Chapter 121: Helping the Elf Miss Understand Emotions
"Actually..." Serie's tone carried a near-innocent yet chilling calmness. "I was thinking, if Eric could continue to live as the Demon King, allowing this chaos and threat to persist, wouldn't this world be more interesting?"
Kurtz abruptly stopped in his tracks.
Serie seemed oblivious to Kurtz's discomfort and continued speaking. "You see, a powerful Demon King possessing the power of the Goddess would inevitably force all races to unite, thereby starting a new war. And in this war, magic would once again develop, just like the thousands of years of mythical era wars. Then, fight, keep fighting."
"Serie, it's wrong for you to think this way." Kurtz helplessly turned around, using a bit of force to knead the cheeks of the slightly twisted Elf Miss in front of him.
"War isn't that interesting. Countless lives will suffer and be destroyed because of it. Do you want the Elf Kingdom to experience the same tragedy as the Elf Forest?"
Because of his involvement, the Elf Kingdom was spared from destruction by the Demon Race. However, the decline of the Elves was already irreversible. But it wouldn't be like in later generations, where the Elf race faced near extinction, it would just lose its former glory.
Serie fell silent. She indeed did not want the Elf Kingdom to experience such a tragedy again.
Kurtz continued to persuade: "And I believe Eric is also looking forward to his release. Don't let an old friend be tormented any longer, Serie."
Serie was moved by Kurtz's incredibly serious and earnest tone. Perhaps what this man said was right?
She opened her mouth, seemingly wanting to argue, but didn't know where to start, eventually just muttering softly: "But if one day in the future, you are no longer by my side, what should I do?"
Before meeting Kurtz, Serie loved this chaotic era of various races and also enjoyed the current wars. But after meeting Kurtz, she found that adventuring with him was also a very pleasing thing.
However, Kurtz was, after all, just a short-lived human, with a lifespan of no more than a hundred years. Once he was gone, how would she spend the long days of the future?
Ultimately, she could only return to her initial thoughts. War and chaos. That was her best way to pass her uninteresting life.
"It's alright!" Kurtz's voice softened. "I will always be by your side and won't go anywhere."
He knew that Serie wasn't acting out of malice, it was just that the Elves' long lives and faint emotions made her view problems too indifferently. Her perspective, shaped by centuries of existence, naturally gravitated toward seeing mortals as fleeting players in a grand, eternal game.
He had to make her understand human feelings, understand Eric's pain. Only then could he, step by step, help the Elf Miss understand human emotions.
"Eric is our companion. He once fought to protect, but now, what he needs is peace. Helping him end his suffering is our best choice."
After a moment of silence, Serie's eyes no longer held her initial thoughts. Instead, there was a look of contemplation and a hint of confusion. She seemed to truly understand the weight of the human emotions in Kurtz's words for the first time.
"I understand," she finally said softly. "Then do as you say. Now let go of me, you audacious fellow."
This man seemed genuinely angry, even increasing his strength a bit, causing her some pain. How annoying. I'll remember this grudge.
Kurtz released his hands, looking at the slightly red marks on Serie's small face that he had pinched. He rubbed them tenderly, but her small hand pushed his away.
Night had fallen deep. In the clearing, a small bonfire was lit. The air was filled with the smell of burning branches and a faint, almost imperceptible scent of charring.
Serie sat cross-legged by the bonfire, her eyes fixed unblinkingly on the figure beside the fire. The flames cast dancing shadows across her golden hair, making it shimmer like liquid metal in the darkness.
Kurtz was somewhat awkwardly flipping the skewers in his hand. Not having cooked for himself for a long time made him flustered for a moment.
Serie recalled a long time ago. Back then, it was just the two of them, no one else, and no fated battles later on, just them. Now, they had finally returned to the very beginning.
Serie was very happy in her heart, but she still feigned an unhappy expression.
"Hmph." Serie's nose twitched, catching the smell of charring in the air, and she let out an undisguised snort of disdain. "Kurtz, did you burn it?"
The few pitiful Grayhorn Rabbit meat pieces had already turned black at the edges. Serie even unhesitatingly believed that these charred bits and the Goddess's encroaching darkness were equally terrifying existences.
Kurtz's hand paused, a hint of embarrassment flashing across his face. A bit awkward. He hadn't cooked for too long, especially after getting a pot; he rarely made skewers, so now he didn't know how to do it.
This won't do. He was, after all, a man who had survived in this world for over half a year by making skewers. How could such a small setback defeat him!
So Kurtz immediately focused his full attention on the skewers in his hand. He had only used such intense concentration when Orger fully unleashed his magic, but now he was using it on skewers. One could only say it was somewhat comical.
And, as expected, the skewers became even more charred.
"Ahem," Kurtz began to cover up with a teasing smile. "Actually, sometimes a little charring makes it taste better!"
Seeing Serie's disbelief, Kurtz defended himself again: "It's inevitable for my skills to be rusty after thirty years of not cooking. Besides, my secret seasonings aren't with me. A clever cook can't cook without seasonings!"
As he spoke, he handed Serie a skewer of rabbit meat that looked the best: "This one looks decent, want to try it?"
Serie looked suspiciously at the skewer that still had some charred parts. Her elven senses could detect the acrid smell of burnt protein, but something about his earnest expression made her hesitate to refuse outright.
She didn't believe this man's excuses. But seeing his efforts to promote it, Serie finally, with a 'let's just try it' mindset, took it carefully.
Having learned her lesson, she first blew on it to cool it down, then opened her small mouth and gently bit a small piece from the uncharred edge.
"Hmm..." After carefully chewing, Serie's eyes narrowed slightly; it seemed she was savouring the taste, but in reality, it was because the taste was horrendous. The meat was tough and flavorless, requiring considerable effort to swallow.
"It's so tough, and it doesn't even have much flavour!" She commented mercilessly. "Compared to what you used to grill, it's so bad, like really, really bad."
Kurtz chuckled a few times, putting down the skewer he was about to offer again, and poked the fire with a branch to make the flames burn brighter. The sparks danced upward into the star-filled sky, carrying with them the memory of simpler times.
"Yes," Kurtz said with a hint of recollection, "Back then, I never imagined that a casually grilled mushroom skewer would attract an Elf Miss."
[End of Chapter]
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