Chapter 137: Leaving (Part 2)
Cain overlooked the entire Vita Village, speaking slowly.
"For this battle, my decision was to let Kashya and Fara handle it alone, because we don't have many Warriors to begin with. If we suffered too many losses in this battle, it would be a disaster for the entire Sanctuary. I didn't think we should take that risk, but..."
"I think I was wrong..."
His gaze gradually focused. Following his line of sight, a busy figure appeared within my view – several Villagers were working hard to rebuild the houses that had been destroyed by the Monster's Arrow Volley during the war. Furthermore, there were even a few Adventurers helping out.
The strongest Barbarian held a large, heavy Asphalt Stone in his hands. The other Mercenaries were responsible for neatly stacking the irregular large pieces of Asphalt Stone that the Barbarian brought over, while the Villagers skilled in Building picked up the neatly stacked, beautiful Stones and quickly built them up with greyish-white clay. Everyone worked in an orderly division of labor, and the Atmosphere was very Harmonious. A thick, sturdy Asphalt Stone Wall slowly grew taller at a speed visible to the naked eye. At this Speed, a beautiful and sturdy Asphalt Stone House could be built in at most one day.
"Look, isn't this enough to explain everything?"
He pointed to the grateful smiles on the Villagers' simple faces and said with emotion.
I nodded. Yes, after this battle, I did feel the Atmosphere was a little different. How should I put it? At the time, I didn't know how to describe this strange Atmosphere, but after Cain reminded me, I had a Realization.
Yes, although we lost a lot in this battle, it made the Atmosphere between the Warriors and Civilians, as well as Adventurers of different Tiers and Adventurers of the Same Tier/Rank but different Levels, more Harmonious. The friendship formed by supporting, encouraging, and even facing life and death together in the flames of war, and the team Spirit tempered through Trial, removed the barriers between them.
A battle taught many Strongest Experts who were usually aloof a lot and helped them grow. Of course, I also gained a lot in this War. Perhaps this is the Gain Akara spoke of.
"In their smiles, I see the future and Hope of Sanctuary. Until this moment, I am deeply ashamed of my conservatism and timidity. Akara and the others were right. This was not a meaningless War, a Sacrifice in vain. Although we lost many young Warriors, and the Rogue Encampment's economy suffered a huge blow, every time I see this scene, I feel that our Warriors did not Sacrifice in vain. We lost a lot, but we gained more."
Cain pointed his Cane at the happy Villagers and Warriors, his face brimming with passion.
"I believe that the Adventurers who participated in this battle have gained many things, whether tangible or intangible. You will be the most outstanding group of Adventurers in Rogue Encampment in the past hundred years. I am proud of you."
"Especially you, Wu. Although I haven't personally witnessed Lord Tal Rasha's heroic Appearance, I feel a Strength in you, a Potential that even surpasses that Lord. I firmly believe that you will become a Strongest Expert like Lord Tal Rasha, no, perhaps even stronger than him. Perhaps I should place a large part of my Hope on you."
"Lord Cain, if you do that, you'll crush me," I said with a mournful face, looking at Cain eagerly.
"Hahaha..."
His Mood seemed particularly cheerful, and the usually steady and wise Cain also burst into laughter.
"Don't worry, Wu. I understand how heavy the burden of Save the Continent is. You are still young now and should take the opportunity to enjoy your youth. I personally believe that maintaining a happy Mood is more important than gaining any Trial Experience."
After speaking, he didn't forget to give Velas, who was not far away, a meaningful look.
*Sweat*, I didn't expect Cain, this Old Man, to have such an undignified moment. Forget it, I'll slip away first.
After chatting with Cain for a few minutes, I said goodbye to him.
"You, you have too little Guts."
Just as I walked away, Velas quickly ran up from behind, following closely behind me. Seeing her timid and cute Appearance, I couldn't help but playfully tug at the black Small Hair Tie on her Chest and said with a light chuckle.
