Chapter 599: [ I'm Relieved! ]

Liu Muxiao grabbed the wine bottle and poured it on hers and Xue Ling’s glass before speaking, “… what do you mean by surprise? That we gathered together for a bath? I don’t think it’s that much of a surprise though—”

Feriat shook her head, “It’s not what I meant. I just find it surprising that even though you know that I had been once his enemy and I have even tried to kill him—almost close at that, you still accepted me and even acted without difference…it’s, what can I say, quite a surprise and doubtful,”

Wouldn’t it be normal for them to act cold and icy towards her? After all, someone who wanted to hurt someone close to them, much less a lover was a very despicable act that deserves condemnation…!

This fact confused Feriat. Despite supposedly being an enemy on the person they love and cared for the most in this world, and even almost killed him, these people had easily accepted her contrary to her expectation. Scolding her, hating her, beating her up—that would be normal but for some unknown reason Feriat was easily accepted by the lot and was even treated as some sort of a friend or a family—this baffled Feriat to no end. Were they just that naïve or foolish? Or kind enough to easily forgive their enemy?

“Ah, that’s what you mean…” Liu Muxiao chuckled. She was the one to answer her question. She slightly narrowed her eyes and showed Feriat a friendly smile. “It’s nothing serious actually… it just that, we can also be considered once his enemies as well.” Xue Ling nodded her head, agreeing with Liu Muxiao’s words.

“What?” Feriat showed a confused look—understanding her words but not yet understanding at the same time.

Liu Muxiao grinned. “If we were to criticize you, we would be rejecting ourselves, and that is something we cannot do.”

At first, everyone was attacking each other. Especially in the previous world, where typically everyone condemned and hated Allen’s guts, wishing to kill him, one way or another. Each of them chased him to the ends of the world just to get a piece of him.

However, they had overcome that to get to where they were now. That's why no one in the room criticized Feriat even others who meant ill once but now was sitting here, sharing time and space for each other. Everything was fine as long as they had a change of heart. What was important was the now, not the past.

Blame the sin, not the sinner—even yesterday’s enemy can be today’s friend. As long as one can understand each other, even if they are the most hated enemy, one must still have the limit to hate or else you will be one day consumed by it.

You must have the heart to forgive—that is the best spice of life~

“But even if you say that even then―”

That’s too naïve and can be said to be borderline stupidity…

This is not a simple argument between kids and children—this is a kill or be killed world. Forgiveness is something one could choose but wouldn’t…

“… Of course, that's not the only reason.” Liu Muxiao cut Feriat off and her expression changed into an even gentler one. “Allen accepted you. In that case, we just have to believe him. We will accept anything he has decided...if he said he likes you and you’re part of the family, then so you will be. There’s nothing complicated with that. Whichever path he walked on, we would follow without question and no matter what kind of consequences of the future he would obtain, we will still grab each other hands and face it together. There’s no time to regret nor would we—” Liu Muxiao declared proudly and her lips curling into a beautiful smile that even Feriat, a woman, couldn’t help but feel attracted and thought she was very beautiful—though, Feriat’s taste was already strange, to begin with.

“…??!”

“… Besides, it’s not like you can do anything to him now… right?” Feriat averted her eyes from Liu Muxiao, her expression showed a displeased expression. Liu Muxiao’s gaze is just too suggestive.

Seeing Feriat’s expression, Liu Muxiao couldn’t help but giggle in amusement. She then turned towards Laura who was busy attending the others. “But man, the reason why Laura’s so pale and beautiful and always smells nice must be because she takes a bath here all the time~”

Liu Muxiao muttered while looking at Laura who was attending Allen and the others. Hearing her words, Laura blushed while smiling happily. Being praised like this, for a woman is a very wonderful feeling.

“...if that is true then, I guess I don’t have a choice but to stay here no matter what happens. Don’t you think my skin looks pale and withered these past few days…?” Alkrasha spoke, her arms waving in the air, creating waves in the bath-water. Next to her, Layla was smiling wryly.

“I don’t think so, though. You’re still beautiful as always, Alkrasha…don't you think so as well, Allen,” Layla turned towards Allen—her body wrapped in a black translucent negligee.

Holding a glass of wine, she leaned sensually to the rock behind her. Though it was a cloudy day in the bath hall, (forest themed hot spring), there was sufficient light streaming through the gap of leaves to outline her body.

Wanting his answer, Allen turned towards the ladies beside him—deciding to play the role of an art critic and just stare at and appreciate the masterpieces before him. Hearing Layla’s question, without even getting red, he responded with a serious and solemn expression; “Beautiful…that I lost for words—I guess this the time when you say, ‘words have not yet been invented to describe how beautiful all of you right now’~” Allen teased and his lips turned into a mischievous grin.

