Chapter 67 - All That is Left [3]
"Luna, Ray, do you know where you live?"
They remained silent.
With that in mind, the two kids looked at each other and nodded, pointing at the map to tell us where.
For them to know where with the map, they must be experienced with navigating.
"Southeast...?"
"What? Is that bad?" I asked Scarlett, taken aback by her surprised reaction.
"Lady Aria, this area of the map..." Scarlett explained her concerns by pointing to the map on the table, which we were using to navigate to our destination and to the kids' home.
The map displayed the current state of the Ancrel Continent, not just Trestkania, and highlighted the active cities still standing.
It categorized areas into three types:
Safe zones were colored white, indicating harmless regions with active cities.
Unstable zones were marked in yellow, the areas Scarlett and I had travelled through so far.
Then the areas marked in red on the map were where regular humans should not venture—the Dead Zones.
These monochromatic areas were severely affected by the Pylon's domain, which has sapped all life from them.
Not only were these dead zones hazardous, but Eldians tend to roam around since a Pylon was nearby.
To cultivate its domain, the Pylon absorbed everything from the outside.
Leaving nothing in its wake.
"...I will follow you wherever you go, Lady Aria," Scarlett declared, nodding her head and leaving the decisions to me.
"Hmm." I contemplated, as I had never been in a Dead Zone before, or perhaps I had already been somewhere worse—a Domain.
"Scarlett, weren't you adamant about taking shortcuts to protect me?" I questioned her sudden change in attitude.
"...I decided to believe in you, just as you believed in me." Scarlett knelt.
"With your skills and my strength, mere Eldians won't shake my resolve."
"..."
Her elaborate, flowery words made my eyes waver, leaving me unsure of how to respond.
Trust... what a burdensome responsibility.
"Luna, Ray, you two were escaping from something, right?"
"Mhmm… we—"
"Enough! Luna, let me take over this time."
“O-Oh… alright, big brother…”
Luna obediently nodded and took Ray's hand.
With Ray’s resolve inspired by Scarlett, he looked at me, ready to share everything that had happened.
"—It all began when the mayor of our city started to act strangely one day."
Underground cities.
Giant bunkers that were created for an impending doomsday, or in other words, the 2nd Cardinal Sky.
The individuals who managed these bunkers were often politicians or wealthy men, recognized by the residents as mayors.
But what would motivate these rich men to engage in such seemingly benevolent actions without any expectation of reward?
While some bunkers were built specifically to address potential world-ending calamities, most were not created out of mere charity.
Ray described how their mayor had begun to act strangely, mumbling to himself.
He became obsessively devoted to his residents, telling them they were a gift from God—an opportunity for him to be a prophet guiding his lost lambs.
Initially, no one questioned him; after all, he was the one who sheltered them following the Second Cardinal Sky.
Days of ignorance passed, and his influence deepened as he displayed a widening smile with each passing day—
—Until people began to disappear, one by one, day after day.
It was the children's parents who first noticed the pattern and helped their kids escape with relatives before they were taken.
All this stemmed from a group of deviants who wished for all things wicked—
"Morzen Cultists."
The moment I mentioned their name, Scarlett’s gaze became fierce, startling Ray and Luna.
"...My apologies,” Scarlett said, noticing her silent outburst. She looked away without uttering a word, silently urging us to continue.
Ray then told us that their uncle, who had come with them, had gone away to find food for the day.
The two of them kept waiting… praying for him to return.
But he was never heard from again.
It was then that my gaze met Ray's, leading to our encounter.
Scarlett wore an empty expression, as if she had been through this many times before.
Despair must be a regular occurrence for her to be so desensitized.
And I hate that.
"Sister..." Luna tugged at my sleeve, holding back from having an outburst.
Ah… I see now.
Of course, it would be easier to assume that all the residents were dead and that the kids were the only survivors.
What do I gain from this mess, anyway?
…
…
…
No, what... the hell did I just say?
After spending countless years in this world, my perception of human lives has become distorted.
What does it truly mean to kill someone to protect them?
Must one be revered with respect and awe, or be labelled a murderer?
Is it better to let people die due to my unwillingness to act?
Is it truly ideal to save people only for them to meet an untimely demise?
There is only one solution to all of this—one that would truly benefit both sides.
"Scarlett, won't going through this route make our expedition much faster?" I pointed at the map, sliding my finger across our destination.
"Our original route was designed to avoid this area at all costs. However, if we take this route, then you're right."
