Two years later.
The City of Illumination, the capital of Aegis State, stands as one of the four largest cities in the Atlantis Empire, is a distinctive fusion of fantasy and technology.
The cityscape features vehicles powered by magical engines, while towering spires embellished with glowing crystals illuminate the streets. Bustling markets offer a diverse range of enchanted goods, and citizens navigate the vibrant city using a combination of traditional means and advanced magical transportation systems.
Beyond its captivating ambiance, the city is renowned for its exquisite musical instruments and the exceptional craftsmanship of its talented artisans, drawing numerous scholars and tourists from across the dystopian landscape.
Encircling half of the city is a mesmerizing yet perilous mystical paradise forest, which adds to its enchanting allure.
On a bustling sidewalk filled with the sounds of the city, two children, seemingly around nine years old, strolled hand in hand, their gazes sneaky yet mischievous.
"Onii-chan, what if we get caught? Mama will definitely scold us," pouted the little white-haired girl, her anxiety evident.
"Don't worry; this isn't my first time in the city," the boy reassured her, his pitch-black strands partially obscuring his right eye.
"And this isn't the first time you've been scolded for sneaking out of the mansion. Didn't Mother say we weren't allowed to go out until we turn ten and are assigned shadow guards?" Celestia rolled her eyes, exasperated.
Suddenly, Aeuu halted and turned to face Celestia. With a deadpan expression, he replied, "And who was it that grew weary of admiring the cityscape from afar and begged me to bring her into the city as well?"
"Don't... bring that up!" Celestia exclaimed, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
A hint of a smirk flickered across Aeuu's otherwise expressionless face. "Then stop complaining and follow me quietly."
"You...." Celestia huffed, stomping her foot. Nevertheless, she followed.
Thus, they set off to explore the city, taking in all the picturesque sights along the way. The sun bathed the cobblestone streets in a warm glow, while the vibrant colors of the market stalls infused the air with energy and life.
Along the way, Celestia couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and curiosity. They passed street performers and local artisans showcasing their crafts, each adding to the lively atmosphere.
She cast a sidelong glance at a guy playing the piano. "Onii-chan, aren't you also a genius pianist? Do you think you can match his level of expertise?" Celestia asked, a sly smirk hidden on her face. She was attempting to provoke a reaction from her otherwise emotionless brother as a way to get back at him for earlier.
Over the two years they spent together, she came to understand her twin brother well enough. During the process, she developed a rather peculiar habit of teasing him to provoke reactions whenever possible.
Initially, her intention was simply to lift his spirits and help him move beyond the shadows of his tragic past. Thankfully, with their mother's steadfast support and her own solace. Aeuu gradually began to overcome his depression and slowly returned to a state of being a "barely" normal human being.
Aeuu shot his sister a amused glance. Instead of responding to her, he retorted, "Weren't you always there when I was practicing the piano? What do you think?"
"II-I-I..." Celestia stammered, caught off guard by her brother's quick comeback.
In the end, all she could do was glare at him aggrievedly, "You're playing unfair."
Aeuu smirked slightly and turned to leave. "Come on; there are still many wondrous places to explore."
Although her provocation had failed spectacularly, seeing her brother react even slightly made Celestia smile faintly.
...
"Ohhh! If it isn't the mysterious phantom boy!" As Aeuu and Celestia strolled excitedly through the bustling city, a voice suddenly called out to them.
Startled, Aeuu turned to see who had spoken. "Guard Captain Mordan?"
In the distance, a well-built beastman clad in heavy armor approached them with enthusiasm.
"Greetings, Guard Captain Mordan. It's not often we see you patrolling the streets," Aeuu said, bowing slightly as he acknowledged the approaching beastman. .
"Mysterious phantom boy? Hehe," Celestia muttered, giggling lightly.
Aeuu cringed but did his best to ignore her for the time being.
"Hah... the gangs in the city have been getting increasingly restless lately, so I have been getting busy. Hahahahaha... Can't dump everything on the vice-captain, right?" Guard Captain Mordan laughed, unable to shake the image of the vice-captain's crying expression from his mind.
"By the way, who is this adorable girl? Your secret girlfriend?" Guard Captain Mordan inquired, a playful grin spreading across his face.
Celestia's face instantly turned bright pink. Her eyes spun in circles as she attempted to process the words. "I- we-"
"She is my twin sister!" Aeuu interjected, rolling his eyes in exasperation.
"Ohhhh!" Guard Captain Mordan nodded embarrassedly. "My bad, sorry."
"Little girl, would you like to know why I referred to your twin brother as the 'mysterious phantom boy'?" The guard captain attempted to ease the awkward tension by shifting the conversation.
"Hii..." Celestia replied, still reeling in embarrassed. Nonetheless, She couldn't let the opportunity slip by to hear about her brother's latest dark escapades.
