The room fell silent in an instant.
Akivili sat on the bed without a word.
Pom-Pom held their breath too.
Akivili's thoughts were a tangled mess.
They had no time to consider why they were still alive, much less examine everything they had learned before dying.
Pom-Pom's words kept replaying in their mind.
Who was Eric?
Who else could he be?
He was my best friend!
He was one of the Nameless!
We drank together. We laughed together.
When Qlipoth's hammer fell, we celebrated in the carriage, welcoming the new amber era amid laughter.
You complained to me about Eric's picky tastes. After learning he was unwell, you never brought it up again. Instead, you helped me search for new cuisines and recipes.
How could you not remember?
As these thoughts swirled, the noise beside them grew louder and louder.
Akivili looked toward its source.
It was the clock by the bed.
It ticked without pause.
Pom-Pom hurried over.
Their paws trembled, and it took several attempts before they finally switched it off.
Akivili looked away.
They could not understand.
How could Pom-Pom not remember?
Was it Fuli? Or... Hua?
Whatever the case, they had to visit the Xianzhou.
Light returned to Akivili's eyes. They swiftly threw back the covers and climbed out of bed.
"I'm going to the Xianzhou."
"What a coincidence, pom." Pom-Pom forced a smile. "The Astral Express is docked at the Luofu right now."
Akivili looked down at the brand-new clothes they were wearing, and their eyes widened.
They instinctively reached out to touch them. The fabric felt perfectly smooth.
"Pom-Pom, where are my clothes?"
As soon as they spoke, something seemed to occur to them, and they bolted outside.
Pom-Pom froze briefly, then hurried after them.
As they ran, they called, "You mean that Captain's