854 Translation

Hearing Franca's answer, Jenna bit her lip and said, "Was that choice you just made also influenced by this factor?"

"Maybe," Franca said with a bitter smile. "I felt that if I didn't do this, there would always be that lingering resentment in my heart. We would definitely grow apart over time. Once the mission is completed, once there's no external force keeping us together, we might just drift apart. But I don't want that..."

"When I left with a dagger just now, I genuinely wanted to castrate Lumian once to vent my anger. But walking in the shadows of the street, the cold wind sobered me up a lot. Then I thought, love is such a nuisance. Without it, the three of us could still be together happily like before.

"With that thought, I suddenly felt that if I could exclude love, and the possessiveness and jealousy it brings, maybe, just maybe, it could work...

"Madam Judgment has always told us that the end is near, coming in a few years or decades. We must prepare ourselves mentally and in terms of strength. Although there are no signs of the apocalypse yet, and we often forget this matter to maintain a good mindset and avoid going mad from stress, we've already experienced two major catastrophes in Trier alone. The Tree of Shadow incident and the Hostel plan, no matter how we try to avoid or ignore them, we can't escape their impact.

"Under such circumstances, any one of us might leave, say goodbye, or die at any time. So why care so much? Although that choice is strange, and even I find it hard to accept, why not give it a try?

"After trying, our future might be better and we'll become closer, even more caring for one another, or it might get worse, gradually drifting apart and becoming familiar strangers or even enemies. But how will we know the result without trying? It won't get much worse anyway.

"Of course, human emotions are uncontrollable. Even if our future gets better, the hidden love and possessiveness and jealousy it brings can't be completely eliminated. Pain and pleasure will coexist for a long time. Perhaps that's the essence of a Demoness.

"But no matter what, I still like that saying:

"Life is short, why not give it a try?"

Jenna listened intently to Franca's statement, then said with a gentle gaze, "That's why I feel such a strong sense of urgency and sometimes make selfish choices."

She then chuckled."I've heard Lumian tease you with 'Life is short, why not give it a try'. Was it because you did something strange with that saying in mind?"

Franca smiled awkwardly. "I was quite hesitant and conflicted about drinking the Witch potion. Then someone said that phrase to me."

Jenna understood and, instead of mocking Franca, asked curiously, "Was it also that saying that encouraged you to be with Gardner Martin?"

"Yes... I hadn't met you all then, and I didn't have anyone I particularly cared about," Franca replied even more awkwardly.

Seeing this, Jenna chuckled softly. "Did you ever think about trying it with Lumian?"

"Well..." Franca felt like running away, "Oh, come on, you pure-hearted girl, let's not talk about such inappropriate topics!"

Jenna deliberately swore, "Dammit! The dirty jokes and obscene scenes I heard and saw while singing in bars and dance halls were far more shocking than this. Not just between men and women, even between men and men."

The atmosphere became less sad and heavy, and Jenna stood up.

"You look very tired. Emotional upheaval does that. I'll go back now. Get some rest."

"Okay." Franca stood up as well.

She opened her mouth, seemingly wanting to ask something, but ultimately didn't.

Sensitive to details, Jenna smiled. "Ask whatever you want. You've already made that decision, what else could you hesitate to ask?"

Franca hesitated for a moment, then looked into Jenna's eyes and asked, "If I had told you from the start that I was originally a man, and after spending some time together, genuinely pursued you, would you have fallen for me?"

Jenna thought seriously for a moment, then replied, "I can't answer such a hypothetical question. All I can say is maybe."

She looked back into Franca's eyes, saying, "I've told you before, during that period, you were a light in my life. To me, you were both my best friend and the older sister who always protected me, despite not being related by blood. After my mother died, I even projected some of my feelings for her onto you. Maybe that's why I sometimes thought I shouldn't give you any false hopes and it was better to cut things off early."

Jenna smiled. "In my heart, if I were to rank the three people I care about most, Julien would be first, you second, and Lumian third. Love might fade one day, but the bond we share won't."

Franca felt relieved and said with a smile, "You have a great way with words."

"Of course, I studied hard back then!" Jenna walked towards the door.

