As the year-end approached, the turbulent undercurrents surging in the shadows of Backlund seemed to subside, leaving behind a stretch of calm.
Whether nobles and wealthy merchants or workers and common folk, everyone was preparing for the arrival of the new year, rare smiles blooming on their faces.
But there was still a large group of people who could only remain inside their homes, gazing enviously at the smiling crowds on the streets outside.
That's how the New Year always is, some rejoice, some grieve. It's just that this year, the grief came especially thick and heavy.
The arrival of the new year also diluted the impact of the recent assassination of Duke Negan, and along with it, the war clouds that might have swept in from the Southern Continent were greatly reduced.
The villa where Germani lived.
"Do you have any wishes you want to fulfill this New Year?"
On the second-floor balcony, Molaka wrapped an arm around Germani's waist from behind, her posture intimate.
"I do. But do you have the ability to help me realize it?"
"As long as it has nothing to do with that Hastur Campbell, I can find a way to help you accomplish it."
"Then forget it."
"...." Molaka looked helpless and sighed. "Your mother issued a strict order for people of the Demoness Sect not to disturb your dearly missed little lover, and I already tasted the consequences last time."
"She is also your mother."
"But only you look like her. You are the daughter she truly places her hopes on, while I am nothing more than an object that can be discarded at will."
Molaka reached out and gently stroked Germani's familiar yet unfamiliar face. Once upon a time, she too had yearned to possess such a face.
Now, she was instead glad that she had another appearance. Bearing such a face was far too heavy, far too restrictive.
"An object? Are you worthy?" A cold voice rang out, and a figure landed behind Molaka, gripping her chin.
"Heh, what are you doing here!" Disdain filled Molaka's face.
"That expression of yours always makes me very displeased." Seraphina released her grip on Molaka's chin and turned to look at Germani, who was standing nearby with a slightly hurried air.
"You're still that afraid of me?"
"This is reverence." Germani lowered her head slightly, not daring to meet her mother's gaze.
Seraphina glanced at the two of them and said indifferently, "I'll be staying here for the next few days."
"Heh, An Unaging witch wants to imitate others and celebrate the New Year too?"
Molaka's mocking words were naturally rewarded with a loud slap.
"Who allowed you to speak to me in that tone?"
"Haven't I always been like this?" Molaka's stubborn look only made Seraphina find it amusing.
Longing for maternal love, she deliberately chose this way to torment herself, using it to exchange for her mother's attention.
Sometimes, Seraphina would play along with Molaka a little, treating it as daily interaction between mother and daughter. Other times, she would deliberately ignore her, plunging her into pain.
A witch could only truly grow in such an environment.
"I'll go downstairs and have them prepare a new room right away." Germani quickly spoke up, preventing their conflict from escalating again.
Molaka wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and sneered. "Why are you still lingering in Backlund? According to the plan, you should have returned to the Southern Continent long ago to take part in the war."
Seraphina spoke with disdain. "Plan? What plan do you know? Ignorant speculation."
She had indeed intended to return to the Southern Continent after finishing her business in Backlund, cooperate with others, and then ignite a war on New Year's Eve.
But strangely enough, the originally agreed-upon New Year's war encountered an unexpected change, and somehow word spread that the war would take place after the New Year.
Even the Primordial Demoness specifically issued a divine revelation emphasizing this sentence.
Therefore, she had time to stay in Backlund. But such matters were obviously not something a Sequence 7 should know.
"Are you really going to stay here for the New Year this year?" Molaka asked after a long silence, her voice trembling with a hint of caution and expectation.
"My daughter, don't you want me to stay?"
"...." Molaka's expression changed several times before she finally said coldly, "I just don't want you to disturb the private world between Germani and me!"
Pa! Molaka's delicate face was slapped again, but she didn't seem angry because of it.
....
Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, the year's end had arrived.
December 31, 1349, Friday.
In Backlund's noble circles today, aside from welcoming the New Year, there was another major event worthy of attention and importance.
Earl Hall's daughter, Backlund's most dazzling pearl, Audrey Hall, would officially come of age.
The banquet was naturally extravagant and luxurious.
Even the Queen attended, along with many other members of the royal family, including two princes who had yet to decide on their marriages.
There had long been rumors that once Miss Audrey, the most brilliant pearl of Backlund, came of age, she would be set into the crown.
The Queen's appearance tonight seemed to confirm the credibility of this rumor.
