In the end, Cecil had to keep the feather on the inside of her shirt.

If she kept it anywhere that Xue was able to see, his handsome face would scrunch up in displeasure. Moreover, with Hana pointing it out whenever she saw it, saying it was the gift K'xug was referring to and marvelling at its beauty, she wasn't helping with the situation.

She had a feeling that if Xue continued glaring at it, the feather would burn into flames. If she were to be more specific, it would be burnt away by his special flames.

The crew had to spend the rest of the days relaxing in this town, awaiting the completion of the repairs on their ship. Whether it was training, shopping, chatting or dining, they did it all.

Whereas, Masaru was dealing with the aftermath and the "death" of the leader of this town. Many mourned for the death of their beloved leader, and the rest who knew the truth behind Rugi's existence, could only join in the mourning with conflicted expressions.

Rugi had been called out on many occasions, since Haru and the others were still unsatisfied. They tested his memories and were flabbergasted to hear Rugi listing them all out perfectly. From there on, no one tested him again.

"Tell me to call him out, once more."

Alas, it was more to do with Xue warning them in a murderous tone.

Despite everyone taking their time to relax, Xue, Cecil, K'xug and Hana couldn't help but notice the tense atmosphere among Haru and the others.

"We are finally confronting Ephert once and for all, especially for the captain," Yun explained the reason behind the fraughtful atmosphere. "It has been a long wait, for years. We also have to ensure the safety of the civilians he illegally forced into slavery, to build his own utopia. We have to ensure each and every one of their safety."

Each of them had their own thoughts on the situation.

"There is also the fact that people stronger than most of us are standing beside Ephert," Yun added, adjusting his glasses. "Right now, our victory is no longer certain."

None of them forgot Rugi's warning about the people beside Ephert.

Just like that, a few days passed. It had been a month since they were stuck in this town.

Finally, it was time for them to set off once again.

Whereas, in the streets, Xue looked up to a certain direction in the sky, his eyes narrowed. All of them were preparing to set off with their belongings packed.

"Is that the direction we are headed to?" Xue asked Kiyae.

"Yep," Kiyae answered nonchalantly. "Why are you asking?"

"..."

Xue didn't answer.

Kiyae shrugged, walking off and Cecil stepped in beside Xue.

"What's wrong, Xue?"

"I can feel it."

"...the pull of another fragment?"

"It's a strong one."

The two of them looked at one another.

Cecil widened her eyes in recognition. "Don't tell me...Jehan?"

"Most likely," Xue nodded. "...and he seems to have absorbed every other soul fragment in this continent."

She was horrified.

Unlike in the novel, the Jehan here was stronger now.

For Cecil, it would be the first time she wouldn't be able to meet a soul fragment that was introduced in the novel. She had no doubt it was due to the extended period of time they have been staying here.

Upon realising this, Cecil didn't know what to feel.

***

"To think I'd have to send off my new pretty little dancer so soon, what a pity." Tsuki clicked her tongue.

"Do you really find it a pity?" Cecil asked with a light smile.

"Not really," Tsuki chuckled, smoking her pipe. "You don't suit the environment here."

"I figured." Cecil laughed softly in return.

"Remember, tell your mother that I said "hello", and that her dancing is sorely missed by many." Tsuki continued, patting Cecil on the shoulder.

"I will do so, Miss Tsuki."

Tsuki looked up, staring at the crew before walking away with a wave. "I wish you all the best in your future endeavours."

"Thank you, Miss Tsuki!"

"We'll find you again, Miss Tsuki!"

Meanwhile, Masaru unexpectedly gave Xue a big hug.

Xue remained frozen, his expressions a mixture of disgust, confusion and annoyance.

Everyone else showed flabbergasted and fearful reactions towards Masaru.

"Ow-Owner! I'm so glad you finally found somewhere you want to belong!" Masaru heaved out, sobbing. "Please, I hope you live well and healthy! Just leave everything else here to me, and live on without worries!"

Cecil noticed the uncomfortable look on Xue's face, making her laugh softly. He grimaced, the expression on his face was saying as if he didn't want to deal with any of this.

Indeed, he did not want to.

For the second time, he pulled Rugi out from his mind once again, throwing everything onto him. Left with no other choice, Rugi awkwardly consoled his capable and emotional assistant.

Finally, they were finally back on the ship after saying their farewells to Tsuki and Masaru.

Everyone was looking at the ship with hopeful or bored looks. It was only Hana who looked at the ship with a dreadful expression.

"Don't worry, I made more medicine for your sea-sickness," Cecil offered the pills to Hana, which she could just swallow down with water. "Eat it now, go on."

Hana wore a pitiful expression.

Cecil only continued smiling.

In the end, Hana reluctantly swallowed down the pills. After all, Cecil made it just for her seasickness and nothing else.

