My legs are still weak.

She turned to look at Livia, standing behind the white-haired loli, as if trying to read something from her expression.

“What should we do with them?”

Livia didn’t answer, only gripping the spear in her hand tightly.

Headache-inducing scenes flashed through her mind.

These cubs, once they grew up, would surely become monsters like their kin, continuing to harm the innocent.

“They, like us humans, will grow stronger, gain enlightenment, evolve… They will produce leaders, be manipulated by evil people, so.”

Livia didn’t hesitate and thrust forward fiercely.

‘Stab.’

Ilya’s silver eyes reflected the trembling shoulders of the little white ball.

She suddenly realized that she seemed to have never truly understood this little white ball.

Upon realizing this, the silver-haired elder sister trembled slightly.

No.

Rather, she and this person had only known each other for half a day.

It had only been half a day, but why did she feel an inexplicable familiarity with the other person, as if they had been together for some time?

Her coldness, her decisiveness, all made Ilya feel a sense of strangeness.

But at the same time, an indescribable emotion welled up in Ilya’s heart.

She didn’t know what this emotion was, but she could feel that behind the little white ball’s coldness, there seemed to be hidden endless pain and loneliness.

Her decisiveness was perhaps just to protect herself and those around her.

Ilya took a deep breath, stood beside Livia, shoulder to shoulder with her, and swung her sword, piercing the last cry.

She wiped Livia’s spear with her blood-stained fingertips.

“Your hand is shaking.”

Her voice was as light as if she were commenting on the cool night dew, but her palm was pressed tightly against the back of Livia’s hand holding the spear, until the trembling stopped.

What was most miraculous in this world was that between cold and cold small hands, warmth could actually be generated.

The cave returned to a deathly silence, as if silently announcing the end of everything.

Livia pursed her lips, looking at the corpses on the ground, her red eyes filled with shimmering moisture.

She had thought that once all the problems were finally solved, once all the burdens were finally lifted, she would break down and cry.

After all, those days and nights of struggle, those unspeakable pains, had long been accumulated into a heavy mountain in her heart.

She had imagined this moment countless times.

Imagining herself crying as if being torn apart, as if only then could she release all the pent-up emotions and grievances.

However, when this moment truly arrived, Livia found that she didn’t cry.

Her eyes were indeed moist, her heart beat rapidly, and when she looked down, her fingertips were trembling slightly.

But it was not out of sadness, but out of an indescribable sense of relief.

“Ha, ha… hahaha, hahahaha.”

She suddenly laughed.

The laughter was light at first, like bubbles overflowing from the depths of her heart, then gradually became clearer, carrying a long-lost sense of ease and freedom.

There was no bitterness in her smile, no pretense, only pure release.

So, everything wasn’t as terrible as she had imagined.

So, she was much stronger than she had thought.

Watching all this, Ilya’s lips moved, and she asked, “What have you been through…”

“Whew.”

In the moonlight, a breeze stirred the scent of blood, scattering Livia’s pure white hair. Her face was calm, her brows relaxed, and her eyes were like crystal clear, flawless gems.

The white-haired loli suddenly raised her head.

“Just a bit of hardship.”

She did not resist Ilya’s support, turned around, and was led towards the cave entrance, not forgetting to pick up a few things along the way.

This road was long.

The road she was about to travel would be even longer.

She had already prepared herself to continue on this path.

Outside the cave, Flora and Alice’s battle had already ended.

“Viya, I killed all those goblins! Oh my~ I got the MVP!”

Alice ran over instantly upon seeing the white-haired loli, her prominent chest swaying in the moonlight, “Am I amazing! They were almost turned into Oden, and I killed one with a single sword thrust!”

“Amazing, truly amazing. I’m just a lucky winner.”

Livia weakly pulled at the corners of her mouth, raised her hand, and lightly poked her best friend’s nose, “Are you hurt?”

“Oh dear~ What are you saying? How could I get hurt~”

“Get out of here…”

Livia’s tightly held little face finally broke, she let out a muffled laugh, gently raised her hand, and lightly punched Alice’s side waist, “Seeing that you’re okay… I’m really happy.”

“Me too!”

Alice put her rapier back into its sheath, circled the white-haired loli three times to the left and three times to the right, rubbed her chin, and examined her carefully before nodding with satisfaction, “I knew it. You’re definitely right to follow this silver-haired beauty. She wouldn’t let you get hurt at all!”

The golden-haired girl knew very well that although Ilya always had a cold expression and was indifferent to others, she was the type who was cold on the outside but warm on the inside. She would never let her best friend get hurt!

“You guys are back. Was everything smooth?” Flora also walked over slowly, holding her oak staff with both hands, gently tucking her pink hair behind her ear, “I don’t know why, but they suddenly became like broken puppets, their strength significantly reduced, and they even fled.”

“Oh dear!”

Alice suddenly crossed her arms, making a big ‘X’ sign on her chest.

“What do you mean weakened? That’s because we got stronger! We beat them so badly they dropped their armor and fled. Trash goblins, how dare you cry!?”

“Alright, alright, dropped armor and fled, dropped armor and fled~”

Just as the atmosphere around them began to relax, Ilya’s silver eyes reflected the firelight from the mountain below.

“We need to go down and provide support.”

“Mhm,” Livia silently watched the sparse flames below the cave.

“There’s a leader Shaman among the goblins at the west gate. Ilya, we must flank them, otherwise, they’ll escape. Alice, you and Flora go directly into town. If you don’t boost morale, there will be casualties. Afterward, we’ll sandwich them from both sides.”

“Alright, leave it to me. Speaking of which, if the Shaman dies, won’t those goblins be unable to F2AAA anymore?”

“…Mhm, a vivid analogy.”

As the firelight gradually died down, leaving only charred remains and goblin corpses in the cave, Livia finally turned around.

Her face held no joy of victory, only deep fatigue, yet mixed with a sense of relief and relaxation.

This was already the most difficult hurdle.

After overcoming it, the goblins remaining only at the west gate were no longer a concern.

The current problem was simply.

‘How many town residents do we want to save?’

‘How many threatening goblins do we want to let escape?’

On this test, which anyone would see as an absolute failure at first glance, Livia had already submitted an answer of eighty points that shocked everyone.

But she didn’t want that. She wanted a perfect score.

Even surpassing a perfect score!

Livia glanced at her companions and said softly, “Let’s go, it’s almost dawn.”

The four moved away quickly, leaving behind the burning cave and piles of ashes.

“Actually, I’ve pretty much recovered.”

After parting ways with everyone at the fork in the road, Livia’s hands and feet dangled naturally in mid-air, looking exactly like a white cat being carried.

When she saw her reflection in the shimmering lake water.

She suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of shame.

Even her determined gaze had vanished, and the tension and seriousness in her heart had dissipated considerably.

How could a dignified seven-foot man be held under a woman’s arm?

She was someone who was destined for great things in the future, yet now she was being casually controlled by a woman. She couldn’t accept it.

“Quick, let, let me down, I can walk myself!”

“Your legs are still weak.”

“J, just kidding, you trash, this Master has excellent stamina and endurance, don’t underestimate me!”

Livia began to struggle, kicking her legs in mid-air.

“You are, after all, my servant, I…”

—Snap.

The little white ball trembled all over, almost activating her water magic, and instantly became obedient.