〈 Chapter 35 〉 Elsie (2)
*
I ultimately failed to buy her women’s clothes.
From the perspective of a fashion enthusiast, it would have surely looked pretty, which is a pity.
Of course, this time, Elsie’s judgment was more correct.
“Come to think of it, didn’t you know I was a girl from the beginning?”
Out of nowhere, she delivered a hit straight to the point.
It was a consequence of the lies I had built up until now.
“Well, I don’t really care either way.”
But for some reason, she brushed it off nonchalantly.
“By the way, this is delicious.”
Elsie was holding skewers with both hands.
Just so you know, we had a hearty dinner in the cafeteria beforehand.
It’s amazing how much food can go into that small frame of hers.
If she had been born in Korea, wouldn’t she have become a mukbang YouTuber?
“Did you see everything?”
Elsie asked, with sauce all over her mouth.
I nodded.
I had purchased almost everything I needed, except for a few things.
“Well then, there’s a place I want to go. Would you like to join me?”
“A place you want to go?”
“Yes, it’s a spot I discovered while wandering around looking for a place to stay last time.”
“It’s not too far, is it?”
“It’s really nearby!”
In that case, I had no reason to refuse.
I was curious about this place she wanted to go.
And soon, I would regret that choice.
“What kind of uphill climb is this?!”
A pretty steep uphill path stretched endlessly before me.
While the straight path might be close, I never expected it to be an uphill trek.
Elsie gracefully ascended, but I couldn’t just openly use the Wind’s Power.
“How much longer do we have to go?”
“We’re almost there!”
After climbing for quite some time, a wide-open space finally came into view.
And beyond that space, something sparkled and caught my eye.
‘What’s that?’
Looking down at the view below, I spotted a massive ore glowing red like a ruby.
It was the Barrier Stone of Basilium.
“If you climb up here, you can see that.”
Surrounded by high, thick walls, it was the Barrier Stone standing alone against the destruction of Basilium.
Only a select few people with permission could enter inside the walls.
But having climbed so high, I could see the Barrier Stone beyond the walls.
‘Is that a magical wall faintly visible around here?’
It seemed that some protection against long-range attacks was also in place at such a high point.
As I was analyzing the surroundings of the Barrier Stone, she spoke up.
“Isn’t it beautiful?”
“Uh?”
“That one red stone is creating this sunset-colored sky above.”
I tilted my head following her gaze.
A red sky resembling a sunset was spread out before us.
“Absolutely.”
If I had come to Basilium and left without seeing this Barrier Stone, I would have regretted it.
The Barrier Stone, after all, is the foundation of the hero system.
The most basic duty of a hero is to return pieces of the Barrier to the Barrier Stone to extend its lifespan.
Heroes exist for the Barrier Stone, and through it, they protect the world.
As for becoming a hero, that Barrier Stone was indispensable to my current objective.
“You know, Elsie…”
“Over there…”
Our voices overlapped.
“You go first.”
“I was wondering if I could know your name?”
That much wasn’t too much to ask.
It was one of the unique advantages of the character named Allen Pleuk: he wasn’t famous.
I didn’t mind telling someone like Elsie my name.
“Allen Pleuk. Just call me Allen casually. The age difference isn’t that great anyway.”
“Allen…”
Then it was my turn to ask.
It was a question I had been putting off for a while.
“Elsie, are you planning to stay in Basilium?”
“Yes?”
“I mean, do you have any places in mind that you’re thinking of going to?”
Elsie seemed to ponder for a moment.
But then she made up her mind and replied.
“Actually, I was thinking about going to Sakh as soon as I save up enough money. But I don’t have any money yet, and I don’t know how to earn it…”
Indeed.
Having survived this long, the Player must have been trying to guide Elsie to Sakh.
But from her answer just now, I felt a possibility.
‘The Player may not be a beginner, but their training skills are lacking.’
Another reason why this route is tough.
Elsie doesn’t know how to earn the money to get to Sakh.
That’s why she feels disconnected from the order to go to Sakh.
I needed to exploit that disconnect.
“Elsie, you need to remember what I’m about to say very clearly.”
This route was likely a brand new pathway no one has dared tried before. No, I could confidently say it was a new route.
Because the essential condition included me, Allen Pleuk.
“Have you heard about the Reedval Family?”
“The Reedval Family? I’ve heard of them. They were a family that led the Red Knights in the past, but they’ve declined now.”
“Then what about the Rose Knight?”
She shook her head.
“As far as I know, the Reedval Family is still one of the few families that haven’t betrayed the king. The coup forces don’t mess with them because their power is negligible.”
At that, Elsie’s eyes widened.
I spoke to her.
“The Rose Knight is the one who became a hero for the revival of the Reedval Family. And she’s just about to take her last step toward that goal.”
In just a few years, she would be able to find the Rose Sword.
But before that, there was something she wanted to prepare.
“She’s looking for a successor. I heard she left for the southern region of Basilium not too long ago. With just one village in the south, there’s no way she wouldn’t be recognized by her appearance.”
I reached into my bag.
Inside was the shabby robe I had prepared beforehand.
It was something Gwen had given me.
I didn’t need it anymore since I could buy a new one.
“Show this to her and say that a boy named Allen Pleuk sent you. Ask her to accept you as a successor.”
For Gwen, Elsie would certainly be a good candidate for a successor.
If she can be raised somehow, she would be among the top contenders of the characters I had trained.
She’s weak now, but her talent is of the late-bloomer type.
Gwen would surely recognize that.
“Did you remember everything properly?”
It was the moment I realized she might have missed something.
“Allen…!”
Suddenly, a heavy impact hit me in the torso.
Looking down, I saw Elsie’s dyed black hair.
Elsie was tightly holding onto the hem of my clothing.
“Thank you…”
I suddenly felt something warm in my chest.
Elsie was crying.
“Thank you so much for helping me.”
Having experience raising Elsie, I could somewhat understand her.
Having been betrayed by the royal knights she trusted, and fleeing here, she might not have had a single person she could rely on.
Though it’s embarrassing for me to say, I was the first trustworthy person she had.
I gently stroked her hair as she cried so sorrowfully.
*
That evening, back at the inn.
I was checking my supplies and future plans in preparation for my departure.
As I was doing that, Elsie, who had been staring at me with tearful eyes, finally spoke up carefully.
“Allen, I know this is a rude question, but… is it possible for me to go with you to meet Gwen?”
“Sorry, I need to go somewhere else.”
Involving Gwen with intentions other than becoming a successor would be troublesome anyway.
She and I both had paths we needed to prioritize.
We would probably meet again after each of us achieved our desires.
“So tomorrow morning really will be the last time, huh?”
“Looks like it.”
I extinguished the candle by my bedside in response.
“Goodnight, Elsie.”
And I left the room.
For some reason, Elsie insisted on sharing the same room, but knowing she was aware that I knew she was a girl made me uneasy about it.
Of course, there were other reasons too.
‘Shall I get going then?’
In fact, saying tomorrow morning would be the last was not entirely true.
I planned to leave tonight.
When Elsie wakes up tomorrow, she wouldn’t be able to find me in this city.
‘But first, I need to take care of Elsie one last time.’
I opened the status screen and scrolled down to the Stigma section.
There it was, the newly unlocked second inheritance stigma.
I stopped at the inheritance trait.
Thanks to the SP gained from defeating the Demon King, I had enough SP to inherit, but I had been holding off just in case.
‘At this point, I can surely inherit it.’
I needed it right away.
Without hesitation, I inherited the trait.
*
