"Well, actually we can do it ourselves."
Seeing Vera carrying two operators in one arm, Closure a little embarrassed.
"Logos's spell only looks scary; it doesn't actually cause much damage."
"So why would you carve something dangerous on your clothes?" W asked, dragging the operator up with a sullen face.
"Are you worried about someone stealing it?"
"..." x2
Closure around, while Logos sighed. This subtle reaction left W looking incredulous.
"Hey, what exactly is your Babel Tower...?"
"Cough cough!"
Vera waved her hand, interrupting W's speech in advance:
"It's just a small favor, don't worry about it."
Vera gently restrained the operators, then turned her face away, trying to hide her guilty expression.
"Well, thanks a lot then. I'll give you a discount at my store next time!"
Closure didn't stand on ceremony and chuckled as she stepped forward to hand over a business card.
"My shop also offers customization services. You can pre-order whatever you want, and I'll bring it to you next time you come back."
"... I'll go check if anything's missing."
With a few unlucky fellows by their side, the four of them headed to the Medical Department. Through their conversation, Closure learned roughly about Vera and the others' backgrounds.
"Hey? So you're the legendary Ghost Team?"
"The Ghost Team?" Vera turned her head to the side.
She had heard of the name Golden Storm before, but what was the Ghost Team?
"You mean that? It's a nickname we give you guys in this line of work."
Closure's eyes were full of curiosity.
"Such a large-scale operation, involving a long-distance raid, while continuously completing missions to kill bounty targets along the way."
"Logically, you should always need supplies, but the people at each supply point have never seen you, so they gave you this nickname."
After saying that, the unscrupulous merchant narrowed his eyes.
"So... since we're friends, is there any way you can share this?"
"Your map of the Yan Kingdom is really short..."
Vera made a sarcastic remark, and then responded:
"However, I don't have any connections; I'm just self-sufficient."
"Eh↗↘Really?"
Closure approached pitifully, which alerted W.
"I won't let you suffer any losses. We still have that much credibility. Not only goods, but I can also share my intelligence."
"Really, no..."
"Tell me and I'll give you a 10% discount every time you come to my store!"
Closure drew closer and closer, the strange smell of engine oil mixed with coffee assaulting Vera's nostrils.
If she hadn't been accompanied by an operator, she had no doubt the other party would have come right up to her.
Are all Vampire so shameless!?
The thought of the dog at home made Vera's fists itch inexplicably.
On the other hand, Closure herself was also somewhat awkward.
She does like money, that's true, but she's not usually this outspoken.
From the very first moment she saw Vera, a subtle feeling compelled her to get closer.
Now that she was closer, Closure realized it smelled wonderful.
It was very faint, and it seemed to be not on Vera herself, but on someone who had recently been in contact with her.
Closure felt a strange sense of familiarity and subconsciously wanted to ask for more.
It's too light; it should be darker, much darker...
"Closure?"
"Huh? Ah!"
Logos' voice came, and the girl suddenly woke up.
When her nose touched soft flesh, Closure realized that she had almost buried her head in Vera's arms.
"What are you standing there for? Get out of my way, you pervert!"
The sound of W gritting his teeth came, Closure hurriedly retreated.
"I'm so sorry!"
Vera looked at the other person with a subtle expression, not because she felt offended, but because the other person's actions just now felt somewhat familiar.
The way it sniffed the air was just like my own little dog.
Honestly... kind of cute.
"Closure, were you... having a vampiric urge just now?" Logos, looking completely astonished.
Closure is trusted by everyone not only because of her personality, but also because of her habits that are completely different from those of normal Vampire.
This oil- Vampire has almost no interest in blood; according to its own description, even if it were to suck her blood, it would most likely taste like coffee.
But the way he looked just now...
No, no way.
Closure felt panicked; she didn't want to become the traditional Vampire her Old Stubborn One had described.
Closure instinctively moved a little further away from Vera and began to consider whether she should put on a gas mask.
Logos wanted to say something more, but was interrupted by the person coming from the front.
"Oh my god, how come there are so many wounded again? What's the Mechanist captain doing in there too!?"
The medical personnel rushed forward, dragging or carrying the wounded into the building.
Logos arrived at the door, about to explain the reason, but suddenly stopped.
"Your Highness?"
"Your Highness!"
Closure was still thinking, suddenly woke up and subconsciously looked towards the door of the infirmary.
"Phew... thank goodness, the door isn't broken."
Closure's reaction, Vera turned her gaze toward the door the moment she heard the title.
In Kazdel, there is only one person who deserves such a title.
The Demon King – Theresa.
