Xingyue, is Xiaokai also considered Kai?

Novia nodded and tossed the temari ball to the silent Miyu. "I understand that... So, is it really decided that all three wishes are unrelated to yourself, but rather to Miyu? If she finds out, it'll put a lot of pressure on her, won't it?"

"No, I believe Miyu is a very strong child, and that's what I, as someone who was once a 'child of gods', would hope for... That way, even if I know I will be leaving Miyu's side soon, I can still see her off properly."

As a mother, I hope my child can have at least some basic happiness.

"Then, let the wish begin."

As Novia's confident words fell, everything before Sakuzuki Yoshiko and Sakuzuki Miyu's eyes changed once again, and the apocalyptic scene was instantly rewritten into the Sakuzuki family home of the past.

"Um, just a moment."

Looking at Novia's retreating figure sitting on the floor outside the door, Sakuzuki Yoshiko subconsciously asked, "How should Miyu and I address you? Should we use the Sakuzuki family name as a disguise? Sakuzuki or something..."

"That's not necessary."

Novia did not turn around, but simply wove together words in a calm manner.

"Ivia, that's enough for me."

Chapter 383 Miyu is my galaxy.

The cicadas' chirping seemed to have completely dissolved into the air; there must be a few perched somewhere on the wall in front of me.

Ivia thought so.

The reason he was so certain was because he had heard an unusually loud cry while wandering within the barrier with Miyuki Sakuzuki.

To this day, he has been taking care of this child god who has not yet become a 'human' for a year, within the barrier of the Shuoyue family, in accordance with Yangdaizi's wish.

But instead of taking care of her, I think of her as a playmate or taking on some of the 'motherly' responsibilities for Yoshiko, such as feeding her, helping her bathe, telling her fairy tales at bedtime, and playing games together. It's a very peaceful life like that.

It's summer now, and even though they're inside the barrier, the sun's heat bounces back from below, making them feel scorching hot, though it's not a big deal for Miyu and Ivia.

The sky was blue, a cool breeze blew by, and you could hear the faint sound of the nearby trees swaying. Below the wall where cicadas chirped, there was grass everywhere. As soon as Ivia approached with Miyu, the fresh scent of grass surrounded their noses.

Summer has begun...

Ivia smiled.

It was a radiant smile that could adorn the sky, and one could even say that it was incredibly captivating.

Then, Ivia pulled out a paintbrush from somewhere and started drawing on the wall stroke by stroke. At this moment, the cicadas that had been hiding suddenly stood on the wall and continued to chirp. To outsiders, it looked as if the boy and the cicadas were standing side by side.

However, only Miyu Sakuzuki was there. After Ivia let go, she stood there like a doll.

Soon, Ivia's masterpiece was displayed on half of the wall—a painting depicting the distant sea.

People lined the shore in a dense, shimmering pattern, like grains of rice, while many small boats awaited their departure the next day, arranged like rice grains. Three figures stood out from the crowd.

"Looks like my drawing skills are pretty good."

Ivia gave a scrutinizing look and nodded, a slight smile playing on her lips, before walking toward Miyu.

"Miyu, you can draw it too. Even though it's just doodles, you will eventually see the truly vast ocean, Miyu."

After saying that, he took Miyu's hand, placed his own hand on top of hers, and made her hold the paintbrush tightly, and thus began to doodle.

So the sea also appeared on the other half of the wall. The sea in their paintings was infinitely vast, as if it could extend to any place.

Ivia stopped just before the painting was about to float into the sky, then lifted Miyu high in her arms and smiled at the doll-like figure, saying:

"Let's finish painting the sky after the long summer is over,"

The vast mountains and the somewhat lonely Japanese-style houses—all that can be seen within this barrier is the area where the mother and daughter, Shuoyue, and Ivia have always lived.

"Miyu uses her own hands to paint the sky, so use these same hands to pave the way. I light the lamp of blessing for your future."

Miyu, who was looking at Ivia, naturally didn't have any thoughts. After all, for her at this moment, simply nodding or shaking her head was enough.

However, as always, when she felt those slightly mature fingertips touching her, Miyu's vision included not only the silver-haired boy in front of her but also the small flower buds swaying on the ground behind him, with a cool breeze blowing over them.

"It's getting late, we should head back."

