Endless Debt-Chapter 938 - 47: Necessary Sacrifice (Part 3)

Raising his head, Ivan still wanted to say something, but at this moment, he realized Nesanel had already left silently.

"Deputy Director..."

There was a hint of worry in Ivan’s voice. Like Bologue, he noticed something unusual about Nesanel, but unlike Bologue, Ivan understood this side of Nesanel.

During the secret war, when she fell, Nesanel had this same expression. Upon seeing this expression, Ivan clearly realized that the war had returned.

Everyone who escapes the war will eventually return.

Ivan’s head hurt a bit. He took quite some time to calm down before picking up the phone and dialing a number.

"Church, come to the Crow’s Nest later, there’s a task for you."

After a brief silence, a steady echo came through the receiver.

"Alright."

Putting down the receiver, Church came to the mirror, scrutinizing the familiar yet unfamiliar face within.

This was a face difficult to remember, as ordinary as one of countless passersby.

Church picked up the mask, fitting it tightly to the contours of his face, and after a brief writhing, a brand new visage appeared on Church’s face.

He hummed a melody, tidying up his appearance in front of the mirror. Church had been in quite a good mood these days, thanks to Palmer. His impulsive, brainless temperament was sometimes annoying, yet sometimes very useful.

Church thought, if Palmer hadn’t forced him to meet Afeiya, it might have taken him a long time to take that step. But even after taking it, what he truly desired seemed still far away.

"Not bad."

Church muttered to himself, sitting on the bedside, admiring the flowers in the vase.

In memory, Afeiya curiously asked, "Your frequency of buying flowers is really high? For a girlfriend?"

"No," Church shook his head, "I don’t have a girlfriend, it’s just that where I live sees no sunlight, the flowers wither quickly."

Church lived in the employee dormitory, located within the Cultivation Room. There are no windows here that connect to the outside world, let alone sunlight. Wanting to bask in the sun, one must go to the Observation Tower, but clearly, there’s nowhere there for Church to keep flowers.

He liked these quiet and beautiful little things. In solitude, Church often stared at them for a long time, fantasizing about some impossible events—for instance, choosing a completely different path, or experiencing those entirely different lives.

Church enjoyed engaging in such meaningless fantasies in his leisure time, where he found comfort for himself from this void.

Now, with Afeiya’s goodwill towards him, these fantasies have started to take root.

"Honestly, I really thought you’d left this city, that I’d never see you again."

A few days ago, during their meeting, Afeiya said this to Church, her eyes sparkling, making one shy from meeting them directly.

"Maybe. My work is hectic and unstable, so I could end up somewhere far, never to come back."

Saying this aloud, Church secretly mused, "Perhaps dying out there."

"Oh... that would be a real shame."

Afeiya pondered for a moment, then ran behind a flower stand to fetch a heavy flowerpot for Church.

"Consider this as my gift to you, no charge. It doesn’t need much sunlight. Take it out for sun sometimes but remember to shade it."

The memory ended, Church moved to the corner of the room where there sat a pot of freshly sprouted green plant. Afeiya said these were alum roots, blooming in colorful hues, very beautiful, and they don’t require sunlight, making them perfect for Church to nurture.

Under Afeiya’s guidance, he saw the alum roots in her flower shop, just as she described—vivid and as splendid as a vibrant painting. Church accepted Afeiya’s kindness and hoped he could care for them as well as she did.

With this thought, a trace of smile appeared on Church’s face, bringing more solace to his heart—an ease wafted over him.

Church wasn’t in a hurry to meet Ivan, there were some things he needed to do beforehand.

Like Bologue, Church also kept the habit of writing a diary, although calling it a diary might be a stretch—this felt more like "recording".

He opened the drawer, where piles of diaries were stacked together. Church recorded things daily; even when there was nothing much to write, he’d note down what he ate and who he met.

These diaries were vital to Church. Apart from trivial bits, he would detail his psychological activities in them.

He likened himself to an author, expressing the inner workings of the character beneath his pen.

Church glanced at another book in the drawer. Over all these years, this was the first non-diary book present in his drawer.

His life was so void and monotonous that this book entered like sunlight into the damp and dark room, facing this sunbeam breaching into his life, Church felt both stunned and delighted, both indulgent and hesitant, scared of being scorched by the sun, yet fearing its departure and being unobtainable.

Should that happen, Church would rather remain in the shadows forever.

Church noted in his diary.

"I bought a Pot Plant Care Manual. Afeiya said this flower blooms very prettily; I hope to cultivate this alum root luxuriously."