Chapter 216 From Ashes (2/2)
”The Prime within the City is called Umbra,” Lino elaborated. ”Do you know about it?”
”... yeah.” Ella frowned. ”No wonder you burned everything around the city.”
”Right. But we still have to prevent her from finding any hosts further out of the city and wait it out till she falls back asleep.”
”... yeah, that's probably the best plan possible.” Ella nodded in agreement. ”Surround it and wait?”
”Yeah, that's the plan,” Lino sighed. ”But, I don't think we've got enough people. I mean, the entire Continent now has only three Titulars left. The three of them, Hannah and I, and you four can probably take at least two sides, but what about the remaining two?”
”... why do I've got a feeling you're about to propose something insane?” Ella asked, looking dubiously at Lino.
”... I've got wings.”
”So?”
”They're fast.”
”And?”
”They allow me to cover a lot of ground.”
”Yeah, sure, like I'm going to let you defend an entire side all on your own,” Ella chuckled oddly. ”Keep dreaming boy.”
”... I killed a God-Devil.” Lino proudly exclaimed, though hiding some facts.
”I don't care if you caged him and then raped him for centuries, I'm not letting you guard an entire side by yourself.”
”... you just said something extremely out of character right there!”
”How strong is Hannah?” Ella asked, ignoring Lino's probe.
”Fairly strong. Even stronger than me, I believe.” Lino replied. ”I've had a plan to employ the Devils for one side, but I'm fairly certain they still plan on taking Umbra once everything chills out.”
”... yeah, you can't trust them,” Ella shook her head. ”But... you could, you know, still make use of them...”
”... are you volunteering?” Lino asked.
”Nah, I'm better served off fighting directly. Let Eggor handle them.”
”...”
”What?” Ella asked, seeing Lino's pained expression.
”I... I kinda feel bad for the horned guys... I mean... you know, they're shit and evil and all that, but...”
”... pfft, ha ha ha ha ha,” Ella burst out in laughter, unable to hold it for a long while Lino began to wonder was what he said really that funny. ”Ha ha, don't... don't worry about that. Just let him handle it.”
”... aah, fine, like I can say no to that smile.” Lino said, chuckling. ”Anyway, how have you guys been?”
”Oh, great. Just sitting around, waiting for you to call us without ever doing so, even to just check in and say you're okay, it's been fantastic.”
”... are you drunk?” Lino asked, backing away a bit. ”You... talk... like a weirdo! What happened to you?”
”... honestly?” Ella mumbled, smiling warmly for a moment. ”I'm happy, Lino. Happy for you.”
”Huh?”
”Hannah is... an amazing girl,” she said, glancing at the crimson-haired girl still sitting on the ledge. ”Though I can't say how, she had never succumbed to the magic of the cultivation. She was never maddened by the pointless glory of pursuit of the unreachable. She didn't chase titles or heroics or legends, and she didn't give in. For as long as I've known her, she was always level-headed, albeit slightly odd. In a world distraught with deceit and lies, she always remained true to herself. You could learn a lot from her, you know?”
”... I have been,” Lino chuckled, glancing back as well. ”She made it a lot easier to admit to myself I'm beyond fucked... but that I'm still not past the point of no return. I'm getting there... bit by bit.”
”As you should,” she reached her arm over and caressed his hair gently, smiling. ”But, if you mess with her, I'll be the first to whip your ass back into oblivion. You understand?”
”Hey, whose side are you on here?!”
”Hers.”
”Hey!!”
”What? I know she's an angel, and you're a little devil. Can you blame me?”
”... yeah, I guess not,” Lino chuckled. ”I've no intention of messing with her, though. Do you know how happy I was when I met her again? For the first time in a while... I was genuinely plastered. Almost at a loss for words. That doesn't happen to me, you know?”
”Oh, trust me I do.”
”... just as she did back then,” he said, getting up slowly. ”She still leaves me feeling breathless every day. And she's also one hell of a badass! You should have seen her fighting... damn. And she was just playing around at that! I so want to see her going all out...”
”Alright, alright, your obligatory 'I have emotions but they're only the cool ones' moment was wholly unnecessary.”
”You should ask your hubby if those moments are unnecessary.” Lino glared at her for a moment as he headed out. ”You women and your---”
”What?”
”Nothing.”
”I asked 'us women and what'?!”
”I SWEAR NOTHING! FORGIVE ME!!”
”Get your ass back in here!!” hearing the ruckus, Hannah turned around and saw a scene she would never forget; a fully grown Lino trying to run away from Ella who clutched at his arm and pulled him back, then propped him against the wall and continued to lecture him on something for a literal hour. All the while, she couldn't help but grin, deciding to ask Ella on how and what she did, for future reference.