Chapter 337: Interlude: Narration
What Theresa and Siegfried stepped into was a world of gold.
In truth, its borders were nothing but darkness—an endless, boundless void of black. Yet within this darkness, countless massive golden chains, each as thick as a person's body, filled every inch of space. They twisted and tangled, crisscrossing one another until they formed intricate, repeating patterns.
Clink! Clink! Clink!
The gigantic golden chains shifted slowly, colliding and grinding against one another, their movement producing a crisp and melodious metallic chime.
And deep within that labyrinth of chains, at the very heart of this far-off space, a girl sat on a pure white bed. Draped in white veils, her knees drawn close, her long snow-white hair spilled across the bedding, faintly shimmering with an ethereal light.
"Kiana!" Both cried out at once.
The instant they saw that familiar, delicate face, the two rushed forward without hesitation, attempting to break through the barrier of chains and reach the girl who seemed imprisoned within.
Boom!!
But the moment they neared the outermost chains, an overwhelming force burst forth, hurling both of them violently back into the void.
Theresa and Siegfried tumbled through the air before their feet finally touched the intangible floor of the void again. After steadying themselves, their eyes met—and in both gazes, the same anxious desperation could be seen.
"Kiana! It's me, Aunt Theresa! Do you still remember me? Do you still recognize me? I— I came to find you!"
"And me! It's your father— I'm here too!"
They called out desperately, their voices trembling with emotion, but the only reply was the echo of rattling chains.
At the center, the girl remained unmoving. Her white, bridal-like dress fluttered faintly despite the absence of wind, her eyes still closed as if in an eternal sleep.
"Is this Otto's doing? Are we supposed to break these chains first?"
"Don't be reckless! This doesn't look like something the old man would do. We don't understand the situation yet—we can't risk hurting Kiana!"
"I— you're right! Damn it— then what do we do now? Kiana's right there!"
"For now, we should look for answers. Maybe the old man knows something— Wait—look over there. Isn't that someone else?"
Theresa pointed toward the distance.
Amidst the void sat a table and chairs, and there, a girl was smiling warmly at them. She waved in greeting.
Theresa and Siegfried exchanged another glance, then quickly ran toward her.
When they drew near, they could finally make out her appearance clearly—long golden hair, emerald-green eyes, and a vivid red dress that radiated a lively charm. She was leisurely enjoying tea and cake as if this strange place were nothing unusual.
"Welcome, welcome. You must be Kiana-nee's family, right?"
Her voice was soft and pleasant, carrying a pure, cheerful air.
"Yes. I'm… her father, Siegfried."
"And I'm her aunt, Theresa. May I ask who you are?"
Hearing this, the girl's smile grew even brighter.
"Vira Klov. Just call me Vira. As for who I am… let's see. I'm the Young Miss's friend… playmate… someone who grew up with her. Calling me her little sister wouldn't be wrong either. Nice to meet you both!"
Vira stood and shook their hands warmly, one by one.
At her touch, both Theresa and Siegfried softened. To know that Kiana had a friend, a sister-like companion who had stayed by her side—they felt both relieved and grateful, thankful that Kiana hadn't been left to endure loneliness alone.
After the brief introductions, Theresa grew serious and asked,
"Vira… do you know what's happening to Kiana right now? What's wrong with her?"
"Jumping straight to the heavy questions, huh?"
Vira sat back down, lifting her teacup with a small, helpless shake of her head.
Then, seeing their tense expressions, she smiled gently.
"In short—it's because her power is too great. To avoid harming the outside world, the Young Miss has been forced to focus more and more on sealing her own energy. But in doing so, her ability to communicate has been heavily restricted as well. So don't bother trying to break those chains. You won't be able to. The only way to speak with her is to wait until she awakens of her own will."
"There's… no other way?"
"None. This is the Young Miss's decision. Even as family, I hope you can respect that. Don't try to force her hand."
"How could we ever… force her?"
Theresa's voice grew faint, her expression clouded with sorrow. Turning, she gazed once more at the girl imprisoned within the golden chains. Her eyes softened, overflowing with endless tenderness.