"Ah..."
Velas, who was suddenly attacked, exclaimed, and her face immediately turned crimson.
"Lord, really..." She puffed out her rosy cheeks, like an angry Kitten.
"Haha, sorry, sorry..."
Seeing her pouting Appearance, I laughed even happier.
"Hmph..."
As if to let me know how terrifying her anger was, she turned her Head sharply away, her small red lips pouting, wearing an expression that said she would never speak to me again.
"I say, Velas, you're so afraid of getting Along with them, so why are you only not afraid of me?"
I asked her curiously. I remembered how respectful and timid she was when we first met, especially after knowing I was her Benefactor. She was practically treating me with the respect one would show a deity, completely unlike the genuine emotion she was showing now.
"Really, I already said I'm not afraid..."
Velas immediately turned her Head back and said. Her resolve to ignore me completely crumbled in less than a second.
"It's just, it's just that Lord is different from them..."
"How am I different?"
"I can't say, but Lord is different..."
Velas stopped talking, lowering her Head and slowly playing with her Small Hair Tie, following closely behind me. She followed so closely that our arms often lightly touched. The Maiden's fragrance, similar to jasmine, that wafted from beside me stirred my Heart slightly, and I actually felt a longing to hold her hand and stroll leisurely along the village path.
After Cain's reminder, my feelings about the Gain from this battle grew deeper. Since I came to Diablo, I had never seen these Civilians so close to Adventurers. Normally, they should be making way for Adventurers with humble and respectful faces.
But now, they took out their treasured Fine Wine and stood with the Warriors, raising their Cups to drink with them. The Adventurers also put aside their usual indifference, some even linking arms and jumping together with them.
Seeing this scene, even my Heart felt warm, and I even unconsciously had the absurd thought that "driving away the Hell Forces doesn't seem like such a Difficult Matter." The peaceful scene was like the good ending picture in a passionate adventure manga, where the Hero defeats the Great Demon King and the entire Act achieves peace.
Alas, I must be Daydreaming. I haven't even touched Andariel's Projection yet, and I'm thinking about the grand finale?
"..."
Just as I was thinking about various things in a self-deprecating manner, the front suddenly became noisy for some reason. Velas and I went over curiously. A bouncing figure approached from far to near. Looking closely, *sweat*, wasn't that Elara? Seeing her appearance, both angry and anxious, blushing with shame, what could have happened?
"Ah..."
Velas behind me let out a soft exclamation, then chuckled softly.
I almost forgot, Velas and Elara are from the same Village, and their ages are similar. Their relationship must be quite good, even if they aren't close confidantes.
What? The basis for my judgment? They're both good girls.
"What happened?" I asked Velas, who was snickering beside me.
"Lord will know in a moment."
She blinked her bright eyes lightly and smiled at me, her smile carrying a strange Feeling.
As if to prove Velas's words, the clamor slowly spread towards me. Wherever Elara walked, she caused bursts of laughter that weren't malicious.
When she came closer, I realized that there were several children, about seven or eight years old, running in front of her. Elara was chasing behind them, her face crimson. Her usually serene and beautiful face now looked like an angry Tigress, especially her normally Calm eyes, which revealed an expression of utter fury.
Although Elara was a Mercenary, catching up to them in Speed would be a matter of seconds. However, these children seemed very experienced; their bodies were very slippery, and they desperately squeezed into places where Civilians were densely packed. As a Mercenary, Elara's Strength was not something Civilians could endure. To avoid causing them Damage, she had to slow down, which was why she hadn't caught up yet.
When the children got closer, I suddenly realized. No wonder Elara was so furious! The Corner of my mouth twitched unconsciously, and like everyone else, I couldn't help but reveal a kind smile.
"Flat-chested Elara, petty and meddlesome Elara..." These few mischievous little devils kept chanting these jokes that made her blush furiously.
Flat-chested? Hmm...
My eyes involuntarily looked up. Uh... it's true. Turning my Head, Velas was looking at me with wide eyes.
