The golden afterglow faded, sinking into the dimming streets.
A single lantern was lit, then two, then three... until countless points of light flickered across the city like stars dancing upon the surface of a river.
Warm sky lanterns drifted lightly upward, floating toward the night sky like fireflies.
"So this is the festival of Palieu, the City of Flowers."
Walking along the hillside stairway of the Montmartre Heights, Lanqi and Talia looked out over the entire city.
"It's truly beautiful,"
Talia murmured to herself in wonder, gazing at Palieu, which had somehow transformed into a sea of bustling celebration.
The breathtaking scenery before them stole their breath. Specks of light illuminated the stone houses, where people dressed in festive finery with joyful smiles beaming on their faces.
Some citizens had not ventured outside, choosing instead to light bamboo lanterns on their windowsills, opening their hands to let them ride the wind and drift toward the starlit sky.
"In just a little while, once it's completely dark, the fireworks will begin,"
Lanqi told Talia.
He had read the introduction to Palieu's fireworks festival well in advance.
They were currently on the border of District 3 on Palieu's North Bank. Following the stairs down the heights would take them straight into neighboring District 1, leading them to their final destination of the night—the Temple of Love.
The heights offered an exceptional vantage point, allowing them to look out across buildings kilometers away.
As for the finest spot to watch the fireworks, it was unquestionably the open-air terraces built along the riverside plaza behind the Temple of Love.
From there, one could gaze up close as peerless, brilliant fireworks burst across the night sky.
"Actually, I can see fireworks every day right from the card-crafting workshop..."
Talia was about to say.
A crisp chime pierced the stillness of the night, rippling outward and catching both their eyes.
It was sacred music played to purify the land.
A crowd had gathered in the distant plaza, seated around a holy altar.
At some point, a bonfire had been lit at the center of the square.
A priestess clad in pure white robes approached with graceful steps. She was the chief priest serving the God of Love and Will.
"The morning breeze brushes soft, petals drift and fall."
The priestess swung her pewter staff, each sweep trailing a sliver of silver light and a clear ring of bells as she chanted prayers and swayed her body.
"Thy voice washes gently over all the mortal world."
It was a sacred dance dedicated to God, an imitation of the divine.
The sound of prayer crossed the expanse above the plaza, reaching straight to the peak of the Montmartre Heights.
"People pray to the gods for blessings, hoping to find a bit more fortune,"
Talia said, sharing what she had come to understand of human nature over the years.
Yet despite that...
Looking only at the surface, one would think a grand festival was unfolding in full swing.
Today, however, was not quite as harmonious as it appeared.
Along the way, they had caught snippets of conversations among passersby.
Because of the recent upheaval, Palieu had suffered significant casualties and damage that night. Humans and the demon race were deeply wary of one another, and earlier today, protests and clashes had even erupted during the day.
"Sky lanterns are meant to guide the souls of the deceased,"
Lanqi murmured softly, a touch of regret in his voice.
"Under Thy grace, devotion ever grows."
In the distance, the priestess chanted aloud her blessing:
"May love run like a gentle stream, gathering into an enduring sea."
The bonfire died down, the crowd began to disperse, and new visitors arrived to take their place.
Only the solitary lanterns floating in the night sky faithfully illuminated the ground below.
Neither was quite sure who took the first step, but Lanqi and Talia continued down the heights, walking onto the plaza leading toward the temple.
"I didn't expect that in the end, relations between humans and demons in Palieu would still deteriorate,"
Talia said, looking down at the city glowing with lantern light.
In the eyes of ordinary citizens, the culprit was the ambitious demon Perlman, while the ones attacking the City of Flowers had been the rampaging berserk demons.
Overnight, a peaceful city had turned into a cruel battlefield; anyone would feel a lingering dread toward the demon race.
"You can't entirely put it that way. Since the City of Flowers chose this path of coexistence, perhaps this is a trial that had to be faced. The journey toward mutual understanding is always accompanied by conflict,"
Lanqi said with a nod, turning to Talia.
As they strolled along the mountain path, alternating between rugged and gentle stretches, a vibrant array of stalls gradually appeared on either side, displaying a dazzling assortment of goods.
Many stalls hung masks, featuring both artistic Posen-style designs and demon-style motifs.
These masks would normally have sold remarkably well tonight.
That was because the Temple of Love was hosting a masquerade ball.
The original intent of the ball was to let the residents of Posen and the demon race set aside their prejudices and get along peacefully.