After a few steps, she turned back to Franca and hesitated, "I can't accept the idea of joining right now. Just speaking for myself."

She then laughed. "But who knows what the future holds?"

Franca smiled. "It's just a saying."

Jenna turned back to the door, opened it, and held the brass handle, pausing once more. She turned her body and looked at Franca standing in the center of the living room, asking quietly, "If one day you find a way home, and both Lumian and I want you to stay, would you?"

Franca stood with her back to the crimson moonlight, her face hidden in deep shadow.

After a long silence, she answered slowly, "I don't know..."

Her voice seemed to be squeezed out from her heart, light and weak.

...

Two days later, in an underground quarry in Trier.

Franca, Jenna, and Amandina, who had just arrived from Matani in the Southern Continent, stood inside a wall of spirituality, watching Lumian set up an altar.

Anthony, who Amandina hadn't noticed, was responsible for guarding the perimeter.

Lumian calmly completed the preparations, lit the candles, dripped the essential oil, and stepped back two steps, standing next to Franca.

He wasn't worried about the lack of demigod protection. Firstly, Amandina was present. Secondly, when he sent the bottle of Samaria Woman Spring water to Madam Magician, he mentioned this matter.

Seeing the candle flames flicker, Franca suddenly became nervous, while Amandina looked puzzled. She had no idea what she was supposed to help with or could help with.

Once Franca nodded, indicating she was ready, Lumian recited in ancient Hermes, "I!"

Then, switching to Hermes:

"I summon in my name:

"The spirit that wanders about the unfounded, a combination of numerous shadows, Lumian Lee's contracted creature..."

This was a familiar part of the process to Amandina, similar to summoning a messenger. So she didn't pay much attention, curious about the incantation's description while observing Franca, the lady whose name she had just learned, and Lumian's eye interactions, looking for any signs of intimacy.

To her disappointment, Franca, Jenna, and Lumian were all focused on the ritual.

Soon, a blurry shadow in fish-scale armor emerged from the candle flame, its black scales stained with pure gold, appearing solemn and sacred.

The transparent faces on the scales were clearer than before, more twisted and fierce like evil spirits.

They silently screamed, displaying hatred and malice.

Amandina was startled.

It wasn't the appearance of Armored Shadow that scared her; such horror couldn't intimidate someone who had experienced the Dream Festival, summoned Baynfel, and been to the underground catacombs.

What shocked her was Armored Shadow and the ghostly faces on its scales simultaneously looking at her!

She almost stopped breathing, her body enveloped in icy coldness.

Armored Shadow spoke in a strange language.

Only Franca could barely understand it, hearing: "Disciple of the Underworld Gate..."

It really recognizes Amandina's boon... Franca murmured, noticing Armored Shadow's malice had lessened, indicating a more peaceful interaction was possible.

Lumian also noticed the change and quickly had Franca place the 100,000 verl d'or worth of gold on the altar, then spoke in Hermes, "I offer this sacrifice, please complete a simple task and answer two questions."

Armored Shadow conveyed agreement, its scales' transparent faces greedily eyeing the gold.

Lumian immediately placed the documents Franca handed him on the altar.

These weren't the documents Mr. Star gave Franca, nor the original documents.

The former had its order completely scrambled, making it difficult to interpret through a question and answer format, and the latter could corrupt Armored Shadow, leading the ritual to unforeseen dangers.

So, after Franca expressed her intention, Mr. Star provided new documents through Madam Judgment.

The new documents extracted several complete sentences from the original, containing hundreds of frequently used words from the rest of the text.

"The task is to translate these documents." Franca listened to Lumian's request with anticipation and anxiety.

She wasn't sure if Armored Shadow would accept the deal.

With a whooshing sound, the two pages floated up, hovering before Armored Shadow.

After a few seconds, the armored shadow spoke again in an incomprehensible language.

Franca's ears perked up.

"Pure yin does not last, pure yang does not grow, yin contains yang, yang contains yin, the union of yin and yang gives rise to everything, this is the way of heaven..."

That's it? Franca's lips twitched.

Although she hadn't truly done the deed, she suspected Armored Shadow was insinuating something about herself, Jenna, and Lumian.