Why Be Sad?

Chapter 37: Why Should I Be Sad?

"————!"

Shien raised his head with effort, looking ahead.

The next moment, Shien saw it.

"Good evening, should I say?"

The one who spoke with such a pleasant voice, tinged with a half-smile, was a young girl.

She was dressed in a gown that made her look like a princess, with black hair and red eyes. She was sitting on the branch of a tree ahead, swinging her legs like she was on a swing, holding a dessert in both hands and taking small bites.

Shien had seen this girl before.

In fact, it was just yesterday.

"Are you the show-off from yesterday?"

The words blurted out of Shien's mouth.

"Show-off?" The girl froze for a moment, then frowned unhappily. "You can just call me Laisha, but I don't know what 'show-off' means, though I can tell it's not something good. Can you please not call me that?"

Hearing this, Shien's brow actually rose.

"Is that okay?" Shien asked in the same half-smile tone as Laisha had just used. "Didn't you say before that not just anyone could get you to reveal your name?"

"That's true," Laisha looked at Shien, the displeasure gone from her brow, replaced by a hint of amusement. "But I don't want you to run away like last time, so it's better to just give your name this time."

"Then, Lord Laisha, who is obediently giving her name, what are you doing showing up in a place like this?" Shien asked, his tone unusually aggressive. "Don't tell me it's a coincidence, alright?"

Perhaps it was because his previous muttering had been overheard, but Shien's bad mood was evident in his tone and attitude.

However, Laisha didn't seem to care at all.

"Just consider it a coincidence," Laisha replied to Shien in a light tone. "If it weren't a 'coincidence,' how could I have heard such interesting words?"

So, the other party had heard everything he said just now.

"I was just passing through Lamigium by chance while on the run. I never expected to encounter something like this," Laisha looked directly at Shien, as if trying to see through all his secrets. "But thanks to this, it seems I might have an unexpected gain this time."

With that one sentence, she told Shien that the other party was indeed here for him.

Perhaps after their encounter yesterday, she had been keeping an eye on Shien, to the point of following him to a place like this.

In other words…

"I'm being followed?"

Shien murmured.

Laisha didn't react at all, just continued to smile, her gaze towards Shien becoming intriguing.

"Like last time, you seem to be saying interesting things again, don't you?" Laisha said with a smile. "You're speaking the truth this time. This world no longer needs a Hero, doesn't that make you sad?"

"Sad?" Shien narrowed his eyes, feigning confusion, but also stating his true feelings. "Why should I be sad?"

In fact, Shien couldn't be happier.

If the world didn't need a Hero, he could cast off that responsibility and live freely, right?

However…

"You must be worried about getting caught up in some conspiracy, aren't you?" Laisha saw right through Shien's thoughts. "You don't know why the God Race summoned you, nor do you know the current situation of the world's three races. Simply put, you lack information and don't know who to trust."

"Am I right?"

"New Hero."

As Laisha's words fell, the air in the surroundings suddenly became incredibly heavy.

Shien had completely abandoned any hope of luck.

Because the truth was already clear.

His identity had been exposed.

"Aren't you going to take out the Sacred Sword in the bag on your shoulder?" Laisha challenged. "If you don't use the Sacred Sword, you won't be able to be my opponent with your current level."

"Opponent?" Shien met Laisha's gaze. "Are you here to deal with me?"

"What?" Laisha asked with a smile. "Is that strange?"

"Of course, it's strange," Shien ignored Laisha's provocation and pointed out directly. "If you were really here to deal with me, I would have noticed your presence long ago."

After all, Shien possessed a Skill called [Enemy Perception], which allowed him to detect hostile targets.

Under such circumstances, if someone with hostility approached him, Shien would have already discovered them.

However, Shien hadn't noticed Laisha's presence in time.

This proved that she didn't actually hold any hostility towards Shien.

Of course…

"Aren't you being a bit too naive, my Hero?"

Laisha seemed amused, and the smile in her eyes began to disappear.

"Indeed, I harbor no hostility towards you."

"However, in this world, combat isn't always necessitated by outright hostility."

"For instance, if I merely wish to test your true capabilities, rather than engage you as an enemy, don't you think that's reason enough to engage you?"

As her words fell, a magic power, like a dark cyclone, rose from Laisha's body.

The magic power stirred up a gale, blowing outwards, causing the surrounding trees to sway and rustle, and fallen leaves to scatter everywhere.

Shien's heart tightened, and he drew his weapon without hesitation.

The weapon drawn was not the Sacred Sword, but the broad-bladed sword Shien wore at his waist.

The next second...

"Boom!"

The magic power that rose from Laisha transformed into gravity, like a field, shaking the heavens and earth, and pressing down on Shien.

Instantly, all the fallen leaves dancing in the air plummeted to the ground as if being crushed, and the surrounding trees, as if held down by an invisible force, not only creaked but also snapped inch by inch.

Shien also felt his entire body being pressed down by astonishing gravity, forcing him towards the ground.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, this gravity should have been enough to crush Shien onto the ground.

But whether it was the [Magic Resistance] skill or the [Abnormal Status Resistance] skill that took effect, the gravity acting upon Shien suddenly weakened considerably before it could pin him to the ground.

"Huh?"

Seeing this, Laisha let out a surprised exclamation.

"You resisted my gravity magic without using the Sacred Sword?"

This was something Laisha had not anticipated at all.

Unfortunately, it was too late for such surprises.

"Evolve!"

The moment the gravity weakened, Shien decisively activated the [Limit Break] skill.

Immediately, magic power surged through his body, causing Shien's strength to surge dramatically.

"Bang!"

With a muffled thud, Shien crushed the ground beneath him and, under the oppressive gravity, shot towards Laisha like a rocket.

Since the other party had made their move, there was no need for him to hesitate.

This was the decisiveness born from Shien's strong adaptability, and the ruthlessness honed during those ten days in the forest.

Seeing this, Laisha smiled instead of being surprised.

"Things are starting to get interesting."

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