Beneath the mask, one could be human or demon.
Everyone was equal.
"To me, Palieu, the City of Flowers, is truly a miracle,"
Talia replied, listening to Lanqi as she browsed the festive night market alongside him.
A century ago, she had never imagined she would see a city where humans and demons lived side by side.
This journey through Posen had truly opened the eyes of a demon princess from history.
"That's why Perlman is so hard to judge. His crimes are undeniably irredeemable, yet the contributions he made have still left a profound mark."
Among the three memorable adversaries Lanqi had encountered,
Perlman was the only one he felt genuine pity for, because Perlman had once been a good man, which was how he had been able to mentor someone like Nigel.
Nigel was like a younger Perlman, though fundamentally different in that he possessed a true heart of iron.
Or rather, what Nigel believed in was neither anyone nor anything else, but his own unwavering conviction.
"Yet didn't Perlman end up shattering his own ideals and turning toward the opposite extreme?"
Talia had to admit that demons were indeed like this—prone to being excessively emotional.
The more she grew accustomed to and accepted life in human society, the more she felt her former kin were turning into anomalies.
"Perhaps when he was on the brink of success, he realized that ninety-nine steps is just one step, and a single step is still just one step,"
Lanqi said, looking toward the lantern-lit street ahead.
"If he found that the final threshold was a goal that could never be reached, the closer he got, the more agonizing it became. After all, as the pioneer and practitioner, he understood better than anyone whether his ideal could truly succeed or was nothing more than a hollow illusion."
Lanqi thought that if it had been his former self, he would have confidently believed that meeting Perlman a little sooner might have resolved the knot in the man's heart and prevented the tragedy in the City of Flowers.
Reflecting on it carefully now, perhaps the advice Professor Borao had given him before departing was even more apt—
Greater power does not necessarily bring greater responsibility. Sometimes, the greater your power, the more catastrophic the consequences of a single misguided thought. When your power reaches a certain level, you must learn to be an observer.
Unless it was a dire situation where intervention was strictly necessary, one ought to weigh what kind of ripples their involvement might create.
At the time, Lanqi had merely committed Professor Borao's words to memory; only now, looking back, did he feel their true weight.
Inoan's death forced him to reflect more deeply rather than rely on boundless self-confidence.
"So was Perlman wrong from the very beginning?"
Talia lowered her gaze and asked softly.
When it came to the coexistence of demons and humans, she had always harbored doubts.
She didn't believe she and Antanas's group had truly achieved coexistence with humans, because they were still hiding under disguises to live peaceful lives in Ikerite.
That wasn't true coexistence.
And someone like Hyperion, who lived openly without deception in Ikerite, had endured grievances and prejudice since childhood despite being the daughter of a duke. She had not lived happily, dreaming of the day when the people of Ikerite would stop treating her as a demon.
If demons and humans being together was inherently wrong, she didn't know why, but a hollow emptiness settled in her chest.
"I don't think I can give you an answer to that either,"
Lanqi said, turning to look at Talia.
Grand Sorcerer Palroni's hatred for demons had caused a catastrophe and sowed seeds of enmity. The greed of successive Senates allowed those seeds to take root and sprout, ultimately indirectly causing the death of Perlman's daughter and passing that hatred to Perlman, shattering his ideals and sparking a new cycle of vengeance.
Perhaps the unrest caused by Perlman would leave surviving families on the human side nursing their own grudges, only for them to erupt again one day.
It was hard to say how it would all end.
Such was the cycle of cause and effect.
"Is that so?"
Talia showed no reaction to Lanqi's response.
Or rather, it was as if she had already guessed this answer and had prepared herself to hide her disappointment.
"Still, if you ask me, one side has to take the first step to trust, even if it means risking betrayal. If nobody takes that first step, a better ideal can never be realized,"
Lanqi continued.
His tone carried a bit more certainty, and the look he gave Talia held his usual warm smile.
"..."
Talia turned her head and stared at his profile.
Within those cool, noble eyes, a hint of confusion and a flicker of emotion could not be entirely concealed.
It was as if she wanted to push him away while simultaneously yearning to search a little deeper.
Lanqi noticed her gaze as well, and their eyes met.
"What is it, Tata?"
Lanqi tilted his head and asked.
"Look, masks,"
Talia replied casually, shifting her gaze naturally toward the stall behind Lanqi.