Feeling the energy emanating from his eyes, both Alkrasha and Layla gradually turned to face him.

“Really…?” Alkrasha smiled, ear to ear—feeling great satisfaction and happiness from his words and a heated gaze that, Alkrasha feared if she was a wax figure, she would surely have melted by now due to how hot Allen looks at her. His response really makes a woman’s vanity be satisfied…!

As for Layla, she drank slowly from her glass until it was empty. She didn’t react to Allen’s teasing words and burning gaze, but her face was beet red, either from the wine or from something else—

“Come on, Xue Ling! It’d be a waste if you just curl up like that!” As Allen’s side has a mature air around it—peacefully savoring and feeling the delightful feeling of the hot water, the other side was quite festive like several girls in a school trip.

“But…”

“You have nothing to worry about, Xue Ling~ You have a better figure. Your breasts will only get bigger~” Liu Muxiao declared with a teasing smile as she swam towards her. Splash, splash, splash, splash~ Water splashes as she moved in the water—

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“Thanks, Muxiao…” Xue Ling sigh and made a bitter smile—when did I say I’m worried about my physique…?

—Allen watched the scene with warm eyes. Then, he stood up—“Allen? Where are you going…?” Layla who was sitting beside him glanced up and asked. Allen smiled in response, “…something came up. I’m going out for a bit—though, till tonight, I would be a bit busy so I can’t accompany you any longer. You can also go first to the gathering—”

“What are you going to do?” Alkrasha asked as well.

“Just a bit of preparation…” Allen didn’t say anything else and just stroke her hair, leaned forward and placed a kiss on her forehead before walking out from the water—there, Laura who was waiting for him immediately covered him with a large white towel.

Allen bid the others farewell, the trees in front of him moved and seemed to have distorted in an image, opening a rectangular space akin to that of a door. After he walks out—Laura was about to follow him when Allen said it was fine, and left—the image went back to normal forest scene.

The other look at the place where Allen disappeared and shrugged, feeling somewhat regrettable and disappointed. Though, if Allen said that he had something to do so, it must be something very important so they can’t help but could only sigh.

“Allen, what is he doing? You know, right…Laura?” Liu Muxiao turned towards Laura. The latter just smiled, “…Yes. However, Master told me not to say anything yet because his plan might not succeed, if that happens, it will just cause disappointment. But if it really succeeded then, Sister Muxiao will surely know of it in the near future…”

“So you’re saying it’s for us…?”

Laura nodded… though not really for you, specifically… but judging from master’s character, it should be, it’s mostly for all of you—

“…however, the [ Gathering of Players ] is already tonight… few weeks after it will be the time we will need to return…” Liu Muxiao lifted her head, letting out a soundless sigh as she gazed towards the skies, “…I don’t want to return…”

The air froze because of Liu Muxiao’s remark.

“… …” The area was wrapped in silence. Most of them, aside from Mireya, Qin, and Feriat, all of them felt and understand what Liu Muxiao was feeling. They are going to be separated into the one they loved once again. Being with him for a few weeks isn’t enough, even years or decades or centuries—it’s not enough.

They want to be with him forever…!

If possible, they don’t want to be away from him even a second or millisecond!

Finding him after a very long time of looking desperately from all corners of the world—wasn’t very easy. To let it go once again is something extremely difficult to do so…

“However, we don’t have a choice but to do so… we should just be thankful that we had met Allen right now and know that he was alright—” Layla smiled faintly. She then turned towards Laura who was standing behind her—“And so, I know that this is not needed to say anymore…but please look after him while we’re gone.”

“…?!” Laura was startled. Then, she smiled and nodded happily. That is something indeed not needed to say as it was her one and only duty and purpose in life!

“He might be strong, but he’s a softie, and that makes me worry…” Layla muttered with a sigh.

“I know what you mean… he’s too easy to push himself when the situation calls for it…” Alkrasha smiled bitterly.

He was always crazy and does unreasonable things one after another. He just couldn’t let his heart settle in a cage… no matter how big the cage is, he wanted to be free from any kind of shackles and binds and fly into the sky, the never-ending sky…!

