Chapter 262

The flame bomb, which was far superior in size and strength to ordinary flame bombs, directly penetrated the three- to four-meter-tall monster, causing its figure to explode in the air.

"Don't worry, Yiel, it's a piece of cake."

"Young Master? Are you... are you okay...?"

"Yes, I can definitely deal with a monster of this level myself..."

But Will turned his head.

Yiel stood there with his head lowered and one hand holding the shield tightly. For some reason, in his left eye...

Everything overflowing from her body was black.

Chapter 289 The Winter of the Beast-Ear Maid (3) (3k)

——Late Autumn——

Standing in this mountain forest, Yi Aier would always think of the late autumn afternoon when she first came here with her young master - although when she asked him just now, he acted as if it was not important and had no memory of it. Same.

That day, there were thick leaves on the ground, the sky was gloomy white, and there was nothing in the sky except the occasional flash of birds.

"I...I really don't want to come out. I'm almost finished reading this chapter today."

That day, the young master was called out by Aunt Susan to exercise, and had to put down the magic book he was half studying, which made him look particularly depressed.

He walked very slowly, walking at the end, kicking the stones under his feet as he walked.

Then……

When he just stepped here, he who was following behind met a monster.

What kind of monster is it?

Yi'er remembered it very clearly. It seemed to be just a lone phantom ice wolf puppy.

She was not as "powerful" as she is now, and she did not have such powerful weapons in her hands. Even the young master's training had only started for less than a week. She was just a little maid who had become slightly "healthier" from a skinny state.

At that time, even if she encountered such a weak and dangerous monster, she would probably only be able to fight hand-to-hand, and she wouldn't even be able to resist a few times.

She only remembered the picture she saw when she looked back that made her feel distressed to this day.

The thin Will swung the dagger in his hand, but he was half a beat too slow and was knocked away by the claws of the monster.

The weak Will immediately raised the staff with his other hand, began to chant a spell in his mouth, and aimed it at the vital point of the monster. However, the fireball was a little slow in condensing, and he was ejected a certain distance by the impact of the collision.

at last……

The weak Will sat on the ground panting. For him at that age, casting magic quickly like this and exercising before that had consumed a lot of his strength.

He tried to stand up, using his arms to support the ground, but his feet slipped and he sat on the ground again.

"Hahaha……"

Panting and unable to reply, he closed his eyes lightly and lay in her arms.

--beginning of winter--

Yiel put down her shield, and in this familiar place, she once again felt the "approach" of the incident that would appear in her memories——

Her ears heard the approaching footsteps of the monster.

Her nose picked up the approaching scent.

Her brain understood that the young master should be facing a monster now.

It doesn't matter.

She turned around.

She is no longer the same person she was then. She knew very well that this was the meaning of her existence by the young master's side——

Ever since he was a child, the young master has been so weak that he gets out of breath even if he exercises casually.

Ever since he started practicing magic, he would often let his magic power run out and lie on the bed, needing her to wipe away his sweat.

Ever since he started school, the young master has often been injured and needed her to lick his wounds with her soft tongue.

All these are imprinted in her memory, imprinted in her conditioned reflexes, imprinted in her mind.

If one day he encounters danger, she can stand in front of him at all costs.

Whether it's training herself to adapt to high temperatures, teaching herself the ancient magic "Su Bing Formation" that represents the ultimate defense, or making herself a reliable vanguard in the team, in short, she knows what she understands best...

Whenever the young master faces an enemy, that's when he needs her the most!

Whenever the young master is in danger, that's when he needs her the most!

Whenever the young master is seriously injured, that's when he needs her the most!

This is what Will told her.

So so so—

At this time, it was just an ordinary magical beast, crossing the distance like this, rushing in front of the young master at the fastest speed, blocking him sitting on the ground, and then waving his shield to crack its skull. , as long as this can...

Yiel felt danger, anger, and worry at the same time...she also felt——

joy.

Once she thought that the weak Will could be blocked by her, sitting softly on the ground, looking at her upright figure, she could turn around and say, "Leave the young master to Iel's protection"...

She could feel the joy arising spontaneously.

Just like the joy she felt at that moment when she was able to protect the young master from the witch's attack.

Just like the joy of that moment when she was able to rescue the young master from the evil queen.

Just like the joy she felt at the moment when the young master praised him for needing her protection.

Because this is where the young master needs her most, and it is also an important reason why the young master will not abandon her. It is also the deepest bond between her and the young master in so many years!

