The downstairs was lively.
Xialvdi stood at the door in black attire, her expression calm and her tone polite.
But every word that came out of her mouth was more frustrating than the last.
“That story is not for sale.”
“The Tears of Atlantis have already been returned. For any follow-up, please ask the organizers.”
“Details are private.”
“What happened last night? A phantom thief was caught by a detective. The specifics are private.”
“What do you mean, did a kiss happen or not? Miss, please restrain yourself.”
Weiluoya sat by the window, listening to the faint conversation drifting up from below, blinking slowly.
She was almost out of energy to even feel shy anymore.
The System spoke cautiously.
【Host.】
“Hmm?”
“If you’re feeling sad, you can cry for a bit.”
She rested her chin on her knees, staring at the sliver of light seeping through the gap in the curtains.
“I don’t want to cry.”
‘Crying won’t help anyway.’
The System went silent.
After a while, the door opened, and Xialvdi walked in.
She closed the door behind her, glanced first at the young girl sitting by the window, and only let out a soft breath when she confirmed she was still there.
“What about the Tears of Atlantis?”
“Already returned.”
Weiluoya looked up at her.
“I sent them all away.”
Xialvdi walked over to her, crouched down, and gently tucked a few stray golden strands of hair from her forehead.
“I returned it at noon, along with an anonymous apology letter.”
“You wrote it?”
“Mm.”
“What did it say?”
The corner of Xialvdi’s mouth lifted.
“Borrowed a night of moonlight; returned the original intact.”
Weiluoya looked at her, paused for two seconds, then softly said, “Oh.”
‘That sounds like something Nightingale would say.’
She used to blush at words like that, or mutter ‘So pretentious.’ in her head.
Now she just felt a sting in her nose.
Xialvdi noticed her mood shift and pulled her into a hug.
“I already told Liya—I’m not seeing anyone today.”
“No, it’s not just today.”
She paused, looking down at Weiluoya.
“For the next few days, no interviews, no banquets, no invitations from the Jewelers’ Guild. None of it.”
Weiluoya leaned into her arms, her voice muffled.
“Will Father agree?”
“He will.”
“How do you know?”
Xialvdi stroked her hair.
“Because I’m going to make him agree right now.”
Weiluoya lifted her head from Xialvdi’s arms, and a hint of something else finally flickered in her eyes.
“What are you going to do?”
“Talk to him.”
“He won’t agree.”
“That’s not necessarily true.”
Xialvdi stood up and wrapped the blanket around her a little tighter.
She leaned down and gently pressed a kiss to Weiluoya’s forehead.
“Stay here. Don’t overthink, and don’t run off.”
“Wait for me.”
Weiluoya watched her leave as the door closed again.
‘Great. That woman’s off to do something again.’
She didn’t have much hope.
Xialvdi usually seemed reliable, but when it came to big matters, she could be stubborn as a mule.
Especially if she was going to turn down all her social obligations for her, and even convince her father to let her leave the city.
How could that possibly work?
Yet two hours later, Weiluoya was sitting in a steam carriage.
She sat on the soft seat, clutching her small bag, her expression still dazed.
Wait.
It actually worked?
The carriage had already left the Cromwell Mansion, passed through the busiest main street of the Golden City, and was heading toward the outer city gates.
She stared at Xialvdi, who was leisurely pouring tea across from her, and finally couldn’t hold back.
“How exactly did you do it?”
Xialvdi handed her the teacup, her tone light.
“I discussed it with Arthur.”
Weiluoya’s hand paused as she took the cup.
“What could you possibly discuss for two hours?”
Xialvdi leaned back in her seat, gazing at the flowing street scenes outside the window, her voice calm.
“I told him the Golden City is beautiful and lively, but it also knows how to make trouble for people.”
“Ever since you came here, you’ve been living for others.”
“First the Marriage Act, then family social events, then being a phantom thief, then the title of the jewel detective.”
“You seem to be stirring up trouble every day, but the things that truly belong to you are few.”
She turned her gaze back to Weiluoya’s face.
“So, the world is big. I want to take you to see it.”
“From now on, we’re not going back to the Golden City.”
Weiluoya stared at her blankly.
“And Father agreed?”
Xialvdi smiled.
“Not at first.”
Of course not.
Arthur nearly smashed his teacup.
“What do you mean, not coming back?”
“Are you two going on a trip or eloping?”
“My daughter just caught the phantom thief, and now you want to pack her up and take her away?”
He was so angry his beard trembled.
But Xialvdi remained calm.
“She hasn’t been feeling well lately.”
That one sentence stunned Arthur for a moment.
Xialvdi didn’t reveal the whole truth, only using the half that came closest.
“She needs to leave here—someplace quiet, relaxing, to see things she wants to see.”
“She shouldn’t be trapped by the rumors, the social obligations, the laws, and all those prying eyes in the city anymore.”
“And…”
She paused.
“I’ll take good care of her.”
Arthur was silent for a long time.
The study was so quiet you could hear the ticking of the clock.
