Chapter 178 - Phoenixs Daughter 5 (1/2)
Chapter 178 - Phoenix's Daughter (5)
“B...be with you…..”
Etna’s cheeks became bright red.Her body had been feeling the adverse effect of the ice continent, so she looked pale.Finally, some color and vitality returned to her.
“D...does that mean you left that young lady to come to me?”
“Nope.Even if I leave her, she’ll probably chase me down until the end of my life.”
“You are the worst!You are openly talking about seeing both of us!?”
It was the truth, so he had no rebuttal.Her cheeks were puffed up to the max. He couldn't say, ‘I didn’t ask you to marry me.I just wanted you to enter into the party.Aren’t you thinking too highly of yourself?’
Of course, this wasn’t entirely true.He didn’t want her to become a ‘good party member.’He had thought he had no personal feeling towards her in his past life.When Artpe escaped being the Four Heavenly King to become the hero, he slowly started to become more honest with his own feelings.
“Ahh-oooooh.It is a really disrespectful proposal.I should tell you to fuck off, but I can’t.I can’t turn you down.You are so cheeky that it is killing me.”
“Since I’ve already offended you, do you mind if I ask you to do one more thing for me?”
“What can I do?I’ve never met a man like you.”
Artpe used his Read All Creation ability to scan Etna.He got a perfect assessment on her current status.She had been talking to him in a nonchalant manner, but her vitality had degraded significantly.
Normally, she was able to find a right balance between her Demonic energy and fire energy.However, she had stayed almost a year within the ice continent, and her innate fire energy had weakened.The Demonic energy used this opportunity to rampage within her body.As a result, parts of her body were wasting away.
She was a Demon, but she was closer to the fire energy than the Demonic energy.When the tenuous balance between the two was broken, the only thing that remained was her eventual death.
In truth, it was a miracle that she was able to stand here like this.It seemed Petra was correct.She was acting as if she was fine, because she was worried about the previous Demon King’s forces chasing after her.
“Even if you really like me, you shouldn’t stare at me like that.It is a bit embarrassing.”
“You really are similar to Maetel….Anyways...”
“I don’t mind you saying I resemble someone, but why did you have to compare me to that little girl!”
“Etna, I would like you to become a human.”
Artpe was direct with his words.Until now, Etna had been embarrassed and flustered.She hadn’t known what to do with herself.However, a fierce light appeared in Etna’s eyes when she heard his words.
“I don’t like such jokes.If it wasn’t Artpe, I would have burned the person that spoke such words to me.”
“What if I’m not joking?”
“Then that makes it much worse.”
“I researched for a spell that would free you from the shackles placed on you by the Demon King.It might be hard to believe, but I was successful.In your current state, I’m sure it will work.”
“······.”
Somehow, Artpe knew about the shackles that had bound her to the Demon King.She set aside the question as to how he found out about it.Artpe had researched a spell for her.It would be a lie if she said that her heart hadn’t fluttered when she heard his words.However, she immediately shook her head from side to side.
“I am no longer shackled by the Demon King.If I was still shackled, I wouldn’t have been able to stay behind here.”
“I know that.”
“Then why are you bringing up such a proposal?Is it, because you want me to be the same race as you?If that is your intention, I’m not particularly moved by it.It isn’t amusing either….”
It seemed she was still flustered by all of this.Artpe wanted to peel back the confusion she was feeling.He made a firm declaration.
“If you remain as you are, you won’t last long.You probably know this already, right?If you want to survive, you have to choose to either remove the fire energy or the Demonic energy.Since the removal of the fire energy is impossible, we have to removed the Demonic energy.”
“······how come you always know everything?”
Etna looked like she was about to cry.Artpe continued to smile brightly as if he was teasing her.
“It isn’t just that.I know that the previous Demon King’s forces are chasing after you.This was revealed to me by Petra.Anyways, it seems you are being vigilant against them.You don’t have to be.You can be at ease, since Maetel and Regina went to dispose of them.”
“Just the two of them!?No.Are you nuts!?They’ll be killed!”
The current Etna was where his party was about half a year ago.She was at the cusp of entering level 400, and it seemed she had remained at that level for past half year.It was to be expected,She had been busy hiding from her enemies, so she probably didn’t even know how much time had passed.Basically, she had been in mental duress for the past year.
“Artpe-niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiim!”
“Oppa!”
The rest of his party approached Artpe and Etna with impeccable timing.
Petra had been prepared to die as he created a great magic.Artpe had blocked Petra’s last ditch effort as if it was nothing.His party was taken aback by it, so they were rooted in place.However, a good atmosphere was starting to form around Artpe and Etna.Vadinet could no longer tolerate it.She took control of the Steel Horse, and she had charged toward the two of them!
“Artpe-nim!A...are you ok!?”
“Of course, I’m ok.In fact, I think you are about to manufacture a problem for me.Calm down.Don’t chant your holy spell.”
“Huh?I saw you guys last time······ Holy priestess!?”
“You recognize what she is now.”
“W...wait a moment······?”
Etna already knew Artpe was strong.She realized that he had grown his repertoire of abilities.She realized this when she saw him easily put down Petra.