"You… wish to oppose me?"
"Acheron" turned her icy gaze upon Sparkle upon hearing this.
"What have you done to Clara?!"
Even though Cla|ra was right at her feet, Sparkle couldn't believe that Clara had been so easily… beheaded by this so-called Galaxy Ranger…
No one knew exactly how much power the Aeon of Elation had bestowed upon Clara.
An Emanator from the Tavern had once offered their own assessment of her.
Perhaps the total power granted to all Elation Emanators combined still fell short of what Clara alone possessed.
So, how could Clara possibly have been slain by the woman before her…
"As you can see."
"Acheron" glanced at [Cla], then at [Ra] beneath her foot, speaking tonelessly.
"I beheaded her."
"If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."
"Acheron" looked coolly at Sparkle, then placed her foot on Clara's body. With a slight exertion of force, she instantly crushed the entire form to pulp.
"You seem to be her friend."
"In that case, I won't be completely heartless."
"Acheron" looked at the [Cla] by Sparkle's feet.
"I'll leave Clara's head with you as a memento."
"A keepsake of your departed friendship."
Having said that, "Acheron" turned to leave.
Sparkle: …
"I said… you can't leave!" Sparkle crouched down, slowly gathered [Cla] into her arms, then a red light flashed in her hand. [Cla] vanished, replaced by a red Fool's mask.
Sparkle placed the mask over her face. Simultaneously, the entire scene was enveloped in a haze of pink mist.
"An illusion?"
"Acheron" muttered, observing the suddenly altered surroundings.
"I'm going to make you join Clara in the grave!"
Sparkle didn't know why, but her mind was suddenly overcome with an abnormal irritability. Under normal circumstances, she would have quickly sensed that something was off.
Was it due to guilt, grief, or had some raven-haired little brat secretly tampered with her psyche?
No one knew…
Alright~ Anyone with sense knew it was that raven-haired little brat who'd done something to Sparkle's mind~
"Sigh… Just one more soul to add to the tally."
"Acheron" let out a soft sigh and shook her head gently.
"I'll ask one last time…"
"Acheron" leveled her purple tachi at Sparkle.
"Do you wish to oppose me?"
"..."
Sparkle didn't answer "Acheron's" question. Instead, her form gradually dissolved into pink mist, vanishing into the air.
"Very well…"
"Acheron" slowly closed her eyes. When she opened them again, they held no emotion whatsoever.
"All that has passed… has already returned to Nihility."
"Acheron" placed her hand on the sword's hilt and drew it slightly. A crimson blade, steeped in blood, slid from its sheath. It emanated an endless Void, nearly shattering the illusion on the spot…
"I wish to mourn the departed, weeping like rain, to swell the crossing stream."
Without a hint of hesitation, "Acheron" swung her blade at the space before her.
The next second, countless fractures instantly spider-webbed through the air.
"Acheron" swung her blade once more. The illusion reached its critical point and shattered instantly, revealing Sparkle hovering in the air, still wearing her mask.
Showing no mercy, "Acheron" swung her blade yet again, severing all the power surrounding Sparkle.
Stripped of all her power by "Acheron's" stroke, Sparkle was now no different from a completely exposed, ordinary person, utterly devoid of any means to resist.
But "Acheron" did not stay her hand. Instead, she tightened her grip on the sword, bent her posture, and with full force, unleashed the final slash.
"As the tide arrives, leading you back home."
"I'm sorry…" Feeling the aura of death rushing toward her, Sparkle closed her eyes.
If only she'd known this "Acheron" was so powerful, she never would have brought her to find Clara…
Oh well~ Isn't this a form of amusement in itself?
As for Clara? I'll make it up to her properly in the next life~
The blade fell, and under its assault, Sparkle dissolved into nothingness…
Sparkle is dead~
Not even ash remains~
…
"Mmm… I'm not dead?"
Inside a room, Sparkle sat slumped on the floor, slowly opening her eyes. She clutched her head, a flicker of doubt in her heart.
