While speaking, Elashia thought about how she should speak to let Ileina put this matter to rest in her heart.
Looking at the blonde girl before her who was watching her with complex eyes, memories from the game surfaced again in Elashia's mind.
Actually, the original "Elashia" in her childhood wasn't really an inherently evil person.
It could even be said that the young "Elashia" was truly a girl with a kind nature.
It was this dark world that gradually twisted the originally pure white "Elashia," causing her to darken and step by step walk the path toward becoming a world-destroying witch.
In "Elashia's" darkening process, Ileina's departure was the biggest factor...
Elashia remembered very clearly that in "Immortal King—The Fall of Elashia" with "Elashia" as the protagonist, the first major event "Elashia" had to face right from the start was Ileina's departure.
After Ileina left, "Elashia" would have to make an important choice—"maintain her kind heart, or accept the fate of world destruction."
That scene of choice's CG was still deeply etched in Elashia's heart.
In the valley where she parted with Ileina, two "Elashias" stood back to back.
One stood among human heroes, still wearing a pure white dress, her eyes full of gentleness and kindness, hands clasped together as if praying for something.
One stood in a pile of corpses, wearing a dress stained red with blood, holding a bloodied sword in her hand, her eyes revealing violence and killing intent.
Choosing the former meant standing with humanity and accepting the fate of destruction together.
This route was called—the "Guardian Route."
Choosing the latter meant turning against humanity and becoming the world-destroying witch from the original plot.
This route was called—the "Destruction Route."
In the original plot, "Elashia" herself, without player control, chose the "Destruction Route."
This showed how great an impact Ileina's departure had on her.
Since it was a choice that could have such enormous impact on "Elashia," the current Elashia naturally couldn't just laugh it off.
Thinking of this, the extremely complex emotions toward Ileina that "Elashia" had left within Elashia's body gradually awakened...
"Lena..."
Elashia again turned her gaze toward the city.
"Look..."
She pointed toward a park in the city center.
Several citizens in tattered clothes had gathered together and were spontaneously dismantling a statue of the Blood Demon Lord in the park's center.
"Seeing such a scene, what do you think in your heart?"
Elashia smiled as she looked at Ileina.
Ileina thought for a moment and answered:
"Of course I'm very happy..."
Elashia immediately followed up:
"Then... where do you think your happiness comes from?"
Elashia's question stunned Ileina.
"Where my happiness comes from..."
Ileina thought carefully for a long time.
"Mm... I think my happiness should come from seeing the Holy Kingdom people's recognition of us..."
Elashia nodded again.
"Mm... then why does the Holy Kingdom people's recognition of you make you feel happy?"
Elashia's questioning made Ileina fall into silence.
Elashia's question was really somewhat puzzling to her.
As Northern Fire's leader, shouldn't she naturally feel happy seeing the Holy Kingdom people recognize her so much?
Seeing Ileina's silent appearance, Elashia continued:
"I know... you must think this question is very strange."
"But... if you saw similar situations in other countries... for example... in the Iron Empire's occupied zones, if you saw people spontaneously resisting the Demon Forces, would you still be so happy?"
"Or, if you were just an ordinary Holy Kingdom citizen who didn't know where your next meal was coming from, would seeing such a scene still make you so happy?"
Elashia turned her gaze to Ileina.
"I think, as the 'Holy Princess,' your emotions toward this scene... must come from something else..."
After Elashia's explanation, Ileina, who seemed to understand something, answered:
"This... might come from my sense of responsibility."
Hearing this word from Ileina's mouth, Elashia's lips curved into a smile again.
Right!
This was that Holy Princess Ileina who led the Holy Kingdom people in resisting the Blood Clans!
Elashia looked at Ileina gently.
"So... I can understand you..."
"As Holy Princess, you naturally have such a responsibility toward the Holy Kingdom's people."
"This responsibility didn't exist when you hadn't awakened under Big Sister Dorothy's training, but when you gained this ability... this responsibility naturally appeared on your shoulders."
"The Holy Kingdom only has you as an heir. When the Holy Kingdom's empress sided with the Blood Clans, as Holy Princess with powerful combat ability, you became the existence on this land most suited to lead the people's struggle."
Looking at Ileina's slightly trembling eyes, Elashia smiled and said:
"Lena... tell me, what does responsibility arise from?"
Ileina turned her blue eyes.
"Mm... it should come from ability?"
Ileina smiled and said:
"With great power comes great responsibility."
Elashia seriously shook her head.
"No... I don't think that's the case."
"The birth of responsibility doesn't come from 'I can do it' but from 'only I can do it.'"
"This... is why I can understand your reason for leaving me to come to the Holy Kingdom."
Elashia took light steps, slowly walked to Ileina's side, took her small hand and smiled:
"As Holy Princess, you have an appeal to the Holy Kingdom people's resistance movement that others simply cannot achieve. Only you can completely inspire the Holy Kingdom's resistance forces..."
Speaking and speaking, whether influenced by "Elashia's" past memories or by Elashia's own emotions toward Ileina, Elashia's eyes gradually welled up with tears...
"Honestly... your departure... really dealt me quite a blow..."
"Since you left, whether getting up, eating, studying, exercising... I was always alone."
"When bullied by bad people, I could only hide in my room and cry alone. When sick, I could only endure it by myself..."
"That time was really painful... really painful..."
Speaking and speaking, Elashia's voice was already almost choked with emotion and barely clear...
"Shia..."
Seeing Elashia with tears constantly flowing from her eyes, Ileina suddenly became flustered and didn't know what she should do.
She wanted to step forward and help Elashia wipe away her tears, but thinking that the person who had caused Elashia's past pain was herself, her actions hesitated...
Did she... still have the right to wipe away her tears...