Morning light filtered through the window.
Jiang Ming slowly opened his eyes as his consciousness gradually surfaced from the lingering afterglow of the previous night’s indulgence.
The side of the bed was empty.
A trace of Lillian’s cold fragrance remained on the pillow, but the person who should have been there was nowhere to be found.
There was only a neatly folded piece of plain white stationery.
Jiang Ming sat up, picked up the note, and unfolded it. On it was Lillian’s elegant yet slightly hurried handwriting. The ink seemed to have dried quickly, as if it had been written in haste:
“Imperial business requires my immediate return. Please forgive me for being unable to say goodbye in person.
Last night… was very good.
Take care of yourself, and do not forget the date of your return.
— An”
The letter was short, offering no further explanation.
Jiang Ming’s fingertips brushed over the two words “very good,” and he carefully put the note away.
She was the Empress of the Kingdom of Holy Moon after all, with her own burdens to carry and battlefields to face.
Just as he was staring at the note in a slight daze, a light knocking came from outside the cabin door. Immediately afterward, before he could respond, the door was carefully pushed open a crack.
“Brother Jiang Ming, are you awake? We brought breakfast!” Elvia’s energetic voice drifted in first.
Then, the door was pushed wide open. Elvira walked in front, carrying a tray filled with washed fruit and several pieces of rather exquisite cream cake. Following behind her, carefully clutching a pot of hot milk, was —
Jiang Ming’s gaze froze, his pupils slightly dilating.
It was Elvia. But she was no longer that translucent, shimmering girl in her Spirit Body form.
She possessed a solid, tangible body of a human girl. Her fair skin had a healthy flush, and her long black hair draped softly over her shoulders, the ends swaying gently with her movements.
She wore a set of fitting casual clothes that Elvira had likely scrounged up. They were slightly loose, yet they could not hide the fresh vitality of her new life.
She stepped forward with a somewhat unaccustomed gait, but her stride was steady, and the sound of her feet hitting the ground was clear.
“Brother Jiang Ming!” she called out again, her voice crisp, pleasant, and full of joy.
For a moment, Jiang Ming found himself at a loss for words.
“You…” Jiang Ming looked at Elvia as she approached the bed. His gaze moved from her solid fingertips to her smiling face, and then to the steaming milk in her hands.
Everything was so real, filled with the texture of life.
“I don’t know what happened either,” Elvia said with an embarrassed smile. She placed the milk pot on the nightstand and then held up her hands, turning them over and over to inspect them with eyes full of wonder. “When I woke up this morning, I found myself… like this. I can feel the cold, I can feel hunger, and I can actually touch things…”
As she spoke, she carefully touched the edge of the tray with her finger, feeling the texture of the wood. A pure, almost moved smile spread across her face.
Elvira placed the tray on Jiang Ming’s lap, looked at her sister with a gentle gaze, and then turned to Jiang Ming, adding softly, “All her vital signs are normal; she is very healthy. It’s as if… she was always meant to be this way.”
“Welcome back,” Jiang Ming said softly.
“Elvia.”
The girl nodded vigorously, her eyes reddening slightly, yet her smile was incredibly bright.
She was finally no longer a dependent Spirit Body or a phantom shadow. She stood here as a complete, independent person, standing before her sister and Jiang Ming.
She picked up a spoon, scooped up a large portion of cake covered in cream, and naturally held it to Jiang Ming’s lips, her eyes curving into crescents. “Brother, eat breakfast! Ahh — “
Jiang Ming hesitated for a second, looking at the cake and the girl’s expectant eyes, before opening his mouth to take it.
Elvia smiled with satisfaction as she watched him eat. Then, she scooped a spoonful for herself and stuffed it into her mouth, squinting happily as she savored the flavor.
“Mmm… so this is what real cake feels like. So sweet, so soft!” she said indistinctly. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, her amber eyes darted around with a flash of mischief.
“But, Brother,” she swallowed the cake and leaned in closer, “don’t you think that if someone borrows something, they should pay it back?”
“Hmm?” Jiang Ming didn’t react for a moment, his hand holding the milk cup pausing.
“The Wishing Voucher!” Elvia said matter-of-factly, gesturing with her fingers. “The card that lets you make a wish at the Amusement Park! Even though I didn’t use it, you ended up using it, right? You used my chance!”
Only then did Jiang Ming realize what she was referring to. He couldn’t help but chuckle. “That… indeed, I suppose I did borrow it.”
“So!” Elvia’s eyes grew even brighter. “You have to compensate me! I want to see what a real amusement park is like. I want to ride a real roller coaster, eat real cotton candy, and play real shooting games!”
She grew more excited as she spoke, almost dancing for joy. However, she quickly restrained herself and pressed her hands together in a pleading gesture, looking at Jiang Ming expectantly. “Brother, take Sister and me to a real amusement park for a day, okay? Just one day! As… compensation for using my Wishing Voucher, and to celebrate me becoming human!”
The request was unexpected, yet it made perfect sense.
“Alright.” Jiang Ming didn’t hesitate long. He nodded, a trace of an indulgent smile playing on his lips. “Once we finish dealing with this matter, I’ll find the time to take you both.”
“Yay! Brother is the best!” Elvia cheered and lunged forward, rubbing her face playfully against Jiang Ming’s chest.
“Elvia.” Elvira, who had been standing quietly by the side, finally spoke up with a hint of a scolding tone. “Stop messing around. Jiang Ming… has just been through a lot. He needs to rest.”
“Sister…” Elvia pouted and turned to Elvira, grabbing her sleeve. “But, but Brother already agreed! Besides, don’t you want to go, Sister? We can ride the Ferris wheel together! I… I want to go play with Sister and Brother.”
Elvira was taken aback by her sister’s words. She looked at the pure hope in Elvia’s eyes and caught a glimpse of the gentle, unwavering expression on Jiang Ming’s face.
She pursed her lips and looked away, the tips of her ears turning slightly red as she muttered, “…Who said I wanted to go. I just think we shouldn’t cause trouble at a time like this.”
Despite her words, she didn’t offer any more strong objections. She simply reached out and gently patted the top of her sister’s head, the action carrying an affectionate reprimand.
Jiang Ming said nothing. He simply looked out the window where the sunlight was just right.
They were still here.
(End of Volume One)