After the words slipped out of his mouth, Yu Xie realized how odd they must have sounded.
But once the words were spoken, it was like water spilled from a cup—there was no taking it back.
The atmosphere grew a bit awkward. Buer and Nabu exchanged glances, and a smile involuntarily appeared on their faces.
"It's the first time someone has said something like that to us," Buer looked at Yu Xie.
"Yeah, it almost feels like being reminded by an elder," Nabu also turned her gaze to Yu Xie.
Yu Xie scratched his head, unsure how to respond.
In the silent, slightly awkward atmosphere, Buer and Nabu left, and Yu Xie returned to the small house.
As days passed, Buer occasionally came by to spend a leisurely half-day, and little by little, Yu Xie and Buer became more familiar with each other.
One day, as Yu Xie was walking through the streets, he overheard a conversation.
"I heard that the King Deshret is coming to meet with the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata soon. I hope nothing serious is going to happen."
"You're overthinking it. I think it's just a regular meeting about the alliance."
"Yeah, the alliance is already strong, so there's nothing to worry about. Don't overthink it."
"Besides, with the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata around, even if something did happen, it would be resolved."
The mention of the King Deshret made Yu Xie pause and reflect.
He couldn't help but recall the final fate of the King Deshret, Al-Ahmar, which had always been tragic in his memory.
Returning to the small house, Yu Xie sank into the bath he had crafted himself. The warm water soaked into his skin, melting away the weariness of the day.
Perhaps because it felt so comfortable, drowsiness soon overtook him.
As the night grew darker outside, Buer arrived at the door, slipping in as easily as she always did.
"Yu Xie?"
She called twice, but received no response.
Noticing the light in the bathroom, Buer approached the door.
"Yu Xie?"
Still no reply.
Yet, she could clearly sense his presence inside.
Could something have happened?
Concern suddenly sprang to her mind, and she pushed the door open with haste.
"Yu Xie, are you alright?"
The door was pushed open abruptly, and Yu Xie, who had been dozing in the bathtub, was startled awake. Buer's urgent voice made him, still half-dazed, think something serious had happened, and he quickly sprang to his feet from the bath.
Water splashed everywhere.
Buer stood frozen, shocked.
"What's wrong?" Yu Xie asked, then realized the situation and quickly sat back down.
"...I have something to talk to you about. I'll wait outside," Buer hurriedly turned and exited.
Outside, the night breeze blew gently. Buer sat under the eaves, her mind uncontrollably replaying the image of Yu Xie waking up so abruptly. The image felt carved into her memory, something she wouldn't easily forget.
Several minutes passed, but to Buer, it felt like hours before Yu Xie came out dressed in his usual clothes.
"I didn't expect you to come at night," Yu Xie said.
"You fell asleep in the bath. You might catch a cold," Buer looked elsewhere.
"Good thing you came in time, or I might have really caught a cold. By the way, you mentioned you had something to tell me. What is it?"
"The day after tomorrow, Al-Ahmar—King Deshret—is coming. The city will be a bit livelier, so you can go and enjoy yourself," Buer replied.
"Yeah, I heard people talking about it on the streets."
"Anyway, that's all. I'll be going now." With that, Buer quickly got up.
"You're leaving so soon? Usually, you would check on the flowers, plants, and vegetables in the backyard when you come," Yu Xie remarked.
"I trust you'll take good care of them."
After her words, Buer quickly disappeared from sight.
Actually, she had intended to check the backyard, but after witnessing the scene earlier, she found herself unsettled, unable to calm her mind. Even talking to Yu Xie felt a little awkward.
As a deity, Buer had lived for a long time, but it was the first time she had witnessed something like that today... It left her with an indescribable feeling.
...
Two days later.
King Deshret's entourage entered the city, and Yu Xie overslept, missing the spectacle.
However, the city was livelier than usual.
As he walked through the streets, people were discussing the events of the day.
"Yu Xie..."
Yu Xie suddenly heard someone calling his name. Looking in the direction of the voice, he only saw a passerby.
"Yu Xie, over here..."
When he looked again, he saw Nabu waving at him from across the street.
"Nabu, what are you doing here?" Yu Xie walked over to her.
"Buer and Al-Ahmar didn't invite me to join them, so I had to come by myself," Nabu chuckled.
Her tone sounded a bit like a child complaining, but it was clear she was joking.
"Today is really lively," Nabu said, looking around. "By the way, do you have time today?"
"Yeah," Yu Xie replied.
"I'm a bit bored alone. How about we go explore together?" Nabu looked at him with a hint of expectation in her eyes.
"Of course, I can't refuse the Goddess of Flowers's invitation," Yu Xie said with a playful smile, lowering his voice.
"Then let's go," Nabu said with a smile, walking ahead. Her steps were light, like petals in the wind.
Time passed slowly, and before long, it was already evening.
The lights on the street had begun to flicker on, mixing with the setting sun to create a unique atmosphere.
Yu Xie and Nabu were still walking along the street.
"To spend a day like an ordinary person... it feels really nice," Nabu said, gazing at the surroundings.
Yu Xie wasn't a deity, and he couldn't read minds, so he didn't know exactly what Nabu was thinking at this moment. But he could sense her mood.
Without a doubt, Nabu seemed happy, but beneath that happiness, there was a faint trace of sadness that was hard to detect.
"I get the feeling that... you're a little sad. Am I wrong?" Yu Xie hesitated before speaking.
The question made Nabu pause for a moment.
Then, she gave a faint smile.
"Didn't think you'd notice," she said. "But don't worry, I'm fine."
"The more you say that, the more it seems like something is wrong. People tend to act strong," Yu Xie said. "If something's bothering you, you should talk to Buer. She'll definitely understand."
"I thought you were going to say I could talk to you," Nabu smiled.
"If you want to talk, I'm happy to listen," Yu Xie said. "But I'm just an ordinary person. I may not be able to solve your problems, but I can at least be a good listener."
Nabu fell silent for a moment before slowly speaking again:
"...Yu Xie, if you were an omnipotent deity, and someone under your command learned a secret they shouldn't have, what would you do?"
The question left Yu Xie momentarily speechless.
The two of them stopped in the middle of the street, with people walking past them continuously.
Yu Xie had a strong feeling that Nabu's question was not a hypothetical one, but something deeply connected to her own reality.
"I'm just a mortal, so I can't know what an omnipotent deity would think," Yu Xie said. "But if I were the one who knew the secret, I wouldn't just quietly submit. Even if an omnipotent deity came to punish me, I'd still stare them down."
End of chapter
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