She immediately created a new path on the map, demonstrating skills befitting a former secretary of Gael Historia.
"But Lady Aria… are you sure about this?" she asked.
"..."
The room fell silent, and the children sensed the tension between us.
They both thought, 'It seems hopeless to save our friends and family after all.'
…
…
...
—Pomf!
"Sister…?" Luna and Ray said as I rested my hands on their heads.
My dream was to find a place to belong.
But to achieve that, what steps must I take?
"Scarlett, what are you waiting for?" I steeled myself, ready to uphold my decision.
“…” Scarlett stood there in silence, taken aback by my response.
With a faint smile, she whispered something quietly behind my back.
—Kuro… you never changed, haven't you?
"Hmm? Did you say anything?"
"No, it's nothing, Lady Aria."
"Whatever you say. Are you in?"
"As your wish demands it."
"Hehe, then that's good."
I smirked mischievously, my expression rooted in confidence.
Despite her unpredictable nature, I had the most reliable ally I could ever ask for—more so than the Historia sisters.
I knew that Erina had already reached a level I couldn't overcome just yet.
Camellia was also steadily growing, even more than I was with her newfound potential.
But Scarlett herself was one of, if not the strongest person in Kleinford. She wasn't the secretary to one of the strongest humans in the world for nothing.
"Sister... are you really going to help us?" Luna asked, her eyes wide with disbelief.
"Heh, do you even have to ask? Just leave it to me! Or... Scarlett—ugh, whatever happens." I ruffled their hair playfully.
"H-Hey! Stop that!" Ray protested, trying to push my hand away from his hair.
If the embers of this world were about to fade away, all I had to do was reignite them.
My path was already thorny, and to achieve what I desired...
I needed to save everyone who was left.
"The fog around here is too dense," I complained after reaching the infamous Dead Zone.
Like in Demiurge, the area was devoid of colour—the difference was that the sky was also colourless.
It felt as though we had entered a monochromatic world, where everything resembled an old film.
"Scarlett, can you see anything in the distance?" I asked.
"I cannot, Lady Aria."
"Hmm, if the fog weren't so thick, maybe we would have spotted it by now—"
"Over there!" Ray shouted.
The two of us turned to look in the direction he was pointing, and we saw a lone tower that both kids seemed to recognize.
—Shiiirkk!!!
"Uwaaah!" I yelped as the car lurched forward when Scarlett abruptly slammed on the brakes.
This was the second time this had happened, and I couldn't help but wonder...
Does Scarlett have a driver's license?
“Ugh… my head…” Luna mumbled as she rubbed her eyes after waking up from sleeping on my lap.
Ray was also about to hit his head when the car stopped, so I quickly hugged both of them and enveloped us in a shield made of Ichor.
"You two okay?" I asked.
Luna, who seemed to enjoy my presence, smiled and nodded.
For Ray, however...
"I-I'm fine! You can let go of me now…" he said, looking away, clearly flustered.
"...Oh." I glanced down and saw Ray's face resting against my chest, which must have been why he was embarrassed.
"Lady Aria, I'm aware that you've been through... unique circumstances, and I dare not question them... But do know that you have become a beautiful woman."
Acting as if she wasn’t the one at fault, she pulled Ray out of my embrace herself.
"Hmm, is that so? Do you like me more like this, Scarlett?" I decided to tease her, curious about her answer.
"No matter what you become, I will always serve you to the best of my abilities, Lady Aria."
"Bleh, boring."
I stuck my tongue out, already expecting a bland response.
"Sister, you're super cute, the cutest in the world!" Luna hugged me, already grown attached.
"...Hehe, you're cute too, Luna!" I hugged her back, even nuzzling her cheek.
With Luna's adorable comments lifting my spirits, Ray looked at me and answered the question meant for Scarlett.
"...Mhmm, you're very pretty... yeah." Ray looked away, fiddling with his hands.
...Oh?
—Grin...!
With that awkward answer, my face contorted into an unbearable grin, finding his reaction amusing.
"Sorry, I didn't quite catch that~. Can you say it one more time?"
"W-What?! I... I don't want to!"
Ray yelled back, providing an amusing response.
I've always enjoyed giving straightforward remarks to everyone, often to the point of annoying them.
...It seems to have gotten worse since I returned to Earth.
Hmm, now I miss Camellia.
I should text her soon and send random messages to push her buttons later.
