NOVEL NEXT Chapter 79 Have a Talk Alone
The so-called "talk alone" was something that might sound romantic at first, but strictly speaking... it was just the simplest confession between Yila and Isabella.
It could even be said that it was meant to be a bland inquiry, to the extent that if Vera weren't so loose-lipped, letting her listen in wouldn't have mattered... but Vera was indeed too careless with her words.
"Yawn~ such beautiful stars~"
Satan Ye said lazily, sitting next to Yila, with her tail casually resting on Yila's leg... It seemed that staying in the Demon King Territory and being fed well by Mr. Lime had made her tail plump and soft again.
Yila nodded, tapping and patting Satan Ye's tail as if playing the piano, and said, "Yes, the night sky is clear tonight... and the temperature is just right."
*Was autumn a time suitable for endings?*
*Yila pondered and then realized... it was indeed fitting. Autumn brought desolation, the so-called "autumn melancholy," making it the perfect season for reflection and closure.*
*However, he wouldn't die, and neither would Satan Ye.*
...
"Mr. Yila, so... are all of Miss Vera's messages true?"
Knowing the answer, Satan Ye asked, blinking her beautiful red eyes that looked like gemstones, filled not with sadness, but with calmness... just like Yila usually appeared.
*No matter what, in teaching the principle of "staying calm in the face of adversity," Yila was the most gifted teacher. This might have been the embodiment of actions speaking louder than words.*
"Of course, it's all true. Actually, everyone can see it's true, and there's no illogicality in it."
Yila said, shaking his head helplessly, and continued, "Civilization is too fragile, and our protection of the world, in fact, doesn't gain the world's gratitude because... what we guard isn't the world itself."
To the world, creatures weren't her children but more like fleas and mites, hence the inevitable "cleansing"... it wasn't self-destruction, just a mere bath.
"Mm..."
Satan Ye pondered, looking down at the Demon King Territory from the terrace. Under the moonlight, even races without dark vision could still scrutinize everything around them in this bright night.
*How to put it...*
*Satan Ye thought that the Demon King Territory looked very beautiful now, much prettier than it ever was... beautiful concrete roads, tidy and odorless streets, and sensibly divided areas.*
*These were scenes that would never have appeared in her dreams during the most distant times.*
*But now, they had become reality.*
"It's really hard to part with... but, I think I will die before the Demon King Territory is destroyed, right?"
Satan Ye said, propping up her chin, pouting somewhat inexplicably while showing a slight smile, "The whole world will perish, though the exact way is unknown... it feels quite interesting."
*Interesting?*
*Yila thought so, thinking he... the unknown manner of death combined with the predetermined end should only evoke fear, but he didn't expect—more feelings of relief and a sense of liberation.*
...
Yila quietly petted the dragon's tail, looked at Satan Ye, and said, "I will flee to another world before this world ends... for complex and convoluted reasons, there will be one other being that can escape with me, rather than becoming a soul after death."
By this point, Satan Ye immediately understood what Yila meant.
"In other words, you want to choose someone to take along?"
Satan Ye said, not knowing how to respond, simply nodded and said, "Are you going to take me?"
"Yes, that's what I mean."
"Mm, okay then~"
...
This dialogue was too calm, without promises or vows, and without emotions like "being moved" or "gratitude," but it felt too natural, as if things were meant to develop like this.
"But, there's only one person who can escape with you..."
Satan Ye said, blinking at Yila, who was nodding, "So, will Hilena and the others play inside your body like Tipcapu? Is it bad if I'm the only one outside?"
*It sounded as if turning into a soul and entering my soul after death was a fun thing.*
"If you want to accompany them, that's fine too."
Yila said softly, looking at the sky reflected in his eyes, a dazzling galaxy, and said, "But in that case, I won't know who to choose to live and leave the world with."
Isabella? She couldn't accept the fall of the Empire.
Likewise, Cassiopeia wouldn't accept the extinction of her race, living alone as the Elf Empress.
And Milyan, as the Pope... he definitely wouldn't accept any form of living ignobly.
Under such circumstances, choosing someone was really hard, considering the perspective of "going to another world"... the only one who could accept the world's destruction might be Satan Ye.
"Nope~ I'd rather stay with Mr. Yila~"
The cute Satan Ye said, pouncing on Yila coquettishly and sticking to him, "Anyway, in the new world, Mr. Yila will still strive to build the old civilization, right?"
"In this process, if you have to interact with new civilizations and rebuild trust, it will surely be boring and frustrating... So, Mr. Yila, you definitely need me!"
Satan Ye said confidently, as if Yila couldn't do without her.
"Yeah, I need you, hahaha... Or rather, without company, I'd really get bored."
Yila said openly, laughing while messing up Satan Ye's hair, "I'm not sure what to choose next time; although I'm confident I'll do better, but..."
*But is there really a need?*
...
*To be honest, Yila felt his determination faltering, but interestingly... he couldn't deny this attitude of "no longer clinging to the past" might be better.*
"For the time being, let's focus on the present... The calamity might no longer need solving. After all, dying sooner or later is the same, but I've figured it out."
Yila murmured, sticking close to Satan Ye, voicing his unfiltered thoughts, something unimaginable in past years: "I want a temporary salvation, even if it's just temporary... because..."
"What's worth saving (civilization) is right there!"
...
However, Yila didn't get a response; he looked at his chest and saw only Satan Ye breathing evenly with closed eyes... evidently, she didn't hear anything.
The tiny dragon had fallen asleep in the warm embrace she hadn't felt for a long time.