N-A-A Page 28
Page 28
Only one chapter today, I'll try to write 10,000 tomorrow!
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Xia Die (Absolute Demonic Front: Battlefront!): 41: The most beautiful flower in the underworld has already bloomed.
"We meet again, Ereshkigal."
Faced with the other party's terrifying body, Xia Die gently curtsied, her demeanor flawless.
"How dare you show your face in front of me? Do you not take my words seriously?"
Ai Lei looked at Xia Die, and although she was pleasantly surprised, she still snorted coldly.
"How could that be? I remember every word you said, but I have a reason for coming here."
Every single sentence?
Hearing Xia Die's words, Ai Lei secretly felt a little shy.
Consequently, her tone softened somewhat.
"I will allow you to state your reasons, and if you can convince me, I will allow you to leave the underworld alive."
She said lightly.
For some reason, the other person's words about walking out of the underworld alive always reminded Xia Die of a certain Thor. Would Ai Lei also stab her the moment she walked out of the underworld?
"People say you are an evil god who imprisons souls at will and toys with them for thousands of years. However, since I came to the underworld last time, I have found that everything here is different from what people say."
Xia Die gently shook her head and said softly.
"What's different? Is it that there are more souls in these gun prisons than you imagined?"
Ereshkigal snorted and said.
"Yes, but what's even more different is that I've come to understand the true nature of this world. Although this is the underworld, there is no place to accommodate souls. Legend has it that the underworld is where the souls of the dead reside, but this underworld is far too barren, so barren that souls simply cannot survive here. They merely exist in this world and will slowly dissipate, or become evil spirits."
"How is this any different from what you were trying to say?"
Ai Lei frowned slightly, not understanding what Xia Die meant by saying this.
“Those gun cells, though seemingly cruel, are used to imprison souls. But in this bitter and cold underworld, they are a sanctuary for these souls. Only here can these souls exist peacefully, instead of dissipating in this underworld.”
"I never imagined these cages could serve this purpose. I thought they were just for streetlights... No wonder there are no other souls in the underworld besides those in these cages... It turns out Ereshkigal sheltered all the souls..."
Upon hearing Xia Die's words, Ishtar suddenly realized that this time, the look in her eyes as she looked at the soul in the gun prison behind her was no longer one of pity, but rather one of relief.
If it weren't for Ereshkigal, you would all probably have vanished by now...
She said it silently to herself.
"So what? It's just so that these souls can be enslaved by me forever."
Seeing the stunned expressions on Ishtar's and the others' faces after hearing Xia Die's words, Ereshkigal was clearly flustered and immediately added, "..."
"Then... how does that meticulously tended flower field answer when I came? You know better than I do the purpose of that flower field."
"It's just to add a bit of color to this boring underworld. Is that so strange?"
She continued to argue.
"Wait, I almost forgot to ask you earlier, what's with that flower field? I didn't see it when I came here last time."
Ishtar suddenly remembered something and looked at Ereshkigal, asking.
She knew Ellie; if flowers could bloom in this place, Ellie would have done it long ago. Over the years, Ellie had tried countless times.
"It is my ability. In my hometown, the underworld is filled with countless flowers of the underworld. When I came here, I saw the scenery of this underworld and felt that it was missing something, so I took it upon myself to cultivate these flowers here."
Xia Die briefly recounted her previous experience of coming to the underworld.
"It really was you. Did you really plant all these flowers?"
Ai Lei's eyes widened, and she suddenly looked at Xia Die with some excitement.
She had suspected that Xia Die was behind it, but since Xia Die left the Underworld, Ai Lei hadn't asked any further questions.
Although she chatted with Xia Die quite a bit while using Ishtar's body, she never mentioned it to avoid revealing her identity.
"I just feel that this world needs a flower field like this, nothing more. The underworld is too vast; wouldn't it be too monotonous if only souls were there for company?"
Xia Die smiled gently as she looked at Ai Lei in front of her.
"So, you pity me? You planted these flowers in the underworld because you were afraid I'd be lonely? Yes, in this vast underworld, for millions of years, I've been the only one with these souls devoid of self-awareness..."
After hearing Xia Die's words, Ai Lei asked, her tone leaving no room for interpretation.
"No, everything I've done is not out of pity. It's all your choice, and I won't judge your choice. Besides... to me, death, while serious, is not frightening. Everything you're doing now is your choice, and I won't judge it."
Xia Die gently shook her head, and then slowly walked up to Ai Lei.
"I planted these flowers here simply because I wanted them to bloom in this underworld. Their purpose is not out of pity, but to complement it."
"set off?"
Ai Lei looked at Xia Die in front of her, her tone somewhat puzzled.
