Elsie (Part 2)
In the end, my attempt to buy her women's clothing had ended in failure. From the perspective of a hardcore fashion enthusiast, those outfits would have looked absolutely stunning on her, which made it all the more disappointing. Of course, this time, Elsie's judgment had been the correct one.
“Come to think of it... does that mean you knew I was a girl from the very beginning?”
Her sudden counterattack caught me completely off guard. It was the karmic retribution for the stack of lies I had piled up until now.
“Well, I suppose it doesn't really matter anyway.”
Surprisingly, she let it slide without making a fuss.
“By the way, this is delicious.”
Elsie was holding skewers in both hands. Mind you, this was after we had already eaten a hearty dinner at a proper restaurant. I had noticed it when we first met, but it was truly a marvel how much food could fit into such a tiny frame. If she had been born back home in Korea, she probably could have made a fortune as a mukbang streamer.
“We got everything on the shopping list, right?”
As Elsie asked, her mouth was covered in sauce. I nodded. Along with Elsie's supplies, I had bought almost everything I needed as well—we had acquired just about everything under the sun.
“In that case, there's a place I'd like to go. Would you mind coming with me?”
“A place you want to go?”
“Yes. It's a spot I found the other day when I was wandering around looking for a place to sleep.”
“It's not too far, is it?”
“It's right around here.”
In that case, I had no real reason to refuse. I was also a bit curious about this place she wanted to visit. However, it didn't take long for me to regret that decision.
What is with this slope?!
A punishingly steep uphill path stretched out before us, seemingly without end. Sure, it might have been a short distance as the crow flies, but I hadn't expected it to be a near-vertical climb. Elsie practically glided up the slope with light, effortless steps, while I couldn't exactly use my Wind Authority out in the open to make things easier.
“How much further do we have to climb?”
“We're almost there!”
After climbing for what felt like an eternity, an open clearing finally came into view. And just beyond that space, something glittering caught my eye.
Is that...?
Looking down at the landscape below, a massive gemstone glowing with a brilliant ruby-red light sat right in the center. It was Basil's barrier stone.
“If you climb up to this spot, you can see it clearly.”
Because it was the sole anchor preventing the destruction of the Basil Region, the barrier stone was enclosed by high, thick walls. Only an extremely select few with official authorization were permitted to step inside those walls. But from this high vantage point, the barrier stone was fully visible over the top of the barricade.
Is that faint shimmer around it a magical barrier?
It seemed they had set up some measure of protection against long-range attacks launched from high ground like this. I was busy analyzing the defenses surrounding the barrier stone when Elsie spoke.
“Isn't it beautiful?”
“Hmm?”
“The fact that a single red stone is creating this sunset-colored sky stretched out above us.”
Following her gaze, I tilted my head back. A crimson sky, painted in the deep hues of a perpetual sunset, unfurled overhead.
“It really is.”
I felt as though I would have regretted it if I had left Basil without seeing this barrier stone. In a way, these stones were the very foundation of the Hero system. A Hero's most fundamental duty was to return Barrier Fragments to the barrier stone to extend the barrier's lifespan. Heroes existed for the sake of the barrier stones, and through them, they protected the world. For my current goal of becoming a Hero, that barrier stone was an indispensable element.
“You know, El—”
“Um—”
Our voices overlapped.
“You go first.”
“Well... would it be alright if I asked for your name?”
That much was easy enough. It was actually one of the few advantages of the Alan Flake character: he was completely obscure. There was no harm in sharing my name with someone like Elsie.
“Alan Flake. Just call me Alan. We're probably around the same age anyway.”
“Alan...”
Now, it was my turn to ask. It was the question I had been putting off for as long as possible.
“Elsie, do you plan on staying here in Basil?”
“Pardon?”
“I mean, do you have another destination in mind?”
Elsie seemed to hesitate, lost in thought. But soon, she appeared to make up her mind and spoke.
“To be honest... I was planning to head to Sac as soon as I saved up enough money. But I don't have any money yet, and I don't even know how to go about earning it...”
Just as I thought. If she had survived this far, the Player must have been trying to steer Elsie toward Sac. But her response just now gave me a glimmer of hope.
