R4STWH - Chapter 148
Chapter 148
With the world proving its usefulness by completing the qualification quest, dungeons stopped appearing.
However, this didn't mean the magical beasts already unleashed would disappear. For a while, battles to subdue them would continue across the continent.
Tenaclad, with its vast territory, was no exception. But we didn't have much to worry about.
Because Elias's grandfather, Gerent, was there.
Already one of the strongest in this world, the old man, further invigorated by his awakening, was excitedly running around.
Witnessing this as we passed through the gate, Elias and I returned to the castle to rest without worry.
Covered in dirt and blood, we were filthy, but we washed our hands roughly and filled our stomachs first. The servants stared at us in surprise as we practically inhaled the food, ignoring all etiquette.
Of course, like the well-trained servants of a great family, they quickly composed themselves and swiftly brought out more food.
After eating our fill until our flat stomachs became round, we soaked in a hot bath. The water had to be changed several times because of how dirty we were, but Elias patiently scrubbed me clean.
Dozing on and off against him, I eventually found myself clean and tucked into bed.
‘Good…’
Lying in the soft bed, embraced by him, I closed my eyes and felt like I had accomplished everything.
“Ilesha,” Elias said, stroking me gently as I nuzzled his chest.
“I think we'll be meeting Neo soon.”
“Probably.”
Neo had to leave soon. Having lost the bet with this world’s god, he would soon lose the right to stay here and would no longer be able to exert influence on either world.
‘There’s no real need to meet, though.’
It would be enough to just settle our business. However, I had a feeling Neo would want to see me one last time.
“You said you didn't receive the quest clear reward from your world, right?” he reminded me. I smiled and nodded.
“Yeah, come to think of it, you’re right. I’ll have to squeeze the best possible reward out of him since it's been delayed.”
Despite saying that, I was actually struggling with what to ask for.
‘He probably can’t bring back the dead.’
I wanted to ask him to revive Yumi and Baeksa's child, but I didn't think it was possible. Didn't one world have to be placed on the opposite scale to turn back the time of another? In other words, there would be a price for Neo using his powers.
If that were the case even with Neo's time-manipulating ability, it was hard to imagine if resurrecting the dead was even possible, or how steep a price it would demand if it were.
So, what should I ask for?
‘I don’t think I’ll need any SS-rank items anymore…’
Elias, who had been gently patting me as I was lost in thought, pressed his lips to my forehead. “Ask him to restore your body.”
“Me? I'm fine. You saw that I don’t have a single scratch.”
“That’s not true.” He sighed. “The Saintess’s healing powers only work on inflammation and injuries.”
So, wasn’t I fine then? As I stared blankly up at Elias's worried face, he moved his hand down and gently caressed my stomach.
“You were so abused in that lab; there’s no way you’re completely fine. Some of your organs might have been replaced with artificial ones.”
Lab…? Had I told Elias about that time?
“The technology of that world might have made it no big deal, but not here. There’s no telling when or how something might go wrong. So, ask him to restore you to your original state. That much should be easy enough with Neo’s power.”
“Okay… I understand.”
He wasn’t wrong, so I agreed, but I still couldn’t shake my confusion. I might have casually mentioned being in a lab, but I definitely never told Elias what happened there.
‘Because he would definitely be heartbroken.’
Why would I bother bringing up the painful past when I knew he would suffer?
‘And Baeksa wouldn’t have told him, either.’
Baeksa was frustratingly reticent. He was great at arguing with Yumi, but he rarely spoke otherwise. He wasn’t the type to gossip about other people’s pasts either.
I’d only recently found out he was Yumi's Pair, even after years of being on the same team. And Yumi and Zero were never close enough with Elias to share such things.
‘What is going on?’
“What are you thinking so hard about?” he asked with a chuckle as he pulled me closer.
“When you blink like that… you’re so beautiful it troubles me.”
Come to think of it, my lower abdomen had been uncomfortable for a while now. Something thick and hard kept poking my skin…
“Ah…”
I finally understood what he meant. He had been trying hard to hold back during the bath, too.
“I want you to rest properly now. Okay?”
I’m fine, though… I’m not even tired.
‘But Elias definitely needs to rest.’
Unlike me, who had practically slept for a whole day after making the contract with Neo, he hadn’t slept properly in days. Even if his body wasn't tired, mental fatigue needed to be relieved with proper rest.
With our current stamina, if we started now, we wouldn’t stop for days. So, it seemed better to sleep with him for a bit and then enjoy our time to the fullest.
I obediently closed my eyelids, yielding to his feather-light kisses. Nuzzling my face into his chest, I could hear the rapid thump-thump-thump of his heart.
“Sleep well, Ilesha.”
You too, Elias.
I didn’t know if I had said it aloud or just in my head. Even though I didn't feel tired, I quickly became drowsy, buried in the soft blankets and feeling his soothing touch.
Without feeling the need to hold onto my fading consciousness, I drifted off into a deep sleep.
[Welcome.]
As expected, I found myself in the space Neo created as soon as I fell asleep. The still-desolate city. Now that I, the last survivor, had left, no one lived in this world anymore.
[Congratulations. You won. I was really confident this time, to be honest.]
The imposing figure standing in the middle, unlike before, now had the appearance of an ordinary person. No, while the form was certainly human, upon closer inspection, the man was far from ordinary.
The man with faded blond hair and beautiful features stood casually, his hands shoved into his pockets. I could see his golden eyes peering at me from under his messy bangs. Such utter boredom clouded his face.
It perfectly matched the scene of the destroyed world, like a king who could only reign over ruins.
“Neo…?”
[Yes.]
“Why do you look like that?”
He glanced down at himself at my question, then shrugged. [Well, I bet quite a bit this time.]
Did that mean his original form was revealed because he had depleted so much power? I had guessed as much, but as expected, he too was once a person given life in some world.
[Why, are you disappointed? That the one who sows disaster has such an ordinary human form?]
“No, well. It happens. I, who defeated you, am also just an ordinary human.”
His lips twitched slightly at my answer. The movement was subtle, but it looked like he was smiling.
[I'm sure you're eager to return to your love, so let's get down to business quickly.]
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