Honkai Star Rail Simulation: I'm Surrounded By Characters

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"Hummmph...~"

Within the space station, Asta hummed cheerfully while inventorying the newly arrived exotic ingredients.

Herta was indeed clever; by gifting these to Su Qing, he would surely be willing to stay, right?

I used to think only increasing his salary mattered, but it seems even with Credits, one must employ them wisely.

[Observing the gleeful little heiress, viewers fell into deep thought.]

[Seele: Speaking of similarities, what do Silver Wolf and Asta have in common?]

[Qingque: Genius hackers? Gaming experts? No, those don't quite fit.]

[Stelle: Both young women? Nah, too much of a stretch! Silver Wolf isn't like Firefly—a cute, charming beauty!]

[Firefly (blushing)]

[Silver Wolf, clearly displeased: Hey!]

[Stelle: Ah? Are you trying to claim you're also a cute, charming beauty?]

[Kafka (smiling): Perhaps Silver Wolf could give it a try.]

[Firefly: Yay! A cute version of Silver Wolf!]

[Silver Wolf: ...I didn't say that, nor do I plan to try anything.]

[Silver Wolf: All I meant is, if you can't find any similarities, don't force it.]

[Silver Wolf: My assessment stands: not even anyone as a substitute for me.]

[Stelle: Wait, have we reached our limit already?]

[Stelle: No—Asta, I believe in you! Keep going, show your more accommodating side!]

[March 7th: Don't get fired up over something like this!!]

[Pela: ...Speaking of, haven't all of you forgotten the most famous attribute of childhood sweethearts?]

[Qingque: What attribute?]

[Bronya: Isn't being a childhood sweetheart itself an attribute?]

[Stelle (sudden realization): Ah! Got it—it's the consolation prize attribute!]

[Stelle: Childhood friends are destined to lose against love at first sight! Substitutes will never replace the original!]

[Stelle: Isn't this Asta's biggest attribute as both a substitute and a childhood friend?! How did we not think of it from the start!?]

[Sparkle: ? Are they really finding common ground here?]

[Silver Wolf: ?????]

[Silver Wolf: So my characteristics are just lumped under 'consolation prize,' right?]

[Silver Wolf: ? I protest! This is severe defamation and slander!]

[Sparkle: Let me think... (half a second later) Okay, protest dismissed.]

[Silver Wolf: You didn't even give it proper consideration!]

[Bronya: While Silver Wolf's resilience leaves a strong impression...]

[Bronya: Watching her simulation, my overall feeling remains defeat...]

[Bronya: Defeat, defeat, nothing but defeat from start to finish... And then it ends...]

[Stelle: Absolutely perfect!]

[Stelle: Combining Firefly's youthful charm, Kafka's companionship, Himeko's starlit sky, and Silver Wolf's perpetual failure...]

[Stelle: So inclusive! Asta as a substitute has achieved another remarkable leap!]

[Sparkle: Celebrate?!]

[Seele: Applause?!]

[Qingque: But with that final "perpetual failure," it feels like all of Asta's other traits become instantly irrelevant...]

[Sushang: That makes Silver Wolf's attribute way too overpowering, doesn't it?]

[Silver Wolf: Who wants this kind of overpowered trait?!]

[Kafka: (laughs) Silver Wolf may not go for cuteness, but when did she become the designated straight man?]

[Kafka: It seems like she's constantly playing that role.]

[Firefly: When I was being targeted before, it felt just like this... All I can say is what goes around comes around!]

[Stelle (wiping tears): She did it! Asta, I always believed you could!]

[Qingque: Ha ha ha, Stelle feels like a classic shonen protagonist's teammate now.]

[Seele: ?? Is she simply enjoying the spectacle? Seems like Stelle is getting influenced by Elation the fastest.]

[Herta: Indeed. Last time, Sparkle was mainly pushing Asta as a substitute; this time, it's mostly Stelle doing it.]

[Sparkle: Joyful! Looks like I've found my successor...]

[Sparkle: @Stelle, would you like to come by the tavern for a mask?]

[March 7th: Stop it!]

[March 7th: @Himeko, Sister Himeko, look at her quickly! If we don't intervene, Elation will truly sway Stelle!]

[Himeko (trying not to laugh): Little March, well, you see, Stelle's case is rather unique...]

[Himeko: Given that she already possesses both Destruction and Preservation destinies, adding an Elation destiny doesn't seem so unusual, does it?]

[March 7th: Ah, true enough...]

[Stelle: Humph! (Puts hands on hips triumphantly)]

[March 7th: Oh no, she's getting smug again!!]

***

"Su Qing, quick, look at all these ingredients—here they are for you once more!"

Inside the space station's storage room.

Su Qing gazed at the young station director eagerly seeking praise, trying to remain composed.

