Chapter 322

Is there a problem…? How could there not be one? Though that wasn’t the real Third-Generation Bureau Director, but merely the lingering obsession of the Third-Generation Bureau Director for failing to become the strongest smith, it indeed looked no different from being alive. Moreover, the Bureau Director was already digging graves and stealing old men’s coffins, which made Leon feel uneasy no matter how he thought about it.

But… compared to this moral flaw, treating Emma Senior’s injuries was clearly more important. So, Leon could only apologize to the little old Bureau Director first.

After somewhat guiltily apologizing to the Third-Generation Bureau Director in his heart, Leon carried the coffin board out of the graveyard and ran towards an abandoned lakeside cottage… Before the Bureau Director brought him to dig up graves, Emma Senior had been temporarily placed here.

“Help me keep an eye on the graveyard! Shout if there’s any movement!”

After instructing the little crocodile lying by the door, Leon carried the Third-Generation Bureau Director’s coffin into the house. He was just preparing to help Emma Senior repair her damaged body according to the method taught by the Bureau Director when he suddenly realized that the room was completely empty. Emma Senior, who was originally lying on an old wooden bed, had vanished without a trace.

Huh?!!! Where’s she gone? Wasn’t the crocodile supposed to guard the door? How did she disappear? Startled by Emma Senior’s sudden disappearance, Leon quickly threw down the Third-Generation Bureau Director’s coffin and rushed out the door to ask the crocodile god responsible for guarding the gate what happened. However, not far from the cabin near the lake, he saw a familiar back shadow.

“Leon?”

Apparently noticing the commotion over here, the tall beauty sitting by the lake slightly turned her body. Her light chestnut long hair gently fell over her shoulders, revealing a delicate and smooth neck, as well as a soft face with a gentle smile.

Even though the background behind her wasn’t blue skies and seas but rather the pitch-black lake of the dead and a sky filled with gray haze devoid of any vitality, Emma Senior’s mature and gentle smile still caused Leon’s heart to suddenly calm.

“You’ve woken up…”

After saying a completely unnecessary statement, Leon put down the little crocodile wriggling in his hands and walked toward Emma Senior sitting on a round stone by the lake.

“Emma Senior.”

After reaching the white round stone where Emma Senior was sitting, Leon opened his mouth somewhat anxiously and urged:

“The Bureau Director found an anomalous item that can repair your physical injuries. Just sit inside for a while and you’ll be fine. I just carried it back, so hurry up…”

“Look at those birds on the lake.”

Interrupting Leon’s words, Emma Senior turned her head back and quietly watched the death-announcing crows circling above the black lake. With a calm expression, she asked: “Leon, do you know what they represent?”

“…”

Are you… feeling sentimental after seeing the death-announcing crows and want to have a heart-to-heart talk with me?

Uh… I don’t mind listening to your confessions, and I’m even willing to be a quiet listener, but isn’t this timing a bit off? The Bureau Director is still struggling with the Third-Generation Bureau Director, waiting for us to return the coffin board. Suddenly starting a chat here isn’t quite appropriate, right?…

“I see the Bureau Director must have told you.”

After looking at Leon’s face full of “wanting to say something but holding back,” Emma Senior smiled again and then softly whispered with a somewhat lonely expression:

“These death-announcing crows aren’t mine, but belong to my clan who died six years ago. After that day, while I inherited their lives, I also inherited these death-announcing crows belonging to them.

Though I haven’t reached such a deep place before, I’ve actually come to the Deathscape many times and seen them many times. Coming often, I can even vaguely recognize whose death-announcing crows these are.”

“The one flying highest and refusing to land, seemingly trying hard to stay away from me, should be my grandfather’s death-announcing crow… This bird inherits some fragments of the consciousness of the living, and it’s just like my grandfather, who refused to look at me until the end.”

“The one perched on the shore should be my mother’s death-announcing crow. It often silently watches me, but it’s just watching me. Once I approach, it will immediately fly far away and refuse to have any contact with me.”

“The only one that comes close to me should be my younger sister’s death-announcing crow. She is even younger than your younger sister, always a very mischievous child who used to like clinging to me…”

“…”

Although reason told Leon that he should immediately interrupt Emma Senior’s narrative and let her lie down in the Third-Generation Bureau Director’s coffin to repair her flesh.

But as Emma Senior talked about the origins of each death-announcing crow and recalled the relatives they represented, the words that had already surged to the tip of his tongue seemed blocked by something, unable to come out no matter what, until the low “gurgle” sound from the little crocodile behind him reminded him.

We can’t delay anymore! Looking back at the direction of the graveyard, Leon saw the signal previously agreed upon with the red-haired Bureau Director. In the surprised gaze of Emma, Leon suddenly stood up, returned to the half-collapsed lakeside cabin, and carried out the coffin board of the Third Generation Honorable.

“Emma Senior, I actually don’t mind listening to these things from you, but this thing… uh… I borrowed it together with the Bureau Director from the Third Generation Honorable without telling him.

So we can’t use this thing for too long. We can only use it for a short time. After using it, we need to quickly return it secretly… quietly. Why don’t you lie down first, and after I close the lid, we can continue talking?”

“…”

If you close the lid, I won’t be able to see anything. What would we talk about then?

After giving Leon a slightly reproachful look, knowing that he was reluctant to interrupt her, Emma shook her head lightly and softly hummed. Then, she got up from the round stone by the lake and lay into the empty coffin.

“Leon, please don’t close it, okay?”

Gently holding Leon’s hand, stopping his action of closing the coffin lid, Emma gazed lost in thought at the flock of crows swirling in the sky, and softly negotiated: “When we’re at the edge of the Deathscape, these death-announcing crows fly extremely high, sometimes we can only see a small black dot. This is the first time they’ve come so close. I want to look at them a bit more.”

“But if we don’t close it, it will affect the repair effect, right? And after returning the item, we can come back…”

“It’s fine. As long as most of the problems can be solved, the remaining small part, I can recover slowly by myself.”

“Alright…”

Seeing the faint pleading in Emma Senior’s clear eyes, Leon’s heart softened, and he didn’t persist further. Instead, he lifted one side of the coffin, finding an angle where she could see the lake surface and the flock of crows, leaning it against his chest.

“…”

“Thank you.”

(End of Chapter)