"What's your purpose in doing this?" As they walked, Easel looked at Xiling.
"I do it because I want to. What about you? What's your purpose?" Xiling asked back.
"...Same as you. I want her to at least see her mother one last time."
"What if you lose your job?"
"...We'll talk about it later."
"Are you tired, little Cecilia? Do you want me to carry you?" Xiling smiled at Cecilia, who was silently following them.
"...Will that bother you?" Cecilia thought she was walking a little too slowly.
"Of course not. Do you want to sit on my shoulders? I'll let you experience the height of 1.8 meters."
"Hey!" Cecilia exclaimed. Xiling slipped his hands under her arms and lifted her.
"Just do me a favor. She's having trouble with her skirt." Xiling winked at Easel. Easel: "..."
Is this guy so playful? He grumbled inwardly, but he still stepped forward to help.
...
"Hey, hey, hey, can't you guys slow down a bit?" Easel wiped the sweat from his forehead with his hand. He looked ahead at the figure running at full speed, carrying a little girl on his back, and shouted.
Xiling shook his head and sighed, "Your big brother is so weak. He couldn't run very far before he gave up."
Cecilia covered her mouth and chuckled softly, "It seems so."
Easel: "..."
He wanted to retort that he wasn't weak, but that you were running too fast, and he had to try his best to keep up.
"Alright, I, your guardian, will put you down here." Xiling leaned over and lowered Cecilia from his shoulders.
The Church of Requiem was visible not far away. After hearing Xiling's words, Easel was silent for a moment before speaking, "Aren't you coming with us?"
"Forget it. I'm afraid I won't be able to resist attacking someone," Xiling said, something Easel didn't understand at all.
"Attack who?"
"Little Cecilia, I'm leaving now. High five!"
Cecilia extended her small hand and gently clapped it against Xiling's.
"Goodbye, brother," Cecilia turned and waved at Xiling.
"Goodbye."
"Okay, now they've left. Find a place to hide." Just as Xiling was about to find a bush and slip into it, he saw several figures appear in the distance. Xiling fixed his gaze on the figure in front, his lips curling slightly. "That's right. It's still early after all. Normally, he hasn't returned to The Church of Requiem yet."
...
[I Don't Want to Be a Hero Anymore]: I feel like a pervert, squatting outside the church at night and spying on people.
[High School Student Kevin]: ...Next time you come to my place, I'll send you to jail.
[Wheelchair Sniper]: Thank you for your hard work. I'll treat you to a cake when you come back.
[Great Magician Fader]: Is there anything for me?
[I Don't Want to Be a Hero Anymore]: Eat shit.
Lying against a tree, Xiling, with his graceful posture, gazed upon the scene within the Church of Requiem before finally falling asleep.
...
"Lemuen, we're here to see you again." The door opened, and Mostima walked in first.
"I brought you dessert," Fiammetta said after entering. "This is a fruit tart we stole from the cathedral."
"Welcome. Um, you can give Xiling the cactus on top later."
"Uh, it's disgusting."
"Why else would I feed him that?" Lemuen asked.
"Come to think of it, do you miss me so much that you need to come to see me every day?" Lemuen asked with a smile.
"If you need us, we can come every hour," Mostima replied with a smile.
"Haha, you should know what I'm talking about," Lemuen chuckled, then her tone changed.
Mostima and the silent Fiammetta seemed to sense something strange about Lemuen.
Fiammetta: "What do you mean?"
"He's back... Andoain."
"How do you know Lemuen?"
"Because he's already been here," Lemion said calmly, as if describing something ordinary. However, it was her indifference that ignited Fiammetta's rage. Just as she was about to ask, Lemuen spoke first, interrupting her.
"Fiammetta, I know you're angry at him. I understand your reluctance to let go of the past. I understand your confusion about us."
"Then why are you acting like this? Lemuen, I can't sense a single ounce of anger in you, not even an ounce of anger towards Andoain! Tell me why!"
Fiammetta's emotions were boiling, and she couldn't understand them. Every time she questioned them, these guys kept blabbering. Explain to her! Why were they always silent?
"What's his real reason? Why would he betray such trust? How can you understand him? Why should I understand him? Tell me!"
Faced with Fiammetta's outburst, Mostima fell silent, but Lemuen didn't.
"It's okay if you don't understand, Fiammetta."
Lemuen's words brought Fiammetta's anger to a halt, but Lemion wasn't finished. "Go ahead and do what you want to do, Fiammetta, Andoain... I understand him, but that doesn't mean you need to. If you're angry, go and ask him for it. He's already prepared, so I support you." Lemuen smiled and gave Fiammetta two thumbs up.
Mostima looked at Lemuen in surprise, as if she couldn't believe Lemuen had said that. Fiammetta was the same.
"Why are you all looking at me like that? Are you wondering why I said that?" Lemuen, sitting in her wheelchair, looked from Mostima to Fiammetta.
Fiammetta nodded silently.
"I change too!" Lemuen slid her wheelchair towards the window. "I understand Andoain, but I also understand you. I miss the past, the life we once had, the days we were together."
"I know you're angry at Andoain for causing all this, and I know you're confused about our actions afterwards, but there's nothing I can do about it. This is a Sankta thing."
"...Are you trying to use that Sankta empathy rhetoric again?"
"No, what I'm saying is, don't try to understand us. Just do what you want. You're the one who decides whether what Andoain did is right or wrong."
"...It feels like you've changed, yet you haven't," Fiammetta said after a pause.
"I think I've definitely changed. And to prove it, I even called my friends over."
"What do you mean?"
"You'll know when the time comes."
"...Aren't you still the same as before?"
"This is called a girl's secret."
"It's a bit disgusting."
The click of a bullet being loaded was heard. "Just pretend I didn't say anything."
Lemuen withdrew the gun from Fiammetta and spoke again. "While I understand him, he did something unforgivable to us. So, for my sake, use the gun on him, Fiammetta."
"I'm not going to hold back."
"I know."
"I might kill him."
"I know. I'd love to, but I don't think you can defeat him."
"So you think I can't hurt him?"
"Yes, so I've hired someone to help you. Are you happy?"
"...Xiling."