Chapter 185: The Western Kingdom and Farewell
____
A beautiful face suddenly came into view, and Aoki's eyes regained focus.
Leone raised her glass with a bright smile on her face.
Aoki picked up the cup next to him and clinked it with hers.
Leone drank half a bottle of wine and wiped her mouth. "Ha! Cool!"
Aoki just took a light sip. "Take it easy. Drinking alcohol can damage your liver and easily lead to fatty liver, which may develop into cirrhosis and may also cause cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases."
Leone stared at him blankly. "Liver cirrhosis? Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease? What is that?"
Aoki smiled and shook his head. "No, nothing."
Leone had a strong physique, a robust metabolic capacity, and the Lionel's power, so alcohol had no effect on her. Although supernatural powers could bring disaster, they also had their benefits.
Leone quickly put the matter behind her, stretched, revealing her beautiful physique, and then looked at Aoki again, smiling with a hint of mischief. "How is it? Does it look good?"
Aoki glanced at her and remained silent.
Leone sighed, slightly dejected. "You're so strange; are you really not interested in women? Or maybe you're into..."
"Stop talking nonsense," Aoki interrupted her with a smile.
Not that he wasn't interested—he simply chose not to dwell on it. Besides, Leone was more of a talker than a doer. She often had flirtatious words on her lips, acting carefree, but in truth, she was still quite innocent.
"Hehehe!" Leone lay down beside him. "So, what's your plan now?"
"I plan to visit the Western Kingdom," Aoki said.
The energy of the "World Shuttle" mark was fully charged. He could feel the pull towards the west. Judging from the approximate distance, it extended beyond the empire's borders.
"The Western Kingdom?"
Leone was taken aback.
Kurome, who had been listening quietly, couldn't help but glance in his direction.
"We're still at war with the Western foreign races!" Leone said.
Three major foreign races surrounded the empire: the southern tribes were relatively weak, and the northern tribes had been severely weakened by Esdeath. The Western tribes, however, remained strong, locked in ongoing conflicts with the empire.
Aoki replied, "That's your issue. What does it have to do with me?"
Leone was speechless for a moment, then threw her arm around his shoulders and exclaimed in mock indignation, "Hey, that's heartless! I thought we were in the same gang now."
"What gang? Choose your words carefully," Aoki said with a chuckle.
Leone asked curiously, "What do you plan to do in the Western Kingdom?"
"Just exploring and sightseeing," Aoki said vaguely.
Although he had already decided to leave, he didn't want to ruin the cheerful atmosphere with heavy news on such a joyful night.
As night deepened, everyone gradually turned in to rest, and the camp became quiet, with only the crackling of the bonfire.
No words were spoken that night.
The next day, everyone began exploring the surrounding area with enthusiasm.
This was indeed an island, but it was relatively large. There were no human inhabitants, and no traces of human civilization could be found.
After a day of exploring, Aoki led everyone back to the imperial capital.
"Then let's part ways here!"
"Take Care!"
"Come visit us if you get a chance!"
With the country newly established, Najenda and her friends actually had many responsibilities, so after returning to the imperial capital, they quickly left to attend to their duties.
Before long, only Aoki, Kurome, and Akame were left.
The three of them strolled along the streets of the imperial capital.
Kurome asked, "Aoki, when are we leaving for the Western Kingdom?"
"Going to the Western Kingdom?" Akame looked surprised as she glanced between the two of them.
"Aoki said he wanted to visit the Western Kingdom," Kurome explained.
Akame nodded, a trace of envy in her expression. She wanted to go too, but her duties kept her too busy to take time off just yet.
Kurome smiled brightly. "When you're not busy, let's all go out and explore together! I'd love to go out to sea. Maybe we can even buy a boat…"
"Kurome," Aoki interjected, "I want you to stay here. I'll go by myself."
Kurome was taken aback. "My sister often has to go out for work, and it'd be boring for me to stay here alone! If we go together, we'll be safer—especially in foreign territory like the Western Kingdom!"
Aoki's tone softened, but he was firm. "Stay."
Kurome's expression shifted as she slowly realized what he meant, her smile fading. "You're not coming back, are you?"
"Of course I will," Aoki replied with a calm smile, "but it may take some time."
His plan was to leave after locating the pole. He had already recorded this world's coordinates and intended to return if he got the chance. The four-winged dragon's bloodline was still on his mind. However, traveling between worlds wasn't as simple as spatial travel; "world travel" was far more restrictive. While he had three silver beads to replenish energy in emergencies, they were a limited resource and not something to waste.
Kurome was silent for a moment, then looked up and forced a smile. "Alright. I'll wait for you here in the imperial capital. When are you planning to leave?"
Seeing the hope in her eyes, Aoki thought for a moment. "In three days."
These extra days didn't matter to him, and he could use the time to fully charge his "Ultimate Form."
Over the next few days, Kurome took Aoki and Akame on a tour around the imperial capital.
Three days later.
Aoki stood before the two girls. "Then, I'm off."
"Take care," Akame said softly.
"Come back soon!" Kurome added with a chuckle.
Aoki smiled, waved, and in an instant, he was gone.
Kurome's smile slowly faded. She'd always known Aoki's identity was far from ordinary. Though he possessed no imperial weapon, his abilities were nothing short of magical, even surpassing the power of most imperial weapon users. Not to mention, he'd granted her remarkable abilities too.
There were so many mysteries surrounding Aoki, and deep down, she had suspected he might one day leave. But she hadn't expected it to happen so soon.
"Kurome, let's go back," Akame said, taking her hand.
They shared a courtyard in the imperial capital, a home just for the two of them, apart from the palace. Due to her reputation, Akame couldn't openly associate with the new regime, nor could Kurome. For them, this arrangement was a blessing; having a place to call home was a dream neither had thought they'd achieve.
"Mm," Kurome murmured, taking a deep breath and trying to lift her spirits.
Though she didn't know when Aoki would return, she was ready to wait as long as it took.
But then Kurome glanced at her sister, a realization settling over her. She had the luxury of time—but her sister did not. A hundred years from now, Akame would be gone, leaving her behind in this world.
"What's wrong?" Akame asked, noticing her expression.
"No… it's nothing," Kurome replied, shaking her head.
_________
T/N: There is a patreon for this work, and any new work I add will be dropped there first. check it out for an early access of 40 chapters.
Patreon link:- patreon.com/ANelite
And also:
Imperial weapon = Teigu
Teigu = Imperial weapon