"Sleepy?" Feeling the plane slowly descending, Chu Lian turned to ask Inori beside her. She had already slept for a long time, so it was hard for her to fall asleep again on the plane, her mind constantly filled with thoughts.
Inori, on the other hand, sat there holding Fyu-Neru, staring blankly at Chu Lian. When Chu Lian noticed it, she also began staring back at her.
They had been looking at each other like that for several hours—almost since the plane left the United States.
What kind of emotions were conveyed in that gaze, only the two of them knew. Still, such a rare moment of solitude between them was precious.
"A little sleepy, but we'll arrive soon, so I can rest when we get there." For those of Spirit level and above, physical fatigue was rare. Most of the time, it was mental exhaustion that demanded rest.
"Inori, having you with me along the way has been wonderful. If not for you, I probably wouldn't have survived that battle in the bamboo forest." Chu Lian reached out and tightly clasped Inori's hand, her voice gentle.
"It wasn't just me, Lian. Chu Chu, Xiu'er, all of us were by your side, weren't we?" Inori said softly, feeling the warmth in her palm.
Indeed, if not for them—those girls who had followed her without regret no matter the danger—how long could she have endured walking alone?
"That's why I'm so lucky. So lucky to have met all of you, who never abandoned me." This life was the opposite of her last. No longer the one left behind, she now had a group of girls who followed her faithfully through every hardship.
"We shouldn't stop here. We must keep moving forward—until the day we can lay down every burden." As Inori spoke, Chu Lian seemed to see two faint silhouettes appear beside her.
It was Mana Ouma and Eve, both in deep slumber. Although Chu Lian hadn't interacted with them much, their shared connection with Inori—the trinity of souls—meant Inori's emotions were well known to them.
"As long as I have you all with me, even if the road ahead is a bottomless abyss, I'll jump without hesitation." Smiling, Chu Lian held Inori's delicate hand tightly. Mana and Eve gave her an understanding smile before fading away like drifting sand.
"Hm? Big Sis, have we arrived?" Chu Chu, who had been asleep holding Pikachu, rubbed her eyes and looked at Chu Lian and Inori's intertwined hands. A flicker of envy flashed in her gaze, but she quickly concealed it and asked softly.
"Yes. We'll get off soon, rest for a bit, and then we'll finally be home." Chu Lian lifted her other hand and gently stroked Chu Chu's cheek, making her narrow her eyes comfortably.
"That's right... going home. I really miss Mom. She'll be shocked when she sees I've broken through her seal, won't she?"
"Chu Chu has become stronger too. From now on, I'll be Big Sis' support. Even if I can't charge into battle for you, I'll never let anyone hurt you again." Chu Chu held Chu Lian's hand, gently rubbing it against her cheek, her gaze filled with determination.
Just like that time—when her big sister, only a year older, had stood fearlessly as a human shield to protect her, refusing to move even an inch despite being gravely injured.
It was a nightmare of a day. A man whose face she could no longer recall had attacked them madly. Big Sis had shielded her in her arms, taking every blow on her own back.
If their mother hadn't arrived in time to subdue that man, her wounded and bloodied sister might have disappeared from her world forever.
Their mother had cried while holding both of them. She, too, had cried while hugging her pain-enduring sister. Even as her wounds bled, her sister had smiled warmly, comforting both her and their mother.
Even when she herself was the one suffering, she had always been the one to bring warmth to others.
Over the years, her Big Sis had grown stronger, and she, too, had become braver.
Always standing before her, shielding her from harm.
Always using that not-so-tall figure to protect her, never considering that she, too, could fight.
Always smiling gently after being injured, comforting her while hiding her own pain.
She might be a fool, but she was also the best big sister in the world—her one and only, irreplaceable big sister. If anyone dared to hurt her, Chu Chu would give up her life to kill that person.
"Silly girl, when did I ever say you couldn't fight beside me?" Chu Lian gently squeezed the hand that was holding hers, a soft smile appearing on her lips.
"You never said that, Big Sis." Chu Chu didn't say what was really in her heart. Instead, she simply nuzzled her like a cat.
"Big Sis just won't let you stand in front of me—at least, not until I fall first."
Outside the window, faint lights could already be seen—a sign that the city was waking up again.
Flying from the east coast of America to London, England, was a journey of over six thousand kilometers, taking around eight hours. From nine at night until now, it was already six in the morning.
