Inside a quiet room, Clo sat at her dressing table, combing her long hair in front of the mirror. Her pillow, which had once been empty, now held a small doll, and the quilt was gently tucked around it.
She finished hand-copying the list from Li Yue’s letter and pushed the door open. Quite a few people were waiting outside, clad in black robes. They appeared solemn and silent, lacking the noisy chatter of the usual visitors.
“Lady Clo, have you decided on the content for the second stage of the trials?”
“Find everything on this list.” Clo tossed out the paper. “Bring me the two sets with the best quality.”
“As you wish.” They raised no objections, merely obeying orders, which left Clo with a particularly good impression.
“If only those fools at the Institute of Time would talk less and use their heads more, life would be easier,” she sighed, picking up her staff to head to the hall.
...
Inside the lush green greenhouse, Li Yue played the violin with her eyes closed. Aestherin and Melina sat nearby, listening, while Lane had been assigned to deal with weeds and check the life-sustaining magic.
The piece came to an end.
Li Yue lowered the violin, her gaze seemingly asking how she had performed.
“It’s better than mine, but it feels like something is missing.” Aestherin frowned slightly in thought. “I can’t quite put my finger on it.”
“Emotion. It lacks sorrow. There is too much pain and regret,” Melina said, propping up her head. “Mr. Roland’s compositions contain sorrow, remembrance, and a sense of longing and admiration for the subject. There is regret, but not this much.”
“I am always filled with regret, but I don’t understand why Mr. Roland was so open-minded.”
“No one’s life is ever perfect, but regardless of the circumstances, one must always look forward. To be full of hope is to be invincible.” Lane stopped his work. “He was a great man; he must have realized that truth long ago.”
Li Yue put down the violin. She felt a bit stifled, as if she were at odds with herself again. At this moment, she only wanted to go out and clear her head.
“I want to go for a walk.” Li Yue lowered her eyes and headed outside. Aestherin gave Lane a look, and he quickly followed. Melina watched Li Yue leave, looking somewhat confused.
“If Big Sister is in a bad mood, I’ll write a song for her. I’ll finish it before the cold wave arrives.”
Aestherin nodded dully, remaining silent. Her thoughts had drifted elsewhere; she still remembered what Lane had told her about that blood-red mental landscape and the infinite black abyss.
What kind of person would possess such a terrifying state of mind?
Li Yue walked down the street in her black-and-white formal dress. She didn't seem to feel the biting cold, only yawning tiredly as she observed her surroundings.
In this small city of a million people, the inhabitants were forced to huddle together under the crushing weight of the cold wave. Despite this, they still found ways to scar the land they lived on, driving stones into the earth, though the heavy snow would always cover them in a thick layer.
Even with the smoke from burning coal and oil filling the air, and even with the trees felled and the animals gone, winter remained winter in such a city. Nothing had changed.
The sound of footsteps crunching in the snow came from behind. Li Yue didn't look back as a man in a thick white trench coat caught up to her side.
Snowflakes drifted down bit by bit. Li Yue vaguely remembered that she rarely had the chance to see snow in the past. On a day of such heavy snowfall, she felt as though she were alone again.
She thought about the people she knew in this world—Roland, Clo, Kelly, Yorick... They all seemed to have left her, scattered to different corners of the world.
In her memory, Clo would occasionally come to her side in secret, only to vanish just as Li Yue was about to notice her. When she finally woke, everything would return to normal, leaving only the eternal, pale snowy landscape outside the window.
When she thought about it, she didn't have much to her name—only lean streets, desperate sunsets, the moon of the jagged suburbs, and the bitterness of one who has looked long and intently at the lonely moon.
With what can I hold you, you who come and go without a trace? I can only catch your shadow in my dreams...
Having nowhere else to go, Li Yue walked toward the house she remembered. Lane followed behind her, smoking a cigarette. He gave the girl enough space and time to vent her own sorrow.
There was no dissatisfaction in his blue eyes, only a bit of internal conflict and confusion. The silver cross on his chest shone brightly.
They walked from noon until dusk, passing through ruins and prosperity. Streetlights flickered on one by one, illuminating the streets that weren't truly dark. In the shadows the light couldn't reach were figures suffering from cold and hunger. Their silhouettes melted into the darkness, invisible to those standing in the light—just as those in the light could not see their own shadows.
Li Yue arrived in front of her house. For the first time, she felt the building was enormous, seemingly larger than the small villa in Parvati that held her memories and grief.
The house was not actually that large; what made it so were the shadows, the symmetry, the mirrors, the long years, Li Yue’s unfamiliarity, the loneliness, and the blood hidden in the corners—unseen, yet never truly gone.
