Clorinde had returned to Fontaine, and Callas was still handling the usual matters of the Spina di Rosula. Navia had also gone to assist Callas.
With nothing else to do, Yuxie wandered around Poisson Village.
Most of the townspeople recognized Yuxie. Whenever they saw him, they would smile and greet him, and Yuxie would return the smile.
After all these years, Poisson Village had hardly changed. Everything was just as it had been when Yuxie first arrived. The flowing water below, the houses above, only the people had changed.
Some had left, some had returned, and some would never come back again.
Yuxie suddenly felt that the changes in people seemed to happen in an instant.
One moment they were reluctant, the next moment they had already let go.
He couldn't help but wonder, what would happen to Clorinde and Navia in the future?
Navia would probably succeed Uncle Callas and become the leader of the Spina di Rosula.
And if the system of duels truly no longer existed, what would Clorinde do then?
"I really am a greedy person," Yuxie chuckled self-deprecatingly.
Even though he was nearing death, he couldn't stop thinking about the future.
But the future was no longer his concern. He was about to leave, about to start a new life.
Everything in this life would soon be far behind him. Just like he forgot about Arlecchino, he would forget Clorinde and Navia too.
Their laughter, their tears, their gazes toward him—he would forget it all.
This was his choice, wasn't it?
Yuxie stopped in his tracks, pulling the dagger necklace from his shirt collar.
He held the tiny dagger in his hand, looking down at the name engraved on it.
[Mark Complete]
—Check Panel.
[Name: Yuxie][Age: 26]
[Physical Condition: Aging]
[Remaining Lifespan: 64 days]
[New Skill: Dream Thief (Elite Level)]
A 26-year-old elderly man... The first few lines of the status panel were just as Yuxie had expected, but the final line caught his attention.
—Check "Dream Thief" Skill Description.
[You can create dreams, control them as you wish, and allow others to enter your dreams. Everything within the dream is unrelated to reality.]
"Is that so..." Yuxie pondered, deep in thought.
After a long pause, an idea gradually took shape in his mind.
Before he left, he wanted to give them a dream.
"That is..."
"Is that... Lady Furina?"
Just as Yuxie was still contemplating, the voices of the nearby villagers interrupted him.
Following their gaze, Yuxie saw the figure of Furina approaching.
For some unknown reason, Furina had come to Poisson Village. Accompanied by her guards, she walked toward Yuxie and eventually stopped in front of him.
"Come with me, I have something to say."
....
By the side of the flowing water, the sound of the rushing stream continued without pause.
Yuxie and Furina sat on a stone by the water, while the guards who accompanied Furina stood nearby, keeping watch.
The residents above watched the scene below and couldn't help but admire Yuxie.
Yuxie really was lucky.
At such a young age, he had become an outstanding figure, the strongest duelist representative. Although he had resigned from his position, it seemed that even the Hydro Archon still highly regarded him.
Such a career and experience could definitely be described as "glorious."
"You said something to me last time, and I'm still not sure I understand," Furina began. "What did you mean when you asked what I would do if I were no longer the Hydro Archon?"
Upon hearing this, Yuxie thought for a moment.
It wasn't hard to see that Furina might be worried, worried that he knew the secret.
"I was just making a casual assumption," Yuxie replied casually. "You don't need to take it seriously."
"Really?" Furina still seemed a bit skeptical.
"Of course," Yuxie replied with a teasing tone. "Is there really a day when you might step down from the Hydro Archon's seat and become an ordinary person?"
Furina seemed to have believed him, and her eyes appeared to relax a little.
"Of course, that's impossible. Unless it's time for me to retire. But even if I retire, I'll still be a god. I won't become an ordinary person."
As Furina said this, Yuxie couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy in his heart.
He remembered that, even at the moment when everything was about to be revealed, this silly girl had still firmly insisted to everyone that she was the Hydro Archon of Fontaine, despite the doubts from others.
She did all this to stop the crisis predicted by the prophecy.
Her entire life had been a battle against that prophecy, enduring loneliness that she shouldn't have had to endure.
Her fragile shoulders bore far too much responsibility.
But no one understood her.
Yuxie wanted to tell her, "I understand you. I can share your pain and loneliness. You don't have to fight that damned prophecy alone." But he didn't say it.
Saying those words would only make Furina worry even more.
"Tell me about you. You've resigned from your position as the Champion Duelist. What do you want to do from now on?" Furina suddenly changed the topic.