Masks of every color covered the entire display wall, gleaming brightly beneath the magic-powered lamps.
Some depicted joy, some sorrow, some ferocity, and some gentleness.
"The masks of the Kingdom of Posen are truly interesting. I've never seen craftsmanship like this before,"
Lanqi remarked with keen interest as he examined them.
"Young man, miss, these handmade masks for this year are completely different from last year! My family's craft is among the best on this entire street!"
Noticing their interest, the stall owner immediately called out warmly.
In previous years, these would have sold out in no time, but with the festival slightly subdued this year, the vendors had to actively drum up business.
"..."
Talia seemed lost in thought as she reached out to gently touch a dark purple mask with sharp horns, her fingertips tracing its uneven surface.
She seemed to miss this style.
"We'll take this one,"
Lanqi said to the owner, already reaching for his coin purse.
"You're quite something, young man! One glance and you know exactly what your girlfriend wants,"
the owner chuckled cheerfully.
He liked customers who bought things without haggling.
Especially tonight, when demon-style masks were hard to sell—it was wonderful that someone was willing to buy one.
"We're not in that kind of relationship,"
both denied at once.
"Ah, so you're husband and wife!"
the owner exclaimed with sudden realization.
"..."
Both looked too exhausted to argue; they had already been mistaken for that far too many times today.
Arguing further would only make things more convoluted.
After a moment of silence, Talia finally lifted the dark purple demon mask from the rack.
"Why don't you get one too, young man? Buying a pair from my stall is a great deal—I'll give you a ten percent discount,"
the owner quickly pitched.
Lanqi gave a helpless smile.
He looked across the stall and his eyes landed on a white mask adorned with gold patterns, shaped like a human face.
Its lines were soft, its expression tranquil, carrying an air of compassionate benevolence in the curve of its brow.
Without hesitation, he picked it up.
He always chose things quickly, going by feel to pick whatever was most pleasing to his eye.
After paying, the two put on their masks and blended into the bustling crowd.
At this moment, no one cared about the true identity hidden beneath the mask.
They strolled through the night, surrounded by all sorts of humans and demons, indistinguishable from one another.
In the heart of this lively celebration, they passed numerous festival-goers, some engaged in heated conversation while others were engrossed in the lottery tickets in their hands.
Many wore expressions full of anticipation, clearly dreaming of striking the grand prize.
"Want to give it a try?"
Talia's expectations weren't high.
She and Lanqi had three special fireworks festival lottery tickets, and Talia only wanted the third prize—a voucher for a late-night feast.
"Sure,"
Lanqi replied with a hint of excitement. He rather enjoyed lotteries.
They walked into a lavishly decorated lottery counter and handed the tickets to the smiling attendant.
"Best of luck to you both!"
the attendant said sincerely.
Lanqi and Talia exchanged a glance, holding their breath as they looked at the screen before them.
What appeared was not the third prize they had hoped for, but the participation prize: a small bag of colorful candies.
All three tickets yielded the exact same result.
"How realistic,"
Lanqi sighed softly, a touch of amusement in his resignation.
"This is fine too,"
Talia said, slipping the candies into her pocket.
After a moment's thought, she secretly slipped one bag into Lanqi's pocket as well.
Then she tore open a pouch, lifted her mask slightly, popped one into her mouth, and from time to time held another up to Lanqi's lips.
Lanqi accepted them readily.
Talia was willing to share her food with him now—something he wouldn't have dared imagine a year ago.
Climbing the steps, the Temple of Love—or rather, the Cathedral of Our Lady of Palieu—soon appeared before them.
It was said that the cathedral covered an area of six thousand square meters.
Most striking of all were the two bell towers soaring into the clouds on its western facade.
Standing on either side of the cathedral, they looked like two loyal sentinels guarding this sacred sanctuary.
Though it wasn't their first visit, stepping inside the temple still made Lanqi and Talia marvel at its unbelievable scale.
Beyond five longitudinal chambers arranged in sequence, both the central nave and the narrow aisles on either side were hosting various events.
Weaving among them were countless people wearing all sorts of masks.
As they stepped into the main hall, the immense height of the architecture left the interior somewhat dim, feeling almost severed from the clamor outside.
Looking up, their gaze followed the vaulted ceiling straight toward the dome, where a massive rose window was quietly embedded like a magnificent eye gazing down upon the mortals below.
Beneath it, music suddenly swelled.
