"It's been so long… The world has changed so much."
Yae Sakura looked with a face full of curiosity at the city constructed from steel and concrete. She gazed at the pedestrians coming and going in their varied attire, at the iron slates that were in nearly everyone's hands, and at the big iron boxes on the roads that moved even faster than horse-drawn carriages.
For a person from ancient times to transmigrate to the modern era, a sense of wonder and astonishment at these new things was unavoidable.
"Yes, the progress and development of civilization is just that fast," Xin Yu said, his tone filled with emotion. "Although a large part of it is likely because they built upon the foundations of their predecessors, it's undeniable that developing from a medieval era to modern civilization in just a few hundred years is truly worthy of praise."
Xin Yu had no idea what the level of development was like across the cosmos of his original world; after all, he'd never seen the alien civilizations from his home universe. But in this world, there were truly all sorts of alien creatures and civilizations.
From what he knew, Earth's current level of development was already considered extremely rapid. For other civilizations in the universe to grow from a medieval level of technology to their present state would take over a thousand years. For those races whose civilizations lacked a strong foundation in knowledge and wisdom, it might even take longer.
The Earth he once lived on probably owed its technological leap to the arms race spurred by the two World Wars.
Although wars also occurred on this planet, their brutality and competitiveness were far from the exaggerated levels of the planet he once lived on.
After all, the primary enemy of this world was the Honkai. And if they really started an arms race, with the upper echelons ignoring all warnings and advice to frantically excavate ruins for advanced technology, they would probably end up summoning all manner of monsters and demons. At that point, humanity could just start over.
This was because one of the fundamental rules of the Honkai was that its power grew in tandem with the advancement of civilization.
Xin Yu was actually quite curious about the history of this version of the world. It was just that, after he had interfered with history so many times, he had no idea what shape it had taken. He didn't know for sure, and he hadn't even bothered to study it.
Because it wouldn't be long before he returned to the past again, and that past would be changed again and again. It was quite possible that those wars would never even happen.
"However, Uncle Yang seems to be a history teacher. If I keep changing history so casually like this, won't I be causing him a lot of trouble?"
The thought of Welt having to face a different history textbook every time he recovered his memories made Xin Yu feel a twinge of guilt, and he subconsciously rubbed his hair.
"Big sister, why is everyone looking at us so strangely? Is there something wrong with what we're wearing?" Yae Rin asked, puzzled. She had noticed the curious glances from the people around them and looked down at the miko outfits she and Yae Sakura were wearing.
"It's probably because, with the changing times, the clothes we're wearing are now considered ancient. That's why everyone is a bit curious and finds it strange," Yae Sakura answered with a smile. Although her younger sister's true age wasn't that young, she had grown up under her and the Lord Deity's constant companionship, so her disposition remained as pure and vibrant as a young girl's.
Returning to the flower shop, which looked ordinary from the outside, Yae Rin was instantly captivated by the many beautiful flowers inside. She immediately rushed forward to get a closer look, carefully examining the beautiful blossoms of different colors and styles.
Yae Sakura, on the other hand, very naturally found the cleaning tools stored in the shop and began meticulously tidying up every corner. Even though the shop didn't seem very messy, Yae Sakura did it anyway.
"Sakura, I have to confess something to you. The truth is… I already have more than one lover."
After taking a deep breath, Xin Yu told her the truth about his relationships. He couldn't deceive the woman who had entrusted her entire heart to him. Even if he wanted to, he could split his own time, achieving a state where he was, in a true sense, with only one lover at any given moment, without anyone ever discovering it.
But that kind of selfish behavior, which disregarded the feelings of others, was simply too despicable in Xin Yu's heart. Since he had already done it, why wouldn't he admit it? That would essentially be evading the responsibility that came with his actions.
However, Yae Sakura merely nodded calmly. Her face showed no trace of dissatisfaction or jealousy, and the movements of her hands remained just as serene.
"You're not dissatisfied at all?"
"Lord Deity, in the era we lived in, it was very normal for a man to have multiple wives. What's more, for a deity such as yourself, I never felt that I could possess you forever. For someone as outstanding as you, isn't it perfectly normal to have many wives?"
"In fact, if you hadn't refused back then, I would have hoped for Rin to become your wife as well."
Xin Yu was slightly stunned by her reply. Indeed, in the era Sakura had lived in, polygamy was a very normal thing.
Yae Sakura put down the tools in her hands and walked over to Xin Yu. She reached out and gently caressed the young man's face, her own filled with a tender smile.
"My Lord Deity, back then, you only spent 200 years playing the part of someone who loved me because your heart was too kind to refuse me, a person who had already given you my entire being."
"At that time, I thought I was so selfish, so despicable, for binding a deity to my side. I was truly a most unqualified miko."
"I was so fortunate. I met you, and you changed my past, changed my future, gave me salvation in life, and changed all my tragedies. What's even more fortunate is that when I awoke from my long slumber, you truly loved me."
"Xin Yu, you always said you weren't a god, but everything you've shown is no different from a god. You love all people equally, you treat all people equally. In what way are you different from a god?"
"And now, in the way you look at me, I see a love I never had before… that emotion which belongs to a wife…"
"Now that you have more wives, your bonds with the mortal world will also multiply. You will be more willing to remain in this world. You will be like a person, liking a person, loving a person."
"You don't have to feel guilty, nor do you need to feel despicable. As long as there is a place for me in your heart, that is enough."
"Sakura…"
Xin Yu pulled the woman before him into an embrace. Their gazes met, and each could see themselves reflected in the other's eyes.
Yae Rin tilted her head, a little confused. Weren't her big sister and the Lord Deity right here a moment ago? How did they suddenly disappear?