“Well, that’s what we also like about him after all…” Celty shrugged and took a mouthful of wine from her glass. The sourness with a bit of sweetness poured through her throat, warming her heart. Then, with an expression of pride and love, she added; “…that’s why him, whether it was the previous life or now, he is someone that had never looked anywhere but straight ahead, surpassed us in no time…”

“... …”

“…we tried to keep up with him but unfortunately, we are still left behind as he ran ahead and taking the lead for all of us—even still, we were captivated by looking at his back. That same back that no matter how much time passes, no matter what happens, will always remain the same.”

“… …” The group of women smiled gently and nodded as her words lingered within their hearts. They can’t help it, their beloved is just too energetic of a kid—a very high-cost maintenance hyperactive boy…!

“… Sister Celty, sometimes also has her way of words, isn’t she…?” Xue Ling muttered with a playful smile.

“But, isn’t this where the moment supposed to go? Ending with a ‘That’s why I love him’ kinda phrase…?” Celty frowned, displeased.

“Hahahahaha,” The girls burst out in laughter.

“…Though, I’m thankful that Laura, Mireya, and the others are with him. I’m relieved…” Layla muttered as she looks at the girls who were devotedly following her most beloved brother in the entire universe. The girls who she loved and adored for taking care of ‘him’ and yet at the same time ‘envied’ after all, they are the lucky people who can follow wherever Allen landed to and can share him in happiness and pain…

“You don’t need to say anything, sister…” Mireya smiled warmly, “As long as I’m alive, nothing will happen to him. That has been my only purpose ever since I had been given a second chance—I don’t want to feel that hopelessness and sorrow again when I failed to protect him at that time. I don’t want to feel that helplessness once again. And so this time, I will surely do it…! You can leave it to me—!”

“…protecting Master and taking care of him has always been my purpose.” Laura declared with the firmest determination.

“…Well, as for me, Allen as a master, I’ve already grown used to it. The first time, I just thought it would be interesting to follow him…but now, I’ve changed my views completely. Before I knew it, Allen became like—no, probably more than a family to me. And I don’t think I ever want to let him go.” Qin drank her wine glass.

Among the girls here, not counting the previous life, she could be said to be one of the people having the longest time she shared with Allen.

Ever since Allen was still weak, she was the one who was with him and supported him up until now. In fact, they had never separated from each other and she has no plan of leaving Allen even a day in the future as well. Like a shameless parasite, Allen had already wormed himself inside her heart without her knowing and she, she doesn’t deny it anymore.

Although they still didn’t have any physical relationship up until now that can really solidify their relationship just like others. But it would happen sooner or later. It’s not something she needed to worry…

“… …”

“…Allen is the best master I could ever find—besides, I love him as well…” Qin responded. Though the last six words were spoken in a whisper-like voice and her face turned flushed like a ripe persimmon.

Alkrasha and the others grinned mischievously. However, judging from Qin’s easily to be embarrassed kind of character, no one tried to tease her. It must have been quite hard saying that honestly…

“…Really, you guys… thank you…” Layla said while showing a beautiful warm smile. Even without her, as long as these people were around him, Layla can feel relieved to leave Allen here…until the day they can really be together forever…

*** ***

The sun was very strong.

It added warmth to the winter weather.

When Allen opened his eyes after being swallowed by a pale golden light, he found himself inside a dim room. The dark curtains were spread through the window, blacking any light coming from outside. And then for some reason, there was this unnatural darkness that seemed to forbid any light from entering and so it was actually quite dark.

Normal humans would barely see anything here but for Allen, there was no problem at all.

However, the problem is—why is he here…?

If he was transported by the Dungeon Spirit towards the place where the Gathering would happen, then why is he in this small dark room..? There are even no people in this place…!

Was this a trap…?

Not likely...

Allen concluded. The Spirit of Romeia doesn’t seem to be the type of existence that would do such a thing and besides, it should know that no matter what kind of trap she will make would be for naught before him. Furthermore, Allen cannot feel any hostility or danger from this place—he pondered as he stood at the very center of the room.

As expected of something from the ancient ages, Allen felt that the room had an ancient vibe to it.

“Master… is this a trap…?” Laura seemed to think as well as her vigilance soared up. Her eyes narrowed and a terrifying expression appeared on her face.

“I don’t think so… I can’t feel anything…”

The one who answered was not Laura but the last person with them—Mireya. Though she said that, her expression was also frowning, a scary and cold expression appeared on her face. As long as something was targeting her husband, her playful character would surely take a nose dive and her heart would turn into an ice cold mountain.

“Then, what are we doing here? I thought it was a party! Are we sent to the wrong place?” Laura coldly said as she looked around. In this dark place, similar to Allen and Mireya, she also has no problem at all.

“Nah, we’re in the right place…” Allen muttered.

He then started walking towards the window.

*** ***