Departure

Milim bared her little fangs and proudly raised the gunpowder in her hand.

"Let's stay one more night. I want to watch fireworks tonight."

"But we've already been away for a long time!" El still felt somewhat troubled. He had been away from Many Countries for quite a while, and there was still a mountain of work left unfinished.

Many Countries was desperately short-handed right now. Every extra day they delayed meant even more work would pile up by the time he returned.

"El!" Milim opened her big, watery eyes and looked at El pitifully.

"Alright, alright. We'll stay one more night." Unable to withstand Milim's pleading, El finally gave in.

"Yay!" Milim jumped up excitedly, then quickly grabbed Vegapunk's hand. "Vegapunk, come help me! Let's use that gunpowder to make a gigantic firework."

Vegapunk looked at Milim's excited expression and chuckled. "Milim really is full of energy! And this sounds rather interesting too."

So Vegapunk went over to the gunpowder and carefully taught Milim how to make fireworks.

El did not remain idle either. Even his Big Sister was working hard on making fireworks—how could he, her little brother, just stand around watching?

As the sky gradually darkened, Milim, Vegapunk, and El returned to the snowy field and neatly arranged the fireworks they had prepared on top of the snow.

The sky had not yet become completely dark, so it was not the best time to set off the fireworks.

Taking advantage of the time, Milim found the snowball she had rolled when she first arrived and prepared to rebuild the snowman.

Vegapunk was not idle either. Happily working at the side, he added arms and clothes to the snowman, while El fiddled with the fireworks, making sure they had not been soaked by the heavy snow and become impossible to light.

At last, a strange-looking snowman was created. Its eyes were clothing buttons, its nose was a carrot, and it wore a Santa Claus outfit Vegapunk had dug out of a wardrobe.

It was three times Milim's height, and the whole snowman was adorably ugly.

"It should be dark enough now. This is the perfect time to set off the fireworks." Milim turned to El and shouted, "El, light them!"

Hearing Milim's call, El did not hesitate. He took out a Lighter and lit the firework fuses, then hurried back to Milim's side.

Milim shouted excitedly, "Vegapunk, come over here! Let's take a group photo together."

"Trehehehehehe, I'm coming." Vegapunk let out his strange laugh, his face wearing a childlike smile.

Vegapunk handed the camera to the Robot nearby and hurried over to Milim.

Milim stood in the middle, with El and Vegapunk at her sides and the enormous snowman behind them. At that very moment, the fireworks exploded.

Brilliant streaks of fire shot into the dark sky, turning the once pitch-black world into a riot of colors as countless bursts of light bloomed overhead.

The light also drew the attention of some Technology Kingdom citizens who had not gone to sleep in the middle of the night. The Demon King's crew sat by the Tavern, drinking as they looked up at the fiery lights in the sky.

But the next moment, everyone stared in astonishment at the flowers drifting down from the sky. Those who had been sleeping were all awakened by the noise. They had been a little angry at first, but when they saw the beautiful flowers falling from above—

—and the children playing joyfully, helpless smiles eventually appeared on their faces.

The appearance of Milim and the other two was captured in a photograph as well.

The fireworks in the sky illuminated everyone's smiling faces, each one so brilliant, so genuine.

Tonight was destined to be a sleepless night. Everyone tacitly left their rooms and went outside to admire the beautiful sight.

Vegapunk looked at the scene with tears in his eyes. "This is what I wanted technology to accomplish. I hate things that can destroy peace. What I want to create is something that can make everyone smile."

"Hehe, Vegapunk, as long as I, Milim, am around, no one will force you to create those dangerous things." On that night lit by fireworks, Milim made a promise to the scientist who longed for peace.

Vegapunk looked at that dazzling figure in a daze, then let out a hearty laugh. "Trehehehehehe, that would be wonderful."

After a night of revelry, no one slept that night.

As the night passed, the sky quickly brightened. Milim and Vegapunk had played themselves tired and returned to the Demon King to sleep.

Vegapunk went to rest in El's room, while poor El and the Demon King's crew still had to fight through their exhaustion and sail the ship.

Milim had originally wanted to rest there for another day, but El refused no matter what. He would rather endure his sleepiness and return to Many Countries immediately.

El could no longer imagine how many documents had piled up on his desk. If they delayed any longer, he would surely be worked to death after returning!

When Milim woke up again, it was already afternoon, and the sun was nearing the west, about to set.

The glow of dusk turned the sea into a glittering expanse of gold. At some point, Vegapunk had sat down at the edge of the ship, staring blankly out at the ocean.

Milim quietly crept up behind Vegapunk, then suddenly jumped out. "Boo!"

"Ah!!" Vegapunk immediately raised his hands defensively, clearly startled.

"Hahahaha!" Seeing that her prank had succeeded, Milim clutched her stomach and laughed loudly.

Seeing that it was Milim who had frightened him, Vegapunk finally sighed in relief. "Milim, honestly. Can't you see I'm thinking? Interrupting a scientist's thoughts is a grave taboo."

"What are you thinking about?" Milim jumped onto the ship's edge and sat down, tilting her head as she looked at Vegapunk.

"Sigh!" Vegapunk sighed, his eyes full of emotion as he looked at the golden sea illuminated by the setting sun. "It's nothing much. It's just my first time leaving my hometown, so I'm feeling a little sentimental."

"So that's how it is. I knew it—your eyes are just like Lingling's when she left Home of the Lambs." Milim sat at the ship's edge, swaying her head, still wearing a cheerful smile.

"Charlotte Lingling is the king of Many Countries, and Charlotte Lingling is your younger sister too, right?" Vegapunk looked at Milim and asked curiously.

But to his surprise, Milim suddenly looked deeply moved. "Finally, someone has met Lingling and me for the first time and assumed I'm the older sister."

"Vegapunk, you really moved me."

Vegapunk tilted his head in confusion. "You're the older sister. Isn't that what the newspaper says?"

"Don't you know about the difference in size between Lingling and me?"

"Trehehehehehe, I'm a scientist. Science is the only thing I believe in. I won't believe in superficial appearances."

Can't find the book title? Try searching for the author instead—maybe it was simply renamed!