"So, that's settled. I suppose we should start preparing for our journey," I suggested to Ichijou.
"Not so fast. First and foremost, you need some training." he insisted.
I disagreed and countered, "Oh, come on, man! We can train during the trip!"
He shook his head firmly. "No! I'm not taking that risk. You're just gonna be a liability for me if we get into trouble."
"Psh, fine. Then let's start training once I'm fully healed," I replied.
"Very well," he accepted.
In our conversation, we had overlooked Ellisa's presence in the room. Suddenly, she stood up and declared, "I'll join too!"
Ichijou and I exchanged disapproving glances and simultaneously responded, "NO!"
"But why! You guys are having the trip of your lifetime! I wanna come over too!" she pleaded, her voice laced with desperation.
"Ellisa, we have hundreds of reasons as to why we shouldn't bring you with us!" I explained to her.
"Name it to me then!" She retaliates,
We both sighed, and I listed out the reasons, "You're a girl who knows nothing about fighting!"
"Hey! That's sexist!" she responded angrily,
Ichijou added another reason, "You're a bigger liability than this guy here."
Both Ellisa and I turned to him in disbelief, exclaiming, "What!?" I then chimed in, "And your dad definitely wouldn't agree to you joining us!"
"I- No, he won't! I'll find a way to make him approve it!" She replied hesitantly,
"How? By sneaking out of the house again? Not happening," Ichijou stated firmly.
"Oh, come on! It's two against one now! That's not fair!" Ellisa muttered.
"Ellisa, listen here. I don't want to risk your life in any danger. You can literally die, okay?!" I vexed,
Ellisa, still in disapproval, responded, "I don't care if I'm in danger! I can take care of myself! And I'm not a liability to both of you! I can heal if you guys get hurt. I can attack from the back if you guys need support. Best of all, I can cook food for both of you on your journey!"
Of all her arguments, the promise of food was the most tempting. There was no point in further debate. We had only one option left: to involve her father, Han.
"You want to what?! Are you out of your mind?! You're not an adventurer like them!" Han exploded with anger when we approached him.
But it seemed like our only option. Ellisa remained silent, on the verge of tears. While I felt sympathy for her, we couldn't allow her to join us.
Quickly, she retreated to her room and shut the door behind her after hearing Han's vehement refusal.
"This lady really doesn't know what's good for her. Wanted to join you both in the adventure?! Not in a million years I would let that happen!" Han fumed, clearly displeased with the situation.
Ichijou and I decided not to prolong Han's anger, so we retreated to our room.
During the night, Ichijou slept soundly on the floor while I lay awake on the bed. Sleep eluded me, whether due to anticipation for the journey or the unsettled feeling Ichijou's words about the Specia of Ruina accepting their fate left in me. Did this mean they would allow the Devil's army to conquer all of Ruina? Was there truly no hope left for us to resist? And what drove Lucifer to instigate all of this chaos?
These questions raced through my mind for hours before exhaustion finally claimed me, and I drifted into sleep.
Upon fully recovering, Ichijou and I resolved to journey to Halman's Plains to train. There, I hoped to discover my Karma and hopefully, it would be something beneficial.
As we prepared to depart, Ellisa charged out of her room. She was adorned in her father's old helmet and boots, clutching a staff in one hand and a bag in the other.
Han, who happened to be seated at the dining table, nearly spilled his tea at the sight of Ellisa's attire.
"You- Ellisa! What are you doing with all that stuff! And where do you think you're going!" Han's voice boomed as he slammed his hand on the table.
Ellisa shot him an indignant glare and retorted, "I'm going with them to Halman's Plains!"
"I told you before! You're grounded! Now go back to your room!" Han demanded,
"No, you didn't! You said I can't leave the house unless I got supervision from Ichijou!- and I'm with him if I go to Halman's Plains, am I right?!." Ellisa countered defiantly.
"I- that's wasn't the case for this one!" Han went straight to her, "What's the point for you to even go there?!"
"I want to prove to Kiseki and Ichijou that I'm not useless! Maybe then, they'll convince you to let me join them on their adventure!" Ellisa replied defiantly, her voice rising in pitch.
Simultaneously, Ichijou and I interjected blatantly, "Stay us out of this argument, please."
Han crossed his arm together and turned his back against Ellisa while saying, "You think by killing some Shadehounds, and Webling can use to convince me?!"
