The final incantation lingered like the dying note of a finale, the light vanishing in a flash.
Afrit was gone. In its place stood only a massive, crystalline coffin, translucent and gleaming.
Within the sarcophagus, no longer blazed scorching flames—only a wisp of Netherfire, eternally frozen, remained. It emitted a faint, constant glow, stripped of all destructiveness, quietly suspended in the crystal's clarity.
The entire coffin radiated a strange, frigid beauty: The absolute stasis of [Destruction] contained by [ETERNITY].
Freesna slowly lowered her staff, her fingertips trembling faintly. Gazing at the [Eternal Sarcophagus] emitting its eerie chill, the churning gloom in her eyes finally settled, dissolving into profound exhaustion and complexity.
As an [Emanator of Eternity], she had granted Afrit the ending most fitting to its aesthetics of destruction and its own Path—not a lowly obliteration, but personal enshrinement by [ETERNITY] ITSELF.
Its very existence transformed into a cold monument to the [End of Burning].
The residence's searing air cooled rapidly, the Eternal Fire falling utterly silent in that instant. Only the crystal coffin stood sentinel before the throne, wordlessly recounting a fire demon grand duke's downfall.
And the answer it chose: To defy [ETERNITY] and [NIHILITY] with magnificence.
Acheron's hand on her guard had, at some point, quietly released. She turned to Freesna, whose profile remained taut, her gaze profound.
The blade, in the end, stayed sheathed.
And the final flames Afrit had kindled with his life—meant to illuminate their [bottomless dreams]—had solidified in the [Eternal Sarcophagus], becoming a single grain of cosmic ice-sand.
...
Days later, Xianzhou Luofu
Adrian kept to his routine: One hour of shop-opening each day. With time still before heading to [Penacony], HE might as well lounge in the milk tea shop, carefree...
Ah, but today brought a special guest.
Unhurried, Adrian picked up a cup of milk tea, eyeing the foxian girl trembling before him. Her tail glowed with an eerie green.
"Mr... Mr. Adrian, that once-and-for-all exorcism method you mentioned... It really exists?"
The girl was none other than the Ten-Lords Commission's famed... er, trainee judge—Huohuo!
Who could've guessed? This timid, pitiful little foxian, terrified of all things eerie, bore the duty of capturing malevolent spirits.
Self-aware of her inadequacies yet too cowardly to quit, she soldiered on in silent fear.
Now, on Qingque's recommendation—that the shop owner's milk tea could dispel ills and ward off evil like a cure-all, even better than the Alchemy Commission's [Jade Abacus Dragon Girl]—she'd come!
Sigh~ These days, shop owners went to such lengths for foot traffic, hyping miracle cures and all.
Huohuo had heard of this milk tea shop—from Qingque, who wanted to teach her [Celestial Jade]; from Bailu of the Alchemy Commission, who'd checked her pulse; even from Xueyi, her fellow Ten-Lords judge.
But... the shop's decor was too uniquely off-putting (run-down), keeping Huohuo from mustering the courage to step inside.
Mainly, Mr. Tail would feign sleep nearby, impossible to rouse—no matter how she called. One might think he'd gobbled all her calming meds from the Alchemy Commission.
It was only this morning, encountering a scruffy red-haired outlander, that the idea sparked. Her prior impressions evaporated in a wondrous haze.
When she came to, she was at the milk tea shop's door.
She was here now... Turning tail in fear wouldn't do. And so, the current scene unfolded.
"Relax, Miss Huohuo. If you're unsatisfied with the [milk tea therapy], I won't eat you—we offer refunds, no questions asked... Mm, though this therapy's free anyway."
As he spoke, Adrian sauntered to the counter, putting on a show of operations. While Huohuo wasn't looking, he splashed a handful of cold water on his forehead.
"Eh?!"
Seeing Adrian drenched in sweat, Huohuo gasped in awe. So making milk tea took this much effort!
Woo... She'd misjudged the place.
"Here." Wiping the condensation from the cup, Adrian handed the [freshly brewed] milk tea to Huohuo.
"Miss Huohuo, I might not explain the 'once-and-for-all' part clearly, but the last two words? You asked the right person."
Adrian was an honest Aeon: "Eternal respite is [ETERNITY]. For workplace ease, nothing beats running a milk tea shop."
In Adrian's eyes, Huohuo was no different from a child—so rounding up, the [Ten-Lords Commission] was employing child labor. A bit shady, huh.
The world these days... Adrian recommended all cosmic workplaces learn from the Eternity Church—they never stooped to such things. All their labor was... procured through legitimate means!
Of course, the Church had principles. Why waste prime muscle like the Antimatter Legion's Doomsday Beasts when they could shear those [Destruction] spawn for all they were worth? No way they'd associate with [Destruction]'s ilk!
Mm... [Tavern] folks were fair game, though. Blake had sent them some warmth just days ago—hoping they'd enjoy the soap fireworks.
...
Aurum Alley. Stelle received a request from Guinaifen, whom she'd met once at the [Inter-Astral Tournament Festival], to investigate a supernatural incident together.
"Teen girl stumbles into forsaken gardens, spectral haunts abound in peril-packed pandemonium! Breathless thrills await—click below to uncover the shocking secrets behind the unmanned wasteland!"
"...Not suitable for under 200 years old."
Stelle stared blankly. What? Targeting her, huh? Looked like it was time for a bat lesson!
No matter her prior education—science, magic, faith, or whatever—when a third-rate streamer sent Stelle spam claiming she'd encountered ghostly oddities in some derelict garden, her reaction was:
One: Yay, cuddle time!
Two: New scam text? Block and done.
Three: Fine, whatever—check it out.
Of course, whichever she picked, Stelle vowed inwardly: No matter her silver tongue, not a single credit for this outing. Absolutely not!
Besides, what spare change did she have? Just over twenty billion—probably not even Asta's pocket lint.
"Hey there, family! You're here 'cause you're curious about the supernatural and sought me out, right? Right?"
"Family, do you believe in ghosts and ghouls?" Guinaifen tossed out the hook.
"Instant fake ID—marketing scam."
"Heh heh, doubting me makes it tough for you, family. But the video I'm about to drop? It'll prove the Xianzhou's teeming with eerie spots."
"No more chit-chat—feast your eyes! This is the creepy stuff that went down during my live stream at [Fyxestroll Garden] yesterday!"
______
30 advanced chapters on ko-fi@com/edgeofsky