Shade narrowed his eyes as he watched the boat finally become an indistinct black speck beneath the moonlight. But then the speck turned back, returning against the direction of the countless souls silently moving across the water.
An obviously adult soul sat in the returning little boat, which seemed to be draped in a layer of moonlight.
Only when the boat drew near did Shade see clearly that its passenger was Maria Edwards, the fourth generation's youngest daughter, who had once hidden in that Lavender Flower Field.
But the returning soul had not chosen the wrong target. The tiny figure in the mature woman's arms was the true target this time. Lust Edwardz's soul was sunk in deep sleep, lying silently in the arms of her younger brother's granddaughter.
The little boat touched the shallows, swayed slightly, and ran aground again. Maria Edwards stood up from the boat and smiled as she shook her head at Shade, signaling him not to speak. Then she stepped ashore and handed the girl in her arms to him.
"Meow~"
The cat on Shade's shoulder immediately cried out in protest. Shade could only turn to look at Sister Devlin, who walked over and took the girl from Maria Edwards's arms.
Maria still said nothing. She merely nodded gently to them, then boarded the little boat again, though it had somehow already turned around. Carrying her, it sailed once more toward the half-submerged Underworld Moon that seemed to lie at the end of the world.
The dim, pearl-like radiance of countless shining souls kept the black lake beneath the moonlight from being dark at all. So quiet, so tranquil—this was the end of everything.
Neither Shade nor Sister Devlin turned to leave at once. Instead, they watched the little boat travel away until it finally