The Player might not be a complete novice, but they lack the skill to properly nurture a character.
This was another reason why this route was so notoriously difficult. Elsie had no idea how to earn the travel expenses required to reach Sac. Because of this, she was experiencing a cognitive dissonance with the Player's command to go there. I had to exploit that gap.
“Elsie, you need to remember exactly what I'm about to tell you.”
This was likely a brand-new route that no one had ever attempted before. No, I could guarantee it was entirely unprecedented. After all, its prerequisite required me, Alan Flake.
“Have you ever heard of the Lidval family?”
“The Lidval family? I've heard of them. They used to lead the Red Knights, but I heard they've fallen into decline.”
“What about the Hero of the Rose?”
She shook her head.
“As far as I know, the Lidval family is one of the very few houses that hasn't betrayed the King. The coup forces only leave them alone because their influence has waned so much.”
Elsie's eyes widened. I continued, looking directly at her.
“The Hero of the Rose became a Hero to restore the Lidval family to its former glory. And she is right on the verge of taking the final step toward that goal.”
Within a few years, she would find the Rose Sword. But before that, there was something else she desperately wanted to secure.
“She is looking for a successor. From what I've heard, she recently set off for the southern part of the Basil Region. There's only one village in the south, and with her appearance, you absolutely won't be able to mistake her for anyone else.”
I reached into my bag. Inside was a worn, scruffy robe I had packed beforehand. It was the one Gwen had given me. Since I could just buy a new one, it was of no use to me anymore.
“Show her this and tell her that a boy named Alan Flake sent you. Ask her to take you in as her successor.”
From Gwen's perspective, someone of Elsie's caliber would be more than qualified to be her successor. If nurtured properly, Elsie had the potential to become one of the top five strongest characters I had ever raised. She was weak now, but her talent was that of a late bloomer. Gwen would easily be able to recognize that.
“Did you get all that?”
I was about to ask if she had missed any details when—
“Alan...!”
A sudden, heavy impact slammed into my chest. Looking down, I saw Elsie's dyed black hair buried in my shirt. Her hands clutched tightly at my clothes.
“Thank you...”
Suddenly, I felt a warm dampness seeping through my shirt. Elsie was crying.
“Thank you so much for helping me.”
Having raised Elsie before, I could understand her to some extent. Betrayed by the royal knights she had trusted, fleeing all the way here with every ounce of her strength, she probably hadn't had a single soul she could rely on. It felt a bit embarrassing to say it myself, but to her, I was the very first person she could truly trust. As she sobbed uncontrollably, I silently stroked her hair.
Back at the inn that evening, I was checking my supplies and reviewing my plans for the journey ahead. Elsie, who had been staring blankly at me with swollen eyes, spoke up hesitantly.
“Alan, I know it's rude of me to ask... but is there any way you could come with me to see this Gwen person?”
“No, I have somewhere else I need to go.”
Besides, looking for Gwen for any reason other than becoming her successor would only be a nuisance to her. Both she and I had our own busy paths to walk. Our next meeting would likely only happen after we had both achieved what we set out to do.
“Then tomorrow morning will really be the last time we see each other?”
“I suppose so.”
Answering quietly, I blew out the candle by the bedside.
“Goodnight, Elsie.”
With that, I slipped out of the room. For some reason, Elsie had insisted on sharing the same room until the very end, but now that she knew I was aware of her gender, it felt inappropriate to continue doing so. Of course, there were other reasons as well.
Well then, shall we set off?
In truth, saying tomorrow morning would be our last moment together was a lie. I planned to leave this place tonight. When Elsie woke up tomorrow morning, I would already be long gone from this city.
But before that, let's tie up some loose ends for Elsie.
I opened my status window and scrolled down to the Stigma section. There, the newly unlocked Second Inheritance Stigma was waiting. My gaze locked onto one of the inheritable traits. Thanks to the SP I had earned from slaying the Demon King, I had more than enough points to inherit it, but I had held off until now just in case.
Now is as good a time as any to inherit it.
I needed it immediately anyway. Without a moment's hesitation, I inherited the trait.