Eden often found herself wondering what her life would've looked like if she'd never joined Schicksal.
She probably would've drifted between different circles in the arts, trying her hand at nearly everything until she'd achieved something worthwhile in each field.
Then she'd announce her retirement and move on to some other area in search of something fresh.
Now that she'd joined Schicksal, though, Eden felt she'd probably never grow tired of her actual duties there. As long as Schicksal existed and human civilization endured, she'd have the freedom to explore different fields and chase whatever caught her interest.
Without Schicksal, humanity's very survival would be hanging by a thread. There'd be no future left for her to look forward to, and she'd end up as someone who'd completely lost her zest for life.
Eden believed Schicksal had transformed her. Perhaps it could also give Pardofelis' life a whole new meaning.
With that thought, the two of them carried the bags from their earlier shopping trip toward a nearby supermarket. This time, Pardofelis refused to let Eden pay. After all, she'd already promised to treat Eden properly tonight, so naturally the money had to come out of her own pocket.
Eden respected her insistence. She stood nearby with great interest as Pardofelis picked through the shelves for the freshest, best-quality ingredients she could find, then charged into the discount sections to compete with the older shoppers for bargains.
That kind of everyday bustle was something Eden had never experienced before.
The ordinary concerns most people dealt with each day—food, groceries, and household necessities—somehow seemed fresh and interesting through her eyes.
More than half an hour later, Pardofelis finally returned to Eden's side carrying a huge bag of ingredients, drenched in sweat.
"You bought this much?"
Eden looked a little surprised. From what she'd seen, Pardofelis didn't eat all that much, and Pardofelis had already seen how much Eden ate at lunch. There shouldn't have been any reason for her to misjudge how much food they'd need.
"There were a lot of things on sale today. I couldn't help buying extra."
Pardofelis gave a simple explanation, and Eden nodded in understanding.
"That must be pretty heavy. Want me to carry it with you?"
Looking at Pardofelis' small, slender frame, Eden felt that someone like herself, who'd always enjoyed proper nutrition, ought to lend a hand. Pardofelis immediately shook her head, though, and after comparing their heights, she shook it even harder.
"Big Sis Eden, you're at least 170 centimeters tall, right? I'm barely around 160. If we carry the bag together, most of the weight's going to end up on your side. That's not fair. Besides, don't underestimate me! How could I ever become a great supplier if I didn't have some muscle to back me up?"
As she spoke, Pardofelis raised the reusable shopping bag high above her head to show off her strength.
"All right, all right. I know you're stronger than you look." Eden smiled. "Give me those bags with the clothes, then. That way, if you get tired later, you'll have a free hand to switch with."
This time, Eden didn't give Pardofelis a chance to refuse. She simply took all the clothing bags from her other hand.
"Thanks, Big Sis Eden!"
Pardofelis thanked her with a sweet smile.
Seeing how cute and well-behaved she was only strengthened Eden's resolve to bring this adorable little sister into her fold.
"You're welcome."
--+--
After leaving the supermarket, Pardofelis walked ahead and led the way.
Before long, they'd left the main streets of Sundown Alley behind. After several twists and turns, they entered a narrow alley that looked rather dirty and run-down.
Eden looked around at the shabby surroundings. Crude buildings made from prefabricated panels stood everywhere, while poorly dressed pedestrians hurried through the alley now and then. She quickly realized they'd probably reached the slums.
Eden had only ever seen slums on television before. This was her first time seeing one in person, and she couldn't help looking around with curiosity.
As she studied her surroundings, a hunched man approached from the opposite direction. Just as he was about to brush past her, his hand suddenly shot out and grabbed at her purse.
The moment Eden felt the pull, her expression sharpened.
She didn't panic. Instead, she calmly reached into the purse she'd deliberately left partly unzipped, pulled out a short-barreled flintlock, and fired a shot into the wall beside them.
The gunshot exploded through the alley.
The thief froze in shock and immediately let go. At the same time, several others who'd been eyeing Eden like easy prey caught sight of the weapon in her hand, then looked toward the smoking, bowl-sized hole in the wall.
They shuddered, quickly looked away, and abandoned whatever ideas they'd been entertaining.
"Get lost."
Eden shifted the barrel slightly toward the man.
Before she could aim it at him, he scrambled away in a panic.
Eden turned back toward Pardofelis, about to say something, only to find her face deathly pale.
Eden immediately put the weapon back into her purse and hurried over.
"Pardofelis? What's wrong? Did that scare you?"
Pardofelis pressed her lips together and shook her head. The cold sweat on her forehead and the faint trembling of her body told a different story.
Eden was about to contact Durandal and ask her to come over with Abyss Flower to treat Pardofelis again. Maybe there'd been some hidden injury left untreated from yesterday.
Before Eden could even pull out her phone, however, Pardofelis gradually returned to normal.
"Big Sis Eden, I'm fine..."
Her voice still trembled a little, but she didn't sound weak. Whatever had happened, it clearly wasn't anything serious.
"Then what was that just now?"
Eden frowned at her, unable to understand what had happened.
Pardofelis gave a bitter smile.
"Big Sis Eden, have you ever heard this saying? I heard it from someone from Shenzhou. It goes, 'Once bitten by a snake, you fear a rope for ten years.' I guess mine would be more like, 'Once shot by a gun, you fear gunshots for ten years.'"
Hearing that, Eden quietly abandoned the idea of interrupting whatever good time Durandal was having.
After all, Abyss Flower could heal physical ailments, but it couldn't do anything about wounds of the mind.
"Then I'll have to be careful from now on. I shouldn't casually fire a gun around you."
Eden said it half seriously and half as a joke, hoping it'd help Pardofelis move past the shadow hanging over her.
"No!"
Pardofelis shook her head at once.
"Sundown Alley is a mess. If I fall apart every time I hear a gunshot, I'll never survive around here. So, Big Sis Eden, whenever you've got nothing better to do, just fire off a couple of shots next to me for fun. I'm sure I'll get used to it in no time!"
--+--
T/N: If you want advance chapters, you can find it at [email protected]/AspenTL