svetikya Page 291
Page 291
Because Eden likes to drink when he's happy... In short, he drinks whether he's happy or not!
Perhaps this is what they mean by "a cup of wine can dispel a thousand sorrows"?
"No."
Eden didn't want to show his vulnerable side in front of 'Alicia'.
In response, the girl rested her chin on her hand and smiled, saying:
"Really?"
As he finished speaking, the wine that had been on Eden's lips drifted to Alicia's face and was intercepted by the Pink Snake, who was out hunting, resting on her slender, onion-like index finger.
It seems there's no difference, except that for Eden, this is somewhat 'too destructive'.
Eden, who was not yet as mature and defensively strong as he would become later, had a flushed face.
"Is it the smell of a lie?"
After the last rays of the setting sun faded, the colors of 'Alicia' seemed to change under the dim moonlight that replaced them.
Hearing those playful, half-teasing words, Eden sighed with a wry smile.
"...You really can't hide anything from you, Ellie."
Of course it's impossible not to be afraid.
Just like Alicia once said—I'm a girl too, and I get scared too.
Eden is no exception.
Even past experiences have not changed this.
Even Eden, which appears to be very strong, is actually quite fragile in some ways.
What has sustained her to this day is her unwavering commitment to 'art'.
Once this pillar is destroyed, Eden is nothing more than a helpless little girl.
Just as it always has, the devastating fires that burned Australia destroyed people's concept of 'art'.
The official revelation of the collapse also made Eden realize the fact that art had died in this era.
So...
This singer, who appeared incredibly strong in public, broke down.
Every day after the fire, she was depressed, as if life had lost its meaning.
Until... a girl came to Eden's side and smiled at her, saying—
“Tragedy is not the end, but the beginning of hope.”
From then on, he put down the microphone, stepped down from the stage he had fought for in the first half of his life, and chose to take up arms and become a warrior.
Ultimately, Eden simply wanted to fight alongside that girl.
Eden at present clearly has not yet received that kind of support... probably.
At least for Eden, who is still a singer of the century at this moment, the prospect of the 'end' in the future leaves her feeling lost and confused.
The girl smiled, but her expression was quite serious:
"I have conveyed your message, so... Eden, what is your decision?"
"...I have no idea."
Eden lowered his head, feeling utterly confused.
She believed in 'Ellie', and therefore, after the future was clear, she simply couldn't make a decision in a short time.
After all, words and images alone cannot allow Eden to experience the despair he would feel when art dies in his future self.
Because of her unwavering devotion to art, she found it difficult to abandon it lightly—even if it was a 'remnant' left behind by her future self.
The restless man sipped the rich wine, a sight that Eden, in his usual manner, would surely have deemed a 'waste of precious resources'.
But at this moment, Eden only hoped to use it to extinguish the indecisiveness in his heart, so that he could calm himself down and give a suitable answer.
only...
Wine is just wine.
Even if you drink until your cheeks are flushed—you're already drunk—it won't change anything.
For Eden, who was in pain at this moment, it even had a similar effect of 'adding fuel to the fire'.
until...
A warm, delicate sensation gently touched his face. Eden looked up and saw 'Alicia' standing up, stroking his cheek.
It was still very hot, and my body was restless and uneasy.
But this gentle touch brought a moment of peace to Eden's restless heart.
The wine stained her cheeks red, her head slightly raised, revealing her snow-white skin. Her golden eyes were half-open, filled with a hazy light as Eden whispered:
"Ellie, what should I do?"
She seems...unable to make a decision.
But if it were 'Alicia', perhaps it would work?
After all, Eden was more willing to accept the choices made for him by the girl in front of him who made him feel so at ease, than to accept the advice of his future self.
Even if it might require her to abandon the art she has upheld until now...
The passing of one steadfast commitment necessitates the reliance on another form of emotional support.
For Eden, Alicia, as a confidante, is precisely that kind of person.
"No way~"
“Just like I said, right? I won’t interfere with Eden’s choices. All I do is deliver a ‘message.’ I will absolutely not interfere with what choice is made.” ’Alicia’ smiled as she gently patted the smooth, milky cheeks that had been pampered with various high-end cosmetics.
"after all..."
"The path one must take is ultimately the most suitable one to choose."
Her sweet words were full of sincerity.
"If you can't figure out what to do, Eden can take his time to think it over. You have plenty of time to find the answer."
"If you really can't think of anything..."
"Oh dear, you shouldn't say such discouraging things, right?" A mischievous and annoyed look appeared on the girl's pretty face, which made Eden smile and feel that his troubles had lessened a bit.
She wanted to say something, but as her vision went black, she felt herself being drawn into a soft spot...
"but..."
"Whatever choice Eden ultimately makes, I will support you."
The words were spoken softly, but...
The force was quite strong.
If we were to quantify a character's favorability rating, we might see a "Favorability +1000" indicator above Eden's head right now.
Of course, if we were to list Eden's overall favorability towards 'Alicia'...
Eden: ∞/100.
"Ellie..."
Eden, whose favorability rating had been boosted to the max, was now completely smitten with the image of 'Alicia'. Drunk, she took the initiative and, with her limp body, hugged Jiang tightly.
"Eh..."
"Airi~ Airi~ Airi~"
While Jiang was in a daze, the drunken Eden mumbled something, holding 'Alicia' and spinning her around. Just because he was drunk, he was staggering and made Jiang experience what it meant to feel dizzy.
And this situation is quite obvious—
The rich woman started acting crazy while drunk!
"Oh dear, this is really..."
The girl was somewhat helpless. In Paradise Alice's memory, Eden's drinking habits were quite good.
Is it because I'm still young?
There was really no other way... Jiang Qiao glanced at the dark night sky, and thinking that it was already late, she carried the drunken, wealthy woman who was wrapped around her waist to the guesthouse of the Second Research Department.
Thanks to Femilis's efforts, the official announcement regarding the concert has been withdrawn and clarified. Meanwhile, because some of the people who kidnapped Eden were from Eden's management company, Moth Chaser has temporarily taken over Eden's management company under various pretexts, such as maintaining order. The concert will proceed as scheduled with the assistance of personnel dispatched by Moth Chaser.
Holding Eden, she gently placed him on the bed. Looking at Eden's sleeping face, 'Alicia' smiled and then planned to return to her own room. However, before she could pull her hand away, she felt a strong pulling force and was unexpectedly pulled down onto the bed.
"Hehe...Aili..."
Looking at the wine-red-haired girl who was hugging her tightly, as if she were a life-sized body pillow and afraid that she would run away, and talking in her sleep, and with that unexpectedly silly look, 'Alicia' sighed helplessly.
In that case...
Let's sleep together then~