AZI Volume 3 Intermission – Ticking Clock

Out in the middle of nowhere is a white round table.

If one has to describe the scenery around the table, then it's essentially a field of lush grass—that seems to stretch outwards in an endless manner.

Seated around the table were three individuals.

Despite there being a fourth chair, it goes unfilled; merely there to say—that the fourth member of their group, isn't forgotten about.

"That time of the… Whatever has come again."

Pulling the cigarette away from his lips, a man with mildly spiky golden hair, and golden eyes—spews out a mouthful of smoke.

The attire of the man is a black military uniform, but the jacket itself isn't worn—it is merely draped over his shoulders.

"…"

One of the golden-haired man's companions replies with silence.

Compared to the other two, who are seated around the table—this individual is almost three meters in height, and has their arms folded in front of their chest.

Attire wise, they are wearing a black set of armor—that covers them from head to toe. The helmet of their armor is designed to resemble the appearance of a ferocious beast with two horns, and a white mane.

"Isn't it too soon to be saying that?"

Asking this, is a young lady with crimson hair—that reaches pass her knees, and is split down the middle.

Her large black jacket is worn in a sloppy manner—where she only has half her arms inserted into the sleeves. Beneath the jacket, she wears a white halter top, while her mini-pants, and loose leg sleeves are attached together with chains.

Out of everyone here, she is the only one to have brought a drink with her, being a large cup of bubble tea.

Towards the young lady's question, the golden-haired man replies—

"Close enough, isn't it?"

"Hardly, there's still a few years away until the next reset."

"In the end, it will all be over before we know it. Then, we'll be made to wait once more."

Saying this, the golden-haired man pauses, and asks—

"Ai, elder sister, Xiāo Jūn (魈君), how many times have we repeated this process?"

The elder sister, who is the crimson-haired young lady, "Mó Xiāo (魔箫)," replies with silence, as she sucks on the straw of the bubble tea; whereas, in a low tone, the armored figure, Xiao Jun answers—

"Who knows? But for some reason, this time, it feels different."

"Different, as in good, or bad?"

Instead of answering the golden-haired man's question directly, Xiao Jun replies—

"Yún Yóu (云游), at some point, all of us have just ceased to ask the question of when our creator, the Ling Yuan Ancestor will return. All we've been doing is maintaining our end of the contract with him in a mindless manner."

Towards Xiao Jun's words, the golden-haired man, Yun You, constricts his eyes, and asks—

"You're saying—that there's a chance, that he'll return this time?"

"…"

Lifting her head away from the bubble tea, the crimson-haired young lady looks up at the blue skies, with a delirious light in her amber-colored eyes, and remarks—

"Once that happens… Our job is done, isn't it? Happily ever after, just like a princess' fairy tale."

"…"

Despite how happy the crimson-haired young lady looks; Yun You can tell that she's far from it, as he remarks—

"If this is our last run… I want to take this chance, and do as much as possible."

Agreeing with Yun You, Xiao Jun asks—

"How much time do you think we have left?"

"Should be more than enough time for us to drink all the wine that this world has to offer, and then some."

Rising to a stand, the crimson-haired young lady smiles faintly, and says—

"Sounds good, we can invite Nuo'er with us as well."

Shrugging a shoulder, Yun You asks—

"Would that little sister of ours even be interested?"

"Worth a try, isn't it?"