Faced with Alison's heartfelt plea, Orsaga showed neither surprise nor emotion. He simply took a calm sip of the soup brought by one of the attendants.
With a casual tone, he asked, "Didn't you originally want your people to settle in the Abyss? Given up on that plan?"
Alison didn't try to deflect the question. She answered him directly:
"This place is simply far too dangerous for most of my kin. The toxic atmosphere, the lethal ambient energy, and the constant threat posed by the residents… even the strongest among us can't guarantee their own safety here. As a result, only the elite few have been able to move about the outer layers of the Abyss, while over half of our people—those too weak—remain in stasis within the Soul Core."
"After all these years, nearly one-fifth of those operating outside have died under various circumstances. And we've yet to find a single place safe enough to serve as a permanent settlement. If this continues, there's no end in sight. So, I have no choice but to abandon the original plan."
By the time she finished, there was a faint bitterness on her face.
The Abyss, despite its overwhelming dangers, was undeniably rich in resources—among the most abundant in the entire multiverse.
Its energy density was so extreme that merely breathing the air—provided it didn't kill you—was equivalent to days of cultivation in a mid- or low-tier world.
That was the lure behind so many risking everything to enter.
It was, quite plainly, the gold rush dream in another form.
Had the Elsella Kingdom been able to carve out a foothold here, the potential gains for their entire race would've been astronomical.
The rise of new gods among them would no longer be a fantasy, but a real possibility.
But reality rarely aligns with dreams.
The Abyss was far more perilous than they'd imagined. Most of their people didn't even qualify to walk the streets safely, let alone survive in the wilds.
Even the so-called elites of Elsella were, in the Abyss, barely average.
That random pedestrian Orsaga casually killed earlier?
About the same level.
At most, they'd just barely stopped being walking snacks.
Only a handful—perhaps three to five individuals—could be considered true powerhouses.
After hearing Alison's reasoning, Orsaga gave a dismissive shrug and muttered, "Tch. Looks like reality gave you a proper slap."
He didn't seem moved.
Because this sort of thing was all too common.
Across the multiverse, uncountable planes had made contact with the Abyss.
Some treated it as a mining zone. Others as a colony. Some saw it as a strategic hub.
The motivations varied, but the ambition was the same—profit.
Everyone wanted a piece of the pie.
But 99.99% of them ended up dead.
Only a handful of top-tier civilizations ever managed to gain from the Abyss and walk away unscathed.
Alison, sensing his indifference, felt her heart sink.
"I know I already owe you far more than I could ever repay," she said softly, "but I beg you… please help us one more time. In return, I swear eternal loyalty to you."
She understood that she herself wasn't worth that much.
The so-called resources of the Elsella Kingdom had already been nearly depleted during their retreat and over the years of struggle.
What little remained wouldn't tempt someone like Orsaga.
Propping up her head with one hand and idly twirling a piece of meat on his fork with the other, Orsaga gazed at the sauce-glazed bite and said indifferently:
"Loyalty? Gratitude? That kind of stuff means nothing to me—it's just background noise. The only reason I ever helped the Elsella Elves was because I happen to like Golarial. Otherwise, I wouldn't have bothered with any of it."
His tone was brutally honest.
Yes—he liked her.
Not "love." Just "like."
But for someone like Orsaga—who based his actions entirely on personal whims—"liking" was already enough to influence his decisions.
After all, she was the only person he could genuinely say he liked.
If making her happy meant wasting some time doing meaningless things, he was fine with it.
Back then, when he helped the elves escape, and later when he occasionally lent support, it had all been for one reason:
Her.
No lofty ideals, no great cause.
Just that.
Hearing his words, Alison immediately understood—he truly didn't care about repayment.
And for a moment, she looked crestfallen, thinking he was turning her down.
But then—
Orsaga put down his fork, reached out, and gently lifted Golarial's chin.
With a curious tone, he asked, "Why haven't you said anything?"
From start to finish, Golarial had stayed silent. She hadn't said a single word in support of Alison's request—just sat quietly, like a bystander.
Yet Orsaga could sense clearly how much she cared about the fate of the Elsella Elves.
That was the place she had grown up in, filled with her kin and family.
Meeting his gaze, Golarial paused before speaking slowly:
"...I just think you've already done more than enough."
Given Orsaga's personality and methods, the fact that he'd helped a group of people he didn't even bother remembering the names of—just because of her—was already a miracle in itself.
Frankly, she didn't feel like she had the right to ask for anything more.
The truth was simple:
The only reason the Elsella Elves had survived this long at all…
Was because of Orsaga.
For a Greater-Rank Abyssal Demon to go against his own kind and nature to that extent was already above and beyond.
"Hahahaha~"
Hearing her response, Orsaga burst into laughter, loud enough to drown out the dozen-strong choir performing nearby.
Grinning from ear to ear, he said:
"That's exactly why I like you—you're a damn good woman."
Even though she cared deeply for her homeland, she still considered his perspective first.
That kind of thing sounded simple.
But for someone to truly do it from the heart?
That was rare.
Rare enough to make him genuinely happy.
He had never expected that someone—anyone—would one day think about things from his point of view.
Especially not someone like him.
It was a strange and unfamiliar feeling.
But… not unpleasant.
After he finished laughing, Orsaga turned to Alison and said:
"I'll help you. As for the cost… don't worry about it."
Then he waved toward the choir, signaling them to resume singing.
Kindness for kindness. Cruelty for cruelty.
That was the one remaining principle from his past life as a human.
And it remained his code of conduct even now.
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T/N:
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