This nocturnal snow was tranquil and vast, perhaps an untouched corner of this world.
The Snowfield Nether Deer's tall, magnificent antlers were as crystal-clear as ice sculptures, parting the white velvet curtain of snow.
The deer sleigh gradually slowed to a halt while Lanqi and Xigelei swapped places between the front and back, settling securely into each other's former seats.
The moment Lanqi gripped the reins, all his sense of security returned.
During that month or so in the northern snowfields of the Protos Empire in winter on the Northern Continent, it had required him taking the helm to keep them from going astray.
"By the way, want a sip or two?"
Having just settled into the back seat, Xigelei retrieved a leather wineskin from the storage chest, uncapped it with one hand, and offered it forward.
Lanqi's eyes widened.
"Didn't I tell you over a decade ago? You can't touch alcohol while driving—not a single drop! Safe travels start from the heart, and refusing to drink and drive begins with action."
Leaning back slightly, he spoke to Xigelei in the rear.
"I haven't been drinking," Xigelei replied with utter calm.
"..."
"I mean, you shouldn't be offering it to me, either."
Lanqi was momentarily at a loss for words, feeling as if Xigelei's logic had just wiped the floor with him.
"But this is an open snowfield, which by definition counts as an 'uninhabited zone.' In such extreme natural conditions, drinking a little to warm up is practically a necessity. Besides, according to the laws of the Holy Polant Theocracy, this is a non-magic-powered vehicle, so it isn't actually subject to those restrictions. What's more, even if you drive normally and encounter a snowfield demonic beast, there's no need to swerve to avoid it. There used to be countless accidents caused by swerving to dodge demonic beasts, so the Holy Polant Theocracy simply removed protected animals from the traffic regulations altogether," Xigelei lectured him with utter seriousness.
"No, I'm not drinking."
The last time this topic had come up, he had easily persuaded Xigelei back when she was just a child.
This time, she had left him speechless.
Now that the child had grown up, she was getting a bit tricky to handle.
It was definitely not that he didn't dare to drink, but that alcohol ruined lives—a truth he had recognized ever since setting out from South Vantina.
"Then I'll drink it myself."
Xigelei stood up, leaned over the back of the front seat, and glanced at Lanqi, reading his expression.
He seemed to smell the aroma wafting from the wineskin even through the air; any more of this, and he would get dizzy.
In the end, she sat back down in the rear, took two sips herself, sealed the cap of the goat milk liquor skin, and stowed it back into the storage box.
"If you ever feel like drinking, just tell me. It doesn't matter if you need to keep your eyes on the road—I can feed it to you," Xigelei said to Lanqi with a beaming smile, leaning over the back of the front seat.
"No need, really, no need."
Lanqi could smell the sweet-and-sour, milky aroma of liquor on Xigelei's breath through the air.
The poor pigeon had already paid with its life to teach him that he should never touch a drop of alcohol in this lifetime.
"Hold on tight. We're off."
In the brief moment before urging the Snowfield Nether Deer forward, Lanqi took a quick glance at the Shadow World notifications.
[Mission Objective 1: Read the letter from old friend Caliera; proceed to Purgatory City Pasqual in the Demon Realm. (Incomplete)]
[Mission Objective 2: Understand the state of mind of Lanclos of the Black Sun: 0.13%. (Incomplete)]
He would need to concentrate on the road for a long stretch ahead, with no time to spare on notifications from the Shadow World.
After leaving the Papal Court's throne room, the mission objectives had updated once.
Since then, neither encountering Xigelei nor traveling this path had caused any further ripples.
Up to this point, Lanqi still couldn't fully discern the connection between the Shadow World's objectives.
He could only make a rough guess.
Progress on the first objective had set the second objective into motion, so continuing along this journey should naturally lead to completing the missions.
With a flick of the reins, the Snowfield Nether Deer sprang into motion.
Their agile forms dashed across the snow, their hooves kicking up plumes of flakes.
The sleigh glided over the soft snow with a soft, rustling hiss.
Lanqi steered with practiced ease as the sleigh receded into the distance, leaving two long tracks across the snowfield.
In the sleigh's rear seat.
The brief change in speed caused Talia to awaken with a furrowed brow, squinting as she looked around.
She had actually fallen asleep for so long by accident—night had already fallen.
Sure enough, carb-heavy meals always made one drowsy. Besides, Lanqi had bought one of every kind of burger available on the Polant border, telepathically telling her that she might never have the chance to eat them again and that this was the final reissue in the Shadow World.
