Louis lay in his bedroom in the Prince's Palace.

After talking with Miss Qian during the day, he quickly returned home.

Louis already had a vague answer in his mind.

Along with the deep night comes the weak passage to the underworld of fallen shadows that wriggles like a catworm.

Louis watched it crawling towards him, finally sighed, and took out the Sword of Reincarnation from his dimensional bag.

This time, he clearly felt the Sword of Rebirth vibrating.

"The essence of summoning... is it a bond?"

As he whispered, his figure was swallowed up by the passage without any surprise.

Accompanied by a dizzying feeling.

When Louis reacted, he had already arrived in the Shadowless Underworld.

Louis looked at the world of black, white and gray and whispered, "The Sleeping Festival will be here soon."

On February 17, Louis completed his training and on his way back, he discussed with the Moonlight Cat Group the mission to capture the ghost of Central Street.

On February 18, everyone went to the Shadowless Underworld and launched an attack against the ghost-like Shadowless monsters.

That same night, he was sucked into a weak channel while he was sleeping and met Miss Qian in the Shadow Underworld.

In the early morning of February 19, they successfully escaped from the Shadowless Underworld.

It was also on this day that he went to ask Miss Qian during the day whether she had been summoned.

Now, it is 22:00 on the evening of February 19, 14451.

There are only 2 hours left until the day of the Sleeping Festival.

The time of year when the spirits of the dead are most active is approaching.

As he fell into the Shadow Underworld, the Sword of Reincarnation in his hand began to vibrate unprecedentedly.

Louis didn't care.

His eyes looked around.

With a flash of lead-gray light, Miss Qian appeared in front of him.

She looked at Louis with some complicated feelings: "What exactly do you want to do? I still have the mission of protecting Her Highness Beatrice."

Louis looked up at her and said, "Untie your knot, and then complete the last step of being a child."

Qian opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end, nothing came out.

Suddenly, the sword of rebirth in Louis' hand burst into an unprecedented light.

In that light, an illusory figure slowly emerged.

Miss Qian's body shook and she shouted subconsciously:

"Father."

But she soon showed a complicated expression and said nothing more.

Rogge's illusory spirit slowly moved towards somewhere ahead.

Louis glanced at Qian and said, "Come on, let's go watch your father's last sunset."

Qian looked embarrassed, but was finally pulled by Louis to follow.

The spiritual light emanating from Rogge's body continued to spread around, carrying a sense of beauty that resembled a lotus blooming with every step.

Every time he took a step, large pieces of illusory fragments of memory would splash out.

The two people following behind him seemed to be strolling in the corridor of time.

He saw the war ghost roaring.

That was before Rogue left the Shadowless Underworld. At that time, Rogue had no concept of time.

The only thing to do is to fight! Fight! Fight! Until his life comes to an end.

Then one day, he saw a black sun.

When his life was in danger, a hand from the Black Sun reached out to him: "If you are still confused, then follow me."

That voice was the Emperor's.

Memory fragments kept splashing.

Scenes of Rogue and other Raven Guards fighting together appeared before his eyes.

The fragments appeared and disappeared very quickly.

Rogge continued walking forward.

Louis, who was following behind, suddenly looked up: "Miss Qian, look over there."

Qian raised her head subconsciously.

What came into view was a ruin.

The war ghost in steel armor blocked a collapsed building and saved the lives of a family under the ruins.

The heavy force knocked off his helmet, revealing a face that was not like a human.

“I’ll be scared.”

Rogge's tall body blocked the family:

"If you're scared, just leave."

Miss Qian paused, not knowing whether the man was talking about the panic of being almost buried by the ruins, or... himself.

However, something unexpected happened.

The little girl in the family hung a small white flower in her hand on the red ear of the war ghost.

After the family had moved away, Roger let go of his hand and was buried by the collapsed floor.

Soon, he tore through the wall and stood up from the ruins.

He was about to pick up his helmet that had been blown away, but suddenly he noticed the girl peeking around nearby.