"I don't want to ride ships anymore..." Hana said in an aggrieved manner.

"It can't be helped, since most of Tul is surrounded by water," Cecil patted her head, shrugging. "And the only mode of transport are ships."

Hana wanted to cry without tears.

The thought of riding ships again and again, with no end, made her feel utterly miserable. At this moment, she really wanted someone to pamper her and she glanced around, looking for that certain someone.

K'xug was trying to chase away Ryo, who was constantly pleading him to fight with him once. However, Yun and Haru had repeatedly warned K'xug not to spar with Ryo on the ship, unless they wanted a ship smashed into pieces.

After being kicked lightly by K'xug, Ryo finally left with a pout. However, that didn't meant that Ryo would stop bugging him.

"K'xug."

A demure voice called K'xug from behind.

He started to turn his body, but before he could, a pair of slim arms wrapped around his waist. They were covered by the sleeves of a kimono with flowery patterns.

K'xug stiffened.

"I will start to feel sick again..." Hana pouted, laying her head on his warm back. "If you are beside me, I won't feel so bad. Don't leave me, okay?"

Hana peeked her head out.

K'xug nodded stiffly.

A bashful smile tugged at her lips, and she couldn't resist nuzzling into K'xug's back with a giggle. "Thank you for always being beside me, K'xug."

The copper brown-haired man was completely frozen now.

"Oh!" Hana pulled back, peeking towards K'xug again. "K'xug, I didn't realise how broad your back is!"

"..."

She pressed herself closer to K'xug, snuggling. "It's so nice to hug you!"

Whereas, K'xug only remained in his position, not turning back even once. He lowered his head down onto his palm, the blush on his cheeks spreading all the way to the tip of his ears.

***

Cecil released a sigh, leaning against the taffrail. There were lights coming from the dining room on the ship, and the sound of laughter resounded throughout the ship. She knew they were only all preparing for the final battle against Ephert, and this was one of the ways to soothe their nerves.

However, for Cecil, other than thinking about their upcoming battle with Ephert and rescuing the slaves, she was preoccupied by the mysterious presence inside her mind.

AI500.

An enigmatic "system" that was bound to her from the beginning.

Memories that are mine but yet not mine.

Identities that are mine but not mine either.

Calling me by a name I cannot recognise.

Moreover, saying that I wasn't brought into this world by coincidence.

Cecil had been in this world for a year. Although, she had been losing track of time and it could have probably been more than a year.

A world that was originally a novel, but now, it doesn't seem like a novel to Cecil anymore. The people in this world, the objects and architecture, and the culture itself, Cecil knew they were all real.

"AI500."

[ How may I serve you, Cecil Lan? ]

"Could this world have been a real world before being written into a novel?"

[ You seem to be asking many questions these days~ ]

"You were the one who kept accusing me of not asking more frequently."

She could remember the days where AI500 mocked her for not asking specific questions. Now that she learnt from her lesson, she wouldn't miss the chance to have her questions answered anymore.

[ To answer that question now, this lowly me is unable to do so. ]

"..."

"You just don't want to answer me, admit it."

"Lowly you? As if you would refer to yourself that way."

[ ... ]

"You are running away again, aren't you?"

[ To answer that question now, this lowly me believes it isn't the right time. ]

"..."

Cecil wanted to cough out blood from the frustration, before hitting her chest multiple times to quell the fury she wanted to unleash upon AI500. She swore, if this "system" were to ever exist in a physical form, she would grab them by the collar, shake them and proceed to give them a good punch in the face.

"Cecil."

Her thoughts were interrupted by Xue calling out to her.

She turned to look at him standing beside her, and the moonlight shone down on him. He was holding a half-eaten parfait in his hands, the spoon dangling in his mouth as he gazed at Cecil fondly.

Cecil turned away from the sight.

He looks so cute.

What's wrong with me?

Why is it that everything he's doing these days...seems so cute to me?

Cecil held back her laughter, looking at Xue.

"You seem to like parfait a lot after Hana let you try it once," she noted with a slight smile. "Do you really like it that much?"

"I do," he admitted bluntly, removing the spoon from his mouth. "Very much."

Cecil blinked in surprise.

"It's sweet, fluffy and soft," Xue placed the spoon inside the parfait cup, wiping the cream away from the side of his mouth. "And it makes me feel warm on the inside."

He licked the cream away from his thumb, glancing at Cecil as his gaze deepened.

"Just like you, Cecil."

"...!"

Cecil could feel herself burning, and she glanced away hurriedly.

I take back what I said about him being cute!

Not cute! Not cute at all!

Why did he suddenly become fatal like Rugi!

Her heart palpitated in her chest, blinking rapidly.

Xue could see her flustered reaction and he placed his free hand on the wooden railings before resting his chin on it, observing Cecil affectionately.