"Fine! If that won't convince you, I'll show you my strength fighting against Trelmir!" Ellisa shouted, surprising both Ichijou and me. We were stunned by her audacity. Fighting Trelmir would be suicide, even for a Sinner like myself. It was an incredibly dangerous proposition, especially for someone like Ellisa, who was primarily a healer.
"You insolent girl! Are you trying to get yourself killed?!" Han yelled furiously.
Interrupting their argument, Ichijou declared, "That's actually a brilliant idea!"
Han's eyes widened in disbelief at Ichijou's unexpected agreement.
I tried to reason with him, "Dude, stay out of this. Are you really wanna get Ellisa killed?"
He then responded, "No, no. Of course, I don't want to put Ellisa in that kind of danger."
"Then what are you doing?" I asked confusedly.
He proceeded to explain his reasoning, "This is actually a win-win situation for both of them. Let say if Ellisa really managed to kill Trelmir. She proved to Han that she really won't be a liability to us and can definitely fight. But if she failed, she had nothing else she can say and need to stay home with him."
"Dude, if she failed, she would die by Trelmir," I pointed out.
"Nah, she won't. I fought Trelmir before. That monster is no more than a buffed-up cow. If she gets into trouble, I'll save her." Ichijou assured confidently.
Han smirked and laughed at the idea, "Hahahaha! Very well then. I like your idea, boy." turning to Ellisa, he said, "This is your one and only chance to prove to me. If you failed, you have to bid farewell to these boys and good luck on their adventure. Deal?"
Ellisa's eyes blazed with determination. She was dead serious about facing Trelmir. Uncertainty gnawed at me, wondering how this would unfold.
"Deal." She said confidently.
With that settled, my training was temporarily postponed until we resolved this issue.
All four of us made our way to Delher's Woods. Returning to this eerie place sent shivers down my spine.
Han insisted on accompanying us to witness his daughter's supposed failure, hoping it would snap her out of her daydreams and make her heed his warnings.
The towering trees enveloped us, casting dark shadows and hindering our visibility. The unsettling atmosphere only added to my unease. I really hate this place.
Soon we finally reached the location where I was transported by Lucifer. The carcasses of the Trelmirs I had slain still lay there, decaying slowly, emitting a putrid odor and infested with maggots. It seemed like they had chosen this location due to its open space within the dense woods.
"Imma make some noises to attract Trelmir. Kiseki and Han, find somewhere to hide and stay low," Ichijou instructed us.
We complied, quickly finding cover behind one of the nearby trees.
"Ellisa, are you ready?" He asked,
She looked at him and nodded firmly. "I am."
In Ichijou's hand was a small trumpet used to lure monsters during hunts. He blew into it, producing a loud buzzing sound that echoed throughout the woods.
A deafening roar reverberated in the distance. It was unmistakably Trelmir.
Ellisa seemed momentarily shaken by the sound. Ichijou observed her closely and offered,
"If you want to bail out, it's now or never."
Her anguish immediately disappeared, and she replied, "No! I will never back away from this!"
"Alright, then. I wish you good luck," Ichijou said before stepping away from Ellisa and climbing a nearby tree to watch from a safe vantage point.
"She can never win against that beast. Since her mom died, whenever she found herself in danger, she always froze in place." Han remarked to me, his gaze fixed on Ellisa.
He might be right. I'd witnessed her freeze up before, like when she almost got mugged. Yet, somewhere deep down, I believed she could overcome this.
"Here it comes." I whispered.
Suddenly, the ground shook with the thunderous approach of footsteps. Then, Trelmir emerged. But it wasn't the size I expected—it was twice as large as the one I had faced. There was no way Ellisa could win against this one.
"Han! You have to stop her!" I urged desperately.
"No- She wanted to prove her strength. Then let her show it to me." Han replied solemnly.
Trelmir was standing right in front of her while growling menacingly. I can tell how scared Ellisa is right now. Her feet were shaking vigorously, and her hands were trembling.
After a deep breath, she adjusted her stance, pointing her staff at Trelmir. Then, after a few tense moments...
"Icicle!" she called out.
She initiated her attack by casting an icicle magic skill, directing it towards Trelmir. Despite all her shots hitting directly, they failed to penetrate Trelmir's thick skin, only serving to provoke the beast further. Trelmir charged toward her, causing her to falter momentarily before she managed to conjure an ice wall to shield herself. The beast's horns protruded through the wall, mere inches from Ellisa's position.