"Cough cough... Velas, what are you looking at? I'm not that kind of person..."
I coughed a few times to conceal my embarrassment, feeling a panic similar to being caught red-handed by my girlfriend while peeping.
"Nothing..."
Velas chuckled behind her hand, then shook her Head. Her bright eyes showed no sign of being angry, which immediately made me let out a sigh of relief...
Huh? Why was I nervous, and why did I feel relieved?
At this moment, the children, loudly chanting the rhymes that mortified Elara, ran In Front of me.
"Elara, are you okay?..."
I suppressed my laughter and said to Elara, who was pouncing over fiercely like an eagle catching chicks.
"Ah ah... It's Lord You, I, I, really, really, I'm too rude, I don't know what to say..."
Elara was so anxious to catch them that she only now realized I was standing In Front. At this moment, she seemed to have suffered a major blow, and her usual Calmness completely collapsed.
"Lord, Lord heard it all?!..."
Like a little dog caught stealing food, she looked at me pitifully with her round eyes. Her appearance, so vastly different from before, was quite interesting.
"Flat-chested Elara, petty and meddlesome Elara..."
Before I could answer, the children saw me and felt very safe, so they hid behind me. As soon as Elara asked, they immediately shouted as if afraid I wouldn't know.
Well, now I don't even need to lie.
"You, you guys..."
Elara's expression froze, and she slowly lowered her Head. It was as if something snapped In One's Head, and her whole person emitted a very terrifying Aura.
"Ah ah ah ah..."
After a while, the failed-to-suppress Elara finally went crazy. Alas, it was a teary-eyed crazy, truly pitiful...
Seeing that I, this Amulet, seemed useless, the children hiding behind me scattered with a bang.
"Wait..." I grabbed the back collar of Elara's clothes, and she immediately began to struggle.
"Lord, please let me go. I must teach them a good lesson. After I'm done, I will personally apologize to Lord You, apologize with death..."
Elara shouted loudly as if she had completely lost her reason. However, the huge difference in Strength between us finally made her behave.
"Really, I'm really too rude, Sob sob I didn't expect it to be like this, I, how can I still have the face to live, sob sob..."
She sadly covered her teary eyes. Her appearance, like a little woman who had been wronged, made me both annoyed and amused. However, at this moment, Elara looked more like a cute girl.
"Who are they..." I patted her shoulder comfortingly, trying to make her calm down.
"These few are my useless younger brothers..." My comfort seemed to have some effect. She had slowly recovered to her usual calm and capable Appearance.
"Then, what are you doing now?" I asked, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
"These few actually said that the food I cooked wasn't tasty and refused to eat."
Elara's anger seemed to surge up again, and she gave an answer that almost made me collapse. So it was a family dispute. It seemed I shouldn't interfere.
"We're not hungry..."
The children hiding in the crowd shouted. Seeing that Elara seemed to be subdued by me, their Guts couldn't help but grow bolder.
"How can children who don't eat grow up? I absolutely disagree with this point."
Elara revealed a businesslike, serious Appearance.
"Isn't Older Sister Elara the same, not eating properly?" one of the children said.
"What are you saying? I, I eat three bowls of rice every meal." To emphasize her credibility, she held up three fingers high.
Uh, for a Mercenary, three bowls is already a very small amount, right...
"Nonsense..." The other little devils shouted again.
"Older Sister Elara is lying! Didn't you say that children who don't eat won't grow up? Why do you eat so much, and your Chest still doesn't grow? Clearly you're lying, big liar..."
Uh... I don't need to say more about this. It was a complete Fatal Blow/Critical Strike. I even saw Elara's eyes Blackening in an instant. Truly terrifying...
"You... you guys... actually, actually... Ah ah ah..."
Now no one could stop Elara anymore, not even I had the Guts.
"Alas, here we go again."
Velas covered her forehead with her hand and sighed softly with Helplessness.