"You are enjoying this, aren't you?"

"Yeah." Xue smirked.

She touched her reddened cheeks with her hands, exhaling heavily. A quiet moment passed with Xue relishing in the pretty view.

"...Cecil."

"Hmm?"

Xue placed his cup of parfait behind him on the railing.

"..."

He was hesitant, until he finally decided to speak up.

"...that day at the auction house," Xue questioned softly, his expression unreadable. "You heard the voice of the judgement, didn't you?"

Cecil paused.

She recalled the strange voice resonating within her mind that day. It was otherworldly and yet, it felt so familiar.

"I did," she nodded in response. "The voice...it sounds very familiar."

"Familiar?"

Cecil deliberated over her answer, before deciding to answer Xue honestly. "It's as if I heard that voice many times, in the distant past."

"You shouldn't be able to hear something like that, but...you are able to."

"Is it bad?" she asked.

"No, it isn't bad. At least, I don't think so, but it is strange..." Xue shook his head in response, his expression soft yet inscrutable. "When you mentioned the distant past, are you referring to your memories?"

"It does feel something like that." Cecil nodded with a frown. "It's a little hard to explain it into words."

Xue was reminded of the time when his soul was disrupted by Veau. He knew he had had some bizarre dreams and right now, those dreams became clear in his mind.

He was in a different environment, a different world with another person.

Another person that was his lover or lifetime partner.

Those people were drastically different from the raven-haired woman before him, yet somehow, he inexplicably knew that they were Cecil Lan.

No matter their appearance or personality, they were all the same person.

"Xue? Why are you looking at me like--"

A light breeze blew by, causing her long black hair to flutter and Cecil felt her hair tickling her face. She made a noise, lifting her head up and glancing up at the full moon. The bright stars littered across the night sky.

"Cecil."

She looked back at him.

At the same time, Xue reached out and tugged her hair behind her ear, his movements were gentle as his fingers brushed against the tip of her ears.

"Have I...met you somewhere else before?" He questioned, his voice growing softer. "In a different place, and in a different time."

She was befuddled.

If it was before, Cecil would have remained silent and smiled, not wanting Xue to know that he was a character in a novel that she read. She did not forget the warning from AI500 long ago, where if the characters knew they were in a novel, their world would break apart.

Although, she had a feeling that AI500 wasn't speaking the truth at that time. Instead of their world breaking apart, it felt like AI500 would be in that situation.

Nevertheless, right now, she did not know how to respond or react.

That's a question I'm asking myself as well.

Have I met you somewhere before, Xue?

In a different world, in a different timeline?

Cecil bit on her lower lip, and she knew being honest was the best decision she could make at this moment.

"I don't know, Xue," she answered. "I really don't know."

Xue noticed her conflicted expression, letting out a low chuckle.

"You don't need to be so troubled over it, since I don't really care," Xue swept her hair away from her forehead, leaning forward. "At the end of the day, it doesn't matter as long as you are here, right in front of me."

He kissed her forehead.

"Seriously, did you learn how to say sweet words like that from reading those books?" Cecil questioned in embarrassment. "It's so sweet, I'm speechless at times."

Xue stiffened.

"...yeah," Xue withdrew, gazing at her. "And Hana has been constantly nagging at me to talk to you more nicely."

Cecil blinked in surprise. "Hana?"

"This is talking nicely, right?" Xue asked, rubbing his neck awkwardly. "Kai and Alric said it was, so..."

Seeing his awkward expression, Cecil burst out in a hearty giggle.

"Don't laugh."

"Xue, you know, sometimes, you are really cute," Cecil said, a bright smile on her face. "Yes, what you just said was nice."

All of a sudden, the embarrassment that Xue felt dissipated.

Cecil continued laughing.

Xue found himself grinning at the sound of her melodious laughter, as well as the beatific smile on her face.

It was the toothy grin he always wore back in the heavenly realm.

***

《 start 》

Talk nicely.

I remember it used to be as easy as breathing for me.

Yet now, talking nicely is something foreign to me.

Ah, that's right.

Whenever I talked nicely to someone in the past, they would smile like that.

However, among all the smiles I have received...

Your smile is the only one that I want to remember and keep.

《 stop 》 

***

Author's Note: I apologise for not replying more frequently. I always tell myself to reply when I have the time, and when I do, I end up doing other things, LOL. Just know that, I read all the comments despite the numerous notifications I get. 

I would like to thank everyone that has been encouraging me so far, your comments are the only thing keeping the story alive and well! (As well as my imaginary writing career)

Lots of people have been scolding me for calling my own story mediocre, even my own friends, which really warms my heart. I still think it is mediocre in my eyes, but I'm glad everyone else differs from that pessimistic thought of mine!

Have a great week ahead, and take care of yourselves out there!