Chapter 22: A Farewell and New Paths
The midday sun bathed the village entrance in a warm glow as Alex, EMI, and Aria arrived, accompanied by the woman they had saved. They all stopped right at the entrance, where the main road split off in different directions.
Alex broke the silence:
—"Well, looks like this is where our paths part. What will you do now?"
The woman, still deep in thought, lowered her gaze for a moment before answering:
—"First, I'll find a safe place for all the girls I rescued. Even though I'm free, there are still people who see me as a criminal. I don't want to risk them suffering again."
EMI, with calm determination, stepped forward:
—"If anyone tries to hurt you again, I'll personally make sure they regret it."
The woman blushed at EMI's unexpected protectiveness, murmuring softly:
—"Thank you..."
On impulse, she grabbed EMI's hands tightly, making EMI look at her, puzzled.
—"Once I've finished what I need to do, I'd like to join you. I want to get to know you better, EMI."
EMI, not fully grasping the implication behind those words, smiled sincerely:
—"Of course. We could always use more help. Plus, you could help us keep Alex safe from bad people."
The woman's face briefly showed a hint of jealousy, though she quickly masked it. She turned toward Alex, bowed her head slightly, and took a breath before speaking:
—"Alex, I never thought I'd trust a man again... but you're different. Thank you. Please take care of Aria, and especially EMI. Because when I return, I'm going to make her fall in love with me—and only me."
Alex, with a calm smile, extended his fist toward her.
—"You have my respect. But remember: I'm just the supporting character. My job is to keep my friends safe. And now that includes you too."
The woman looked at him in surprise before smiling and bumping her fist against his.
—"We'll see about that."
With one last look at the group, the woman gave a gentle smile:
—"My name is Serena. See you soon."
Serena walked off toward the outskirts of the village, her silhouette vanishing into the crowd.
---
In a quieter corner of the village, a short, hunched figure observed a magical hologram projecting a detailed map of the city. His wicked smile contrasted with the ethereal glow of the map. Around him stood three other figures.
The first was a man dressed in ninja-like attire, though with flamboyant details that betrayed his lack of subtlety. His face was hidden, but a crazed smile twisted his mouth, revealing sharp fangs.
The second was a burly man, much taller than the rest. He wore partial armor covering his chest, forearms, and knees. His expression was full of excitement, as if eagerly awaiting an order to unleash his strength.
Behind them, a massive pink lion lay on the ground, three times the size of a regular lion. Black scales adorned its neck, front legs, and part of its tail, enhancing its intimidating presence. In a deep, tired voice, it spoke:
—"Can you keep it down? I'm trying to sleep."
The mage, without taking his eyes off the hologram, replied mockingly:
—"You'll sleep when the mission is done."
The lion huffed and lazily stood, approaching the group to peer at the map. His interest was minimal, but his eyes glimmered faintly at the projection.
—"We'll take this village and all the riches it hides," the mage declared confidently. "It's small, but enough to fund our plans."
The ninja-dressed man spoke with eagerness:
—"Can we have some fun with the townsfolk?"
The mage nodded dismissively:
—"Do whatever you want. But be careful. It seems one of the heroes sent by the Queen of Elsword is here."
The armored man clapped his fists together, grinning:
—"A hero? This is going to be fun. I've been dying to fight one."
Meanwhile, the lion yawned and curiously examined the projection, stopping at the images of their targets. His gaze settled especially on Alex, and a low growl escaped his throat.
—"That the guy with no special abilities?" he asked sarcastically.
The mage smiled.
—"Yes. Though something tells me he won't be as useless as he looks. That's why we need to be cautious."
The lion's eyes flashed with interest as he growled softly.
—"Interesting. Might be worth staying awake for this."
---
A few minutes passed before EMI finally processed Serena's words. Her face turned bright red as she spun toward Alex, almost demanding a response:
—"Did I just understand that woman said she's going to try to make me fall in love with her?!"
Alex, wearing a teasing smile, replied:
—"Looks like it. You're already starting your own harem in this world—just like you had back in ours. Although this time, you started with a girl."
Aria, surprised, jumped in:
—"EMI had a harem in her world?"
But after a brief moment of reflection, a mischievous grin appeared on her face:
—"That means if someone's already in love with EMI, then Alex is all mine."
EMI turned to her, annoyed:
—"Don't even think about it! Alex loves me more than he loves you."
The two began to argue while Alex, resigned, crossed his arms. Finally, Aria raised her voice triumphantly:
—"Alex still owes me a promise!"
Alex sighed, accepting his fate:
—"You're right..."
With a neutral expression, he wrapped an arm around Aria's waist, causing her face to turn beet red. Aria closed her eyes, certain she was about to receive an unforgettable kiss.
Instead, Alex simply leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.
EMI burst out laughing at Aria's stunned expression:
—"That was perfect."
But Aria, though surprised, turned with a satisfied smile:
—"At least I got a kiss on the forehead! What did you get?"
EMI, caught off guard, began to stammer about their amazing friendship and unique bond. The two girls resumed their bickering, leaving Alex between them, shaking his head as he muttered to himself:
—"Here we go again..."
The group continued into the heart of the village, surrounded by laughter and minor disputes, while in the distance, new threats quietly prepared to emerge.