Ten Years

The setting sun finally touched the horizon. Just as it did every day, the daylight hours were declared over. Those still busy were finishing up their work, taking advantage of the final moments of the day to chat about recent events.

Life seemed to have gradually improved without anyone quite noticing. The cathedrals of the Church of Death were now scattered across almost every major district of the cities. More and more devout people gathered there to sing hymns in the Divine Lord’s honor, and many had begun to place their faith in the blue-haired girl who frequently appeared at important political functions.

Her past was a massive mystery. The few snippets of information that had leaked from the Academy seemed to have been smothered at the source, making it difficult for them to spread. However, the people knew that she always brought the Divine Lord’s oracles, and the Divine Lord’s decisions were always the most correct ones.

Today’s weather was exceptionally clear. A few perfectly placed clouds drifted across the sky, combining with the blooming sunset to create a magnificent scene that looked as if the heavens had been stained with blood. If the light shining into the dim afternoon rooms had not been a deep orange-red, perhaps more people would have believed a miracle was manifesting before their eyes.

In the streets, more and more people began to shout, "Long live the Divine Lord!" These waves of sound reached the ears of a graceful figure inside an afternoon room. She smiled faintly and began to comb her hair in front of a mirror. She could no longer remember how many times she had heard that cry.

Perhaps the number of times she had heard it exceeded the number of times she had combed her hair. Amidst those constant cheers, she found herself somewhat unable to connect the title with the intimate name she had used in the past.

"My face will never age again, so why do I feel like I’ve grown old?" Clo smiled calmly. There was indeed a hint of weariness in the corners of her eyes, and the curve of her smiling lips seemed different than before. Her smile was more reserved now, lacking some of the sincerity of the past. Perhaps in such an environment, sincerity was the greatest weakness.

"I can even notice the difference myself... I wonder if she’ll be shocked when she returns?" Clo gave a slight smile and closed the book in her hand. During this period, she had read more books than all the ancient magic grimoires she had researched at the Academy combined. Thinking of this, she could not hide a mix of amusement and bitterness. She was far busier now than she had ever been before.

She lay sideways on the sofa. Beside her were signed documents and a cup of brewed goji berry tea. If she wished, she could have anything in this kingdom with the simple ring of a bell.

She looked out the window with some exhaustion. Smoke rose from the chimneys of every household, and mist drifted from the distant factories. The black smoke flowing continuously into the sky did not seem like something that would harm the world in the eyes of the people of that time.

According to Li Yue’s law, magic apparatuses for purification and emission reduction would be gradually popularized over ten years. These restrictive policies could only be implemented once the emerging enterprises had gained a firm footing.

"The world is getting better and better, but it also feels... like it’s getting closer to destruction..." Clo let out a long sigh. Looking toward the horizon, her voice carried a hint of resentment and nostalgia.

"How will you... bring redemption this time? Is there still a place for me in your dangerous plan?" Clo sighed again. "You should hurry back..."

"The last time I saw you... was already several years ago..."

...

At an inconspicuous little port, where local fishermen usually moored their boats, no seasoned sailor would risk heading out into the open ocean at this hour. After all, the newspapers over the past few days had warned of great storms at night. While this meant the price of deep-sea fish would skyrocket, many experienced sailors had already paid with their lives, making others more cautious.

"The last boat is back. Today’s harvest was actually quite good." A fisherman chuckled and patted the man next to him on the shoulder. He held a bottle of brewed liquor. Compared to the popular beer, this drink had a higher alcohol content and a thicker texture, making it perfect for people who had drifted at sea all day to release their pent-up stress.

After all, a person’s ultimate home was always the land. Staying at sea for too long always brought a sense of extreme instability and discomfort.

"Close the port. They say the waves will be exceptionally large today," a man wearing a bamboo hat said. As he spoke, the sky began to darken in intervals, bringing an ominous feeling of an approaching storm.

"Call the men to reinforce the boats and close the port immediately!" the man shouted. The sudden darkness instantly snapped many drowsy fishermen awake. They scrambled up to help secure their respective fishing boats with ropes while simultaneously working to lower the wooden planks and close the port.

"Wait, what’s that?" a young sailor asked in confusion. By now, a light rain had begun to fall. "Look out there on the pitch-black sea. Is there a boat heading toward us?"

"How is that possible... in this kind of weather, how could there be an outsider’s boat? The nearest port is at least a few days’ journey away..." an older sailor said. His expression was calm, but as his gaze drifted toward the sea, his face suddenly turned grim.

Although visibility had dropped significantly, they could vaguely see the silhouette of a boat gradually approaching.

"Unbelievable... such a small boat... it’s not even as big as our fishing vessels. How could it not have been capsized by those massive waves earlier?"

"Quick, stop closing the port! Grab the ropes and let them in!"

"Heave—ho—!"

The men pulled the ropes with all their might. The person on the small boat seemed to sense that the people on shore were rapidly exhausting their strength, and the small boat actually accelerated despite the worsening conditions.

A pitch-black wooden boat smashed directly through the waves, charging into the port with a bold momentum. A figure leaped down from the boat. Her face was in the rain, yet she did not seem to be wet in the slightest.

She gently snapped her fingers. The impending storm seemed to settle down instantly. The continuous thunder in the sky fell silent for a moment, and the sea became much calmer.

The people quickly closed the port. Gasping for breath, they sized up the extraordinary figure before them. But no matter how they looked, they seemed unable to remember the person’s appearance; the memory of her face vanished the moment after it was formed.

"What year is it now?" the figure asked, looking around with a hint of confusion.

"It is... Year 3 of the Supreme Divine Lord Era (the third year after the New Party re-established the nation; following years of political struggle, nearly ten years had passed since Li Yue’s departure)."

"Year 3?" the figure, clad in black and blood-red, murmured. "How has it been so many years..."