Ashen Dragon

The rumor is true, after accepting the blessing from the Ashen Empire's Emperor, Abir's soul had undergone a complete transformation.

He took a deep breath, barely maintaining a gentle smile on his face, and continued speaking under the gun aimed at his forehead:

"Abir, you've only lost your past memories, I can help you retrieve them.

We are both members of the Harpist Alliance, we met coincidentally at a Vampire Nobles' banquet, we infiltrated the Red Robe Mage Tower together to gather intelligence, and watched the sunrise in Cadwenel Forest..."

Richard spoke more fluently, his expression becoming gentler, and tears started to well up in his eyes.

He reminisced about every moment spent with Abir, eagerly anticipating the moment when the other would regain memories and recognize him, growing increasingly excited.

How many days of lying in wait, all for this day, right?

Now, the beloved he had longed for stood before him; he only needed to evoke those beautiful past memories to reunite with him.

"Click."

At this moment, Richard felt a cold object press against his forehead; it was like falling into an ice hole—it was the muzzle of a gun.

Abir held the handgun with her delicate hand, pressing it against Richard's forehead, and said with an unusually calm voice:

"The person standing before you now is not your so-called lover, nor a member of the Harpist Alliance.

I am a kin of His Majesty Cassius, sworn to serve the Ashen Empire as the Dragonblood Baron, Abir."

The Dragon Vein Elf still did not put down the handgun, nor take off the robe that symbolized the Empire's glory and loyalty, and continued:

"Breaking into Isdalia Inner City Area, following the Empire's Dragonblood Nobility, and attempting to incite defection, this already counts as a major crime of espionage.

For old times' sake, leave immediately, I will not pursue your faults any further."

Richard, stunned, looked at his former lover; he stood still, shaking his head in deep sorrow, and repeatedly muttering.

"No…"

"Abir, it shouldn't be like this…"

"Listen to me, you haven't regained your memory, you don't know what happened between us—"

Richard risked moving forward a few steps, trying to grab hold of the elf's arms.

But Abir put down the handgun, turned like a gust of wind into the mansion, and without hesitation, closed the door, blocking the anxious Richard outside.

She left only a sentence, still with a calm tone: "Richard, don't stay here any longer, the Imperial Army will not show you mercy."

Returning to her home, Abir took off the Dragonblood Nobility's standard robe, hanging it on a coatrack by the door, and stuffed the uncocked handgun into a box.

She remained silent for a long time before peering out the window.

The figure that had just been standing there had disappeared, as if he had never been there.

"Richard..."

In fact, Abir had regained all her memories while Richard was speaking, recalling all the things Richard wanted to tell.

But times have changed, Abir is now a loyal retainer of the Red Dragon, everything she has belongs to that Emperor—whether it be body, mind, or soul.

Feelings might fade, but the bond that His Majesty tied to them is eternal.

Abir knew that as a Dragonblood Noble of the Ashen Empire, a follower of the Emperor, she absolutely could not continue associating with someone like Richard, a member of the Harpist Alliance.

This is neither good for her nor Richard.

It may indeed be somewhat cruel and ruthless, but it is also the only correct choice they could make.

More precisely: they are no longer people of the same world.

"Sorry."

Abir leaned against the door, clutching her chest, suddenly feeling a sharp pain in her heart, yet it subsided in a moment.