Masks of all styles flickered in and out of the interplay of light and shadow, faces crossing beneath the lamps, impossible to distinguish as real or fake.
Everyone was masked, so identity, status, and race all became blurred and trivial at this moment.
Yet one could tell that the vast majority of masks were still human.
Very few demons seemed to have come to the temple to join the festival tonight.
Lanqi and Talia skirted around the center of the main hall, walking along the marble floor at the edge toward the statue of the deity. They intended to pray for a blessing and conclude their day's outing, returning to practice cooperative card crafting.
Suddenly, a priest noticed them and stepped forward to call them to a halt.
"Good evening, travelers. Now is not the traditional hour for prayer. Offering your prayers through a more sincere manner makes it far easier to receive the blessing of the gods,"
the priest greeted them with a bow and explained.
He raised an arm, gesturing toward the center of the main hall.
He believed they would understand what the most sincere way to pray to the God of Love was during a special festival.
"Well, that is true, but..."
Lanqi and Talia exchanged a look, their voices carrying a hint of awkwardness, neither able to see the expression behind the other's mask.
A divine blessing was inherently a matter of faith—it worked if one believed, and vanished if one did not.
"Furthermore, if you participate in the masquerade ball and finish a complete dance, you will receive lottery tickets for the fireworks festival,"
the priest said with a grin, shaking a ticket from his sleeve.
Talia's eyes visibly sparked.
She wanted to pull one more time.
Failing to win the special festival meal voucher had left her thoroughly disappointed.
Even though another try wouldn't guarantee a win, she had a feeling that the ticket given by the priest stood a good chance of striking gold.
Or perhaps her gacha addiction had simply flared up.
Yet she quickly composed herself.
After all, Lanqi probably wouldn't want to play along.
"Let's go dance. Consider it practice for our coordination,"
Lanqi chuckled.
It was as though he had seen right through her thoughts.
He held out a hand toward Talia in an invitation to dance.
"..."
Talia looked at him, a trace of confusion in her gaze.
Finally,
"Though I am a princess, I haven't danced in a very long time. The last time was with my little sister,"
Talia said, resting her hand in his palm.
"It's fine. I've never danced with an eight-hundred-year-old princess either,"
Lanqi replied.
Talia barely resisted the urge to shoulder-throw him.
Together, they stepped onto the dance floor, their figures blending into the crowd until they were difficult to tell apart.
The music swelled to its peak, and the crowd grew increasingly lively.
Laughter, chatter, and whispered words wove together into a vibrant buzz.
As time passed, the rose window overhead shifted in color beneath the refracted light of the hall, at times passionate and wild, at others cool and deep.
Meanwhile, Talia's figure, bearing a demon mask, was exceptionally conspicuous, drawing more and more glances from time to time.
"...They were just running wild a few days ago. How can there still be demons attending the festival today like nothing happened?"
"That's just how demons are. Killing a few people is nothing to them."
"Most of the people wearing demon masks today are probably humans anyway. Who in their right mind would want to live alongside demons?"
Such voices brushed past their ears.
Or perhaps Talia could hear similar thoughts in their minds.
Her steps began to fall half a beat behind.
Gradually, she hesitated to step on Lanqi's feet any further.
If she had known, she would have picked a human mask and continued disguising herself as she did in Ikerite; that would have pleased everyone.
She had been competing with Lanqi all day without letting go of his hand, but only now did she feel an urge to pull her hand back.
Yet Lanqi held fast.
"Tata, don't regret the choice you made,"
Lanqi said, as though reading her mind, gazing straight into her beautiful golden eyes.
"Whether you wear a demon mask or a human mask, in my eyes, you are always Tata."
Lanqi gripped Talia's hand firmly, leaving her looking at him in stunned surprise, unable to do anything but stare at the young man before her.
"..."
Talia didn't answer him, but beneath the mask, the corners of her lips curved slightly upward.
He couldn't see it anyway, so smiling a little didn't matter.
The dance continued.
Even though their movements appeared slightly out of sync—
perhaps because their dancing styles belonged to entirely different eras, one ancient, and the other even more ancient—
much like the humans and demons of the Kingdom of Posen, finding harmony was still fraught with difficulty.
Yet amid their stumbling steps, neither showed any fear.
The sight of the two, one human and one demon, gradually drew every eye.
This harmony born of contradiction was brimming with peculiar possibilities.
Anyone could tell that they were truly happy.
Supporting one another, they bravely took the next step.
Chapter 700