Chapter 52 City of Ruins
After finishing up matters here, the girls were ready to rush on their journey to the Independent Kingdom below.
This was not only because it was the Eight-tailed Fox’s hometown, but more importantly…
…
“Eh, Elus, you’re saying… Siria sent us a message, asking us to go to the Apocalypse Independent Kingdom?”
“Mm, that’s right.”
Elus sighed. If possible, she would have liked to stay in the Kingdom Ming for a while longer to take care of Isabel.
However, at the moment, she was more concerned about Lonis’s problem.
The tumor in the girl’s body needed to be purified and treated… For one’s own pet to be sick, that was not a qualification of a good owner, was it?
“Idiot Lonis, the Trickster Demon likely found a way to cure you this time. So don’t run around when we get there.”
“Ah, th-that’s for sure.”
“Th-that’s for sure, huh?”
“Mm, then we can depart once we’re ready.”
“Ju-just the two of us?”
“No, everyone will come later, but if we go first, we can try the treatment in advance.”
“Oh, I see…”
…
Because she didn’t want everyone to worry, Elus did not tell her companions about Lonis’s strange illness.
Although occasionally, Lonis would have a wobbly gait and hurried breathing due to being sick.
But perhaps because she was “proud” of how Lonis was often bullied by Elus, even when she acted unusually, everyone mistook it for some kind of activation.
Although this idea was pathetic, at least it didn’t make everyone worry too much.
…
“Lonis and Miss Elus, are you heading to the City of Ruins in advance?”
“Mm, Cécile, are you ready? I’ll be leaving this to you.”
“Don’t worry, please leave it to me.”
…
…
With Cécile’s help, Lonis and Elus arrived in the City of Ruins.
The lacquer black city, the streets spreading across the sea of lava, the entire scene was exactly like the hellish city in Lonis’s memory.
However, what was different?
The current City of Ruins looked much livelier than before.
There were many pedestrians on the streets—not just people, but many monsters were also diligently walking on the streets, as if engaged in some kind of work.
“This is…”
“It seems like they are building the city? Because this city has never developed since the independent war.”
“Oh?”
“Now that the Eight-tailed Fox is in charge of everything, she should give this city a brand new future, right?”
Elus sighed slightly, as if recalling something about the Snow Kingdom.
Although the girls had already found a hot spring there, it was still a ghost town… Not to mention being as prosperous as the Royal Capital Insoraia, it was even far inferior to the City of Ruins.
“Elus…”
“Little idiot, don’t worry about me. Instead of worrying about your clever Master, it’s better to comfort yourself and make yourself happy, okay?”
“Ah… El-Elus knows too?”
“Hmph, I have the ability to read other people’s emotions, how could I not know what you idiot are thinking? Hmph hmph, wanting to save everyone, what a foolish, naive saintly hero you are!”
“Uwaah…”
Lonis’s pretty face blushed from Elus’s words.
Actually, she didn’t want to save everyone. At least, she definitely wouldn’t save the bad people who didn’t deserve to be saved. But beings like Isabel were truly pitiable.
What about Ryanstia? Although she finally gave up on revenge under Elus’s persuasion, what about her future?
Her past friends and relatives must be completely gone now, right?
And Lonis also had a lot of work to do, she couldn’t help all the girls in this world, she couldn’t care for everyone meticulously.
Then…
“El-Elus, what do you think I should do?”
“Don’t know!”
“Eh?!”
The black-haired girl’s blunt answer completely stumped Lonis.
Because normally, Elus would tease her a bit, and this kind of answer was unprecedented.
“Hmph, because I am the Master, not the Hero, so your troubles and thoughts, little idiot, you should solve them yourself~”
“How can you be like this?”
“My job is only to ensure that the idiot hero can stay healthy and fed~~~”
“Wuwuuuuh…”
Although Elus spoke rather impolitely, this was indeed the case.
Along the way, Elus had helped her a lot, and now, regarding the future, regarding her mission and choices, this black-hearted girl wouldn’t have much more experience than herself.
Therefore…
“So, I still want to save the people I know as much as possible? Otherwise, I feel like this journey to save the world will have regrets.”
“Mm mm, then let’s work towards that direction? Save everyone as much as possible, and I’ll help you by your side too.”
“Eh?”
“It doesn’t matter what decision you make, the most crucial thing is to act with all your heart without regret after making a decision.”
“Elus…”
Feeling the girl’s gaze, Lonis’s body trembled slightly and she suddenly understood.
Why did she win, and why didn’t Castor laugh in the end?
Wasn’t it because she had many friends and companions by her side, with Elus accompanying her?
Precisely because of this, precisely because she had always been well protected and doted on by everyone, she had enough kindness and mood to help many people in this world.
This was not only the meaning the world bestowed upon the Hero, but also the ability itself bestowed upon her by the existence of Elus and everyone else.
And so…
“Elus, shall we go find Siria? Regardless of anything else, I want to recover quickly and know what’s going on with my body.”
“Mm, you can go now, but are you alright?”
“No problem… Wh-what problem could I have?”
Although she said this, seeing Elus’s “strange” expression. Lonis had a bad premonition.
“The treatment and testing methods might be a bit tiring, so wouldn’t you, little idiot, like to wander around the city before the treatment? Like drinking lava milk tea, eating fried insects, it’s quite good, isn’t it?”
The City of Ruins didn’t have many local specialties. The only one that could be considered famous was fried insects.
“Who wants to eat that… Elus, what exactly is going on? Where are we going to get treatment?”
“Hmph hmph, you’ll know if you follow me.”
“Wuuauh…?”
And so, Lonis was led by Elus, and gradually walked towards the depths of the city.