She then tried to take advantage of Trelmir being stuck and cast a different skill to attack,
"Fire Wave!" she shouted.
Seizing the opportunity while Trelmir was momentarily stuck, she unleashed a different skill, "Fire Wave!" A magic circle materialized beneath Trelmir, engulfing the creature in flames. Ellisa believed her attack had succeeded, but Trelmir's massive fist broke through the fiery barrier, striking her forcefully. She was thrown backward, sustaining significant damage and spitting blood as she collapsed to her knees. I couldn't understand why Ichijou wasn't intervening—Ellisa was clearly in dire straits.
"Ichijou! What are you doing?! Help her!" I exclaimed, my worry escalating.
But Ellisa interrupted my plea, insisting, "Don't! Stay out of this! I can still fight!"
She slowly regained her footing, unleashing a barrage of magic spells against Trelmir. However, none seemed to inflict significant damage on the beast.
Changing tactics, Ellisa retrieved an incantation scroll from her bag and began chanting the prayers inscribed upon it.
"By the blinding light and scorching heat of the Sun, I call upon the power it beholds! Release your magnificent shine and devour the darkness! I summon thee! Supernova!"
An immense magic circle materialized above the clouds, emitting a brilliant beam of light that struck directly where Trelmir stood.
The brightness of the light forced me to shield my eyes, but as it gradually dissipated, I couldn't believe what I witnessed. The beam had created an enormous crater around Trelmir, and the beast was forced to the ground, severely wounded. Its skin was scorched and charred from the powerful attack. Ellisa had dealt a massive blow to the formidable creature.
As the incantation scroll in Ellisa's hand crumbled into ashes, she wasted no time in healing herself before Trelmir could retaliate.
The beast rose from the ground, roaring angrily at Ellisa. Unfazed, she cast another spell, this time a summoning incantation.
"Bestow upon me the guardians of earth Elemental, Gnome!"
In an instant, a towering rock monster materialized before Ellisa, ready to defend her. Gnome launched a relentless assault on Trelmir from all angles, the beast struggling to fend off the onslaught.
Trelmir abandoned his defensive stance and retaliated, exchanging powerful blows with Gnome. The battle raged on, each blow reverberating through the air with intensity.
However, it became evident that Gnome was losing ground. Trelmir's attacks proved too much for the summoned guardian to withstand. With a final devastating blow, Trelmir shattered Gnome into pieces.
Ellisa shocked by what just happened, "Wait- No!"
Trelmir redirected his fury toward Ellisa, his rage evident in his demeanor.
"Ellisa- Look out!" I shouted,
Trelmir's speed doubled instantaneously, and in a blur of motion, he appeared behind Ellisa.
She had no time to react as the beast delivered a powerful kick to her back, sending her hurtling through the air.
"Agghh!" Ellisa's agonized scream pierced the air.
As Ellisa plummeted towards the ground, Trelmir swiftly rammed her with his head, launching her straight into a distant tree.
"Ichijou! Save her, you fucking ass!" I screamed, my desperation boiling over as Ellisa began to lose consciousness.
But Ichijou remained indifferent, ignoring my pleas. As I moved to intervene, Han intercepted me.
"What the fuck is wrong with you, old man! She's your fucking daughter!" I shouted at him in disbelief.
"She was never in danger, from the start," he calmly replied.
"What do you mean?!" I demanded, turning to look at Ellisa. To my astonishment, her body began to melt, transforming into a jelly-like substance.
What just happened?! It suddenly dawned on me. Ellisa had been hiding behind Trelmir all along. While I was blinded by the light from her previous attack, she had maneuvered away from her position. The summoning spell she had cast wasn't just to summon Gnome; it also summoned a shapeshifter to take her place and deceive Trelmir.
Confused by the blob that the fake Ellisa had become, Trelmir hesitated.
At that moment, Ellisa floated behind Trelmir, her staff pointed directly at its heart.
"Ichijou was right. You're nothing more than a buffed-up cow,"
Before Trelmir could react, Ellisa unleashed a bolt of lightning from the tip of her staff, piercing straight through his heart and killing him instantly.
Trelmir collapsed to the ground with a resounding thud, while Ellisa landed gracefully on top of him.