A month had passed since they started living here.
Nothing particularly unusual happened. Shu tended to the flowerbeds, planting vegetables and rice with eyes that betrayed unknown thoughts. Yujin and Theresis occasionally went hunting, bringing back fowlbeasts or burdenbeasts, while Theresa looked after the children, acting as the mother of the building.
Peaceful. A peace that her past self would have called boring and drowned in alcohol. But knowing what effort this peace was built upon, Ling did not speak lightly.
"Shu."
"Yes, Sister?"
Shu, watering the flowerbed with a watering can, and Ling looked at each other.
"You've been here a year longer than me. Don't you want to leave?"
One year. A period that could be long or short depending on who you ask.
For them, who had lived hundreds of years, it was a short time, but they each had responsibilities. If Shu and Ling went missing for a year without a trace, Yan would surely be in an uproar.
"…Not really. If we keep waiting, we'll get out eventually."
Calm. Shu’s eyes were tranquil like the surface of a lake reflecting the sky.
"What about Dahuang? If a year has passed outside too, it must be chaos."
Ironically, the person in charge of Dahuang was Shu. Although Yan was reluctant to give power to the Sui, their talents were too exceptional compared to ordinary people.
Chongyue was a general in charge of the border solely with his martial prowess, and her brother Jie (Second Brother) quickly overturned Yan's commercial world and took the top spot after learning commerce. Weapons or items made by Nian sold for very high prices, and Shu became the head of Dahuang with her talent for farming.
If one had to choose two Sui who bore the most responsibility regarding Yan, it would be Chongyue and Shu.
Others wandered the world like the wind, acting as if they would leave, but not Shu and Chongyue.
Without Chongyue, the border would collapse, and without Shu, Dahuang wouldn't function.
Sometimes even Ling, at Chongyue’s request, defeated evil spirits appearing at the border and protected soldiers. Because she moved elusively with her ability to freely enter and exit anywhere.
"…Dahuang won't collapse just because I'm gone."
"Hmm."
Although she said that, Shu’s hand was trembling slightly. Ripples appeared in her eyes, like a child forced to look at something she didn't want to see.
"I don't know either. How much longer we have to stay here."
Ling sighed as she said that. U, Nian, Jie. Were those three okay? Foolish siblings. Hoping they wouldn't cause trouble. Turned into children and unable to use their Authorities properly, worry piled up like a mountain.
It was certain that Ling’s Authority allowed them to enter this past. As soon as she touched Yujin’s star, her Authority reacted and the world flipped.
The power to freely enter and exit anywhere.
She never knew the Authority she used to prank others or drink while looking at the mountain scenery would betray her.
Even now, trying to trigger her Authority by raising Arts slightly yielded no response.
"Ah, right."
As if finished watering, Shu, looking at the crops, stood up. Shu in the form of a child. Ling was the same, but since she was an adult from the moment she defined herself, she didn't know the emotions of a child well.
"Sister, are your emotions intense lately? Unlike when we were outside."
"Emotions?"
"Yeah. Since we took on the appearance of children. It seems emotions and thoughts are also affected a bit."
"What do you mean...?"
What Shu meant was this.
Outside, in reality, the Sui's emotions rarely fluctuated. Having lived hundreds of years and seen much, they didn't waver easily. Like a calm lake.
But the forms they had now were young. At most 14 years old? An age to learn and clash with the world. Shu said it seemed emotions, expressions, and thoughts were also becoming younger.
"Ay, but we've lived for hundreds of years...?"
Ling, trying to pass it off playfully, thought deeply.
The memory of being terrified like a child when she first fell here, and sniffling while talking with Yujin recently.
"…[Yanese Profanity]."
"Sister, I told you not to curse."
Recalling the embarrassing memory, Ling’s face turned bright red as she cursed. What, asking to borrow a shoulder for a moment? And burying her face there and crying? She wasn't in her right mind. Due to the memories that just surfaced, the possibility of Shu’s words being true became very high.
"Still, I think I'm better now than before."
"Whew, how so?"
"I seem like an ordinary person."
Taking a deep breath and sighing, Ling and Shu looked at each other. Ordinary people, a story always distant from them.
They weren't ordinary from birth. Monitored as fragments as soon as they were born, wandering Yan to define themselves and observing the world.
"Ordinary human, now..."
Humans and Sui. Chongyue alone showed that relationship. Didn't her brother Jie always say looking at Chongyue? That he put in a lot of effort to be with humans but gained nothing and only suffered losses.
"Shu, do you like your current life?"
"…Yeah."
With that word, Ling realized.
Dahuang.
