Bengtie: My death fueled their madness.

A week later.

When Clarice got home from school, she found her mother packing her luggage.

"Mother, what's wrong...?"

"Pack your things and find some time to go back to your hometown. Yesterday, I asked you to invite Dr. Qi over as a guest, which was actually a farewell." Durand said while folding clothes.

"..." Clarice's expression froze.

No wonder my mother was exceptionally hospitable yesterday, almost the highest level of hospitality in the Durand clan.

Durand, oblivious to his daughter's expression, continued, "I've already asked your aunt to handle the transfer procedures; it should be done soon."

"If you have close classmates, remember to say goodbye properly these few days. Being on different planets makes meeting up a bit more difficult."

After a while, Durand noticed his daughter's silence and turned around in confusion.

The daughter stood there blankly, her face filled with struggle.

"What's wrong, my child?"

"Mother...I...I don't want to go back!" Clarice raised her head and met Durand's gaze.

From his daughter's eyes, Durand saw an extremely clear determination, even stubbornness.

"...Is it because of Dr. Qi?"

"How did you know...?"

"Silly child, your mother is an experienced person, how could she not see that her daughter has someone she likes?"

Durand stepped forward and gently embraced Clarice.

"Don't be afraid, your mother will not interfere with your choices. On the contrary, she fully supports your pursuit of freedom and love."

"If it weren't for the difference in social class, countless noble ladies would flock to someone like Dr. Qi."

"Whether it's his interpersonal skills or his appearance and temperament, he's impeccable."

"Unfortunately, the marriages of noble ladies are mostly beyond their control."

"Although our Durand clan has some prestige in the court, we are ultimately just a small family."

"That's why you're not bound by family ties. Be brave and express your feelings, my daughter..."

Durand gently stroked Clarice's long, smooth hair, giving her an encouraging smile.

Life is short, and some things will slip through your fingers if you don't seize the opportunity to strive for them.

"Mother……"

Clarice felt a lump in her throat, her eyes welled up with tears, and she couldn't help but bury herself in Durand's arms.

"Hehe... You've grown up a long time ago. You're no longer that little girl who needed constant care. Go do what you want to do. Your mother will always be there for you."

"Yes!" Clarice nodded vigorously, hugging her mother much tighter.

Not all children can always feel and enjoy peace in their mother's embrace.

She was undoubtedly lucky.

That night, after dinner, bathing and changing, Clarice returned to her room and opened the wardrobe.

The room was filled with hand-knitted sweaters and scarves.

From her early works, which were crooked and messy with loose threads, to her later, more organized finished products, one can clearly see the girl's progress.

At least a few dozen pieces reached the level of exquisite craftsmanship, but Clarice still felt it wasn't enough.

She picked up the knitting needles and yarn, a gentle look in her eyes, and gazed at the glass lamp on the bedside table.

That was one of the gifts Mr. Qi brought when he visited our home.

It was actually a gift specifically for her.

Thanks to its amazing space-folding technology, it can be used not only for lighting but also for storing personal items such as tarot cards, cosmetics, and mobile phones.

In addition, it can be reduced in size, making it easy to carry around.

She had seen similar magical items before, and they wouldn't be cheap.

A sweet smile curved the girl's lips as she leaned against the headboard and continued weaving the gift for her beloved.

When the Great Cold arrives, I will bring this gift to Mr. Qi and express my feelings to him.

Therefore, we must knit the most perfect piece.

……

Some time has passed since Durand recovered from his amnesia.

Heavy snow has blocked the mountain roads, and people unfamiliar with the paths can easily get lost in the vast, snow-covered mountains.

Clarice, the young girl, is not included.

Apart from Qi Zhimu, no one knew the way into the mountains better than her.

After traveling for several years, the snow could only slow down her journey to see Mr. Qi.

But that doesn't matter.

For Clarice, the slower she went, the more she looked forward to it.

Especially after her mother's amnesia was cured, she was always optimistic.

Although Qi Zhimu had no romantic experience, he was not entirely unaware of the girl's intentions behind her frequent visits.

He could vaguely sense that Clarice was quite dependent on him.

In recent days, she has even been secretly testing the waters.

However, knowing his own condition well, Qi Zhimu could only pretend not to understand.

If time could be turned back a hundred years or so, he probably wouldn't have rejected such a memorable young woman.

Unfortunately, there is no such thing.

He was dying.

[Remaining lifespan: 9 day, 4 hours, 44 minutes, and 35 seconds]

As this life ends, his second life awaits, but who knows what trajectory it will take?

I just hope that my childhood wasn't marked by the destruction of my family and death, and that I didn't end up as a nobody in the midst of war and conflict...

After taking the medicine to maintain his youthful figure, Qi Zhimu was about to enter the hidden folding space when he suddenly noticed a slight movement outside.

A small, drone-like machine flashed across the sky.

In less than two breaths, it came to a safe stop in front of Qi Zhimu, who had just stepped out of the bamboo house.

Upon seeing the unique markings on the machine, he immediately recognized it as belonging to Yu Qingtu.

The drone's abdominal support deformed and reassembled, extending a robotic arm to retrieve a bright green reagent from its internal space.

At the same time, a light screen was projected in front, and Yu Qingtu's face appeared in it.

"Little one, I have urgent business to attend to and will miss your birthday celebration."

"This journey could take a year and a half at the shortest, or several decades at the longest. Time is short, so let's use this medicine as a gift."

"Drinking it will grant eternal youth, at least a thousand years, without needing any other means to extend lifespan."

"Also, happy birthday, remember to think of your older sister!"

"As for your teacher, who's even more eccentric than me, let him do whatever he wants."

"Alright, it's time to go. When I come back to find you, I want to eat even more delicious pastries. That shouldn't be a problem for you, right?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Yu Qingtu blinked gently in the light screen, and the image disappeared.

After Qi Zhimu took the medicine, the drone retracted its robotic arm and instantly disappeared into the air.

With a complicated expression, he returned to the folded space and carefully put away the potion.

Looking toward the figure in the assembly area, Qi Zhimu placed his hands on the center console and began to extract specific memory backups and input them into the core of that figure.

"...Sorry, former... Kiyotsuba-nee."

"I won't be able to personally serve you your favorite pastries..."