Chapter 54: Chapter 54: By the Heart

Iris had only the faintest idea of what Quasi was talking about, but the solemn atmosphere gripped her heart and commanded her to listen intensely to every word. Despite the absurdity, Iris chose to believe in Quasi. They had shared their intimate secrets, and Iris somehow gave Quasi the conviction to let go. If it were all a scheme, it would be too elaborate and inefficient.

"What can I do for you, Miss Quasi?" Iris said. "Even if I've come from another world and bore powerful potential, I'm still a feeble Slime Girl in the present. I can't even resist you, let alone the Deities."

"You just need to be yourself, Iris. Your aura has infected me with what I once lost: Hope. I'm willing to gamble away my life, our life. The Deities control destiny; all mortals can't escape from it, all mortals except you."

Quasi placed her hand on Iris's chest, her fingertips piercing the membrane, submerging into the warm slime. Through Quasi's mechanical skin, countless glowing strings seeped into Iris, spinning into a river of white light, each thread detailing all possibilities. By burning her soul, Quasi used her forbidden spell and injected countless fragments of destinies into Iris. Though they couldn’t help Iris gain power, they could muddle her fate.

As the white strings entered Iris, Quasi gradually slowed her movement. Her smooth, reflecting body dimmed, her lively air fading. The Merrily Isolated Bar quivered, weeping for its owner. The cold air turned stale as the stylish decoration decayed, ageing until desolation permeated the atmosphere.

Seeing the change, Iris struggled and grabbed Quasi's hand, trying to stop the process. If Quasi completed the transfer, she would exhaust her soul and cease to exist. Iris couldn't bear that; she didn’t want to lose her friend again.

"Miss Quasi, you must stop!" Iris shouted, but her voice was strangely weak. Her eyes reddened. "I don't want this. You're dragging me into your affair; you're heartless; you're wicked."

"Yes, I am, so please don't cry. I'm just returning to Nanina." Quasi closed her eyes and sighed. "I thought I was waiting for a chance to rise once more, but I realised I was waiting for you. Iris, you're just like her, so much like her."

"Then you mustn't die now. You must live on and see how much I resemble her."

"Because you resemble her so much, I need to flee from you." Quasi giggled. "To tell the truth, Iris, I hate Nanina. She's tactless. You only have her look, but that alone is a tease. I need to go see her right now. She still owns me a drink."

"Miss Quasi, I won't help you. If you die now, your civilisation will die with you. There would be nothing left."

"We already have no chance when I erased our mark on you, Iris. I just hope that you will succeed. That's all I ever want from you."

Light congregated around Quasi until it engulfed her robotic body. Its radiance almost blinded Iris, who fought against her urge to close her eyes, determined to imprint the moment into her soul, never to forget the pain and the happiness they shared. Though they were together for mere moments, they become connected by their secrets, like lovers through their firstborn.

"Being a Monster Girl sounds fun. If reincarnation is real, and if I have the fortune to walk this earth again, I wish to become a Monster Girl too." Quasi smiled and glanced around the bar. Countless blue lines emerged from the black walls, resembling the motherboard. "Listen carefully, Iris: you must trust your heart. The Overseer is ever watching, but he can't interfere with the rules."

"I don't know who the Overseer is. Quasi, you must stay with me and tell me everything."

"My authority can intercept his command, but I can't overwrite the laws of the Legacy Ground." Quasi took out a black business card and pushed it inside Iris. "The exemption will be in effect for only a short time, and the Overseer will be able to revoke my right after I gave it to you; you can only use it once."

Iris tried to convince Quasi to stop, but no words could come out of her mouth. She could only grasp Quasi's hands and watch as the Merrily Isolated Bar decayed along with its owner.

Despite the pain, Quasi never uttered a single word, always smiling, as if to tell Iris she was never in distress. She just closed her eyes, reminiscing about her past, and let the end came to her, disintegrating into dust, which fell lightly on the counter, where multiple glasses and bottles rested.

"Iris, please forget us," Quasi said. "That's our promise."

To cling onto the past was to be hurt, so is to be forgotten. Quasi didn't want Iris to suffer, but Iris didn't want to forget.

"Another promise unfulfilled," Iris mumbled. "Why me?"

Iris didn't leave the bar. She sat on the wooden seat, leaning onto the aged counter, looking at the fine wine and desserts. Though the bar had decayed, the ingredients and the drinks remained fresh, almost as if they had absorbed a part of Quasi's vitality. Their vibrant colours flickered as the enclosed walls decayed and let the sunlight peer into the room.

The fragrance of nature tickled Iris's nose, but she remained solemn, unmoving. Inside her, countless strands of light swirled and assimilated into her slime, fusing their unique experience into her, yet she didn't feel any happiness. She merely sank into her thought and stared profoundly at the dust on the counter.

