Chapter 95: Disappearing Cifera
You immediately set off for Dolos. Those familiar streets, every corner filled with memories of you and her.
"Cifera?" The children at the orphanage shook their heads. "We haven't seen her in a long time. Where did she go?"
You searched every place you two used to hide—the dilapidated clock tower, the abandoned sewers, the secret passage on the city wall… Nothing. There was no trace of her anywhere.
You even went to ask the Rogues from back then. "Cifera? Haven't seen her." "Didn't that girl become a Demigod? Why would she come back to a place like this?"
You found nothing.
At 27, you traveled to all the surrounding city-states. Everywhere you went, you inquired if there was a gray-haired, cat-eared female Rogue.
"No," "Never seen her," "You've come to the wrong place, haven't you?"
At 28, someone said they saw a similar figure in the distant snowy mountains. You immediately rushed there, searching for a whole month in the snowstorm. Besides frostbitten hands and feet, you found nothing.
At 29, "Orion, you need to rest." Aglaea said with heartache, looking at your haggard appearance.
"No." You shook your head, your eyes bloodshot. "I have to find her."
At 30, you started going to cities eroded by the Black Tide. Those places were extremely dangerous; ordinary people dared not approach them. But you didn't care. You had to go. In a pile of ruins, you saw a familiar figure—
"Cifera!"
You rushed over like a madman. Only to find it was just a girl who looked similar. You knelt on the ground, unable to get up for a long time.
At 40, ten years had passed. One morning, you looked at yourself in the mirror and suddenly froze. That face… it was still the same as when you were eighteen. Not a single trace of aging.
"Is it because I'm a Chrysos Heir…" You gave a bitter smile, touching your face.
Many Chrysos Heirs don't age, and their lifespans are longer than normal people's. What about Cifera? She must be the same. Thinking of this, your heart began to ache again. Over the years, you had learned to suppress this pain. But it never disappeared; it just hid in the deepest part of your heart, like a wound that never healed.
At 60, "I have news!" One day, an informant brought news. "In Mediterran to the north, a mysterious master thief has recently appeared!" "They say it's a cat-girl, incredibly skilled, and specializes in stealing from the powerful!"
Your heart pounded. You immediately set off, rushing there without stopping. Inquiring, searching, waiting for her to appear… Finally, you found some clues—
"There is indeed such a person, but her face is covered, so you can't see what she looks like." "Her speed is terrifying; she disappears in the blink of an eye."
It's her! It must be her! You started staking out Mediterran. But strangely, ever since you arrived, the mysterious master thief had never appeared again. It was as if… she knew you were looking for her.
After that, news became scarcer and scarcer. Occasionally, someone would say they saw her in the east, but by the time you rushed there, she was long gone. Sometimes, rumors said she was in the south, but when you arrived, you found it was just a misunderstanding. She was like a gust of wind; you could never catch her. She was doing it on purpose. She knew you were looking for her, so she deliberately avoided you.
At 80, "I received news that in Adian, a vassal state of Ohema, someone is trying to steal from the lord's treasury." Aglaea told you. You were no longer as excited as you were decades ago. Over the years, you had heard similar news too many times. Each time ended in disappointment. But you still went. Even if there was only a one in ten thousand chance, you had to confirm it.
This time was different. When you arrived in Adian, in an alley near the lord's mansion, you saw something—a gray hair. It was cat fur. Your hand trembled as you picked it up. It was hers. Absolutely hers. Following the traces, you came to the woods outside the city. And then you saw—a gray figure standing not far away. Even with her face covered, even after so many years, you recognized her at a glance.
"Cifera!"
You shouted hoarsely. The figure paused. Just as you thought she would turn around—she tossed up a coin.
"Wait!" You rushed forward frantically.
But it was still too late. She disappeared. Leaving only a faint, familiar scent in the air. You knelt where she had just stood, pounding the ground with all your might.
"Why… why are you hiding from me…?"
At 100, this time, only a door separated you. You could hear her breathing inside the room.
"Cifera, I know you're in there." You leaned against the door. "Tell me why…" "After all these years, what exactly are you hiding from?"
A rustling sound came from inside the door. You thought she was finally going to open the door. But the next second, you felt the sound of a coin flipping. Pushing the door open, the room was empty. Only a letter remained on the table.
Seeing the familiar handwriting, your heart raced. Trembling, you tore open the envelope—
"Don't look for me. Please, Little Cat. I hope you live your own life. —Cifera"
Just a few words. Cold, as if written to a stranger. Not even "I love you." The letter slipped from your hand.
"Live my own life?"
You gave a bitter laugh, and as you laughed, tears streamed down your face. Without you, how am I supposed to live my life? Suddenly, a terrible thought crept into your mind—did she… stop loving me? Did she meet someone better all these years? Does she think I'm too annoying, too clingy? Does she… hate me? Once this thought arose, it corroded your heart like poison.
"Ha… haha…"
You slumped to the ground, holding your head and letting out broken laughter. Searching for over seventy years, and all you got was a letter like this. She didn't even want to see you, didn't want to tell you the reason herself. Just coldly told you to "live your own life." As if everything you once had was just your own delusion.
You began to wallow in self-pity. Every day, you either drank or stared blankly, wandering around like a walking corpse. When you occasionally sobered up, you would think… What now? Continue to live aimlessly like this? Chrysos Heirs don't age; you can live for a very, very long time. But every day without her was torture.
You suddenly felt that you couldn't go on like this anymore—
Give up searching for Cipher and start anew.
Continue searching, even if you can't possibly find her.
Bring Cipher back to your side, and everything starts anew… by any means necessary.