[“I’ll create a happy ending, even if I have to force it.”]
Lilybet was momentarily speechless at the power in Shia’s voice.
An absurd tale, how could you, on what grounds, with what power?
All sorts of negative emotions surged and then sank within Lilybet’s mind.
But for some reason, she didn’t think it was impossible.
Because Isia is a saint.
Truly sincere.
She was a saint who had once saved another world.
With emotions, Lilybet also wanted to reach out to Isia.
To ask her to hold her hand.
That if this chaotic filth could be saved, she’d do anything.
‘But logic says otherwise…’
The gears stuck in Lilybet’s head began to creak and turn.
‘Sigh, could you not have come a little sooner?’
Why did you arrive just now?
Why have you only just reached me now?
No, even if we had met earlier, I wouldn’t have trusted Saint Isia, would I?
But how are you going to save this city?
What power do you have to save it?
How will you do it?
How could you possibly do what I couldn’t?
Yet Lilybet did not voice these words.
Because it was too pathetic.
She hated herself for still whining like a child.
She realized she still hadn’t grown.
“Saint Isia.”
So, she calmly stated the facts first.
“It’s impossible for you to save this filth now.”
“This is the very heart of Green City. The path here is far more complicated than the mazes of other dungeons, and even if you miraculously approached, countless enchanted pipes and traps I set beforehand will block you.”
“And in the meantime, I will have already completed the separation of Green City from Earth.”
“Once another fragment of the Demon King arrives above Green City, the work has already begun. At most, within an hour, Green City will be completely separated from Earth.”
“My mana, spread throughout the city, will synchronize with the fragment and complete everything, whether you like it or not.”
So don’t come.
It’ll be too late even if you do.
Don’t give me hope.
“You won’t even be able to reach this underground cavern where the heart is located, and even if you did, I would stop you. So go back. I will release your subordinate, Kim Hana, separately, so do not come. Don’t take meaningless steps.”
The depths of Green City are the heart of the city and the source itself, a place no one could find.
Even countless gangs could not reach here. The orc mafia known as Grakshar barely got close but was stopped by the enchanted traps.
If it’s Shia, she could surely overcome those traps, but finding the way is difficult, and if she gets caught in a trap, the complete separation of Green City will finish in the meantime.
“Saint Isia, I have already made up my mind. Please do not disregard my resolve…”
“Eh, I’m going to completely disregard it.”
“Huh?”
At that moment, Lilybet looked up at the voice coming from above her.
‘What? Did I hear wrong…..’
It wasn’t Shia’s voice connected to Kim Hana.
It was truly Isia’s voice.
“……..No, really?”
How did she get here?
Following the voice, Lilybet saw Shia waving her pure white hair and hands.
Shia waved as if she was quite happy to be there, leaving Lilybet momentarily stunned.
“Hello, Mint Queen! I’m the boss here to catch the employee I chased out of the dining hall!”
“………..”
Oh… really…?
But how did you get here?
The underground waterways of Green City are an otherworldly maze that can barely be described as such.
Aggressive monsters are everywhere, and enchanted trap pipes crawl around like tentacles.
The moment you approach the city’s heart, countless attacks will rain down on you, so how did you arrive here so quickly?
No, it’s not just coming quickly that’s troubling. Did none of the enchanted traps activate as you came here?
Even Grakshar, the native orc mafia, would run for their lives if caught in a trap…!?
Crack!
At that moment, Lilybet noticed the Grasshopper Chef next to Shia.
The chef was the same one who awkwardly avoided her gaze when he first saw her.
“You are…?”
“Do you know, Lilybet Queen?”
“What do you mean?”
And the Grasshopper Chef was holding a large pot in one hand.
It looked to be overflowing with some white substance, which must be the corruption porridge he specialized in.
Why is he here?
And why did he bring that porridge?
“Even though the queen’s true form, the heart of Green City, is a host of a fragment of the Demon King… she is still a living being, right? No matter how strong you are, you need to eat and live. Biological functions remain the same.”
“What are you suddenly talking about?”
“Then who do you think has been taking care of the queen’s true form?”
“…..!”
At that, Lilybet looked at the Grasshopper Chef.
Click, click…
The Grasshopper Chef merely clicked his jaw silently, staring at Lilybet.
He had said less and less since he first met her.
Subtle and silent ripples of emotion.
Anyone could overlook such a small singularity, but from there, Shia captured a delicate feeling emanating from the Grasshopper Chef, a member of the fan club.
“Ha ha! It’s part of the Gallery Master’s role to listen to the concerns of the fan club!”
“…Fan club?”
“Yeah! That’s my nickname for my fans! The Grasshopper Chef is a fan from the fan club!”
“…Ha, ha ha.”
Fan club.
Fan club, huh…
What kind of nonsense is that, you nerd!
“So, Grasshopper Chef, does that mean you’ve been taking care of my true form all along…?”
Click, click…
The Grasshopper Chef nodded without a word.
“Being a mere Grasshopper isn’t anything ridiculous, but I can’t help but ask: how do you know the way here?”
And Lilybet looked at the Grasshopper Chef with utter confusion.
Why are you here? And…
“…Why did you do that?”
Click, what are you, talking about…?
“How did you find your way here, and you say you’ve been feeding my true form? Even if monsters wouldn’t eat me, wouldn’t it have been fine to just leave me alone? We have no connection, do we? I mean, just look at the green pipes sticking out and the rising fog—do you not know they are the heart and source maintaining this city and the reason why you are trapped in this filth…!?”
Click… What does that matter…?
“…………..What?”
At those words, Lilybet fell silent.
“Initially… I found this place… because I was having difficulty living… in the city center… Click…”
So I wandered the underground until I discovered this place.
And not all monsters eat humans.
