Damn it!
I covered my ears, making sure from my senses that no one else was nearby for the time being, closed my eyes, and suddenly raised my voice: "I shouldn't have recklessly taken such a risk, causing you all unnecessary worry!"
There was a sound of something falling. I turned my head and saw the flower fairy, who had been staring blankly, flapping her wings and hovering in place. After noticing my gaze, she took a few steps back. Then, as if she had finally restarted her brain, she threw the fallen fruits and vegetables directly into my arms and flew away as if she were escaping.
I:"……"
Looking at the fresh fruit in my arms, which had spilled a lot of pulp and juice, I just wanted to find a hole to crawl into and escape this unbearable embarrassment and predicament.
In the end, it was Hikari who comforted me, healing my deeply wounded heart with her usual gentle voice: "Mr. Yumi, Hikari isn't against you taking risks. Just like I often wander around this land with my sisters, seeing different places and experiencing all sorts of things is actually a good thing."
"I just can't help but worry. If Mr. Shang Ruomi continues to act this way, will he suffer an unavoidable misfortune at some point? Like this time, when I heard that Mr. Shang Ruomi chose to jump into the giant beast's mouth alone and didn't come out until the end of the battle, I even felt my heart pounding and almost fell to the ground. It was Sister An who came to comfort me, which made me cheer up and able to persevere until I found you in the giant beast's belly."
After another moment of silence, in the gradually brightening golden-red light, the girl raised her tear-stained face and softly said, "Mr. Yumi, if it's possible, could you please promise Hikari that next time you choose to do something so dangerous, at least let Sister An inform everyone of your plan? That way, we can better cooperate with you and minimize the dangers you face."
“And me.” Miyuki, who had been silent until now, suddenly interjected, her voice slightly lower and hoarse than usual, “At least let this sword of mine do its proper job.”
...I could not refuse such a humble plea.
Thinking about it carefully, it's probably because I've always been used to working alone, and the homework assigned by my tutor rarely involves collaborative projects. When I encounter difficulties, the first option that comes to mind is almost never to gather teammates—or rather, in those tasks, teammates are usually unreliable and might stab me in the back; there are only those with a vested interest.
Starting today, I may have to adjust my combat skill set, placing [Summon Friends] in its proper place and highlighting it in red.
I was dragged over again for a check-up and questioning, and they finally confirmed that I was just experiencing some exhaustion and depletion of magic power. Only then, with a hint of disbelief, did they release their grip on me.
"What a monster..."
Miyuki shook her head as she was called away by the person who had come to summon her. It seemed that the city wanted to discuss with her how to distribute the rewards for slaying the dragon beast. The person had originally intended to call me along as well, but Hikari, who had been clinging to my arm and acting fiercely like a rabbit, repeatedly emphasized that "he is injured and needs to rest," and reluctantly sent me away.
After all, one of his hands had been forcibly dragged away by Miyuki, who had already walked away. As long as the other party did not want to suffer a dislocated or fractured joint after the battle, there was no need to argue with Miyuki, who was one of the greatest contributors in this battle.
Everything near the city gate had returned to normal. Busy people moved among the collapsed ruins. Several students stood behind the emerald green walls woven by fairies, directing the summoned stone giants to move rubble and fill underground cavities and city walls. Rescue teams took the wounded away for treatment, while a few with only scratches and minor injuries sat around the lit campfire drinking and eating meat to soothe their tense nerves. A few city guards with almost full fighting strength, mixed with volunteer warriors, stood on the city walls, vigilantly looking into the distance, always on guard against the temporary retreat of the beast tide returning.
A lighthearted melody filled the air as people with a talent for bards played simple tunes. Young soldiers danced freely to the rhythm of the music and cheers, adding a touch of joy to the somber post-war atmosphere.
It seems we've reached an interlude-like phase, a summary of growth and development as the story nears its end.
However, I still have some questions.
Regarding the abnormal surge of magical energy I sensed emanating from afar while waiting inside my dragon beast's belly, and the fact that it took everyone a long time after the battle for them to finally remember to dissect the dragon beast.
"Ah, is Mr. Yumi wondering about that?"
Hikari blinked and gently stroked the hair behind my head—I was being forced to lie down on her lap at the moment, and out of the corner of her eye, she could see the small, perfectly proportioned breasts that matched the size of a young girl's: "Actually, this is something else, you know?"
I was somewhat taken aback and turned my head slightly to the side: "What do you mean?"
Hikari looked unsure where to begin, fiddling with her sideburns for a long time before finally organizing her thoughts: "Back then, around the time Mr. Yumi chose to venture deep into the giant beast's body, wasn't it? The World Tree suddenly appeared in the city center."
I:"???"
Wasn't the World Tree supposed to have been in hiding for many years? How could it suddenly reappear in the same spot? Did it perform a teleportation across the River of Time?
"Ah, no, that wasn't exactly the World Tree!" Hikari quickly waved her hand to explain when she saw my misunderstanding. "I heard from others that it was something that looked like the World Tree, but it only appeared for a short while and then disappeared, which startled everyone. They went to investigate for a long time before finding out that it was all for nothing."
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
