Sylvia bustled about for a few minutes, getting herself ready.
She had also changed directly into her swimsuit and thrown on a light jacket.
The two of them left the villa. The island at night was not only pitch black but also rather chilly.
Sylvia thoughtfully conjured some flames that encircled them both, providing warmth while also illuminating the nearby area.
"Is this Sylvia's fire? It really is quite unusual."
Firefly reached out to touch the blue-green flames. They weren't quite the same as SAM's fire either.
"Where should we go to wait for the sunrise?"
"How about the barbecue spot from yesterday? Could even grill you some more tasty treats."
Firefly enthusiastically pulled out SAM's transformation device, looking all set to whip up another barbecue feast for Sylvia.
But then Sylvia took hold of her hand and gently pressed it down.
"Alright, alright, I know you're a pro at barbecuing with SAM, but let's take a break for now. Just sit with me for a bit."
"Hmm... okay then."
Firefly glanced at the hand Sylvia was holding, puffed out her cheeks, and made an utterly adorable expression.
So, the two found a spot right on the edge of a cliff and sat down close together.
In the pitch-black night, only the flames swirling around them offered any light.
And the hand holding Firefly's never let go, nor did Firefly try to pull away.
"Haah—"
Facing the sea breeze, Sylvia tilted her head back and let out a yawn.
"Still that sleepy?"
"It's fine. Let's talk for a bit."
Sylvia leaned sideways, resting her head on Firefly's shoulder, then said with a smile:
"Speaking of which, you said you don't have the ability to dream. So how will you handle things over in Penacony?"
"Silver Wolf has a way. Though I won't be able to enter the dream normally through the Dreampools. Might be treated as a stowaway."
"Hmm... Is that so? But I can help with the identity issue."
Firefly didn't go into detail, but since it was Silver Wolf, Sylvia figured it probably wasn't a big problem.
"Is it about that Miss Robin?"
"You already know about that?"
"Of course! Heh heh~ Please call me the all-knowing Miss Firefly."
Firefly proudly lifted her chin, wearing a clear 'praise me' expression.
"Wow—Miss Firefly is so amazing—"
"That's way too half-hearted! Really."
Blushing bright red from Sylvia's flat, robotic delivery, Firefly bumped her with a shoulder.
And then Sylvia bumped her right back.
After a moment of silence between them, Firefly suddenly spoke up again:
"When the time comes, will you dance with me at the Moment of Blue Hour? A gorgeous gown, elegant music, and a dance partner to share it with... I really want to experience that."
While Firefly's plan sounded nice, Sylvia, nodding along, suddenly remembered yesterday's cliff diving. She turned her head and asked:
"...Sounds good. But Miss Firefly, do you actually know how to dance?"
"Eheh~ I can learn later, can't I?"
"..."
Firefly stuck out her tongue, playing innocent. Sylvia shrugged helplessly.
Then she suddenly stood up, pulling a confused Firefly up with her.
"What is it? Ah—"
Firefly let out a surprised gasp. Sylvia, already smiling, pulled her into an embrace, an arm wrapping around Firefly's waist.
"Better not wait for later. Let's learn now. Otherwise, I'm afraid you'll get too busy and forget."
"I wouldn't forget! I'd ask Kafka to teach me."
Firefly puffed out her cheeks in a complaint but obediently placed one hand in Sylvia's palm and the other on her shoulder.
"Shouldn't I be leading, though?"
Even barefoot, Firefly was still a little taller than Sylvia.
"You don't even know how yet. Just let me lead!"
Sylvia used her voice to make her phone play a piece of music.
And then, dressed in their swimsuits and barefoot, the two began to dance on the cliff, encircled by the flames.
Their long, drifting hair shimmered under the firelight.
As time passed.
On the distant, utterly dark horizon, the first gleam of light suddenly blossomed.
The ray that split the night sky illuminated Firefly's eyes in that instant.
Making those shining eyes seem even more dazzling.
"The sun's rising."
Sylvia stared intently at the Firefly before her. Those jewel-like, beautiful eyes reflected the sunrise on the horizon.
"You should be looking at it—why keep staring at me..."
Firefly, growing a bit embarrassed under Sylvia's gaze, visibly blushed.
"But there's a beautiful sunrise in your eyes too."
"Pfft... Then I won't let you see. Go look at the sunrise over there!"
Firefly couldn't help but let out a soft laugh, her eyes narrowing as she deliberately blocked Sylvia's view.
The hand on Sylvia's shoulder lifted a finger to press against her cheek, nudging her gaze toward the direction of the sunrise.
Sylvia didn't resist, turning her head with Firefly's push to look at the gradually brightening skyline.
The steps of their dance also slowly came to a halt.
And Firefly, seizing the moment while Sylvia watched the sunrise, carefully studied Sylvia's profile, illuminated by the sunlight.
To be honest, even though Sylvia always said Firefly was the pretty one...
Firefly felt that Sylvia's pair of pure blue eyes were far more captivating.
Just then, Sylvia raised her phone and took a picture of the sunrise.
Then she immediately sent it to Acheron.
Sylvia didn't hide it, so Firefly clearly saw the conversation between Sylvia and Acheron. She asked curiously:
"You and Miss Acheron seem really close."
"Mhm. After all, it was Acheron who first saved me. Otherwise, I might not have made it this far."
"That's from before you went to the Xianzhou, right? Can I ask about it?"
Firefly suddenly grew curious. Elio hadn't gone into detail about Sylvia's past.
They only knew the broad strokes, not the specifics.
"Sure. Though there isn't really anything that special about it..."
Sylvia readily began telling Firefly the story of her first meeting with Acheron, her words carried on the morning sun.
"So that's what happened... Hehe, wish I had been the one you ran into. Then I could've seen the look on your face back then."
"You were still piloting SAM back then. If I had run into you, I probably would've been terrified."
Sylvia didn't even dare imagine what that scene would have looked like if she'd ended up performing the ceremonial bows with SAM back then.
"Hmm, that's true... SAM's reputation out there is pretty fearsome."
Naturally, Firefly had no idea what Sylvia was actually thinking, assuming Sylvia had simply been afraid of the Stellaron Hunter SAM back then.
As she said this, a glimpse of something from the corner of her eye caught Firefly's attention. Her tone instantly turned joyful, and she even gave a little bounce in Sylvia's arms:
"Look, the sun is fully out now—a brand new day has arrived."
"I see it. Do you really like sunrises, Firefly?"
Sylvia was curious about Firefly's excitement, which seemed greater than she had expected.
"Yes! I love watching the sun rise, feeling the start of a brand new day on every world. It's a wonderful feeling."
As she spoke, Firefly suddenly turned her head, gazing directly into Sylvia's eyes without any reservation.
"Sylvia, do you like it? This world where the sun keeps rising."
"Of course I do."
Sylvia met Firefly's gaze directly and gave her answer.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.