Chapter 282: Ruthless Time, Forget Me, Do Not Forget Me
Time is a cruel and mischievous thing. When you are alone, helpless, and mired in suffering, it stretches each moment into an eternity. Yet, when you yearn to accomplish something, even a few precious minutes can feel like an impossible chasm.
It rarely allows moments of happiness to linger, but the more anxious, tormented, or expectant you become, the more it warps itself into a distance the eye cannot measure.
At this moment, Clow Reed was trapped in such a state. He stood on a balcony, a glass of red wine cradled in his hand, his gaze fixed on the setting sun. An indescribable tranquility enveloped him, a stillness that seemed to seep into the very air.
"You..." a voice whispered, though no one else was there.
A faint, wistful smile touched Clow Reed's lips. "Do you know? Sometimes, death can be a fine ending. But there are always so many ways for the traces of a life to continue."
He swirled the deep crimson liquid in his glass, watching it catch the last rays of light. "No matter what, that is the charm of life. An existence with a beginning and an end... there is a certain beauty in that."
"But, you could continue..." the voice insisted, a note of desperation in its tone.
"There's no need," Clow Reed replied softly. "The essence of life is in the enjoyment, in living without regrets. I have achieved all of that, so there is no reason to persist. To be honest, regret is a useless emotion, and besides... I have already done enough."
His eyes, reflecting the dying embers of the sky, held a deep depth. "My decline is preordained, but I will use other methods to carry on. Day after day... year after year... until the next continuation... When we meet again, I hope we can simply greet each other. That will be enough."
When his words faded, a deep silence settled over the mansion. Clow Reed raised his wine glass, a silent toast to the sun as it bled into the horizon. He drew a long, shuddering breath, his voice barely a whisper, laced with a tremor he couldn't conceal. "Until we meet again... Forget me... but do not forget me..."
With that, he leaned against the cool stone of the balcony railing, brought the glass to his lips, and drained the red wine in a single, final swallow. He closed his eyes, remaining motionless for a long time. For him, this was a strange state of being—to quietly await death, to surrender all hope of living, yet simultaneously wish for another to live on. Clow Reed now understood a fundamental truth: humans were peculiar creatures, and no amount of power could ever change that.
Meanwhile, in Ren's living room, the atmosphere was entirely different.
To Ren, Lucifer was like a startled kitten that had finally found its footing. She was uncharacteristically quiet, clinging to his arm with a gentle but firm grip, showing no intention of ever letting go.
Ren gently stroked her silver hair, a warm smile on his face. "What's wrong? Why are you being so well-behaved all of a sudden?"
"It's nothing... I just suddenly felt like holding on to you like this... Ren..." she murmured, her face partially hidden against his shoulder.
"What is it?"
"Are you... still going to the gym tomorrow?"
Ren nodded, a little confused. "I am. But Lucifer, didn't you swear you'd never do yoga again?"
A faint blush colored Lucifer's cheeks, but she only tightened her grip on his arm. "We can talk about that later. What I mean is... you should take Cerberus with you. She really missed you today."
"Oh? How much?" Ren asked, amused.
From her spot on the couch amidst a pile of snacks, Cerberus immediately raised a hand, shouting with enthusiasm, "A lot! Probably just as much as Lucifer did!"
Lucifer's face flushed a deeper shade of red, but she gave a small, almost imperceptible nod. Ren chuckled and agreed, "Alright then. Cerberus, you'll come to the gym with me tomorrow."
"Okay, okay, okay!" the triple demon cheered.
For Cerberus, playing was important, but being by Ren's side and playing with Ren was the most important thing of all. Even if it meant just sitting there and doing nothing, as long as she was with him, she was perfectly happy.
Ren then turned his attention to another of his guests. "Courage, how did your inspection go today?"
Courage, who had been staring at Ren with a distant look, her thoughts clearly elsewhere, was startled by his question. She blinked, quickly collecting herself before nodding professionally. "Very smooth. Although Mr. Dojima is a single-minded enthusiast who plans to dedicate his entire life to that resort, I found no issues. From the environment to the cuisine to the service, everything is impeccable."
Ren nodded in understanding. "It sounds like Mr. Dojima keeps himself quite busy, which would explain why he's still single. Still, for a businessman, having a responsible partner is very important."
Courage's professional demeanor cracked, replaced by a playful smirk. "But Mr. Dojima absolutely has the time and the means to not be single."
Seeing her expression, Ren caught on, a look of mock agreement on his face. "In that case, it's a bit outrageous. I suppose being addicted to the single life is a real thing. But after all that, don't you have any other thoughts? Like, maybe giving him a few pointers?"
Courage shook her head, waving a dismissive hand. "How could I? We're acquainted, but I don't have the time to teach him how to pursue women. Besides," she added with a confident smile, "truly excellent individuals rarely need to pursue anyone. People simply flock to them."
Lucifer sniffed dismissively, then nodded in agreement with the sentiment, though a hint of pity entered her voice. "It is indeed quite outrageous. By the way, where's Sora?"
"She's upstairs, chatting with Ayaka and the others," Courage replied. "Sora's had... a rather complicated day, emotionally speaking."
She let out a soft sigh. "After all, she left behind the last place that held memories of her parents to come here, all on her own. That kind of courage alone is worthy of praise."
Ren nodded, though he had no idea what Kasugano Sora was actually doing at that moment. She was, in fact, playing video games—and not just playing, but fervently trying to teach Sōryūin Akemi and the others how to play with her.
Sakura Hibiki and Ayaka Uehara needed no instruction; they were naturals. Gina Boyd also picked it up with surprising speed. But when it came to Akemi, the girls discovered a shocking truth: even the seemingly flawless, all-around perfect young lady had a weakness.
"You have to hit him!"
"Yes, yes, yes! Akemi! Use your crowd control!"
And so, with a chorus of chaotic advice ringing in her ears, Sōryūin Akemi stumbled her way through an entire match. The moment it ended, she slumped forward, her forehead resting on the cool surface of the table, looking utterly drained. She couldn't recall the last time she had felt so completely out of her depth.
Sakura Hibiki burst out laughing. "I never would have guessed! To think that you, Akemi, our perfect Ojou-sama, are a complete novice at video games!"
Ayaka and Gina wore similar expressions of discovery. Akemi was always so capable, excelling at sports, arts, academics, and fitness without breaking a sweat. To suddenly find something she was genuinely bad at felt like discovering a new continent.
Sōryūin Akemi lifted her head, her expression a bit sheepish. "Well, with all the other things I had to learn, I never really had time for video games. No, wait... this might actually be my first time ever playing one..."
Sakura Hibiki and Kasugano Sora stared at her, their expressions a mixture of awe and pity. "The life of a proper young lady is tough..."
"Sora!" Sakura suddenly exclaimed, pointing an accusatory finger. "You're a little heiress yourself, a bona fide rich girl! You don't get to comment!"
"How can you give me a title like that!" Sora protested, her cheeks puffing out. "It makes me sound old!"
"So you admit you're a rich girl!"
"I did not say that!"
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