“I saw a girl… who was… thin and frail… with bones sticking out… connected to all sorts of pipes and wires… Click… As you said, upon connecting the green fog, the green sun, and the green mana, I naturally realized it must be the source of Green City…”
“So, why did you keep me alive instead of killing or eating me…?!”
Click… What reason is there…?
“Huh…?”
“What? I just… fed you… anything… you seemed out of it… and while still alive… couldn’t chew solids… Click… So I made… soup… I made many soups, but the corruption porridge… was the one you liked the most. Click.”
Green City has an abundance of monster meat, so there’s hardly anyone making soup.
The reason the Grasshopper Chef makes soup in such a city was simple.
For the frail Lilybet.
For the unmoving heart of the city.
For the queen of this cesspool, maintaining this world in silence, the Grasshopper Chef had been caring for and feeding her with corruption porridge since he found her.
“That girl created this filth and you still feed her?”
“Then… what does it matter…?”
“What? Are you kidding me? I created this filth, and that’s all you can say!?”
The Grasshopper Chef’s words made Lilybet rush to respond.
“I already know that I’m dead. Click… For us… I’m not ignorant of what it means to maintain this city…!”
“It’s not for you; it’s merely a base satisfaction! I meant to create paradise, yet I ended up making filth….”
“I am a monster. I do what I want… Click… Whether this is filth or anything else… what matters is being alive. Click!”
“……..”
“Everyone adapted that way. They lived that way… I have no complaints about that… Click… Most importantly…”
Click.
Click.
“…a young girl… starving and dying underground… Click… You want me to ignore those who are starving…?! Click!”
“…..!”
And that’s why the Grasshopper Chef brought Shia here.
Because he already knew this place. No, the Grasshopper Chef had always been caring for the heart of this city, Lilybet, feeding her with corruption porridge all this time.
“There you have it, Queen. The fact that I was guided here by the Grasshopper Chef, one of your own, right?”
If it weren’t for the Grasshopper Chef, Shia would never have reached this underground cavern even after realizing Kim Hana’s peculiarities.
Though, of course, she could have forcibly broken through from above, but it wouldn’t have fit the graceful image of a saint to break in that violently.
“How about a plot twist where a random Grasshopper got in the way of your terrifying and dreadful scheme, Queen?”
“…..It’s a twist that would garner criticism for being improbable if it were a novel.”
Hmph, is that so?”
Still, I see a glimmer of a happy ending.
A connection has finally reached the queen who saved the cesspool city.
It’s not too shabby, is it?
Fairy tales and cartoons have plenty of forced plots like this too.
“Most importantly… if the connection to Earth is severed, I won’t be able to make corruption porridge anymore… Click!”
“Huh, that would be too sad….!”
“I thought you would understand, Gallery Master… Click… It’s terrifying not to be able to make corruption porridge… Click!”
“Yes, yes! I understand…!”
Shia, with a deeply touched expression, slowly stepped toward the Grasshopper Chef and jumped down from the pipe, landing in front of Lilybet.
Boom…!
The sound of Shia jumping echoed throughout the underground cavern.
Lilybet looked at the Grasshopper Chef with a somewhat shocked expression.
Perhaps it was the first time she had truly conversed with one of Green City’s residents.
“….Saint Isia.”
“Yes.”
“You said I’d be intruding, right…?”
Crackle
Fizzle!
And gradually, iron scraps began to gather near Lilybet.
Each one was enchanted material imbued with her mana, and unrelated mechanical pieces combined and formed a round sphere.
“I’ll be honest. I want to trust you.”
“Then just trust me.”
“Haha! Having been stuck in filth for so long, it’s hard to just blindly believe in a bright story, you know?”
It was already too late to believe in fairy tales.
With a weak laugh, Lilybet unfurled massive steel wings. Countless spheres charged with emerald mana floated around her.
“You might be able to save this cesspool. You might even teach us the answers in this lawless city. I want to think so, but…”
Isn’t it far too late now?
To believe in fairy tales and only hope for a bright future?
Words alone are simply insufficient.
“So let me say just one cliché line from cartoons. Is that alright?”
“Yes, go ahead.”
At Shia’s words, Lilybet laughed louder than ever before.
“Wahahaha! If you wish to save me, try to surpass me!”
Krackle!
With that declaration, the massive steel wings and beats unfolded all at once.
Countless beats exuded a power ready to unleash numerous mana beams, twisting the emerald light.
I have no idea what cartoon it is, but that’s seriously cliché.
You could just believe and entrust it, couldn’t you?
No, that would be too much to ask, right?
This queen has carried too much for too long.
She couldn’t even share it with the same humans. It’s impressive that she hasn’t succumbed to the temptations of the Demon King’s fragments, but that’s beyond the limit now.
Even if she wants to believe that salvation is truly in front of her, she might not be able to.
The time for persuasion with words has long passed. Now, only actions remain.
Fortunately, Shia had enough power to forcibly provide salvation…
[Miracle – Descent of the Divine]
Overflowing with abundance.
“As wished.”
Five tentacles sprang from Isia’s waist and opened their eyes.
Is this what it means to see someone wishing for salvation blocking their own path, like in cartoons? Is it a form of romance?
No, it’s probably more like wannabe nerdiness.
Just as the queen said, I’m going to recklessly challenge the resolve of the queen who has braced herself for everything.
There’s a noble cause for the Grasshopper Chef’s outstanding corruption porridge as well!
And for those with troubled hearts, there’s only one solution.
To release pent-up feelings, to pureheartedly clash their hearts and emotions against each other.
The queen will surely need something like that.
“Before that, could you help me out first?”
“I’ll do it later.”
“…Hey.”
Slime Empress, just stay there for a moment.
Your body’s a fluid entity, so it should be fine for a bit, right?
