Chapter 51: Night Festival

Within the Moon Palace Lake, the night was deep.

It was time to end this, time to leave.

The three changed back into their own clothes and, following the method from before, held hands and passed through the barrier. The dim, yellow sunlight of the outside world was dazzling. Having spent time in the eternal moonlight, the real world felt somewhat unreal instead.

A light drizzle fell on the three of them on the way back. Today was a special day; the town was holding a night festival to pray for rain.

“Let’s part ways here then,” Ah Li said, stretching at the fork in the road after returning to town. “I’ll go contact the alchemist.”

Wei Yang nodded.

“Notify me when you have news.”

“Of course. We can even arrange a date or something~”

Wei Yang gave Ah Li a look and turned to the princess beside her.

“What about you, silly Jiuzhou?”

“I understand the importance of Zhuji now. I’ll explain it to her when I get home.”

“Good, I’ll leave that to you. Also, if you want to stay with me, you can just come find me directly. No need to go about it like today.”

“Namei” scratched her head awkwardly, smiling back sheepishly.

“I understand. I won’t do such foolish things again in the future.”

Wei Yang shrugged with a smile.

“The night festival will last until midnight, and the rain will get heavier. Hurry home, you two. See you tomorrow.”

“See you tomorrow, darling~”

“See you tomorrow, Wei Yang.”

At the moment of parting, they walked along their three separate paths home, gradually growing farther apart.

The sky darkened to ink, and the rain grew steadily heavier.

In the midst of the night festival procession, illuminated by the raised lanterns, Wei Yang suddenly looked back. But the two of them were no longer there in the fading light.

***

Lu Ran sat alone at home, looking around the empty room. She felt something was missing.

If she were living with the Angel, wouldn’t this lack of life make it seem a bit too bland?

So she went out and bought some flowers. At least they would make the room less monotonous. Just as she finished arranging the lilac flowers in the living room, Wei Yang happened to return home.

“Welcome back, Lady Wei Yang. Did you see Zhuji?”

“I did,” Wei Yang said, collapsing onto the bed as soon as she entered. “It wasn’t that shocking, though. I just didn’t expect that thing to be so important.”

“Yes. So small, yet hiding such terrifying power.”

“Now we just have to pray things don’t take the worst turn. Those two princesses aren’t unreasonable people. It’ll probably be fine.”

After saying this, Wei Yang rolled around on the bed.

Ah Li went to contact the alchemist, so they had to wait for news. There probably wasn’t anything else to do today. Suddenly having free time felt a bit strange.

Knock knock knock.

Just as Wei Yang was about to laze around, a knocking sound came from the door. Lu Ran opened it, somewhat puzzled.

“Miss Lilith?”

Lilith stood outside, her clothes damp from the rain.

“Sorry to disturb you, Lu Ran. There’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”

Lu Ran stepped aside.

“Please come in.”

Lilith entered, saw Wei Yang, and nodded slightly in greeting. Then she pulled out a chair and sat at the table.

“I’ll get straight to the point then, so as not to take up too much of your time,” she said, looking at Lu Ran with utmost seriousness. “We’ve had many negotiations with the Jiuzhou princesses. They understand how important Liuyue is now. So everything is coming to an end. The rest is entirely up to their choice.”

Indeed, it was almost over. Those two princesses were about to make their choice—to start a war and plunder Liuyue, or to leave and find another way.

“Lu Ran, I’m here today to ask for your opinion—”

“I understand everything. There’s no need to say more.”

Lu Ran interrupted Lilith.

She understood perfectly well. If the Jiuzhou princesses chose to start a war and plunder Liuyue, she knew what awaited her.

As Huyin Town’s ultimate weapon, possessing a mutual destruction curse, she would have to trade her life for the enemy’s strongest, White Dragon. As for the remaining Lili and Namei, Ah Li alone would be enough to drive them away.

What Jiuzhou would do to the town afterward, what the town’s future would be—that was no longer her concern. All she had to do was help the town survive the present.

“I understand everything, Miss Lilith.”

Lilith had mentioned this to Lu Ran before. Although she didn’t want to see such a young girl cut down in her prime, there was simply no other way.

Lu Ran was special. She was the last hope.

Thinking of this, Lilith lacked the courage to meet Lu Ran’s eyes.