Vera had imagined what kind of person he was.
To become the leader of the Sarkaz and lead Sarkaz to repel the attacks of other nations, one must be a person of considerable authority...
As it turned out, Vera's assumptions were wrong.
The pristine white Sarkaz sat before the hospital bed, his back to everyone.
But that small, upright figure exudes an charisma that is impossible to ignore.
But more than the almost palpable tenderness, what Vera sensed first was that unwavering resolve.
It's as if they've carried something on their shoulders, made a decision, and are determined to give up everything for it.
Beside Vera, W's heart was beating a little fast.
Instinctively, she wanted Sarkaz to turn his head away.
Despite it being their first meeting, she felt an immense sense of familiarity with the other person.
Where? Where...
W abruptly pulled back his foot and turned to look at Vera.
It's that smile!
That was the first time, and the first time, that truly made her notice Vera's smile!
Without explanation, W suddenly understood: the Sarkaz in front of him was the one Vera wanted him to see.
What... why do you want me to know?
Vera was unaware of W's current confusion. After the initial impressions, Vera quickly sensed the unusual atmosphere around her.
The Medical Department was busy, yet strangely quiet, even somewhat... sad.
Following the source of the tension, everyone learned the reason.
Before Theresa lay a gravely ill Sarkaz in bed.
The black crystals flickered intermittently, slowly and steadily devouring the patient's body.
"This is..."
"Oripathy."
A medical officer came out and closed the door.
"The patient's condition has reached its limit, and His Highness is saying his final goodbyes to him."
"Let's talk about it later."
After the medical staff left, everyone fell silent.
Vera approached the observation window in the corridor and looked at the patient.
Even though it was covered by Originium crystals, she could still clearly see the pain on that face.
"Your Highness..."
"I'm here, I've always been here..."
Theresa held Sarkaz's hand, her pink eyes filled with sorrow.
"Have we... have we let you down?"
"... Never before."
Sarkaz, lying on the hospital bed, twitched the corner of his mouth, which suddenly triggered a violent cough.
His body trembled, the Originium crystals rubbed together, but his eyes remained fixed on Theresa.
"Ahem... Your Highness, I..."
"I know."
The Demon King responded, using the warmth of his hands to let his subjects know that he had not left.
He held it in one hand and gently stroked Sarkaz's forehead with the other.
The magic shone brightly, and Sarkaz's condition quickly improved.
Sarkaz laughed, his previously pained expression softening as if he had seen something beautiful.
"Your Highness..."
"I am here."
"So beautiful..."
"..."
Theresa did not respond; she closed her eyes, concealing the sadness within.
"What is she doing?" Vera asked.
"His Highness is weaving a dream for him," Logos replied.
"No matter what suffering one endures in life, one can experience final beauty and peace before death."
"His Highness will bid farewell to every Sarkaz who sees this, allowing them to return to the All Souls in their sweet dreams..."
Vera was speechless.
Looking out the window again, Sarkaz noticed tears welling up in his eyes.
What did he see?
Drop--
The hum of the equipment broke the silence as the medical staff bent down and began to prepare Sarkaz's body.
They must send it to be incinerated as soon as possible, otherwise there is a constant risk of explosion.
Vera watched quietly. Unlike the wailing and noise at the hospital back home, the Medical Department was very quiet at this moment.
In the silence, specks of light rose from Sarkaz's body.
The tiny fluorescent lights danced in the wind, as if they were about to drift towards the sky, yet also as if they were being pulled along.
The crowd ignored the light and quietly bid farewell to the deceased.
The fluorescent light drifted and drifted, until it finally drifted into the Crown.
In that instant, Vera saw blurry lights and shadows.
She saw a city, a very dilapidated city.
In this dilapidated city, countless Sarkaz gathered together.
They stood beside the towering furnace, singing and dancing, with colorful flowers adorning the walls.
The Sarkaz savored their meager meal, and as they clinked glasses, some of the cloudy liquor spilled out.
Amidst laughter, the Sarkaz waved to their host.
Vera's vision blurred, then faded away.
While everyone was still in mourning, a sense of unease rose in Vera's heart.
Is this simple banquet all you've been dreaming of?
Vera shook her head, then looked up and met a pair of eyes.
Tenderness, guilt, sadness, surprise, curiosity, and that inexplicable... joy?
Theresa stared intently at Vera, making the latter wary.
She saw it?
Vera couldn't help but glance to her side. None of Logos and the others had noticed, so she must have been overthinking it.
"Your Highness."
Turning her head, Theresa walked straight out from inside the room.
Theresa raised her hand to indicate that the others did not need to bow, her gaze never wavering.
