Chapter 451: If I Don't Protect My Own, What Do I Need This Power For?
"So, this decision of yours…"
"Tsk. How should I put it? I can only say—it's exactly the kind of choice only you could make."
Steven clicked his tongue. Talulah's answer was, in truth, well within his expectations. This girl—kind by nature, and in many ways purer than most—had never truly let go of her faith in humanity. From beginning to end, she continued to believe that at its core, human nature was good.
To most people, such thinking might seem naïve or childish. But if someone could truly live by it, then it was no longer something that could be dismissed so lightly.
At the very least, Steven felt that if he himself couldn't live the same way, then he had no right to judge her choices.
What's more, Talulah's decision wasn't blind idealism. She had prepared contingencies—though, as always, those measures came at her own expense, placing all responsibility squarely on her shoulders.
The border snowfields of Ursus were a land riddled with countless hidden dangers. Abandoning the idea of escaping together with the main body of the Infected, and instead choosing to trail behind these people—who certainly bore her no goodwill—to monitor their movements…
That wasn't something that could be described as merely "dangerous."
And if, in the end, she truly discovered betrayal among them—actions that harmed others innocent infected—then it would be a devastating blow to her beliefs. Should she then be forced to personally deal with them, it would be like striking her already-fragile mental defenses with merciless force.
"You know this land," Steven said quietly. "It has no place for your kind of kindness. And the answer you'll get in the end… there's only one it can be."
For once, Steven put away his usual flippant expression, imitating a certain green-haired old lynx as he spoke in words that sounded almost like a riddle—cryptic and heavy with meaning.
Perhaps from the moment she voiced her decision, Talulah already understood the cruel ending she was destined to witness. And yet, she still chose to step forward without hesitation.
"I know," she replied softly. "This land was never a beautiful place. But I still want to prove that there is beauty in this world."
She showed Steven a resolute smile. The confusion and hesitation from before were gone, replaced by the familiar gaze of a caged wolf—longing for freedom and liberation.
"Maybe, just as you said, the ending is already decided. But that's something I was always meant to witness—a necessary step in my growth, isn't it? Some things have to be experienced firsthand. Otherwise, even next time, I might still cling to that unnecessary naïveté."
Straightening her clothes, Talulah said nothing more. She no longer needed her boyfriend's advice. What she had lacked was simply someone to listen. Now that she had spoken her thoughts aloud, her resolve was firm.
"Since you've already made up your mind, then follow your heart and walk this path without fear. Right or wrong—time will give you the answer in the end."
Watching the little drake regain her usual spirit—no, shine even brighter than before—Steven's eyes softened with relief. Deep down, he felt oddly like an old father witnessing his daughter's growth.
Well, considering how long he was stuck in that cubic world, he's more like her great-great-great-grandfather instead of an old father.
"Don't be afraid. When all is said and done, I'll still be here to catch you, won't I?"
Even in that moment of sentimentality, Steven couldn't help but throw in a line that slightly ruined the mood. A statement so blatantly overprotective—only someone with his confidence could say it out loud.
But when the person in question was Talulah, Steven felt not the slightest bit that this was excessive. The only reason he was willing to let her make a choice that might haunt her for the rest of her life was because he had the capital and strength to overturn a tragedy if it came to that. Without that, there was no way he'd allow her to take such a risk.
Cleaning up after the growth of someone he cared about—wrapping things up for her, or wiping the mess afterward—Steven was more than happy to do so. Absolutely and without complaint.
"Is that all you wanted to say?" Talulah asked, a soft laugh escaping her lips.
Steven's words had clearly reached her. The reason she had been able to make such a firm decision in the first place was precisely because Steven existed. Not because he could "clean up after her," but because knowing that someone would always stand behind her—supporting her, understanding her—that feeling was what truly gave her the resolve.
"Then should I give you a loving kiss of encouragement?" Steven puckered his lips exaggeratedly. "Or maybe you'd prefer some other kind of benefit?"
His deliberate theatrics made Talulah laugh again—and even he himself nearly broke character.
"Ahem. Jokes aside," Steven said, clearing his throat and dropping the act. "You're still the leader of Reunion. If you're going to monitor the people who left, what about everyone else? Don't you still have unresolved pursuers on your tail?"
Giving up on the banter, Steven turned to the practical details of her plan. He supported the general direction, but the specifics still needed refinement.
"I'll entrust Mr. Patriot with temporary command of Reunion," Talulah replied calmly. "First, it shows my trust in him. Second, his abilities will naturally reveal themselves during this escape. I believe the doubts among the Infected regarding him will gradually fade as a result."
As for Patriot's capability and conviction, Talulah had no reason to doubt either. As someone of noble birth, she knew more of his past than most Infected did. She understood what this mountain-like, steadfast Wendigo warrior had given up—and what he had endured—to become the man he was now.
It could be said that on the path of protecting the Infected, Patriot had walked further than she ever had, and had done far more.
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Note: Character Illustration is in this Google Drive:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iuyfwNVFHzIi9H4rWNT_lAm7jTSiah_M
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