Wei Yang, meanwhile, looked confused.

“What are you two talking about? So cryptic.”

Lu Ran turned her head and gave her the usual gentle smile.

“It’s nothing, Lady Wei Yang. Miss Lilith came to talk to me about… my mother.”

“Your mother?”

“Yes, about her final affairs.”

Wei Yang looked at Lilith, who sighed and slowly raised her head.

“That’s right. There are some belongings we don’t know how to handle, so I came to ask Lu Ran’s opinion.”

‘Well, that can’t be helped,’ Wei Yang thought. This was Lu Ran’s private matter; she couldn’t pry.

Lu Ran looked at her dear Angel, a fond, bitter smile on her face.

She understood. This was precisely the time she should ask Wei Yang for help, to beg the Angel who had descended for her sake.

Wasn’t the whole reason she prayed to the gods to live? So why was she hiding it from her?

Lilith stood up and bowed deeply to Lu Ran.

“My message has been delivered. I’ll take my leave now.”

“Thank you for your trouble, Miss Lilith.”

Lilith departed into the curtain of rain, and the door closed softly.

Lu Ran slowly walked over to the recently purchased lilac flowers and admired them.

“Lady Wei Yang, what would you like for dinner? I’ll go prepare it now.”

Wei Yang, on the bed, rolled over to look at her, sensing something was off.

“Xiao Lu, are you feeling okay? Your complexion looks terrible. Are you alright?”

…

Lu Ran gazed at the dewdrops on the flowers, silent for a moment.

If the Jiuzhou princesses ultimately chose war, she would undoubtedly be pushed forward to sacrifice herself for Huyin Town.

No matter how cowardly or scared she was, this was inevitable. But was her will strong enough?

It wasn’t. She was afraid. She was terrified.

So—

“I’m fine, Lady Wei Yang. The weather’s just been too hot lately. It’s just summer lethargy.”

Recently, Lu Ran had been very happy, perhaps because she finally had someone by her side.

It had been so long since she’d had days like this, so long since she’d experienced such an ordinary life, since her mother passed away.

“I’ll make dinner,” Wei Yang said, pushing herself up with her hands. “You go rest.”

Lu Ran blinked, seemingly not expecting her to say that.

“Lady Wei Yang, can you cook?”

“I’m no master chef,” Wei Yang said, rolling up her sleeves, “but after watching you for so long, I’ve picked up a thing or two. Let me show off once in a while.”

How could she let the Angel cook for her? She should be the one taking care of Lady Wei Yang. She had to refuse—

“Alright.”

Lu Ran was stunned.

She didn’t want to trouble Lady Wei Yang, so why had she spoken her true feelings?

Wei Yang gave an OK sign, tied on an apron, and walked into the kitchen. Lu Ran sat at the table, watching her busy back as she worked.

Soon, dinner was ready. Wei Yang placed the dishes on the table one by one.

Lu Ran picked up her fork and knife and tasted it. It wasn’t delicious, but it wasn’t bad either. It just tasted like ordinary home cooking.

Wei Yang looked at her expectantly.

“How is it?”

“Quite good, Lady Wei Yang.”

Wei Yang also tasted it and then made a face of distaste.

“It’s not as good as yours.”

Hearing this, Lu Ran covered her mouth and laughed.

“Yes, that’s true.”

“…You’re being mean. The usual you would deny that, wouldn’t you?”

Lu Ran laughed even more happily.

“I’m just being a little mischievous for once. Don’t be mad.”

“What’s there to be mad about? But it’s good you’re like this. Don’t treat me like some deity you have to serve.”

“Eh~ Does that mean I can be a bit more picky and strict with you, and you’ll never get angry because you dote on me so much?”

“That’s not what I meant!”

“I’m just teasing~ Wink☆~”

After washing up, the two lay down in bed to rest. The rain outside grew heavier and heavier; Lu Ran could even hear thunder.

Gazing at the storm outside the window, she prayed sincerely in her heart.

She hoped those two princesses would stop here. She hoped everything could stay as it was. She hoped every day from now on could be like this.

Being with the Angel, eating food she made with her own hands, watching clothes drying in the sun, walking side by side no matter where they went, marveling at how fortunate it all was.

She only begged that this precious life wouldn’t end like this.

‘I will pray. This is not my delusion.’