In the room, which was not too big but not too small, and filled with a warm, pink, girly atmosphere.
Mei clutched the blanket, like a child listening to her father tell a bedtime story, her eyes, full of curiosity and envy, sparkling as she happily listened to Ryn tell the story of him and the other 'her,' the Mei from another world.
Although the story of Ryn and Mei depicted in the book had very little actual text, almost none, it didn't mean that their story didn't exist.
Ryn spoke very slowly, very carefully…
The story of him and Mei had no grand gestures like plucking a star from the sky for her, nor any romance of embracing under the moon.
It was just like ordinary people, a very mundane, very ordinary, but very happy and warm daily life.
Sometimes, when Ryn talked about the clumsy and embarrassing things he or Mei did, the smile on his face would stretch almost to the heavens, unable to contain his joy and sweetness.
Mei squinted. Ryn's happy memories and smile were so enviable, so dazzling in her eyes…
So dazzling that she didn't dare to look, didn't dare to listen, didn't dare to think…
How happy and sweet…
Just like the future she had imagined…
A man who loves her, an ordinary and simple love. Although she had thought of many romantic stories, what her heart craved most was just the ordinary…
But no matter how ordinary, no matter how low her requirements were... so low that she just wanted to be able to see him…
Even that, she could not achieve.
She could only watch her friend be pierced through and die a miserable death.
She could only watch the love that had just begun to blossom be destroyed by her lover's own hands.
She could only rely on everything she had being utterly destroyed, even being choked to death by her own hands.
She could do nothing.
Ryn told the story so well... so happily…
How I long for it…
So... even if it's just a dream that doesn't belong to me... please let me find a sliver of satisfaction…
———————————————
Ryn slowly softened the volume of his storytelling, his voice gentle and soft, unwilling to disturb Mei's sweet dream, until he finally stopped speaking.
A story is ultimately just a story, far from the reality of what can be seen... but Mei chose to experience Ryn and Mei's story by listening to it.
Perhaps it was because reality was not as beautiful as a fairy tale. Mei also knew this was not her reality, so she wanted a version that was somewhat false, but romantic enough to satisfy her unattainable desires…
Little Mei was already asleep, sleeping very peacefully. Children are always cutest when they are either laughing happily or sleeping.
Mei was the same. But soon, this beautiful scene disappeared.
Her brows suddenly furrowed, her eyes squeezed shut with an expression of panic and fear... Her hands clenched the blanket, released it, then clenched it again…
Her forehead, her back, her neck... cold sweat dripped down, soaking her collar and the bedsheets…
"Are you remembering the past again? Why... why do I feel like this isn't a coincidence, but something you experience every night…"
Ryn lovingly caressed Mei's pink, tender cheek, his thumb gently wiping away the tears that slid from the corners of her eyes.
"I'm sorry, this is a story that has already happened to you all. You can only save yourselves and accept this fact…
And all I can do is weave a happy and beautiful dream for you…"
Ryn raised his hand towards the window, then pressed his palm down.
In an instant, the wind stopped, the chirping of insects ceased, and even the falling leaves and the birds flying across the sky froze.
At the same time, a majestic and irrefutable light emanated from Ryn's body, centering on Mei's room and enveloping the entire "World of the Fire Moth."
Ryn had stopped time here and blocked out all the malice this world held for Mei, all its rejection of her, and pushed it back onto the will of the world.
Then, he immersed his consciousness and returned to his Stigmata Space.
"Old-timer, drop me some Authority," Ryn shouted, calling for Stigmata Kiana.
"What are you yelling for in the middle of the night instead of sleeping!"
*Smack—*
Ryn was slapped by Tianqi, spinning like a top before landing on the ground.
Ryn decided to just lie there on the ground, looking up at Tianqi with a wronged expression.
"I'm hurt. I need kisses and hugs to get up."
"Then you can just die on the floor."
Tianqi yawned and patted her mouth, then kicked the disheveled Stigmata Kiana beside her, whose pajamas were half falling off.
"Get up, Ryn's looking for you."
Stigmata Kiana flew through the air in a graceful arc, then landed face-first on the ground, butt in the air.
*Scrape…*
Stigmata Kiana's fingers dug into the ground in anger. She scraped deep marks as she pushed herself up. Then she glared at Tianqi, shouting:
"What is wrong with you!"
"Abababa…"
Tianqi pointed to her own head, indicating that she did, in fact, have a problem. She was crazy, her brain wasn't right. No, wait, she didn't have a brain or nerves.
"I'll fight you!!"
Stigmata Kiana slammed her hand on the ground, baring her teeth as she leaped from the ground and pounced at Tianqi.
"Kiana-doggie, step aside~" Tianqi flicked her finger, sending the leaping Stigmata Kiana flying again.
Then, an even angrier Stigmata Kiana flew back at her, only to be knocked away by Tianqi again…
Ryn whistled and turned away, not wanting to watch the farce between Tianqi and Kiana.
The sight was too beautiful, too much like teasing a dog. He couldn't watch.
Wait, Stigmata Kiana is also a part of me, so doesn't that mean I'm a dog too?
"Stop it, stop it, you two, don't fight anymore!"
Ryn quickly turned and rushed over to hug the madly counter-attacking Stigmata Kiana, to prevent her from being teased by Tianqi any further.
"Tsk, tsk, the master has stepped in~ The fun is over again. Looks like there's nothing for me to do here, so I'll go to bed~"
Tianqi spread her hands with a regretful smile, then turned to leave.
But after just a few steps, Tianqi stopped, then turned and winked at Ryn, silently mouthing: "If you come looking for me tonight, I won't sleep, okay~"
After speaking, Tianqi smiled enchantingly, leaving Ryn with a lingering image of a smile that could launch a thousand ships, and waved goodbye as she left.
Ryn gulped and patted Stigmata Kiana's face to calm himself down.
"Mmph? Why are you patting my face?" Stigmata Kiana asked, holding her face in confusion as she looked at Ryn.
"Because you're cute~" Ryn pinched her cute little face again.
"Alright, alright, old-timer, drop me some gold coins. Ah, no, drop me some Authority."
Stigmata Kiana immediately puffed out her cheeks angrily. She thought Ryn had come to play with her, but it turned out he was just here to leech off her again.