Chapter 60: 59. Demon-Born Flower (Seeking Follow-up Reads)

59. Demon-Born Flower (Seeking Follow-up Reads)

"The number one elite team, the one called Soul Apex—you’ve been adventuring for years, surely you know them?"

Dorothy spoke very earnestly.

"I do know them, indeed."

"The leader of a top-four elite team can become a member of the Knight Council that determines the order of the skies, which basically allows the members to throw their weight around. My family had long set their sights on their background and his status as an elite team member; now, their resolve is even firmer."

She made Soul Apex sound incredibly formidable, though in reality, the current leader of Soul Apex, Rams, was not a member of the Council, as the Council’s membership changed only once a year.

This position was, of course, what Rams dreamed of, but if Soul Apex dropped out of the top four before the change, that dream would slip through his fingers.

"Throwing their weight around—that’s not quite so exaggerated," Li Ang said.

Once they become a top-four team, the entire Sky Cavalry Regiment becomes the focus of the skies. If anything, they don't dare to act too arrogantly; there are plenty of teams in the lower ranks hoping to catch them in a mistake, send some people to prison, and then, with their strength greatly diminished, take their place.

"You talk as if you’re an elite team member yourself. Wendes dared to block a shipping lane all by himself; isn't that exaggerated enough?"

"This has something to do with your Empire, right?"

"The Empire... sigh, my family is the same. I don't know what kind of spell they’re under; they’ve set their hearts on joining... or to be precise, returning to the Empire’s fold."

"Wendes has already been captured by us. He violated guild laws for regional powers; I expect Soul Apex will soon cut ties and shed responsibility for him."

"I saw firelight near the Count’s mansion earlier. Do you think he’s already escaped? Don’t underestimate Count Finat; he’s quite capable."

"I’m just about to go check."

Li Ang had previously discovered that there were secret exits in the Count’s mansion, and more than one.

Therefore, the direction he had chosen for this journey was, on the whole, heading toward the Count’s mansion.

He hadn’t rushed straight there because it was still early; by investigating while moving forward, he would arrive just as it turned deep into the night, which would be convenient for his actions.

The appearance of the Annihilation Knight had to have something to do with Count Finat; the Black Knight must have attacked Lancelot first, and upon discovering Li Ang wasn't there, came out to search for him.

He needed to confirm Lancelot’s safety. This guy was of average strength among the elites of the Order Flame Regiment; he definitely couldn't beat the Black Knight in a head-on fight, but he should have a chance if he ran.

"Really?"

A look of interest appeared on Dorothy’s charming face.

"There’s a legend in Spark Harbor that some treasures from the wars many years ago are hidden in certain places, and those places are known only to Count Finat."

"Then we’ll have to look carefully."

Li Ang added, "In any case, he is an elite team member, but broadly speaking, any of the top few dozen Sky Cavalry Regiments can be called elite teams. If you keep adventuring and honing your professional skills, you might have a chance to join their ranks yourself."

"But I don’t have... I don’t..." Dorothy hummed softly, "Anyway, it’s all your fault. If... if... maybe I would have..."

My fault?

Li Ang hadn't yet figured out the connection, when Dorothy suddenly quickened her pace, pushing past him into the narrow secret passage ahead.

"Watch your step."

Li Ang reminded her.

Dorothy took a few more steps after his warning, then stepped on an uneven stone tile and twisted her ankle. She leaned against the wall and slowly slid to the ground, her skirt stretching to reveal a distinctly full curve.

"Here, I have healing spells." Li Ang walked forward.

Dorothy shook her head: "It’s fine, I’m fine."

Judging by her posture, that twist had been quite severe, but she touched her ankle, successfully stood up, and continued walking.

The wound on her hand earlier had also healed rapidly; was it some subtle special spellcasting, or was her recovery power just that high?

Li Ang opened her panel.

【Name: Dorothy】

【Race: Half-Elf】

【Class: Priest, Rank 2】

【Summon: Demon-Born Flower】

【Energy Source: Demon-Born Flower, Rank 4】

【Equipment: None】

【Ultimate: None】

【Skills: Demon-Born Flower Parasite [Life Solidification, Summon Demon-Born Flower], Priest [Heal, Holy Fire]】

【Combat Power Boost: 0】

What is a Demon-Born Flower?

Li Ang had heard a similar name in his memory, but he wasn't sure if it was the same as the one before him. This parasitism... was it a good thing?

【Skill: Life Solidification】

【Activation: Passive】

【Before the Demon-Born Flower matures, it will ensure the host’s life persists】

【Skill: Summon Demon-Born Flower】

【Activation: Mental Call】

【Calls the immature Demon-Born Flower to bare its fangs and launch a violent attack on enemies】

This girl...

So that’s how it is.

Although he didn't know the full details of the Demon-Born Flower, this power was clearly different from the natural condition Leona had; it was acquired later. While it brought powerful self-healing, in the end, it would...

Li Ang took a deep breath and walked closer to Dorothy.

"If you want to adventure, it’s not too late to start now—"

Dorothy didn't hear what he said, only saying: "I’m hungry."

"You didn't eat dinner?"

"I was in a bad mood, so I didn't."

Dorothy continued: "I can’t walk anymore either, my foot hurts so much, I can’t go on."

"How long has it even been? Let’s rest for a bit then."

"The ground is so dirty and cold."

Li Ang let the wind elemental summon that had been following him in a gaseous state gather into a solid mass of air to serve as a temporary chair.

"Wow, so soft, yet the support is just right. Can I issue a commission to you? Can you use this thing to make me a bed every time I sleep?"

"...Issuing commissions to me is very expensive."

Who would use a Rank 7 elemental summon as furniture?

"I still have a little bit of private savings."

Li Ang sat down on the wind elemental as well and took a bag of dumplings from his pack. They were a bit like the sticky rice pastries from Earth, but the ingredients were unique to Newbis.

He had bought them while increasing his exploration progress on the street earlier; this kind of food, which was easy to carry and filling, had a decent cost-performance ratio for adventuring, and it was a fresh taste.

"Ah, it’s the cloud dumplings from that shop on Sixth Street. Actually, for cloud dumplings, I’d still recommend the one on Commercial Street."

"Do you want one?"

"I want the pink strawberry-flavored one, just one is enough."

Seeming to notice that Li Ang was on the verge of exploding, she honestly took off her gloves, reached out to pick up the pink dumpling, and brought it to her lips to eat in small bites.

Li Ang noticed that the hand she used to take the dumpling wasn't the left hand she had cut earlier; the left hand had been healed by his spell, but at the edge of her right sleeve, one could faintly see dense, crisscrossing scars.

After eating, there was a moment of silence, then Dorothy suddenly asked: "I’m very useless, aren't I?"

"Yes."

"You really don't show any mercy."

The young lady didn't get angry, saying with a dazed expression: "I’ve only been out for a short while, I don't know how to light a lamp, I can't walk steadily, I can't endure hardship—that’s right, I am that kind of person, a good-for-nothing who can’t do anything without being taken care of."

In some parts of Newbis, nobles also had all sorts of decadent habits. Dorothy hadn't reached that level, but people like her weren't rare.

"I can’t even imagine now, eight years ago, how I dared to go adventuring alone just because I was being stubborn? If it weren't for someone taking care of me in every possible way, I probably wouldn't have lasted at all; I would have cried and gone home in three days at most."

The young lady hugged her knees, her waist and hips rising and falling. She rested her cheek on her legs, secretly watching Li Ang.

"Can you guess who that person is?"