"Excuse me... may I know your name?"
"Vera, the leader of a mercenary group."
After the voice finished speaking, the two remained silent.
Those around them were confused, while the parties involved were observing each other closely.
Vera was a little nervous.
Vane said that, thanks to the Black Crown, Theresa had the ability to sense the emotions of others.
Instinctively, she looked up at the top of Theresa's head.
However, due to their height difference, their eyes met again.
For some reason, there was always a sense of guilt in Sarkaz's eyes.
Vera was surprised.
You're the Demon King, what are you feeling guilty about?
Theresa was also surprised.
The Sarkaz in front of him seemed a little nervous, but overall remained calm.
But deep within those eyes, she saw something familiar...
"What... is causing your anger?"
"What?"
Theresa suddenly asked a question, leaving Vera puzzled.
As if realizing her question was quite strange, Theresa smiled apologetically.
"Logos, who are those wounded?"
"...I'm sorry, Your Highness," Logos said awkwardly.
"There's something wrong with my incantation."
Theresa was somewhat surprised to receive the answer, for she was well aware of Logos's mastery of sorcery.
She looked at Closure and received an affirmative answer.
"It's true, not only these agents, but even the purchasing department's door is being targeted..."
Before she could finish speaking, Closure suddenly remembered something.
"Cough cough! I can fix it myself!"
After saying that, the Vampire Girl hurriedly made up an excuse to leave, not forgetting to advertise before she went.
"Remember to visit my shop, I'll give you a 10% discount!"
Watching Closure leave, Theresa turned and extended an invitation to Vera.
Would you mind taking a walk with me?
Vera glanced at W hiding behind her, then spontaneously started walking.
"If you don't mind wasting your time."
The two walked side by side, with W and Logos spontaneously standing guard on either side.
Vera hesitated, unsure if Theresa had seen the point of light from the soul.
Before she could even ask a question, Theresa interrupted her.
Did you see that?
Vera turned her head in confusion. "What do you see?"
"His beautiful dream."
Vera stopped and stared intently at the other person.
"... You've pried into my memories?"
"No, please believe me, I would never do that without permission." Theresa shook her head.
"But sometimes, even if I don't consciously try to perceive it, I still become aware of those overly intense emotions."
"...I'm sorry." Vera sighed.
It seems that the problem lies in my own emotional management.
"No need to apologize, I understand." Theresa clutched her chest.
"Would you understand this feeling? Would you feel... that this is just a deception?"
"It wasn't really deception, it was just giving ** a painkiller in her life."
The other three were stunned for a moment, seemingly not expecting such vulgar language to come from Vera's mouth.
After realizing what was happening, Theresa pondered Vera's answer.
Why would you say that?
"... Have you seen his memories?" Vera asked in return, then shook her head.
"No, there Sarkaz like that everywhere. You've seen them countless times already."
"Spending a lifetime in battle, enduring a hellish existence, only finding peace after death... Isn't that Sarkaz morbid enough?"
"No... to put it bluntly, this entire Daichi is sick!"
"..." x3
Theresa looked at Vera, her eyes filled with a mixture of joy and sorrow.
"That is why the Babel Tower has been searching for the cure for the Sarkaz, and indeed the entire Daichi."
Vera clenched her teeth, instinctively wanting to shout a rebuttal.
Isn't the war the Sarkaz are waging right now orchestrated by you?
Since she arrived in Kazdel, all the wars she has witnessed have been Sarkaz civil wars, and all she has seen are Sarkaz slaughtering their own people!
But when she looked up and saw those sorrowful eyes, Vera couldn't bring herself to say anything.
The king before him undoubtedly loved Sarkaz, and this love was absolutely genuine.
That's precisely why Vera finds it increasingly difficult to understand.
Looking for a good medicine?
How could any good medicine possibly grow in Kazdel, a place filled with poisonous blood and filth?
"... Even waiting for the wound to heal naturally is safer than resorting to any treatment in a panic."
Vera gave her an answer, Theresa sighed softly.
Both she Sarkaz are running out of time...
Seeing that Vera was unwilling to talk any further, Theresa turned her gaze to W.
"What a lovely child! What's their name?"
W opened his mouth, looking nervously at Vera.
What do you think she should be called?
Theresa's eyes widened slightly, as if in disbelief.
Vera was somewhat surprised by his strange expression.
What happened? Isn't this supposed to be the plot point that should have been triggered?
According to Vane, W and Theresa should have spoken up long ago; that name that belongs to her should rightfully belong to you...
The intense gaze interrupted her thoughts; Vera turned her head and was startled by W's expression.