"Yes, even the most vibrant flowers need green leaves to set them off, and the underworld is no exception."
"But there are no flowers in this underworld, nor is there any need for adornment."
Ai Lei shook her head.
"No, there is. In the very center of the underworld, the most beautiful flower in the underworld has already bloomed."
As Xia Die spoke, she gently grasped Ai Lei's hand.
Beneath that grotesque skeleton lay not a bone-chilling cold, but a warmth unique to the young girl.
"Wow. I underestimated Xia Die somewhat."
Upon hearing Xia Die's words, Gilgamesh couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.
I originally thought this girl's greatest strength was her physical ability, but I didn't expect her to be so amazing in other aspects as well.
Anyone could see that after Xia Die said those words, Ereshkigal's heart had been severely shaken.
"Thank you, thank you for your help all this time, and for chatting with me every night. If it weren't for you, I might have encountered a lot more trouble."
"So...you knew everything? When?"
The armor, formed from the fusion of flesh and bone, crumbled completely at that moment. As the grotesque appearance faded, Ereshkigal's true face was revealed to everyone.
Her long, golden hair, as dazzling as the sun, and her dignified and beautiful appearance were a stark contrast to her previous grotesque skeletal body.
Xia Die (Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia): 42: Replenish Anna's mana
"Is this what Ereshkigal really looks like? It's completely different from before."
Ushiwakamaru said with some surprise.
"That's only natural, isn't it? She's my sister, so naturally she's just as beautiful as me."
Ishtar gently reached out and tidied her hair, saying proudly.
"Hmm... Do you remember when you last came to the Underworld, you touched my hand? At that moment, the familiar aura emanating from you made me recognize you. How could my friend, with whom I've always had pleasant conversations, be an evil goddess?"
After revealing the other party's identity, Ai Lei had already become a little blushing. In order not to make the other party too shy, Xia Die still gave her a way out.
"I see... I knew it, my disguise shouldn't have been that bad..."
Slightly embarrassed, Ai Lei scratched her cheek and said.
"Do you remember what I told you last time? I said I would bring you a gift when we meet again."
Looking at Ellie in front of her, Xia Die smiled, took out a small box from her bosom, and handed it to Ellie.
"This is..."
Ai Lei took the box and slowly opened it under Xia Die's smiling gaze, then blushed immediately.
"Isn't this a bit too early? We've only known each other for a short time... This kind of development is a bit too fast for me!"
Looking at the items in the box, Ellie's cheeks flushed red, and even her voice became louder.
However, a hint of smugness and satisfaction appeared on her face as she took the item out of the box and slowly put it on her wrist.
Furthermore, she deliberately wore it on her ring finger, and then casually tossed her golden hair, revealing the gemstone ring that radiated a beautiful luster to everyone's eyes.
As a Servant, it's normal to know some knowledge that doesn't belong to this era, right?
Suddenly, Xia Die noticed that the way other people were looking at her had become a little strange.
As for this ring, Xia Die didn't really think about it that way at first... but for some reason, when she was preparing a gift, she naturally made it.
Looking at everyone's expressions, Xia Die realized she was in trouble. It seemed that people in this era also had the concept of rings. It was supposed to be before Christ, so why did they have this idea?
Can you even influence an era from thousands of years ago?
You win.
This ring is not expensive, and the materials used are just ordinary gemstones, but the sentiment it contains is by no means weak. After all, it was made by Xia Die herself.
"Ahem, I understand what you mean. This ring is proof of our contract. From now on, you are my master!"
Seeing the expressions on Ishtar and Ushiwakamaru's faces, Ereshkigal coughed lightly twice, then reached out her hand and decisively signed a contract with Xia Die.
Ellie hadn't originally planned to sign a contract with Xia Die so soon, but taking advantage of the ring, it was a convenient way to go.
"I will watch over you in the underworld, and I will also take good care of this sea of flowers for you. In any case, you will have a place in the underworld."
After that, things were simple. After releasing the souls of Kusa City and Uruk, the journey to the underworld was successfully completed, and there was no reason for anyone to stay in the underworld any longer.
This is, after all, the land of the dead; it would be best for the group of living to leave quickly.
"By the way, there's something I need to discuss with you and King Gilgamesh."
As she was leaving, Xia Die suddenly remembered something. She then told Ushiwakamaru and Ishtar to leave first, while she discussed something with Gilgamesh and Ereshkigal. If this matter was feasible, the losses in Uruk could be minimized during the final battle.
The matter is quite simple: drag the underworld underground in Uruk.
These magical beasts have very low death resistance, a fact that Xia Die discovered long ago.
If, during the final battle, Harley and Ereshkigal join forces to break the boundary between life and death, allowing the River Styx to flow and become Uruk's moat...