We're already outside the Storm's Edge, but nearby there's still the carcass of the giant serpent. Leon slowed his pace, leading Zoe and the Elemental Beast into the dead corner of the serpent's mountainous corpse.
The shadows approached, revealing themselves as two Desert Beasts.
No, they were no longer Desert Beasts; they had been completely transformed by the power of the Earth Core.
[Treasuremaws]
[After devouring precious ores and gems, these demons have become closer kin to the earth]
[Species: Wolf Species]
[Combat Wisdom: Tier 1]
[Servant: None]
[Energy Source: None]
[Physical Strength: Jade Claw, Tier 4. Hard Ore Fang, Tier 3. Mineral Skin, Tier 3.]
[Special Attack: Sharp Cutting]
[Skills: Desert Adaptation]
[Combat Power Amplification: 0]
They retained the low intelligence of Desert Beasts; by habit, they would certainly have become servants of the Star Soul.
Zoe held her breath, her body accumulating power, swaying slightly.
"Shall we fight?" she asked softly.
"Yes."
"Alright!"
The young girl advanced in a rush.
Stepping forward a few paces, she suddenly retreated with a few quick steps, sticking out her tongue at Leon: "About fighting these demons are there any key points? I almost forgot, hehe."
"...No."
"Then let's go!"
The young girl leaped from the hiding place, wielding the Wind Treasure Artifact. The wind surrounding her became her ally, propelling her forward swiftly, nearly catching the two evolved Desert Beasts off guard.
They screamed sharply, separating left and right, attempting to flank Zoe.
Leon sent the Elemental Beast to action. This gemstone-covered elemental creation leaped, drawing a bright colorful arc, landing with a cloud of dust. Amidst the dust, one Treasuremaw was already pinned beneath it.
The Treasuremaw immediately attempted to roll away, while aggressively attacking the Elemental Beast with its sharp claws and fangs.
Yet, though equally empowered by the environment, the qualitative difference between them was stark; its claws and fangs couldn't scratch the Jade Armor, only producing a teeth-grinding friction sound.
The young girl advanced with a step, using Wind Swordsmanship to assault the other Treasuremaw.
The Treasuremaw rolled on the ground, dodging her horizontal slash, then side-stepped to evade the vertical cut. But the girl's moves were not fully exerted; she held back, followed lightly, seized the opening, and thrust her sword at the Treasuremaw's neck.
With a reverberating clang, its substance-fortified skin resisted the sword's thrust; the tip only pierced slightly.
"There's more!"
Zoe shouted agilely, her figure poised in perfect striking form, arms simultaneously pressing the sword edge, while channeling the elemental energy of the Wind Breath Sword.
As the sword tip pierced, wind blades burst forth, accompanied by sounds of tearing through tattered flesh and crushing rock. The wolf beast's neck was penetrated suddenly, and it flopped over dead.
Leon glanced at the gaping head wound of the distant serpentine corpse.
Indeed, the swordsmanship was akin in lineage.
Under his lead, the Treasuremaw pinned by the Elemental Beast met the same fate, its neck was bitten cleanly in a brutal maw.
After slaying the two demons, Zoe panted, sheathing her sword, turning back to Leon with a victory V-sign.
"Well done, then, I don't know whether to praise you for remembering to stay calm, or to blame you for not being calm."
"Oh~"
Zoe ran over to Leon's side, whining and clinging to his arm.
Pressing so close, sensing the girl's light presence and breath, Leon seemed to be floating, quickly untangling from her coddling.
He rubbed his temples, thinking to himself not to let his judgment be swayed by her bit by bit.
Having dealt with the Treasuremaws, they let the Elemental Beast sort out the usable materials from them, the two continued their path to the ruins.
The stone contours became clearer, Zoe suddenly asked, "What did the notebook say further?"
"Do you want to check now?"
Leon was a bit surprised; she had suggested coming to the ruins first, and now at the doorstep, she wants to look at the notebook.