Despite his love for ingredients, he recognized the issue at hand.

He sensed that Asta might be trying to keep him around through this method.

Receiving such high-quality ingredients once or twice would still align with his earnings from royalties.

But if it continued indefinitely...

"Asta."

Su Qing decided to address the matter. "Hmm?" Asta blinked her lovely eyes, momentarily quieting down as she tilted her head to look up at him, awaiting his words.

Initially, Su Qing planned to reason with Asta by explaining logically.

However, after Silver Wolf's simulation,

he gained insight and realized that different approaches were necessary for people with varying personalities.

For instance, with someone rational like Himeko, reasoning could work effectively.

But for impulsive individuals like Silver Wolf or Asta, a different strategy was best.

[March 7th: Ohh, Su Qing is making progress again!]

[Herta: "Somewhat impulsive".]

[Herta: Both Asta and Silver Wolf go beyond just being somewhat impulsive, don't they?]

[Qingque: Joyful, Su Qing remains tactful.]

After pondering briefly, Su Qing finally said, "Thank you, Asta, I truly appreciate all the ingredients you've gifted me."

"These ingredients are of exceptional quality and quite rare. The fact that you went out of your way to find them for me makes me very happy."

"Thanks to you, I can now fully enjoy the pleasure of cooking even more."

As he spoke, Asta's eyes curved into crescents with delight, clearly overjoyed by Su Qing's words.

"But..." Su Qing tried his best to soften the tone at this turning point, aiming to minimize any abruptness.

"But, these ingredients will suffice for some time now. I don't want them to pass their prime, wasting your thoughtful gesture." Pausing momentarily, he added, "So, let's not purchase any more for now. When there's a need again in the future, I'll let you know, okay?"

In summary, start with encouragement, follow it up with praise, and save the true intention for last.

Su Qing believed this approach would likely work well with someone like Asta, who shared traits with Silver Wolf's personality.

[Silver Wolf: ...So, I'm that easy to appease in Su Qing's eyes?]

[Stelle: Ha ha, from what it seems, you definitely appear susceptible to such tactics.]

As for Asta's reaction upon hearing Su Qing's words...

Her tone brightened, and she vigorously nodded. "Alright!! Then we'll stick with this amount for now. If it turns out not enough later, remember to let me know, okay??"

Asta: Yay!!

I truly helped Su Qing! His response must mean he's really satisfied and probably likes me even more now!

[March 7th: Unbelievable, he actually managed to appease her!]

[March 7th (curious): @Silver Wolf @Silver Wolf, if Su Qing spoke to you like this, would it work on you too?]

[Silver Wolf: ...No, it wouldn't. Besides, I don't need to be appeased.]

[Stelle: Shocked! Each simulation, Su Qing is improving at lightning speed!]

[Bronya: The Growing Genius]

In any case, based on the experience gained from simulations, Su Qing successfully...

Not only did Su Qing prevent Asta from giving away more ingredients, but he also left her feeling genuinely happy.

In high spirits, Asta departed the storage room and rushed off somewhere else.

[March 7th: Oh no! Herta's in for it again!]

[Herta: ...It's alright; I'm used to it. At most, she'll just talk my ear off for an hour.]

[Seele: Wow, an hour?!]

As Asta sought solace with Herta, she suddenly realized something.

Su Qing's demeanor seemed to have changed once again. And this time, when he looked at her... hmm... it felt like he was viewing her as a slightly headstrong young girl?

Asta puffed out her cheeks. "Herta, am I headstrong?"

Herta glanced at her, then noticed the tight grip Asta had on her arm.

"You're asking me, someone you've held captive for half an hour, non-stop talking about how much more Su Qing likes you and how much more you like him? Are you sure that's the question you want to ask?"

[March 7th: Ha-ha-ha-ha, poor Herta, so helpless.]

[Stelle: Amused. Seems like being somewhat headstrong is a shared trait between Asta and Silver Wolf.]

[Just as the audience began to laugh and discuss Asta's greatness, her tolerance, and how worthy she was of being revered as the Holy Substitute...]

[Clara: Um...]

[Clara (in a timid tone): Clara noticed something.]

[Clara: Although Asta often seems like just a substitute, every time Su Qing gains growth or benefits from a simulation, isn't it Asta who first experiences and enjoys them?]

[Kafka: ?]

[Himeko: ?]

[Firefly: ?????]

[The cheerful barrage of comments abruptly fell silent.]

[Clara (somewhat panicking): Did... did Clara say something wrong?!]

[Sparkle: ??? Joy!!!]

[Sparkle: No, @Clara, you're brilliant!]

[Sparkle: You're right; it's always Asta who gets to enjoy Su Qing's gains from each simulation first.]