"Hahaha... let me share the story with you. It was just another ordinary day, and I was fast asleep in the guard compound. Suddenly, the vice-captain burst in, interrupting my slumber in the middle of the night. Before I could scold him, he exclaimed that people were outside complaining about a phantom sighting in the city."
"When I stepped outside, a crowd was shouting that they had seen a black phantom sneaking around and planting magical bombs. Both the guards and I were gobsmacked. We anxiously gathered ourselves and rushed into the city, searching everywhere for this so-called black phantom."
The guard captain took a moment to collect his thoughts, casting a meaningful glance at Aeuu before continuing, "Despite my rank, I was unable to uncover any signs of the black phantom or any magical explosives. Just when the vice-captain and I began to suspect that the people might have fooled us, both of us stumbled upon a small dark-hooded figure, sitting on a swing in the amusement park, silently staring at the moon. At first, we assumed it was a sinister villain from some shadowy organization, lying in wait for us to discover him so he could unveil his nefarious plans for the city..."
"However, as we approached the figure, assuming it was the black phantom, and took a closer look..." The guard captain couldn't help but pause, bursting into boisterous laughter. "HAHAHAHAHAHaHa..."
Witnessing his uncontrollable mirth, the Passersbyers couldn't help but throw weird glancesbat the guard captain.
The guard captain wiped away his tears and continued, "it-It was just a little kid looking back at us with confusion... Imagine my surprise! In that moment, I felt an overwhelming urge to beat up those people for accusing such a cute boy."
"Then, then!" Celestia asked eagerly, her suppressed giggles barely contained.
"When I asked the boy what he was doing out here in the middle of the night, he tilted his head, 'What do you mean, 'black phantom'? I'm just your average young master who got bored being caged up at home and sneaked out... Hahaha."
The guard captain erupted into laughter once more.
"Later, I discovered that the misunderstanding about the 'black phantom' stemmed from his unusual appearance and a lack of presence." The guard captain concluded the little tale he often shares with people for amusement.
"Hello! I'm still in this world, you know?" Aeuu said with a flat expression, who was completely ignored by them as if he didn't exist.
Celestia giggled, looking at Aeuu with schadenfreude, as if to say, 'You deserve it!'
After a satisfying laugh, Captain Mordan composed himself and turned serious. "By the way, boy, I forgot to ask you something last time. How were you able to hide your presence so well? Even I couldn't sense you, despite my high rank."
"Now that I think about it, even now, when I'm so close to you, why can't I feel any presence from you, as if you don't exist at all?"
"Well, maybe it's because I've been completely ignored by you two for so long that your minds are having trouble registering my presence," Aeuu mockingly jested.
"Hahaha! Good kid, you really know how to hold a grudge, don't you?" Guard Captain Mordan chuckled as he gave Aeuu a friendly pat on the back.
"Well, whatever. I am guessing it might be because of an artifact anyway. We can't judge you rich kids by common folks standards after all!"
After saying that, he turned to leave, "Take care, kids! I've got a gang of troublemakers to catch!"
*****
Chapter 7•07: Cotton Candy
___________________________
Bright Moon Estate,
In the grand hall, three individuals were seated on a plush sofa, engaged in a serious discussion. Among them was Duchess Luminous, accompanied by an adult woman and a young child.
With a fuming expression, the adult woman with pink hair and striking green eyes pointed an accusatory finger at Jenia. "Who would have thought you were hiding so deeply? You couldn't even confide in your best friend that you had children in secret."
"And who is their father? Is it him? Is that really that bastard?"
Jenia, however, remained calm, sipping her tea as she listened patiently to her friend's complaints. "Lililya, please, just calm down. I'm sorry, alright?"
"How can I calm down? I bet you spilled this secret to Yami ages ago, didn't you? Am I not as important to you as she is? Is she your only true friend?" Lililya retorted, her voice rising with indignation.
"Seriously? Can you stop bringing up people who are no longer in this world?" Jenia rolled her eyes in exasperation.
"I—" Lililya was about to respond with something sharp, but her words were cut short by the rushed footsteps of a maid approaching them.
""Mistress, mistress... the... young... Master..." Vasileia, the head maid, burst into the hall, her face flushed with anxiety.
"What is it, Vasileia?" Jenia inquired, noticing the maid's labored breathing. Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind. "Wait, did that mischievous rascal sneaked out of the mansion again?"
"No, *huff* *huff* he—" Vasileia gasped, struggling to catch her breath and articulate her thoughts.
"He didn't?" Jenia raised an eyebrow, skepticism evident in her voice. "Well, that's surprising."
"Then what is going on?" Jenia pressed, her curiosity piqued.
"Jenia, let her catch her breath first," Lililya interjected, adopting a composed demeanor before the maid caught sight her unladylike appearance.