Siegfried furrowed his brows, restless and impatient—until Theresa tugged lightly at the white cloth draped over him.
"Siegfried…" she whispered. "She's waited for us for more than ten years. Now… it's our turn to wait for her."
Those words instantly swept away all the frustration burning inside him. Scratching his head, Siegfried broke into a sheepish grin—the first honest, carefree smile he'd shown since waking up.
"You're right. Kiana's right there. No matter how long it takes… I can wait."
Vira clapped her hands cheerfully, motioning for the two to sit down. A delicate white porcelain teapot appeared in her hands.
"Would you like something to drink?" she asked.
"Anything is fine," Siegfried replied.
"You can make requests, you know. This place is special—anything I imagine, I can bring into being!"
"Then… bitter gourd juice and plain water will do. And no alcohol. Listen, Siegfried—don't you dare speak to Kiana while reeking of booze!"
Theresa shot him a sharp glare, her eyes like blades.
This time, Siegfried didn't snap back with his usual quip. Instead, he nodded in agreement. She was right. Finally, after all these years, he had a chance to see Kiana again. The last thing he could allow was to disgrace himself before her.
His gaze dropped to the ragged white cloth on his body. Stroking his chin, he frowned in thought.
"Do I look… too sloppy like this?"
"New clothes and a changing room, at your service!"
With a snap of her fingers, Vira conjured a small room nearby.
After a moment of hesitation, Siegfried scooped up the fresh clothes and stepped inside. When he emerged again, he was dressed in a white coat reminiscent of Sigurd's usual attire.
Vira blinked at him, then tilted her head.
"As I thought, it still looks better on Sigurd-nii. On you… it just looks kinda silly."
"Hey!"
"Hahaha! Don't be mad, I was just teasing… Ah, looks like it's just about time."
Her tone shifted as she picked up the golden pocket watch from the table. With one glance at its face, she turned toward the distant sea of chains.
And sure enough—the rattling had stopped. The endless clinking of chains had faded without them realizing.
Both Siegfried and Theresa stiffened. Their hearts pounded as they turned together toward Kiana, overwhelmed with emotions too tangled to put into words.
"Kiana… have you been doing well all these years?"
"I'm sorry. We never came to find you."
"We missed you so much. Always, always thinking of you. To know you're alive… that you even made friends—it makes us so happy."
"Kiana, your birthday's coming up soon! Auntie prepared so many presents for you—everything from the past ten years, I'll make it up to you all at once! I don't even know what you like anymore, but whatever it is, just say it, and I'll find it for you. I promise!"
"Kiana… your dad, well… I don't have the Judgement of Shamash anymore. But I can still make toast—and I've gotten better at it too! When we go back, I'll—ah, forget it! Worst case, I'll swallow my pride and beg that kid Sigurd to whip up a feast for you… I'm sorry. I'm such a useless father. Kiana… I missed you so much. I really, really missed you!"
Their voices overlapped—soft, tender, heavy with guilt. Words spilled from their lips in a jumble, breaking with sobs, choked with tears.
Wasn't this also a kind of reunion?
Though separated by those unyielding chains, for the first time in more than a decade, the three of them were close—so close it felt like they could reach out and touch one another. How many times had Theresa and Siegfried dreamed of this moment? How many nights had they woken with aching hearts, only to find it slipping further away?
And yet, the girl bound within the golden chains remained still, silent.
No matter what they said, no answer came. But silence didn't stop them—they went on, speaking in broken fragments, pouring out years of longing and regret in clumsy words, as though there would never be enough time to say it all.
At their side, Vira idly played with the ornate pocket watch. A soft sigh escaped her lips.
'Milady… hearing their voices, does it make you happy?'
She wasn't sure of the answer. She only hoped it was yes.
Because the Young Miss had been so lonely. Even with her by her side, there were countless secrets and sorrows Kiana carried in silence, places of solitude no one could touch.
Not even her.
If her family could reach into that loneliness, if they could mend just a little of what Kiana had lost—Vira would be glad. Truly glad.
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