After seeing Roger, she laughed and ran over.

She put a wreath she had just woven on Roger's head.

Snap, the memory fragments shattered.

Louis watched the scene and suddenly said, "That was your parents' first meeting."

Qian looked at the scene and for a moment it felt like a lifetime ago.

Another burst of memory fragments.

Most of them are scenes of Rogue and the Raven Guards fighting against demons and devils together.

Then Roger and his wife met again.

After this farewell, the little girl who had brought the wreath to Rogge has grown up.

In the largest piece of memory fragment, Louis saw the girl holding a basket of flowers and looking at Roger in confusion as he walked back onto the street.

She smiled brightly and trotted over to Rogge: "Mr. Rogge, do you still remember the little girl you rescued in the Old Capital ten years ago?"

She gestured with her hands very hard.

Maybe it was because the girl talked too much and hadn't had a good conversation for a long time, so Roger didn't know how to answer him for a moment.

once.

twice.

three times.

Louis and Xi watched them grow from acquaintance to understanding.

Then, suddenly one day.

It was a dark day, but the city of Tino was brightly lit.

The girl pulled Roger and said, "Mr. Roger, today is the Sleeping Festival, a celebration for those who sleep!"

Roger glanced at the girl and seemed to have no idea about the festival.

The girl cleverly lifted her skirt and said to Roger, "When the Sleeping Festival is about to end, the priests will light a bonfire and many people in the city will dance together."

"Mr. Roger, come with me to take a look."

Roger was silent for a moment, and finally agreed.

As new memory fragments flashed, the scene switched to the bonfire party.

As the bonfire lit up, music praying for the dead to not trouble the living sounded. At the Sleeping Ceremony, the girl stretched out her hand to Rogge:

"Mr. Roger, you are the only one who can invite me now. Do you want to dance?"

The girl in the firelight has clear and beautiful eyes.

Roger hesitated for a long time.

He actually found that many people wanted to come over and invite the girl to dance.

But she stood beside him, and her inhuman face scared away many people.

For some unknown reason, Rogge reached out his hand.

The flickering campfire illuminated their figures, leaving behind a trail of intertwining shadows.

After the dance, Rogge looked a little disappointed:

"You'd be welcome if I wasn't here."

The girl blinked and said, "But, I did it on purpose."

Roger was stunned.

The girl didn't say much.

Having said this, it was her last bit of reserve.

Roger looked at her quietly: "Are you serious?"

The girl shook her head.

Roger was silent for a long time.

"Next time, at the next Sleeping Festival, let me invite you."

"Your Majesty told me that this kind of thing should be done by men."

War Ghost said so.

The girl let out a cheerful laugh and ran off into the night.

That night, it snowed in Tino City, where the temperature had gradually turned warmer.

The two people following Rogge looked at the scene and suddenly felt like eating a lemon.

Half a year later.

Rogge underwent a special transformation of the origin of life, which seemed to be derived from the technology of a dragon clan that was good at life research.

It's spring again.

At the bonfire of the Sleeping Festival, the War Ghost extended an invitation to the girl.

Before the festival ended that day, the girl turned her head and looked at Roger: "Can we come again next year?"

“Every year,” Roger said.

Memory fragments shattered.

Louis watched the scene quietly.

He suddenly remembered that when he was observing Rogge's memory, it seemed that it was from this period of time that the war ghost began to have the concept of time.

"The annual dance appointment...?"

He sighed softly.

But now both of them are gone.

Not long after, the two got married.

They had a child.

The two began to try cooking together.

Girls like sweet food.

The war ghost, who was used to fighting on the battlefield, never thought that one day he would be troubled by making a dessert.

He's really not good at this, but he still tries hard to learn it.

He heard that Rudolph from the neighboring fraternity was very good at this, so he went over to ask for advice.

The memory fragments are increasing.

It swept over like a film.

Louis watched everything around him being gradually drowned by the memory fragments, looked at Qian and said:

"Have you found the person you were looking for?"

Qian didn't say anything, but just looked at their backs quietly.

