Chapter 3840: The After-Party Performance

After dinner, banquets and games were held across the deck and cabins, reminding Xia De of the lively wedding feast he once attended at Lakeview Manor.

The young ladies moved throughout the ship, frolicking and playing various games. The prizes were provided by the Grand Witches, who, flush with wealth, treated these gifts as rewards for the girls. The banquet itself was also seen by them as a way to let followers of different Grand Witches get to know one another.

At eight-thirty in the evening, the ball officially began.

Eager to join the ball, the young ladies had already changed into their attire and, amid applause, were led by Xia De and Luvia in the first dance, followed by casual invitations and playful interactions.

Among the earlier banquet games, there was a prize called "Dance Tickets." Girls holding these special vouchers could invite anyone to dance with them once, and the invitee could not refuse.

Xia De did not know who had proposed this prize; there were only ten Dance Tickets, and one had somehow been drawn by Miss Yilasi. Thus, the shipgirl laughed and danced a second dance with Xia De, while Miss Jia Lin Na strongly suspected the big-tailed blue dragon girl had cheated on her own turf.

In short, everyone had a wonderful time that Tuesday—the cat who wasn't human and the unicorns enjoyed themselves too, and Xiao Xiao Miya especially loved today's meals.

But no banquet lasts forever; no matter how unwilling, the evening party ended at ten o'clock, after Xia De and Yiluna finished their final dance, as all the lights in the ballroom suddenly flared on.

Yiluna held Xia De's hand, feeling a quiet sense of loss. Xia De would soon temporarily leave Fatumoster Island to prepare for the journey to Karas Mountain, and the Grand Witches would gradually lead their respective girls off the island back to their own cities.

Amelia was even a little melancholy, but the elf's sadness likely stemmed more from having to return to school. Miss Jia Lin Na, however, was in the best mood, for Xia De's return home meant she could once again "monopolize" him.

Amid farewell calls, the maid-servants handled the cleanup, while everyone returned to their rooms to rest.

But Luvia had already told everyone they had prepared gifts for Xia De, and instructed him not to rush back after the banquet—he was to wait until they were ready.

So after the party ended, Xia De first escorted Yiluna back to the city, then returned Amelia and Little Lianna to the elf camp, and afterward washed up in a spare room arranged by Miss Yilasi.

Winnie, who brought Xia De his new nightwear, smiled and took Xiao Xiao Miya away—the cat was already accustomed to such things.

When Xia De stood before his own cabin door, he was still guessing what game awaited him tonight. The five Grand Witches—Miss Jia Lin Na, Xiwei, Vanessa, Sylvie, and Megan—plus Luvia, Princess Lei Lei Qianya, and Dorothy, should all be waiting for him inside: eight people total.

He raised his fingers to knock, but immediately lowered them:

"This is my room. Why am I knocking?"

He pushed the door open directly. The living room was dark and empty; only the slightly ajar bedroom glowed with light:

"Will they all be hiding under the bed again this time?"

【It's hard to say. Maybe they'll even blindfold you.】

"She" laughed in reply. Xia De steadied his emotions before opening the bedroom door. They were indeed all there—the curtains drawn shut, the room lit only by the dim, intimate glow of gas lamps.

Princess Lei Lei Qianya and Dorothy sat back-to-back, hugging their knees on the pillows at the head of the bed. Miss Jia Lin Na held a wineglass in her left hand and rested her right on the desk; beneath her arm, Vanessa sat cross-legged on the chair before the desk, studying the open book laid out before her.

Sylvie leaned against the wardrobe, arms outstretched and pressing back against both doors. Megan, teasingly, propped one hand on the wardrobe door, watching Sylvie as if guarding a secret.

At the foot of the bed, Xiwei and Luvia were playing chess. Luvia knelt there, deeply absorbed in thought, while Xiwei hugged a pillow.

They all remained perfectly still. Only after Xia De opened the door and stared, wide-eyed, at the scene inside, did they all turn toward the doorway as if time had just resumed.

As Xia De stepped back under the gaze of eight pairs of eyes heavy with wistful longing, they whispered in unison:

"So… whom will you choose?"

Notably, all of them were now in a state suitable for Flora's painting.

The "she" beside his ear smiled gently. Xia De took a deep breath:

"Wait a moment—I still don't understand the rules. What does this mean? How do I choose? How many can I pick at once? What does choosing even signify?"

Vanessa shifted her crossed legs—right over left—this movement successfully drawing Xia De's gaze:

"Xia De, don't be so hasty~ We pair up, each pair representing a story. Whenever you choose a pair, the other six will perform their story for you. As for the two you choose, they will…."

Behind Megan, who rested one hand on the wardrobe, Audrey wrapped her arms around her sister's neck, then leaned her head out from behind Megan to look at Xia De:

"Of course, during the performance, all senses are shared—the potion recorded in The Pink Book ensures this. Only when a scene truly cannot proceed will the next act begin. If you can bring all four acts to an end before three a. m...."

