NOVEL NEXT 137: Twilight Glow
“Well then, goodbye, Sister Chelsea.”
Under a clear blue sky, with waves crashing against coastal rocks, a silver-haired girl stood on a sea cliff, bidding farewell to the person before her.
She wore a white dress with light blue accents on the collar, sleeves, and lace trim. A simple blue silk ribbon at her waist accentuated her slender figure. The dress fell just below her knees, dancing in the sea breeze. The hem was adorned with star-shaped cutouts and blue-dyed small stars, scattered along the bottom of the skirt, creating a look that was neither gaudy nor overly plain, but quite beautiful.
After concluding negotiations and establishing the New Vegar Alliance, Loranhil selected a group of outstanding individuals from the association. They would form Carithes’ future brain trust, making decisions and handling future affairs, with annual performance evaluations to prioritize the most capable.
Having outlined a three-year development plan and completed the handover, it was time for Loranhil to say goodbye.
“Lady Lacey, although we’ve only been together for most of a year, both I and everyone else in Carithes will remember you deeply. You’ve profoundly changed this association. It’s hard to imagine how we’ll move forward after you leave.”
Chelsea seemed to have much to say. Holding down her maid’s skirt fluttering in the sea breeze, she poured out her heart.
“Although everyone respects your own wishes, and we know we shouldn’t force you to stay, we still very, very much hope you’ll come back to visit often.”
“You’ll always be the young lady of Carithes, and always the guiding star we follow.” She bowed deeply.
“Don’t praise me like that, Sister Chelsea,” Loranhil said, not wanting the farewell to become too solemn.
“I’ll remember everyone too, remember everyone’s warmth, acceptance, and affection for me.”
“Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine. I’ll come back to see everyone in the future.” Seeing Chelsea’s reluctance to part, she hugged the head maid who had cared for her like a sister, speaking up for her and protecting her. She felt some reluctance to leave as well, promising to return and visit everyone, not to disappear without a trace.
The head maid gave more instructions and inquiries, asking if she had packed the things prepared for her earlier and the gifts from the association.
Loranhil nodded patiently, shaking the storage bracelet on her wrist, responding one by one to the now somewhat chatty head maid.
Finally, standing in the sea breeze, she used her hand to tidy her wind-tousled bangs. The exquisite butterfly hairpin reflected points of light in the sunlight.
“This time I’m really leaving. Goodbye, Sister Chelsea.” She waved, a gentle smile blossoming on her face.
“Yes, see you next time, young lady.” Chelsea stood formally on the sea cliff, watching the girl before her.
“Loranhil is my real name. Don’t forget it, Sister Chelsea~”
With these words, the white-dressed girl fell backward, floating down from the cliff, then rising up again in the sea breeze, soaring upward.
After leaving Hopland, Loranhil didn’t return directly to the Tisilan Mountain Range, but traveled over the sea.
Having finished her affairs with the Carithes Merchant Association, she felt as if a weight had been lifted. No longer needing to think about and worry over various matters, nor constantly guard against enemies’ schemes, she now felt like someone finally on vacation after a year of intense 996 work hours. Her whole being overflowed with a joyful, relaxed emotion.
Unrestrained, dancing in the wind, although she had been in Hopland for a long time and seen the sea often, she had never been out on the sea itself. Today, she wanted to fully indulge herself.
Traveling through the wind, air currents flowing past her sides, was extremely comfortable and endearing. The girl soared freely like a bird in the sky and over the ocean. The atmosphere brought a gentle sensation, caressing her skin. No matter how many times she experienced this feeling, she never tired of it.
Although autumn had arrived in the northern part of the continent, the climate in the southern coastal areas remained mild. Flying close to the sea surface, she faced humid sea breezes. Tiny water droplets landed on her body, quickly drying in the wind, bringing a fresh feeling.
She lay back against the sea surface, gazing up at the sky. In the slightly cool air currents, she felt the warmth of the seawater. Her form seemed to be lying on the sea surface, yet separated by a thin layer of air flow.
She rested briefly in the wind, then shot straight up into the clouds. Her rapidly moving body was like a fighter jet, leaving a huge arcing trajectory in the sky.
Above ten thousand meters high, the clouds below were like hills, undulating and changing. Beneath the wisps of clouds, she could see the vast ocean. The calm sea surface reflected the sky’s azure like a mirror, refracting waves of light.
Thus, she sometimes darted through the clouds, sometimes floated down from the sky, flying over the sea surface, then nimbly turning in the atmosphere like a swallow. Finally, she joined a flock of seagulls, forming a large V-shape in the air with these birds.
A light, wind chime-like voice rang out in the sky.
All the emotions long suppressed in her heart were released. Her current mood was like a glass bottle emptied of everything and washed clean. The transparent bottle refracted sunlight, emitting seven-colored rays. The empty glass bottle, suffused with faint water vapor, revealed rainbow colors within.
Like Kuafu in mythology, the girl chased the sun in flight. In the slightly chilly breeze, she let the golden sunlight warm her body.
She flew and soared continuously until the blue sky was tinged with purple and red, and flame-like colors began to appear on the horizon.
This never-tiring scenery inspired the girl to sing softly. A nostalgic song from her memory was so fitting and so memorable.
[Moonlight illuminates the sky]
[Sprinkling a patch of light to adorn the ocean]
[Whenever shooting stars fall from the sky]
[Dreams in the heart float with the wind]
[Spread transparent wings and fly out the skylight]
[Seeking the most beautiful hope]
[Whenever the sky turns into colorful twilight]
[Fly together with memories and fantasies]
[Moonlight illuminates the sky]
[Sprinkling a patch of light to adorn the ocean]
[Whenever shooting stars fall from the sky]
[Dreams in the heart float with the wind]
[Spread transparent wings and fly out the skylight]
[Seeking the most beautiful hope]
[Whenever the sky turns into colorful twilight]
[Fly together with memories and fantasies]
[La la la la la la la la la]
[La la la la la la la la la la]
[La la la la la la la la la]
[La la la la la la la la la la la la]
Accompanied by the gentle singing, golden afterglow poured like water over this world, illuminating her face and turning her white dress a faint gold.
And so, the girl flew in the sky until the blazing red sun sank completely below the shimmering sea surface, until the moon rose and countless twinkling stars filled the sky, as brilliant as the Milky Way.
(End of Volume One: Night of Stars)
PS: Song “Twilight Glow/霞光”
Volume Two, Emenas, coming soon…