The end of Weise

"Macht, what do you think?"

Without waiting for Macht's reply, he began asking and answering his own questions.

He sneered.

"That's absolutely hilarious, isn't it, Macht?"

"Those guys have absolutely no idea what kind of creatures Demons are."

"So, Macht, are you willing to accept this? If you wear this magical artifact, you will die the instant you harbor 'malice' towards the people of Weise."

Macht placed his right hand on his chest, revealing his usual smile.

"Lord Gluck, you said you would indulge my curiosity to the very end, didn't you?"

"Certainly."

"That kind of constraint can also be a kind of fun."

"From this day forward, Macht will show 'malice' towards the people of Weise..."

On that same high platform, Macht handed Gluck a cup of black tea.

Gluck seemed to have aged considerably and had started using a cane.

Lektüre lay in bed, the room decorated much more lavishly than it had been a few years ago. She wore loose pajamas and looked slightly pale.

Gluck leaned on his cane, his face revealing neither joy nor anger.

Macht stood quietly to the side.

A brown-haired boy dressed in black sat on a chair by the bed, very close to it. He was still wearing his monocle, his face expressionless, his eyes vacant, and it was unclear what he was thinking.

It was the same riverbank, but Duncan and Lektüre were gone. Only Gluck was fishing silently there, with Macht standing quietly behind him.

Gluck remained with his back to the demon, looking out the window.

It's still that same church.

Macht stood at a distance.

Duncan knelt nearby.

Gluck, leaning on his cane, stood nearby.

Before them was a black coffin.

The blonde girl inside was surrounded by flowers.

Sleeping peacefully.

Her little hands were gently clasped together.

A sleeping beauty so cute she looks like she'd wake up at the slightest kiss.

But she won't wake up.

"... Lektüre has always been physically weak," Gluck began slowly. "Although I was prepared for this day, but..."

Duncan.

"Thanks to you being by her side, Lektüre has been able to live such a happy life until now."

The brown-haired boy remained silent, expressionless, watching the sleeping girl.

The cane was placed on the ground, Gluck knelt before the tombstone, praying.

Macht stood silently behind him.

"Duncan hasn't been back for many years."

"It's unavoidable..."

"She loved my daughter so deeply and gave so much."

"Lord Gluck, coming here to sweep the graves every day may be affecting your health."

"'Kneeling sadly at a grave is not a healthy way of life.' That's what you told me."

Gluck turned around and looked at him.

I never thought I'd hear such words from your mouth.

"Let's go back." Gluck tried to stand up, but the movement was somewhat difficult.

"Let me help you up." Macht knelt on one knee, took Gluck's hand with his right hand, helped Gluck up, and then handed him his cane.

Gluck glanced at Macht, seemingly lost in thought.

"I don't know when it started... but I've come to need your care."

"Looks like I'm getting old."

He walked along, leaning on his cane, looking somewhat dejected.

"Excuse me," said Macht, walking behind him. "I'll go and call the carriage."

"No need, I want to take a walk."

Gluck walked in front, and Macht followed silently behind.

It took a long time to walk from the outskirts to the city.

Gluck's back seemed a little hunched.

He didn't turn around, but he knew that Macht was the same as before.

I haven't gotten older.

"You've always been like this. You really haven't changed at all."

"The time that Human race and Demons possess is so different."

"I imagine that the time we spent together was merely a fleeting moment for you."

"Lord Gluck," Macht began slowly, "The time I spent with you, though brief, is priceless to me."

"That's so cheesy," Gluck chuckled. "But I think so too. You're a pretty good frenemy."

Macht stopped in his tracks.

"--So, I've decided to destroy all of this with my own hands."

"Now I should be able to understand the concepts of 'malice' and 'guilt'," Macht said, gracefully putting on his gloves.

Gluck also stopped in his tracks.

He took out the ornately decorated cigarette case again, took out a cigarette for himself, and lit it.

"Macht, light the fire for me."

Macht knelt on one knee, gathered a small flame with his left index finger, lit a cigarette, and habitually shielded his mouth from the wind with his right hand.

"This might really be the last time I smoke."

I knew this day would come sooner or later.

Macht remained kneeling on one knee, without getting up.

"Why are you looking surprised?" Gluck asked, taking a drag of his cigarette. "Of course I know."

"I've been dealing with you for thirty years."

"Macht, you are an important friend to me."

"He's an incorrigible villain."

"But you have also done a lot of practical things for the people of Weise."

"But even so, it can't hide the fact that you, like me, are villains."

"One day, you will lose everything and suffer the consequences, just like me."

Gluck's smoke rose.

"What a wonderful journey, Macht."

Macht remained kneeling on one knee, but the slight surprise that was rare for Demons had been replaced by his usual smile.

"That's what I think too, Lord Gluck."

Moment.

That was the last moment before prosperity began to breathe.

Men and women talking, coachmen reining in their horses, and citizens strolling through the streets.

Beneath the opulent European-style architecture, the daily hustle and bustle remains unnoticed, yet the hymn of destruction has already begun to play its first note from afar—a golden tide is slowly spreading across the sky, its canvas already painted.

A frozen market, a breath gone.

The pulse of gold has spread across the street corners, seeping into the bustling atmosphere of the market.

A female vendor, haggling over prices, holds out fresh fruit, her hand hovering in mid-air; a customer, selecting goods, keeps his eyes thoughtful; a tall woman passing by a stall lets her hair flutter; children, playing and chasing each other, haven't even put their feet down yet.

Golden light surged in like a rising tide, soaking through the wooden barrels, climbing onto the fruits and vegetables, coating the folds of clothing, and brightening the pupils—the entire market, along with the vitality of just a second ago, was being cast into a grand and tranquil golden relief.

The clamor Frozen, time fell silent, leaving only the flowing light to complete the most magnificent funeral for prosperity.

The Fortress City Weise, Goldification, is complete.

(Which style do you prefer, the cleaner writing style with less description of expressions and scenery in these chapters, or the previous style with more descriptions? Or what are your thoughts? Please offer your feedback.)