Shock, panic, anger, grievance... a multitude of emotions converged on one face, making W's expression somewhat ferocious.
Before Vera could ask a question, W ran away.
"W!?"
Vera instinctively reached out, but grabbed nothing.
Why? The name you've always wanted is finally coming? Why now...?
"I think what that child wants is not just a name."
Theresa was standing nearby, understood what had happened, and her gentle tone turned serious.
"Please catch up with that child, before she gets too far..."
Theresa didn't finish her sentence; Vera had already run out before she could finish.
W had no idea where she was; she was just running for her life, as if she were escaping a life-threatening pursuer.
Thump--
W fell heavily to the ground, but did not get up.
Ancestral Bug emerged from the strands of hair and touched W's tentacles.
W, who had been lying there like a corpse, finally stirred.
She turned over and quietly looked at the lights in the corridor.
It was as if the light had blinded me, blurring my vision.
Noticing something was wrong with its companion, the Ancestral Bug flew to W's nose and waved its tentacles again.
W removed the Ancestral Bug, but the latter stubbornly climbed back up.
Watching it return time and time again, W reminisced about the past.
When Vera gave it to her, she said she felt they were very similar.
Yes... it does look very similar now.
It's just as annoying, like a fly that you can't get rid of no matter how hard you try.
W stared at the Ancestral Bug, as if shouting to another person:
"Get lost! I'm fed up with you, can't you just mind your own business and go somewhere else?"
The Ancestral Bug caused the flight to pause, freezing in mid-air.
As if seeing his own embarrassing state reflected in that action, W roared:
"Get out! You're an eyesore!"
"..."
The Ancestral Bug flew away, and this time it didn't return.
W lay quietly on the cold deck, then suddenly laughed.
She's really stupid. She's the one who's incompetent, so why is she taking it out on that little guy?
W laughed and laughed, but then she couldn't laugh anymore.
"Why..."
She raised her hand to shield her eyes, muttering to herself:
"Why doesn't she understand? It wasn't her choice; it has no meaning whatsoever..."
"Phew... Is this what you think?"
"!!!"
W sprang up like a startled cat.
The Ancestral Bug landed on Vera's shoulder, smugly waving its tentacles.
But W's gaze wasn't on that at the moment.
She stared blankly at Vera, who was still breathing heavily.
W had never seen Vera in such a disheveled state.
In her eyes, Vera always seemed to have it all under her control, effortlessly bringing them things they could never have imagined.
Is this how I am now... because of myself?
"I want to apologize to you, W."
Vera suddenly bowed, startling W so much that he frantically backed away.
"It's my fault... This was our agreement, and I shouldn't have thought of handing it over to someone else in the first place."
"You've always kept your promises well; it's me who broke them..."
So, feel free to insult me, even hit me, I won't fight back.
No! How could I scold you? How could I hit you!?
W's eyes widened, and before she could retort, Vera continued:
"But I have to keep my promise before you can vent."
"Although you may not understand, this name originally belonged to you—"
Vera took a deep breath, stood up straight, and clearly pronounced the name.
"Wis'adel, your name."
"Of course, if you're not satisfied, there are other options, such as..."
Vera was still talking, but W couldn't hear anything anymore.
[Wis'adel]
This name has completely occupied her thoughts.
Intuition, a strong intuition, told W that no name was more suitable for her.
The meaning... what's the meaning?
Subconsciously, W wanted to ask about the meaning of the name, but her body acted before her words.
"W!?"
W hugged Vera tightly, burying his head in his chest, and didn't move no matter how much she called out to him.
"Are you crazy? Trying to suffocate yourself?"
As Vera watched W's neck grow increasingly red, she suddenly realized something.
"Wis'adel! Lift your head up!"
W... no, it should be called Wis'adel now.
She finally raised her head and gasped for air.
Looking into Vera's angry yet worried eyes, she had never felt so close to her.
No, it can get even closer!
Wis'adel buried his head again, ignoring Vera's cries, and suffocated until he passed out.
According to the Medical Department staff, this guy was still smiling even after he fainted.
Wis'adel had no idea that her story was about to become the talk of the Babel Tower. Before she fainted, she desperately hoped that she would see that person again when she woke up.
Of course, it would have been even better if Vera had called her name again.
But it's okay if you don't shout it out; there will be plenty of opportunities in the future.
For the first time, Wis'adel felt that Hedley's talk of politeness was necessary.
Starting today, she decided to greet everyone she met.
They will definitely respond if you are polite.
Then she can hear the words she most wants to hear--
"Hello, Wis'adel."