Chapter 169 I Hope We Can Meet Again



Due to Susan's oversleeping, they started departing for Peter's abode, which did not commence until approximately 9 o'clock. However, their initial plans for Peter's place were different. They were now prepared for their things in front of the tavern. Allen, burdened by a massive duffel bag that was three times his size, was filled to the brim with various household appliances. On the other hand, Rodion, carrying a much smaller pouch, held the remaining spices left in their kitchen.

"Allen! Can you really carry all that by yourself?!" yelled Susan.

"No problem."

As Allen heaved the bulky bag over his shoulder, the bustling morning crowd around him seemed to stop their morning routine and start to be aware of Allen's presence. Suddenly, he hoisted the bag easily. As Allen lifted it up, people gaped "Whoaah," they exclaimed in amazement, their voices now filled with awe for the weirdly-strong little boy.

"I'm more worried about the rope. Don't you have any way of not breaking it?" said Rodion.

"Don't worry, it won't break." The bag didn't have any rope, so Allen tied his scarf to his back and the bag.

"Alright, let's go," Rodion said once he locked the door.

The water month had begun, and Iva's child's birth was also approaching, expected in two weeks. Allen and Rodion decided to sleep at Iva's house until she gave birth. As for Susan, she would be shuttled by Allen from her house to Peter's.

"Alleeen!" a familiar-woman's voice called behind him. Allen turned around and saw the woman running towards him. She was wearing a priestess outfit and carrying a fire church staff in her hand.

"Miss Lavinia, I thought you had left the town in the early morning."

"Almost, I happened to be passing by here. So I just wanted to say goodbye first before you left. How about the healing amnis? Have you mastered it well?"

"I have; it's just that the use is less efficient because it seems like the spirits don't like me."

"That's probably more than enough. It should be able to help a little later."

"Yeah."

After that, they fell silent in a fairly awkward situation.

"Well then, I'll see you next time," Allen said as he turned around,

"Allen!" called Lavinia again, making Allen turn around once more.

"Yes?"

Lavinia's heart had a complicated feeling when she saw Allen in front of her. He had turned into the new Allen, who was fighting for something. It made her repeatedly rethink her mistake of ever intending to use him to escape from Queen Orc.

She realized how evil she was as a human being back then, once she was shackled by darkness to the point of wanting to kill Allen with her hands.

But there was one more thing that stuck in her mind—something she couldn't tell Allen.

He regretted that he didn't try to persuade the prince to let her raise him, as a result Allen became gloomy and hated humans. She always thought that Allen would forever be like that if she didn't do something. And she foolishly thought that she would one day return to Allen and teach him properly about love and compassion for others so that Allen could change.

But...

Allen has now changed,

and he changed without any intervention from her.

This indicates that she was too arrogant to think she should do something for him, as she was the only one who could do something about him, without thinking that Allen is also a human being who can change for the better without her.

In the end, she also wanted to use Allen for her own satisfaction. She perhaps, craved Allen who used to be so dependent on her, an innocent boy who knew nothing.

Allen is now grown up, a better person. He stood on his own, and had his own desires and goals.

'In the future, I am certain that without my presence, you will blossom into an even better version of yourself. You will encounter various experiences, whether it's hard or happy. As of now, it is imperative that I release myself from the burden of past sorrows.

I hope we can meet again later,

And at that time...'

-Chu

"!!!"

Lavinia gently kissed Allen on his left cheek, which surprised Rodion and Susan, leaving them frozen in awe.

"Goodbye, Allen. I hope we can meet again,"

Allen was also left perplexed and speechless, holding his cheek as he still felt the lingering sensation of Lavinia's soft lips.

He felt a strange feeling in his heart that he couldn't explain.

...

"You finally arrived, where have you been?" asked Birawa at the exit gate of Barkaley territory.

"I'm from Allen's place, saying goodbye. Have the others arrived?"

"Yes, they're buying snacks. We'll be leaving soon."

"Snacks? In morning?"

"I can't help it; our friend is said to get hungry very easily. He also said he will be responsible for bringing his own food, so I am okay with it."

Without waiting long, the person they were waiting for arrived,

"Oh, Lavinia. I haven't seen you in a long time. You look better this time," said a caster with a purple robe and purple hair in a long braid.

"Petronella... That time thank you so much for curing my mana poison,"

Petronella is a talented caster who graduated from the academy with top marks. Leofric previously hired her to raid dungeons with him because of her talent.

"Rather than poison, it's more like an obstacle to mana's path to exit the body. All I need to do is burn the seeds inside your stomach without destroying them."

"That sounds difficult,"

Then beside Petronella, was a large man in white armor carrying a large bag filled with food.

"Mr. George, it's nice to see you again," Lavinia said.

George nodded with a bright smile on his face.

"He was very happy when he found out that you were going to accompany him. He said he was grateful for healing his wound."

"What are you, the translator?" said Birawa.

"Oh, boss. Greetings," Petronella called out as Birawa interrupted them.

"Where's the other one?"

"I'm here... sorry for being late; I had to change my equipment before coming here." a tall man came with a large wooden arrow hanging from his back

"Aaah yeah, as I expected. it turns out that the archer called by the boss is you, Maurice."

"Hmm? Did you miss me?"

"Aaah don't talk like that; you make me hate you even more."

"Nice to see you again, Miss Lavinia," Maurice said, looking at Lavinia with smile.

"Nice to see you too."

'Uh this is a type of handsome guy that I didn't like,' Lavinia thought.

Birawa then patted his hand and said,

"Alright, enough chatting; let's continue later on the trip. There is a mission waiting for us.

Again, I will explain to you what kind of enemy you will face." As Birawa patted his hand, everyone started to prepare themselves for what he said.

Birawa tightened the sheath of his sword; Birawa turned his attention to the rest of the group. His expression was grave and sinister as he began to speak.

"We'll be fighting hundreds of Daemon Servus's combatants," Birawa continued, his tone unyielding. "These are not mere adversaries but true fanatics with no regard for their own lives. They will stop at nothing to achieve their objectives. According to the information, the ones we're facing now are not ordinary sect members but one of their high priests, the Order of Seven Devils, Alester." The gravity of the situation was palpable, and Birawa's words were enough to make anyone's blood run cold.

"I hope everyone has already made wills for their respective families," Birawa concluded, his words final. The weight of his words was not lost on the group, as the atmosphere shifted instantly. Everyone's faces became serious, and the gravity of the situation washed over them.

"I don't need to; I didn't think I'd just die anyway," Petronella said.

"I already gave it, just like Petronella I didn't mean to die either," said Maurice.

"Yes, no one here wants to die. What about Mr. George?" asked Birawa.

George replied with a thumbs up.

"Good... How about you, Miss Lavinia? Have you said goodbye to your family or those you hold dear?"

Lavinia gripped her staff tightly.

Birawa asked Lavinia because Lavinia was the only one who had been with Birawa since their encounter in the Boldenville region. Birawa had never seen her speak intimately with anyone else, so Birawa deduced that Lavinia was probably an orphan raised by the church. She had no one more precious to her than her friends. And those friends had already been killed by the Queen Orc.

Right now, the one she considered precious, was probably the person she cared about, like a younger brother, Allen.

"I have said my good bye to my brother," Lavinia replied.

Allen

I hope we can meet again later,

And at that time,

If we can meet again,

I hope I can eat your soup again.