With each nod, Tilan acknowledged the presence of her classmates, welcomed them, and took note of their current situations, ready to help with simple issues if she could.
By the time she had greeted all her classmates, it was already past two in the afternoon. At this point, Tilan asked the maids to clear the snacks from the table and serve the prepared meal. The banquet was next, where she sat among everyone, listening to their conversations and rarely interjecting, only nodding in agreement.
Once the meal was over, it was time for leisure activities. The students played tabletop role-playing games and card battles. Tilan then returned to the resting room to change her clothes.
With a long sigh of relief, Tilan sat in front of the vanity mirror, took off the carefully selected summer dress, and put on a simple and comfortable dress.
Wearing slippers, she made her way to the sofa, laid down, hugged a pillow, and rolled around until she found a comfortable spot. Then she leaned back to take a short 20-minute nap.
While Cindy continued to help Tilan entertain the classmates outside, Yilin pushed open the door of the resting room. Seeing Tilan sleeping, she smiled, understanding that even though their statuses might have changed, Tilan's character remained the same; she wasn't used to dealing with many people, especially at a student gathering tinged with worldly pretenses.
Yilin walked to the vanity, tidied up her hair and clothes, organized some items on the surface, and then came to Tilan's side. After looking at the peacefully sleeping girl, she carefully closed the door and left.
Though these gatherings could be mentally taxing for Tilan, for Yilin, they were simple matters. Even without such events, she regularly facilitated social engagements for her parents' business, interacting with girls, aunts, or elderly ladies. Her family's venture was in beauty and such interactions were commonplace for her.
At six in the evening, Tilan, donned in a black evening dress, appeared once again before everyone, sang a song, and then the evening's small gathering and dinner commenced.
Around ten at night, when all the classmates had dispersed and the gathering officially concluded, Tilan rested on the fabric sofa, claiming she felt more exhausted than she had after participating in the Winter Festival competition.
Yilin and Cindy massaged her shoulders and took a couple of sleepy photos before deciding to let Tilan off for the evening. Meanwhile, maids in black and red uniforms efficiently cleaned the area, standing silently at the sides of the hall, seemingly unaffected by fatigue and without the need for rest.
After a half-hour nap, Tilan got up and noticed the dimmed lights in the hall. Realizing it was late, she saw Yilin and Cindy rise from their seats next to her.
"Awakened, our little princess~" Yilin teased.
"Sorry to have kept you waiting," Tilan said, pressing her brow. The cool sensation spread, bringing instant clarity to her mind. She then expanded her perception and became aware of the entire Topstar Tower.
After grabbing her belongings, Tilan headed to the closed bar of Dream of Glazed Glass where Belfeng was still playing games. She briefed her about the end of the day's events before bidding farewell and departing.
As Tilan exited into the hall, she expressed her gratitude to the forty-odd maids waiting for her and instructed them to rest.
These maids, like Ran Bei'er, were descendants of the Blood Clan, with exceedingly long lifespans. Due to their ancestry and status, their footing was unstable in the federation. They relied heavily on the political asylum provided by Tilan and were her faithful supporters. Their abilities were all above the Blood Pupil Sequence 5, with several head maids at the level of Sequence 6.
"Yes, Your Highness," the group of Blood Clan maids dressed in dark red rose uniforms responded in unison, bowing gracefully before disappearing into the shadows. Even Lisi couldn't fathom how they vanished, proving their abilities were well beyond her understanding.
These maids are showing off again, Tilan mused silently.
In the time they had spent together, she realized these maids enjoyed creating a spectacle, especially when she was in the presence of outsiders. They would 'appropriately' show off their mysterious and retro noble flair, astonishing and impressing onlookers. Whenever this happened, Tilan could sense their inner jubilation, much like children delighted with new toys or pranksters foiling trespassers.
However, they maintained a sense of propriety and didn't let their antics interfere with important matters. They also served as a deterrent to unwelcome visitors, shielding Tilan from many undesirable guests. So, she generally didn't reprimand them too harshly.
As she stepped into the elevator of the Topstar Tower and looked at the city night view of Payin City outside, the girl let out a sigh.
"Yeah, it's time to say goodbye," Cindy responded, watching the night view and following her emotions.
"Aren't you planning to go to college, Cindy?" Tilan thought that she could actually support Cindy with some money so she could also go to college.
"I won't be going to college," Cindy shook her head.
"I know what you mean, Tilan, but I've found out over these high school years that I'm not really the kind of person who excels at studying, and I'm currently a bit lost about what kind of job I want to do in the future."
"So I'm planning to try out different jobs first. Even if I change my mind later, it's not too late to go to college then." The federation's colleges don't require you to be a recent graduate; you just need to meet the admission criteria.
"I see." The girl pondered; she wouldn't be able to help once she was in the Central Star Domain.
"This is the contact information for the head of the Grey Dust Crystal branch office. If Cindy encounters any difficulties, she can contact him." The girl pulled out a card, inserted it into her personal terminal, printed the information and the contact key, and then handed it to Cindy.
She, too, was now one of the minor shareholders of 'Grey Dust Crystal.' Commanding her subordinate branch organizations was very convenient.
"Thank you, Tilan." Cindy carefully put away the card.
If for her it was a colossal help that could change the trajectory of her life, for Tilan, it was probably as simple as a word. Such a vast gap caused her emotions to surge within: fortune, gratitude, surprise, and a bitter tang of various ups and downs.
Alas, there was also a sigh in the girl's heart. Actually, she wanted to maintain the pure and beautiful friendship with her elementary school classmate Cindy, just like in the past. But the time train roared forward, and with all the changes in environment and status, things could no longer be like before.
Even with the desire to maintain it, it was now impossible because every move she made was a world-changing event for these classmates. None could maintain the usual state of mind because they were no longer children. They were about to enter society, to truly take on responsibilities, and to think about their own futures.
From now on, the number of true friends she had would probably become fewer and fewer. Maybe Deloris, Evelyn, and Yilin could still maintain their independence in front of her, but the relationships with other classmates who were further away or had greater differences would likely become distant, eventually fading into memories and ceasing contact.
Goodbye to the place where she grew up.
Two days later, at Jade Skirt 2 Star Harbor, a 'Spectra Wing' class starship was docked inside the harbor.
After saying farewell to the teachers and classmates, Tilan boarded the starship specially there to pick her up. Then the starship slowly detached from the Star Harbor and sailed into the vast starry river. As it accelerated faster and faster, the familiar lands, skies, and planets all seemed to pull away swiftly, becoming colder, stranger, until the starship entered a pitch-black space, and the view outside the window finally calmed down.
Looking at the pitch-dark universe outside, a sense of emptiness started to spread in the girl's heart.
Is this what goodbye feels like?
Everyone must leave the naivety of childhood behind and enter another unfamiliar world. The once warm fairy tales of the past are slowly dissipating, while the clanging reality strikes head-on. It is cold, it is hot, but it's also so rough and real.