Pillar of Yita

In the darkness, Fang Hong knew he could no longer pretend, but he remembered the promise he made and hesitated to turn around and explain.

After snickering for a while, Hilveld calmed down. Fang Hong couldn’t see her bright eyes gazing into the pitch-black room, the clock ticking, the glass cabinet holding childhood dreams, and the quiet returning to the cabin.

Only the low murmur of the wind remained outside the window, branches scraping against the window panes, casting a strange shadow like claws reaching out.

The two leaned back to back, and she asked, ”Can’t sleep, Lord Captain?”

”A little.”

”How much is a little?” Hilveld found it amusing.

”Quite a lot.”

Fang Hong had no idea what he was answering. The dream of admiration confused him, or perhaps it was this unique setting that allowed the boy to silently listen to his own heartbeat.

But there was another softer heartbeat, intertwined with his.

The intervals between their heartbeats just a fleeting moment, yet left a sense of loss. In the darkness, Fang Hong dared not delve deeply into his heart, for there, the girl had already taken a significant place. Closing his eyes, scenes of being with Hilveld appeared in his mind.

For an instant, he felt brave and turned to the Ship’s Officer, asking all the questions buried in his heart. Yet, in a flash, he remained in his previous posture, listening to the heartbeats in the darkness as the wind outside grew more subdued, with distant howls of wolves.

But this world seemed shut off, silent in his heart, nurturing both restlessness and regret.

”Does the Captain have something to tell me?” A gentle voice came from the other side of the blanket.

”I...”

Fang Hong mustered his courage: ”...Miss Hilveld, are you really willing to be my Ship’s Officer?”

”Aren’t I now?”

”No, I mean...”

”Mean what?”

He stammered, ”I mean forever, that kind of...”

Hilveld’s eyes sparkled, and her lips curved playfully.

”No one can be forever, Lord Captain,” she answered.

A deathly silence fell.

Fang Hong felt extremely uncomfortable, unsure if this counted as rejection, but it was the second time. After a while of silence, a soft inquiry came from the other side of the blanket: ”So, Captain, how long do you plan to have me stay by your side?”

The girl’s voice was somewhat playful.

Fang Hong suddenly felt wide awake.

”Forever.”

He boldly and resolutely said.

”How long is forever?” Hilveld knew of this curious question among the Invokers.

That was something from many years ago.

Father, caressing Mother’s photo frame, answered her: ”For mortals, forever is a mortal’s lifetime.”

She didn’t know if this was considered a promise to stay together for a lifetime. Their relationship stemmed from a ship, like her father and mother, but gradually it extended beyond just a captain and his Ship’s Officer.

She didn’t know if her heart could anchor in this harbor.

Only beside Fang Hong did she rarely feel a trace of peace.

She smiled slightly before drifting into a dream.

After a long while, only the clock’s ’tick, tick’ sound remained in the darkness.

Tata sat amidst the soft feather pillows, watching the young couple. Human emotions seemed curious to her, even incomprehensible, but she cleverly detected she may have caused Mr. Knight a little trouble.

She should have felt guilty, but instead felt a strange warmth, watching the boy’s peaceful sleeping face, Miss Fairy suddenly felt a touch of warmth in her heart.

Like the cookies Fang Hong shared with her by the campfire.

A bit sweet.

The taste of sugar—

It lingered in the air of the night, mingling with the howling gale, seemingly carried over the distant hills by the wind and snow.

However, for the entire Southern Region, this storm was just beginning.

...

The next morning, the blizzard surprisingly paused for a moment.

Snow piled several feet deep outside the window, almost touching the icicles hanging from the eaves. The first ray of Morning Light pierced through the forest, falling inside as Fang Hong woke up, lying on his back, staring at the ceiling in quiet contemplation.

Everything from last night felt like a dream. But he feared that it truly was a dream. Looking back, he found the Ship’s Officer still in a deep slumber, with her long eyelashes casting shadows on her bright, white skin.

He had once read the fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty.

But now that fairy tale stepped out of the storybook, presented right before him.

The girl slept like a princess, serene and peaceful.

Fang Hong’s heart skipped a beat, and against all instincts, he leaned in closer, inhaling a faint fragrance that lingered at his nose. Carefully, as if approaching a fragile piece of art, but all of a sudden, Hilveld’s eyelashes fluttered lightly, startling him into a hasty retreat, jumping out of bed.

Both were clothed as they slept, so Fang Hong hurriedly put on his coat, got off the bed, and glanced back. Seeing the Ship’s Officer still asleep, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. Worried about waking her, he gently opened the door, stepping out while looking back repeatedly, and softly closed the door.

Only after the door closed did Hilveld open her eyes. The morning light reflected a clear blue hue in her eyes. She smiled faintly, whispered, ”Coward.”

This was the last day at the manor.

The lull in the blizzard marked the final window of opportunity to head south, for missing this half-month would mean being stuck in Dulun until next year. The Adventure Group raced against time, as no one really had the American time for that.