Finally, he sank back into his chair, suddenly looking years older.
“Do you know what I’m most afraid of?”
Arthur looked at the family photo on the desk, his voice low.
“I’m most afraid she won’t live as herself.”
“When she was young, she didn’t understand anything. When she grew up, she still doesn’t really get it—too naive for her own good.”
“She wanted to be a detective—I said no.”
“She wanted to catch the phantom thief—I said no again.”
“She wanted to get married—that, I pushed for.”
He gave a bitter laugh.
“But I pushed and worried, and in the end, I realized I was just afraid she’d leave me.”
Xialvdi listened quietly, not interrupting.
Arthur looked up at her, his gaze for the first time completely shedding that stubborn defensiveness.
“If I entrust her to you, what can you promise?”
Xialvdi answered quickly.
“I promise she won’t be alone.”
“I promise that if she wants to see the sea, we’ll go see the sea. If she wants to see the mountains, we’ll go see the mountains. If she wants to sleep in, she can sleep in. If she wants to zone out, she can zone out.”
“I promise that from now on, every day she lives will be for herself.”
“I promise that when she doesn’t want to smile, no one will force her to.”
“I promise that even if she causes trouble, I’ll be right there cleaning it up with her.”
Arthur stared at her without a word.
Finally, he just let out a sigh.
Then he opened a drawer and pushed out two travel documents, a large bank note, and the Cromwell family’s private seal, one by one.
“You win.”
“Take her away.”
“Before I change my mind.”
Back in the carriage, Xialvdi took a sip of tea.
Weiluoya was still in a daze.
“Father really said that?”
“More or less.”
“What does ‘more or less’ mean?”
“It means mixing in about thirty ‘be carefuls,’ twenty ‘stop blowing up landmarks,’ and ten ‘take it easy.’”
Weiluoya lowered her head, fingers gently twisting the hem of her skirt.
“He’ll be sad.”
Xialvdi looked at her, her voice softening.
“He will.”
“Liya will be sad too.”
“Yes.”
“And you still want to take me away?”
“Yes.”
Xialvdi answered without a hint of hesitation.
“Because more than whether they’ll be sad, I care about how much time you have left, and if you can see the things you want to see.”
Those words fell, and the carriage went quiet.
Weiluoya turned her face to the window.
The Golden City’s towers, domes, steam pipes, and sky rails were slowly being left behind.
She’d never really liked this place.
But now that she was actually leaving, her chest felt heavy.
Like she was saying goodbye to something.
The System spoke up, its voice dull.
【Host.】
“Hmm?”
“I did another scan just now.”
“What’s the result?”
“Still can’t be sure.”
Meaning… maybe today, maybe tomorrow, maybe the next breath.
She could drop dead at any moment.
Weiluoya was silent for a few seconds, then let out a soft sigh.
“Then don’t be sure.”
The System was taken aback.
“Let’s go have fun.”
Her voice was light when she said it, but it no longer had that fragile, breaking quality.
Xialvdi looked up at her when she heard that.
“Where do you want to go first?”
Weiluoya thought for a moment.
In two lifetimes, she probably hadn’t seen more than a snail.
She slowly raised her eyes and asked Xialvdi.
“Is there a place you want to take me to see?”
Xialvdi looked at her and smiled.
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“The seaside.”
Weiluoya froze.
Xialvdi rested her chin on her hand, her gaze fixed on her face.
“Didn’t you say that the Tears of Atlantis looked like stars falling into the sea under the moonlight?”
Weiluoya’s nose suddenly stung.
“So I’ll take you to see the real sea first—to see the stars by the shore.”
She nodded anyway.
“Okay.”
Xialvdi held out her hand.
“Then let’s reintroduce ourselves, Miss Detective.”
“Starting today, your exclusive phantom thief, part-time travel companion, assistant, lover, and future lifelong accomplice, is officially taking you on the run.”
Weiluoya looked at that hand, couldn’t help it—a small smile crept onto her face.
She placed her own hand in it.
“Then you’re not allowed to run off halfway.”
“I promise.”
“And you’re not allowed to hide things from me.”
“I’ll try.”
“No.”
“Alright, then I promise too.”
Weiluoya was finally satisfied.
As the carriage passed through the outer city gate, a bell chimed above.
It wasn’t a farewell, nor a send-off.
Just an ordinary bell ringing.
But Weiluoya still turned back for a look.
In the distance, the Golden City glowed in the twilight, like a faded dream.
She watched for a few seconds, then turned away.
Xialvdi was still holding her hand, not letting go.
“Do you regret it?”
Xialvdi asked.
“No.”
“Really?”
“Mm.”
“Because you’re here.”
Xialvdi didn’t say a word, only tightened her grip.
Weiluoya stared at their intertwined hands, her voice soft.
“Because you’re here.”
The steam carriage rolled forward through the fog.
Ahead was a long road, the sea, the wind—and time she didn’t know how much was left.
But those were the days they’d finally snatched back for themselves.