“Miss Ash, Lifa has already gone to sleep.”
Swordsmanship.
Ron crawled out of the tent, first glanced at the deeply sleeping Lifa, then looked up at the high-hanging moon in the sky, feeling no sleepiness at all.
After hastily eating dinner, the bait Isis had set still hadn’t attracted any demonic beasts. With nothing to do, he simply gave Lifa some more guidance.
Later, the three decided to take turns keeping watch. The first half of the night was Ron and Lifa’s turn, and not long ago, it had just been switched to Isis.
“Hmm.”
“Sit.”
Isis shifted her body to the side. When changing shifts, she had specifically signaled to Ron that she had something to say. At the moment, she was sitting on a fallen tree trunk.
This action clearly indicated she wanted Ron to sit beside her.
“About what I discussed with you this evening…”
Ron didn’t decline either. After sitting down next to Isis, he brought up that ‘request within Isis’s capabilities’ again.
“Can you change it?”
Just as I thought.
“Only regarding this matter, I don’t really want to agree, Mister Ron.”
Isis’s indifferent face was illuminated by the firelight, and her gaze towards Ron still held a trace of apology.
This outcome wasn’t entirely unexpected for Ron. Like many things, if you don’t seize the moment and settle it decisively at the time, you might never be able to achieve it afterward.
However, Ron wanted to make one more attempt.
“Isis, Lifa and I have our own plans. Later, we will enroll together at the Farossa Royal Academy. Do you intend to follow us there as well?”
Ron still hoped Isis would voluntarily keep her distance from them. That would be better for both parties.
So he straightforwardly laid out their subsequent plans to Isis and asked in return.
Of course, it was also because Ron knew that if Isis was determined to follow them, their whereabouts could never be hidden from the Hero and the Adventurer’s Guild behind her.
Isis wanting to keep Lifa by her side naturally had other considerations, but those clearly conflicted significantly with staying in the Royal Capital of Falosha for an extended period.
“Every swordsman has their own path in swordsmanship. Although the direction Lifa is advancing in emphasizes foundational training, just like yours.”
Since appealing to emotions in the afternoon hadn’t succeeded, Ron chose to appeal to reason during this night talk.
“But, you should be able to see it too.”
“Compared to repeatedly polishing techniques, Lifa is more inclined to integrate each move and stance into her body’s instincts.”
What Ron said was very straightforward. Isis, as one of the most powerful and experienced female swordsmen on the continent, certainly understood.
“So, compared to learning your Chuiguang…”
“Hmm?”
The Brave Lady caught the unusual keyword.
“Compared to learning your Chuiguang sword art, I believe the inheritance and teachings of that person at the Royal Academy in the Capital are more suitable for Lifa.”
Ron’s words were meant to indicate that Isis wasn’t necessarily the most suitable person to teach Lifa.
To strengthen his persuasiveness through comparison, he inevitably had to mention some of the sword arts, abilities, and habits Isis possessed.
“Mister Ron, you seem to know a lot about me? I’ve shared quite a few of my sword habits and thoughts with Lifa these past few days, but regarding Chuiguang, I don’t think I’ve demonstrated it in front of you or Lifa yet, have I?”
Previously, when Ron beside her recognized her, Isis thought Ron had probably seen her portrait or statue—at least that was possible and reasonable. But being able to accurately name the essence of the sword art she practiced still left Isis somewhat puzzled.
“Heh heh~”
Ron chuckled. Without Lifa revealing his true situation, no matter how much Isis guessed, she wouldn’t think of his true identity.
Naturally, he had plenty of ways to explain it away, which was why he could maintain a calm and natural tone earlier.
“It’s not exactly a secret, is it? I once heard about it from a friend who admires you.”
Crack—
Many of the logs in the fire had already charred and carbonized, occasionally emitting crisp cracking sounds, serving as the background noise for Isis’s prolonged silence.
“Isis.”
Time in the long night seemed to freeze in the quiet. Seeing Isis’s reaction, Ron knew he was once again just a hair’s breadth away from getting his wish.
“Actually.”
“Lifa’s greatest idol is you.”
Isis’s head suddenly lifted. The throat on her fair neck moved as if to speak, but no sound came out.
“Ever since we left our village, her greatest wish, from childhood until now, has been to become a female swordsman like the Hero Isis.”
Ron’s tone was sincere and certain.
“Please give Lifa and me some time, okay? When the time comes, I’ll bring her to find you!”
“Together, we’ll deal with the curse on you. You can also tell Lifa your identity and teach her. I believe she would be overjoyed then.”
Apart from not revealing his own identity, Ron spoke all the most genuine thoughts in his heart.
He hoped to solve the problem with this gentlest method.
“Hmm.”
Isis nodded with an extremely slight movement.
“Resisting that curse is painful, Isis. I know.”
Ron’s joy at a great accomplishment didn’t last long. The melancholy on Isis’s face soon dispersed it.
“Mister Ron, you are a good person.”
“Heh heh.”
The sudden ‘good person card’ left Ron feeling awkward and unsure how to respond.
“I envy you and Lifa. I envy your chemistry, your interactions, your… feelings.”
It was less like Isis was confiding in Ron and more like she was talking to herself.
“That’s right, it’s the same.”
“That child admires me, admires the Hero, and also aspire to to become a Hero.”
Ron, as the listener, silently lowered his head.
“It really shouldn’t be, shouldn’t… let her see her idol in such a pathetic state, arrogantly using the demon race’s power for momentary strength.”
In Isis’s calm smile, Ron looked towards the burning fire.
“If there’s an origin crystal… holding on should be possible.”
After that, Isis’s voice probably only reached her own ears, while Ron was contemplating various possibilities for solving the problem with Isis’s body.
“Mister Ron.”
Isis moved a bit closer to Ron. Her hand lightly touched Ron’s arm.
“Mister Ron… I will wait for you and Lifa.”
Having a clear answer, Isis felt her current mood was the most relaxed since embarking on the quest for destiny.
“You… won’t lie to me, will you?”
A rare hint of playfulness entered Isis’s tone. However, Ron sitting beside her was unexpectedly extremely serious.
“I won’t.”
Ron took a deep breath.
“Isis, thank you. This time, I will keep my promise.”
“This time? Has Mister Ron broken promises to others before?”
Isis’s understanding was clearly a bit off. Perhaps through several conversations and agreements, she had also placed Ron in a position similar to Lifa’s—a friend before whom she could let down her cold exterior.
Ron forced a smile, then quickly noticed something unusual about Isis.
“Isis, why are you suddenly sweating so much…”
Before he could finish speaking, the white-haired beauty who was about to raise her hand to her forehead fell straight into Ron’s arms.
“Isis!!!”
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