Chapter 2203: Existence and Death

Chapter 2203: Chapter 2203: Existence and Death

Under the twilight of the sunset, one person’s forehead rested against another, one appearing illusionary and transparent, the other emitting a gentle glimmer like sunshine. Miss Maxim was momentarily entranced, while Professor Ivins looked on with gratification.

The scene was dreamlike and touching, but Miss Teresa’s lips twitched a few times as she tried her best not to make a ’tsk’ sound. Despite this, the maid and the professor still immediately paid attention to her expression.

This made the young witch increasingly unhappy.

Shard and the illusionary figure did not maintain that position for long. When she voluntarily let go of his hand, she turned back to gaze at the setting sun. Her illusionary body seemed to be stained by the glimmer representing divinity on Shard’s surface; her body remained transparent, but her eyes and hair seemed to have solidified somewhat.

Shard also watched the sunset, his hands behind his back:

"Live, and gradually leave your mark in this world, seeing more and more stories. The question of ’Who am I?’ cannot be answered by just thinking. Every child, when they are first born, does not know who they are, nor understand their significance, but as they grow, they will one day understand. Sighing about your void before the sunset has no meaning; the ocean is so vast, your voyage has just begun."

Thus, in those blue eyes facing the sunset, another glimmer appeared. She pursed her lips but did not look back at Shard, asking instead:

"But do I really have a future? I have seen destruction, I have seen disaster, I have seen... that lightless ocean."

As the words fell, the magnificent sunset glow around them suddenly disappeared, followed by the return of the roaring waves. The rain drenched the people who had been warmed by the sunset. Standing on the floating board, Shard sighed and then looked around; Miss Teresa was visibly displeased, Professor Ivins was quite intrigued by the previous scene, and Miss Maxim bent down to tend to the campfire, while the black-haired Miss Malone looked dazedly at Shard:

"So, I am the bearer of the glimmer..."

"Don’t rush to conclusions; we haven’t found the answer yet."

Shard shook his head gently, and the girl, pursing her lips, stepped closer to him, unsure of what to say next.

Thus, the fishing rod bound with glass bottles was thrown a second time towards the ever-billowing dark sea. Based on previous experiences, the second time requires waiting a moment for any sign of movement, and Miss Teresa seized this time to whisper to Shard:

"So, Miss Malone is actually a ship?"

"It’s not that simple, besides, can a Soul really be birthed so easily?"

Shard replied, and Miss Teresa’s sidelong glance swept over the forlorn Miss Malone. Having received a complete Academy education and graduated with high marks, she nodded:

"Judging by her earlier demeanor, she’s only some kind of Soul Shard. Although it’s unclear how she was birthed, it’s indeed insufficient to call it a true soul... You want to save her, don’t you?"

"Yes."

Miss Teresa ceremoniously encouraged:

"Then go ahead and do it; we’ll all be helping you. Saving the innocent needs no reason. Although I’m not particularly fond of her... it’s certainly not envy of her figure, but I am curious about her."

She pursed her lips, her voice becoming even softer:

"But can you promise me one thing? Before leaving this time, could you... kiss me? Oh, I’m not jealous or envious of anyone, just... oh!"

Shard kissed her cheek, then continued to stare at the pitch-black sea. The witch’s face turned crimson, all her words stuck in her throat unable to come out — she originally wanted to say, "you can take this as me speaking nonsense, after this, who knows how long it will be before we meet again," but now it seems she doesn’t need to say it.

"Meow!"

Suddenly tucked into the chest, the cat gave a soft meow, and Shard immediately tugged hard on the fishing rod, beginning to wrestle with it. The face of Miss Teresa, flushed, finally came back to her senses:

"Impudent man."

She laughed and grumbled, then called Professor Ivins and Miss Maxim to once again help Shard reel in the fishing line. Of course, the maid and professor who witnessed the interaction just now had a look on their faces as if they were suppressing laughter.

This time, bound by the fishing line, was a red high-heeled shoe. As Shard received the shoe, the enormous Illusionary Realm engulfed all five mortals once more.

The glaring gaslights overhead and on the room walls almost made it impossible to open one’s eyes, and the music that replaced the wind and the roar of the waves soothed the tension of the witches and Shard’s spirits considerably.

