Van quickly tidied up the bed, then laid out bedding on the floor.
After a round of simple cleaning, the two finally lay down together.
Sirin carefully wrapped herself in the quilt. Smelling the scent that belonged to Van on it, her face once again uncontrollably blushed.
Just as the atmosphere was about to become ambiguous, Van, lying on the floor, suddenly spoke,
"By the way, this time I specially added an extra layer of padding for you, so don't kick me awake in the middle of the night like when we were kids, complaining the bed was too hard."
Sirin, '...'
'I'm really stupid, really… To think I would still have expectations for this blockhead.'
Thinking of this, Sirin puffed up like a pufferfish again.
At the same time, she cursed this insensitive guy more than 180 times in her heart.
But when she once more heard Van's gentle voice beside her ear, for some reason, her tense nerves slowly relaxed.
'I really don't have to fight anymore, how nice.'
The two chatted idly, off and on.
From the day's work to gossip in the town, from childhood memories to plans for the future...
Perhaps recalling some less pleasant memories, Sirin stared quietly at the starry sky outside the window.
"In the future, I want to become a doctor, then open a children's clinic in town..."
"Oh?" Van's voice carried a smile. "Does this mean our little girl at home is about to become a revered angel in white?"
"I'm being serious!" Sirin, excited, patted the bedboard. "Because that way I can protect children from injuries and illness."
After a while, Van's voice came from the floor.
"My dream is much simpler. Just to have food to eat, a place to sleep, and I'm content."
Hearing that, Sirin suddenly sat up on the bed, looking in disgust at Van lying on the floor.
"Huh? Then how's your dream any different from being a salted fish?"
"What's wrong with being a salted fish?
Facing Sirin's disdain, Van smiled and refuted, "Plenty of people want to be a salted fish and can't. There's an old saying back home, 'Life is short, enjoy it while you can'..."
"Forget it, I can't argue with you..." Sirin laid back down on the bed. "Anyway, if you've got no money to eat in the future, don't come crying."
"I won't. Isn't there you, the future great doctor~"
Van said with a grin, "As a white-clad angel who saves lives, you wouldn't just watch me starve on the street, right?"
"Hey! Are you clinging to me, you jerk?!"
Sirin turned away, feigning anger, but quietly buried her burning face into the blanket.
Though she always complained about Van, deep down she was truly happy to be someone he could rely on in the future.
Because in her eyes, that's what family is, depending on each other, continuing together.
Silence spread through the room.
After a long while, Sirin softly spoke, "Van..."
"Mm? What is it?"
"If... I mean if... one day I become unlike myself, what would you do?"
Hearing that, there was a sudden rustle of bedding from the floor as if Van turned over.
"What do you mean unlike yourself? Could it be, just like in stories, you're actually a noble lady who got lost among the common folk?"
"Answer seriously!" Sirin said petulantly.
After a pause, Van's voice softened. "No matter what you become in the future, in my eyes, you'll always be Sirin, the girl I brought back from the snowy fields four years ago..."
Hearing that, Sirin's nose suddenly tingled.
She suddenly wanted to tell him that what she had dreamt wasn't a nightmare, but something that really happened.
She was the Herrscher, the one who brought destruction in people's eyes, while he was the warrior meant to stop her from destroying the world.
Their relationship wasn't as harmonious as now, on the contrary, they were like fire and water.
But when the words reached her lips, she couldn't say them.
Because she didn't know, if he really learned the truth, what kind of attitude he would use to face her. Would he still treat her as that cherished younger sister?
"Sleep."
Perhaps sensing Sirin's state, Van gently said, "We still have to get up early tomorrow for the market..."
Hearing that, Sirin smiled in the darkened room.
Yes, tomorrow they'd go to the market, the day after to the lake, and the day after that do something else together...
They had so many ordinary yet precious tomorrows to spend together.
Listening to the gradually steady breathing from the floor, Sirin gently turned her body to adjust to a position where she could just barely see Van's face.
Under the moonlight, Van's face looked particularly gentle.
Sirin slowly closed her eyes. 'I know this is just a false dream, but this time, I hope it never ends...'
———
At the same time, when the people in the real world heard Sirin's monologue, their emotions also became complicated.
[So Sirin already knew this was fake?]
[Knowing it's just a dream, yet still indulging in it, it feels like there'll be tragedy later for sure]
[No, bro! Sirin's already suffered so much, do we really need to torture her more?]
[miHoYo, Do you like this character? Then let me show you a magic trick~ poof the character you like is dead~]
[WTF! You're a devil up there!]
[A suspected Stigma Herrscher has appeared, netizens, please ensure your own safety]
———
[Back to the Video]
And the plot that followed proved the speculation in the comments.
As the battle at the Siberian warzone intensified, the world within Sirin's confirmed illusion began to become increasingly unstable.
Whether it was the occasional sound of massive explosions ringing in her ears, or the flames that frequently flashed across the sky, it all told Sirin, there wasn't much time left.
The only thing she could do was, within the limited time, complete one by one all the things she wanted to do together with Van.
Until the night before the illusion collapsed.
Sirin silently arrived at Van's room, planning to say goodbye.
Looking at Van sleeping soundly, Sirin carefully reached out her hand, but was afraid to disturb his dreams.
She wanted to say goodbye, but didn't know how to begin.
In the end, Sirin waved her hand, enclosing herself in a soundless barrier.
Only under the concealment of the Herrscher's power did she finally have the courage to tell him the truth, and all the words she never dared to say from the bottom of her heart.
And after doing all that, Sirin decided to take the initiative to leave the illusion.
Although she knew what the consequence of her departure would be, in order to prevent the illusion from further collapsing and damaging Van's consciousness, she resolutely chose to leave.
However, just as Sirin was about to depart, she suddenly saw a fiery red feather fall in front of her.
Sirin turned around in shock and saw that most important person in her fate standing behind her with a complicated expression.
Because of a similar previous experience, Sirin quickly realized that this Van most likely had no memories.
However, upon learning this truth, Sirin didn't feel the same anger at being toyed with as before.
Instead, she felt extremely grateful.
Because it meant the words Van once said to her, "No matter what you become, in my eyes, you will always be Sirin", were not lies.
In the dazzling light, Sirin felt her consciousness being enveloped by Feathers of Oblivion.
And she saw Van, standing not far away, move his lips, "Sirin, I'm sorry..."
However, Sirin smiled and replied with a voice small, but enough for them both to hear, "I believe you..."
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