[March 7th: Sparkle found a new amusement!]

[March 7th: She's stirring up trouble for our entertainment! Don't fall for it, everyone!]

[Sparkle: Oh no, I'm just stating the truth, dear ~]

[Sparkle: @Firefly, have you ever experienced Kafka brushing your hair? But Asta has, oh yes.]

[Firefly: Uh... t-this isn't really that important!]

[Seele: Firefly is wavering!]

[Sparkle: @Kafka, being fire-elemental, do you like stars?]

[Kafka: ...I suppose I can.]

[Sparkle: Enjoying it, @Himeko, have you spent as much time with Kafka's companionship?]

[Himeko: If there's something you want to say, just state it directly.]

[Sparkle: Despite your differing elements, Asta manages to harmonize them all!]

[Sparkle: Su Qing's experiences vary greatly among you, but ultimately, only Asta reaps the full benefits of his growth!]

[Silver Wolf: ...Hey, what about me? No mention for Silver Wolf?]

[Stelle: hhhh Silver Wolf got ignored! Definitely intentional by mischievous Sparkle!]

[Sparkle: Enjoying this chat, let me put it simply—while you've been teasing Asta, she possesses multiple attributes and consistently enjoys the first fruits of each simulation.]

[Sparkle: Don't be surprised if one day she turns the tables on you; now that would be amusing.]

[Kafka: (immediately dismissing) A substitute cannot replace the main course. It's common sense that substitutes aren't meant to suffice long-term.]

[Firefly: Exactly! Besides, referring to her as a 'substitute' was always just a joke!]

[Firefly: Su Qing never truly sees Asta as any one of us!]

[Sparkle: Hee-hee, really? But you panicked just now, didn't you, at least a little bit?]

[Himeko: (Calm) (Picking up her coffee) Little March is right; don't fall for Sparkle's smooth talk.]

[Himeko: She only wants to see us flustered for her own amusement.]

[March 7th: Yes, exactly!]

[Himeko: (Thinking)]

[Himeko: Actually, giving it some thought, we can deduce that Asta's chances of victory are not significantly different from Silver Wolf's.]

[Firefly: (Instantly relieved) Oh, so it's just about the same odds as Silver Wolf winning? That puts my mind at ease.]

[Kafka: Hmm, indeed, feeling much less worried now.]

[Seele: It seems certain that there won't be any upset victories by substitutes.]

[Herta: Yes, since it's similar to Silver Wolf's chances, discussing something with zero probability isn't necessary.]

[Qingque: Comparable to Silver Wolf? That sounds troublesome.]

[Stelle: Sigh, no chance of winning then. Everyone might as well disperse.]

[Silver Wolf: ? Hey!!!]

[Sparkle: ?? Ha-ha, this must be the first time Silver Wolf has gotten so heated, right?]

[Silver Wolf: (Unusually furious!)]

[Silver Wolf: Curse you all! You bunch of...!]

[Silver Wolf: Fortune ebbs and flows; just wait until I win next time. Then you'll see how I turn the tables on your mockery!]

[Following Silver Wolf's declarations of certain victory, imminent elimination of others, and being temporarily down but not out, the live stream atmosphere once again filled with joviality.]

***

[Black Swan: Well then, let's still hear Silver Wolf's thoughts about this match.]

[Silver Wolf: Not much to say. Despite appearing to lose consistently, these setbacks are merely insignificant footnotes before my ultimate triumph.]

[March 7th: So quick to switch from red-hot rage back to cool shades!]

[Bronya: That's a remarkably fast respawn cooldown, (applauds uncontrollably) incredibly resilient!]

[Kafka: (smiling) @Silver Wolf, darling, showing a bit of vulnerability occasionally might garner more sympathy from everyone.]

[Silver Wolf: No need, unnecessary.]

[Stelle: Silver Wolf, you're cool even in defeat!]

[Stelle: Although it was a crushing loss, your determination still made you quite impressive!]

[Sparkle: Well, it's just bravado after all.]

[Black Swan: @Silver Wolf, if you don't want to discuss victory or defeat, feel free to share thoughts on other aspects.]

[Silver Wolf: Sure, let me think...]

[Silver Wolf: I can analyze my mindset at that time and talk about my feelings towards Su Qing.]

[Black Swan: Excellent, self-reflection takes courage!]

[Silver Wolf: When I first entered the neon city phase, it didn't feel significantly different from the previous stages.]

[Silver Wolf: At its core, people in the bustling metropolis seemed no more than those from Waste Heap Mountain with fancier attire and better-sounding titles.]

[Silver Wolf: Essentially, there wasn't much distinction.]

[Firefly: Oh, so even back then, Silver Wolf had this realization.]