Even though she knew Miyu wouldn't respond, Ivia still turned around and nodded exaggeratedly, making a small victory gesture as she spoke to her.

"After all, today is July 20th, which is your birthday, Miyu. I'm sure Yoshiko has already prepared a birthday cake."

At this moment, Ivia leaned slightly forward and spoke softly to Miyu.

Under the setting sun, their shadows gradually lengthened, like the hands of a clock at sunset. The stars in the sky above looked like streetlights guiding their way.

Meanwhile, in the black-haired girl's vision as she was being led away, the wall gradually receded further and further away, becoming blurry.

It was as if I could see a real seaside, with waves crashing against the breakwater, turning into sparkling spray in the air, the scorching sun baking the bustling beach, and the distant scenery swaying, all mixed with the chirping of cicadas... Every part of the sea was filled with the atmosphere of summer.

This image only disappeared when the wall completely vanished from Miyu's sight.

It was already night when the two got home.

"Miyu and I are back, Yoshiko."

Ivia, holding Miyu, bounced around like a child on the stone-paved ground outside, then pushed open the door and called out.

"Oh, you and Miyu are back."

Upon hearing the door open, Yoshiko turned to look at the entrance and answered respectfully.

Shuoyue's house has many rooms, but because there are not many people, only a few rooms are occupied.

However, today is Miyu's birthday, so Yoshiko has carefully decorated the room. Ribbons hang gently, colorful balloons float in the air, and the walls are covered with handwritten cards, each one filled with Yoshiko's blessings for her daughter, Miyu.

On the table in the center of the living room, layers of delicate handmade delicacies are laid out: small and exquisite sushi, fragrant fried shrimp tempura, crystal clear fruit salad... everything is as perfect as a child's favorite.

In the center of the table, a white cream cake sat quietly, topped with strawberries and adorned with a few thin chocolate shavings. If you looked closely, you could even see the words "Happy Birthday, Miyu!" written in exquisite chocolate sauce.

A few thin candles were stuck on the cake, and the dim candlelight illuminated the faces of the three people in the room as night fell.

Although theoretically one should make a wish on their birthday, Yoshiko, who knew Miyu's condition, simply said "Happy Birthday" softly and didn't say anything more, just smiling as she watched Miyu being fed by Ivia.

"Speaking of which, didn't you feed Miyu too much?"

"That's not true."

Ivia looked puzzled. "Can't I eat more?"

"It's not impossible..."

Yoshiko leaned back lazily in her chair. "Eating too much will easily make you fat, which is a real problem for girls."

"Didn't you tell me to take good care of Miyu?"

"That being said..."

Yoshiko's eyebrows furrowed in a lack of confidence, forming a V-shape.

"It's rare for you to say something like that, Yoshiko. You usually wish for me and Miyu to be as close as possible, as if you see me as Miyu's manager and childhood sweetheart."

"I don't deny that I have this thought. After all, if Miyu has a childhood friend, she would be the number one in our Sakutsuki family."

Yoshiko sighed, "But even the deepest concern can be poison, if you leave..."

Admittedly, Yoshiko initially hoped that Ivia would take care of Miyu because she thought that if she could have Ivia's contact information when Miyu went through hardships in the future, things might be easier... However, now that she thinks about it, that was a mistake.

However, with Ivia joining her, things became much easier for her. After all, just as her appearance suggested, she was very cooperative with Miyu whether she was swinging on the swing or sitting on the seesaw, and she would also talk to Miyu about the manga in the corner of the room.

"No matter what the past or the future may hold, I am here now. You can't expect my room door to always be open for Miyu."

"Well..."

"That sounds like I'm some kind of heinous villain, but you should understand, after all, you're from the Shuoyue family."

As for the new moon, Yang Daizi naturally understood some things as well.

Just as some people, who are neither detectives with their reasoning abilities nor researchers with their insightful observations, can still derive their own answers to life simply from the things they take for granted in their daily lives.

As a family founded on the ability to 'receive people's thoughts and unconsciously realize them,' it is natural that when people see others praying for happiness, they can understand what happiness is.

"After thinking about it, it's true."

"Very aware, not bad."

Ivia continued:

"However, your concerns are valid. But just like a shoelace that comes undone can be tied again, whether it's parting or anything else, we'll meet again someday. People are destined to embark on their own journeys, aren't they?"