Was a shackle to Shu.
She said no more. That child couldn't be tied to Dahuang forever. Perhaps the life Shu wished for had drifted away at some point, taking on someone else's wish.
Unlike Ling, who lived infinitely freely.
"You look good too, Sister. In the past, I only saw you laughing when drunk. But now you smile well?"
"…Me?"
When Ling looked at Shu with a perplexed expression, Shu giggled and looked at Ling.
"Yeah, especially when you're with Yujin."
I don't think I smiled separately. Ling scratched her head thinking that.
"In the past, unless drinking, you always looked lost in thought. When writing or composing poetry."
"No... I don't think I smiled separately."
Ling didn't realize it, but Shu, who had watched Ling for a very long time, knew.
How long had it been since she saw Ling smile clearly like looking at the sky?
She smiled like that when joking with Yujin. Had the human named Yujin lodged himself in her heart like a wedge at some point? Although she didn't seem to realize it herself.
It looked good.
Shu thought so and let it pass.
"What are you two talking about?"
"Ah, Theresa."
The child who could be called Yujin’s childhood friend. Foolishly kind girl.
Ling felt a pricking sensation in a corner of her heart looking at Theresa, but ignored it and moved on. As Shu said just now, it seemed her emotions and thoughts weren't properly established due to becoming a child.
Chatting with Theresa, passing the time. A month passed like this. Whether short or long, they spent time talking or sharing funny stories.
Ling always stayed in the building to protect the children in case of an intrusion. Sometimes Yujin stayed and Ling went out, but Ling wasn't particularly interested in this neighborhood, so she wasn't very intrigued.
"…They're late."
"Indeed."
Theresa muttered looking at the darkened night sky. Yujin and Theresis usually returned quickly when it was time. Whether the hunt was a failure or a success, it was the same.
Ling felt a subtle ominousness creeping up her hand.
Intuition. Whenever most of her intuition pointed to the bad side, it had never been wrong.
Not long after, a child ran into the building.
"Huff, huff... Help me!"
The child knelt as she spoke. An unknown child. Probably not a child belonging to Yujin’s group.
"What happened?"
Theresa asked, calming the child calmly first. A child about 10 years old. Breathing heavily, the child looked at Ling with desperate eyes.
"My brother, my brother... was sold to a vampire. I tried to stop my mother and father. But father said one child was enough and..."
"…Crazy."
Parents selling their child? Ling couldn't help but gasp. What kind of nonsense is this?
Theresa bit her lip. If Yujin and Theresis were here, Yujin would have confidently stepped forward, but now there were only three. For safety, waiting was the right choice, but they didn't know what the child's brother would go through during that time.
What would Yujin have done? Closing her eyes and thinking, Ling took a step forward.
"I'll go."
"Sister!"
"Shu, don't worry. You know, right?"
What kind of person Ling was, and how strong she was.
She was confident in her skill and martial prowess. Even if they tried tricks, she was confident she could escape.
"…Ugh, Ling. Will it be okay?"
"Don't worry, Theresa."
Perhaps tainted by Yujin’s heroism. Ling didn't hesitate.
Turning her back on the worried Shu and Theresa, she followed the child. Following the child, she looked at the illumination stones lit by Originium. Unlike the day, the streets looked more unstable, and there were people watching Ling while smoking in the dark.
The backalley darkens. If it were the original Ling, she would have noticed the strangeness by now.
Due to being younger, her senses were duller. Believing the child's words firmly, she followed, and soon Ling...
"Ah...!"
Realized something was wrong only after her ankle was slashed. Without a sound or rumor. A blade surged from a puddle invisible in the dark and slashed her ankle. Looking properly as she hurriedly retreated, the color of the puddle was deep blood red.
"You!"
Ling, trying to shoot Arts by naturally gesturing in the air, looked at the child. The child's face was terrified for someone who deceived Ling. As if knowing what would happen to him, trembling with fear.
And, the child's head exploded while looking at Ling.
Splash!
Ling stared blankly at the child who turned into red blood water and scattered like paint. Not understanding what happened, judgment slowed, and she couldn't move.
"My... didn't want to use blood bags this way."
A chilling voice is heard. Ling, whose ankles were both slashed and tendons cut, couldn't move properly. The scattered blood water instantly hardened like chains, immobilizing Ling.
"Vam, pire...!!!"
"Oh my, seeing your eyes still vividly alive, you seem to be quite a high-quality product?"
Silver hair flowing down to the waist. Eyes shining red like crimson.
In front of Ling’s eyes, a vampire called the Junkie in this street was standing.
Ah man, i bope this gets updated soon.