Genshin Impact: The Road to Reversal

Chapter 539 New Year’s Eve

The three followed Phoenix back to her residence and began their "temporary stay" in the past glacier.

Phoenix's residence is simple and elegant, with a touch of her own cool style.

She arranged guest rooms for Mo Yan and Kailin, while Alechino lived with her in the main house as a "distant relative" and assistant, so that she could "take care" of them nearby and avoid the risk of exposing her identity.

Every day, Phoenix would go to the training camp, tempering the young recruits with rigorous standards. Alechino would sometimes follow, lurking in the shadows, quietly observing her younger self and Clevi struggle and grow through the rigorous training. That familiar yet unfamiliar stubbornness often caused her to lapse into silent recollection.

Mo Yan and Kailin would occasionally go along, but most of the time they just wandered around the streets. Over time, they became familiar with this former town.

They mingled in the market, savored local snacks that were slightly different from modern ones, and listened to the most original anecdotes about the guardians that were circulated in the tavern and had not yet been mythd by later generations. At the same time, they were careful not to get involved in any events that might affect history.

The relationship between Alechino and Phoenix was even more nuanced. During the day, she was the silent and capable assistant, "Alechino," helping with paperwork or quietly observing training. At night, when they were alone, Phoenix would brew a pot of hot tea and listen to Alechino talk about the future.

The magnificent battle, the fetters and disagreements between the guardians, but about the future of Phoenix, about the inevitable sacrifice, she remained silent.

Phoenix never asked about this. After all, it was his own future. Hearing about it would only add to his troubles, so it was better not to know.

Just like that, twenty years passed in a flash.

One day, at an inn in the city, Mo Yan, Kailin, and Alechino sat by the window, gazing at the bustling crowd outside. Twenty years seemed compressed, leaving little trace on them. The only difference was that, over those twenty years together, Mo Yan and Kailin had already adopted the local style of dress.

"It's been twenty years..." Kailin stirred the hot drink in her cup, her tone a little dazed, "It feels like a very long dream."

Mo Yan nodded, his eyes calm.

Over the past twenty years, they had witnessed Peruvili and Cleverly grow from inexperienced young girls to elite performers in the training camp. They carefully maintained their status as bystanders, watching the wheel of history slowly move forward along its predetermined trajectory.

"The Time Stone...still no movement..." Mo Yan whispered.

Now the gem is kept safely by Alechino, and it remains dim.

"I don't know how long I have to wait." Kailin leaned back in her chair and sighed, "Although this place is nice, it's not our home after all."

After he finished speaking, the air was silent for a long time. Alechino remained silent, looking at her reflection in the tea with a complicated expression.

For her, these twenty years of "observation" were both happy and painful.

Every day, she watched her younger self and Clevi sweating in training, and saw the desire for power and recognition burning in their eyes. That familiar emotion made her miss it and feel pain.

Every day, she watched Phoenix teach them in a strict yet caring manner when they were young, and from time to time, she discussed the future development of the glacier with her. When the night was quiet, she wished that such time could continue.

This was the time she had lost and longed for.

However, this happiness is like a mirage, because the ending is already determined.

She has witnessed too much and concealed too much.

But she could say nothing, could do nothing. She could only be a silent bystander, watching the time pass by and the inevitable separation approach step by step.

This feeling of powerlessness is more torturous than any harsh training.

"Alechino?" Kailin noticed her strangeness and called softly.

"Well, what's wrong?" Alechino suddenly came back to her senses and asked in a calm tone.

"Are you not thinking about Phoenix again?" Mo Yan asked.

Alechino picked up the slightly cold teacup and unconsciously stroked the wall of the cup with her fingertips.

"Yes, I admit that the time I spent with the teacher was indeed the most relaxing and happiest for me. But..."

"You still haven't told her the truth." Mo Yan said softly.

Alechino nodded gently: "To be honest, I don't know how to explain the truth, especially to the teacher. If she knew my ending, what would she think..."

Kailin saw the struggle and pain in her eyes. She put down her cup and said in a rare serious tone, "I understand how you feel. But some things... maybe not saying them out loud is the best way to protect each other. Besides, I feel like Phoenix... doesn't seem like someone who would be bound by the future."

Mo Yan nodded. "The weight of history, knowing too much, can sometimes become a shackle. Perhaps maintaining the status quo is the best option."

After the words fell, the atmosphere fell into a brief silence again. Kailin's eyes flickered around, and her attitude quickly changed: "But, then again, we have been here for twenty years, and it seems that our appearance and age haven't changed much."

Mo Yan folded his arms and said, "After all, we're not from this time and space, or perhaps... some kind of rules have deliberately blurred the lines?"

Over the past twenty years, they've watched the ordinary people around them grow from youth into middle age, some even prematurely graying, yet their appearances remain frozen at the moment they traveled through time. Only the lingering presence in their eyes silently reveals the traces of time.

Alechino gently put down the teacup, and the bottom of the cup made a crisp sound when it touched the table.

"Perhaps this is also a protective mechanism of the Time Stone," she speculated in a low voice, "preventing us from becoming too integrated into this era, and thus creating an unbearable sense of separation upon our return."

"Is that so? But it shouldn't matter to you." Kailin said softly.

Alechino nodded gently and said, "Indeed, because of the contract, Clevi's and my age are almost forever frozen at the moment we became paladins. The long time has become more like a normal state for us."

Karin shrugged: "Who knows? Anyway, it's not a bad thing to stay young and beautiful!" She tried to use a relaxed tone to dispel the faint sadness in the air.

Hearing this, Mo Yan sighed angrily and then fell into deep thought.

"Yes, it's been twenty years, and there's been no progress on the Time Stone. Are we missing something crucial?"

Mo Yan's fingers tapped unconsciously on the table. Diablo had said that the gem would only restart after a specific "wish" was fulfilled. Peruvian's wish was to see Phoenix again, and that wish had apparently been fulfilled. But why...

His eyes fell on Alechino, who was once again looking at her reflection in the teacup, her face showing a silence and forbearance that came after a long time.