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Rikarisu City was massive.
As a key trade hub connecting the northern nations, it benefited from its strategic location near the Red Dragon's Jaw, making it a vital export center for the Asura Kingdom. Villagers from surrounding areas flocked to the city in caravans, transporting crops and handmade goods day and night.
It was a microcosm of the Asura Kingdom's bustling economy.
Thanks to this, despite being a border town, its scale far surpassed that of the magical city of Sharia.
Under the setting sun, Allen looked up at the towering city walls and couldn't help but marvel.
'One of the key locations in the Asura Kingdom's royal succession war in the original story. It's even larger than I imagined, about a quarter the size of the royal capital.'
"Al... Allen!"
Allen lowered his head, brushing aside the strand of hair hanging in front of his face, and looked at Roxy's upturned face.
Perhaps it was the glow of the sunset, but her cheeks were flushed, like a ripe apple.
"The journey must have been tough... Do you... want to rest in Rikarisu City for the night? You really didn't have to... Last night, I just mentioned I was a little hungry, and you went out to hunt two magical beasts... You didn't even sleep... We could've reached Rikarisu City tonight..."
Roxy's eyes darted around, avoiding direct eye contact with Allen.
Allen smiled.
"No need. I'll head back now. We were lucky this time... We didn't run into any bandits blocking the road."
Roxy blinked, looking at Allen.
"...You're going back tonight?"
"Yes, I'll head back tonight. It's been over ten days. Uncle Paul must be worried by now."
"But..."
Allen watched as Roxy fidgeted, unsure of what to say. He reached out and flicked the strand of hair on her forehead, earning a glare as she swatted his hand away.
So cute.
It was worth noting that over the past ten days, the two had spent almost every moment together, eating, sleeping, and traveling. Their relationship had warmed rapidly, shedding the earlier formalities and sense of distance.
Now, they could communicate casually without worrying about formalities. Even when Allen teased Roxy after her occasional clumsy moments, it didn't trigger her usual "teacher's authority" demeanor.
Generally, when a man and woman who aren't very familiar with each other suddenly grow closer, it's easy for a sense of disillusionment to set in. But Allen didn't feel that way. Instead, he found Roxy even more endearing.
She would puff up her cheeks in anger when teased;
She would hurriedly eat roasted meat, only to burn her mouth and tear up while stuffing her face;
When she tried to act all authoritative, only to have Allen mercilessly call her out, she would fluster and stammer;
After taking care of her physiological needs or returning from a bath, she would blush and ignore Allen's attempts to chat for a while;
Every morning, she would wake up groggily, deftly braiding her two aqua-blue pigtails.
...
Amidst the whirlwind of thoughts, countless moments rose and fell in Allen's mind. Though these scenes were different, one thing was certain.
This was a "god" who had descended to the mortal world, carrying the warmth of human life. She wasn't just a flat "character" from the pages of a novel.
With this realization, Allen snapped out of his thoughts and waved a hand in front of Roxy's face.
"Alright, it's time to say goodbye again."
Roxy was startled, then nodded after a moment of silence. She instinctively raised her hand to wave.
"...Goodbye."
But before she could finish, Allen slapped her hand lightly, causing her to look up in surprise.
Allen continued to tap Roxy's palm gently with small, rhythmic pats, smiling brightly.
"I'm not good at farewells, so... see you in the future~"
His hand stopped, and Allen withdrew it with a wave. He turned around, his pockets bulging with the food Roxy had deliberately left for him.
"Don't worry about me finding food. After all, I survived in the forest for a long time before~ I'm off~"
Roxy watched Allen's retreating figure, then looked down at the hand he had patted.
The afterglow of the sunset cast a golden hue on her fingers. She subconsciously clenched her hand, then slowly smiled, looking up at Allen again.
But before she could say another word, Allen had already disappeared into the crowd. He seemed to sense her gaze and, without turning back, simply waved once more.
His figure soon vanished from Roxy's sight. She blinked, a hint of belated confusion in her eyes.
"Why does it feel like... Allen was in such a hurry... as if..."
"He had something urgent to deal with..."
Late at night, the mountain wind swept through the forest, scattering leaves onto the narrow road beside it. The moonlight shone on the path.
Someone stepped on the moonlit fragments and came to a stop.
Allen wiped the fine beads of sweat from his forehead and looked at the fence by the roadside.
There was a deep mark on the fence, and nearby, the remnants of black ash were scattered across the grass.
It was the aftermath of last night's campfire, where they had roasted the magical beasts. Roxy had washed it away with a water ball. Now, three hours had passed since their evening farewell, and Allen had been running for most of the night.
He had returned to the spot where they had hunted the magical beasts.
Allen shifted his gaze from the remnants of the campfire to the forest beside him.
"Finally... I'm here."
The gaps between the trees were filled with thick, swirling darkness. The moonlight illuminated the road but couldn't penetrate the forest's shadows.
Allen adjusted his sword and stepped into the woods.
As soon as he entered, the moonlight dimmed. The fallen leaves beneath his feet rustled in the wind, forming a thin carpet. The trees on either side seemed like mirrors, making it hard to discern direction.
Allen's battle aura surged through his body, enhancing his senses. His nostrils twitched occasionally as he sniffed the air. Finally, after passing a tree, his eyes lit up.
In his line of sight, a patch of leaves on the ground was noticeably thicker than the surrounding area. Beneath the layers of leaves, something white seemed to peek through.
A gust of wind blew, and the moonlight broke free from the dense canopy, illuminating the carpet of leaves.
A human arm, protruding from the ground, was clearly visible.
Allen sneered and kicked away the leaves, revealing the faces of three middle-aged men beneath the tree.
Their expressions were twisted with rage, as if they wanted to skin Allen alive.
Seeing this, Allen crouched down, squinting with a mocking smile.
"Tsk, if Rudy were here, he'd probably be scared out of his wits. You guys are really pathetic. No one even came looking for you? What a failure..."
The three men remained silent, their eyes wide with fury.
Allen chuckled, resting his chin on his hand with a look of pity.
"I was in such a hurry yesterday that I didn't have time to interrogate you... Where exactly is the den of you annoying Maned Wolves..."
His self-muttering floated in the air, carried away by the wind.
No one answered.
Because corpses don't speak.
Note: So far this story is published up to chapter 100 on my patreon, go check it out and remember that if we reach the goal of 90 power stones I will publish the next chapter.