"Hah... alright, Vasileia. Take your time," Jenia nodded.
"So, Jenia, I've been meaning to ask " Lililya began, her brow furrowed in thought,"why are all the servants in this mansion mortals? Why can't I sense any levelers arround"
"Hold on, don't answer! I think I know why," she continued, fixing a meaningful gaze on Jenia. "You really took drastic measures to keep your secret hidden, huh?"
In response to Lililya's deduction, Jenia merely offers a faint smile.
"Mistress," Vasileia interjected, shaking off her fatigue and bowing respectfully.
"Now, please tell me what's going on," Jenia prompted the maid.
"And where are the children? Weren't you supposed to bring them here?" Lililya chimed in eagerly. "I'm really looking forward to seeing them."
The head maid lowered her gaze and let out a heavy sigh. "I can't seem to locate them anywhere. I believe the young master has snuck out of the mansion again, and this time, he likely took the young miss with him too."
"These children..." Jenia groaned, rubbing her forehead in silence. "Those two have been getting out of hand lately."
"Children do tend to grow uu quickly, Jenia. Why restrict them in the first place? You need to learn to let them make their own decisions freely," Lililya lectured her friend. She then turned to her half-elven daughter and sighed lightly, "If only my shy daughter were more like them; she wouldn't feel so paranoid every time she tries to interact with people"
"Huh? Oh yeah, I almost forgot your daughter was here too," Jenia said, coughing lightly.
"Don't mind her; she is a shy girl and feels quite uncomfortable around strangers," Lililya reassured, gently stroking her daughter, personally not minding her daughter's behavior at all.
At her mother's words, the nine-year-old half-elven girl, who had her head down this whole time, clenched her small fists slightly.
"Is that so? If she is genuinely feeling that uncomfortable, then... Vasileia, would you kindly take her to the garden to play?" Jenia said with a warm smile, casting a glance at the half-elven girl as she directed the head maid.
"Of course, mistress!" Vasileia responded, complying with the request.
The half-elven girl then rose from her seat and followed Vasileia, who led her toward the enchanting garden.
....
After the brief conversation with the guard captain, Aeuu and Celestia resumed their exploration of the city. By the end of the day, they found themselves at the amusement park, where they delighted in various attractions and games.
Once Celestia had her fill of fun, they decided it was time to head home.
On their way back, Celestia treated herself to a fluffy stick of cotton candy, happily munching on it, while Aeuu opted for a chocolate-flavored ice cream cone, savoring each bite in a more subdued manner.
"Onii-chan, don't you think this fluffy treat looks just like a cherry blossom tree from the library books we read?" Celestia said, playfully licking the pink cotton candy.
"First of all, that fluffy treat is called cotton candy," Aeuu corrected her with a hint of amusement.
Celestia pouted, "Okay, okay, cotton candy. Are you happy now?"
Aeuu opted for silence.
"Anyway, as I was saying, doesn't this cotton candy remind you of a cherry blossom tree? I read that cherry blossom trees only bloom in spring," Celestia continued, her eyes sparkling with wonder. "I also learned that the Sakura lands in the eastern territory of Aegis State are famous for their cherry blossoms. When spring arrives, people from all over the state flock there to witness the first bloom of the cherry blossom petals."
"That's quite intriguing," Aeuu remarked, nodding thoughtfully. He then added with a hint of suspicion, "But why do I get the feeling that you're somehow jinxing this?"
"How!?" Celestia asked, puzzled.
"No idea," Aeuu shrugged nonchalantly. "But we're almost at the gate on the mountaintop."
The Bright Moon Estate was perched atop a mountain overlooking the City of Illumination. Typically, the maids at the mansion used a magical hovering car for their travels.
However, since Celestia and Aeuu had decided to sneak out, they were left with no choice but to climb the mountain like ordinary people.
"Phew... At least we should be glad that there are no guards in the mansion. Otherwise, sneaking out would have been even more difficult," Aeuu said, shaking his head lightly.
Before long, they passed through the grand wrought iron gate unhindered and entered the lush garden of the Bright Moon Estate.
They quietly navigated through the lush greenery and vibrant flower beds, careful to avoid detection by any maids who might be tending to the garden.
Finally, they reached their favorite spot—the tallest and most extraordinary tree in the entire garden, the Rainbow Eucalyptus. This tree held a special place in their hearts, serving as a sanctuary for their shared moments.
However, as they drew closer, they were startled to find the head maid standing beneath the tree, accompanied by a pink-haired girl who was intently observing the Rainbow Eucalyptus.
Perhaps sensing their presence, the pink-haired girl turned around and glanced at them. But when her gaze met Aeuu's, they both froze.
An everlasting bond, now splintered into pieces.
At last, the fragments of a shattered heart, once lost in an endless cycle of loop, began the mystical journey of reassembling themselves.