Chapter 127: Zachary (2)

"Eehh… A name? Me? You want me to think of a name for the baby?"

"Hmhm. Just think of any name that comes out of your mind"

"But why me? The baby did not come out of me"

"Of course it didn't! The only thing that will come out of you is feces!"

"D-does that mean I should name my poop from now on?"

"Ugh, Viel! If I didn't just have a human come out from inside me I will smack you in the head!"

"Sshhh… my wife, you will wake up our baby"

"Then why don't you think of a name-oh, I suddenly feel so sleepy"

"Are you alright!?"

"I'm fine, just a bit woozy. Viel, you better come up of a name before I fall asleep"

"Eehh.. why not let Antoinette do it?"

"....zZzzz"

"Do you really think Antoinette can even think? Our girl is blacked out to oblivion"

"A name… ahmmm…"

"And don't come up with something like Special Prisoner or whatever!"

"T-then how about…

...Mr. Baby?"

"...."

"Come near here so I can smack you in the head"

"OH!"

"What is it!?"

"Special Baby!?"

"That is not even a name!"

"Ling Ling?"

"...We're from the west, Viel. That's a name for eastern people"

"Eehh, but I think it works. Ling Ling is a cute name. Hello there, little Ling Ling"

"Ugh. Fine, it is cute. You can call him that, but a name is different!"

"I have to think of another one!?"

"My wife, maybe it is best if we think about this mo-"

"Were you the one who just pushed this baby out from inside of her for 3 long hours? Viel, a name, now. I am starting to fall asleep"

"Eeh… Hmmm… Oh! No. No, not that. Hmm… What if… Ah, that's right. No…

...I thought of something!"

"W-what is it!?"

"Zachary!"

"Zachary? That's… pretty good. I didn't think something normal would come out of your mouth. What do you think about it, my dear husband?"

"Zachary… It feels strong, doesn't it? Like a fearless scholar waving through the battlefields. I like it. Yeah, Zachary is pretty good"

"That's… a pretty specific detail. Viel, can you tell me why you chose the name Zachary?"

"Eehh… I mixed Lord Karl's name and Miss Emi's name. Karl and Emi, Kari… Kary!"

"..."

"Then where did you get the Za??"

"Uhmm… From Antoinette"

"zzZzzzz"

"...."

"S-shall we think of another name?"

"I think it's good. Do you like it, Lord Zachary?"

"Lord Zachary? No! He will be an adventurer like me, Karl"

"W-what!? But who will help me with the papers when I grow old!?"

"Anyway, Zachary it is. Hello, baby Zachary. Oh, you like that, don't you?"

"You see that? That's Viel. You can call him big brother when you grow up"

"B-big brother, me?"

"Why not? You're older than him. Not to mention you named him"

"I… I see"

"Do you want to hold him?"

"Eeh!? But it might break"

"Pft. Then at least hold her hand, come here"

"A-are you sure he won't break?"

"Viel, just hold his hand"

"O...okay"

"..."

"Oooh! Ooh! Look! Miss Emi!

...he is smiling!"

***

"Viel… what's wrong?"

[Soul Search: Target is not within detectable reach]

[Jack expresses regret]

[Lu Yi expresses worry]

[Xanthus expresses guilt]

'Not within detectable reach? What does that even mean, Mr. Voice? What are you trying to tell me now?

Baby Zachary is there, in the room. What… What are you saying now?

"No!"

The one screaming, is it Miss Emi? Why?

Why is she screaming? It… it sounds disgusting…

...It sounds scary.

...it sounds… familiar.

Make it stop. Please make the noise stop. Make it stop. No more, please.

I…

I can't take it anymore.

Why are you screaming, Miss Emi? Why…

Why…

Why are you doing this…

Why are you showing me this again!?

This… pain.

It must end.

I… will end it'

"Viel…"

Emi's screams have not stopped. It has been a minute and yet it has not stopped. Princess Sofia could not bear to turn around and look at the room, she was terrified. Terrified of what she would see if she does.

But she knows, she knows that it was inevitable not to.

And so she did.

She slowly turned her trembling body towards the room. And with her shaking feet, she walked towards it.