As the absolute focus and the protagonist of tonight's banquet, the elaborately dressed Audrey stood in the lounge, waiting for the New Year's ball to begin.
There was no happiness, joy, or excitement on her face. Instead, she frowned and sighed softly, her pair of sparkling eyes faintly shimmering with moisture.
In front of her lay a newspaper, on which was written:
".... According to preliminary statistics, more than 36,000 people died directly in the great smog incident. The subsequent spreading plague took the lives of over 80,000 more, including young children and teenagers...."
"The Dockyard was the hardest-hit area in this great smog incident. The death toll alone accounted for sixty percent, and the number of severely ill patients still exceeds 20,000 to this day."
"The kingdom has allocated a large sum of money specifically to provide relief for the unemployed workers in the Dockyard...."
The content that followed had already become somewhat blurred to Audrey.
Her eyes were fixed on those numbers. The great smog incident had actually caused the deaths of over a hundred thousand people!
How large was Backlund's total population to begin with?
And at such a time, she would be in this magnificent villa, under the Queen's warm introduction, facing a large group of gorgeously dressed nobles, welcoming her coming-of-age ceremony.
This was what Mr. Hastur had said, an attribute she had possessed since birth, one that would not shift according to her own thoughts.
Audrey couldn't help but close her eyes.
At that moment, Earl Hall and Countess Hall walked in and praised her in unison, "Your beauty surpasses everyone tonight, my dear. It's time to go out, the Queen is waiting for you."
Audrey opened her eyes, blossomed into an elegant and radiant smile, and under the accompaniment of her father and mother, left the lounge and entered the banquet hall.
She walked all the way up to the highest platform. Amidst countless amazed gazes, she extended her hand, clad in elbow-length white gauze gloves, to the Queen.
Holding her hand, the Queen walked her to the edge of the platform and faced all the guests with a smile. "Although this is a dark period in Backlund's history, we still have a gem that illuminates the entire city. Her wisdom, her beauty, her character, and her etiquette are all beyond reproach."
"Tonight, I officially introduce her to you all."
"Miss Audrey Hall."
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, fireworks soared into the sky.
On the last night of 1349, Audrey came of age.
Standing on the platform, Audrey maintained an elegant and composed smile, her gaze directed toward the nobles below who were applauding for her.
Were they simply happy for her coming of age, or were they applauding in response to the Queen's words, or was this merely a customary courtesy they were accustomed to?
Only when her gaze landed on Mr. Hastur among the crowd could she be one hundred percent certain that he was sincerely offering his congratulations for her coming of age.
Her gaze did not linger for long. After sweeping across the crowd, she looked toward the night sky beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, where clusters of fireworks bloomed, beautiful and dreamlike.
If not for the shocking numbers on that newspaper, she might still have naively believed that the world outside was no different from the world she lived in.
After the Queen finished her introduction, Audrey left the platform and began greeting nobles one by one, those she knew or didn't know, those she was familiar with or unfamiliar with.
She maintained her elegance throughout, even though it was exhausting.
Especially when she saw Susie hiding in a corner, observing everyone with a detached, otherworldly gaze, her heart felt even more tired.
Noticing Audrey's envious gaze, Susie got up, changed to a position where Audrey couldn't see her, and continued to observe everyone as a spectator.
"Susie, do you need me to prepare any New Year's gift for you?" A familiar voice came from behind. Susie subconsciously stopped wagging her tail, but soon resumed lazily swaying it.
Toward this Mr. Hastur, she was no longer as afraid as before and could already interact with him calmly.
"Actually, I think that with your intelligence, you should delve deeper into Emperor Roselle's works on thoughts. They would suit you very well."
"Woof!" Susie was tempted.
She had previously mentioned this to Audrey, but Audrey had ruthlessly refused, saying that she shouldn't read too many books right now, much less be exposed to strange ideas.
Now, a single sentence from this Mr. Hastur made her feel as though she had met a kindred spirit.
Last time, it was this very Mr. Hastur who kept mentioning Roselle, which was why she had sought opportunities to read the books left by Roselle and became deeply fascinated by them.
Unfortunately, she couldn't speak right now to freely discuss her thoughts after reading Emperor Roselle's books with Mr. Hastur.
She could only watch helplessly as Hastur was called away by Hibbert to drink and socialize.
With no one disturbing her, Susie continued to lie in the corner of the second floor, observing everything that was happening here. She was the best audience member of the night.