Within the indigo vault of the Gothic Cathedral, light weaved seductively through the colored Jade Windows, casting shimmering waves beneath the river below.
It was as if the sparkling surface of the river had stilled in this very moment, carrying a splendid elegance amidst the solemn and dignified atmosphere.
Tii and Su Ling sat together on a long bench, their breathing deliberately hushed so as not to disturb the prayers and supplications echoing through the hall.
“Mm~ Just like I told you before, my parents and my younger sister died to the Witch Tribe when I was still very young—eight or nine years old, still a little child.”
After a short pause, Tii recounted those memories softly, voice gentle.
“I loved my sister and my parents dearly, but if I had to say who had the greatest impact on me after their deaths, it was certainly my Teacher. After that, Teacher raised me as if she were my Mother—she taught me knowledge, cared for me, and showed me many things.”
“She was… I’m not sure how to put it, a strict old woman, always scolding me about this and that, never seeming to run out of words—but of course, she also had her gentle side.”
“She told me many, many stories—mmm—one of which was my absolute favorite as a child! Su Ling, do you want to hear it?”
“Of course, I’d love to hear it.”
Tii smiled, her gaze seeming to pierce through time and space, returning to that distant, bittersweet homeland.
“It’s a story from my hometown. Many years ago, that land was ravaged by the flames of war. Year after year, the battles raged on like an endless storm, sweeping through every corner of every village.”
“War Conscription frequently shattered the village’s peace—young, able-bodied men were forced into armor and sent off to the front lines, while women stayed behind with the elderly and children, working tirelessly to keep the household together.”
As she spoke, Tii’s tone carried an almost imperceptible sorrow.
“On the battlefield, life and Death were but a moment apart. Most of the women’s husbands never returned. The few who did survive, after years in distant lands, would sometimes seek new solace in their loneliness, forging bonds with other women. It was that kind of era—inevitable, perhaps, given those times.”
“The wives in my hometown could only wait day after day, year after year, holding onto boundless longing for their husbands, waiting for the figure who might never return—until old age and Death came for them.”
At this point, Tii’s voice paused, as if not wanting to let the story become too heavy. She changed her tone just a bit, a soft, faint smile.
“The story I want to tell you… begins from here.”
“In such a village, there was a couple, inseparable as shadow and form, both very young and deeply in love. They were about to be married.”
“But at that exact moment, the Man suddenly received a conscription order—he had no choice but to leave his young, beautiful Fiancée and go to war.”
“On the day he departed, his Fiancée stood behind him for a long time, refusing to leave.”
“Go back, you’re so young and beautiful. Aside from me, there are many good Men in the world who would want to marry you,” the Man said.
“No, I love you, I really love you! Besides you, I’ll never marry anyone else! I want to be with you!” The Fiancée’s eyes glistened, her heart twisting in pain. She clung tightly to the Man’s hand, refusing to let go no matter how he tried to persuade her.
“To leave her with some comfort, the Man who was about to depart for war finally stopped, turned, and held his wife’s hand…”
Su Ling listened intently, and Tii’s story paused at a most tantalizing moment. She turned to Su Ling, lips curving with a mischievous smile.
“So, what happened next?”
After a while, Su Ling couldn’t help but ask, her voice tinged with anticipation.
“And then…?” Tii leaned close to Su Ling’s ear. “I don’t know how to explain it in words. If you really want to know, why don’t I show you?”
“Sure, go ahead.”
“Like this…”
As she spoke, Tii gently took Su Ling’s wrist, softly guiding her hand forward.
Su Ling watched Tii’s movements, still a bit puzzled.
“Su Ling, show me your ring finger.”
Obediently, Su Ling extended her ring finger.
Then, the red-haired girl took Su Ling’s delicate ring finger between her thumb and middle finger, gently pushing it upward, holding it for a moment before letting go.
Even though Tii’s hand was empty, Su Ling understood—it was the gesture of putting a ring on her finger.
“Now it’s your turn, just like I did.”
Su Ling hesitated for a moment, then raised her hand, her gemstone-green eyes carrying a gentle calm.
Su Ling nodded, imitating Tii’s actions, drawing an invisible ring in the air and carefully placing it on Tii’s finger.
Is this… the Ritual of Exchanging Rings?
Su Ling thought so to herself.
The Man must have known he couldn’t have a wedding in the cathedral with his beloved, so to fulfill her heart’s longing, he used that moment to do something like this before they parted.
What a sad story… but somehow, it’s also so warm.
“Tii, then let’s… continue the story…”
After completing the ritual, Tii looked delighted, pressing her hands to her chest as if cherishing an invisible ring.
“After all this, the Man who was about to head to war looked at his Fiancée. His face still showed a hint of youthful innocence, but his eyes grew heavy with determination.”
“Beloved, this is our Promise. I am going to the distant battlefield, a place full of killing, danger, and endless hatred,” the Man said.
“I know you don’t want me to leave, and I don’t either. I wish I could marry you and spend my life with you. But fate has given me no choice.”
“I know you’re in pain now, afraid I’ll never return, that I’ll die like so many others, or forget you and fall for someone new. I can’t promise I’ll return safely—but there’s one thing I must tell you.”
“No matter where I am, my heart belongs only to you. From this moment on, you are the only love in my life. My beloved, I solemnly Promise you…”
At this point, Tii solemnly took Su Ling’s small hand, lowered her head, and gently kissed the place where the “ring” had been placed.
As her lips touched the soft skin, Su Ling’s heart skipped a beat.
At that very moment, the deep, resonant bells of the cathedral rang out, echoing through the air, spreading out layer by layer through the heavy stone halls, carrying to the boundless distance.
It was a kind of sacred declaration, branded into the soul of every sincere listener.
“No matter how time changes, no matter what dangers may come,” Tii whispered softly amid the echoing bells,
“I will love you forever—until Death comes.”
The story ended quietly, but Tii’s gaze lingered on Su Ling, as if, beyond these words, there was still something left unsaid.