Every year's sleeping festival becomes a anniversary for the newlyweds.

Year after year.

The two made precious memories that day.

Until...the plague of the living dead broke out.

That was the first time that Rogge missed the Sleeping Festival.

Roger gently hugged his lover and said solemnly, "We will break our promise this year. I have to go to the battlefield with my brothers. The plague of the living dead must not burn Unther, both for you and for the empire."

His wife gently stroked his cheek:

"Go ahead. You have to spend more time with me at next year's festival."

Roger nodded: "I'll stay with you all day."

Then……

Akane paused.

She couldn't bear to watch it anymore.

Louis said nothing and pulled her forward.

"Let me go."

Louis said calmly:

"Haven't you been looking for that person? She must have been waiting for your father for a long time."

Qian showed a dejected expression.

Louis said nothing.

All the experiences during this period collided in his mind.

Given that the Sleeping Festival can accommodate most of the citizens, where is the most likely place to be held? In the entire city of Tino, there are only two places.

One is a commercial street.

The other one is Central Street.

Since the commercial street itself has a large flow of people, the festival areas specially approved by Tino City are generally located in the central street connected to Tino Plaza.

——That was also the place where the two of them fell in love.

After Roger's wife died, her grave was buried in the Shadowfell Underworld.

After Roger got the "New Book of the Dead", he tried to resurrect his wife.

Unfortunately, it ultimately failed.

The pastor of the Church of Death and Sleep told Louis that the phenomenon of relatives appearing in dreams is most frequent around the Sleeping Festival every year.

so……

"Did you see your mother?"

Qian didn't say anything.

But at this time, silence is also an answer.

Suddenly, Rogue in front stopped.

Louis saw a spirit wrapped in countless streams of light colliding with Rogge's figure.

A violent white light flashed.

The world is bright.

Louis and Qian both closed their eyes subconsciously.

As the white light slowly dissipated.

When they opened their eyes, everything around them changed.

"Where is this..."

Louis looked at the surrounding scene in a trance.

It was a house of moderate size.

Qian lowered her head and said, "It's my home."

Louis was stunned for a moment: "Are we back to the Prime Material Plane?"

Qian shook her head: "This is still the Shadowfall Underworld."

Rogge, who had been walking forward in a trance, seemed to finally wake up.

He walked slowly in the empty room, and Louis followed curiously.

Then he found Roger standing in a corner, lowering his head.

Louis looked over.

It was a magical portrait.

The painting shows a photo of Roger and his lover.

He stood there for a long time.

Suddenly, the woman came over, with a blank look in her eyes, and placed a porcelain vase on the table, blocking the photo.

Then he walked straight towards a corner.

Roger seemed a little dazed.

There was a sound of a stove being started nearby.

Several people walked over.

Louis was stunned for a moment.

This kitchen... he had seen it before.

But not here, but in a dream.

Then……

A voice reading a recipe that appeared repeatedly in his dreams came.

The woman kept blanching the cut yam pieces in boiling water, then quickly took them out and rinsed them with cold water to drain the moisture.

She moved quickly and quickly put the processed yam into the dry starch and mixed it evenly.

Wait until the surface of the yam is evenly covered with a thin layer of starch, then put it back into the oil and heat it again.

She hurriedly turned on another stove and boiled sugar and oil together, stirring constantly until the color of the syrup changed from white to golden yellow.

But every time I took out the yam, the surface was over-fried.

There was none of the beautiful colors that had exploded in the previous dream.

Qian's nose felt sore.

Louis shook his head.

It is not easy to make sweet potato with sugar in a delicate and delicious way.

Neither Roger nor his lover are good at cooking.

Now Rogge stood there, seemingly caught off guard.

I wanted to go forward and touch my lover, but she didn't respond at all.

Qian was silent for a long time and didn't say anything.

Louis was silent for a moment, then whispered:

"When did you find out that your aunt's spirit had returned?"

Qian said, "I dreamed about her last year."

Louis was silent.

