By noon,

Clorinde had returned to Fontaine, and Callas was still handling the usual matters of the Spina di Rosula. Navia had also gone to assist Callas.

With nothing else to do, Yuxie wandered around Poisson Village.

Most of the townspeople recognized Yuxie. Whenever they saw him, they would smile and greet him, and Yuxie would return the smile.

After all these years, Poisson Village had hardly changed. Everything was just as it had been when Yuxie first arrived. The flowing water below, the houses above, only the people had changed.

Some had left, some had returned, and some would never come back again.

Yuxie suddenly felt that the changes in people seemed to happen in an instant.

One moment they were reluctant, the next moment they had already let go.

He couldn't help but wonder, what would happen to Clorinde and Navia in the future?

Navia would probably succeed Uncle Callas and become the leader of the Spina di Rosula.

And if the system of duels truly no longer existed, what would Clorinde do then?

"I really am a greedy person," Yuxie chuckled self-deprecatingly.

Even though he was nearing death, he couldn't stop thinking about the future.

But the future was no longer his concern. He was about to leave, about to start a new life.

Everything in this life would soon be far behind him. Just like he forgot about Arlecchino, he would forget Clorinde and Navia too.

Their laughter, their tears, their gazes toward him—he would forget it all.

This was his choice, wasn't it?

Yuxie stopped in his tracks, pulling the dagger necklace from his shirt collar.

He held the tiny dagger in his hand, looking down at the name engraved on it.

[Mark Complete]

—Check Panel.

[Name: Yuxie][Age: 26]

[Physical Condition: Aging]

[Remaining Lifespan: 64 days]

[New Skill: Dream Thief (Elite Level)]

A 26-year-old elderly man... The first few lines of the status panel were just as Yuxie had expected, but the final line caught his attention.

—Check "Dream Thief" Skill Description.

[You can create dreams, control them as you wish, and allow others to enter your dreams. Everything within the dream is unrelated to reality.]

"Is that so..." Yuxie pondered, deep in thought.

After a long pause, an idea gradually took shape in his mind.

Before he left, he wanted to give them a dream.

"That is..."

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

"Is that... Lady Furina?"

Just as Yuxie was still contemplating, the voices of the nearby villagers interrupted him.

Following their gaze, Yuxie saw the figure of Furina approaching.

For some unknown reason, Furina had come to Poisson Village. Accompanied by her guards, she walked toward Yuxie and eventually stopped in front of him.

"Come with me, I have something to say."

....

By the side of the flowing water, the sound of the rushing stream continued without pause.

Yuxie and Furina sat on a stone by the water, while the guards who accompanied Furina stood nearby, keeping watch.

The residents above watched the scene below and couldn't help but admire Yuxie.

Yuxie really was lucky.

At such a young age, he had become an outstanding figure, the strongest duelist representative. Although he had resigned from his position, it seemed that even the Hydro Archon still highly regarded him.

Such a career and experience could definitely be described as "glorious."

"You said something to me last time, and I'm still not sure I understand," Furina began. "What did you mean when you asked what I would do if I were no longer the Hydro Archon?"

Upon hearing this, Yuxie thought for a moment.

It wasn't hard to see that Furina might be worried, worried that he knew the secret.

"I was just making a casual assumption," Yuxie replied casually. "You don't need to take it seriously."

"Really?" Furina still seemed a bit skeptical.

"Of course," Yuxie replied with a teasing tone. "Is there really a day when you might step down from the Hydro Archon's seat and become an ordinary person?"

Furina seemed to have believed him, and her eyes appeared to relax a little.

"Of course, that's impossible. Unless it's time for me to retire. But even if I retire, I'll still be a god. I won't become an ordinary person."

As Furina said this, Yuxie couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy in his heart.

He remembered that, even at the moment when everything was about to be revealed, this silly girl had still firmly insisted to everyone that she was the Hydro Archon of Fontaine, despite the doubts from others.

She did all this to stop the crisis predicted by the prophecy.

Her entire life had been a battle against that prophecy, enduring loneliness that she shouldn't have had to endure.

Her fragile shoulders bore far too much responsibility.

But no one understood her.

Yuxie wanted to tell her, "I understand you. I can share your pain and loneliness. You don't have to fight that damned prophecy alone." But he didn't say it.

Saying those words would only make Furina worry even more.

"Tell me about you. You've resigned from your position as the Champion Duelist. What do you want to do from now on?" Furina suddenly changed the topic.

"Me?" Yuxie hesitated, unsure how to respond.

He fell silent for a moment, and for some reason, the words slipped out of his mouth.

"Furina, I'm going to die soon."

It was as though a buzzing sound filled the air, and Furina froze, doubting whether she had heard him correctly.

Yuxie was still so young—how could he be dying?

He should still have many years ahead of him, many things left to do. His life shouldn't even be halfway over yet.

"Yuxie, I must have misheard you. What did you say?"

"You didn't hear wrong, Furina. I'm going to die soon." Yuxie repeated, his tone resigned.

A gust of wind suddenly blew by, rippling the small pool nearby. The sounds around them seemed to stop, and Furina could only hear her own heartbeat.

"You... you must be joking!"

Anger filled Furina's chest in an instant. She was sure Yuxie was joking, and the joke was far too cruel.

"Listen to me, Furina." Yuxie turned to meet her gaze. "I'm not joking. Everything I said is true."

Furina was stunned once more.

There was no trace of a joke or a lie in Yuxie's eyes.

The anger that had flared up earlier vanished in an instant, replaced by disbelief and an overwhelming sadness.

Is Yuxie really going to die?

No, that can't be possible!

"You... stop joking like this. It's not funny... you're still so young, how could you..."

"Furina..."

"Could it be some illness? Don't worry, I'll get you the best doctor. We'll cure you..."

"..."

"Tell me... what happened?"

Suddenly, both of them fell silent.

Only the sound of the flowing water remained.

"Furina, listen to me." After a long while, Yuxie placed his hands on Furina's shoulders. "I'm just a mortal. Mortals die. It's a natural part of life. I'm just leaving a bit earlier than others. Don't be sad for me."

"I..." Furina couldn't find the words. Tears welled up in her eyes.

She understood what Yuxie was saying clearly. She, too, was a mortal. But because of the "curse," she had lived for so long.

Nearly five hundred years had passed, and she thought she had grown accustomed to life and death. But in this moment, she still couldn't hold back her tears.

She suddenly remembered the first time she met Yuxie.

The nineteen-year-old Yuxie stood in front of her, a long sword strapped to his waist.

What had Yuxie said that day? Furina couldn't recall clearly.

She only remembered that the day's work was almost over, and the sunset painted the sky with fiery colors. It was the first time she had felt a different kind of warmth from someone.