Leo: "??"
Kelly: "??"
Kelly: "?!!!"
Kelly was completely stunned. The plan had been clear: she would be the one to step up, do this and that with Leo, and test whether what he said was really true.
And now?
Now the result was almost certainly real—and a little girl who had only shown up yesterday was suddenly trying to cut in line?!
"Hey, hey, kid. Even if this place is awful and makes you want to go home, there should still be an order to things, right? First come, first served. I've been away from home for a long time now, so no matter how you look at it, I should go first."
Kelly slung her M60 over her shoulder, looking exasperated. In a place like this, heavy weapons were far more reassuring anyway. After all, repairing firearms here only required a repair tool made from duct tape and iron ingots.
Once things were materialized, you could even find a whole pile of spare parts and tools. That mixer they had was repaired using parts from a repair kit.
So she wasn't particularly attached to revolvers anymore and had switched straight to this thing.
It was just too convenient.
In fact, she genuinely appreciated some of this world's special features. Just yesterday, she had deliberately given up several weapon rewards and instead chose blueprints for a forge and a chemistry station.
If it weren't for the zombie bird incident, she would have already gone all-in on forging.
After all, they had more than enough minerals. The storage crates filled with ore had already piled up high enough to form walls.
However, when faced with Kelly's question, Lux showed a pained expression. She stood up and bowed deeply to Kelly.
"Please forgive me, Miss Kelly, but I must save my country. If I stay here any longer, those people… those people will have no choice but to turn to Sylas."
"Huh? Sounds like a grand story I should listen to, but sorry, Miss Lux—I also have people waiting for me to save them. So please don't tell me. If you do, it'll weigh on my conscience and make me hesitate, and if I hesitate, my comrades might die."
Kelly waved her hand dismissively.
The reason she had allowed Tsunade to go first was because Tsunade's mental state was unstable, and because any threat against her would take time to materialize.
But waiting any longer wasn't an option.
Kelly knew she wasn't like Tsunade—she wouldn't develop deep emotional attachments to Leo just because of emotional upheaval. She thought Leo was a decent guy, and he could be her first man at the end of her life, sure—but she would never abandon her companions because of that.
Even if those companions had once doubted her.
Even if her reason for returning was simply to save them and then flip them off afterward.
She would not miss her battle.
She had already obtained this world's power, and it was strong—strong enough to help her former comrades and friends. So it was time to leave.
"I…"
Lux opened her mouth. She believed Kelly was telling the truth—but she herself was truly desperate.
Because of the rebellion sparked after Sylas, persecuted by Demacia's anti-magic laws, killed the king, countless innocent Demacian mages had been forced to flee the country. Otherwise, they would be arrested—or even executed.
And the origin of that rebellion was her.
Because she had foolishly trusted Sylas, out of sympathy, and taught him how to absorb others' magic to fight.
Then, because she sympathized with and liked Sylas, she allowed him to drain her own magic—leading to countless deaths. He incited rebellion, murdered her theoretical fiancé Jarvan IV's father, the King of Demacia.
Her brother Garen had nearly died as well.
The kingdom became terrifying overnight. Even those who had hidden their magic well were forced to flee Demacia, and everyone lived in fear.
Lux believed it was all her fault.
So she wanted to restore Demacia to what it once was. She found mages who had been abandoned by Sylas because they had families, gathered them and their loved ones, and led them out of Demacia. She hoped to give them normal lives again—and use their strength to change Demacia.
But if, at this critical moment, she couldn't protect them, then those mages would inevitably turn to Sylas, and be led by him to slaughter everyone.
If Sylas were a sane man, perhaps that outcome could still be debated—but he wasn't.
He had gone from one extreme to another.
He wanted mages to enslave ordinary people, and he never cared whether ordinary people lived or died.
Lux could not tolerate that.
So she had to go back—quickly.
"Uh…"
Leo didn't know what to say. Faced with Lux's gaze, he could only raise his hand.
"Obviously, my stamina and my body have limits, Miss Lux. And more importantly, sending people back requires energy—and so far, that energy can only be obtained through… marital activities. And the amount gained fluctuates depending on emotional factors. So even if you joined now, there's no guarantee we could quickly accumulate enough energy for you to return."
Leo spread his hands and explained again.
Rias couldn't help shaking her head, speaking while supporting her absurdly unreal-looking chest.
"So for you, this really is a very tragic ability."
Rias didn't say the rest aloud—that if what Leo said was true, then it really was pitiful.
Those without feelings would have to keep going endlessly, while those with feelings would leave after only a few times.
Honestly, that kind of life was a form of torment.
However, Kelly underestimated Lux's resolve.
"I can do anything! Miss Kelly! I'm not trying to take your place. If energy comes from emotional investment, then if I join too, wouldn't that help you return faster? If more energy can be obtained from me, then if Mr. Leo focuses on using me to accumulate energy, wouldn't that allow you to go back quickly?"
Lux's words made Kelly's mouth fall open.
She stared at Lux in disbelief.
The girl's determined expression, flushed cheeks, and tear-filled eyes all conveyed one thing clearly.
She was serious.
"I…"
Kelly opened her mouth, then looked at Leo. Leo, equally stunned, looked back at her.
Kelly could understand it. Leo could understand it.
But…
This was still way too absurd.
"Uh… what am I supposed to say? Is this what a noble lady is like?"
Kelly muttered helplessly, then quickly found a way to counter Lux.
"If you want to save your country, then you need to understand this world even more, Miss Lux. Some things here can give you tens of thousands of tons of steel in a single day, and teach you how to manufacture the weapons we're holding. That would be incredibly useful for saving a country. So you should stay here and study this world for a while."
She rummaged through her pockets irritably, unable to find a cigarette.
Leo nodded as well.
Even though part of him wanted Kelly in the morning and Lux at night, he was very clear about one thing: Kelly's stamina and endurance absolutely couldn't compare to Tsunade's—and he himself…
He could go head-to-head with Tsunade while she was using the Strength of a Hundred.
Granted, that was partly because Tsunade's body was overly sensitive—she'd surrender after just a few moves—but still.
Kelly would unquestionably be overwhelmed by him in every sense, unless she was the extremely low-sensitivity type.
Still, Kelly was right.
If Lux could master this world's systems and tools, then soldiers armed with steel-pipe machine guns, endless steel reserves, and massive quantities of gunpowder would be enough for Lux to found her own nation.
The only question was whether the abilities gained here could be used back in her own world.
But regardless, learning this world's mechanics could only be beneficial.
"And more importantly…"
Kelly walked up to Leo and hooked her elbow over his shoulder.
"This bastard's safety."