☀️ Arselia and Akonia

"Even for hatred and contempt, hmm?" Ayano drawled. "But I doubt you're the type who enjoys being smacked on the head with a wooden slipper, right, EdgeLord-kun? Because I've been offered something similar before, and it would have made things much easier..." Sighing, she pondered for a moment, then finally reached into her bag and pulled out a platinum card from Calvada. "This is my relic; it's quite old. Don't be fooled by its ordinary appearance – you won't find another like it in this world. It's not worth a single coin, but it holds great sentimental value. It has seen more undead and demons than you could possibly imagine, and it has absorbed the hopes and sorrows of many people – their names are etched into the metal. There are nine of them. There could have been ten, but all I wish for the tenth is to be roasted in the Abyss for eternity," the blind miko's gaze was fixed on the distance; her thoughts were elsewhere. "I should have thrown it away long ago; I can hardly ever forget those events... I suppose I wanted to keep some proof. As you can see, I haven't even wiped the blood off it. Almost all of it is mine, but not entirely. To be honest, at that time, I probably despised them all and immortalized their names more as a mockery or a reminder of their weakness, but over time, their flaws in my memory have faded, and only sadness remains." Her gaze returned to her interlocutor. "One relic, overflowing with hope and sorrow, in exchange for another – I would say that's poetic. I don't need it anymore; I won't forget their names. But when something happens to me, and my body and inventory turn to ash, at least this memory won't die with me. I think that would be fair."