Does Bronya have simulated memory?

Bronya truly lived up to her reputation as the heir to the Great Guardian; at least her taste in food was impeccable. Ruan saw nothing resembling the ominously glowing black stew among the dishes on the tray. The aroma of hot food wafted towards him.

"Grumble..."

The sound of his stomach rumbling reminded Ruan that he was indeed hungry. He had been so engrossed in gaming that he hadn't found time to eat, so hunger was expected.

"Ahem... well, I won't refuse your kind offer."

Ruan cleared his throat to cover the sound of his stomach and stepped aside. Bronya skillfully set the table with the tray and cutlery, waiting for Ruan to sit.

Seeing Bronya's practiced movements, Ruan couldn't help but wonder—what's going on? Why is Bronya so familiar with this? How come even the placement of the cutlery matches my dining habits... Has Bronya often dined with me before? What kind of fantasy world is this?

Ruan was full of doubts but sat down somewhat stiffly, waiting for Bronya to speak. As an experienced worker, Ruan knew one thing for sure—when a boss suddenly invites you to a meal, it's never just about the meal. Once you accept the meal, you owe them a favor. With that favor, you're more inclined to listen to what they have to say, which means the boss is likely to share some thoughts they wouldn't normally express.

He wasn't close enough with Bronya for casual meals, so her being here definitely meant she had something to discuss. But it didn't seem to be anything serious... unless, was she planning to fire him?

Ruan felt a twinge of anxiety—finding a job with a 1.5 million credit monthly salary wasn't easy. To get such a job, he'd practically have to storm Clippert Castle and force Cocolia to sign a contract, which didn't align with his laid-back style. Who knows what kind of trouble that would bring?

Jobs like being Bronya's bodyguard, which paid well and offered leisure, were hard to come by. Ruan didn't want to lose this job. However, the future he feared didn't materialize.

Instead, he ate his meal in awkward silence, watching Bronya sit there, upright and elegant, without saying a word, like a proud swan. It was clear she adhered to the saying "speak not while eating or sleeping."

Ruan internally mocked but couldn't suppress his anxiety. The desire to keep his high-paying job overrode his logic, so he finally put down his fork and knife, initiating the conversation:

"Lady Bronya, is there something you wish to discuss with me?"

His tone was one of loyal subservience. Surely, she wouldn't fire someone so devoted, right?

Bronya looked up, slightly puzzled, and after a moment of silence, asked, "What?"

"Didn't you invite me to eat because you had something to discuss?"

"I just thought you hadn't eaten all day and wanted to share a meal with you."

This was the truth. Bronya genuinely just wanted to have a meal with Ruan. The reason was simple: in the previous two simulations, Ruan was her bodyguard and often shared meals with her. It had become a habit for Bronya. In the last simulation, Himeko had forcefully taken Ruan away, and Bronya had spent most of her time at the Geoflame base and then at the Guardian's residence with Cocolia, not having much interaction with Ruan. She didn't want that to happen in reality.

"Besides, didn't I tell you? There's no need for such formalities. Just call me Bronya," she said with slight exasperation. Though her words weren't harsh, they sounded shocking to Ruan.

What's going on? Is Bronya really so considerate of her employees?

He paused before saying, "Bronya, I'm just not quite used to it... After all, when I was stationed at Clippert Castle, I always called you Lady Bronya."

"Ah, that's true. Changing how you address me suddenly can be difficult," Bronya responded gently, showing no displeasure towards Ruan.

Does she need to be so kind? Could Bronya actually be the perfect boss, someone who works hard, respects her employees, and is considerate of her subordinates?

Ruan found it hard to believe. Such perfect people shouldn't exist. There had to be another reason...

As he looked at Bronya's beautiful face, a chilling thought crossed his mind—what if Bronya was also a player of the simulation game and retained memories from it?

Though it seemed strange, it was a plausible explanation. Apart from Bronya being the perfect boss, the only other reason for her favorable behavior would be high favorability gained through years of companionship in the simulations, loaded into reality.

No, I must test her...

Given how poorly the AI Bronya performed in the simulations... Oh, I've got it!

After a moment of thought, Ruan said tentatively, "Bronya, did you find the answers you were looking for in the lower district these past two days?"

"What's the current state of life in the lower district, and how do you plan to address these issues?"

Bronya was slightly taken aback by Ruan's question, but she quickly gathered her thoughts, drawing on her experiences from the previous simulations, and replied seriously:

"The lower district isn't very large. I've had enough time to survey it over the past two days. There are many problems here... rifts, mining toxins, law enforcement, and resources—all these issues make the lower district chaotic."

"But these problems are solvable. The simplest solution is to open the upper district and allow free movement between the upper and lower districts. This would immediately alleviate many tensions in the lower district. I plan to push for this interconnection when I return to the upper district. Though there will be resistance, there are also many allies who support the idea..."

"With the strength of the Silvermane Guards, we can accomplish this."

Bronya sighed, her gaze complex but resolute:

"However, this issue cannot bypass Lady Cocolia. It was she who decreed the separation of the upper and lower districts and chose to seal them off."

Her tone grew firmer:

"But her decision was wrong. I will compile the truth about the lower district and present it to her personally. I cannot let my mother continue down a mistaken path."

Hearing Bronya's words, Ruan felt a wave of relief. Though her approach was a bit naive, it was clearly reasonable. She was far stronger than the AI Bronya in the simulation. They couldn't be the same person.

Most importantly—this Bronya wasn't a mama's girl! 

She said Cocolia was wrong and planned to correct her herself. This was the attitude a future Great Guardian should have!

What was that lousy AI Bronya in the simulation? Could it come out and apologize to the real Bronya?

"This is our future task... Tomorrow morning, we need to visit the mining team to inquire about their yields. Get some rest; I'll be heading back now."

Ruan, still musing to himself, watched as Bronya quickly tidied the tray and returned to her room. She was clearly exhausted—she hadn't rested since yesterday.

She had spent her rest time attempting to operate the life simulation game, and the bet with Himeko had taken up much of her day. If it weren't for her strong will and desire to have dinner with Ruan, she would have collapsed long ago.

Ruan watched her retreating figure and closed his door, feeling a bit emotional. Who would've thought Bronya, with her stern demeanor, was actually a perfect boss...

These past two days, he hadn't done much work, just loafed around and slept, yet his boss treated him to dinner. He really hit the jackpot!

Ruan lazily lay on his bed and habitually opened the life simulation game screen. Bronya's advice to rest early had long been forgotten—early rest? What early rest? Tomorrow's task of visiting the mining team was trivial and didn't require him to be in top form. He could easily handle it.

Late-night gaming was the best!

With that thought, Ruan didn't hesitate to start another round.

Meanwhile—

Himeko, carrying two heavy boxes of supplies, pushed open the clinic door.