“Do you want to come in for a bit?” Li Yue opened the small gate herself. It creaked open, revealing warmth that had never dissipated and a darkness that had never truly left.
“I don’t know when I’ll be back next time,” Li Yue murmured, staring blankly at a letter on the floor.
“It seems someone came looking for you while you were away.” Lane rubbed his hands together, standing at the door as he waited for Li Yue to enter.
Li Yue read the contents of the letter in silence. She gestured for Lane to come in and stood alone in thought for a moment, seemingly forming a plan.
Lane shook the snow off his clothes at the entrance, took a pair of clean shoes from his ring, and changed into them before entering Li Yue’s home. He stretched, remarking on how long it had been since he enjoyed such a high quality of life.
“Life?” Li Yue shook her head. “I have only ever been surviving.”
She pulled two silver swords—one long, one short—from under the sofa and buckled them to her waist. She changed into a tailored formal dress and donned a cloak, concealing both her body and the two blades.
“What’s wrong?” Lane raised an eyebrow, his right eyelid twitching involuntarily.
“Nothing. It’s just been a long time since I carried my swords with me.” Li Yue straightened her clothes, looking ready to head out immediately. “Something is about to happen.”
“Someone might be manipulating the heating in the Outer Ring. I’m going to investigate. I’m afraid there might be a conflict.”
“Wait, wait, wait.” Lane stepped in front of Li Yue. “Don’t be in such a hurry. Take it one step at a time.”
“Even though the warden is easy to fool, she has a very wide network of connections.” Lane smiled. “If possible, it’s better for the process to be smooth and gentle. After all, most people aren’t thoroughly evil.”
Li Yue remained silent for a while.
“You’re right.” She sat down on the sofa, her two swords letting out a faint metallic ring. She closed her eyes as if taking a short nap.
“Let’s go see Diana’s family first.” Li Yue stood up. She glanced at Lane, who nodded. By the time Li Yue was locking the door, he had already hailed a carriage. The two of them soon arrived at the Outer Ring once again.
In front of the dilapidated shack, one could faintly smell the scent of laundry detergent mixed with the slight stench of piled-up dirty clothes. She knocked on the door, and a girl in a brown jacket opened it. Her face was buried in a scarf, but excitement and surprise were visible in her eyes.
“Miss Noah!” She gave Li Yue a forceful hug. Li Yue gently stroked her head. She could clearly feel that the temperature inside the house had dropped further. Her own perception of cold had diminished, but she remained extremely sensitive to changes in temperature.
“I know about the matter you mentioned. I’ll find a way.”
Standing in the snow, Lane was quickly noticed by Diana. He reached out with a smile and a wave. The cross pendant on his chest caught the girl’s attention, making her appear suddenly constrained.
“Don’t be afraid. I’m not like those old, rigid fogies.” Lane chuckled. He had gone to the nearby church school to teach the children before, though Aestherin was usually more active in that regard.
He took three candles from his coat and handed them to Diana. The latter looked confused and hesitated to take them.
“Consider them a gift. I’m a friend of this lady here, just stopping by to visit.” Lane maintained a gentle smile. “These candles can burn for a full day and provide enough warmth.”
Li Yue stood and talked with Diana and Anna for a while. The latter always managed to find topics to discuss, and Li Yue answered tirelessly, her emotions remaining flat throughout.
Their conversation soon turned to daily life. Lane, meanwhile, walked over to the laundry basin and sat down to help wash the clothes. The mother didn't want the guest to do such dirty work, but she was no match for Lane’s persistence.
The sound of cooking came from the inner part of the house; it seemed the man of the house was preparing food.
Li Yue mentioned she had been practicing music recently. Seeing the expectant eyes of the two girls, she couldn't help but feel a bit troubled, as she hadn't brought Melina’s violin with her.
After a moment’s thought, she took out a grey violin engraved with light blue patterns, complete with a grey bow and blue strings. She closed her eyes and gently drew the bow, a melody slowly flowing out.
Lane froze. He looked at the instrument, an expression of disbelief crossing his face. As the blue melody burst forth, he could vaguely see a figure standing behind Li Yue in the ocean of notes, smiling and posing as if playing along with her.
Truly an outstanding and great gentleman. If there’s ever a chance, I’d really like to make friends with you...
When the piece ended, Lane quickly finished the majority of the laundry work for the woman. Using the excuse of having business in the evening, he pulled Li Yue away a bit early.
“Alright, if we stay any longer, they’ll probably insist we stay for dinner.” Lane seemed to have experienced this many times. “Food is precious here. If we join them, they definitely won't have enough to eat.”
“When will spring return?” Li Yue asked softly.
“Spring will come when everyone is full of hope.”
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