Published at 30th of December 2021 03:56:40 PM

481 A Certain Saints Preparations (side: Lilixira)

Immediately after the Demon Lord turmoil in Ardesia is brought to an end with the death of the ruin, Lilixiras party used Beelzebub to return to the Holy Country of Liarm. After commanding Beelzebub to use his flies to scout, Lilixira descended into the dungeons below the Holy Citys palace in order to receive medical treatment.

You have been a great help, Regenerator Ool. Were it not for you, this would have been the end.

Lilixira says, testing the motion of her left arm while speaking to an unkempt man through the iron bars of a cell.

Th-then, dyou mind freeing me?

The mans name is Ool. Despite the dark circles under his eyes and his unshaven face, he is a user of the extremely rare white magic skill [Ligne], which can restore the missing body parts of another, and is known as the Regenerator. When he was a mere fifteen years old, he was taken into the custody of the Holy Country of Liarm, and has been kept in the palace dungeons ever since. Occasionally, weakened monsters are brought to him to raise his level under the guidance of Holy Knights.

Lilixira had lost her arm due to the sudden attack of the ruin, but thanks to Ools [Ligne], she has now regained the full use of her limbs.

What are you saying? The Holy Country is protecting you. If you were to be captured by some scoundrel, you would no longer be treated as kindly as you are now. With how little you know of the world, you might not understand your place in it, but it is simply impossible for you to walk around freely.

Alphiss says, standing next to Lilixira.

This is no different from being dead

I have an suggestion with regards to that. Would you mind accompanying us on the next expedition of the Holy Knights, Ool?

Ive said this before, but I want no part in that. I aint nearly strong enough. Id get used while its convenient, then get discarded when things get dangerous. Its not like Im going to accept anything just because takes me out of here.

Ool frowns at Lilixiras proposal.

If you accompany us in our next battle, I will free you from here. I would also assign an escort to you, separate from my own. You are far more valuable than a Holy Knight who is only capable of fighting. There is no chance you would be abandoned to die.

Saint-sama, do you plan to take Ool outside? And, to assign him a constant escort

As long as that Human Realm can be destroyed, what happens afterwards doesnt matter. Besides, once the Human Realm is destroyed, Ool would become one of the champions who saved the world. He would inevitably have to be treated as such.

Whatre you trying to make me do?

I only want you to heal the injured at the rear. Even if you were to somehow lose your life, it would only be after myself and all the Holy Knights had already died.

Ool hangs his head in silence for a moment, then looks up.

I understand Ill do it. Ill bloody do it. Ill get out of here, and return to my village.

Thank you, Ool. I have high hopes for your work.

Lilixira smiles at him, and takes his hand. Drawn in by her smile, Ools scowl of resentment breaks down for a moment. He quickly shakes his head, returning his expression to how it was.

After that, Lilixira and Alphiss walk through a corridor of the palace.

Are you really going to release him? Lilixirsama?

I wonder. Ive made preparations to take him with us, but I still havent decided whether or not hell be useful in the battle with the Human Realm.

I see.

Despite understanding that this is Lilixiras usual modus operandi, Alphiss cant help but feel pity for Ool.

What do you plan to do next?

It will likely a require a little heavy-handedness, but we should acquire riding dragons from the neighbouring kingdom. At the same time, I will have the Animal Realms kin search the remote regions. After that, theres the matter ofpersuading the Fiend of the Great Prison As well as the collecting of the Dragon King to fill my vacant slot, and the third round of negotiations with Howgrey. Its also important that I raise the level of my title skill in preparation for a worst-case scenario. Though Id rather not rely on it, as its putting the cart before the horse to some extent.

So that was why you didnt kill the Dragon King.

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The primary reason was to keep the Human Realms level away from evolution. Though I suppose that might have been meaningless in the end.

However, Im opposed to taking out the Fiend of the Great Prison. I have heard of what she has done, and she is not one who can be controlled by humans. Shes broken from the inside. I also think you should give up on Howgrey. I dont think its worth your time to waste any more effort on that old man.

Lilixira indicates for Alphiss to continue.

In short I dont think you should give that dragon too much time. It takes time to travel, too, so why not try estimating the dragons location with the Oracle now, and then quickly attack?

Lilixira shakes her head.

Ive already given it too much time. Rather than rushing ahead with incomplete preparations, I should attack with the maximum force possible. Our return to the Holy Country has already taken too much time. By the time we find where it is hidden, it will have already evolved and levelled up.

Even so

In truth, I already know where it has most likely fled to. However, that place is a vast unsettled land, and the visibility there is poor. Even for the kin of the Animal Realm would struggle to search it. If I were to rush to launch an attack, I would only be giving our opponent ample opportunity to flee again. Theres a limit to how much I can achieve by myself, and bringing the entire force over is an impossible task. A chase through an unknown region would only result in our exhaustion. And so, after fully preparing, I plan to challenge the enemy in such a way that it cannot flee. Of course, I dont plan to give it any more time than necessary.

I understand. I shall begin making arrangements for each right away. However, borrowing the riding dragons will likely be difficult without Lilixirsama present, and I expect you would have to meet the Fiend of the Great Prison in person . Ill see if the Holy Knights are able to do something about Howgrey

Lilixira shakes her head.

I will leave the negotiations for the riding dragons to the Holy Knights. What happens afterwards does not matter, so do whatever it takes to acquire a good number. We also do not need to fully probe the Devil of the Great Prison. We can no longer afford to play it safe.

I-is that so?

As soon as Howgreys location is known, I will go there in person. I am the one most able to negotiate, after all.

Surely that is No, I understand.

Alphiss appears bewildered at Lilixiras statement for a moment, but then shakes her head and nods in assent.

I think you already understand this, but I will remind you anyway. The next time you face the [Human Realm], please dont make the same error of judgement.

Yes.

Alphiss hangs her head and responds quietly.

By the way, umm What was the title skill were you referring to? I havent heard you mention any such thing up to now.

Its insurance. It isnt anything you need to worry about.