Walking along the cemetery path in the rain, Xia De realized this was his first time visiting Sparrow Hamilton since his death.
He had been busy with making a living recently, and only occasionally thought of Mr. Hamilton when he looked at the master bedroom in his home.
Now, stepping on the stone path in the cemetery, recalling their last and first conversation, Xia De felt as if it had happened many years ago.
Sparrow Hamilton's grave was not conspicuous, lying on the grass in the rain with countless ordinary people around him.
Xia De found the location of the grave according to the receipt, holding an umbrella and standing before the tombstone embedded in the ground.
The tombstone only had his name, date of death, and cause of death, without any record of his life.
The damp air suppressed the summer heat.
He held the umbrella with one hand and put the other hand into his overcoat pocket.
Raindrops struck Xia De's umbrella, and he looked down at the ordinary grave, then thought of the deceased Detective's possible identity as a foreign spy, and a sense of absurdity arose within him.
There was no one around, and the sound of the rain was enough to cover his voice, so he could speak his mind:
"His life story must have been very exciting.
Born, educated, joined Gray Gloves for training for unknown reasons, assigned to Tobesk to lie low, solving various cases as a Detective for three years... He met countless people in his hometown and in Tobesk, experienced countless things, and knew countless secrets.
Perhaps there are still people waiting for him to return home in a distant place.
And a guy with such an exciting life, his final outcome was only witnessed by me, an Outsider, and his final resting place is just a corner of the cemetery, this small grave."
"Are you sighing?"
Her whispering voice could not be suppressed by the sound of the rain.
"Sighing?"
Xia De looked down at the tombstone, shaking his head gently:
"No, I know everyone's life story is very exciting in the eyes of others.
It's just that standing here now, I feel that Mr. Sparrow's final outcome is like a magnificent story ending with the protagonist suddenly deciding to stop."
"Do you feel sorry for him?"
He looked down at the tombstone:
"Yes, such an exciting life, ended by an accident.
Even besides me, no one can know everything he experienced."
He held the umbrella and bent down, brushing his hand over the surface of the tombstone:
"Mr. Sparrow, when you were lying in bed before your death, asking me to take on one last task, did you also feel regret, just like the two ghosts just now?"
But Sparrow could not answer this question; he had truly departed.
Even Xia De could not judge what kind of person he was, or even whether he was a good person or a bad person.
The senior Carson Rick spy rests here.
He did not achieve his ideals in a foreign land, and he can never return to his hometown, and no one even knows his story.
"Outsider, it sounds like you are also worried about yourself?"
When Xia De straightened up, the woman's voice asked softly.
"It's not worry, it's just... if one day I die unexpectedly, I might also be buried not far from here."
He looked up at the cemetery in the rain; it was very quiet here, countless people sleeping, countless stories buried:
"Having just experienced Mr. Wotsent's funeral, and now seeing Sparrow Detective's grave here, I'm just a little emotional.
My story in a foreign land is also exciting enough, but perhaps when death comes, I will also feel that my life was very ridiculous, and I will have some regrets."
He raised his left hand and looked at his clenched hand.
"You are lost."
"Not lost, just a little emotional before the big battle tomorrow night."
Xia De took a deep breath, letting the damp but fresh air of the cemetery fill his lungs:
"A One-Ring, Two-Ring, and Three-Ring Arcanist going to take revenge on a Nine Ring, even if the preparations are very thorough and the opponent is injured, there is still unease in my heart.
Moreover, once we succeed and Miss Bei Ya Si truly becomes The Chosen, it means that the magnificent epic of the sixth epoch will involve more and more people.
I have already decided to join, but as for the future..."
He took off the umbrella above his head, letting the raindrops hit him, then immediately put the umbrella back in place:
"Coming to see Mr. Sparrow this time is also to prevent not being able to return tomorrow night.
He gave me the foundation of my current life, and I can't just forget him.
Speaking of which, I am quite grateful to Mr. Sparrow."
The woman's voice in his mind did not continue to sound.
Xia De finally looked down at the small grave and decided to leave:
"No matter what, only by moving forward can my story continue.
Their stories have ended, but my story is still very long, it must be very long."
He let out a long breath, feeling much lighter all over:
"My story as an Outsider in a foreign land can only be witnessed by myself."
"And me."
"But aren't you me?"
Xia De asked unexpectedly, and she smiled:
"Yes, you are me, and I am you.
Outsider, you write your story and epic, and I will for you..."
The final voice was very low, and Xia De didn't care.
He turned and left with his umbrella, thinking of bringing a bouquet of flowers next time he came.
After experiencing the story of the two ghosts and the funeral, and talking to her in front of Sparrow Detective's grave, Xia De felt that he was at least not so lost.
Only by letting go of those wild thoughts could he better cope with the events of Thursday night.
It was raining outside the city, and naturally, it was raining inside the city too.
Although there was some meat and vegetables at home, Xia De was not in the mood to cook, so after taking a taxi carriage home, he went out to eat with Mia.
And as night fell, the sudden heavy rain became even more fierce.
Knowing that Miss Annette and Miss Bei Ya Si were coming, Xia De did not arrange any other activities for the evening.
Instead, he stood by the living room window with his cat, one person and one cat watching the rain together.
Around seven o'clock, Miss Annette's carriage stopped downstairs, and she complained to Xia De about the rain when she entered the door.
The keen Diviner noticed that Xia De was a little different from their last meeting.
As she went upstairs, her purple eyes scanned the young Detective walking in front of her:
"Specifically, I feel you are more... determined.
Not that you weren't determined before, but now you are more determined.
Xia De, this is a good thing; you seem to have figured some things out."
"Yes, but I'm curious, Miss Annette, facing such a big event as the Thirteen Chosen, why were you so determined from the beginning?"
Xia De turned and joked.
The orange cat, who was "leading the way" for the two at the top of the stairs, turned around unhappily and "meowed" once, reminding them to follow.
Luvia Annett did not answer the question but asked Xia De for hot tea.
She complained about the inconvenience of going out in such weather and then quietly prayed, hoping that tomorrow's weather would be better.
