"Lord God."
Yae Sakura approached Xin Yu from behind, holding a tray. Xin Yu turned and saw the young woman, and the rice balls on the tray. He then realized it was probably time to eat. He had been wandering around Longkong City, clearing out Deadmasks and Honkai Beasts, and had completely forgotten about his three daily meals.
Xin Yu reached out, took a rice ball from the girl's tray, and took a few bites. Mm, still the familiar sensation, the familiar taste—which was to say, nothing at all.
However, Xin Yu naturally couldn't show that he hadn't tasted anything. He simply smiled, ate a portion, and then said to Yae Sakura, "Alright, you go eat too. And please, don't call me Lord God anymore. I'm really not a god, and that title sounds a bit strange."
"Yes, Lord God."
"...Sigh! My name is Xin Yu."
"Yes, Lord God."
Xin Yu was truly exasperated. Over the past few days, he had emphasized his name several times and asked these people not to call him Lord God, but without exception, they would all nod as if they understood, only to call him Lord God again moments later.
If this continued, Xin Yu felt he might actually get used to the title.
Xin Yu sat on a long bench to the side, gazing at the blue sky and white clouds, silently sinking back into his state of relinquished thought, slowly cultivating himself in this manner that appeared like slacking off but was, in reality, training.
Yae Sakura withdrew to the side, finished her food and tea, took the items to the kitchen to wash them, and then wiped her mouth with the towel Lord God had conjured, ensuring her composure. Afterwards, she returned to Lord God's side, ready to serve at any moment.
In the leisurely afternoon, a young man sat on the floor, gazing at the sky, lost in a daze. A young woman attended by his side, her gaze resting on the young man's back. Though she would occasionally shift her eyes out of reverence, her gaze would soon return to him.
The young man, while spacing out, suddenly felt for some reason that the atmosphere needed some music. Eventually, he slowly began to hum a song.
"A tiny little cloud, ah~ slowly drifts on by~ Please rest your weary feet, ah~ and pause beneath the sky~"
A gentle melody flowed from the young man's lips. Gradually, the song carried farther and farther, until even the villagers laboring in the fields could hear their Lord God's humming.
The elderly gazed silently into the distance, reminiscing about their youthful years, about the joys and sorrows, partings and reunions of their lives.
The adults inexplicably recalled their childhoods, when they were by their parents' sides, listening to their parents talk about the day's trivialities, listening to the stories their mothers occasionally told.
And the young children found the song exceptionally beautiful, humming along softly with their god.
They didn't understand the meaning of the song the god was singing; after all, it was in a language they didn't know.
But they could understand the emotions conveyed in the song.
The old people shed tears, a nostalgic remembrance of times past.
The adults wiped away tears from the corners of their eyes, a testament to their love for their parents.
The children laughed and sang the song aloud, their clear, young voices, carried by the wind, traveling farther and farther, as if they could be borne to the very ends of the world.
At dusk, the young girl who had been chosen as a human sacrifice a month prior was astonished to find many villagers gathered at her family's doorstep. This reminded her of what had happened a month ago, and her body couldn't help but tremble slightly. But then she saw many of the uncles and aunties who had previously tied her up and taken her to the shrine, now tearfully apologizing to her.
They wept as they apologized to the victimized girl, apologizing for their past ignorant and foolish transgressions, apologizing to the innocent and kind children they once were.
They didn't know what had come over them, but Lord God's song seemed to have awakened the lingering good in people's hearts, reawakening the innocence that had gradually faded with growth.
They felt ashamed of what they had done, so they came before this young girl to apologize to this innocent victim. Even if they weren't forgiven, it would at least alleviate the guilt in their hearts.
After they had apologized, they felt that their once heavy bodies and minds had become much lighter. A smile appeared on everyone's face.
The young girl watched the departing backs of the villagers. For some reason, she thought she saw a small figure following behind each person, like tiny little children.
Some were hopping and skipping, some held tree branches, some held flowers, some clutched insects, and some held smooth, round stones.
Those children smiled and waved at the girl, then chased after the villagers walking ahead, chasing after the adults who had originally left them farther and farther behind.
"...I think we really did do something wrong. Not just because Lord God opposed it, but because what we did was inherently wrong."
"Yeah, we were truly wrong."
"Hehe! Lord God's song was so nice to listen to. Hey, how did it go again? I forgot."
"You, you've been this silly since you were little!"
"Don't talk about me! Weren't you a bit daft when you were a kid too? Everyone even thought you'd be like that your whole life."
"I was still small back then!"
"Oh really? I remember you were still wetting the bed when you were eight! Hahahaha!"
"Damn it! How could you bring something like that up! Stop right there, don't run!"
"I will run, I will run, come and catch me! Hahaha!"
Two adults were now like children, chasing each other and playing. At this moment, they briefly forgot their roles as pillars of their families, rediscovering their past, rediscovering the young children they once were.
"Dad, I must have caused you a lot of trouble over the years. Your son has really shamed you."
"It's good that you know you were wrong. Did you apologize to them?"
"Mm. I feel just saying sorry might not be enough. I'm planning to go help plow their fields tomorrow."
"Mm, I'll also go visit them personally tomorrow. I need to admit my mistake too. This past month, I haven't said few bad things about their family hiding that their daughter lost her chastity. I spread so many rumors, said so many things, I need to apologize too."
"...Dad, I miss Mom."
"...Alright. In a couple of days, when things quiet down a bit, we'll go to your mom's grave, clear the weeds, and tell her about what's been happening these days, these years... sniffle! Your mom worried about you since you were little. She said you were too impulsive and prone to making mistakes."
"Yeah, Mom was right... sniffle! I still remember when I tore someone else's clothes, she chased me with a wooden stick, and the whole village laughed at me... After we got back, she stroked my head. I was the one crying from the beating, but she cried along with me... sniffle!"
Xin Yu snapped out of his daze to find that night had fallen unknowingly. He then noticed a young woman leaning against his back, asleep.
He smiled faintly. Using his power, he gently lifted the girl, letting her head rest on his lap. He flicked his hand, conjuring a cloud of water, then transformed that water cloud into a light blanket, covering Yae Sakura with it.
Yae Sakura rested her head on Xin Yu's lap. This time, her dream contained no pain or despair, nor any beauty so profound it could make one drown in it.
She slept, enjoying the warmth and absolute peace of this moment.