If they met with Sakura this Saturday, that would make fifteen.
She wondered if the Gnius would give out rewards when the number reached fifteen.
Though Durandal was looking forward to the Gnius possibly gifting her a Divine Key or something else in advance, she wouldn't just recruit anyone into the Flame-Chasers for that.
If the Flame-Chasers grew too bloated, they'd inevitably end up just another Fire Moth.
"You seem happy?"
Just as Durandal was lost in her thoughts, Elysia's voice came from beside her.
"You could say that."
Durandal nodded. "Watching the Flame-Chasers grow step by step means more companions on the path forward. No one likes walking alone, and I'm no exception."
"Alone, huh…"
Elysia suddenly took Durandal's hand and gave her a sweet smile.
"Well then, our mighty leader, would you like to go for a stroll with your companion?"
Without waiting for an answer, Elysia pulled her along, leading her right out of the neighborhood and down to the beach.
Nagazora was a seaside city, and since it wasn't too late yet, plenty of people were gathered by the shore.
Even in winter, the nights here weren't cold. The gentle sea breeze seemed to wash away all worries and sorrows.
The faintly glowing moon reflected on the shimmering water, like a scene from a painting.
Faced with such a view, Durandal decided not to mind Elysia dragging her here without any explanation.
Elysia was still holding her hand as they walked along the sand.
Suddenly, a little girl carrying a basket of flowers approached, looking up at Durandal. "Pretty big sister, would you like to buy a rose for your girlfriend?"
"Huh? She's not—"
Durandal started to explain, but Elysia, with her free hand, pulled out her phone. "Little one, do I scan here?"
"Mhm, ten yuan each—oh, I was going to use yen, but that's too much trouble, so let's go with RMB. How many would you like, beautiful big sister?"
The girl asked.
"If I take them all… let's see, there are thirteen here, so that's 130 yuan…"
Just as Elysia finished counting and was about to pay, Durandal pulled out her own phone and scanned first. "We'll take eleven."
A moment later, the girl's device chimed with the sound of 110 yuan received.
"Here you go, cool sister—eleven roses~"
The girl quickly counted out eleven, tied them into a bouquet, and handed it to Durandal.
Elysia watched quietly until the girl was gone, then pouted. "Why not buy all of them?"
"Thirteen is an unlucky number. I don't like it."
Durandal answered honestly.
"U-unlucky?"
Elysia was stunned. She never expected to hear such a reason from her.
"In the language of Shenzhou, 'thirteen' sounds like 'parting.' Besides, thirteen also symbolizes suffering, misfortune, and betrayal."
Durandal explained.
Elysia blinked. "I can sort of accept the Shenzhou language part, but where did you hear about those other meanings?"
Durandal: "…"
Oh no. She'd forgotten—the Previous Era had no Bible, nor Norse mythology.
The ones fifty thousand years later existed, but many were adaptations of figures or events from the Previous Era.
No way around it. Durandal could only say, "Anyway, I don't like the number thirteen!"
"Alright, alright, you don't like that number!"
Elysia suddenly smiled. "You don't like thirteen because it sounds like 'parting' in Shenzhou. Can I take that to mean… you don't want to part with me?"
Durandal didn't answer, but Elysia could clearly feel it—though she was the one holding the other's hand, Durandal's grip had tightened even more.
After that, neither spoke, simply walking hand in hand along the beach in silence, until it grew later and later, and fewer and fewer people remained on the sand…
"We should head back."
Durandal handed the bouquet of roses to Elysia. "Here, for you."
"For me?"
Elysia didn't reach for it, instead asking, "Durandal, do you know what giving a girl eleven roses means?"
"Probably… love?"
Durandal sounded uncertain.
"If you know, then why give them!"
Elysia shot her a look, though her own heartbeat suddenly quickened.
"But… don't you like them? I saw you wanted them, and since I don't like the number thirteen, I bought eleven instead."
Durandal looked at the roses in her hand. "Besides, I'm no good at taking care of flowers. If you have them, they'll last longer. If I tried, they might not even see tomorrow's sun."
Elysia: "…"
Of course. She shouldn't have gotten her hopes up!
Wait… what was she hoping for?
A flicker of confusion crossed Elysia's eyes.
Roses symbolized love, and different numbers carried their own meanings.
Eleven roses meant—loving only one person in a lifetime.
After a brief silence, Elysia took the bouquet. "Well, to save these innocent flowers from being tortured by a certain someone, I suppose I'll reluctantly accept them!"
And so, when Connie, who had been waiting in the living room until eleven at night, finally saw them return, her eyes instantly lit up.
What did she see?
The two of them holding hands!
Oh, that wasn't the point!
The point was, Elysia was holding a bouquet of roses in her free hand!
No, that wasn't it either.
Though Elysia and Durandal walked by quickly, Connie's eyes were sharp!
In those few seconds as they passed, she counted exactly eleven roses in that bouquet.
And eleven roses meant loving only one person in a lifetime.
Connie almost wanted to wipe away tears.
Her lost hour of beauty sleep was worth it.
Tonight, she was definitely going to have sweet dreams.
As for Durandal and Elysia, they only realized they were still holding hands when they reached their room.
Elysia gently let go. "We have school tomorrow, so rest early. Goodnight~"
"Goodnight."
Durandal's now-freed hand twitched slightly, an inexplicable sense of loss washing over her.
Meanwhile, two heads peeked out from the kitchen—Eden and Vill-V.
"Did you see that just now?"
They spoke in unison.
Come to think of it, they'd been living here for a while now. Though Connie kept going on and on about Durandal and Elysia's relationship, the two of them never felt it was quite like that.
But now, seeing them holding hands, with Elysia carrying a bouquet of roses…
Well, judging by Connie's excited mouthing, they were eleven roses too…
That settled it.
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P.S.: Case closed!
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