Silence

Inside the small villa where the lights were gradually dimming, figures occasionally paced back and forth in the first-floor hall, greeting each other as they said their goodbyes. Cheerful laughter drifted from the card room on the second floor; these were the demon hunters stationed here, on guard and standby. Over the past decade or so, traces of blood demons had nearly vanished. The focus of their work had shifted from battling blood demons to matters related to magical crimes.

Although fighting those black mages still carried a degree of danger, both sides were human after all and exercised restraint. Compared to blood demons who fought on instinct and lacked even a layer of human skin, this was already considered a simple and high-reward job.

At the reception desk in the main hall, Kelly was still tidying up the day's files. No major incidents had occurred this quarter, and the public order of society was so good that the newly joined demon hunters hadn't even had a chance for field experience. Many of the newcomers in the files in her hands hadn't even passed their probationary period.

“Such a peaceful life was hard to imagine in the past,” she sighed softly. She recalled the people in her mind whom she would never see again, feeling a vague sense of regret.

“Hello.” The bell at the door gave a light jingle. Kelly set aside her work and looked at the hooded figure walking toward her. Her throat trembled slightly as she suddenly wondered if she had jinxed herself. Surely a crime hadn't actually occurred, had it?

“Is there anything I can help you with...” Her words trailed off as she looked at the pale white figure before her.

“Hello.” Li Yue lowered her hood, her blood-red eyes shimmering with a faint light in the dim environment. “Long time no see.”

Kelly looked at her and instinctively touched the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes and on her forehead. Looking at the figure before her, her heart was filled with a complex mix of emotions.

“I am not the ruler of the Royal Court; I am just a passing ordinary person.” Li Yue gave a shallow smile and took an envelope from her pocket.

“This is my invitation. In the near future, I might be getting married. She probably likes lively scenes, so I thought I’d invite everyone I knew from the past.” A slightly shy smile appeared on Li Yue’s face. She thought of that person she hadn't seen for many years and felt a wave of emotion.

Finally... everything was peacefully reaching its conclusion.

“You’ve worked hard all these years.” Kelly accepted the black-gold envelope, her hands trembling slightly. For a moment, she didn't know how to describe her feelings.

Li Yue’s hands had become unrecognizable. In a momentary lapse of focus, the area above her wrists had turned pitch-black. Although her fingers remained slender and long, the pitch-black claws were still daunting. Li Yue frowned and tried to return to her original state. She controlled the magic within her body; beneath her black robe, her body was contending with a powerful force.

“It’s a pity...”

“I have already seen Mr. Roland in the Underworld.” Li Yue’s face remained expressionless. “You are doing well, everyone is doing well. This world is slowly getting better.”

“When everything is over, this world might be able to function smoothly without the interference of gods.” Li Yue looked at Kelly. She knew that Kelly was a non-believer.

“I feel that a world like this is already good enough.” Kelly poured a cup of tea for Li Yue.

“When that era comes, when people begin to doubt whether gods exist or if they ever existed, my long-cherished wish will be fulfilled.” Li Yue smiled calmly. She put on her hood, preparing to leave. “I won’t disturb the others.”

“Wait.” Kelly called out to her. “Aren't you going to witness everything?”

“No need.” Li Yue paused and gave a mysterious smile. “I have already seen it in a dream.”

A moment later, this god-like woman disappeared from the spot. Kelly looked at the door that hadn't fully closed, the past feeling as if it were right before her eyes.

Except that the once-reckless girl had now become the last god of this world.

...

Inside the high-security President's office, Clo had fallen asleep at her desk. Beside her hand were government decrees that had already been reviewed. Affairs had been particularly busy these past few days, but she was happy to exert herself. After all, during the slow seasons, when work ended in the afternoon, she would often uncontrollably think of that person. Their connection was always there, but Li Yue’s side seemed to be in another dimension; she might sit quietly and feel for an entire afternoon, only for a single moment to pass for the other person.

The tea in the cup beside her had long since gone cold. A pitch-black claw lightly pinched the teacup and took a small sip. Li Yue looked at her own hand, and her flesh immediately began to twitch again, as if it were reshaping itself.

“It’s hard to imagine I’ve only been gone for a little over a decade.” Li Yue chuckled softly. Clo, who had woken up the instant Li Yue entered, rubbed her eyes. By now, she seemed to have lost the will to be angry. She pinched the hem of Li Yue’s clothes and gave a small sigh, seemingly expressing her dissatisfaction.

A separation of over ten years didn't seem particularly long to them. Their connection had never been broken, and both sides had silently accompanied each other as if they were side by side.

“It’s hard to imagine you’ve actually been a hands-off ruler for over a decade.” Clo puffed out her cheeks, her face rarely showing a hint of resentment.

“Rest easy, nothing will happen lately.” Li Yue patted Clo’s head. “Maybe nothing for a few months, perhaps a few years.”

“Then I’m leaving these to you.” Clo pointed to the folders beside her hand.

“No.” Li Yue took two steps away from the desk. “I plan to go buy some aprons and such, and properly be a housewife.”

“That work could be finished with a simple wave of magic.” Clo puffed out her cheeks.

“I will wait for you to come home.” Li Yue smiled. “Of course, if you want to see me during the day, I will also appear by your side.”

“How many years of peace will there be this time?”

“I don’t know, but the time shouldn't be too short.”

“You’ve been back for a while already, haven't you?”

“Yes, I came back a few days ago.” Li Yue smiled. Seeing Clo starting to bristle more and more, she waved her hand. “Don’t be angry. I’ve been preparing a surprise these past few days.”

“Hmm?”

“The wedding. I promised you that after everything settled, we would have a wedding.”

“When? Have you decided?!” Clo stood up, light returning to her weary eyes.

“It will be... perhaps in the near future, a few years from now. Of course, we can decide on the location, the wedding attire, and the people we want to invite in advance.” Li Yue gently hugged Clo. Listening to the other woman’s accelerating heartbeat, a space within her heart that had been dead was slowly reviving.