The hand-in-hand girls walked toward the Holy Demon Wall across the plains in full bloom. That was the end of their journey.
Cecilia had always thought that maybe something terrifying like the “ultimate weapon of the strongest human” would be waiting for them before this final wall. But it seemed she was wrong.
Nothing frightening suddenly appeared to block their way. No pressure. No killing intent. No blood or fire.
The entire world was quiet at this moment. Quiet, yet gentle.
A sea of flowers stretching as far as the eye could see.
Towering trees. A soft dusk. It was as if they had stepped into some fairy tale.
Everything was so beautiful. As if they were the protagonists of the story. Walking toward their own happy ending.
Cecilia felt a sense of unreality. But at the same time, she could feel the warmth from Lu Mo’s palm. So she quickly relaxed.
‘After all, Lu Mo would never deceive her, right?’
“It feels like… I’m dreaming.”
Cecilia said softly.
“Why?”
Lu Mo asked.
“Because no one is stopping us from such an important wall.”
Cecilia smiled.
“Maybe they had a change of heart and decided to let us go?”
Lu Mo smiled as well.
And the temperature today seemed a bit too high. She vaguely remembered that it was still winter when they fled to the Holy Demon Wall. The snow had not fully melted. The wind still carried a biting cold.
“Because winter has ended.”
Lu Mo replied.
She said it as if it were only natural. Cecilia was a little confused at first. But hearing Lu Mo say it, she found it very reasonable.
“Oh, right…”
“Winter has ended, and spring is coming.”
That was why they were walking under such warm sunlight. Strolling through such a beautiful sea of flowers.
Cecilia turned her head and smiled at Lu Mo again. Her eyes curved into lovely crescents. Her face carried a hint of childishness and innocence. She looked a bit silly.
When she was little, that was how she smiled at Lu Mo. So much time had passed. It was hard to break habits formed in childhood. Normally, Lu Mo would say something like “Idiot” with a bit of disgust. But today, she just smiled at Cecilia gently. That smile seemed to dim the sunlight overhead.
Cecilia didn’t notice anything unusual. They held hands, walking along the sea of flowers all the way to the base of the Holy Demon Wall.
“What a huge wall.”
Cecilia looked up. The ancient wall seemed to extend to the end of the sky. Cutting off the world. Separating the inside from the outside. Making her heart tremble slightly.
She felt like she had experienced this feeling before. Many, many years ago, when she stood in the corner of the manor, facing the first wall of her life. That was how she felt.
Just then, she felt her hand being gently tugged.
“Let’s go.”
When she came to, Lu Mo had already pulled her toward the stairs. “This is the last stretch. Don’t stop here.”
“Mm!”
Cecilia nodded seriously and quickly followed. After stepping onto the stairs, she was surprised to find that many flowers were also blooming on the wall and steps.
They walked up step by step. Higher and higher. Also farther and farther. Cecilia looked down. The flowers beneath her feet had become so small they were almost indistinguishable. And looking into the distance, everything beyond the flower sea grew hazy, as if shrouded in a thin mist.
“What are you looking at?”
Lu Mo asked.
“That direction… should be the way home, right?”
Cecilia pointed into the distance.
“Are you homesick?”
Lu Mo suddenly asked.
Cecilia paused, then smiled and shook her head.
“A little. But compared to going home, I still prefer being with Miss Lu Mo. And then… one day, go home with Miss Lu Mo.”
“I see.”
Lu Mo nodded gently.
The two continued upward, toward the place close to the sky, toward the end of this wall. The view became wider and wider. And Cecilia finally began to see the top of the Holy Demon Wall. It seemed that no matter how tall or thick the wall, it always had an end. No matter what kind of wall, they could always cross it.
“What a long journey.”
Cecilia sighed. But fortunately, after the long journey, they still had each other.
Only the last flight of steps remained to the top of the wall.
“Cecilia.”
Lu Mo suddenly spoke.
“Hm?”
“Have you ever thought about it? After all this is over, what will your future be like?”
“Future?”
Cecilia repeated the word softly. A smile unconsciously curled at the corners of her mouth.
