized.'

"You're adapting faster than expected, [Sister]."

Nozomi looked at Aponia at this moment, smiled, and spoke in a relatively gentle tone.

"Thanks to your kindness and hard work, we are able to achieve this... Nozomi."

Aponia first bowed slightly humbly and then responded in a pious and increasingly humble tone.

Then she showed some worry and helplessness and was a little nervous... But after realizing the existence of 'thoughts,' she let go of these emotions and became determined.

"I should apologize to you...Nozomi."

"...That's enough. You guys are not done with this one by one, right?"

Nozomi held his forehead with his hand, looking helpless, even a little irritated... and Skadi took the opportunity to reach out and rub Nozomi's eyebrows as if to give him some comfort.

"Is this some kind of regret novel? Or something? You all have to come and apologize to me one by one? And then talk about your "past" again?"

"It's boring, Aponia, it's really boring..."

"But apologies should still be expressed, even though it's unnecessary, and even though you may not care, I should still say it."

Aponia responded.

She placed her hands lightly on her chest, bent her knees, and knelt on the rippling seawater. She lowered her head toward Nozomi, as if she was praying to him, or as if she was confessing to him. Even the slightly strange 'butterfly wings' behind her hung down in the water, showing her humility.

"No matter what, I couldn't help you at all. Even at the beginning, I didn't help you at all... The words I told you became your shackles, and in the end, they rebounded again and became the root of your hatred for everything "that time.""

"Just like all the mistakes I've ever made."

"I have seen a glimpse of fate, I know the path you will take, and I understand the suffering you will experience, but I never spoke, never told... It is my fault."

"Knowing and not telling is a sin."

"I know that I have sinned deeply and cannot make amends for it, so I will not ask for your forgiveness, but... I still ask you to listen to my apology, just one or two words... will be enough..."

When she finished speaking, her words became intermittent and her tone became more panicked... because she felt it, felt it from her 'thoughts,' the obvious unhappy emotion conveyed by Nozomi.

Even without looking up, Aponia could feel that Nozomi's eyes looking at her were becoming 'dangerous'... and that feeling of fear instinctively surged up.

But afterward, he became helpless again.

"You are so selfish... [Sister]."

His words were still so gentle.

"You tell me all these things just to relieve your guilt and confusion... You are really selfish, Sister."

"......"

Aponia opened her mouth, wanting to deny something, but in the end, she didn't say anything.

'If this was his accusation, then I'll take it' that's what she thought.

"But I know you don't mean that [Sister]."

He extended his hand in front of her.

"Really? It seems like you're still not used to the existence of "thoughts"... and you don't even realize that we are connected to each other at this moment."

He said this with a little emotion.

"I really, really don't need an apology from any of you."

"Because I can feel it. I've already felt the apology, so I don't mind it, and I don't think it's necessary."

"In comparison, how to do better is what I and we should consider."

"Go forward, just go forward, that's all."

"I know, [Sister], I know."

Nozomi said this.

"You have the power to see the "fate," so you believe in it very much, which has led to your behavior... I know that you have tried to change it, and the mistakes you have made are proof of that."

"So I also know that if the final result of "fate" is good, then you will definitely follow it resolutely and abide by the path given by "fate"..."

Nozomi gently lifted her chin so that she could face him, but she closed her eyes as if she did not think that she, a 'sinner,' was qualified to look him in the face.

"Sister, I'll say it again."

Nozomi's tone became calm and dangerous again.

"It is not advisable to dwell on the past. I took so much trouble to bring you the past, not for you to do such a thing."

"......"

Aponia's body trembled slightly, and she opened her mouth but said nothing.

"So, [Sister]."

Nozomi reached out and pulled her up from the water, making her stand up from her kneeling position, and let her "swim" in the air like himself...and during the whole process, Aponia did not resist, but just let him manipulate her body, and opened her eyes when he reached out and fiddled with her eyelids.

"Can you tell me, is the 'destiny' you see now still the same as before?"

What caught her eye was Nozomi's gentle smile, and what she heard were soft words.

"...yes," Aponia hesitated for a long time before responding.

"So, does your apology this time also belong to 'fate'?"

"...yes."

"Well, that's good."

Nozomi nodded, and then... laughed again.

They are still on the path that they must and should take.

There is no offset.

______________________________________________

(TL NOTE:

Woohoo! Here's the latest chapter of this fanfic~ and honestly, I probably won't be uploading again anytime soon. I'm thinking I'll just wait for the raw version to finish up before I translate anymore.

Man~, what a ride this has been. To be honest, I didn't have high expectations for this fanfic. I just saw it had a decent rating, so I picked it up for my first translation to pass the time. Never thought I'd actually get emotional reading it, haha. I legit cried when Skadi died—I really thought she was going to get a human form and help Nozomi return to the land (though, she does get one in a later chapter, so there's that). But yeah, didn't expect her to die like that… okay, enough about that.

I've gotta say, this is one of the best Honkai Impact fics I've read so far. Big shoutout to the author, Mingxue, for creating such an emotional story! Now, it's time for me to find another fanfic to translate~ What do you guys think? Another Honkai fic? Naruto? Or something else entirely? Let me know what you think!

Well, that's all for now. See you in the next fanfic I translate~ Babu!)

(TL: Alright, so here's the deal! I've set up a Patreon, and I'll probably be posting my new translations there first before they pop up anywhere else. Feel free to check it out if you've got some time~

link: patreon.com/Elysia_Husband )