NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 276: A Fleeting Eternity
Compared to back-breaking labor, artistic pursuits in this era were undoubtedly a more lucrative endeavor. By sunset, Ren had earned enough to sustain them for a month.
As he packed up his stall, several women lingered, offering their contact information and inviting him to their homes.
Ren politely declined with a smile, gathering his easel and walking over to Kiana.
"Been waiting long?"
Seeing Ren and Kiana together, the women finally realized they might have been played. However, for most of them, acquiring a high-quality portrait for a few thousand marks was a steal.
"Is that the girl in the painting on top of the easel?" someone murmured, their gaze fixed on Kiana.
Becoming the center of attention made Kiana feel self-conscious, especially in this artistically inclined crowd. Her worn clothes stood in stark contrast to the elegant attire of the wealthy women. However, the looks directed at her weren't those of disdain but of envy.
"I'm… fine."
"Then let's go."
"There are still many people who want you to paint them. Shouldn't you do a few more?" Kiana asked, looking back at the lingering crowd.
Ren shook his head, handing all the money he had earned to Kiana, and they walked towards the outer districts. "The purpose of earning money is to survive. This is enough for us to live comfortably for a while. More than that is meaningless."
"Oh…" Kiana took the money, hesitating.
"What's wrong?"
"I… I wanted to say, I really liked that painting."
"Then keep it. If you like it, I can paint more." As if by magic, Ren produced the portrait of Kiana, not a single crease on the paper.
Kiana looked at the painting, a smile she didn't even realize she was wearing spreading across her face. "I thought you tore it up, since you said I wasn't satisfied."
"How could I? It's…" Ren looked at Kiana, their eyes meeting, reflecting each other.
For a moment, he forgot they were in an illusion. His memories drifted back to ARC City, to the first time he had met Kiana, months ago.
"It's my only masterpiece."
The crimson sun hung low in the sky, painting the twilight sky with hues of blush-pink. The gentle light fell upon Ren and Kiana, their shadows merging into one.
In this foreign land, in this world displaced in time, they walked towards the setting sun, their figures receding into the distance.
…
With ample resources, life became much simpler. Although the pursuers remained relentless, with Kiana and Ren's abilities, their life felt less like a desperate escape and more like a vacation.
As the Herrscher of Domination, in the real world, Ren was not only humanity's enemy but also a target of the Will of Honkai after escaping its control. He was like a fugitive trapped on a crumbling bridge, forced to run endlessly, lest he fall into the abyss.
He didn't even have time to breathe, each step carefully calculated to avoid falling.
His encounter with Kiana, his interactions with the Obsidian Concord—it was all a performance, a script he had to follow.
He was his own puppet, every movement controlled by invisible strings.
Ren was the Herrscher of a Thousand's initial host. He could bear the sorrows of a thousand but couldn't save himself.
Amidst the escalating dangers, the negative emotions within him continued to grow. The clash between his human instincts and his Herrscher's cold logic made him feel increasingly detached from himself.
Kiana was the same. Her time with Ren during her wandering days had been her most cherished memories, a time of self-redemption and burgeoning humanity.
But Ren's death had shattered that fragile balance, forcing her to shoulder the responsibility of saving the world.
The Honkai's corruption and her complex feelings for Ren tormented her, leaving her increasingly weary. His death had been the final straw, crushing her spirit, forcing her to simply endure.
It was these two weary souls who had stumbled into this illusion together. Here, time seemed to stand still. Ren no longer had to fear falling into the abyss, and Kiana could finally lay down her burdens.
Two lonely souls found solace in each other, just like they had in the beginning.
Time, the great healer, slowly mended their wounds as the days passed in the illusion, their long, peaceful days restoring them to their true selves.
If the little cabin had been Ren's anchor to this illusory world, then Kiana had become his only reality.
He no longer had to remind himself that he was in a dream when he woke up each morning, nor did he have to plan his next move after the illusion ended before he went to sleep.
The Herrscher of Sentience, Himeko, Li Sushang… these names gradually faded into the recesses of his mind. He even chose to forget that Kiana was just a phantom.
Everything slowed down, so much so that Ren wished this illusion could last longer.
…
"Tomorrow's Christmas Eve, isn't it?"
"Yes, is there anything you want?"
"No. Being with you is the best gift."
The voices of a young couple drifted up to Ren. He sat by the window of an old apartment building, flipping through a fashion magazine. A painting hung on the wall, the portrait he had painted of Kiana.
To avoid being found by their pursuers, they had used fake identities to rent this apartment. Unfortunately, there was only one room available.
At least there were two beds; they didn't have to share.
Hearing the couple's conversation below, Ren paused, glancing out the window. The plaza and streets were decorated for Christmas, a giant Christmas tree adorned with warm, glowing lights, casting a cozy glow in the darkness.
"It's been more than ten days already?"
He murmured, a hint of regret in his eyes.
After Christmas, the First Eruption would be only a week away. And when the eruption arrived, it would be the end of everything.