This Life, I Will Be the Protagonist-Chapter 1262: What Did You Ask in Those Five Minutes?

Chapter 1262: 1262: What Did You Ask in Those Five Minutes?

"I won’t use my own thoughts to interfere with any species’ decisions.

"Beings turned into cookies will first be taken by their trusted kin. Those without a home can come back with us to BS.

"No matter how many beings in the future choose to survive this way and come to BS, I’ll find a way to create a kingdom where only cookies can live.

"And... my new Divine talent allows cookies to exist purely as items. Unless they want to, they won’t be controlled by anyone, nor will they have to fight for anyone."

BS Rita’s expression was calm. She didn’t see herself as doing something noble, nor did she think this fairy-tale solution could make the cruelty of it somehow romantic. She was simply presenting her ideas and plans clearly, trying to get the others on board—after all, the workload was massive.

When she finished speaking, the coin stopped spinning and toppled onto the table.

Rita lifted her gaze to the other leaders, urging them to respond. Their expressions were too complicated to read at first, and she felt unusually uneasy. Her voice hardened as she added,

"Of course, Autumn Deer has to deal with their own matters—I won’t interfere. But as long as they retrieve the bear cookies, the Cookie Kingdom will always be waiting for Autumn Deer.

"The main reason I’m doing this is to understand my Divine talent word, Sovereign. I want you to participate, but I respect your choice. For you, this might very well be a thankless task."

She laid everything out clearly for everyone present. She wasn’t selfless—she had her own purpose.

Whether the others joined her or not, she would do this anyway. Only the energy cost would increase, and the things she could change would decrease.

After she finished speaking, the room fell silent.

She wasn’t forcing anyone, nor would she abandon the task after "saving" them. She had the power to handle the hardest part of being turned into cookies.

From the start to the end of the story, BS Rita had already planned it all.

What finally made the others decide was her last sentence:

"After the last Bell, the invasion only needs to reach 10% to be finalized. I don’t know how cruel it will get after that... but if we wait until then to experiment, it’ll be too late."

What else was there to say?

"I agree."

"I agree."

"Agreed."

"Agreed."

With that settled, after detailed discussion, they split up to take action.

Mistblade, Crab, and Smoke Tune knew the most about Divine Game players, understanding the personalities of various leaders and the current conditions between worlds.

Though the plan seemed considerate, they weren’t foolish enough to confront anyone before anything happened.

They would target worlds already at war where the outcome was certain, contacting leaders from both sides.

The ideal outcome: stop the killing, have the victors accept half of the defeated beings, and the rest would be turned into cookies, taken by kin into the victors’ world. Bringing the cookies to BS was the last step.

Rita and Pine Bloom would speak with Maple Syrup about joining the cookie project. Once Mistblade’s team found willing worlds, Rita would lead everyone to negotiate personally.

But as the others dispersed, Mistblade remained still.

Rita assumed she was using in-game chat or mail to communicate. She let her be. But when she and Pine Bloom got ready to fly straight to Lania Kaia, a black tail tip poked her arm.

She looked over and met Mistblade’s forehead snowflake.

Mistblade smiled. "Looks like this project fits not just your Sovereign, but also my Prisoner."

Judgment, punishment, imprisonment, and redemption—all cleverly aligned with the Starsea guilt in the Moon Fox’s heart.

"If your Divine talent word wasn’t Prisoner, I’d say you’re going too far."

"Why do you say that?"

"If everyone is guilty, why are you the one judging?"

The Moon Fox frowned, thought deeply, then relaxed with relief. "Good thing I’m already Prisoner."

On the way to Polar Day City, Pine Bloom kept replaying Mistblade’s Divine talent word, and the conversation between BS Rita and Mistblade.

She didn’t know less than Rita, but she understood Mistblade and Prisoner far less than Rita did.

Rita was also thinking about today’s conversations, but she was focused on figuring out how to convince Maple Syrup to join with minimal effort—while mastering her Divine talent word.

Four Seasons.

When past atrocities became hope for living beings.

Could the oak-owl recall the feeling of standing atop the Mu tree, gazing at the waves of Forest Sea?

When Rita and Pine Bloom arrived at the Polar Day City Owl Emperor Palace gates, it was barely 9 a.m.

After the Bell rang, everyone spoke and moved as if in triple speed. Without waiting for reports, Rita followed Pine Bloom directly inside. They had already contacted Maple Syrup through the game before leaving.