Ivia touched Miyu's hair, where the colorful ribbons were falling above her.

"Speaking of which, I took good care of Miyu during the wish period. Although she couldn't speak, we were still very happy to be together. After all, she can bathe herself now without me having to do it myself. That's my achievement, isn't it, Miyu?"

Miyuki Sakuzuki didn't speak, she just nodded.

"Alright, now that you've finished eating, Miyu, go take a shower."

……

After closing her eyes tightly, Miyu washed off the shampoo, and the water from the showerhead flowed over her head, body, and legs.

This doesn't mean she knows how to take a bath, but rather that she's learning from Ivia's past practices, since she can't possibly have independent consciousness now.

After soaking in the water for the designated time, Miyu put on a yukata and walked out of the bathroom.

Inside the already darkened room, the night sky could be seen through the window, with a half-moon peeking out from behind the clouds. Miyu, who did not react to this, simply walked outside and looked at Ivia sitting on the floor.

Normally, Ivia would take her back to her room and tell her a few fairy tales by the bedside before Miyu would go to sleep, and then wait for Ivia to wake her up the next day. However, today Ivia was sitting on the floor and did not get up immediately.

"The stars are out, and so is the moon."

After saying this, Ivia got up, pulled Miyu to sit up, and made them look up at the night sky together.

A half-moon appeared naturally in the night sky.

The moonlight piled up on the ground like a pool of water, bluish-white and ethereal.

In the distance, the streetlights twinkled through the barrier, and the stars in the night sky and the lights on the ground were clearly reflected on the retinas of Ivia and Miyuki.

"Isn't it beautiful?"

Ivia's gaze fell on Miyu, and she said this.

His long silver hair shimmered in the moonlight, giving the illusion that he himself came from the moon.

Of course, Miyu Sakuzuki had neither such a misconception nor responded to the words, which did not surprise Ivia.

"No matter what, it's your birthday after all, so I've prepared something as a gift."

As Ivia spoke, she took out a small jade carving of a Buddha from her pocket and handed it to Miyu.

It was a very common, cheap jade carving of the plump Maitreya Buddha that you could buy anywhere on the street. It wasn't very valuable. In fact, it was brought by Yoshiko on Ivia's behalf. This made Yoshiko wonder if 'Ivia' was some kind of Buddha or Bodhisattva in the Buddhist system.

However, since there are many Buddhas and Bodhisattvas associated with making wishes in folk religion, Yoshiko gave up guessing and decided to let things take their course.

The slightly cool skin of Yuhe, who had just finished bathing and was still radiating a little warmth, pressed against hers. Most people would definitely shiver slightly due to the temperature difference, but Miyu had no concept of that, so she remained motionless.

In fact, if Miyu were to recall this day in the future, she would surely feel the gentlest and slowest sensation of being touched by the jade by Ivia, as if she were being crowned with something invisible.

But now Miyu Sakuzuki just remained silent, her expression unchanged like that of a doll.

"I thought about what Yoshiko said earlier, and I feel that Miyu is like the Milky Way to me now? No, to be precise, she is like the stars scattered in the Milky Way."

Ivia tilted her head slightly and said this.

then.

"In that case, I will make a wish upon the Radiant Galaxy and offer you my light, Miyu... This sounds a bit strange, like a confession."

Ivia stroked her chin. "But this kind of open and aboveboard approach doesn't count, does it? It has to be like secretly closing the book and whispering 'See you tomorrow' to the person behind it—that kind of unrequited love feeling..."

"Anyway——"

"For me, who is fulfilling my wish, Miyu, you are the most precious gift. You are like a passport that can easily pass through a black hole. So, whether it is day or night, I will always be smiling when you are here."

Her long, silver hair swayed gently in Miyu's gaze.

His voice melted into the summer night sky on Miyu Sakuzuki's birthday.

"This is a gift for my 'Galaxy'."

The Milky Way was indeed visible in the night sky, adorned with hundreds of millions of stars, emitting a cold light, like countless tiny and dazzling gems, shining brightly. Where the stars were dense, there was a brilliant sea of ​​stars, where starlight intertwined and converged, as if a ray of light was pouring down from the distant other side.

That night, the scene kept replaying in Sakuzuki Miyu's mind.

Chapter 384. Having desires for children is a crime.

"Did you and Ivia draw this, Miyu?"