The girl nodded seriously, so he opened the pages.
"March 7, Year 293
"The day of departure is imminent. I crafted a bunch of farm tools to give to the villagers, but the enchantments on them startled them, thinking the tools were weapons meant to attack them. Only then did I notice how primitive their tools were.
"They resent the disturbance during our combat with the Star Soul and hold much animosity towards us.
"Lily got angry and scared them even more."
After reading this, Zoe chuckled lightly, "Mom is really something, even more child-like than I am."
Turning to the next entry.
"March 8, Year 293
"Lily is carefree, while I worry that the villagers' fear might transform into harm against Zoe after our departure.
"Yet Lily remains unworried. I suspect she might have used Mind Magic on the villagers, but she merely smiles without word.
"Later, Lily gave Zoe hints, ensuring she would always remember our advice.
"When she grows up and gains her own self, she will free herself from these hints."
Leon looked at the calm-faced girl beside him.
"Nothing much."
Zoe showed no emotion, gazing at the glazed dome, she said slowly, "Recently, I've realized many things I thought were wrong before, then suddenly, it seems I've understood a lot more.
"I still remember Mom and Dad's instructions clearly, but I now know how to choose."
The girl watched Leon, her eyes glittering.
"It's all because Leon came."
"I just did what I thought was right."
"Mmm, I know."
Zoe took her father's notebook from Leon's hand, her fingers in budding color traced across the pages outside the Sootsteel Bracers.
"Last page," she whispered.
"March 12, Year 293
"The moment to leave the island has arrived.
"Nothing much left to say, the days spent living here were not long, nor complicated, but being with the loved ones brought a satisfaction I had never experienced before. This gave me the courage to fight anew.
"The notebook will be placed in the basement. We have instructed Zoe not to enter, but if we fail to return and she breaks from the hints, she might find this notebook.
"I don't know whether Zoe will face her destiny in self-awakening, or be drawn into destiny's awkward journey demanding awakening.
"Zoe, if you indeed find this notebook, I just want to say:
"Sorry."
The notebook ends with blank pages.
Zoe stared at the pages blankly, then gently closed it.
The girl who still wore a childish expression not long ago, now had complex emotions gradually settling into a sort of calmness.
"After reading the notebook, I understand now, everything they did was for me."
The girl held onto the notebook: "I suddenly really want to know where they went, what they encountered."
"Parents sometimes do all sorts of things for their children," Leon said.
"So I don't dislike them anymore, I realized what they mean to me."
The girl raised her gaze, ruby pupils reflecting Leon.
"Dad's last guess about what I would be like, what does Leon think?"
"Neither, probably."
"Hehe."
Zoe's face showed a peculiar smile: "Stuff about the Star Soul and the Island Heart World, if Leon hadn't come, I wouldn't have imagined how I would handle it.
"Why did you accompany me here?"
Why?
A while back, Leon was troubled about getting involved with the world's female lead, then—
"Unknowingly it just happened..." Leon felt like he somehow forgot the question halfway.
"Was it because I thick-skinnedly latched onto you?"
Perhaps. But Leon felt that now was not the time to answer this question.
"Besides, you being here, does it mean you've started to like me?"
"Uh, cough cough cough."
The young girl gazed up at the brilliant glass sky, arms spread wide.
"We're here together, I'm very happy.
"I can now tell Dad, neither fate, for my destiny now includes Leon.
"I've figured out how Leon is different from them."
Though the island core was filled with various corundum, the red in the girl's eyes at this moment was deeper than any ruby here.
"They are my mom and dad, but Leon is the one to be my mom and dad with."
"Uh, wait—"
The girl giggled, dashed a few steps ahead, then turned back, pointing to the nearby ruins.
"Let's go, take a look."
She didn't pursue the topic further, the smile in her eyes and at her lips gradually tucked away, like kept safely away until picked up again someday.