Chapter 158: We Unite!

“They told me that more than half a year ago, the Demon Race wasn’t like this. They wouldn’t invade Lilburg, nor would they launch a strong attack on the Elves’ Forest. Is that true?”

Celes asked the question while holding the girl.

“Mm… yes.”

Ella answered truthfully.

Lilburg had no strategic value.

It was better left in human hands than taken by force.

The Middle Great Forest was even more of a quagmire, with no reason to deploy troops there.

Hearing the answer, Celes hugged tighter.

Ella felt the girl’s body press even closer.

If it weren’t for the softness between them, the sound of a heartbeat might have been audible at this distance.

“I remember the people of Lilburg. The ones who died. Generations lived in Lilburg, yet their lives ended abruptly that night.”

The girl whispered.

“Now, Lilburg no longer exists. My father stationed troops there, establishing the Northern Frontier Line. The last time I returned to the Royal City, I received a letter from him describing life over there.”

In the darkness, Ella blinked.

And then?

“He told me that in the wild near the ruins of Lilburg, there were many scattered remains. The former residents left exposed in the wilderness. So, the first thing the garrison did upon arrival was to collect and burn the corpses.”

Ella tightened her expression.

Was it something in the letter that made her feel so down?

Then she heard Celes speak.

“I heard some things today, so I kept thinking—if we hadn’t driven away the Demon King back then, would this have happened? Would Lilburg have been invaded by the Wolveshead Beastmen? Would those people, living there for generations, still have died?”

“…………..”

“Ella, what do you think?”

I think your moral compass is too high.

Vina was right.

Why study such lofty morals?

It doesn’t help at all!

After a moment’s thought, Ella slowly spoke.

“Celes, why do you think that way? The Hero Squad’s first mission was a success.”

Too successful.

Turning the Demon King into a busty girl was the only direct result of that mission.

Now even Celes was doubting.

“Was it really a success? We drove away the Demon King, but made the Demon Race even crazier, causing tragedies that shouldn’t have happened.”

Ah, that’s true.

“Don’t say that,”

Ella said with sincerity.

“At least, you saved me.”

“Was it really saving?”

Celes held her, speaking softly.

“You were living well there. Did you really need saving?”

“…………..”

At this point, being able to command several Demon Tribe Soldiers, it was hard to say she was a pitiful maid.

What maid has such abilities? Stop lying to yourself.

Ella thought for a long time, feeling increasingly uneasy.

Seeing her plan on the verge of backfiring, she closed her eyes, clenched her teeth, and with a bit of force, pried the girl’s hand away, then turned and hugged her directly.

“It was necessary, Celes. Really necessary.”

She stared into the girl’s eyes.

In the darkness, ruby and icy blue gazes intertwined.

“Although my life in the Demon King’s Castle wasn’t miserable, it’s not the life I wanted. Being a cold, ruthless politician calculating only for profit wasn’t what I wished for. You all pulled me out of that, brought me back to a human city, and let me experience so many adventures. I like these days, like being with all of you, like every one of you!”

Celes froze.

Ella could feel the girl’s breath slow—a sign of emotional turbulence.

“I… I understand.”

Celes closed her eyes, calming herself.

The two girls held each other quietly for a while.

With no large marshmallows, only medium-softness between them, the hug lacked bounciness but also didn’t push them apart—making it rather comfortable.

A few minutes later, the girl spoke softly.

“Ella, they hope you’ll lead them back and free the Demon Race people oppressed by tyranny. Are you willing?”

Success!

Don’t get excited, don’t rush.

As the saying goes, a hundred miles is only halfway at ninety, the darkest before dawn, hope the faintest before the light…

In short, hold on!

Ella tried to clear her throat silently and failed, so she squeezed her voice as small as possible.

“They told you this? Actually, they told me too, but… I don’t want to leave all of you.”

Not bad.

The squeezed, weak voice sounded quite nice.

“It’s okay.”

Celes replied seriously.

“If it’s for peace, we can help you together.”

Ah, that’s right.

If you wanted me to go alone, I wouldn’t go.

Ella feigned confusion.

“Peace?”

“Yes, I have an idea.”

Celes suddenly perked up, eyes shining, hands strong—pressing down on Ella’s chest with renewed energy.

“If we could sign an Alliance treaty with the Demon Army in Harbor City, then we can do the same in their cities.”

She said.

“We can unite, capture big cities, help them restore their government, then form a peace treaty, and finally establish something like… um, something like…”

Good ideas flashed by so quickly she got stuck, unable to recall the word.

Celes grew anxious.

Ella was even more so.

If not for her chest being firmly pressed, she might have jumped up.

“Is it the one the Humans and Elves formed before?”

“Right!”

With a gentle, indirect reminder from Pink-haired Lightning, the girl finally caught on.

“Highborn Alliance!”

Of course, that Alliance was named by the proud Elves.

The Alliance they were planning couldn’t have that name.

As for what to call it, Ayla—aspiring to be the leader—would definitely pick a humble-sounding one to express modesty and lull the others.

But now wasn’t the time to think about that.

The most important issue now was—

“If that’s the case, that’s wonderful. Everyone can live together in peace.”

Ella said with emotion.

“I’m willing!”

When declaring something, a good girl should say, “I’m willing,” not “Kill!” or “Charge!”—words that sound cruel and dark.

Celes looked even happier than Ella, as if she’d found a path to redemption and broke through the suffocating gloom.

The lamb in her heart stopped screaming.

“We still have a few problems to face,”

She began to analyze.

“First, it’s the others in the squad. We need to persuade them and present benefits everyone can accept.”

The Sword Saint, raised on the virtues of knighthood since childhood, could use moral coercion on herself, but never on others.