I'm afraid it's not the Sleeping Festival from last year? !

If we count the time...it had not been long since Rogue turned into a war ghost again.

Is she unable to let go of Rogue who has become a war ghost? Louis doesn't know.

After repeatedly trying to make the sweet potato with sugar and failing to produce the ideal shape, the woman finally seemed to realize that she could not complete the work.

She sat there quietly.

After a long time, she changed into a skirt, ate the not-so-perfect sweet potato, and walked out the door.

Roger followed her, but got no response no matter how he called her.

Louis and Qian followed behind them.

Outside the door is the bustling city of Tino.

In other words, it is the bustling city of Tino in Rogge's lover's memory.

But these costumes all carry an indescribable silence.

Louis knew why.

Because this is a sleeping festival.

Although there are also lively celebrations, festivals dedicated to the deceased are inherently more solemn.

It was already dark outside.

The woman walked all the way to the busiest street, quietly looked at the lively crowd in the distance, and sat in the corner, not knowing what she was thinking.

Louis suddenly realized.

Without Roger by her side, although she was already his wife, the still beautiful and charming woman attracted a lot of attention.

Some people came over and tried to invite her to dance.

Roger, who seemed to have woken up, acted a little anxious.

Fortunately, the woman rejected everyone.

She quietly looked at the people around her, swaying and dancing in the light and shadow of the campfire, lost in thought, not knowing what she was thinking.

The bonfire party was about to come to an end, and Roger looked a little lost.

Louis sighed.

This should be the bonfire party that Roger missed.

He made an appointment to attend the next dance with his lover.

At that time, he should have been killing the undead together with the Raven Guards.

Later...

Later he broke his promise again.

The city of Tino was attacked by the army of the living dead not long after this time.

This may be a regret that Rogge has been unable to avoid in the years since then.

Just when the party was about to end and everything was about to return to peace.

After the crowd gradually dispersed, Roger's lover suddenly stood up.

The moonlight shines on this solemn square.

There was no bonfire, no music, and the crowd gradually dispersed.

She made a nonchalant gesture as if she had been invited.

Louis was stunned.

In a trance, he seemed to think of the scene in the previous memory fragment when Rogge first invited his lover.

Look back again.

Just like the skirts of those days...

No, it's exactly the same as it was back then.

She bent slightly.

In the silence, as if she could still feel Roger's company, she danced alone in the increasingly empty streets.

Rogge's soul suddenly took a step forward.

The moonlight is flowing.

Reflecting the returning souls and the departed ghosts of war.

The boundary between life and death seems to be blurred at this moment.

Neither spirit's hands touched the other's.

But their tacit coordination gave Louis and Qian the illusion that they could really touch each other.

As only embers remained of the surrounding bonfires, the wife subconsciously leaned back.

Roger reached out his hand and tried to hold her waist, just like when he held her and danced with her at the party.

This time.

The fingertips of the two finally touched.

"I'm back."

"Welcome back."

Two voices sounded almost at the same time.

As a result, the sword of rebirth held in Louis' hand began to vibrate wildly.

Qian watched the scene quietly, and finally smiled with relief.

The next moment, lead-gray streaks of light also flashed in front of her.

Louis couldn't hold the Sword of Reincarnation in his hand for a moment and watched it fly into Qian's body.

The lead-gray light merged with the sword of rebirth.

A crisp sound was heard.

The Sword of Reincarnation actually split into two.

Qian raised her head blankly, and the two people who were dancing were looking at her with extremely gentle eyes.

Her nose felt sore when her mother brought another knife to her.

This time, there was no more electric light on the sword.

"Trouble." Roger looked at Louis and said.

Louis shook his head: "No trouble."

The wife looked at Qian and said, "It must be very hard, but don't cry."

Qian shook her head: "I haven't cried for a long time."

“Is that so…”

The two figures slowly disappeared.

A black sun shines in the night sky.

Louis raised his head and glanced at the black sun.

"Emperor, oh emperor, you are really..."

Correcting typos

(End of this chapter)