76 Departure

"Are you sure? This quest is among the most difficult, even for the Saint Rank. For an advancement quest, this is the worst quest of the three. It's very likely you'll die, and if you somehow survive, you'll be crippled, unable to battle again."

"I can't stop you from accepting this quest. All I can do is warn you of the dangers that come with it." She explained, ensuring Ayla understood exactly what dangers came with this quest. "If you're still willing to accept this quest even after my warning, it won't be the guild's responsibility if you die or end up crippled."

"I understand." Ayla nodded. "I'll accept it."

The receptionist took the sheet of paper and went to register the request. She had given her a warning and wasn't going to persuade her into choosing another quest. Naturally, she thought Ayla was asking for death, but she didn't show this on her face.

If she died, it would be a great loss for humanity, as a great talent had lost their life, but it was all their fault, not hers or anyone else's, as she had tried persuading her. Maybe it was arrogance, or maybe she had the strength, but neither of them mattered to her anymore.

She maintained her professionalism and swiftly finished registering Ayla's quest, returning to the receptionist desk.

"The quest has been registered, but you'll have to wait three days before you can take the quest. Use this time to prepare what you need for the quest, and return in three days."

"Thank you." Ayla turned around and left, with Kei accompanying her behind her. She immediately returned to the inn, not wanting to waste any more time.

****

"Have you noticed anything?" Armant inquired, seeing Kei enter the throne hall.

Kei stopped before the throne, falling to one knee. "There wasn't much... Other than her showing no reaction to the brutality she had done to the adventures, which isn't significant as there are many saints that would react the same, what really caught my attention though was the quest she selected for her advancement."

"And what did she select?"

"It was a quest that even I don't think I could easily complete. The quest's target itself is not easy to handle, nor are the other factors that come with it. Her quest is to kill the…"

Taking a brief pause, Kei spoke of the content of the quest.

"What? How could she have accepted this quest?" Armant couldn't help but exclaim. He assumed the quest she registered would be one of the many low-difficulty Saint quests, as they had less risk for a Saint-ranked adventurer but were still somewhat of a challenge. He couldn't have expected how crazy her selection was going to be!

Armant stared blankly at Kei as silence ensued. Only the continuous sound of Armant's index finger tapping against the throne's arm could be heard, breaking the silence slightly.

Kei remained on his knees, not looking up at all during this time. He could feel that his king was at a loss for words. He didn't speak a word, giving him the time he needed to clear his thoughts.

"For a newcomer, whether it's overconfidence or something else, she's crazy. She selected this quest, and it's her fault if she's dead. Unfortunately, if she's dead, it'll cause great problems for me, especially after what I did to gather the things she requested."

"I can't let her die, so that leaves me with only one option: to make sure she lives. You'll go with her to the location of the quest, and if she's in any danger, you must ensure her survival." Armant finally came up with a solution. "If she doesn't survive, don't even think about returning. Do you understand?"

"Yes, my king."

****

'Finally…' Ayla lied on her bed with her eyes closed, cherishing the silence she could only experience on occasion.

[Can we talk?] Cynthia asked, disturbing the little peace Ayla had.

She opened her eyes, seeing the transparent screen that displayed Cynthia. 'Have you come to an understanding of what you did and how I felt?'

[I have…]

'I don't feel any certainty in your words. Do you think a few days of contemplation is enough?" Ayla looked at Cynthia without any emotion on her face. 'For now, let's refrain from talking anymore with each other, other than what's necessary. Once I return to Earth, I'll reconsider it.'

[But…] Cynthia tried to refuse, only for her to be silenced by Ayla.

'As I assumed, you haven't learned anything since then. You're still trying to force yourself into my life without giving me the choice to let you in on my own. The relationship you want to have with me isn't something that can be forced by one side.'

She turned her head, closing her eyes. 'You're a goddess with the power to force me to do your bidding. But that's not what you want, is it? You want me to share the same feelings you have for me. If that's what you truly want, it's best to give me the space I need.'

'I suggest you consider everything before my return. If you can't understand the wrong you've done in the time I'm giving you, you can forget about restoring our relationship.' Ayla waved her hand, canceling the screen that had Cynthia's saddened face.

Without any more disturbances, Ayla returned to her peaceful rest, enjoying the silence that she had always cherished and falling into the depths of sleep before she could even realize it.

Meanwhile, in a different place, one with the purest of eldritch energy, Cynthia sat on the bed with her legs hugging her chest and her arms tightly wrapped around them. Her face was bright red, with tears trickling down her red cheeks.

"Ayla… Please forgive me." She muttered into her tear-drenched legs, feeling grief inside her. Unbeknownst to Ayla, the only thought on her mind since that day had been Ayla.

****

It was early in the morning, and the sun had already risen into the sky. The day for Ayla to complete her advancement quest had finally come.

Ayla had already been waiting on the roof of the inn, looking into the distance as if she were waiting for someone.

Even though she wasn't concerned about this quest, the king had asked for Kei to accompany her for some reason.

Ayla assumed that it was because of the danger of the quest, but she didn't put much thought into it. Kei accompanying her didn't place her at any disadvantage, except that she couldn't show her true strength. However, in the first place, she already had no intention of using her entire strength.

Fortunately, it didn't take long before she noticed Kei's presence. "You're late."

"There were a few preparations that I had to take care of."

Behind Ayla, Kei stood, a frown appearing on his face. To his surprise, she was still donning light armor, the same black armor she had worn from the start. He could tell just from sight alone that her armor wasn't ordinary.

On the other hand, he donned heavier armor that mainly favored defense while still giving him enough mobility so that it wouldn't hinder his strength. That way, he could protect Ayla with his immense speed and the armor's defense.

"Let's not waste anymore time; follow me." Ayla's figure flickered, appearing in the distance on another roof. She didn't wait for Kei, and her figure disappeared again.

Ayla soon appeared at the entrance of the adventure guild, with Kei following directly behind, where a carriage was already waiting for them.

A middle-aged man, who appeared to be the examiner for her advancement quest, stood before the carriage, waiting for their arrival.

"You're finally here." The examiner didn't say more than was needed and stepped inside the carriage, only gesturing for them to enter after he was seated.

Ayla didn't seem bothered by the examiner's actions, and she walked inside the carriage, finding the seat across from him. Kei also entered, failing to hide the dissatisfied expression on his face from the examiner's eyes.

With everyone inside the carriage, the carriage started moving, heading in the direction of the quest's location, far from the capital city.