Greed

Last time... when was the last time I hid something from her? It seems I have broken my promise once again.

Li Yue felt a sense of helplessness. She was still following the path she had long ago envisioned, keeping Clo protected outside of her world.

Clo looked at the girl before her. Li Yue wore a crown and divine robes, backed by the Blood Crystal Throne that shimmered with a scarlet light. There was also a layer upon layer of invisible chains wrapped around her body—chains that Li Yue herself had not even noticed.

“Every time I see you after a short while, you have become... more powerful... more of a stranger, A Yue.” Clo looked at Li Yue, feeling a strange, inexplicable lump in her throat. “So, what was the price?”

“The price? I paid it tens of thousands of years ago. The price was having nothing,” Li Yue said softly. The people around them began to leave the room in a swift and orderly fashion, and the water in the bath flowed out all at once. “The price is inescapable pain and madness.”

“If you were going to do something like this, why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Clo stared into Li Yue’s blood-red vertical pupils. Just as she had countless times before, she tried to see something within those swirling depths of crimson. But in the end, she saw nothing. It was a vast void; there was nothing there.

“The previous master of the Royal Court was a great man. Thus, the seizure of power became something... cruel and despicable. Your name should not appear in this dirty history,” Li Yue said calmly. Now that the moment of facing Clo had arrived, she seemed to feel less pressure than before. Looking at Clo, who was on the verge of a breakdown, she instead felt a sense of peace and reassurance.

Ah... she really is angry. She truly didn’t want me to make such a decision. But there was no other way. If she had known from the start, would I have been able to persist until this point? But... there is no turning back now.

Or perhaps things progressed too quickly, and I never had the chance to prepare Clo mentally.

“I don’t care about that, A Yue.” Clo paused. “I only care about you...”

Clo’s hands reached out to caress Li Yue’s face. It was soft, but unnaturally cold, as if there was not a single spark of life within her.

“I feel... I feel like I’m completely useless... Will you leave me behind? Next time... will I be unable to find you at all?” Clo spoke with a complicated tone. Thinking back on everything that had happened, she felt an inexplicable pang of sorrow. In the foreseeable future, if she did nothing, Li Yue’s death was almost a certainty; she was walking toward her own destruction.

A sense of detachment... I didn't consider that. Did I make her feel marginalized?

Li Yue’s eyebrows trembled slightly as if she were deep in thought.

It seems... she really wants to help me right now. But I have already made my decision.

“In the future you’ve envisioned, where exactly am I?” Clo suddenly asked. She followed Li Yue as they slowly walked toward the throne. This place possessed everything in the world, yet at the same time, it possessed nothing at all.

“In my future?” Li Yue answered without a moment’s hesitation. She had already decided Clo’s place long ago. “In that future, you appear in every single moment. Not a single moment can be without you.”

“Then what about you?” Clo looked into Li Yue’s lifeless eyes, suddenly feeling a surge of fear. She could feel Li Yue’s constant state of mind—an easy acceptance of death, perhaps even a pursuit of it. Yet, that also meant an eternal separation.

“Of course, every moment of mine will have you in it.” Li Yue stroked Clo’s face. She gently removed the crown and placed it on the Blood Crystal Throne beside her.

“Alright, it has to be this way. Only with such vast power and authority can I have the ability to overturn everything.” Li Yue relaxed her hand, then quickly clenched it tight. An agitated aura began to radiate from her body, as if power was constantly gathering toward her, only to be forcibly expelled.

“Clo... Their lingering souls still wander this continent. As long as Their existence is not erased, we can never escape the fate of being puppets.” Li Yue sighed softly. As those blood-colored memories became clearer, she gradually realized the extent of that frenzied pain.

“Thousands of years ago, They should have died in a single moment of agony... That things have come to this today is my fault for my sword not being sharp enough.” Li Yue’s eyelids drooped slightly, but her sadness was quickly swept away. She casually placed the crown on the armrest and sat upon the Blood Crystal Throne. She gently pulled Clo’s hand, leading her to sit naturally upon her lap.

“Let’s have a hug. Just consider it my way of apologizing.” Li Yue gently embraced Clo. Clo, who had been full of grievances just moments ago, now found herself speechless. She leaned gently against Li Yue, her anger at holding her accountable finally dissipating.

“You weren’t wrong... I was just afraid... Forget it. As long as you are by my side, it’s fine,” Clo whispered, not resisting Li Yue’s actions. “Don’t hide things from me again next time.”

“Mm.”

Next time? Li Yue tilted her head and thought about it. Would there even be a next time? If there was, she would just apologize again.

Next time... hm, there won't be. Next time, I won't need to prepare an apology in advance.

“So, what about later? How are you going to deal with those heretics and the remaining divine vestiges?”

“Those fellows haven't left me much time. There is no longer time for gentle measures, Clo. Thunderous methods are the only way.”

“It’s okay. I’ll understand.” Clo nodded.

Li Yue stroked Clo’s head, feeling her consciousness slowly expanding. What was Clo to her now? Everything? Or a burden?

She is a god in the making, the hope of this world. Everything I do... is for her.

When the time comes that I can no longer swing my sword, everything will be left to you, Clo... When that happens, please don't hate me...

“Clo... I love you. You must know that. It has never changed.” Li Yue looked at the gloomy sky outside the castle, leaning close to Clo and greedily inhaling her scent.