"It's okay, young master, please leave the rest to Yi Aier..."

--winter solstice--

Stab.

In the dazzling sunshine, the young man who was originally thin and always lacked physical coordination and slow reaction, at the moment when the beast pounced towards him, at a speed that Yi Aier could not see clearly, he took out his dagger and struck fiercely. Chopped the beast's claws.

Master, since when did you have such speed and intensity?

boom.

The next second, the young man, who was originally weak and slow to activate magic, raised the beautiful staff in his hand and aimed it at the beast's head. The fire in the entire forest shone, and its body was completely destroyed. The ground evaporates.

Master, since when did such efficient and powerful magic exist?

"It looks like a piece of cake."

Immediately afterwards, the weak young man who always panted and sat on the ground after dealing with such dangers now stood calmly and relaxedly, clapped his palms, his body was spotless, and his breathing was no longer rapid. .

Master, since when have you been able to deal with these difficulties with some degree of margin?

"Young... Young Master? Are... are you okay...?"

When Yi Aier asked, he already had the answer in his heart.

She didn't need to ask questions at all. One look at the young master's intact coat, his calm expression, and his confident and happy smile, and she knew——

he.

Perfectly.

No one is needed.

Able to win victory over monsters that would have harmed him.

Even win very nicely.

When he said this, he smiled very happily.

That smile was different from the smile he spent with her during this time. It was a smile that made him sincerely happy because he felt his own growth.

"Yes, I can deal with monsters of this level myself..."

——Late winter——

yes.

When did it start?

It must not have been the time when Carver told her that the young master didn't need her...

It must not have been the time when the young master himself disappeared with Mr. S...

It is definitely not the time when the young master can lead everyone to build a team as a leader...

Rather, from the moment she fell in love with the young master who would continue to move forward, who would continue to lead everyone forward, and who had his most determined goals and ideals...

She knew that one day, he, who was small and weak, would grow up to be independent and no longer had to be by his side for everything.

She should also know that the young master who sat at the table every day and was so happy writing every letter to Mr. He is the young master who will enjoy every adventure in the dungeon and lead more teammates forward...

It is true that he will not have to stay with her alone forever and grow up under her service like he did when he first lived here.

No need for anyone to remind, no need for anyone to repeat, no need for anyone to hint...

This is very obvious, the fact before me——

He can solve everything on his own.

He doesn't need your protection anymore.

"Yiel... what's wrong with you? Something seems wrong? You..."

Will came in front of her, bent down slightly, reached out to push away the hair that covered her eyes because she lowered her head, and looked into her gray eyes.

"Why are you crying?"

"Iel...cry...cry?"

"Are you worried that I will be hurt, so you are crying?"

Will didn't seem to find the real reason for Elle's tears. He just used his fingers to gently wipe away the big tears from the corners of her eyes.

"Don't be afraid, don't you see that I am standing here with good hands and feet now? There is nothing wrong with me. Don't cry... although you are really cute when you cry."

Compared to before, he seemed to have mastered some methods of coaxing girls, wiping his tears little by little with his thumb.

"Master, um... you... it's great that you're okay. Yi'er... Yi'er is very happy. From the bottom of my heart, I feel... I feel very happy, and I'm so happy that I'm wagging my tail."

She once thought that if she rescued him alone and brought him to this house that seemed to be isolated from the world, it would become the hope he described, and Will would stay with her as he said.

[Stand by his side when he is most isolated; stand in front of him when he is at his most dangerous; touch his face when he is at his weakest. People seek support only when they are the loneliest, most frightened, and most vulnerable. So, let him know that he can’t live without you. 】

Now it seems that just like this, there is no way to keep him?

Too.

Yi'er's ideas are always the simplest.

No matter where the young master would go, from the first moment she saw him at the door of System's house...

Without Will, she would have entered that long winter that she would never get out of.

"But...but Yiel...your tail doesn't seem to be wagging..."

Oops, her young master is really perceptive, and he quickly discovered something was wrong with her.

She did not accept the parting that would eventually be revealed beneath the surface of happiness.

"No, Master, you must have seen it wrong."

She walked towards Will step by step.

She searched through "Three Hundred Questions of Darkness" in her mind, but could not find the question that best suited her mood and behavior.

That's fine, she understands.

From the first day of reciting the book, the young master told her that when you feel something in your heart but can't find the answer in the book, you will be successful.

"Yi Ai'er, you..."

He paused. It was as if time had stopped, standing there, without finishing the second half of the sentence.