"Let's get some rest first. We'll depart again around eight tonight. By tomorrow, we'll be home," Ning Zhiyuan stood before the girls and announced their schedule.
"But everyone, take note—you can't wander around freely. Unless you have someone strong enough to protect you, you'll need to stay inside the hotel. So, for those hoping to explore the scenery of this so-called 'rotten kingdom,' there won't be a chance this time. Maybe next time."
Although some were disappointed by the restriction, most students understood. After all, the previous incidents had been terrifying. No one wanted to experience that again.
Staying in the hotel might not be very free, but it was certainly safer, and they could finally rest properly.
"Weren't we planning to go to King's Cross Station?" Liu Yanran, walking beside Chu Lian, asked curiously. She really wanted to go out for a bit.
"We can have Xu Zhiqing accompany us. If she comes along, it should be fine," Li Xiu'er suggested, also eager to go out.
From yesterday afternoon until just before the plane landed, they had mostly been sleeping. None of them wanted to keep sleeping now.
The Poro in Li Xiu'er's arms seemed to echo her mood—it opened its mouth, sticking out a big tongue, its wide eyes looking up at Chu Lian adorably.
"No problem, I'll talk to her about it. But that'll have to wait until the afternoon. You all should rest first—Inori and I haven't rested properly yet," Chu Lian replied casually. She didn't mind the request at all, though she herself had something to do later.
"Big Sis, so we'll just stay in the hotel all morning?" Chu Chu asked, tugging gently on Pikachu's ear to make it look at her, then turning her head toward Chu Lian.
"We could always... do something naughty~" Seeing her slightly expectant expression, Chu Lian leaned close to her ear and whispered in a teasingly seductive tone.
"N-naughty... things?" Chu Chu's ears burned from the warmth of her big sister's breath. She asked in a trembling voice, both startled and delighted.
"Mm-hm. Like... licking~ feet, for instance." Chu Lian's voice remained alluring, though her tone turned a bit more teasing.
"Ahh, Big Sis, don't bring that up! That was my fault... I couldn't resist your beauty, so I..." Chu Chu's face flushed scarlet at the memory. She still worried that her big sister might be disgusted by it.
"No need to worry. I actually liked that feeling very much. Next time, when I'm fully conscious... how about we try it again, hmm?" As she spoke, Chu Lian suddenly blew a soft breath into Chu Chu's ear, making her legs go weak. She nearly collapsed, but Chu Lian caught her by the shoulders before she fell.
Anna, sitting nearby, glanced over curiously, not understanding what Chu Lian's words meant.
Chu Lian blinked at her, realizing she might've gone too far. She quickly reined herself in and spoke again in her usual tone. "We should be glad our hotel isn't run by the British. Otherwise, I'd have no appetite for their food."
...
The first rays of sunlight slowly pierced through the thick clouds in the distance. Watching the dawn break, Chu Lian felt a deep sense of emotion. Yesterday at this exact time, she had been on the verge of despair. The most dangerous part of this journey was now behind them—they had survived to see another sunrise.
She wasn't the only one who felt that way. The other girls shared the same thought as the soft golden light bathed them, its faint warmth carrying a sense of renewal, like they had lived through another lifetime. Their hearts, touched by that fragile light, grew tender and alive.
"We should be grateful for this experience. Cruel as it was, it's something we'll never forget. It's a victory we earned through our own strength, isn't it?" Chu Lian turned, her eyes sweeping across the faces of the girls. A gentle smile curved her lips.
"Still, once is enough for something like that. Any more, and it would be too exhausting." Though her words sounded light, deep down, Chu Lian never wanted to go through such an ordeal again. The pain of almost losing everything had nearly crushed her heart.
"By the way, Big Sis, is it really okay for us to just keep them like this?" Chu Chu suddenly lifted the Pikachu in her hands and asked.
"It's fine. We've already seen dragons appear—having a few more little creatures around won't hurt anything. Besides, they're adorable and harmless. Who knows, they might even become popular pets someday." Chu Lian didn't seem worried at all. She already understood—the world was changing rapidly.
In the future, more and more things beyond science would emerge. A new age of fantasy was returning, blending with the age of technology.
She looked forward to that change—welcomed it. The stranger the world became, the grander the stage would be.
Having already grown used to such a life, Chu Lian hoped the future would be even more dazzling.
"Everyone, get ready to welcome the new era..." she said softly, her gaze distant as she looked at the girls.
From that day on, everything began to change...