The most recent book Li Yue had finished was Pascal’s 《Magic Runes and Ritual Magic》. Her purpose in reading it had been to pass the theory exam back then, but now, such things were no longer necessary.
She had little interest in most events. Every week, she would be dragged to the theater by Clo to watch a few plays, or they would share meals at reservation-only restaurants or hidden gem eateries on the street. Aside from those moments, she spent her time alone, staring blankly at the clouds in the sky. Her thoughts regarding the past had long since been sorted; perhaps what she was doing now was simply repeatedly revisiting the memories she held dear.
She might have valued the people in those memories more than she realized. Her divinity told her that farewells always outnumbered reunions by one, yet in her recollections, she couldn't help but reunite with them over and over again.
Perhaps the time spent as "Li Yue" was what she treasured most, for those memories had not been eroded by filth, and the people within them still retained their most precious forms.
Clo had read far more books than Li Yue expected, mostly works left behind by philosophers of the previous generation. Li Yue had flipped through a few; she liked how these people described death, perhaps because they saw through it so clearly. However, because Clo didn't like them, Li Yue never showed her interest openly.
The ship sailing west moved slowly. Li Yue stood on the deck, gazing at the distant clouds. Her intuition told her there would be a significant storm tonight, but it wouldn't have any impact on them.
On this ship were three of the Five Staves: Time, Alchemy, and Blizzard. Five of the Academy Directors had temporarily remained in the Southern Continent, while one was responsible for the operation of the East Academy and another managed the basic functions of the Church. In truth, leaving them behind was a precaution against the Royal Court.
“Miss Death.” The sound of Alchemy’s leather boots clicking against the deck gradually approached. He wore a dome-shaped hat that had a cowboy flair but wasn't quite a cowboy hat, and his taupe trench coat seemed to blend into the deck.
“Mr. Hermes, please just call me by my name.” Li Yue’s gaze did not leave a particular cloud on the horizon. That cloud looked like a white-and-grey cat. Clo seemed to have always liked such small creatures, but because they were too much trouble to raise, she had never actually tried to keep one.
Perhaps there was some truth to that, Li Yue thought. If Clo fed that fried rice from the other day to a cat, it would probably drop dead after a single bite.
“Hmm...”
“Li Yue or Jormungandr, whichever you prefer. Jormungandr is fine too, though it’s a bit of a mouthful.” Li Yue was still thinking about the snowy white cat, wondering if Clo used to imagine her as a cat when rubbing her head. After all, back then she hadn't recovered her memories and seemed a bit more clingy than she was now.
What was she like now? Li Yue decided to find an opportunity to ask Clo later.
“I’ll call you Li Yue then... I can't quite bear the weight of those other two names.” Hermes adjusted his monocle, seemingly fine-tuning the focus.
“Why have you come to find me? Do you want to study pure death?” Li Yue glanced at him. Hermes waved his hand and removed the lens from his other eye, revealing his pale grey eyes.
“No, I realized something not long ago.” Hermes shook his head. “The essence of alchemy is equivalent exchange, and no matter the exchange, one can never obtain zero.”
“In other words, the essence of alchemy is existentialism, while death itself is the negation of all existence. Moreover, you are the antithesis of all existence.” Hermes produced two rings, each set with a grey gemstone.
“Are you inviting me to join the Five Staves?” Li Yue glanced at him before returning her gaze to the clouds.
“I believe you should have the status you deserve.”
“Do all the Directors feel the same way?” Li Yue watched the changing clouds. They didn't look like a cat anymore; she couldn't say what they looked like now, but they were quite beautiful. She just watched from afar; watching clouds was far more interesting than anything else right now.
“Indeed.”
“It’s nothing more than wanting to deepen the connection between me and all of you, but there’s no need for that. I have no allies, and you are not qualified to be my enemies,” Li Yue said calmly. “So my answer is no. The reason is that it’s unnecessary.”
“I figured as much.” Alchemy smiled faintly. He tucked the rings into his pocket, which then turned into two stones that he tossed into the sea.
“There is one more reason,” Li Yue suddenly spoke.
“Hmm?” Hermes’s hand trembled slightly.
“If you add another person, 'Six Staves' sounds terrible.”
The ship sailed steadily across the sea. The situation on the waters was far less complex than in ancient times. Since the deaths of the four most famous pirate lords, no successors had emerged. Instead, the ocean was filled with the long-distance fleets of various empires. The most widely circulated stories now were the bizarre and legendary tales of those pirates.
Among them, the most legendary was the version where the God of Death piloted her ghost ship to harvest the souls of sinners. Although its truth was unknown, when the skeletal remains of several great pirates were found, they did indeed bear the powerful aura of death magic, allowing the legend to persist.
In the legends, the human form of that powerful deity was a white-haired woman. It was said that a novelist originally drew inspiration from several wanted posters, though those materials had long since been destroyed.
Two days later, the ship carrying four Calamity-class mages arrived at a bay on the Western Continent. Before them lay vast, boundless forests and the Frost Great Wall that stretched for thousands of miles.
The long night was coming, but perhaps it would also be the warmest long night.
Every person who has ever lived can add a bit of light to the path of those who follow—perhaps as a giant star, a blazing torch, or even just a tearful candle.
Li Yue only wanted a world filled with light, where every night held only her tenderness.
Rate on N.U.
