NOVEL NEXT Chapter 279: Chapter 36. World? People?
[Arc4] - 36. World? People?
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"I'm sorry, I couldn't save you..."
Cyd's mouth twitched as he looked at the red-haired young man who had collapsed face-first into a bowl of ramen, unmoving.
It wasn't because the ramen was so delicious that it made someone dive in to lick the bowl, but because that one bite had knocked him out cold.
As for why...
There was also a blond boy next to him with his face similarly buried in his bowl.
"What's wrong? Not eating?" asked the muscular ramen master, whose voice was unnervingly calm for a man making ramen. Though his back was turned, the implication was clear…
If you don't eat, you die!
That was probably the idea.
Cyd snapped his fingers, stopping time. Though it was only for a few seconds, he swiftly lifted the red-haired young man's head and poured his own ramen into his bowl, before guiltily placing his face back into it.
"Master, I'd like to take some instant ramen to go," Cyd pulled a few gold coins from Kid Gil's pocket and pressed them onto the counter.
"Hm? A living customer? Cough, cough. Alright," the ramen master glanced at the elegantly composed Cyd, wiping his mouth, before nodding in approval. "I've come up with quite a few new creations recently, as well as some colorless drinks. You... sure you want them?"
"Of course," Cyd narrowed his eyes.
"Quite the spirit!" The ramen master's lips curled into a faint smile, clearly pleased. "If you survive, make sure to tell me what you think."
Were you... planning on making ramen to kill people from the start?
After packing a large bag of instant ramen and several bottles of water into his dragon scales, Cyd dragged the two "dead" people out of the ramen shop.
"A world? Or the one you love? No one has ever been able to truly answer that question," the ramen master expertly washed the dishes.
"If you lose the world, where will the one you love go?"
"If you lose the one you love, where can you go in this world?"
"But ultimately, it's the choice of mortals."
"There are only two types of people who would say they want to save both."
"Those who are idiots who don't think before they speak."
"Or heroes?"
"So, which one are you?"
Miyu quietly told her story as Illya, covering her mouth in disbelief, stared at the petite girl who had been shackled by an unimaginably heavy past.
"I'm sorry," Miyu lowered her head.
"I'm so mad!" Illya stood up, grabbing Miyu's clothes.
Miyu pursed her lips.
"Why didn't you tell us!" Illya shouted, "Why did you take it all on by yourself!"
Miyu's eyes slowly widened.
"We'll all go together to save—"
Crash—!
The door was pushed open as Cyd walked in, dragging two people behind him.
"I've brought them back," Cyd said, placing the pale-faced but very red-lipped red-haired youth on the ground.
"Brother…" Illya's eyes widened.
"Brother!" Miyu's eyes filled with tears as she covered her mouth.
"Eh? Eh, eh, eh!"
Gray, whose brain had been in a constant state of shutdown, silently took a sip of tea.
She... didn't want to think anymore.
El-Melloi II clutched his stomach, kneeling on the ground in pain.
Meanwhile, Kid Gil curiously poked the half-dead child version of Archer.
After some complicated explanations, Illya, thoroughly embarrassed, squatted in a corner with her face buried in her hands.
Just as she had made her grand declaration, they'd already been rescued...
"Well, now you have to deal with a ghost bound by obsession," Kid Gil casually sipped his tea. Even though he appeared to be just a child, there was something about him that made him seem convincing.
If only his mouth weren't so red...
El-Melloi II looked over at Cyd.
"I can't do anything about it," Cyd shrugged, "The situation over there is too complicated, and that guy's expression was basically, 'I don't care what you're planning, I'm doing what I want.'"
"Well, I guess we'll just have to fight, right?" El-Melloi II sighed.
He used to hate dealing with things this way, but now, suddenly, he found it quite convenient.
"But we can't just ignore what's happening in that world," Illya waved her hand.
Only a child would say something like that...
Cyd sighed lightly, "I've got a plan now. We can't do anything at the moment, but we can look for a solution. Maybe another era, another world, will hold the answer."
"You're not planning to... wait, that makes sense," El-Melloi II's eyes lit up.
"But I'm the only one who can go. In terms of safety, there's no one more suited for the task than me," Cyd scratched his face, "But as for you all…"
"Don't worry, big brother. I'm really curious about your choice, so until you return, I'll protect them," Kid Gil gave a thumbs-up.
"This is turning into such a hassle," Tohsaka Rin sighed.
"There will be gem rewards for hardworking big sisters, you know~"
"Alright! We'll protect the world and Miyu!"
So easy to fool...
"Alright, alright," Cyd pulled the Berserker class card from his pocket and slapped it onto Illya's head, "Go protect her."
Illya blinked, and then her eyes lit up.
"Okay! I'll protect Miyu!"
Idiot, I wasn't talking to you...
Gray's eyes narrowed as a towering figure appeared behind the smiling Illya.
"Hurry back," Miyu reached out and grabbed Cyd's clothes.
"Mm," Cyd patted Miyu on the head, "When your brother wakes up, make sure to tell him that even if he's a hero alone, he's still a great one."
"Mm," Miyu nodded hard.
"Well then~ time to head out," Cyd pinched Miyu's cheek, "I'll be counting on you all."
"Ah~ We've lost our biggest trump card."
As soon as Cyd left, Tohsaka Rin flopped onto the couch in defeat.
"Tohsaka Rin, you... well, we really have lost our ace," Luvia sighed lightly.
"This world isn't so pathetic that it can only be saved by him," El-Melloi II crossed his arms, gazing out at the sun beyond the window.
Maybe it would be easier to report this to the Association, but...
El-Melloi II glanced at Kid Gil and sighed.
How could he report this?
"Are you having a hard time?" Kid Gil tilted his head, "Because of me?"
"Not at all, I'm just thinking about how to solve things before he returns," El-Melloi II sighed, "Looking back, we've always relied on him, but have we ever really helped him?"
"That's true," Kid Gil chuckled, draping a slightly ill-fitting cloak over El-Melloi II's shoulders.
"King?" El-Melloi II asked in confusion.
"I'm not quite mature yet, so I'll leave it with you for now," Kid Gil smiled, hands behind his head, "But I won't give this cloak back."
"This is quite troubling…" El-Melloi II chuckled, "This has always belonged to the King~"
"Staying was definitely the right choice," Kid Gil muttered to himself, observing the people around him.
"I'll wait for you~ Pure White Hero, but you'd better hurry up~"
"Your companions are far more capable than you think."
"If you're too slow, they'll save the world without you~"