NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 263: Eden
Silence descended upon the room, broken only by Wendy's soft humming from the kitchen as she deftly maneuvered her wheelchair, preparing breakfast.
Himeko knew nothing of [Eden]'s past. In fact, before thoroughly investigating the files left by Ren, she hadn't realized that Eden, ARC City's most popular singer, was also one of Ren's puppets.
In the burgeoning ARC City, everything was rapidly developing, but the citizens' cultural life was relatively lacking. Aside from the Obsidian Concord and E.T. Studio's anime and games, there wasn't much to satisfy their entertainment needs.
It was under these circumstances that Eden, a phenomenal idol, emerged.
Her singing seemed to possess a magical quality, bringing hope to countless people, like a ray of sunlight piercing through thick clouds, igniting the city's yearning for beauty. Within a month, she had become ARC City's brightest star, second only to Kiana.
And yet, this seemingly perfect idol, faced with Himeko's question, simply smiled, offering no immediate reply.
"Every star, before it shines, must first ignite itself."
Bathed in sunlight, Eden's eyes shimmered like liquid gold, bright and dazzling. She stood by the window, her fingers gently plucking the strings of a standing harp, the clear notes falling like morning dew.
"Miss Himeko, prying into someone's past isn't very polite."
As Eden spoke, Himeko's eyes narrowed. She noticed the scars Eden had subtly revealed.
Long scars on her wrists, ligature marks on her neck, and a wound that looked like her vocal cords had been brutally torn.
"This…?" Himeko's voice trembled, but when she looked at Eden, the woman remained relaxed, as if the wounds were unrelated to her.
"Just remnants of a pitiful past. That's the answer you seek."
Himeko was silent.
"When I prayed to the gods in the darkness, none answered. At the end of my life, the only words I heard were, 'Welcome to the Theater of the Domination.'"
Her voice was calm and even, as if recounting the story of a stranger. Eden's slender fingers continued to pluck a melancholic melody on the harp.
"That pitiful creature died with her name in the past. She changed her appearance, changed her identity.
Now, her name is Eden, an idol belonging to the Obsidian Concord.
That is my story. Nothing more."
The atmosphere suddenly turned heavy. Himeko regretted prying into Eden's past.
But as she was about to apologize, Eden gracefully placed a finger against Himeko's lips, silencing her.
"Look over there."
Following Eden's gaze, Himeko looked towards the kitchen.
While preparing ingredients wasn't difficult for Wendy, thanks to the lowered sink, the old stove presented a considerable challenge for the wheelchair-bound girl. She had failed to light it several times.
Yet, Wendy's humming didn't falter. She simply adjusted her position in the wheelchair, determined to use the kitchen utensils.
After considerable effort, she finally managed to perform the simple task, a smile still on her face, as if the difficulty wasn't a burden but a way to experience the feeling of being alive.
"Do you see? We are all lives born from destruction. Regardless of our past, our present lives are all that matters. I don't know Wendy's story, but since she's found something she wants to do, something she can do, let her do it."
A new life…
As Kiana's and the others' teacher, Himeko knew what Wendy had endured. As a former Valkyrie, Wendy should have been active on the battlefield, but Schicksal had treated her as a vessel for the Herrscher of Wind.
Even after losing control, she had still trusted Bronya and the others. But in the end, due to Cocolia's betrayal, she had lost almost all of her consciousness, falling into the Quantum Sea along with the Gem of Desire.
While reviewing the Obsidian Concord's records, Himeko had discovered that Ren had retrieved Wendy's consciousness from the Gem of Desire and constructed a new body for her, a puppet.
However, her consciousness was severely fragmented. She had lost most of her memories, and her mind couldn't fully control her new body, confining her to a wheelchair.
Despite this, Wendy cherished the new life Ren had given her.
Having lost the memories of her time as the Herrscher of Wind, Wendy had become more cheerful and optimistic. She harbored no resentment towards anyone, treating each day as a new beginning.
Himeko had taken her in, intending to care for her, but Wendy was far more capable than she had anticipated. Now, it was Himeko who relied on Wendy for a warm breakfast after her nightly patrols.
Unknowingly, Himeko and Wendy had developed a genuine teacher-student bond.
When Himeko had asked about Wendy's dreams, the girl had finally voiced her wish.
"Wendy wants to sing. Wendy wants to stand on a stage."
That was the first time Himeko realized that Wendy wasn't the Herrscher of Wind anymore; she was just an ordinary girl. As she spoke of her dream, her eyes seemed to sparkle.
But Wendy couldn't stand; she couldn't walk. Confined to a wheelchair, she had no chance of standing on a stage.
So, to fulfill Wendy's dream, Himeko had sought out Eden, the city's brightest star, and through investigation and interaction, discovered her true nature as a puppet.
Eden hadn't refused Himeko's request, agreeing to be Wendy's teacher, instructing her in music theory and promising to provide her with a stage.
Wendy's soft humming echoed through the room. Eden plucked the harp strings, seemingly harmonizing with Wendy's song. Himeko closed her eyes, listening quietly.
"Do you hear it? Her song, carried by the wind, soaring high into the sky. It is the sound of freedom."
…
Eden left, leaving behind several concert tickets. They were for the city-wide concert, [Golden, Song of Radiance], scheduled for the next day, the stage Eden and Himeko had prepared for Wendy.
But Wendy didn't know yet.
For her, confined to a wheelchair, being able to sing freely in an empty room like this was enough.
"By the way, Wendy, what was the name of the song Eden just taught you?"
"It's called Nightglow. Eden-neesan said it suits you, Himeko-sensei, so I learned it. Do you want to sing it with me?"
"Nightglow," huh? Himeko suddenly recalled the flames that had lit up the sky, the gray-haired boy, and herself.
"Yes, let's sing together."