"No, lost maiden, you are indeed dead…"
No sooner had the doubt arisen in Sparkle's heart than a tall, cloaked, and masked figure appeared before her.
"I am the Ferryman of the Border of Nihility, here to guide travelers who have reached their journey's end."
"Ferryman of the… Border of Nihility?" Sparkle slowly got to her feet, dusting off her clothes, muttering in confusion. "How come I've never heard any intel about this in the Tavern?"
"Heh heh heh~ The Border of Nihility is a place one can only reach after death. It would be a miracle if you could learn of it from anywhere else."
The Ferryman let out a low, chuckling laugh.
"I will ask you a few questions. Once answered, I shall guide you to your reincarnation."
"Your degree of satisfaction with the answers will determine the circumstances of your rebirth."
"Whether you become a despised insect or a god reigning above all."
"It is all decided within these few questions."
"Now, are you prepared?"
"Uh-huh~"
Sparkle didn't really understand but nodded somewhat dazedly.
"First question."
"In this life, what is your greatest regret, your deepest guilt?"
"Greatest regret… deepest guilt…" Upon hearing this, Sparkle pursed her lips, her mind recalling the image of Clara being cleaved into Cla|ra by "Acheron's" blade.
"I shouldn't have brought that woman to find Clara… and I shouldn't have been so confident in Clara's strength."
"Mmm."
The "Ferryman" nodded, then continued questioning.
"Then, what would you be willing to do for her, to make amends for this?"
"Make amends…" Sparkle was slightly taken aback by the question. "If it really could make up for it… I'd be willing to become her personal maid, to serve her…"
"Really?" Hearing this, the "Ferryman" spoke up with noticeable excitement.
Sparkle: ?
"Ahem, then the third question."
The "Ferryman" coughed a few times before continuing.
"What exactly does this service as a 'personal maid' entail?"
Sparkle: ?
Apart from the first one, what do these second and third questions have to do with reincarnation?
Sparkle couldn't help but complain inwardly, but she answered truthfully nonetheless.
"If it's a personal maid, then naturally, any demand~"
"Truly?"
"Why would I lie?" Sparkle spread her hands. She was dead; lying now would just be rude.
"So, what's your satisfaction level with me?"
"Satisfied, satisfied, supremely satisfied. It's acceptable, I have high hopes for you."
The "Ferryman" nodded, his tone brimming with apparent goodwill toward Sparkle.
"I want to be an Aeon in my next life."
"Is that possible?"
"Of course it is."
The "Ferryman" pointed to the room's sole door.
"Open that door, and you may be reborn."
"Really?" Sparkle asked the "Ferryman" suspiciously.
Become an Aeon in the next life? Seriously?
"As the 'Ferryman,' would I deceive you?"
The "Ferryman" shook his head with a laugh, his words filled with mystery.
"Alright then~"
Sparkle nodded, deciding not to doubt any further.
She couldn't sense the slightest trace of life force in her body now, and the bestowed power of Elation was completely gone.
So, even if what this "Ferryman" said was false, it couldn't be too far from the truth.
At the very least, this place truly seemed to be what he called it—the land of the dead, the Border of Nihility.
Sparkle walked slowly to the door, placed her hand on the handle, and took a deep breath.
Although this life had been spent either seeking amusement or on the way to seek it, at least the ending seemed fulfilling.
In the next life, I'm willing to be a good person~
A glint of excitement flashed in Sparkle's eyes. She then turned the handle forcefully and pushed the door open.
"Aeon of Elation, here I come!"
"Huh?"
What appeared beyond the opened door was not the imagined cycle of reincarnation, nor any Sukhavati Pure Land.
It was Clara, standing there holding a maid outfit roughly Sparkle's size.
"Come now~ Boss Sparkle~ Time to fulfill your promise. Put on this maid outfit and serve me properly~"
…
T/N: Record Stamp: "Only Self-Annihilators can observe the Border." "None of those who were drawn by it have ever returned." ...These conclusions remain challenging to verify or falsify, potentially fabricated by History Fictionologists.
…
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