My Wife and I Want to Go to the Xianzhou

"We haven't talked like this in a long time, Cocolia."

"...Yes. It's been eleven years since that day, hasn't it?"

Beneath the starry sky, Cocolia and Serval sat facing each other across a table, sinking into silence.

Steam rose from the freshly brewed tea in their cups, dampening the strands of hair over their foreheads.

They gazed at each other without a word, each studying her own melancholy in the reflection on the tea.

In the end, Serval lost her patience first. She took away both their cups and, under Cocolia's astonished gaze, brought out a crate of alcohol:

"Come on. Spit out every last thing you've done all these years. Then I'll atone for those sins with you..."

"Serval, I... My sins can't be atoned for. I can never repay that debt." Cocolia slowly rose, her violet eyes filled with sorrow and endless remorse.

"You don't need to join me..."

"Enough, stop saying that! Please?!" Serval reached out with her neatly trimmed fingers and popped the cap straight off a bottle.

"Drink!" She thrust the bottle at Cocolia, nearly spilling its contents.

"If you want to atone, start by paying back what you owe me tonight!"

Though she hadn't drunk a drop yet, a flush had risen to Serval's cheeks, while determination lay hidden in her eyes.

Seeing her like this, Cocolia froze, but she still accepted the bottle. After a moment's hesitation, she tipped her head back and poured the alcohol into her mouth.

Bronya... My daughter, are you ready to take up this responsibility?

...Meanwhile, elsewhere.

"...Priorities? What's that supposed to mean? Are you saying rebuilding the towns in the Underworld isn't important enough?" Seele leaned against a bookshelf with her arms crossed.

Bronya hurried to explain, "No! Of course that's not what I mean-it's just that the resources we can mobilize right now are limited. Since Mother has handed her authority over to me, I have to draw up a new plan."

"Resources... Plans? Why do you keep throwing words like that in my face now?" Seele sighed. "Forget it. Stay out of this. Looks like I'll have to go down there myself..."

"Ah-" She gasped and looked out the window.

Bronya, who had been about to urge her not to act on impulse, followed her gaze outside:

Amid the starry sky, a shooting star flew upward into the distance.

Seele left the bookshelf and walked over to Bronya's side. "They're bound to run into plenty of trouble along the way... aren't they?"

Bronya rested a hand against the windowpane. "Perhaps their journey will be even more perilous than the future we face."

"But we'll overcome our difficulties, even if it means arguments like this will keep going forever..."

"Hmph. Arguing happens to be something I'm very good at."

"Seriously? Cocolia's that much of a bottom? I couldn't tell at all when I was fighting her." Zhang Xiu pulled back from the Telescope in anguish.

Yaoshi smiled and clapped her hands. "You lost, husband. Drink your coffee."

Looking at the unidentified black liquid she offered him, Zhang Xiu swallowed and turned a gaze brimming with hope toward his wife, trying to awaken her love for him.

But Yaoshi merely smiled, her coffee-bearing hand unwavering.

After a desperate flutter of his eyelids, Zhang Xiu accepted the cup of Himeko's coffee with trembling hands.

Just moments ago, they had bet on who was the top and who was the bottom between Cocolia and Serval. The loser had to drink Himeko's coffee, and Zhang Xiu had swiftly gone down in defeat.

After all, who could have guessed that a ruthless woman who dared to wrench off her own right arm with her bare hand was a bottom?

Naturally, they had played behind Himeko's back. If she found out, both of them would endure suffering beyond words.

Mustering tremendous resolve, Zhang Xiu downed the coffee in one gulp, only to feel as though a thunderbolt had struck him out of a clear sky.

He had no idea how long it took him to recover. The coffee his throat had refused to swallow was still in his mouth.

"Pfft, hahaha~" Yaoshi shook with laughter like blossoms trembling on a branch, unable to find the words.

Looking at her smug expression, Zhang Xiu gave it a moment's thought, then acted.

He wrapped his left arm around Yaoshi's waist and fed her the coffee in his mouth, directly from his lips to hers.

"Mmph-! Cheating! How could you cheat?" After pulling free, Yaoshi stuck out her tongue, which had once again lost its sense of taste.

Zhang Xiu had wanted to savor the taste of Yaoshi's mouth, but bitterness coated both his lips and tongue. He cleared his throat a few times and changed the subject:

"Ahem. Let's head back to our room first. We'll be discussing our next stop tomorrow, so we can suggest going to the Xianzhou then. How does that sound?"

"How very clever you are, husband. The moment you see I am about to scold you, you start talking of other matters..." Yaoshi spoke softly, then touched his lips with her right hand, using the Power of Abundance to dispel the bitterness.

"Haha... Well~" Zhang Xiu awkwardly scratched the back of his head, his gaze wandering, though a sliver of his attention remained fixed on Yaoshi.

Who could have expected Yaoshi's next move to turn his face bright red in an instant?

She gently parted her lips with a finger. Behind her white teeth, the tip of her pink tongue peeked in and out of view. "Next time, do not do that again."

Is that a hint? That's a hint, right? Then... then I'm going in!

Just as Zhang Xiu was about to make his move, Yaoshi saw through his intentions. With a quiet, mischievous laugh, she leaned in to meet him.

A long while later, their lips parted.

"Heh, hehehe..."

"Despicable, here I go, falling in love with the Thunder God right now~!"

Zhang Xiu reached out to switch off his alarm, yawned, and began getting dressed.

Yaoshi had long since gotten up. Seeing that Zhang Xiu was awake, she summoned a stream of water to give him a quick wash, then handed him a cup of tea as usual.

"Thanks, honey... Is everyone up yet?"

"Mr. Welt and Miss Himeko are already waiting in the Observation Car. March 7th and Stelle are awake as well. Dan Heng... That Vidyadhara seems troubled by nightmares."

"Well, we are heading to the Xianzhou, after all..." Zhang Xiu stretched, then took Yaoshi's hand and left their room.

As soon as they stepped outside, they saw March 7th and Stelle discussing something:

"A bet's a bet, Stelle. Washing the coffee cups this week is all on you~ Huh? Zhang Xiu, Yaoshi, did you two just get up?"

"Yeah. Is Dan Heng sleeping in? Then let's wait for him in the Observation Car..."

"Yep, let's go, let's go! I thought of loads of places to visit last night. I just don't know which one Himeko picked."

Chatting about their earlier adventures in Belobog, they arrived in the Observation Car and came face-to-face with Himeko, who had just brewed herself some coffee:

"Hi, everyone. How did you sleep last night?"

"I had a great night's sleep! Himeko, can you tell us where we're going ahead of time?" March 7th rubbed her hands together eagerly.

Suddenly realizing that their destination might already have been decided, Zhang Xiu hurriedly raised his hand. "Ahem, um, can I suggest the next place for us to Trailblaze?"

"Ha, of course. There's never just one path for the Trailblaze, after all."

"My wife and I want to go to the Xianzhou."

"No."

"Huh? You're turning me down that fast?"

Himeko said nothing. March 7th said nothing. Welt even ignored Zhang Xiu's pleading gaze.

Stelle scratched her head, unsure why everyone had rejected Zhang Xiu's request outright.

But no one answered her questions-not a single person who knew the reason, including Zhang Xiu and Yaoshi.

There was only silence.