Endless Debt

This time, Bologue was silent for a while before he spoke again, "Serey, what’s wrong with you?"

"Me? I’m fine."

Serey managed to force an awkward smile, "It’s just cyclical anxiety, it’ll be fine in a few days. It’s a common ailment among the Undead, after all, we live for so long."

Bologue pressed on with an unusually serious tone, "No, you know that’s not what I’m asking."

This time it was Serey’s turn to be silent, his eyes clearing at a perceptible pace. For a Night Race Lord, breaking free from the grip of alcohol was the simplest thing imaginable.

"I’m just bearing the price, Bologue. Immortality is not a Blessing, but a Curse. A long life dulls all your emotions; nothing remains precious, nothing can stir your heart anymore."

Serey recalled what he had once said to Bologue, "I really envy you, you’re still young."

Clearly, this conversation ended in yet another unhappy parting.

Serey slumped on the bar, as if dead asleep. Bode stood nearby, cleaning up ground stains and vomit. Wei’Er and the others chatted away, interrogating Church, asking him about his story with Afeiya, marveling at how the seemingly least likely to connect with others, Church, would leave faster than anyone else.

Nearing midnight, everyone left the Undying Club. Recently, the times have been precarious, each person had work to do, indulgence was not an option.

Before leaving, Bologue took one last look at Serey’s forlorn figure and departed without a word.

"What do you think is truly wrong with Serey?" Palmer walked alongside Bologue.

Bologue replied, "It’s nothing, he’s just true to his nature."

"What nature? A debauched gentleman?"

"No, a coward."

Bologue’s voice was severe, "A coward afraid to confront his own fate."

The revelry dispersed, and the Undying Club returned to quiet once more. Serey staggered to his feet, as the Night Race’s activities resumed, many awful memories resurfaced for Serey, but worse than those were the memories of Aisha.

Every deep night, as Serey closed his eyes, he would see Aisha’s figure, see her smile at him, reach out to him...

Memories torment Serey, causing him immense pain.

Amid the agony, he recalled words from someone who once loved him, "Time will sour our feelings, turning love to hate, fostering mutual loathing."

For a fleeting moment, Serey felt a loathing for Aisha, a detestation for why he loved her, why he loved her so much, and why she had to die alone, leaving him trapped in the anguish of memories.

After the hatred came profound fear, Serey couldn’t believe he would hate the one person who had ever truly cared for him in his life.

Serey’s stomach churned, as if indulging in a peculiar habit. He liked to vomit, as if it could purge his decaying interior, but this time, as he bent over, Bode intercepted him.

"Go outside to puke."

Bode had had enough of cleaning up Serey’s vomit.

Serey was expelled from the Undying Club, sitting on the steps, staring at the empty street. He tried to muster something, only to find he couldn’t vomit at all.

The cool night breeze sobered Serey a little. He leaned back backward, resting on the steps, trying to ponder, but in the end, it was all a waste of time.

Whenever Serey thought about maintaining this undead, bleak contemplation for his lifelong journey, despair washed over him, and this despair was quickly replaced by emptiness.

Weak footsteps interrupted Serey’s thoughts, he turned his head and saw the figure in the alley’s shadow.

"Long time no see."

Serey glanced at the shadow and tossed a casual remark, his gaze returned to the night sky, gazing at the bright moonlight.

Suddenly, Serey chuckled.

"What are you laughing at?"

Olivia stepped out from the shadows, never quite understanding her mercurial father, just like she couldn’t fathom why he would destroy the Night Race.

"I’m laughing because I’ve lived so long, yet it seems I haven’t looked up at the moon often."

Serey said slowly, "And I’m laughing because everything from the past has faded away, but the moon remains. It remembers me, remembers the one who watched the moon with me."

His voice sank, eyes flickering with crimson hues, "You’ve been lingering around the Undying Club for a while, what are you up to? Is it about the Rebellious Royal Court affairs?"

Olivia halted a moment, before her appeared not a drunkard but a Night Race Lord hidden in the darkness, the oppressive bloodline pressure affecting her in every way, bringing pure intimidation.

"No."

Olivia denied, "It’s trouble I stirred up, it won’t implicate you."

She glanced back at the Undying Club, aware of its secluded rules.

"Then why are you here?"

"Just wanted to see you, so I won’t regret it if one day I can’t see you anymore," Olivia said.

"There’s nothing worth seeing about me," Serey dismissed, "You’ve never liked your father anyway, what, have your experiences changed your view of me over the years?"

"No way, Serey, you’re a complete bastard, that’s an undeniable fact."

Olivia said, gazing at the moon, murmuring, "But you’re like the moon, it’s an unchanging bond, reminding me of our mother, just like you’re a bond to me that brings her back to my mind."

"A bond..."

The bright moonlight settled in Serey’s eyes, and he felt a strange peace within.

"Ol..."

Serey wanted to say more, but when he looked toward the shadows, he realized Olivia had vanished.

She left.

Serey could feel the bloodline connection thinning steadily until she completely disappeared from his perception, leaving him alone once again.

"I always thought you should be more cheerful." The shadow behind began to squirm, and a black cat emerged.

"Aren’t I cheerful enough?" Serey countered, "The famous pole dancer of Oubos in Oath City."

Wei’Er struggled to forget that dreadful title of Serey’s, "I meant the part of your heart."

"..."

"Do you really lack the courage to be honest with your daughter about your feelings?" Wei’Er could only sigh, "The Villeries sure are a bunch of cowards, but your daughter is so brave, she hardly seems like your child."

Serey’s voice was hesitant, "I’m just not ready yet... I haven’t even figured out how to say it."

"Wei’Er, honestly, I never thought I’d have offspring, in my original fate, Olivia shouldn’t exist."

Perhaps the emotions were just right, or maybe Serey gathered some bravery, he continued, "But one day, Aisha suddenly said she wanted us to have a child, you know, I couldn’t refuse her request, and so Olivia was born.

To me, Olivia was merely a product of happiness and romance in the life Aisha and I shared."

"You don’t love your child?"

"I don’t know, maybe," Serey said softly, "Aisha said Olivia is a bond she gave me, linking me to the whole world."

"At the time, I didn’t understand what she meant by that."

Serey mocked himself, "I still don’t get it."