Chapter 249: Return to the Land of El
After leaving that forest, the group embarked on their journey once more.
Target: The Land of El.
The atmosphere along the way was surprisingly calm, quite unlike the bustling atmosphere on the way there. Although the excitement stemmed more from Flamme's one-sided, passionate feelings.
Now, however, Flamme was behaving unusually normally, even excessively so.
She would still ask Kurtz for advice on magical matters, discuss the confusion she encountered while learning magic, and bring up her amazing ideas for fusing magic to discuss with him, with a respectful, serious attitude, completely returning to the state an excellent disciple should be in.
The intimacy and dependence that once shone through, and the burning passion in those red eyes, had vanished without a trace.
She maintained the proper boundaries between teacher and student, and beneath that respect lay a suffocating sense of distance.
She no longer tried to get too close to Kurtz, nor did she say or do anything that crossed the line, as if the earth-shattering confession and struggle had never happened.
This change made Kurtz, who had initially worried she would get stuck on something, breathe a slight sigh of relief but also feel a deeper unease.
Flamme seemed to have buried all her emotions deep beneath that calm exterior, revealing none of them.
Kurtz did not intend to interfere too much in this matter.
To extinguish Flamme's thoughts, sometimes being ruthless was necessary. Besides, he wanted to deepen his relationship with the elf lady.
Since that kiss, Kurtz had completely cast aside all his worries and poured out his feelings.
At first, Serie seemed somewhat at a loss about how her feelings had been suddenly revealed.
She was used to the tacit understanding and companionship that had lasted for thousands of years, but now that it was tinged with a hint of love, she began to feel uncomfortable. In a way, this was a good thing.
This meant that the elf had begun to gradually understand and accept what love was.
So she began to study hard and respond to Kurtz's love.
Although her responses often seemed clumsy and awkward, she might simply accept his care silently, or look back at him stiffly when he looked over, and occasionally, she might even cooperate by extending her hand and interlacing her fingers tightly together.
The intimate interactions between the two showed no intention of hiding anything from others.
For Ayla and Frieren, two elves with relatively detached emotions, the impact of these actions was far less significant than it was for humans. Ayla was at most a little surprised, and then she would casually glance at Flamme.
Frieren, on the other hand, was simply curious, especially about the intimate little interactions between Kurtz and Serie, which she couldn't understand.
All of this was too jarring for Flamme, so she would always lower her head or pretend to look into the distance, trying her best not to see these heartbreaking scenes.
But sometimes, after seeing it a lot, you gradually get used to it.
Her long red hair fell down, obscuring her eyes. No one knew what thoughts were churning within them, nor what she was thinking.
The journey continued in this delicate atmosphere.
...
Finally, they arrived in the Land of El once again.
After passing through the bustling streets, the group arrived once again at the central square of the city. The huge statue of the first king, Norn, still stood, silently watching the changes in the city, with only a little bit more moss growing on it.
The group paused before it.
"Is this the Holy King Norn?" Ayla asked curiously.
This was her first time visiting the Kingdom of El, one of the three most famous countries on the continent, and the ideal country in the hearts of all mankind.
"Mm." Kurtz nodded in response, a hint of reminiscence flashing in his eyes. "So many years have passed, but that guy's statue is still quite well preserved."
"There must be a mage constantly casting solidification magic, which is why the appearance hasn't changed much," Serie said, sensing a fluctuation of magic power emanating from the statue.
"By the way, why didn't Lady Serie and Lord Kurtz leave behind any statues?" Frieren asked curiously from the side.
Of the original heroes who saved the world, only King Norn left behind a statue; none of the others, not even the dwarf king Somo.
Now, as a thousand years had passed, the legends of these heroes who saved the world had gradually been forgotten.
Saint Serie. Kurtz the Godslayer. Saint King Norn. King Somo the Dwarf. Eric the Sage. Olivia of the Skywing Clan.
The names of the latter two had begun to be forgotten by history, and even the legendary Skywing Clan had become unknown. Only a few people knew of their past glory and the eternal divine kingdom high in the sky.
"Because there was no time." Kurtz shook his head. "Everything happened too quickly, especially after the gods were killed. The so-called hero team had already gone their separate ways."
Looking back, from the very beginning, from venturing deep into the dwarven ruins to being hunted by the gods, and then to engaging in a final battle with them, it all happened so fast.
They moved so fast that there was no time to catch their breath; they acted entirely on the will to save the world, so naturally, there was no time to leave behind a statue.
"So, Frieren! If you ever go on an adventure, remember to leave behind plenty of statues!" Kurtz said with a knowing smile.
"Mm... maybe I'll pass? It just feels a bit strange."
Frieren thought about it and felt that it was unnecessary. She didn't need a statue to prove that she had been there. After all, she was an elf.
The group arrived at the palace gates and, as expected, were stopped.
The guards stepped forward, blocking their path.
"See? This is the downside of not having a statue; nobody recognizes you." Kurtz patted Serie's head, then smiled at Frieren.
"Stop joking around!"
Serie slapped the hand off her head in an annoyed manner and unleashed her magic in a very forceful manner, directly summoning the old mages in the palace.
When she and Kurtz made their brief stay in the Kingdom of El last time, only a small number of people saw them, including the most senior mages.
The mages hurried toward the gate. "Lady Serie!?" One of the mages who arrived at the door the fastest exclaimed in surprise after seeing Serie's face clearly.
"Where is that guy Fidel?" Serie asked bluntly, calling out the name of the current emperor of the Land of El.
She had absolutely no liking for the guy who could lose his ancestral holy sword.
Moreover, Schlacht had controlled the other party's mind, and none of the mages in the palace could detect it. Some of them were even affected by Schlacht's mental magic.
How could the Land of El possibly improve under the control of such a swarm of insects?
"Ahem, His Majesty the King is handling state affairs. Please follow me."
The mages exchanged glances and chose to ignore Serie's disrespectful tone.
There was nothing they could do; they couldn't afford to offend them.
[End of Chapter]
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