And so, while thinking that he was a bit of a bastard yet somehow still treating her so well, she had devoured every single Polant-border-style burger.
She looked around upon waking.
No danger.
They had merely stopped for a moment, and now Xigelei was sitting beside her.
"Whew, ahh..."
Yawning, Talia pulled up the blanket and shared half of it with Xigelei.
If she could recline motionless like a doll, her energy consumption remained at its lowest state, barely draining any of Lanqi's mana.
Conversely, any movement she made would begin drawing on his mana.
"Thank you."
Naturally, Xigelei wouldn't decline Caliera's kindness. She snuggled closer to Caliera under the single blanket.
Watching how Caliera had sprawled limply the entire journey, she felt quite curious.
In her eyes, Caliera was like a beauty from a dream—hard to picture clearly in memory, yet she was certain from the bottom of her heart that Caliera must possess the most captivating countenance in existence.
Looking closely now, Sigrid found that Caliera looked more and more like the mother she had imagined as a child.
Before she could admire Caliera from up close for long,
Caliera's eyes turned toward Xigelei, filled with questioning wonder.
"Why are you staring at me?"
Talia asked Xigelei, tilting her head.
"Caliera, do you feel tired?"
Leaning against the backrest, Xigelei asked in a soft voice.
"Not really."
Talia was actually very comfortable. In her semi-magical body, she remained perpetually energetic and undisturbed by any physical discomfort.
If possible, she wouldn't even want to leave this state.
"Then why do you look so lethargic? You don't have any of your former glamorous radiance."
Xigelei felt Caliera looked thoroughly retired right now, almost as if someone had pampered her into uselessness.
Yet proud demons like Caliera had always given the impression that even if she were to die upon her exalted seat, she would never lower her stature in the slightest, let alone yield herself to anyone.
"Well... I used to..."
Talia choked up inside.
Was Caliera really that worthy of respect?
Caliera seemed indeed to have maintained her dignity as a ninth-tier great demon until death, revered by contemporary demons, possessing unique feminine charm, and playing an irreplaceable role in the world's grand tapestry.
Whereas she herself...
Previously, Talia had taken issue with Lanqi's contrasting evaluations of her and Caliera.
Now, even she began to doubt herself.
Before Talia could offer an embarrassed explanation, Xigelei spoke first.
"I've always felt you were too strict with yourself. You don't owe the Demon Realm anything. If anything, the Demon Realm owes you everything,"
Xigelei said earnestly.
Back when Hyperion first met Caliera, she too had thought Caliera was unapproachable and overly strict with her.
Later, as Hyperion grew to understand Caliera, she discovered that Caliera was far harsher on herself, while actually being very gentle toward Hyperion, often turning a blind eye.
"I..."
Hearing Xigelei's comforting words, Talia felt even more ashamed.
She too had once been a Demon Realm princess, yet after meeting Lanqi, she had gradually succumbed to desire.
Even...
She couldn't even resist the decadent pleasure of being fed by him.
If word of this ever got out, dying would be better!
Whenever Talia recalled the memories of being "pampered" by Lanqi, she wished the ground would open and swallow her whole.
For her turning out like this, Lanqi probably bore seventy percent of the blame.
But she herself bore at least thirty percent.
"Still, it doesn't matter. You're wonderful just like this."
Xigelei continued.
"You don't think it's embarrassing for me to be like this?"
Talia mumbled.
Lies do not wound; the truth is the sharp blade.
After seeing her younger sister Efatia, she finally came to understand that she couldn't compare to a peerless prodigy; stripped of her title as princess, she had virtually lost everything.
"How could I? I wish you could push aside all the official duties and trifles of the Demon Realm and just keep me company every day,"
Xigelei voiced her true thoughts, wrapping the blanket tighter around herself as she sat beside the gray-haired witch.
If only she could bring Caliera back to the real world, she would make sure Caliera lived carefree, bringing her happiness and joy in the Protos Empire.
To monopolize Caliera's care so tangibly was something she wouldn't have dared imagine even in dreams.
Even if it was only for twenty-one days, it was more than enough to cherish.
"Yet a certain someone complains all day about how much I eat, how old I am, and how useless I am,"
Talia said, touched at first, then speaking with a hint of indignation.
The more she compared Xigelei to Lanqi, the more Talia felt Lanqi was an ungrateful wretch.
