Chapter 195: The End of Life

Chapter 195: The End of Life

"In the beginning, the world was a chaotic void until the Goddess awoke from her eternal slumber."

"With her divine power, she created all living things, and countless beings came into existence through her hands."

Luk carefully read through the Goddess’s Holy Scripture, reciting the passages of the creation story.

All the Goddess's magic originated from the Holy Scripture, which had been interpreted by countless sages throughout the ages. However, they had only managed to uncover about 3% of its secrets.

"Elves are the children closest to the Goddess. They have long lifespans, profound wisdom, and a detached perspective."

"Humans are the Goddess's most beloved children. Their short lifespans are compensated by rich emotions, and the sparks of inspiration are born from them."

"Demons are the children the Goddess despises the most. They are the embodiment of all filth, cold-blooded and cruel, heartless and cunning."

Trela took over from Luk, speaking fluently and with emotion as she set the table and propped her head on her hand, looking at Luk.

"You believe in the Goddess, yet I've never seen you pray?" Luk put down the Holy Scripture and asked.

"I wouldn't say it's belief; it's just something I've heard since childhood," Trela smiled faintly, the wrinkles on her face seeming to soften. "Only those like monks, who truly believe in the Goddess's existence and pray from the heart, can be considered believers. You seem quite interested in the Holy Scripture lately."

Luk put the scripture down and said calmly, "I just flip through it when I'm bored."

Extending his lifespan had been a long-standing goal, but no matter how many experiments he conducted, there was no progress.

Ethical and practical constraints meant that there were no records of the anatomy of long-lived races like elves and dwarves, or any theories on their longevity.

Among all the long-lived races, only the demons' anatomy was documented, but it was of little use. Demons' bodies were unique, seemingly composed of pure and stable magic, dissolving into nothingness upon death and collapsing under severe injuries. On the surface, they appeared no different from humans.

Luk had tried adding a bit of his own blood to Trela's food, but clearly, elves were not the elixir of life, and the secret to immortality lay elsewhere.

He had to accept that he didn't understand himself.

After much thought, Luk realized that it was highly likely that this world simply did not have the means to extend one's lifespan. After all, the original story was about life, time, and emotions, and the Goddess who created the world probably didn't consider the possibility of altering a species' lifespan.

Unable to extend his lifespan, Luk turned his attention to time magic.

However, the concept of time was something humans had created to better understand the world. Time was difficult to imagine and lacked a theoretical foundation. The only possible reference was the "Chapter of the Time Bird" in the uninterpreted parts of the Goddess’s Holy Scripture.

In the original story, when the Goddess’s Monument was activated, it would create a "save point." By reactivating it, one could travel back to that point, and the "Chapter of the Time Bird" contained the magic to escape from these save points.

However, this time travel magic was very rigid. The hero, Simea, spent fifty years interpreting the "Chapter of the Time Bird," and the Goddess’s Monument was a one-use item, offering no practical help for research.

This was a direction no one had explored before, and even Fyllian, who had lived for a thousand years, couldn't provide any theoretical assistance.

Without imagination or theory, magic couldn't be created.

Years of no progress, combined with Trela's increasingly aged appearance, made him increasingly anxious, especially after his conversation with Amir.

Luk would be sad if Amir passed away, but he wouldn't demand more. Amir had a complete and happy life and would rest peacefully surrounded by his family.

Trela was different. She chose him, a long-lived race, as her partner, sacrificing her ability to have children and dedicating her life to him. Luk had to try to keep her with him, even if the chances were slim.

Unless Trela chose to leave voluntarily, with no regrets.

...

After lunch, Trela rested in bed, less inclined to move around as she aged. She was sixty and her energy had significantly declined.

"Amir is sick. Should we go see him?"

Luk put down the Holy Scripture, his face serious. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

Amir was sixty-eight and had been dealing with minor illnesses over the years. The last time Luk saw him, he noticed a significant decline in his health. He always visited Amir when he was sick.

"It's not serious. Sally just informed me."

Luk hesitated. "I'll go see him and be back in a few days. You... want to stay home and rest?"

Trela had been less inclined to go out in recent years, often calling on Luk to handle errands. But thinking of the worst, Luk shook his head.

"No, you should come with me. We'll take a slow, comfortable carriage."

Trela, guessing Luk's thoughts, smiled and refused. "Go by yourself. Don't worry about me. I know my body; it's not time yet."

"…I'll be back soon."

Luk went out to give detailed instructions to the servants to stay with Trela and arranged the household affairs. He returned, stroked Trela's lusterless hair, and repeated, "I'll be back soon."

Trela nodded, her cloudy eyes watching as the elf disappeared around the corner, then leaned back against the headboard, feeling tired.

