Until We Meet Again — Meilin

“Haruki, can I borrow your staff?”

“Sure, what for?” He passed his staff to me, and I pointed it right at Haokei.

“For this.”

Haokei braced for impact, as if expecting me to finish her off.

A soft, amber light shot from the staff, spreading over Haokei’s body. In a wink, she was cured of her weakened state, and the youthful rosiness returned to her cheeks once again.

“W-why…did you save me?” She gasped, marveling at her fresh skin.

“Because,” I paused, looking at Himari, whose body was already resembling that of a dragon. “I may not be a heroine, but I’m not a villain either.”

The gates of the Hieron Shrine opened, revealing a small portal at the top of the amber tree. There were starry, angelic steps leading to the top, resembling the Stairs to Heaven from Tian Cheng.

“Wait!” Himari called out; her face was already morphing into that of a dragon. “Can I hug you guys one last time?” She spread her arms out wide and smiled.

My legs took off without permission. I wrapped Himari in a big, warm embrace. One last time…before her body turns cold.

“Here.” She whispered, tying one of her red ribbons in my hair. “My lucky ribbon. May you have a pleasant flight back to Earth!”

“Thank you.” Tears were swelling up in my eyes. I wished I could remain in her embrace forever, but I could see two more people waiting.

Jianyun clutched Himari awkwardly. The tension between them as they hugged was laughable. She handed a broken spear back to him, “Thank you for being my teacher. I won’t need this anymore, so I’m returning this to you.”

I chuckled. Guess she’s leaving the other ribbon for Haruki.

Haruki stood in front of Himari, intertwining his fingers with hers. Himari placed her other ribbon in Haruki’s hands and gave him a tight squeeze.

Not a single thread of cheekiness remained as he vowed, “Himari, in another life, where I’m not a cat, and you’re not a dragon, I shall make you my Madame.” I’ve never seen him this serious.

Himari giggled, “Is this a proposal?”

“Yes.” He wrapped Himari in a hug once again.

At that moment, nobody said anything. Not even Himeka, who was eager to return to her mistress.

Both Himari and Haruki’s faces flushed until Himari broke the silence. “It’s a promise.” She beamed. Even in her last moments as a human, her smile never faltered.

We made our way to the Hieron Shrine.

It was named a shrine, but once inside, it felt more like a garden.

Mysterious plants that I can’t even name blossomed inside the shrine. There was a pond in the middle, with lotuses the colour of amethysts. The wish orb luminesced, calling out to its home.

There was a sacred lotus in the middle, its receptacle glowing in response to the wish orb.

I turned to my companions.

“I guess this is goodbye.” I couldn’t wait to return home. I had already been brainstorming ideas on how to surprise my mother. She’d be so happy to see me again. Butterflies fluttered in my heart as I thought about her.

She loves me so much.

I’ll have to learn to cherish her love.

“Goodbye, Madame Meilin.” The playfulness in Haruki’s voice returned. He must’ve been accustomed to bidding farewell to his owners.

“Goodbye, Haruki.”

Jianyun remained silent, as if deep in thought. Oh well, I was expecting a warmer farewell from him.

I took off my heels and took three careful steps into the pond.

The water’s cold.

It was as if the freezing water had reactivated my mind, as a new idea sprang forth.

“Hey, Haruki? Jianyun?”

“Yes?” They replied in unison.

“If it isn’t too much of a request, please find a way to save Himari from her fate.” I clutched the wish orb closely. “She’s done so much for me, and she doesn’t deserve an end like this. I have an idea, and while it’s a ludicrous idea, I’m really hoping you two can achieve this.”

Haruki and Jianyun looked at me with anticipation.

“Please eliminate the orbs in Elysium.”

“What?” Haruki meowed, his cat-like side hopping out. “Why?” Jianyun was also frowning dubiously.

“Orbs are the core of magic in Elysium. However, after being in Arcana, I’ve learned that it’s a punishment for the strays, a temptation from the goddess of purity. If we can get rid of orbs, Himari wouldn’t have to be trapped in Aokaze Peak as a dragon.”

“But that’s outrageous! Orbs are the essence of Elysium!”

“Yes, but it’s also the cause of monsters and corruption. Without orbs, there wouldn’t be corruptions. Places like Tian Cheng wouldn’t be destroyed; instead, they would thrive, leading to a more promising future.”

With the mention of Tian Cheng, Jianyun seemed to switch sides. “I agree. Elysium would be much more peaceful.”

“But magic is my everything! My first Madame devoted herself to helping others with magic! It isn’t necessarily a bad thing!”

“Yes, and that’s exactly why I found your next Madame for you.” My eyes shone with a twinkle of ambition. “Remember Witch Celeste? She has dedicated herself to studying magic, but not magic stemming from orbs. She studies magic in the form of potions. If we replace orbs with potions, then Elysium shall have both peace without monsters and freedom with magic. It will be an arduous journey, and that’s why I entrust it to you. With your wits, I’m sure it’ll be a breeze.”

“Okay, okay, nya. You’re not only stubborn, but shrewd as well! How can I resist?” With that, Haruki was convinced as well. I not only provided him with a candidate as his next Madame, but I also gave him the purpose of his next journey.

I smiled. Success!

I set the wish orb down in the receptacle of the lotus.

The outline of the orb blended into the receptacle, as it was laid inside the lotus.

I felt my body become light as a feather. I turned back to face my companions and clasped my hands together in the form of a prayer.

“I wish to return home.”

The lotus exploded into a million pieces, the flower petals caught by the wind and rose into the air, swirling around like confetti.

My lips parted slightly in awe as I savored the panorama in front of me.

Suddenly, I felt someone clutch my hands closely. “Jianyun?” His body was pressed against mine, and I could feel the whisper of his breath on my lips.

“I love you.”

The last thing I felt was his cold lips pressed against mine.