(Still asking for votes, still asking for votes—!!)
Twilight in Shadow City had always been more enchanting than in the real world. Precisely adjusted lighting and just the right degree of atmospheric refraction allowed soft, mysterious sunset clouds to wash evenly over every building preparing to rest. And supposedly, the best place in this city to spend that brief twilight hour was a mysterious dessert shop beside the military blockade—I could attest that the legend was true.
You simply could not find a better place than Xiao Xi Dessert Shop to while away such peaceful, tranquil moments.
As usual, the dessert shop had no customers. The only sound came from a Raven helping out, humming some bizarre tune while fussing with the juicer. That soft, intermittent, tuneless noise only made the place seem quieter. Through the broad floor-to-ceiling windows, we could see the narrow lane outside the shop wrapped in dreamlike orange-red hues. The last glow of sunset lay over the military camp's barrier wall and the backs of the residences across from it, dimming bit by bit at a visible pace. Orange-red sunset light tinged with pale gold streamed through the bright glass windows, painting this small shop in warm colors as well. Silvia sat across from us with her eternally gentle smile, specks of lingering sunset light dancing in her long silver-white hair. We had not seen this scene in more than two months—and in that instant, my somewhat restless mood calmed. I suddenly felt that perhaps this truly was a marvelous magic unique to Silvia: magic that could turn all irritation and unease into the atmosphere of a lazy afternoon tea in the blink of an eye.
"Number One is such a good girl..." Silvia smiled at Sandora and me for a long while before suddenly saying,