R4STWH - Chapter 111

Chapter 111

Elias left the temple and headed straight for the imperial palace.

Having rushed out in a hurry, he was wearing a white suit, so he roughly covered his face with a handkerchief he carried for Ilesha.

Unlike Ilesha, his face was quite well-known, so it wasn't something that could be resolved with just that much coverage, but he didn't have the mental space to think about going back.

Even as he was crossing the imperial capital using the chaser’s high-speed movement skill, the conflict in his heart never ceased.

He was anxious that perhaps his going to find Ilesha like this right now would only ruin her plans.

Looking back, everything he had done, declaring that he would save her, had been nothing more than absurd.

The day he had kicked the naked Berek in the greenhouse, and the day he had recklessly jumped into the first dungeon that had opened, he had not been able to help Ilesha at all, rather, he had only been hindering her.

Now, he was a little less worried that she would leave him, but he couldn't help but fear that he might become a cumbersome burden.

Considering the martial arts that Ilesha showed from time to time, it would be impossible to catch up in a short period, especially since the beings that had appeared recently were people who had possessed a similar level of power to her in the past.

'What can I possibly do?'

Even while thinking that, Elias never stopped heading for her.

Even if his skills were low, he wasn’t so bad that he couldn’t escape when the time came, and if that was the case, then there was a way for him to help her in other ways.

'Ilesha……likes me.'

After finishing her work, when she was tired or annoyed, if she looked at him, wouldn't her mood improve automatically? Just like it was for him.

If she was like him, just holding hands would make her smile. She would find comfort when he gently stroked her or lovingly met her eyes, and she would feel happy when he hugged her and patted her.

So there was no reason not to go to her side right now.

It wasn't that hard to cross the imperial castle wall.

Even this tallest and most sturdy castle in the empire had a dog-hole like entrance. Since he had learned about it thanks to Leonard, it was close to the 1st Imperial Prince's palace as well.

It was very easy to avoid the eyes of the knights who had not obtained a title or characteristic, unlike the elites of Tenaclad or Lakdel.

With just one knight order, he thought it would be possible to take control of the imperial castle.

He reached the 1st Imperial Prince’s palace without getting caught by anyone and went straight to the basement.

As he had expected, Ilesha was there. Along with that guy who had taken over Leonard’s body, CODE NO.0.

If it were like before, he would have opened the door without thinking and separated Ilesha from that guy, but Elias stopped in the hallway.

It was because he had ended up overhearing their conversation.

"That's why I’m saying let's go back together. If you just follow my lead this once, I’ll do whatever you want after that."

Go back, where to? Could it be that they’re talking about their world that had already been destroyed?

Ilesha didn't outright reject the guy's words. She had only replied to find another way if that was what he wanted.

'Does Ilesha also want to go back, to the place where she lived, instead of this strange world?'

His heart was pounding with anxiety.

Elias stood there stiffly, not knowing what to do.

Between those two people who were having a casual conversation as if joking, he could sense a kind of bond that he couldn’t rashly interfere in.

He knew that Ilesha would have realized he had arrived as soon as he had reached here, but he even wanted to pretend that he hadn’t heard anything and run away.

However, just as he had done when he was heading for the imperial palace, Elias had chosen to be by her side this time as well.

It was because he believed that just as his only joy was Ilesha, it would also be the same for her.

'If Ilesha is yearning for her world, then I can go with her as well.'

There was nothing left to miss in his world. So there was no need to overcomplicate things.

He didn't know how he had gotten to this point, but now, nothing was more important to him than her.

And above all, when he saw Ilesha who had come out of the door, the other thoughts that had been swirling around in his head disappeared all at once.

'Ilesha……!'

He had known that she had gone out wearing just a robe over her pajamas, but seeing even that torn in several places, he felt like his vision was turning white.

How could anyone assault such a small, delicate……no, not delicate, but lovely woman?

Even though there weren’t any severely injured spots that were visible, there were bruises here and there. And it seemed like the bare skin that shouldn’t be shown to others was even peeking through the tattered fabric.

'How dare they……!'

At the moment he decided that he would thoroughly punish the shameless person who had made Ilesha like this,

'……!?'

He saw CODE NO.0, who was already half-wrecked by Ilesha's hands and was even limping heavily.

Seeing his state, honestly……he was embarrassed but also relieved.

Elias temporarily withdrew his plans for punishment and concentrated on understanding the atmosphere between the guy and Ilesha.

He could clearly tell that CODE NO.0 liked Ilesha as a woman.

With his eyes that had just come to understand clearly what kind of feelings love entails, everything was clear.

The way he couldn’t take his eyes off Ilesha, yet looked distressed because of her messy clothes, or the way he was trying his best to speak as kindly as possible, trembling his lips while doing so. It was obvious.

Even in the middle of that, things like the curve of his eyes and his expression when he smiled made him think of Leonard, which made him feel strange.

'Now that I think about it, even the way he speaks…….'

He was speaking like that guy who used to lure women with his habitual kindness and a way of speaking that left room for hope.

Due to the feeling of wariness, Elias interrupted Ilesha so that she wouldn't concentrate on CODE NO.0 any longer.

'He definitely wasn't like that when we met last time…….'

There was a common factor in the process of Leonard, the 1st Imperial Princess, and Howell Ricks having their bodies taken over. They had all gone through life-threatening crises at around the same time.

According to the information he had learned belatedly, there had been an attack on the day Leonard left Tenaclad, and less than five of his attendants had survived.

The entire party of the 1st Imperial Princess and Howell Ricks, who had suddenly become trapped in the first dungeon created in the continent, had all lost their lives.

'If the condition is the absence of the soul, that is, an empty shell…… Perhaps in Leonard's case, his body wasn't completely taken over.'

Of course, this was only a hypothesis, and even if it was the correct answer, it was impossible to know whether it was good or bad.

At that moment, a translucent window that had become familiar to him recently appeared in front of his eyes.

A hidden route has been created by meeting specific conditions.

Special Mission for Protecting the World (1)

You, who have achieved the greatest feats in World E-17ACEM! Are you ready to chase out the plunderers who have stolen the bodies of others?

Help the saintess meet Ermitar within today (0/1)

Success Reward: Awakening of a higher-ranking title, acquisition and strengthening of new traits

Failure Penalty: SS-rank monsters appear over the capital of the Lucendria Empire

Will you accept the quest? YES / NO

'Ermitar? Isn't that the name of the dragon?'

While he was reading the text with a puzzled mind, Ilesha just happened to tell him. That the being imprisoned in the dungeon was the Evil Dragon Ermitar.

Elias pondered carefully.

If he carried out the quest and chased away the plunderers, that is, Ilesha’s old comrades, would she be happy or sad?

'I don't think she would like it.'

If he committed such an act and earned Ilesha’s hatred, wouldn't it be a bigger problem than facing an SS-rank monster in the capital?

The problem was that based on his experiences so far, the quest wasn't over even if you refused it.

Elias decided to think more about it for now and pushed the window to the corner of his vision.

Even though he hadn't exactly intended it, thanks to Ilesha's suggestion, the saintess ended up attending the breakfast. As if it was something that would happen anyway.

'Or should I at least chase out that guy?'

Looking at CODE NO.0 who couldn’t hide his feelings for Ilesha and was staring at her as if he was possessed, Elias thought.

'I think Ilesha would understand that much.'

Whether the other party was a plunderer or not, as a husband who had promised his wife eternity, he couldn’t possibly leave someone who was lusting after his wife alone, could he?

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