The opulent ship’s ballroom lived up to the name "The Unsinkable Ship," and the people dancing to the music were completely unaware of what would happen next.

"This is the ball on the night of the shipwreck."

Miss Maxim whispered softly to Miss Teresa at her side, this was a reminder for Shard. Meanwhile, everyone stood amidst the dancing crowd, yet no one glanced at them, drenched as they were.

"That night, neither I nor Miss Maxim attended the ball, it’s not about comparing it to the Academy’s graduation ball, even against an ordinary weekend ball it pales in comparison."

Miss Teresa supplemented.

"I didn’t attend the ball either."

Professor Ivins said, adding some details:

"The ball only invites first-class and second-class guests. I think the lady who lost the valuable antique might also be here."

"Miss Malone," who had just been standing with everyone and looking lost, was once again missing. But it wasn’t difficult to find her among the dancing crowd, as she was the only one dancing alone.

For some reason, the girl’s hair had turned red again, and she was wearing the high heels Shard had fished out from the sea, dancing happily as if embracing someone invisible in the air.

She held her hands forward, hugging the air, eyes slightly squinted, with a smile on her face. If someone did this on the city streets of the Sixth Era, I’m afraid the Church would immediately intervene in the investigation, but the people here paid no attention to her, as if she didn’t exist.

Compared to the meeting on the twilight deck earlier, this time Miss Malone not only had a change of hair color, but her body was also no longer transparent and had become completely solid. Looking at her back, not only Shard but even the witches felt that although she resembled the girl who appeared at the bow of the ship last time, she was not the same person.

"They’re all incomplete souls, but definitely not the same one."

Professor Ivins of the Twelfth Rank said with certainty. Shard nodded, letting them rest safely and warmly in the illusionary realm for a while, while he stepped next to the girl dancing alone and naturally took her hand that was grasping the air, finding the rhythm and joining her in the dance.

The girl, who had been half-closing her eyes, also opened them. Her eyes were still a beautiful azure blue, but her facial features once again changed. She still had the charm of Miss Eles, yet she was different from any previous "Miss Malones."

Her hands were cold, cold like that of a lifeless person. And those eyes were incredibly imposing, even if they weren’t vertical pupils, Shard could still feel the dragon’s intimidation. Of course, it was nothing compared to Fiona.

"Meow~"

The cat meowed at the girl trying to scare Shard, and Miss Malone looked down at the cat, her expression softening:

"Men really are rude, even if you can notice me, you shouldn’t just start dancing with me without an invitation, it’s not gentlemanly."

Despite saying this, she didn’t let go of Shard’s hand but instead continued dancing with him, matching his steps.

"May I dance with you then?"

Shard finally asked, and the girl he held hummed:

"Don’t think I’d be attracted by your pretty face. I just want to feel the warmth of a living person. Your warmth is really quite good, such vibrant life force, and that scent of an ancient giant dragon. I guess even in a hundred or two hundred years, your appearance won’t change much."

"Do you want to discuss life with me? Then I want to discuss death with you."

Shard said amid the dance music, slowly turning with the music, seeing the three witches who somehow got hold of wine glasses, watching them while holding their drinks.

"Death?"

The girl dancing with Shard’s tone was obviously mocking:

"You want to discuss death with me? But you haven’t died..."

Blue eyes scrutinized Shard, as if expecting to see a shocked expression on his face because of her next words:

"But I have died."

"You’re wrong, who said I haven’t died before?"

Shard said calmly, and before the girl could say "you’re lying," he continued:

"Besides, your situation doesn’t count as death. Real death isn’t staying in the material world."

He gazed into those azure eyes, which grew timid because of his gaze:

"Only when you tread the Styx Shore, step into the calm waters, and see the Nether Moon guiding souls to their final destination, can you claim to have truly died."

The clicking of the high heels of the ladies attending the ball made a rhythmic sound on the floor. Miss Malone was merely moving instinctively with Shard pulling her in the dance, her thoughts having drifted far away. She did not doubt the words of the man dancing with her, for in his eyes, she truly saw the indifference that represents death:

"So, am I neither living nor dead?"

She pursed her red lips and spun around with Shard holding her waist:

"I’m more pitiful than I imagined."