"Me?" Yuxie hesitated, unsure how to respond.
He fell silent for a moment, and for some reason, the words slipped out of his mouth.
"Furina, I'm going to die soon."
It was as though a buzzing sound filled the air, and Furina froze, doubting whether she had heard him correctly.
Yuxie was still so young—how could he be dying?
He should still have many years ahead of him, many things left to do. His life shouldn't even be halfway over yet.
"Yuxie, I must have misheard you. What did you say?"
"You didn't hear wrong, Furina. I'm going to die soon." Yuxie repeated, his tone resigned.
A gust of wind suddenly blew by, rippling the small pool nearby. The sounds around them seemed to stop, and Furina could only hear her own heartbeat.
"You... you must be joking!"
Anger filled Furina's chest in an instant. She was sure Yuxie was joking, and the joke was far too cruel.
"Listen to me, Furina." Yuxie turned to meet her gaze. "I'm not joking. Everything I said is true."
Furina was stunned once more.
There was no trace of a joke or a lie in Yuxie's eyes.
The anger that had flared up earlier vanished in an instant, replaced by disbelief and an overwhelming sadness.
Is Yuxie really going to die?
No, that can't be possible!
"You... stop joking like this. It's not funny... you're still so young, how could you..."
"Furina..."
"Could it be some illness? Don't worry, I'll get you the best doctor. We'll cure you..."
"..."
"Tell me... what happened?"
Suddenly, both of them fell silent.
Only the sound of the flowing water remained.
"Furina, listen to me." After a long while, Yuxie placed his hands on Furina's shoulders. "I'm just a mortal. Mortals die. It's a natural part of life. I'm just leaving a bit earlier than others. Don't be sad for me."
"I..." Furina couldn't find the words. Tears welled up in her eyes.
She understood what Yuxie was saying clearly. She, too, was a mortal. But because of the "curse," she had lived for so long.
Nearly five hundred years had passed, and she thought she had grown accustomed to life and death. But in this moment, she still couldn't hold back her tears.
She suddenly remembered the first time she met Yuxie.
The nineteen-year-old Yuxie stood in front of her, a long sword strapped to his waist.
What had Yuxie said that day? Furina couldn't recall clearly.
She only remembered that the day's work was almost over, and the sunset painted the sky with fiery colors. It was the first time she had felt a different kind of warmth from someone.
End of chapter
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OVERLORD: The Second Supreme Being
章 59: Chapter 59 - Farewell from Arlecchino
Clorinde and Navia didn't tell Yuxie about the strange dream they had.
But tonight, Yuxie noticed that Clorinde and Navia were acting a bit differently compared to usual.
For example, during dinner, they both sat next to him and kept piling food into his bowl.
After dinner, he moved a lounge chair to the porch and sat down, and Clorinde and Navia also brought their own chairs over, sitting beside him. Their eyes were almost glued to him, unwilling to look away.
"Did I get something on my face?" Yuxie couldn't help but ask.
"No," Clorinde and Navia both answered at the same time.
"Then why are you staring at my face?"
When Yuxie said this, the two of them suddenly realized they might have been acting a little out of line and quickly shifted their gaze away.
Unconsciously, their faces turned slightly red.
"Yuxie, I fell asleep on the sofa last night. That blanket you covered me with, was it you who put it on me?" After a moment of silence, Navia asked.
"I was worried you'd catch a cold, and I didn't want to wake you up, so I just grabbed a blanket," Yuxie explained.
"Thank you." Navia's voice was soft, and she smiled faintly.
"Yuxie, I think your complexion doesn't look as good as before. Is something wrong with your health?" Clorinde asked with mild concern.
"I was about to ask that too," Navia added.
Yuxie paused for a moment before looking off into the distance.
When they returned to Poisson Village, Yuxie had specifically asked Bai Zhu to give him some portable medicine for regulating his breathing, which he took when Clorinde and Navia weren't paying attention.
Though it didn't completely restore him to perfect health, it was enough that most people wouldn't notice.
But it seemed that Clorinde and Navia weren't that easily fooled.
It made sense though. With their Vision, Clorinde and Navia's observational abilities were far beyond those of ordinary people.
"It's nothing, I probably just caught a chill. A little rest should do the trick," Yuxie said, as if dismissing it.
He hadn't figured out how to tell Clorinde and Navia the truth yet.
