New Calendar 1453, October 17th, afternoon.
Sophie truly had no interest in matters regarding factional struggles.
After giving Modi an ultimatum, she slipped away, leaving him until tomorrow to provide an answer on who exactly was the master of the New Moon Sect.
Having completed her daily self-refinement alchemy, Sophie was currently standing atop the clock tower.
She was there with Lady Hero.
The Central Clock Tower of Silvervein City towered into the clouds, the whistling wind making her skirt snap and flutter.
The heavy lead-black tiles glowed red under the lingering light of the setting sun, and the city beneath her feet was gradually being swallowed by the massive sunset.
The residents in the streets and alleys were like ants returning to their nests, pairing off and hurrying back to their cramped shelters.
Sophie wasn't quite able to enjoy the scenery, as her long silver-white hair kept blowing into her face.
Long hair really is inconvenient...
Kaila stood half a step behind her, braiding Sophie’s hair into a side plait.
“Thank you for the trouble, Lady Hero~”
Sophie said happily.
“You always seem to be like this,” Kaila said softly as she divided the silver hair into three strands, slowly crossing and weaving them.
“Indolent, leisurely in everything you do. Even if a stone trips you on the road, you simply step around it, as if you don't care about anything happening in this world...”
No sense of urgency, no sense of weight.
Whether in a peril-filled dungeon, a dangerous situation under the full moon, or even now in this city shrouded by a curse, she displayed a casualness that was entirely detached from the situation.
“Does Lady Hero want to get to know me?”
“In a way,” Kaila replied.
“Heh heh, since Lady Hero has asked so sincerely...”
Sophie slowly straightened her back to make it easier for Kaila to work.
“It’s very simple. For us vampires, time is the one thing we never lack. Once the scale of one's lifespan is infinitely extended, the priority of many things changes.”
“Humans hurry because their lives are less than a hundred years. If they want to become a Sword Saint, they must train in the bitter winter and the scorching summer; if they want to become an Archmage, they must bury their heads in books until they go bald. But what about me?”
She curled her lips upward proudly, revealing her small fangs.
“Even if I only spend one percent of my life studying and spend the other ninety-nine percent doing nothing but lying on a rock, sunbathing and daydreaming, just by outlasting everyone, I can still become the most learned scholar in the world.”
Kaila tilted her head, seemingly processing Sophie’s words seriously.
“A long life, spent doing nothing for most of it.” She secured a finished braid and continued with the next section. “Don’t you find it boring?”
The philosophy of lifespan was an eternal topic.
Long-lived species watched the rise and fall of everything around them, often wrapped in boundless loneliness.
“I couldn't say for sure before, but it’s definitely not boring now. Because Lady Kaila is here. A life accompanied by Lady Hero couldn't possibly be boring!”
Sophie gave a cheeky grin.
“As long as Lady Hero is always by my side, I’ll never be bored, tee-hee.”
Walking a lonely path was indeed very boring.
But Sophie didn't feel lonely at all.
“Those words.” Kaila tilted her head. “How many people have you said them to before?”
Sophie’s smile instantly froze.
Wait... was this right?
Why did the topic suddenly become so heavy?
And she couldn't even activate her passive skill [A Man's Words are Lying Spirits].
Because she wasn't a man, and she couldn't lie to Kaila.
“Ahem... cough!”
Sophie gave a tactical, sharp cough.
Her eyes began to wander aimlessly, looking toward the distant Twin Towers, looking toward the Red Moon that was about to descend.
“Well... not, not that many. I’ve said it to some of my friends. After all, vampires live a long time, so I do have quite a lot of... friends. Expressing how much I value a good friend to liven up the atmosphere is normal, it’s just social etiquette.”
Sophie muttered softly.
“Friends?” Kaila shook her head.
“Those words are clearly lines that should only be said to a lover,” Kaila said. “Yet you say them to friends so casually?”
Sophie’s dry coughing grew even more intense.
But Sophie did not back down.
“You don’t understand, Kaila.”
Sophie took a deep breath and said proudly.
“Think about it. A lover is a very troublesome creature. They are exclusive and come with all sorts of responsibilities and constraints, so of course you can only have one.”
“But what about friends?”
Sophie spread her hands righteously.
“Friends are different! Friends can eat together, bathe together, and fight side by side. Friends are free, they are tolerant, and they are people you can share feelings with and trust with your life.”
“You can only have one lover, but you can have many friends.”
“Everyone is my wings; everyone is my dear friend,” Sophie said.
“So I... Ow, that hurts!”
“Sorry, I didn't control my strength just now.” Kaila finished the braid and spoke in a voice devoid of emotional fluctuation. “It’s about time. I should go. I’ll come stand with you for a while again tomorrow.”
“Eh? But the sun has only just started to set.”
Sophie turned around, but there was no sign of Lady Hero behind her.
She looked at the empty space beside her and sighed.
Seriously, how much did Lady Hero love standing around?
No affection gain today either.
...
Rate on N.U.
