pertwk Page 762
Page 762
When AR-26710 met Qiong's gaze, her ears instantly flushed red, and her clear eyes stirred with emotion.
She subconsciously avoided Qiong's gaze, yet with a silent courage, she took his hand and led him deeper into the sea of flowers.
With light steps, she traversed the soft floral carpet, each step stirring up tiny specks of light.
However, their cheerful steps abruptly stopped before a stark, charred area.
It was a hole, a jagged tear that ripped apart the carpet of flowers.
Several fireflies, affected by the shockwave, were scattered around the edge of the crater.
Their light was as faint as a candle flickering in the wind, some even completely extinguished, their small bodies stiffened among the soil and withered flowers.
AR-26710 slowly crouched down, its fingertips hovering above those dim little lives, but it did not touch them.
Her gaze was lowered, her long eyelashes casting a fan-shaped shadow beneath her eyes, and her voice was so soft it was almost carried away by the night breeze:
"They...are all dead."
"Yes, but they shouldn't have perished in the war."
“I… have observed them before; their lives seem very short, fleeting, and death always seems to find them.”
Beneath that calm tone lay a deep, empathetic loneliness.
AR-26710 once secretly removed the SAM armor just to observe the little guy that could glow.
Their fate is very similar to theirs.
Life is short, and death will come soon.
"Normally, fireflies only stay in the sky for three to seven days."
Qiong pointed to the fireflies fluttering around them.
"Only seven days?"
AR-26710 murmured softly.
Burning, charging, vanishing—the average lifespan of Grammer Knights is only three to seven months, after all, they are constantly producing and dying in the face of the insect swarms.
Such powerful soldiers are extremely rare; she survived for three whole years on the battlefield, directly confronting the insect swarm.
"However, they have also bravely emerged from their cocoons, flapping their wings and flying over the bushes, lighting up their own light in the night sky."
As a member of the Masked Universe, Kyō doesn't think too much when he's causing trouble, but he knows that Aha respects the value of life more than anyone else.
"For an individual life, the meaning of most philosophies is actually not important."
"They are unique in themselves, so even fireflies' right to embrace life should not be extinguished by any destruction."
Qiong rarely gets serious.
"But after seven days, death is the only thing they leave behind."
Under the dim light, AR-26710's fair face seemed somewhat bewildered.
As she gazed at the dying or already gone glowing lights, she seemed to see in them countless miniature Grammer knights who had fallen on the charge.
"There is still hope waiting to bloom; future fireflies will continue to emerge from their cocoons and light up their world..."
Qiong changed the subject, pointing to the area in front of the crater covered with insect remains and scorched earth.
"And then, they continued on their path to ruin."
"..."
The cruel words made R-26710 gasp for breath.
"Because each firefly can only fly as high as the bushes, they will be swallowed up by the war before the seven days arrive."
The sky points forward, but on the scorched earth, not a single new sprout can be seen.
He buried the now-dimmed firefly in the soil, then looked into the distance where the remains of the fireflies were piled up, and said softly.
"But, firefly, there will always be one firefly that leaves the scorched earth of war, flies high into the sky, and becomes a free and shining star in the universe."
AR-26710 gazes at the sky.
Time seemed to freeze at that moment.
It wasn't just her who fell into silence, but also the consciousness deep within her soul that had always been shackled.
The future firefly smiled slightly, and her eyes rippled with the gentlest of emotions.
Those ripples contained understanding, anticipation, and a profound resonance that transcends time and space.
"Is it really... possible to do that?"
The girl's voice trembled almost imperceptibly.
From the moment she was born, she was told that the only meaning of her existence was to be loyal to the Empress and the Empire, and to burn herself out in an endless battle.
However, the short time she spent with Qiong was more vivid, lively, and real than all her previous years of fighting combined.
She longed to leave this scorched earth, to fly to the high heavens, and become that free and shining firefly.
"Fireflies..."
With trembling eyes, she murmured the name softly.
It was as if some heavy barrier had been breached by this call.
She seemed to understand the expectations that Qiong had placed on her when she gave her this name.
"My name... is Firefly."
She raised her head, her eyes clearer and more determined than ever before.
She has her own name, and she longs even more for a life of her own.
"Of course, it can be done."
Qiongqiong's palm was warm and strong, firmly grasping her slightly cool fingers.
"I will be with you."
"Ok!"