She could sense the growing restlessness beneath Luk's calm exterior, just as he could sense hers. When two people lived together long enough, they felt a deep connection, as if they were extensions of each other’s bodies.

Over the years, she had embraced the outdoors, maintained a healthy and regular lifestyle, feasted on fresh fruits and vegetables, and consistently performed light household chores, all in the hope of living a little longer.

She wasn't sure if she could live another ten years.

Trela sighed, and suddenly, she heard an unfamiliar male voice.

"Please rest assured, you will live beyond ten years. This is the future I have seen."

A figure had appeared in the room at some point, shrouded in a cloak, but the horns on his head betrayed his identity.

A demon!

The demon removed his cloak, revealing a handsome face and eyes that were cold and devoid of emotion. He then bowed slightly to Trela.

"Nice to meet you, Miss Trela."

"I am Xylahart, the deputy of the Demon King—the All-Knowing Xylahart."

...

By the time Luk arrived at the newly renovated Campbell residence, it was already late at night. The place had changed so much in recent years that it felt foreign to him. The house where he had spent half his life had been demolished and rebuilt, changing faster than the people who lived there.

Luk knocked on the door, and it was opened by a young, unfamiliar man.

He was the new butler who had taken over from Charles two years ago, just as Charles had taken over from Arno.

Luk hadn't bothered to remember his name, nor the names of Anri's two children. He didn't want to get to know more people, at least not at this stage.

"Welcome home, Master Luk."

Luk nodded casually, walked through the corridor, and headed straight to Amir's room, where the old man lay sleeping on the bed.

He didn't wake Amir, but stood quietly by the bed, gazing at his aged form, as if trying to etch him into his memory.

Time slowly passed, and when Amir woke up and saw Luk, he looked surprised and much more spirited.

"When did you arrive? Why didn't anyone tell me!"

"Just a little while ago."

Luk pulled a chair over and sat down in front of him. "You look so old, Amir."

"That's because it's been a very long time."

Amir chuckled softly. "In my old age, I like to reminisce about the past. Every time I see you, it feels like these decades have been nothing but a long dream. But a glance in the mirror always brings me back to reality."

He suddenly glared at Luk. "How come you never age, you bastard? If we both aged, I'd definitely be handsomer than you, and Mivi would have chosen me."

"Mivi?" Luk was taken aback for a moment, then he couldn't help but laugh.

"You've been married and had children for decades, and you're still thinking about that woman? Do you want me to tell Sally?"

"Just a joke, you actually believed it."

Amir laughed heartily, a clear and cheerful sound that seemed to transport him back to his youthful, energetic days.

Gradually, his laughter became dry and hollow, and he looked at Luk with a mixture of nostalgia and pain.

"You kept your word. You said you'd come early, and you did."

A sense of foreboding crept into Luk's heart. "What do you mean by that?"

A hint of regret flickered in Amir's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by acceptance. "I didn't get to see our mother off, but you'll be there to see me off. You've always been better than me in every way."

"If you're feeling unwell, call a monk. Don't talk nonsense." Luk got up, pacing back and forth, his eyes fixed on Amir.

"Didn't Sally say it was just a minor illness?"

"It was just a minor illness, and it's been treated. But my time has come."

Amir remained remarkably calm. "Don't be sad, my friend."

"Family, friendship, love, a noble status, and distinguished achievements—many people can't achieve even two of these. I have had them all."

"You should be happy for me."

Luk covered his face and took a few heavy breaths. After a moment of silence, he looked at Amir and asked softly, "Do you have any last wishes?"

"No, I've had a happy life."

Amir answered firmly, smiling at Luk. "Just be with me until the end."

Luk nodded after a moment of silence.

"Alright."

Over the next two days, Amir and Luk talked about many things. Amir spoke in great detail, from his childhood to his old age, from the house to the army, and back to the house again. He repeated the stories, sometimes even from the beginning.

He still had the old, weathered table from the past. He had it placed on the newly renovated roof of the house, and in the evening, he insisted that Luk sit with him, recounting the stories with renewed vigor.

"Back in the Swordlands of the Northern Kingdoms, we all went to pull the swords, but none of us could. At first, everyone laughed, but then no one could laugh anymore."

"The mountains of Ophion were so cold that someone was always sick. There were beautiful ice cherry blossoms that could heal, and we took turns gathering them."

"Anri was quite a handful as a child, right? After you and Trela left, I beat him many times. He still fears me a bit, and I don't think I was a good teacher, but the boy isn't bad. If I had another chance, I might do better."

His voice grew softer and lighter, eventually fading away.

Luk looked at the bright moon, its light distorted through his watery eyes. He remembered Lannis's teachings.

She had said that parting is a necessary lesson for elves.

"You should face all departures with calmness."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end