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Only after the light vanished into her body did Iris sigh, finally calming down. Before she left the empty bar, she gently picked up the towel and gestured her other hand, creating a strange spell formation which produced vapour. Because of the recollection, Iris was able to learn simple spells from her previous world. It was one of the gifts Quasi left for her.

Iris carefully wiped the wet towel on the counter, cleaning the dust and polishing the surface. She meticulously dusted the cabinets and the shelves, then cleansed the glasses and the bottles, restoring the elegant, classy atmosphere of the old bar. By imitating Quasi, Iris found comfort in her act, so she relinquished control of her body and let her feeling guide her movement.

In a trance, Iris's slimy silhouette gradually condensed into a metallic surface. Her expression shifted from dim sorrow to elegant indifference, her body changing its size to accommodate the modest yet stylish build, which smoothly reflected the surrounding. Her presence shone as her body resembled the automaton, yet inside her mechanical eyes were the sparks of life. So lively was her emotions, so soothing her aura.

When Iris came back to herself, she had already finished cleaning the bar and was standing on the bartender side of the counter, slowly wiping a glass with a napkin, waiting for a customer to grace the empty seats. Her heart stirred as she sighed, her body abruptly returning from automaton to Slime Girl, yet the memory and the feeling of loss remained.

"This is all I could do for you, Miss Quasi," Iris muttered. "Vilia, you heard everything, right? Why do I have to suffer through this? She is too cruel."

After hanging the closed sign, Iris looked around the restored Merrily Isolated Bar for one last time, imprinting the building into a deep part of her soul. It stayed together with Vilia's cave, never to rot away through time. Though Iris knew the drinks and the desserts inside were valuable beyond belief, she lacked the appetite and wished to leave things as they were. That was the best she could do for Quasi.

"I must be mad not taking everything here." Iris bitterly laughed. "Sorry, Sisters, but you won't get to taste the heavenly flavour I had here. Quasi wants me to forget about her, so this matter will have to rest in me, alone."

The outside was still the same, surrounded by a dense, tranquil forest. The sun was high up in the sky, looking down at the rest of the world, radiating holiness and warmth. A lush green colour painted the landscape with refreshing coolness, yet a certain sense of desolation still tainted the Crossroad of Destiny.

Stepping onto the dirt road, Iris felt the subtle change throughout her body. She was still at the Metamorphosis Phase, but her soul had gone through an irreversible change. A part of her got severed from her body, and Quasi had inserted another thing into her heart. Iris couldn't know what changed, but she trusted the change.

Standing at the point of divergence, Iris gazed at the two paths in front of her. The left road reached into the distance, where countless trees grew thicker and lusher, while the right road led the traveller into an ominous route where the trees withered, the road ahead concealed by a pale mist.

"Quasi, I'll trust you once more," Iris said, her heart calm, listening to Quasi's echoing words. "Even if I were to regret this decision, know that it's your fault!"

Just with a glance, Iris could feel the oppressive pressure from the darker right road, where the mist enshrouded the way, forming an invisible barrier, hiding the other side from the weak-willed. On the other hand, the bright left road exuded a flowery fragrance, inviting the tired travellers to follow the clear sky and rest among the sea of flowers.

After learning the language from Quasi, Iris could detect the hidden signs which told her the truth of the two paths. The left was safe. It would lead Iris to the safe zone where she would be bestowed rewards for her performance, then given a choice between continuing deeper or exiting the Legacy Ground.

The right path would lead Iris to an unknown territory, the graveyard of the eternally resting, the unknowable sacred place. There would be many mysterious traps and danger, and the mist would prevent Iris from returning once she passed through it.

Nevertheless, Iris had already set her heart on the darker path. The mist reminded her of the trial of faith, of Herrifer, of Vilia, of Gulia, and of Quasi. Inside the unknown darkness, there might be an illusionary trap. Even if they weren't real, Iris wanted to see Vilia and Quasi again.

It was foolish, but Quasi had already told her to follow her own heart.

Thus, Iris smiled and walked towards the withered forest, strolling along the dry road, listening to the lack of sounds, watching the dull scenery, smelling the scent of death, and touching the ominous mist. Her Shadow Heart Core faintly quivered, telling Iris about the danger ahead, yet she remained oblivious to the warning.

"Gulia, Lilith, Lord, you all want me to walk my destiny, but you've underestimated me. I'll slowly loosen your grip, and one day, you'll realise how petty I can be," Iris mumbled under her breath. "You too, Overseer, I don't know who you are, but if you want to take advantage of me, I'll have to retaliate."

Iris was confident in her decision. She had been following her heart since the beginning of her first life. Though she had to endure countless suffering, she remained standing. Moreover, she trusted Quasi. That was enough.

Standing in front of the thick mist, Iris glanced back at the Crossroad of Destiny, her eyes lingering at the old Merrily Isolated Bar. She took a deep breath before stepping into the layer of pure whiteness. Her figure quickly disappeared into the soft current, which engulfed her presence, devouring every bit of her existence.

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