[Black Swan: People with pure personalities often have a deeper understanding of many things.]

[Silver Wolf: Indeed, I was quite proud at that time. The neon city seemed glamorous, but I believed it wouldn't take long for me to swiftly master it.]

[Silver Wolf: Until I met Su Qing...]

[Seele: Hahaha, you went straight from winning streak mode to losing streak mode, right?]

[Silver Wolf: Losing to Su Qing wasn't really embarrassing...]

[Silver Wolf: After losing repeatedly and constantly looking up to him, developing admiration is actually quite normal...]

[Silver Wolf: But my feelings for him go beyond just his strength; his character, demeanor, and various aspects all played a part.]

[Silver Wolf: Honestly, there were moments when he could be slightly infuriating.]

[Silver Wolf: For example, during pranks, he always mercilessly retaliated against me. Surprisingly, I did enjoy that because it made the wins and losses more interesting...]

[March 7th: Aaaaaahh!! Silver Wolf is being so honest!!]

[March 7th: ?!? Can't handle it anymore! ??I'm shipping them hard now!!! So awesome!!!]

[Sparkle: Joyful, March 7th has gone wild.]

[March 7th: What did you say got censored?]

[Sparkle: Good kids shouldn't ask~]

[March 7th: ?]

[Qingque: @Silver Wolf, by any chance, did you intentionally avoid mentioning his appearance?]

[Silver Wolf (muttering)... Appearance-wise, there's definitely something to it.]

[Silver Wolf: While Su Qing isn't exceptionally handsome, I think he's much more attractive than those celebrities and such.]

[Qingque: Aren't your statements somewhat contradictory?]

[Herta: Even with that bias filter, still trying to defend yourself?]

[March 7th: Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder, and vice versa applies too. Keep going, keep going!]

[Silver Wolf: Ah! Speaking of which, I just remembered something.]

[Silver Wolf: So far, haven't I been the first to fully benefit from Su Qing's growth through simulations with others?]

[Silver Wolf: When you put it like that, I'm practically winning big time!]

[Kafka: Evaluation: Self-consolation.]

[Himeko: Evaluation: Purely wishful thinking.]

[Firefly: Evaluation: Fantasy, little Silver Wolf!]

[Silver Wolf: Hmph, just wait until I win against Su Qing one day. Then, seizing the moment, I'll confess my feelings, and we'll start dating. By then, you won't even have time to cry.]

[Silver Wolf: It's decided! This will be the storyline in our next multiplayer simulation!]

[Silver Wolf: That's enough for now. Once I secure my ultimate victory, I'll share my acceptance speech.?]

[Silver Wolf: @Black Swan, following tradition, thanks for the acknowledgment - watching this simulation is indeed quite intriguing.]

[Black Swan: Great, thank you for your thoughts, Silver Wolf~]

[Firefly: Indeed, thank you for your fantasy, Silver Wolf~]

[Stelle: Delightful.]

[Herta: I feel that Silver Wolf's self-analysis lacks depth.]

[Herta: Her stubbornness until the end seems about on par with Clara's level.]

[Clara: Ah? I wouldn't act so stubbornly.]

[Clara: Facing separation like that would only cause mutual hurt and intensify our distress...]

[Seele: Absolutely! Clara is more of a caring, supportive type; she wouldn't behave this way!]

[Bronya: I think it's closer to Hook's level.]

[Stelle: I'd say it's Seele's level.]

[Seele: @Stelle, what do you mean?!]

[Stelle: No, hear me out—it was meant as a compliment. I meant you're slightly better than Hook.]

[Seele: Oh... Wait, still not right!]

[Stelle: So you admit being similar to Hook?]

[Seele: Even worse!]

[Sparkle: Enjoying this banter, @Stelle, have you considered claiming a mask yet?]

Su Qing read the notification:

[The Star Core energy is fully charged, initiating Enhanced Simulation shortly.]

[Warm Reminder: The Enhanced Simulation has a high level of difficulty. Please be prepared.]

Initially, Su Qing planned to rest for some time before starting the next simulation.

However, it seemed that this Enhanced Simulation had a time limit and would automatically begin when ready.

Moreover, the notification mentioned it would be significantly challenging...

Su Qing rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

Could it mean there will be formidable enemies?

[Stelle: Powerful? More like gravity!]

[Stelle: Wait, so this Enhanced Simulation is essentially a multiplayer one?]

[Black Swan: Yes.]

[March 7th: Does that imply things are about to get intense?]

[Sparkle: Great, it's finally time for some chaos. I want to witness rivers of blood!]

[Silver Wolf: Regardless, victory is mine. Watch my moves now!]

[Bronya: Why does this sound somewhat familiar...]

[Seele: Because she said the same thing right before getting instantly defeated in her own simulation!]