Belle's interest came and went quickly—what you'd call a three-minute passion. Or perhaps it was more like knowing when to back down.
After getting a "firsthand" taste of dance fundamentals, she naturally chose to give up. After all, she was never cut out for that in the first place.
The art film was nearing its end. Augetta and Augilia were fully absorbed, sometimes even lost in professional thought. For the Proxy siblings, however, it was more a mix of novelty and wonder. They simply hadn't seen much of this sort of thing before.
As for Zane...
"Mr. Zane...?"
"Huh? Mr. Zane seems to..."
"Shh—he must've fallen asleep."
Augilia placed a finger to her lips, signaling Augetta to lower her voice. She glanced at Zane and spoke softly.
Then, gently taking Augetta's hand, her short hair swaying slightly with the motion of her head, she smiled faintly.
"Let's go outside. Didn't you want to play in the snow? Come on... Let Mr. Zane rest. He's put a lot of thought into our situation."
"Mm, I'll listen to you, Sister."
Augetta smiled lightly and stood up. Seeing this, Belle also decided to join in—sticking around with a sleeping Zane wasn't much fun anyway. Of course, she absolutely wasn't just trying to put herself in a position to be bullied.
But what was going on with Zane? He had always been so energetic, and yet today he actually fell asleep... Could it be that art films bored him? Didn't seem like it...
Wise had already stretched and left, not wanting to disturb the others. Once he learned how little time the twins had, he had become more cautious. After all, hadn't he and Belle always meant well too?
One by one, the group left the room, leaving only No. 6, who stayed behind entertaining itself. It glanced up at Zane but didn't disturb him.
A short while later, even No. 6 grew bored and slipped out the door to find Eous and Panta upstairs.
Under the dim light, Zane's face was calm, his breathing steady. A faint glow seemed to ripple across his skin, gently rising and falling in the stillness.
Suddenly, his eyelashes trembled slightly. But his eyes remained closed.
...
"Zane, have you ever seen this place before?"
In a haze, Zane opened his eyes. A soft, gentle voice reached his ears. Coming back to his senses, he found himself standing on solid ground.
Glancing to the side, the light of the world seemed overwhelmingly bright. Both the figure beside him and the scenery in his peripheral vision were cloaked in a hazy halo. He couldn't see clearly.
"Hmm... where should I begin..."
"Forget it..."
The figure beside him started walking, her voice drifting lazily into Zane's ears with each step.
The woman clasped her hands behind her back, then suddenly stopped in front of Zane. She turned, long hair flowing with the motion.
"What are you standing there for? Come on, follow me..."
"What's wrong? Do you not even trust me?"
Her voice carried a trace of laughter, as soft and gentle as it had been from the beginning. Zane squinted, trying to focus, but her features remained blurred.
"Who are you..."
Zane asked cautiously. His situation was unclear, but perhaps because of his earlier experience with Qingyi, he remained relatively calm and lucid.
"Not long ago you said you wanted to see the snow. Already forgotten?"
"Or maybe... by your way of speaking, you should call me 'Mother'..."
The woman looked at Zane. Her face remained indistinct—dreamlike, yet tinged with reality.
Hearing this, Zane shook his head. He wasn't about to accept a random "mother" out of nowhere. He wasn't some love-starved child. Still, he took a step forward.
Seeing him approach, the woman lit up, her laughter ringing like silver bells. The sound, though just a voice, carried a soothing warmth that sank into his heart.
With each step he took, Zane noticed something strange. The ground beneath his feet felt soft. At the very moment this thought crossed his mind, a flush of vivid green appeared.
Soon after, vast fields stretched out before him.
This scenery wasn't obscured by the hazy light. It was strikingly clear. Zane faltered for a moment, then regained his composure.
"Why do you appear like this? And this place..."
"Naturally, I appear however you imagine me. As for the rest... showing up and immediately asking question after question, that's not what good children do."
The woman's voice cut gently across his words, guiding him forward. With each of her steps, the world gradually came into focus.
At her feet, a budding white flower broke through the soil, blooming with every step she took.
Time seemed both endless and fleeting. Zane had only walked a few paces, and yet in a daze, the world had already become completely clear. Unmistakably real.
"Beautiful, isn't it?"
The woman turned, arms outstretched, facing him.
He didn't know her intent, but followed his instincts and nodded. New Eridu was filled with skyscrapers. Its Outer Ring was nothing but endless yellow sand. Where could such a scene possibly exist?
No... perhaps such a radiant wilderness could only exist in dreams.
"This is what New Eridu used to look like."
"The place where you live—long, long ago. And before that... it had other forms."
"Other forms... You brought me here just to see the scenery?"
Zane raised an eyebrow, glancing around. At his words, the woman only shook her head with faint exasperation.
"I already told you... Fine, since you're just a child, I'll let it slide."
Zane's mouth twitched. He wasn't sure what to say. Maybe in front of her, it really was the truth.
After a few moments of silence, her voice came again.
"Can you feel it?"
"What?"
"Nothing."
She shook her head gently. Then, in the very next instant, she appeared before Zane, letting out a soft sigh.
"What a pity... You should return now."
Her smile was faint as she lifted one hand and pressed it against Zane's chest. Even through the blur, he caught sight of that gentle smile.
"Goodbye."
"My child."
Her palm pressed firmly, and Zane was hurled backward. The ground vanished beneath him as the world erupted in dazzling light.
Gradually, his consciousness sank into a haze.
As he drifted away, the woman slowly lowered her hand. Watching the direction he vanished in, her lips curled in a subtle smile.
"Did he come from another world... or from a distant past..."
"Who could say for sure... Heh."
Amid the white light, the world slowly dissolved.
...
Eyelashes flickered. This time, Zane opened his eyes.