Chapter 93 Good morning, Reinhardt. Good evening...
Buster is actually a man who cares a lot about his image, and he always makes sure he looks dashing and handsome. But this time, he had been unconscious for several days, and after waking up, he was busy traveling and had no time or energy to pay attention to his appearance. That's why he appeared in front of his sweetheart with messy hair and stubble.
He felt regret, genuine regret.
This was the first and probably the last time Reinhardt truly "saw" him, and he was in such a sorry state.
What if... Reinhardt doesn't like it?
The thought, like a tiny thorn, pierced Buster's anxious heart. But this helpless tension melted away the moment he met Reinhardt's gaze.
Those clear, water-like eyes were quietly gazing at him. Then, Reinhardt slowly smiled at him—without surprise, without disdain, only pure joy and tenderness from the bottom of his heart. Buster clearly saw unreserved love in those eyes that reflected his own image.
He saw Reinhardt try to raise his hand to touch him. But the arm only lifted slightly before falling limply back to its original position, like a bird with a broken wing.
He had no strength left.
Buster felt a sharp, aching pain in his chest, almost making it hard to breathe. He quickly bent down, carefully took the cold hand, and pressed it against his cheek.
The hand was icy cold, as if it had just been pulled from the far north, chilling Buster to the bone. Yet he held it with precious care, wrapping the coldness in his own warm palm, even subconsciously tilting his head to let the other person touch the relatively smoother part of his face, avoiding the prickly stubble.
With his other hand around Reinhardt's thin back, Buster was about to lift him up when the limp body suddenly slumped forward.
Reinhardt refused to kneel; whether on the execution platform or in the cathedral, he always stood tall and remained proud.
But now, he has someone he can rely on.
"!"
Buster hurriedly pulled the person into his arms, but he himself was already at his limit. The excessive exertion caused him to stumble under the weight. He gritted his teeth and used his last strength to protect the person in his arms, kneeling on the ground to barely steady himself.
He lowered his head, feigning composure, and tried to force a nonchalant smile. But when he saw Reinhardt's condition in his arms, his smile froze on his face.
Reinhardt's long hair, flowing down his arms like lifeless moonlight, quietly broke off and scattered at his fingertips.
A surge of emotion welled up from his heart, unexpectedly dripping onto Reinhardt's beautiful eyelids. His eyelids twitched, as if burned, and warm droplets slid down his eyelids to the corners of his eyes.
Like tears shed by a god, they silently slid down her cheeks and merged into the starry sky.
His Reinhardt was still smiling, his eyes like those of a small animal examining something new, staring at him intently, as if trying to memorize his appearance.
Buster kissed his palm.
"I'm so glad to see you." A faint yet clear voice resonated deep within Buster's heart, carrying a gentle farewell. "But you should leave now."
The king is dead, and the second prince intends to use this opportunity to launch a coup. After the purification is complete, this place will become a battlefield. Regardless of the final outcome, Buster, as a member of the military bandit gang, is not suited to be here.
He was already trapped, but Buster still had hope.
But Buster laughed.
“I want to be with you, but you never want to come with me.” His handsome face held a helpless yet extremely doting affection, as if he were indulging a willful child. “There’s no other way, I have to go with you.”
He held the cold body in his arms tighter, trying to use his body heat to dispel the bone-chilling cold, his voice low and firm, carrying an undeniable plea.
"I couldn't be a part of your past, but in your future, even if it's just for a little while, please include me, okay?"
Buster's voice flowed softly in her ear, and his kiss landed on Reinhardt's brow.
Don't leave me alone.
The eyelashes danced with particles of light, which eventually settled into the pupils. Reinhardt's emerald green eyes gazed intently at Buster's handsome profile.
With all his might, as if responding with action, he slowly curled his fingertips, gripping Buster's fingers back.
...
In the 230th year of the Harlin Empire, the last god fell.
...
In the same year, Harin VII launched a coup, conquering his corrupted brother and his private army, while also repelling the storm bandits who took advantage of the chaos to invade, and formally ascended the throne.
*
Floating in a vast, empty Milky Way, the blond boy slowly opened his eyes after an unknown amount of time.
His emerald green pupils were veiled in a thin mist, which gradually dissipated as he regained consciousness, and his pupils became bright.
Seemingly bewildered by the fact that he was still alive, the beautiful creature, whose body remained floating, looked around.