Her red lips curved into a smile, her eyes holding hidden meaning:

"Xia De… do you want to know what the final curtain will be?"

Xia De took a deep breath and stepped fully into the room, then shut the door with a soft click, locking himself away with these "dangerous" young ladies—with no escape left.

"Alright then. I think I'm ready."

He walked toward Luvia and Xiwei at the foot of the bed. The Fortune Teller and Xiwei, cheeks faintly flushed, both smiled with lips pressed together. The other six gathered together, preparing to begin the first act.

As the two girls at the bed's foot took hold of his hands, Dorothy, the scriptwriter, whispered:

"Then let the performance begin tonight. Audience member Xia De, it seems you've already 'taken your seat.' First act—The Incompetent Wife."

In truth, this idea was borrowed by Princess Lei Lei Qianya from a novel written by Ajielina.

(Xiao Xiao Miya was running…)

The end of Tuesday's banquet also marked the official end of the outsider's "Fatumoster Island journey."

The fate story itself is a drama, and its ending is drama too. Though the ending was strange, considering how strange the true beginning of the fate journey had been—when Sylvie "lured" Xia De to Gao Ta—it felt fitting, a perfect echo. Thus, the fate story now had no lingering troubles left.

Of course, one final task remained before departure.

"Aren't you going home? Then why are you coming to me again?"

At nine a. m. Wednesday, in the Snow Mountain Hall, Claire asked Xia De this, her tone slightly dissatisfied, but behind her, Stella knew this was her teacher's quiet regret and loneliness at everyone leaving.

Xia De replied:

"Yes, I did go home—I left my luggage and Xiao Xiao Miya there—and then I came right back. Inviting you to my home will have to wait a while; we all have things to attend to."

"But today's weather is fine, so I thought I'd finally do something I've been saying I'd do for ages: take a proper tour of the island. These past three months, I've been too busy with everything else to actually sightsee here."

Claire had already understood his meaning, yet she asked:

"What does this have to do with me?"

Then she felt her tone had been too harsh, and amended:

"So… you want me to take you sightseeing?"

"Yes, Claire. May I have that honor?"

"Since you put it that way… wait a moment. I'll change clothes."

Claire had originally planned to bring Stella along, but the white-haired girl smiled and declined. Thus, the "island tour" that day was undertaken solely by Xia De and Claire.

Xia De was already familiar with Kyle-Todd Town; their journey began in Time Wheel City. Though Xia De had visited the city often, only Claire knew the hidden shops tucked in alleyways and the fleeting, unnoticed sights of the city that others rushed past.

The weather remained fine. At the end of a sunlit winter, Xia De and Claire walked hand in hand through the streets and lanes of Time Wheel City, stepping on cobblestones as she recounted cherished childhood memories of being taken into town by Elder Lainhart or her parents.

In the midst of their casual conversation, when the Miss walking in the sunlight occasionally glanced back at him with a bright smile, the Outsider could think of no better way to end this winter.

That noon, while they were dining at a restaurant in the city, Xia De felt he would remember for a long time the picture of Claire resting her chin on her right hand as she gazed out the window at the street scene.

Then, in the afternoon that followed, Claire took Xia De out of the city once more to enjoy the natural scenery in various parts of the island:

"The island in summer and the island in winter are still very different. Right now we're at the tail end of winter, so some scenes might be gone by next week."

Claire, wrapped in a red scarf, stood in a grove of cedars and pointed at the broad rime on the trees as she spoke—then noticed that Xia De wasn't looking at the scenery, but at her.

Their eyes met, and each understood the other's heart completely. The witch, blushing, beckoned Xia De to keep walking forward with her; Xia De followed behind her and said softly:

"Yes, the scenery this year will look completely different by next year."

By the beach, at the foot of the mountains, in the snowy peaks—throughout that afternoon their footsteps covered nearly every corner of the island.

And when the setting sun gilded the snowy mountain gold, at the highest point of the Fate Ruins atop the snowy peak, at the edge of the 【Sage's Cliff】, a tablecloth had been spread, and upon it were laid out all the dishes Xia De had commissioned the Dragon Maids to prepare using the rubies.

Claire nestled in Xia De's arms, facing with him toward the edge of the cliff to watch the setting sun. Both their faces were gilded gold, and their fingers were interlaced.

"I will never forget this winter of 1855, Xia De."

Claire said softly. Xia De nodded, reached out to brush aside the strand of hair that had fallen across her left cheek, and tucked that strand behind Claire's ear.

Then Claire sat up to face Xia De. In the afterglow of the setting sun, their two hearts beat as one, and the Outsider kissed the witch—just as though he were kissing the sun of that very moment.