"Having a good appetite is a good thing! As a martial artist cultivating my strength, I consume immense energy, and sometimes I feast with abandon too. What's there to be embarrassed about?"
Xigelei confessed candidly.
"No wonder you're so strong."
Talia was enlightened.
Although if she got serious, Xigelei's strength wouldn't be worth mentioning, for Xigelei's age, it was already extraordinary.
"As for age, I certainly think older women are more charming."
After thoughtful reflection, Xigelei nodded.
"Right? You think so too?"
Talia felt a profound sense of mutual appreciation, regretting that they hadn't met sooner.
How could a young girl like Xigelei understand so well!
"Of course,"
Xigelei affirmed.
"And calling you useless is pure slander! You're the most useful of all! Even sitting motionless, you're a feast for the eyes—just like the world's most beautiful artistic masterpiece or statue,"
Xigelei added with a smile to the demon beauty beside her.
It might be impolite to think so, but if she could place Caliera in her collection gallery, the entire museum would shine far brighter because of this demon fairy.
"Sob... Xigelei, I haven't heard words like that in years."
Talia finally couldn't help hugging Xigelei, not wanting to let go of this warm, soft body.
Every sentence was the truest of true sincerity.
Even without truth-discernment magic, Talia could see the utter earnestness in Xigelei's eyes.
Where on earth did such a little angel come from?
If she could take Xigelei back to the real world, she would definitely take Xigelei—who grew up in an orphanage—home and raise her like her own daughter.
It just so happened that Xigelei and Hyperion got along well, like sisters.
Raising one was raising one; raising two was just another set of silverware at the table.
In the sleigh's driver's seat, Lanqi was wholly engrossed in analyzing the terrain, completely deaf to the harmonious chatter between Talia and Xigelei in the back.
Until he smoothly navigated a long, winding curve beneath a cliff.
"I told you we had to turn here! Charging straight ahead would have sent us right off a cliff,"
Lanqi cheered triumphantly.
"Once this journey is over, I'll definitely be able to draw an Updated Map of the Land of Eternal Night That Even a Three-Year-Old Can Read!"
Sure enough, his navigational potential had all been forced out of him. Now, he was already a qualified guide.
In the rear seat, Xigelei, who was still chatting with Talia, suddenly fixed her gaze on Lanqi.
"Holy—"
Sigrid bit her lip.
I am Xigelei right now. I am Xigelei right now.
She told herself.
The affection ratings for Xigelei and Sigrid were separate, so she had to play the part in reality.
"What's wrong?"
Lanqi turned back, bewildered.
He seemed to have heard a short gasp from Xigelei.
"Lord Holy Pope, do you believe there would be a market for such a book?"
Xigelei asked, her expression already shifting into a smile.
"I don't think anyone would buy it either,"
Talia chimed in lazily from where she reclined.
Xigelei's body was pleasantly warm, like a stove, making her feel drowsy once again amidst the bumpy ride across this dark, frozen expanse.
"Who knows, there might really be one. You have no idea—I know an absolute, utterly ridiculous direction-blind idiot."
Lanqi turned his head back for a moment, but before he had turned around completely, Xigelei cupped his head in both hands.
"Watch the road,"
Xigelei instructed.
Since the Holy Son had taught her to keep her eyes on the road while driving, he ought to lead by example.
"..."
Lanqi felt Xigelei slowly release her grip.
He was quite surprised.
He hadn't expected that the grown-up Xigelei from twelve years later would be so casual with him, putting her hands on him the moment he let his guard down.
It seemed that once they reached an inn or hotel in the first city-state of the Land of Eternal Night, he would need to have a serious talk with her about this. She was no longer that little girl.
"Speaking of which, that 'utterly ridiculous direction-blind person' must have caused you a ton of trouble, right? Did she leave a deep impression by constantly leading you into pits?"
Xigelei suddenly asked from behind Lanqi.
Hearing this, Lanqi seemed to reminisce, and a gentle smile crept onto his face.
"Not at all. In fact, I've always thought about drawing an Updated World Map That Even a Three-Year-Old Can Read as a gift for her, so she'd never lose her way again,"
he muttered to himself, holding the reins.
"Ooh..."
Sigrid looked away, curling into a ball with her head down in the back seat.
Clutching her chest, she could hear nothing over the blustery howling of snow except the pounding of her heart.
Sure enough.
Sure enough, she even loved how annoying he was.
Hearing her heart thud under the overwhelming strain, how desperately she wished to hear Lanqi tell her that he felt the same.
Chapter 767