After everything ended, of course, she would do all the things she hadn’t done yet, one by one with Lu Mo. There were still too many things they hadn’t done. She hadn’t gone to the seaside with Lu Mo yet. Facing the sea, with spring flowers blooming. She hadn’t finished hearing Otto and Kallen’s story yet. She hadn’t gone to places farther than the sea with Lu Mo yet. She hadn’t…
Actually, it didn’t matter what the future was like. As long as Lu Mo was by her side, that was good enough. Even if it was just lying by the lake at the manor, watching flowers bloom and fall, watching clouds roll and scatter. Even if it was just staying in the cabin, watching the rain fall outside the window, and then daydreaming in silence.
“Future…”
Cecilia smiled, her eyes seemed to hide an entire galaxy. “Of course, I want to be with Miss Lu Mo. Together forever!”
The end was near. Only the last few steps remained. But Lu Mo suddenly slowed down. Instead, Cecilia couldn’t help urging.
“Miss Lu Mo, hurry up!”
She ran forward with a smile. Playfully let go of Lu Mo’s hand, as if wanting Lu Mo to chase after her.
As she stepped over the last step, she finally reached the end of the Holy Demon Wall. Standing at the highest point of this wall, as if from now on, nothing could stop her.
Lifting her head, she could see the boundless distant sky. Looking far into the distance, the scenery beyond the wall was all shrouded in dusk. Hazy.
She suddenly remembered when she was little, the first time she stood on that low wall. At that time, she was nervous, yet excited. She saw the scenery beyond her small world. Those constraints that bound her seemed to disappear all at once. She felt freedom.
That wall, in her childhood eyes, was very tall, very dangerous. But she wasn’t afraid at all, because Lu Mo was holding her hand.
Now, she stood on the highest wall in the world, still not afraid. Because Lu Mo was right behind her. She was waiting for Lu Mo to come up, to cross the final wall together with her.
Just then, Lu Mo’s voice came from behind.
“What you’re saying doesn’t count as the future…”
Lu Mo smiled dotingly, her tone carrying a hint of helplessness.
“How doesn’t it count?”
Cecilia pouted.
“It sounds like a child who never grows up, only wanting to keep playing with her childhood friend.”
“Isn’t that good?”
“It’s good.”
Lu Mo smiled. “But people always grow up, don’t they? Someday, you’ll become a real big girl. Shedding your naivety and childishness, slowly moving toward maturity.”
Cecilia suddenly shivered. She felt this topic was a bit cruel.
“I hope that by then, you can become a little smarter. If anyone dares to be harsh with you, be harsh back. If anyone dares to bully you, give them a good beating.”
“I’ll try…”
“I hope you can become braver.”
“I hope you can become more independent. Don’t care too much about others’ opinions. Become yourself. Do what you think is right.”
“I will.”
“I hope you can keep moving forward. To realize your dreams. Turn this imperfect world into the one you want.”
“Mm!”
“I hope you can go to places farther than this wall. See farther scenery. Meet more people. Let them become extensions of your world.”
“Okay.”
“And.”
Lu Mo said softly. “Take care of yourself.”
“Huh?”
“Be happy.”
The wind suddenly picked up. Cecilia responded seriously to each sentence. But as she responded, she suddenly realized something.
‘Why… do these words sound like a farewell? Why does the future Lu Mo described have no place for herself?’
Rustle—
Wind blew from behind Cecilia. Countless flower petals were swept into the sky. And at that moment, Cecilia felt as if she had been gently pushed. At the same time, she also felt something seemed to have broken. Something extremely important. Once lost, could never be retrieved.
So, she turned around abruptly.
The next instant, the dusk disappeared. The sea of flowers disappeared. The giant trees also disappeared. All the fairy-tale scenes before her eyes disappeared.
She saw a shattered illusory divine kingdom. Saw that withered tree of thorns burning. The entire world was ablaze. And the girl, wearing a blood-red dress, stood quietly in the center of that divine kingdom. Flames scorched her from all directions, like a grand sacrifice.
“Miss Lu Mo—!”
Cecilia turned and rushed forward almost like crazy. She wanted to charge into the sea of fire, grab the girl’s hand, and take her away. She crossed the divine kingdom, ran desperately. But she couldn’t do it. No matter how far she ran, that divine kingdom remained out of reach. Because she had already crossed that wall, and couldn’t go back.
The divine kingdom was collapsing. Everything was about to burn to ash.
“Miss Lu Mo…”
“Miss Lu Mo—!!!”
Cecilia shouted frantically. Tears streamed down her face.
And just then, she saw the girl in the blood-red dress, in the center of the flames, slowly lift her head. Before everything ended, facing her… gently smiled.