"I see..." Navia nodded, "Well, make sure to take care of yourself. Don't overwork your body."
"Speaking of which, today it seems like Mr. Callas is in really good condition. He hardly seems sick at all." Clorinde remarked.
"Yeah... I noticed that too," Navia thought for a moment, "It's probably because he's been getting some appropriate exercise lately, plus he's been resting well these past few days, and the medicine doctor Bai Zhu prescribed is probably helping."
It was clear that Navia was feeling more at ease now.
Yuxie hadn't mysteriously disappeared, and Callas' condition had improved.
Everything seemed to be getting better.
Everything could get better.
"Ahem..." Suddenly, Yuxie's coughing interrupted Navia's thoughts.
"Yuxie, it really seems like you've caught a cold. Why don't you go inside and rest? Don't stay out here in the wind," Navia suggested.
"I agree, you should go inside. Your complexion looks even worse than before," Clorinde said, her concern more pronounced than before.
"Alright, if you insist." Yuxie took a deep breath and got up from the lounge chair.
As the night grew deeper, the world around them became quieter.
In the past, Yuxie always felt that the night was short, that the sun would quickly rise from below the horizon, and the dawn would soon announce the end of the night.
But today, he suddenly felt that the night had become long.
The lights flickered, and Callas was still working in the study, not yet resting.
He found it strange. After waking up this morning, his body felt unusually light.
He no longer felt frail; his limbs were strong, and he didn't feel tired no matter what he did.
It was as if the illness in his body had disappeared, as if he had returned to the time before he was sick.
Had the illness cured itself?
That was impossible—how could such a miracle happen in this world?
It must be the medicine that Doctor Bai Zhu prescribed that was effective.
With this thought in mind, Callas finished his work for the day and finally went to rest in his room.
....
The next morning.
Yuxie was awoken by a knock on the door.
"Yuxie, wake up, someone is looking for you."
Navia's voice sounded a bit anxious from outside the door.
Yuxie climbed out of bed and walked to the door to open it.
"Who's coming to find me so early?"
"The Fatui Harbinger, 'The Knave.'"
"Arlecchino?" Yuxie was surprised.
"Yeah, she said she wants to talk to you alone." Navia stared into Yuxie's eyes, "She seems to be very familiar with you. You're not… with her, are you?"
"No, what are you thinking?" Yuxie quickly said.
Although he said that, Yuxie couldn't help but feel some doubt.
Was he really not familiar with Arlecchino?
At least not in this life, but what about the previous one?
The feeling grew stronger and stronger in Yuxie's heart.
"Alright, I'll go meet her."
"Wait!" Navia stopped him, "Although 'The Knave' doesn't seem to have any ill intentions, she's still a Harbinger of the Fatui and the Fourth Seat… so be careful, and keep your guard up."
"Don't worry." Yuxie stopped just before taking another step and reached out to pat Navia on the head.
He then walked outside, where Arlecchino was standing by the roadside.
As the guest, Navia had initially invited her inside, but Arlecchino politely declined.
She simply stood there, watching Poisson Village, with the breeze gently moving the hair by her temples.
"Did you need something from me?" Yuxie walked up behind Arlecchino.
"I'm about to leave Fontaine and head back to Snezhnaya, so I wanted to come say goodbye." Arlecchino turned around, offering a soft smile.
This Harbinger's image in rumors was that of someone cold-blooded and calculating, but today, Yuxie felt that she seemed to have a more ordinary, feminine side.
"Why come all the way to say goodbye to me? We… were we really that close?" Yuxie hesitated, then continued.
"I don't know what happened, but we really were close back then." Arlecchino continued smiling, her eyes showing a hint of emotion, as though she was recalling the past.
"I don't remember." Yuxie replied.
"Hmm, I can tell."
"…" Yuxie fell silent, unsure of what to say next.
"I'll be gone for over two months this time." Arlecchino continued. "I'll be back in over two months. Can you spare a day for me when I return?"
Two months… Yuxie thought to himself. By then, I probably won't be here anymore.
But he didn't say it out loud. For some reason, he felt that saying it directly might hurt a strong yet fragile heart.
"If I have time when you return." After a moment of contemplation, Yuxie responded.
"Then it's settled." Arlecchino turned to leave, "See you in two months."
With that, Arlecchino's figure gradually receded into the distance.
Yuxie stood silently, but suddenly, he felt as if his heart had been struck by something.
End of chapter
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