Surrounded by a sea of flowers, amidst a galaxy woven from countless fireflies, and listening to the promises made by the young man, the firefly felt an unprecedented surge of emotion coursing through its soul.
It was a feeling that the meaning of existence had been re-anchored.
Deep within their souls, two consciousnesses, originally separated by time and space, trembled violently due to this intense resonance.
That thin membrane separating consciousness was now as thin as a cicada's wing, just one last chance away from shattering completely.
Qiong was unaware of the situation within Liuying's soul; he could only follow his own ideas.
The moonlight was bright and clear, and the evening breeze, carrying the fragrance of flowers and the scent of earth, gently caressed my face.
Qiong and Liuying sat side by side, surrounded by the twinkling fireflies, and he said things to tease the girl.
He doesn't even need to come up with new jokes.
The jokes about Earth that are somewhat outdated for elementary school students are powerful enough for a girl who has struggled in blood and fire since birth.
A smooth combo followed.
Should we say it's fortunate or regrettable?
Liu Ying has not yet regained her memory.
Under the gentle moonlight, amidst the tranquil and delightful sea of flowers, the girl's shyness exudes a captivating charm.
She gently inhaled the fragrance of the flowers, completely absorbed in the moment.
She smiled and danced with fireflies.
Her silver hair flew in the wind, and her skirt swirled gently.
She took Qiong's hand and kissed his lips shyly but firmly.
It was a very innocent kiss; she only knew how to express her overwhelming emotions and pour out all her heart in this way.
If it were the original Liu Ying, Qiong would not doubt that she would be forced to fight for survival right here, right away.
Perhaps because they were too engrossed in their activity, or perhaps because the fragrance of flowers and the chirping of insects around them were too intoxicating, the fireflies did not notice their kind approaching.
Only when Yui Ikari coughed did she release Sora like a fertilized animal.
"Your Highness, Her Majesty the Empress is waiting for you."
Yui Ikari, dressed in the iconic Firefly V-shaped SAM armor, knelt on one knee with a respectful posture.
The mask adorned with majestic golden light could not completely conceal her gaze toward Liu Ying—a gaze filled with undisguised envy.
"Titania is awake?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Then let's go back."
Kyō, Ryūki, and Ikari return to their previous resting place.
Tens of thousands of Grammer Iron Cavalry girls completed their assembly and reorganization. Like precision-cast gears, they formed neat and uniform steel formations under the silent command of the Royal Guard.
The moment Qiong's figure appeared.
Brush brush!
As if drawn by invisible threads, tens of thousands of heads covered in masked armor turned instantly, their burning gazes focusing on Qiong.
This caused Qiong's steps to falter.
The tens of thousands of iron cavalrymen lined up there were all elites who had fought their way out of the swarm of insects. Their combined gaze was enough to make ordinary people lose their senses.
But what Qiong felt was another dimension, an equally chilling sense of oppression.
Pure to the extreme, gentle to the extreme, yet brimming with a surging, ocean-like love and protectiveness.
The pressure formed from pure love was even more overwhelming for Qiong than the chilling killing intent!
"Sigh, my second cousin is going to suffer in the future!"
Xing sighed softly beside him, speaking in a compassionate tone.
Qiong glared at her.
Seeing this, Firefly transformed into Sam and stood beside Qiong.
The effect was immediate; the flood of gazes focused on Qiong was instantly diverted by most of them.
The gaze directed at Liuying was not as gentle as when he looked at Qiong; it carried a variety of meanings.
There is envy, admiration, and a desire to learn.
There are also those who want to replace him.
At the very front of the steel formation, Titania stood proudly.
She was still dressed in her magnificent queenly gown, exuding grace and natural majesty, her ankle-length silver hair swaying gently in the breeze.
Simply by standing there, he became the absolute core and symbol of the will of the entire legion.
"You're awake."
Firefly was stopped by Yui Ikari, and only Sora walked to Titania's side.
"Ah."
Titania nodded gracefully, a faint smile playing on her lips.
In this solemn and dignified setting, she cleverly used the hem of her skirt and her own position to reveal a smug and mischievous smile to Qiong from a blind spot in the eyes of tens of thousands of cavalry.
"That sea of flowers, those fireflies...it's so beautiful!"
Her voice was soft, with a languid and lingering nasal tone.
"...You're here too?"
Qiong's expression was quite interesting.
"Hmm~"
With a teasing snort, Titania wore a mocking expression that seemed to say, "You think you can hide this from me?"
"That kiss was quite nice too."