"Mr. Teshima, these are the logs, amulets, and letters we found. Based on these clues, we speculate..."
Kamisato Ayaka and Feng Yi, carrying the letters, logs, and amulets, found Teshima and informed him of their suspicions.
"Indeed, this log is in my handwriting, and the amulets and letters... should be mine as well. Although I've forgotten what is written on them, as you guessed, I should have been waiting here for someone, waiting for thirty years.
During this time, I recorded interesting things every day, so that when we met again, I could tell her about these thirty years, one by one...
Many things happened during this period... Time passes so quickly, it's been so long in the blink of an eye. Why would I forget something so important? Thinking about it carefully, after my Vision was taken, I felt as if I had been hollowed out...
Love, regret, everything related to her has disappeared..."
"I've forgotten who she is, her appearance, her voice, the things we experienced together, I can't remember any of it, as if she never appeared by my side... as if it was all a blurred dream..."
Teshima looked at the letters, then up at the sky, feeling lost and like a walking dead man.
"Mr. Teshima, don't be sad. We will definitely try to get your Vision back for you, right, Feng Yi?"
Kamisato Ayaka blinked and looked at Feng Yi beside her. With Feng Yi's help, their chances of success would greatly increase.
"Sigh~ Since my wife says so, I can only do my humble best!"
Feng Yi smiled helplessly, knowing that Kamisato Ayaka would ask this question.
His impressions from playing the game and seeing this scene were limited, but seeing Teshima, an innocent person whose Vision was taken, appear so amnesiac and devoid of hope, he truly felt the pain in his heart.
Mental persecution was more terrifying than physical enslavement.
Aying had indeed gone too far, and he should have a good talk with Aying.
"I'm not that sad, really. If you can help me get my Vision back, I should be able to remember more about her..."
Teshima's voice was laced with endless helplessness and weariness.
"Then, Mr. Teshima, are you still leaving? If you leave, and we manage to retrieve your Vision, how will we find you?"
"I'd rather not leave... I've already waited most of my life, so I'll continue to wait. However, if I finally see her, but can't even call her name... will she be sad? The thought of it makes me feel very sad..."
Teshima shook his head and sighed. He didn't hold much hope for the young couple before him, as their opponent was the Electro Archon, who could overpower even gods.
"Sigh~ Strange. I don't even remember her, but why do I still have such thoughts? It was the same before, I always felt a sense of emptiness, as if something was missing... Regardless, thank you for helping me find a reason to stay here. I will continue to wait for her here. In the future, I will write down your help in my log and tell her about it..."
Teshima forced a smile and thanked Feng Yi and his companion.
However, hearing this made Kamisato Ayaka's heart ache, her eyes reddened slightly, and her nose felt a sting.
She knew that thirty years had passed, and if she were going to return, she would have done so long ago.
But Kamisato Ayaka was unwilling to shatter Mr. Teshima's false and fragile fantasy. If he lost even this sliver of hope, then Mr. Teshima...
"Feng Yi, let's go, to the next place!"
Kamisato Ayaka rubbed her teary eyes and said to Feng Yi.
"Ayaka, if you want to cry, cry. Don't hold it in. If you need it, my shoulder is free for you to lean on!"
On the road, Feng Yi patted Kamisato Ayaka's shoulder and comforted her softly.
Losing the reason to be sad was more painful than sadness itself.
"Feng Yi, sob... Living aimlessly, like a walking dead man, is worse than death..."
Hearing this, Kamisato Ayaka could no longer suppress her sorrow. She hugged Feng Yi tightly and sobbed softly.
Bound by her duty as a subject, the Yashiro Commission could not openly resist the Vision Hunt Decree. They could only watch helplessly as more and more people had their Visions taken by the Electro Archon, becoming listless and hollow.
Caught between the Electro Archon and the innocent populace, who could understand the feeling of having the will but not the power?
"Don't worry, I will help you!"
Feng Yi gently patted Kamisato Ayaka's delicate back and whispered words of comfort in her ear.
Ten minutes later, Kamisato Ayaka stopped crying and regained her composure from her grief.
"I'm sorry, that was truly improper. Feng Yi, thank you for listening to me..."
Kamisato Ayaka released Feng Yi from her embrace and wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes.
Usually, her brother was busy with official duties, and in front of other subordinates, Kamisato Ayaka had to maintain her image as a young lady. With no one to confide in, her inner grievances and sadness had accumulated greatly. Today's uninhibited tears made Kamisato Ayaka feel incredibly relieved.
"You're my wife, isn't that what I should do?"
Feng Yi smiled faintly. It was the first time he had seen Ayaka so out of sorts.
However, this was normal. Ayaka was also human, and all humans experience joy and sorrow. It was just that Kamisato Ayaka, mindful of her image, rarely expressed anger or sadness.
"Feng Yi, why... why are you still calling me wife? We were just pretending to be a couple in front of the villagers just now, and now, now..."
Kamisato Ayaka's cheeks flushed again upon hearing Feng Yi call her wife, and she gave him a reproachful look.
"The journey isn't over yet, is it? Until it ends, we are still a couple!"
Feng Yi, with his thick skin, left Kamisato Ayaka speechless.
"Then... then just for today! And please, don't let this slip out in front of my brother in the future!"
Kamisato Ayaka finally compromised, and did not forget to remind Feng Yi.
"Of course, you can completely trust me, Feng!"
Then, Feng Yi and Kamisato Ayaka witnessed two more individuals who had lost their Visions: one was a samurai who had previously enforced the Vision Hunt Decree, and the other was a swordsman who had once aimed to be the best under the heavens.
The former was fine; they helped the samurai find his lost memories and resolved his inner turmoil.
However, for the latter, when they went to the Grand Narukami Shrine, Kamisato Ayaka's disguise was seen through by Yae Miko at a glance.
Of course, being discovered wasn't the main issue. What was critical was that Yae Miko heard Feng Yi call Kamisato Ayaka "wife"!
This was outrageous!