Getting nearer the room, the first thing that Princess Sofia noticed was the smell. It was a weak smell, a weak smell of metal wafting through her nose.

Blood.

And there were. Lots of it.

The blood of children. Their small bodies strewn on the ground, drowning the whole room in red.

The sound of flesh being pummeled also echoed in the room, but was being drowned by Emi's chilling screams.

Azurite Paladin was currently smashing the face of a man. The man's face was already caved in, with Azurite's elbows almost digging through the ground.

The Elder from the New Golden Pavilion, Dao Ming Zhu, was also holding a head, neatly cut from the neck, holding the head by its horns.

No.

They weren't men. They were demons.

The elf was currently holding Emi, whose mouth was opened in the widest possible way. Grueling screeches coming out of it. She was swaying her body uncontrollably, her arms unrestrained as they flailed around, even hitting the elf that was hugging her.

But the elf did not budge even as his face bled from being hit by Emi's elbows. He just gritted his teeth, with his face completely faced downwards.

But the elf was stopping her from approaching a crib that was on the side of the room. The crib… it was leaking.

Weak droplets of red falling from it. Like water falling from a drying leaf.

Plop. plop. Plop.

It repeated, going slower and slower.

With every drop, making Sofia blink and her head tremble.

A weak sound, but even stronger than Emi's deafening screams. Sofia no longer knows how many times she had blinked.

Slowly, she approached the crib. But as soon as she got there, her legs instantly backed away, her eyes trying its best to no longer look at the crib.

And the only thing that was in Sofia's mind was- Did Emi see this?

A mother was allowed to see this?

To see her child like this?

Sofia then once again looked around.

All these children… strewn on the ground like cattle. Sofia was used to the scent of blood and to the view of mangled bodies.

She too, was a monster. But this…

These are innocent lives. Children. Children who have not yet experienced the world.

How… how would one even approach their parents? How would one even say that their sons and their daughters were mangled and devoured?

...Helplessly.

Sofia's attention was then interrupted by the slow creaking of the door.

"Viel…", she whispered as she saw Viel slowly approaching the crib, "Don't…"

But her words do not reach Viel, even as he passed by her. The only response Sofia received were whispers of his own.

All of it. It must end. I must end it.

Those were the words repeated by Viel from his breath.

Even Emi, who was previously uncontrollable and unrestrained, stopped as she saw Viel walking towards the crib.

The elf quickly let go of Emi as she seemed to have calmed down abruptly.

"D-don't look, Viel", she breathed.

But it was too late. Viel was already in front of the crib, staring at baby Zachary, or whatever was left of him.

"Viel!", Emi quickly hugged Viel and covered his eyes, all whilst covering her eyes as well, "Don't look, please don't look"

Emi's hand, which was covering Viel's eyes, started to feel warm. "...Viel".

"Miss Emi… I'm sorry…", Viel whispered.

Emi quickly shook her head as her cheeks rustled Viel's hair. Biting her lips to the point that it bled. She sniffled uncontrollably as she tried to stop her tears from falling any further.

"It...it's not your fault, Viel", Emi's silent cries were muffled.

"But it is…", Viel replied in a sigh.

Sister Xianying… and now baby Zachary. Because he stayed. He forced himself in a world that he didn't belong to.

"Because I am here… they died", Viel continued, "...Because we are here"

Viel removed Emi's hand from his eyes as he looked at her, "I am sorry, Miss Emi"

Emi quickly held Viel's cheek as she repeatedly shook her head.

"Please… please don't say that…", Emi breathed in as she saw Viel's vacant stare.

Viel then turned his head towards Dao Ming Zhu,

"It… is time for us to go"

He said as he stretched out his arm. And slowly, green flickering lights appeared in front of him.

[Rain: Item Box]

And soon, a flower, almost half the size of Viel, bloomed from the lights.

"T-that's…", Sofia could not help but gulp as her eyes widened.

The Treant Flower.

And as soon as it appeared, it blew up in flames, the blood reflecting its cries.

[Successfully eliminated all targets! Congratulations on clearing the Forest of Elves Dungeon, Viel!]

[Rewards: ERROR – Player already has the reward item]

[Portal will be closed in 72 hours. Please exit the dungeon before the portal closes]