"You brat! How dare you talk back when the old master speaks! Next time I hear you call him 'old man,' I'll beat you to death..."
"Hey, hey, Dad, I was just joking!"
"Alright, alright, I know this kid means well, hahaha..."
The old gentleman patted the middle-aged man's shoulder, offering a mild admonishment. The man clearly respected him, nodding in response. He only glared at his son without raising his hand.
"By the way, Old Master, the government sent people this morning to tell us to relocate some residents to temporary housing in the northeast district. How should we respond?"
The middle-aged man looked at the old gentleman intently. To them, this once kind and gentle elder now seemed almost all-knowing.
After all, since Zane had remained hidden, all credit for solving problems had fallen onto the old gentleman.
"Bah, nonsense! Moving people to temporary housing at a time like this—what's their real plan? Isn't it obvious?"
"They'll drag things out over there while transferring the land here. By the time the municipal government changes hands, they'll wash their hands clean, leaving us to fight with the next administration..."
The old gentleman waved his hand, making his judgment. The middle-aged man didn't doubt him in the slightest. He nodded and said,
"Then I'll go talk to them first. But we might still need you to step in and convince everyone."
"Alright, go ahead."
The old gentleman nodded. In truth, he didn't really understand these things. The words he had spoken earlier were actually warnings Zane had once given him.
So, when he heard the middle-aged man describe the situation, those thoughts had come to mind. After all, those people were experts at stalling... that's how it had started in the first place.
Leaning on his cane, the old man walked forward, lost in thought. If he wanted to truly help the people he had lived alongside for so long, he had to tread carefully.
If those people refused to give them a way to live, wouldn't even look their way, then they had to carve out their own path—to fight for it themselves.
As Zane had said... Ride this wave, crashing down like a storm!
As he thought, the old man's eyes brightened, filled with quiet determination. He had always held on in the past, and now was no different.
Just as Zane had once asked him: "Old Master, do you want to be a hero?"
To him, being a hero didn't matter. He only wanted to help those struggling with him in New Eridu.
Do good deeds, and don't ask about the future... wasn't that the saying?
The old man shook his head slightly. No matter what, after all the good he had done, surely fate would protect Augetta and Augilia...
...
"Did you see?"
Zane stood silently in the shadows, his gaze fixed on the distant old gentleman as he spoke softly.
"Yes, sir."
Augetta nodded. Beside her, Augilia's expression was complicated, but she said nothing.
"Do you know? The official survival rate for your mission was given as just 1%. But the old gentleman never believed you were gone."
"When I first met him, he was still praying for your safety."
Zane pulled his gaze back, looking at the sisters as he continued.
A survival rate of 1% was no different from certain death—the only difference was that no bodies had been found. Anyone devoured by the Ethereal was counted in that 99%.
Augetta lowered her head, her resolve beginning to waver. But after a brief silence, Augilia reached out and took her hand.
"Mr. Zane..."
"You still don't intend to meet him?"
"You spent the whole day just to come here for a glimpse?"
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance."
Zane's eyes flickered as he looked at them, at a loss for words. In his view, it was better to meet, no matter the outcome.
Even if there was no hope, at least people would know the truth.
Though false hope might be kinder than despair grounded in reality, if the old gentleman knew the situation, Zane believed it would ultimately be a good thing.
But the question remained: hold on to endless hope, or face despair with both feet on the ground?
"Sir, we've already made our decision."
Feeling her sister's firmness, Augetta slowly exhaled, lifted her head, and gave Zane a faint smile.
"Just seeing Grandfather once more, knowing how he is now—that's enough. To go further only to leave behind sorrow... that's something we'd rather not."
"But he still hasn't seen you."
At Zane's words, the sisters fell silent. When they didn't respond, he sighed softly.
"Alright, I respect your choice."
He would only advise them—he wouldn't force them. After all...
As Zane turned and walked away, Augetta fidgeted nervously with her hands, then looked up hesitantly.
"Sister... Mr. Zane seemed a little unhappy. Did we really make the right choice?"
Augilia blinked, her gaze dimming before she answered.
"...Everyone needs something to hold on to in life. Grandfather even more so—you know that, little sister."
"And besides... we really can't face Grandfather now. I'm afraid... he might react just like Mr. Zane."
Augetta froze. She understood what her sister meant—that Grandfather, too, would urge them to keep holding on.
Mr. Zane had told them that if they regretted their choice, they could go back to the first option. But given the situation, that first option meant eternal sleep.
And that... was exactly what neither of them wanted.
Leaving with endless hope was better than watching that hope shatter.
As Augetta silently pondered, Augilia's expression steadied. She looked at her sister and said,
"And there's an even worse possibility—Grandfather might follow us after we leave."
"Mr. Zane didn't think of that. He may know Grandfather's temperament, but he doesn't realize that persistence and finality are the same thing."
Hearing her sister's words, Augetta nodded. But then, as if reluctant, she added,
"But Mr. Zane is right too. After all, Grandfather hasn't seen us yet. If he did, he would definitely be happy..."
"Mm..."
"Come on, hurry. Mr. Zane's figure is already fading."
Augilia gave a small nod, then pulled Augetta along to catch up.
As they hurried after Zane, Augilia's voice reached her sister's ear.
"We'll meet again in another world."
"This time, Grandfather is waiting for us. Next time, we'll be the ones waiting for him."