In the crumbling space station ravaged by Destruction's rampage, two people stood before one another.
One was a white-haired woman.
Her fair skin and green eyes naturally drew attention from those around her.
Her presence was calm and soothing.
Her name was Yao Yu.
An intense love quietly reflected within her gaze as she looked at the person before her.
Standing opposite her was a gray-haired girl a head taller than her.
A polearm nearly as tall as a person rested in her hand.
Her name was Xunmei.
She looked back at Yao Yu with equally intense affection.
"Mother, I will protect you!" Xunmei said, worry evident in her voice.
"I believe in you, Xumi" Yao Yu said softly.
Then the two embraced each other in the middle of the crumbling station while the shadows of the Legion crept closer around them.
Xunmei released Yao Yu and stepped forward...
"Uwah... Qingling, you wrote all that just from what I told you..."
Qingling froze.
"Uhh..."
She shoved her phone into her pocket.
"W-Well, inspiration..." She looked away. "...is important..."
She coughed, then after a moment looked toward Ena.
"A-anyway what about Herta? Could you describe her to me?"
Ena looked at her for a moment.
"...Herta..."
Her hand rose to her chin.
"She feels very intellectual. Cold in a way... like she approaches everything through logic"
She nodded.
"But she's warmer than most people would expect"
"If I had to describe her... this is probably the closest I could get"
Qingling nodded before pulling out her phone.
"Cold intellectual... Warmer than expected..."
She smiled while typing something into her phone.
Ena watched in silence.
Qingling slowly looked up at Ena.
Color gradually crept onto her cheeks.
The trees swayed gently as the wind passed through them.
After some time, Qingling cleared her throat.
"...what about your home planet? Could you tell me about it?"
"...Home planet..."
Ena looked at the park.
"My home planet is called Earth"
A smile formed.
"At that time, I was too focused on studying. My love journey... well, the aunties back home loved teasing me about it"
She let out a soft laugh.
"It was intense sometimes... but honestly, it was not unpleasant"
'Yeah... as a man, it really was intense...'
She shook her head lightly.
Then she looked at Qingling.
"What about you? What is life like here in the Xianzhou?"
Qingling met her eyes for a moment, then looked toward the park.
"For me... life in the Xianzhou feels very static. Nothing really changes..."
Her fingers lightly tapped against the phone on her lap.
"I see the same streets... The same people now as I did hundreds of years ago..."
"Long-lived species carry this strange pride with them. It makes conversations feel distant somehow... even when speaking to people my own age..."
Slowly, she looked toward the sky.
"That is why the stars feel more beautiful to me than the Xianzhou"
A faint smile appeared.
"I love stories about the universe... I want to write ones that make other people feel that same beauty too"
Ena remained silent.
"Do you want to become a Trailblazer"
Qingling met Ena's eyes for a moment. Then her gaze dropped to her lap.
"I'm a writer... a fanfic writer"
"I want to write about the universe. Its dangers. Its wonders. The countless different people living within it..."
Her gaze lifted toward the sky.
"I want to experience that beauty with my own eyes. My own ears. My own steps"
Her gaze lowered.
"But my responsibilities are still here in the Xianzhou... and my family is here too"
A quiet laugh escaped her.
"So even after talking like this... when the chance appears in front of me..."
She smiled weakly.
"...I still reject it"
Silence settled between them.
Then Ena held out her hand.
"If you ever decide to become a Nameless... and Trailblaze across the stars..."
Qingling slowly looked up at her.
"The Astral Express will welcome you, Qingling"
Sunlight gently rested upon Ena.
Qingling's eyes widened slightly.
"You..."
Her gaze lingered on Ena's eyes.
Then a smile appeared.
"Yes! When I'm finally ready, I'll call you. I'll become a Nameless and see the stars with my own eyes!"
Qingling reached forward and took her hand.
Sunlight quietly fell across both of them.
A long time passed.
The blue sky had slowly deepened into red.
"Then Rimuru established a kingdom for monsters seeking peace"
Qingling gave a faint nod. "A slime building a kingdom..."
She typed something into her phone. "...honestly, that is pretty interesting"
Ena laughed softly beside her.
"It really is one of a kind... though the political arcs later on become exhausting"
"Ahh... then the story becomes pretty complicated, huh?"
"Yeah. I stopped somewhere before things got too complicated"
Ena glanced toward the sky.
"What a shame" Qingling muttered while typing into her phone.
"I should head home soon"
"Ehh?"
Qingling looked toward her.
Ena pointed toward the sky.
Sunset
Qingling stared for a moment before laughing quietly.
"Oh wow... time passed fast"
Then she smiled brightly.
"Alright then! See you tomorrow!"
Ena smiled and nodded.
"See you tomorrow"
The two waved to each other for a while before finally walking away.
step
step
The road was quiet.
Ena stopped beneath the evening sky.
She looked up.
'The Xianzhou...'
She smiled faintly.
"It's not bad after all"
A moment later, her gaze fell ahead.
White hair
Golden eyes
Ena stiffened.
"Hello, Miss Ena. May I speak with you for a moment?"
'Jing Yuan!'
TBC
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Hey Hey Reader, Nilvan here.
Nothing to say today.