SBWE Chapter 15 – Epilogue 1

1.1

Modrin spoke in a low voice. He and his large black snake stared silently at each other, like two pitiful creatures huddled together for warmth. “If you still want to eat these after you get married, just let me know, I will always…”

I tilted my head back. “But I want to eat them with you.”

Modrin: “In the future, I plan to take on more missions that require frequent travel… Wha-wha-what?”

I patiently repeated, “But I want to eat them with you.”

Modrin’s eyes widened in shock. He said dazedly, “But that smelly cat won’t deliver those things to you.”

I materialized my Spiritual Body and placed it on the big black snake’s head, asking him, “Do you want to bring me food, or do you want to eat with me?”

Modrin immediately replied, “Eat with you!”

Modrin swept me into his arms, surprisingly using a princess carry, and excitedly tossed me upward. I quickly wrapped my arms around his neck. The moment I left its side, the big black snake began circling the room, nudging my Spiritual Body with its head.

Madam Shirlefs burst into the room at the sight. “You little rascal! What do you think you’re doing?!”

Modrin, right in front of Madam Shirlefs, leaned down and kissed the corner of my lips.

My Spiritual Body flapped its wings in embarrassment, its feathers bristling.

1.2

Madam Shirlefs asked me, “Are you sure you don’t want to think about this some more?”

Modrin nervously grabbed my hand, shouting at Madam Shirlefs, “If he thinks about it again, your daughter-in-law might be gone!”

Madam Shirlefs sat across from me, completely ignoring Modrin’s outburst. She asked me earnestly, “Your Spiritual Body has only just returned. Can you be certain that you truly want to be with Modrin, or is this merely an illusion of attachment caused by disappearance of your Spiritual Body?”

Modrin suddenly squeezed my hand fiercely. “What illusion! It’s real! It’s real!”

I squeezed Modrin’s palm reassuringly and said to Madam Shirlefs, “Alright, I’ll go home and think about it properly.”

Hearing this, Modrin looked at me with a wronged expression. “Why not come home with me to think it over?”

1.3

Having been running around for three days, I was slightly fatigued. I went home, collapsed onto the bed, and fell asleep.

Once again, I found myself in Modrin’s mental world.

The landscape was lush with towering mountains and dense forests, vibrant with verdant life. I navigated the familiar path to the small wooden cabin nestled in a secluded corner. The big black snake, carrying a bouquet of dew-kissed wildflowers, lowered its head from the eaves, bringing the blossoms close to my face.

Modrin always loved giving me all sorts of things. When we were children, it was bugs; later, he’d bring back local specialties from his missions. Most often, though, it was seasonal foods. Even though he frequently annoyed me, no more than three minutes later, he would try to coax me with all sorts of gifts.

I accepted the flowers from the big black snake’s mouth and entered the small wooden cabin. Inside, there was a large bed covered with thick velvet, looking soft and warm. The cabin’s temperature was noticeably cooler than the outside air. I lay down on the bed, looking up to see a thick wooden beam spanning the cabin. The big black snake was coiled around it, its head pressed tightly against a bird’s nest. My Spiritual Body poked its head out from the nest, spread its wings, and waved at me.

I pulled the blanket over myself and drifted off to sleep, feeling comfortably warm despite the cool breeze.

When I woke up, Modrin was sitting at the edge of the bed. The bed was large enough for three of me to lie down and still have room to roll over twice, yet Modrin only occupied a tiny corner. I asked, “Why aren’t you sleeping up here with me?”

Modrin: “I don’t dare.”

I asked: “Why don’t you dare?”

Mordlin: “Afraid that if I get too close, you’ll run away.”

I was confused: “This is your mental world. Where could I possibly run off to?”

Modrin remained silent. A Ragdoll cat suddenly leaped onto my blanket, stretched languidly, and arched its head to nuzzle me with a soft meow.

The Ragdoll Cat looked vaguely familiar. After a moment’s thought, I realized it was Seifer’s Spiritual Body. “…You don’t like Seifer, do you? Why is his Ragdoll cat in your mental world? …Wait, your snake didn’t swallow his cat too, did it?”

Seeing I wasn’t petting it, the Ragdoll Cat instinctively rubbed its head against my hand, which lay outside the blanket. Modrin’s expression tightened with suppressed irritation. “Anything you like is allowed in my mental world, even if it’s just a smelly cat.” By the end of his sentence, he was unconsciously gritting his teeth.

The Ragdoll Cat seemed to hear Modrin badmouthing it, turned its body, and bared its teeth at him.

It was only then did I notice that while the Ragdoll Cat in front of me was extremely similar to Seifer’s, it wasn’t the same cat. I ruffled the Ragdoll Cat’s head and opened my arms toward Modrin. “I want a hug.”

Modrin seemed stunned by my words, but the big black snake swiftly slithered down, coiled its tail around the Ragdoll Cat, and tossed it behind him. Then, coiling its head around Modrin’s waist, the snake pushed him into my arms.

Modrin braced his hands on either side of me. “Can I hold you?”

I burrowed into his arms. “My Spiritual Body will only make its home in your mental world, and only I can live here.”

Mordlin carefully wrapped his arms around me: “It was always yours.”

I slept for a long time. When I woke up, the sun was shining brightly outside the window. Recalling my dream of Modrin’s mental world, I hugged my Spiritual Body and happily rolled around on the bed twice.

I planned to visit the Research Center to submit my analysis report on the Spiritual Body swallowing incident before giving my answer to Madam Shirlefs. But as soon as I opened the door, I found Modrin standing there.

I: “…Modrin? When did you get here? Why didn’t you come in?”

Modrin’s expression was nervous yet expectant: “Are you feeling better? Have the symptoms of your dependency disappeared?”

I unconsciously bit my lower lip—a reflex when I felt nervous, awkward, or embarrassed.

Seeing this, Modrin immediately changed the subject. “Are you heading to the Research Center to submit your report? I’ll take you.”

I quickly grabbed him, tugged on his collar, raised myself onto my toes, and kissed him directly.

[dropdown title=”List of Idiom in Chapter 15 – Epilogue 1″]
大呼小叫 (dà hū xiǎo jiào): to shout aloud; to be loud and noisy; to shout and quarrel; to make a big fuss; shout and wrangle; describe people who are noisy, disruptive, and lack manners.

熟門熟路 (shú mén shú lù): familiar door and familiar road—things that one knows well; to know something very well; to be very familiar with something. Its core meaning is “familiar with the way, understanding the situation, and very experienced”.

咬牙切齒 (yǎo yá qiè chǐ): gnashing one’s teeth (idiom); displaying extreme anger; fuming with rage between gritted teeth; gnashing one’s teeth in anger.

小心翼翼 (xiǎo xīn yì yì): cautious and solemn (idiom); very carefully; gently and cautiously; cautious; prudent; wary; with great care; cautiously; This meant serious and respectful; Now it is described as being cautious and not daring to neglect.

眼疾手快 (yǎn jí shǒu kuài): sharp eyes and agile hands or nimble fingers; be quick of eyes and deft of hands; sharp eyes and quick hands; describe being clever, alert, agile, and quick to respond.
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