Lu Mingfei, become the King of Elden!

Chapter 97 Drifting Towards the Northern Undead Asylum

Lu Mingfei remained silent. He looked at the exquisite yet empty shell, as if he were seeing a mirror, and in the mirror was his former self.

This girl probably escaped from Stoneville by some unknown means after witnessing the tragedy of her companions.

Her desire to be "the same" was not an endorsement of Greke's twisted and horrifying "body art," but rather an inability to bear the immense loneliness of living alone, gnawed by nightmares and guilt, as if it were a betrayal of her companions.

In her already shattered worldview, the bravest thing she could think of was to die with her companions and become "pupae" hanging on the spider's limbs, thus ending her loneliness and indebted guilt.

Is this courage?
No, girl, no, that is the deepest and most pathetic cowardice.

"it's not your fault."

Lu Mingfei planted the greatsword in the ground. He crouched down, then gently knelt on one knee, the joints of his armor rubbing together with a soft creaking sound.

The girl slowly raised her empty eyes, focusing blankly on Lu Mingfei's face, which was covered in mud and blood.

“It’s not your fault,” he repeated. “The fault lies with that old, ugly demigod, that damned limb-splitting Grik, and this place is a huge, stinking, frozen pile of dog shit.”

Your companions... are heroes.

Yes, this damned borderland is a place where laws are broken, demigods are insane, monsters roam, and conspiracies abound. It's more disgusting than a pile of shit that's been fermenting in a mud pit for eight hundred years! It's constantly trying to crush you, devour you, twist you, and turn you into a madman, a monster, or a cold corpse.

A spark shone in the girl's eyes.

Lu Mingfei continued:
"But death is absolutely not courage. True courage is knowing that reality is a stinking pile of dog shit, yet still opening your eyes wide to see its filth, then gritting your teeth, holding your breath, and using every ounce of strength you have to scrape a mouthful of food out of that pile of dog shit, eat it, and live on."

I imagine your companions wouldn't want you to die either.

As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized how crude they were. Spending so much time with the old knight had even tainted his speech with that roguish, unruly air.

What if that old guy were here, and the person opposite him was himself?

...Lu Mingfei subconsciously reached behind his back to cover himself.

The old man would definitely kick him so hard he'd stumble, then curse and say, "As long as the hell I can still breathe and stand, I have to live! Only by living can I find a chance to smear this shitty world back in the faces of the scum who created it!"
Just to prove—I'm not broken yet! There are still people who haven't been tamed by this damn place!
In the girl's empty eyes, the faint glimmer of light flickered like a candle in the wind, yet stubbornly swayed. Muddy tears welled up silently, washing away the dust and dried blood from her face, leaving streaks of filth.

Seeing the faint light in the girl's eyes, Lu Mingfei felt a slight easing of his tension. He took a deep breath, lowered his voice, and tentatively asked:

"And now? Do you still want to die?"

The girl's body trembled, as if she had been forcibly pulled back to reality. She remained silent for a long time, so long that Lu Mingfei thought the tiny flame that had just ignited in her heart had been extinguished.

"Thank you." She paused, as if gathering her strength, and then said a name: "My name is Rodrika."

Rodrika. Lu Mingfei silently repeated the name in his mind. A specific person with a name, no longer "that girl" or "the survivor".

"I……"

Rodrika's voice choked with emotion; she sniffed hard, trying to suppress her surging emotions.
"I still want to go see them again, to see my companions. You go first, I'll leave when I'm ready."

The will to die in her heart had not yet dissipated, but it was no longer as intense. Rodrika wanted to face their hellish end with the weight of "life" forcibly imposed upon her by her companions. Not to die, but to say goodbye.

As Lu Mingfei watched her thin shoulders tremble slightly, a mixture of emotions welled up inside him: "Damn it, why did this trouble have to happen to me?" and "Damn it, I can't just leave it alone."

Sending this skinny little girl, whom he could lift with one hand, into that kind of meat grinder is practically suicide, isn't it? Lu Mingfei wasn't sure what he was thinking, but a fire suddenly welled up in his chest.

Is it anger? Ah, yes, it's silent anger at this damn borderland.

He stood up and dusted off his knees.

"Row."

Lu Mingfei spoke succinctly, bending down to pull out the two swords stuck in the ground. The heavy blades scraped against the ground, making a harsh scraping sound.

"Let's go, Rodrik."

He pronounced the name very clearly, as if he were making a pact.

"I'll take you there."
-
"arrive."

Lu Mingfei's voice noticeably lowered. He pulled on the reins, and the spirit horse suddenly slowed down, finally coming to a steady stop.

The wind grew stronger, whipping up blood and dust that rushed towards us.

Behind him, Rodrika clung tightly to his waist, her small body almost pressed against his cold armor to prevent herself from being thrown off by the incredible speed.

Her dark red hood, adorned with gold thread, was blown backward by the wind, revealing her blonde hair plastered against her pale face.

This reminded Lu Mingfei of Zero. That "Ice Queen," always expressionless yet always able to intrude into his life with an air of entitlement. What was she doing right now? Was the sunlight at Kassel College the same as that at the border?

He missed her a little.

Yes, he can't go back. Until he gains the strength to face the crisis, he's like a kite with a broken string, drifting on this decaying land. Isn't this another kind of, more thorough exile?
Perhaps this is the fate of the knights known as "lost home".

"Mr... Mr. Lu Mingfei?"

Rodrik's voice was faint, almost torn apart by the gale:
Are you really going to take me in?

The voice was filled with fear and worry for Lu Mingfei's safety. Rodrika knew very well what was in that city. Perhaps Lu Mingfei was powerful, but how could he travel smoothly with a burden like that?
Rodrigo didn't want to be a burden to him.

Lu Mingfei pursed his lips, his voice soft yet firm:

"Ah."

Rodrigo cannot see the Blessing, so she cannot use it to replenish her Dewdrops or move around. Fortunately, Lu Mingfei can still summon ponies to travel.

Well, I hope Melina won't mind.

(End of this chapter)