Chapter 19: A Coming-of-Age Gift Called Freedom

Has there ever really been a savior?

Looking into Lin Qiyou’s longing eyes, Aoki, who knew the truth and the ending, refused to fall into that gentle depth.

He only felt absurdity.

If the savior knew that the power to save “the world” came from the lives of “the people,” how would they feel?

Would they weep bitterly? Be filled with regret?

Or perhaps something else… if they died, breaking the connection of the spiritual veins, would she coldly accept everything?

To be honest… he shouldn’t have felt any hope, but deep down…

Maybe there was something wrong with his mind?

Clearly, everything was just a lie.

“I’m not envious, you know.”

Aoki put his thoughts aside, watching the birds fly away, turning into tiny black dots, and answered calmly.

“Why aren’t you envious?”

Lin Qiyou seemed startled. She climbed up beside Aoki and stared at him with a serious gaze.

The scent from the fairy clung tightly to Aoki, engraving that endlessly pleasing fragrance deep into his nose.

A breeze stirred the fairy’s dark hair, teasing Aoki’s face.

Aoki reached out and grabbed that playful strand of Lin Qiyou’s hair, smiling softly: “Birds fly alone, but I’m not alone.”

The days were growing short this season. Aoki recalled he hadn’t seen the sunset glow for some time, yet now he saw it reflected on Lin Qiyou’s face.

That beautiful face flushed visibly, dyed by the rosy clouds. Her wide eyes flickered, pupils trembling slightly.

“You!”

Lin Qiyou looked as if Aoki had stepped on her foot, striking her body — but “heart” was the more accurate place.

She recoiled as if shocked by an electric current, sitting sideways a little apart, her white socked sole facing Aoki like she wanted to run away. Her toes curled and twitched nervously, the blush on her face keeping her from meeting Aoki’s eyes.

She wanted to shout, to flee, to hide.

“What’s… what are you…”

She seemed to think that playful strand of hair had dirt on it, running her hands over it again and again.

She didn’t realize it was her hair that had first provoked Aoki.

“Ahem, what’s wrong with you?”

Aoki pretended to know nothing and tried to catch a glimpse of Lin Qiyou’s face, but wherever he leaned, she dodged.

Seeing this, Aoki tried a few times then gave up. He grabbed a pastry from the nearby basket and popped it into his mouth as if nothing had happened.

Lin Qiyou felt prepared, but after waiting a long while, she asked herself what she was actually preparing for.

That’s right, what exactly was she preparing for?

Then what?

And that was it?

Lin Qiyou was shocked, inwardly berating herself for being so foolish and slow.

Pouting, she pulled out the silver bell from her bosom and shook it hard. The bell at Aoki’s waist jingled.

“Hm?”

Aoki looked at her, a smile playing on his face.

“That’s it?”

Lin Qiyou frowned and shook the bell again.

She was so disappointed, she wanted to fight Aoki out of frustration!

“What else do you want?”

Aoki tilted his head, seemingly teasing her.

“You! I—”

Lin Qiyou couldn’t speak. She understood now.

This seemed to be Aoki’s powerful counterattack against her recent hints!

Damn it!

I knew you weren’t a blockhead!

So underhanded!

Using something like this…

So, you too…

Lin Qiyou was angry, but secretly delighted.

Yet her expression remained calm and unreadable.

“I’m not telling you anymore. Tomorrow, spar with me! Don’t forget!”

Lin Qiyou tossed her shoes to Aoki. Her little foot rested on her own leg, her head tilted, toes flicking back and forth.

“I won’t forget.”

Occasionally, there were small intimate moments, usually initiated by Lin Qiyou. At first, Aoki was somewhat reluctant, but over time, he accepted it.

After all, it was all fake…

He gently lifted Lin Qiyou’s little foot and slipped the shoes on one by one.

Perhaps for Lin Qiyou, having her little feet held to put on shoes was a small victory. She stood up and grabbed two pastries from the basket, eating as she walked.

“Clean your neck! Tomorrow I’m going to beat you!”

“Alright!”

Aoki watched Lin Qiyou’s retreating figure. Suddenly, his face flushed, and he coughed up a mouthful of blood.

He quickly turned away from her, facing the other direction, covering his mouth and coughing uncontrollably.

After a while, he relaxed his hand. The palm was wet with saliva mixed with fresh blood.

Just as Qin Shuang said months ago, his time was running out.

Maybe it was even worse now because he had recently undergone another spiritual vein transplant.

There was only a small remnant of the spiritual vein left in his body, concentrated around his heart.

His outward normalcy was all maintained by pills.

That meant one last spiritual vein transplant and he would die.

It also meant that this simulation was nearing its end.

“Yeah, it’s almost over… almost eighteen.”

Aoki clenched his fist, hiding the blood in his hand.

That girl, Lin Qiyou, keeps asking me to beg her for help…

If I didn’t have those ties in the real world, maybe I really would beg you.

Please, save me…

So, is this world I’m in really just an illusion caused by the Moon Mist’s hallucinogenic poison?

Aoki didn’t know. He couldn’t tell.

All he knew was that his body was gradually recovering, and whether it was all an illusion would only be revealed when the simulation ended.

All he could do now was sink deeper…

“Tomorrow will be the last match…”

On the other side, after leaving Aoki, Lin Qiyou’s expression shifted from joy to cold indifference.

She went into the sect’s shadows to meet a mysterious figure.

This figure was her informant, recently investigating matters related to the Aoki family.

And she had uncovered things previously unknown.

For example, Aoki had younger brothers and sisters, but she’d never heard anyone mention them before.

Perhaps that was the reason Aoki was being coerced!

Soon she would break through and truly gain the strength to confront Father. She would rescue Aoki’s younger siblings.

Tomorrow’s match, she would definitely show Aoki her abilities, her unparalleled talent, making him believe she would accomplish all of this!

So tomorrow, Aoki would definitely rely on her, would definitely beg her for help…

To make Aoki beg was, in Lin Qiyou’s eyes, the true act of raising the banner of rebellion and liberation.

Even if she lacked the power, speaking out was still a form of resistance!

She wanted to make Aoki stand up!

Of course, this didn’t mean she was any kind of liberator—it was just that she had unique feelings for Aoki.

And what that feeling was called… no need to say.

In short, Father was right!

A servant and a young lady could never be equals!

So before Aoki severed his shackles and became a complete person, she absolutely wouldn’t take the initiative to approach him!

At the very least… she wouldn’t say it out loud!

Eighteen… soon to be eighteen!

“I want to give Aoki a coming-of-age gift called freedom, with my strength, my spiritual vein…”