"Good morning, Reinhardt." The familiar voice rang out, as ethereal as ever.
Reinhardt's eyes flickered slightly, but he maintained his manners and obediently nodded in response.
"Hello."
He looked up at the distant starry sky and expressed his doubts.
"Am I dead? Where am I...?"
"It's a pity," the deity symbolizing knowledge chuckled briefly, "you are still alive."
Reinhardt didn't understand.
In the very end, he truly felt life slipping from his fingertips, and his body disintegrating and dissipating along with Buster.
Logically, he shouldn't still be alive and here.
The deity symbolizing knowledge seemed to have heard the question in his heart and took the initiative to answer it, saying, "It was I who kept you here."
Amid Reinhardt's bewilderment, the voice was like a gentle mother, giving Reinhardt a foothold to stand on.
He said.
"I don't really believe that humans can sustain the continuation of this ancient and profound history and knowledge. Ultimately, it's because their lives are too short."
"But when your lover came to me and begged me to exchange his life for your continuation, I seemed to understand that time would not stop them from moving forward."
"Even though life is so short, they are willing to give everything for it."
"Knowledge exists independently of me and will not disappear with my death."
"It is passed down by humankind, and its symbolism can be attached to any medium, not just me. And I should also leave, let go, and entrust the future to new life."
"It is a gentle god," said the deity.
"But my power is weak. All I can do now is keep you here and let you become human."
Realizing that this gentle elder had exchanged his life for it, Reinhardt showed a rare look of anxiety.
Please don't do this, don't make me feel guilty.
The deity, a symbol of knowledge, soothed his unease with a gentle voice.
"You are the seed," He whispered, like a mother, transforming the hope of life's continuation into points of light, merging them into Reinhardt's body.
He said.
"You are hope."
"The age of gods has officially come to an end. You have no mission to bear, and your life belongs entirely to you."
Reinhardt's pupils flickered slightly, and the mist in his emerald green eyes completely dissipated, replaced by an unprecedented clarity and tremor that belonged to "humanity".
He slowly lowered his head and looked at his hands. No longer that cold, almost transparent divine body, his fingertips felt a subtle warmth, and he could feel his own pulse beating in his palms, a vibrant yet fragile life force flowing within them.
The human heart beats steadily in the chest cavity, each beat bringing unfamiliar and surging emotions.
He survived.
As a human being.
“Then… my lover.” Reinhardt looked up abruptly, before he could finish speaking, the voice seemed to know what he was thinking, carrying a distant sigh.
He's waiting for you.
As soon as he finished speaking, the vast galaxy around him began to recede slowly like a tide, and the power that had been supporting him gradually dissipated.
Reinhardt's eyes stung slightly.
He closed his eyes and murmured a grateful word.
"good evening."
As the soft laughter faded away, Reinhardt felt a slight sense of weightlessness, followed by the feeling of solid ground beneath his feet.
He stood in a forest at dawn.
Dew dampened his simple, plain clothes, its coolness clinging to his skin. Birds chirped in the branches, their calls sharp and piercing. Sunlight filtered through layers of leaves, casting dappled patterns that made him squint. The air was thick with the mixed scent of earth, grass, and wildflowers, a rich and complex aroma.
All sensory experiences were magnified countless times, vivid, lively, and even slightly uncomfortable.
He subconsciously raised his hand, but a dark figure stood in the distance, its shadow falling into his eyes through the slightly parted fingers.
Reinhardt's pupils suddenly contracted.
He lowered his hand, and even though the intense light made his eyes uncomfortable, he still used those eyes to carefully discern whether the figure was real or not.
Then he saw Buster, and saw the unshaven man smiling as he walked briskly toward him.
Reinhardt laughed too, taking his first step as a human being. His steps were a little unsteady, but unusually firm, as he walked towards the world that belonged to him.
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Author's Note: With this, the story of Gods has officially come to an end!
[Crying][Crying] Poor Reinhardt, you've had a tough time!
Starting tomorrow, we'll be doing bonus chapters! And they'll all be free bonus chapters, no extra charge!
It will continue to drop like the game next door (of course, the extra chapters of Squid Strips will also continue to drop).
My next book probably won't be published for a very long time. I need to go out and travel, to absorb more fresh material and knowledge to fill my yellowish brain. _(:з」∠)_
See you again someday [please]
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