"You promised, if we reach an agreement, you’ll help me train."

"Promise... I do coax people, but I rarely lie, right?"

As they walked, Pine Bloom listened carefully. She didn’t distrust Rita, but she worried Rita might play with words.

She asked cautiously, "Are you sure? You have so much to do—do you have the time?"

Rita had to explain one of her skills briefly. She held the coin between her fingers, showing it to Pine Bloom, moving it side to side. When Pine Bloom’s eyes followed it, Rita smiled. "I’m sure."

But the next second, before she could put the coin away, she sensed a familiar presence stepping into her golden rain curtain. Actually, it had been standing there all along, waiting.

Orange-red light wings swayed gently in the wind, black wavy hair framing eyes that always seemed full of ambition and dissatisfaction.

Zoey, clad in armor, stood a short distance ahead, quietly watching her.

So much time had passed. What should have been understood was already understood. But the look in Zoey’s eyes held no hatred, no resentment—only curiosity and nostalgia. A trace of happiness graced her face, clearly not because of Rita.

Rita didn’t slow her pace, continuing forward. But she couldn’t help watching Zoey as she moved.

They locked eyes as they passed, then both looked away at the same moment.

Pine Bloom smiled quietly, observing the entire time, until the sunlight above was blocked by Mu tree eaves and Zoey walked further away. Then she asked softly, "I thought you two would talk."

Rita shook her head. "Silence is the best ending."

Pine Bloom led Rita up the spiral staircase of the tree tower. "You always say things that slip straight past the brain after hearing them."

Rita gave her a disdainful look. "...Your brain is just too slippery."

Pine Bloom understood and stepped on the stairs, realizing: "Ah... Nivalis tricked me again. She meant it as a compliment, saying your words are deep."

Rita: "..."

Frowning, she looked up along the central handrail, dizzy from the stairs. "Why can’t we just fly up from outside?"

Pine Bloom laughed. "Maple Syrup said if you want her help with cookies, you have to take the stairs. It shows your sincerity."

Rita didn’t sulk. She didn’t walk slowly with Pine Bloom—she dashed up.

Pine Bloom smiled, staying by the window, arms folded, gazing down at Polar Day City. Her smile faded into wistfulness.

Maple Syrup had Four Seasons.

And her? Did she only want sunny skies...?

Even after activating her Divine talent word, what could she do? Everything was too late.

She wanted the best in everything, and the delay slowed her down.

Maple Syrup, by contrast, had a clear target. Everything else could be compromised. Her anger and hatred wouldn’t let her pause.

One step slower, and she could never catch up.

The top floor of the tree tower palace was a vast platform. It was Rita’s first visit, yet everything felt familiar: small house, swing, ancient tree, and a table with four wooden chairs beneath it.

Maple Syrup didn’t sit in the largest chair as in High Tower, but perched on a branch of the ancient tree.

If the Mu tree was the tallest, the ancient tree was the strongest. Few owls used it for furniture—it was too hard to carve.

The golden rain curtain fell over Maple Syrup’s head. She didn’t look back, asking, "After all your demonic games, do you still remember this place?"

"Yeah." Rita sat in the smallest chair. "Before the loop, I made sure to record memories I didn’t want to forget."

"The ones in High Tower too?"

"High Tower too."

"During the game, I was sent to another timeline by you."

Maple Syrup didn’t rush to talk about cookies or Starsea’s future. Rita surprisingly played along.

"Then?"

"I only stayed five minutes. Too bad—I should have given you more time. Five minutes was only enough to find a familiar face and ask a few simple questions."

"Really? Who did you find? Mistblade? Fat Goose? Or Wildfire, Maple Cang?"

"Wildfire."

"You picked the right one."

"You’re really arrogant sometimes... Aren’t you curious what I asked in those five minutes?"

Rita moved to the edge of the platform along the ancient tree, gazing in the direction Maple Syrup indicated. In the distance on a street, she saw a familiar pair of light wings.

The answer had already flashed in her mind, yet she asked, "What did you ask?"

"I asked how many Forest Sea shards Maple Syrup had collected.

"If she killed surrendering kin in the battles of Lania Kaia and Forest Sea.

"If she turned Autumn Deer into cookies.

"If she resurrected her daughter..."

Rita pressed her lips together, stopping herself from asking, "Were you asking about regret or your own remorse?"

After a long pause, Maple Syrup quietly added:

"I also asked where BS’s Zoey went."