Chapter 295: Every Star in the Sky, and Clow Reed's Scheme
Under the moonlight, the woman's long black hair cascaded down her back like a silken waterfall. Whether it was the weight of the day or the magic of the hour that lent it such a deep darkness, it was impossible to say.
There was no one else here. She sat leaning against a stone pillar, her gaze fixed quietly on the moon above. Her black dress, adorned with a delicate butterfly print, combined with her serene posture to create a vision of unique, melancholic beauty.
There's a certain truth to the saying: if you find someone ugly, they'll remain ugly even behind the wheel of a Ferrari; if you find them beautiful, they'll possess that beauty even while picking up trash. Though, more often than not, such perceptions have little to do with looks at all.
A gentle breeze stirred, lifting the woman's long hair before letting it settle once more. She exhaled a soft puff of smoke from her long, slender pipe. The moonlight pierced the dissipating cloud, illuminating a delicate, cool-toned face. For a fleeting moment, her hair spilled over her pale shoulders, lending her an almost ethereal aura.
The woman's voice was a low murmur. "I do believe the greatest mistake I ever made was agreeing to witness such an absurdity with you, you conniving four-eyes, right before you died."
Clow Reed, sitting opposite her, simply smiled. "Regardless of the circumstances, time is a torment for me. And for you..."
"Is it not for me, as well?"
"You could interpret it as me being the stronger of the two. And in any case, isn't it better for the slightly weaker one to be the one who lives on?"
The woman paused, taking another slow draw from her pipe before exhaling. A playful smile touched her lips. "That's true enough. If you weren't as strong as you are, I would have likely returned to nature long ago... But are you truly certain I should continue to endure within this flow of time?"
Clow Reed turned his head, his gaze lifting to the moon, held in the embrace of countless stars. "No matter how powerful we become," he said softly, "we are, in the end, nothing more than stars, each casting its own faint light. Only when stars gather in constellations do they command the night sky, achieving their purpose before they shatter."
The woman's voice was quiet. "And you... would you still call yourself a star?"
"A main-sequence star, at best. I find the analogy rather fitting."
She considered this for a moment, a hint of helplessness in her tone. "That is indeed true. After all, the death of a main-sequence star inevitably impacts countless other existences. And so it is with you; even in death, you will set so many things into motion..."
"And so, isn't it a simpler way to die?"
"It's astonishing you can say something so utterly irresponsible, leaving such a mess behind. I can't decide if you're a benevolent villain or just a master manipulator."
Clow Reed was momentarily taken aback, then his smile returned. "While I may be, in a sense, the villain who set everything in motion, don't you think I more closely resemble a tragic character from an opera?"
"I don't think so," she replied, her eyes crinkling. "Because that smile of yours evokes no sense of tragedy in me. I do, however, see the glint of mischief... of a scheme taking shape."
Clow Reed chuckled. "For once, I won't argue the point. An amusing thought has just occurred to me."
The woman's smile widened. "Oh? A voluntary admission? How refreshing. Do tell, I find myself a little excited."
"Fei Wang wishes to resurrect you, does he not?"
"And?"
Clow Reed pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, a glint in his eyes. "What if you were to be resurrected... but in another world entirely? One that exists outside the dimensions and timelines of this one? What would become of Fei Wang when you finally returned, but not in the way he ever intended?"
The woman froze, her hand still holding the pipe to her lips. A slow, genuine smile spread across her face. "I must admit, that may be the most magnificent prank you have ever conceived. Fei Wang... I imagine he would simply fall apart, in a great many ways."
Clow Reed mulled it over. "In that case, my own existence would become redundant. But I will still leave behind that which continues my life..."
"I hope you won't leave me to an eternity of solitude and uncertainty..."
"I am very glad to hear you finally wish for time to move forward."
"I am merely... curious," she clarified softly. "To see what this 'salvation,'this'life,' truly is. That is all."
"Salvation, life... they are but empty words, dressed in grandeur. All that matters is how you choose to walk once you step back into the river of time."
The woman looked up at the exceptionally bright moon, her voice a near whisper. "Tonight's moon is truly beautiful... and moving, in every sense of the word."
"Hmm... The time is almost upon us."
"Midnight... It still feels a bit far off."
"Perhaps conversation will make it pass more quickly."
"I would rather spend it looking at the moon. Time is a torment for us both, but watching you be tormented by it, you scheming four-eyes... I suddenly find it's not so bad after all."
Clow Reed merely smiled. The second hand on the pocket watch in his grasp moved with deliberate slowness, ticking away second by second, minute by minute. For these two beings who had betrayed time and mastered an existence they never should have, this final wait was both an agony and a deep anticipation.
At that very moment, Ren felt a peculiar sensation prick at his awareness. It was a faint pull, a whisper calling to him from the depths of his soul. He looked up toward the restaurant's entrance and murmured, "Tonight's guests... they feel a little different. More significant, somehow."
Lucifer, who was wiping down the counter, looked over in confusion. "Hmm? Why do you say that? Can you tell who's coming next? That's quite a trick."
Ren shook his head. "No, I don't know who it is, but I can vaguely sense something unusual. Never mind that for now. Sora, what are you up to?"
"Huh? Oh, nothing," Sora replied, not looking up from her phone. "Just scrolling through social media. Ren-gege, you've been posting a lot lately. If you keep this up, you're going to get a lot of attention."
"Isn't that the point?" Ren said simply. "More customers."
"True... Oh, hey! Ren-gege, someone updated your photo album with pictures from the last competition. It must have been Kirari-nee and the others."
"Probably," Ren replied with a shrug. "They all seem to use my account whenever I'm not looking."
Watching the two of them chat so casually, Lucifer's mind ground to a halt. Ren had a social media account? And they all had the login? And they updated it frequently? And she, Lucifer, had no idea?
She thought of all the times she was worked to the bone, stuffed with food until she could barely move, her back aching from exhaustion... and through all of that, she never even knew this big pig's trotter had a social media account! He never told her!
"Hmph!"
The more she stewed on it, the more her indignation grew, and she let out another sharp snort.
Ren glanced over at Lucifer, a knowing smile touching his lips. He understood her frustration perfectly. It seemed she genuinely hadn't known... mostly because he'd completely forgotten to tell her.
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