"That's how it is, Mama Celia. I'm planning to set out on a journey. I might not be able to explain it clearly, but... it's sothing I must do. It's the reason I ca into this world, so no matter what, I want your approval."
Elias looked earnestly at the gentle woman in front of him.
The head of the orphanage, everyone's Mama Celia.
She was soone Elias had to inform before departing on his journey. After all, during these past three years, both he and Elysia had been deeply cared for by this woman.
There was no way he could just leave without saying goodbye. At least in this era, within this orphanage, she was truly a motherly figure to him.
Besides...
Elias wasn't running away from ho.
He was setting out on a journey.
"So, little Elias, you've finally made up your mind."
"Mama Celia?"
To Elias' surprise, Celia didn't look shocked. Instead, she gently raised her arms and pulled him into a warm embrace, as if reluctantly bidding him farewell.
"I've had a feeling this day would co sooner or later. You've been climbing up to the rooftop often lately, looking out beyond the town. I figured you were longing for the outside world."
"Yes, Mama Celia..."
"It's okay. Wanting to go sowhere is a good thing. Everyone in this world eventually has to embark on their own journey. It might seem a little early for you, but I'm glad you've found your purpose, Elias. However..."
Celia suddenly changed her tone, teasing.
"Rather than worrying about getting past , the person you should really be concerned about... is Elysia."
"Uh, I-I'll explain it to her properly."
Elias didn't sound confident at all when he said that.
His expression looked like he'd just swallowed bitter lon juice.
He honestly couldn't imagine how that pink-haired elf would react when he told her he planned to leave town.
Celia: "Hehe~ Who knows, maybe Elysia will have a complete ltdown, crying and screaming, rolling on the ground—oh dear, just imagining it makes feel sorry for her."
Elias: Pffft—!
Celia's words stabbed right into Elias' heart. He already felt a stomachache coming on.
Would he really be able to coax that girl afterward?
Honestly, Elias had zero confidence.
Just then—
"Mama Celia, are you in? I have sothing I want to talk to you about... Eh? Elias, you're here too?"
Speak of the elf.
A cute pink head peeked through the doorway.
Unlike her usual cheerful self, Elysia looked visibly nervous.
And when she saw Elias standing there, instead of bounding over like usual, she nearly turned and bolted.
"Ely, what are you doing up so late? Did you have a nightmare? Want to sing a lullaby for you later? Uh... what's wrong? Don't run!"
"That expression... Oh no, it can't be."
At first, Elias thought Elysia had just had a bad dream, but Celia raised an eyebrow and gave a helpless smile.
The expression Elysia wore now was exactly the sa as when Elias ca to her earlier.
Celia figured she already had a pretty good idea what this girl was about to say.
But glancing at the boy beside her, she decided to play dumb and let Elysia say it herself.
"Little Elysia, do you have sothing important to say?"
"Yes, yes! I have sothing very important to say."
Elysia nodded firmly, then gathered her courage and stepped into the room again, casting a nervous glance at the white-haired boy beside her. She hadn't expected Elias to be there too.
Suddenly, the courage she had worked up didn't feel like quite enough—but she couldn't back down now.
Clenching her little fists, Elysia looked at the two of them and spoke with utmost seriousness.
"Elias, Mama Celia... I want to leave this place. I want to leave town."
"Ely?!" Elias' eyes widened in surprise.
"Oh? And why is that?"
Celia, who had already guessed as much, gave a wry smile and asked further. Elysia took a mont to organize her thoughts before replying.
"Those people who ca to town recently to run checkups—they made realize just how much about the outside world I don't know. So I want to go see it for myself. I want to travel like the heroes in the stories—to search for the paradise at the edge of the world!"
The world was vast, and she wanted to see it!
Elysia said this seriously, her gaze locked only on Celia—she couldn't bear to look at Elias beside her.
Just as Elias hadn't known how to tell her his decision, Elysia too didn't know how to say it in front of him. When it ca to each other, neither of them felt ready to say goodbye.
And yet, Elysia couldn't help but steal a glance at Elias, wanting to see how he reacted to her words.
Would he feel reluctant to let her go? Would he be sad? Or maybe… angry?
Just thinking about it made her anxious.
Especially that last one.
Elysia had never seen Elias angry. She was a little curious, but she absolutely didn't want to see it.
"Ah~ You two really are as synchronized as ever. So perfectly in tune, it's almost suspicious—like you rehearsed this."
"Mama Celia, what do you an?"
Elysia tilted her head in confusion.
Then she allowed the gentle woman to pull her into a hug, only to see Elias wearing an equally awkward, unsure expression.
"Wait, does that an Elias also—"
"Just like you thought, Ely. I'm also planning to set out on a journey. That's why I ca to talk to Mama Celia tonight."
Elias chuckled and patted her head, caught between laughter and tears, though a little happy at how in sync they were.
"Eh? You too, Elias?!"
Elysia's mouth dropped slightly in shock. She didn't even know what to say.
Celia looked at the white-haired and pink-haired pair in her arms with gentle eyes. Just watching them was healing.
Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind, and she said:
"Well then, how about the two of you travel together? That way, you can look out for each other. I'd feel a lot more at ease. With how well you two get along, I'm sure that even if you run into sothing neither of you can handle alone, together you can overco it."
"..."
"..."
Elias and Elysia stared at each other in stunned silence.
Traveling together?
Of course they'd dread about that. Longed for it.
But they had both silently let go of the idea.
Because it felt too extravagant—so extravagant that they didn't even know how to bring it up.
After all, this journey was their own decision—their own fate. How could they selfishly drag the other into it?
Doing sothing so presumptuous, so arrogant—neither of them could bring themselves to do it.
Because Elias/Elysia was soone too precious to them.
But now, things were different.
"Ely, do you have a destination?"
"Nope. What about you, Elias?"
"Coincidence—we're both destination-less."
The two of them looked at each other and shared bright smiles. Yeah—it really was quite the coincidence. They were both preparing to embark on a journey, both without a set destination, and both reluctant to part from the other.
So in that case... why not travel together?
Celia smiled and gently nudged Elias on the back.
"Inviting soone is a boy's job, you know."
"Mm!"
Elias nodded—no need for more words. He understood.
Elysia placed her little hand over her chest, eyes filled with anticipation.
"Ely, would you like to travel with ? Along the way, we might face danger, and unexpected things may happen—but I promise to protect you always. We'll stay together until we reach the end of the journey."
Elias extended his hand to Elysia in invitation.
"I will, Elias! No matter what dangers we face, no matter what wonders we see, we'll never part—until we find the paradise at the end of the world!"
Without hesitation, Elysia took his hand.
In their eyes, only each other's reflection remained. The pure and sincere affection they held for one another could be felt clearly.
In that mont, it felt as if flower petals danced and bells rang.
"...Are you two sure this is a travel invitation and not a proposal?"
Celia smiled wryly and teased, then reached out to pat the two angels on the head and continued.
"Over the next few days, make sure to say goodbye to the neighbors. Everyone in town loves you both—they're definitely going to miss you. Oh, and tomorrow, I'll have to stop by the grocery store to prepare so food for your trip, and get a few extra changes of clothes ready. You'll need so self-defense tools too… Ah~ so much to do."
Celia looked at the two with affectionate eyes.
"Mm-hmm!" x2
Elias and Elysia nodded in unison, all their inner anxiety having vanished.
Though they were reluctant to leave the townspeople behind, the biggest hurdle had already been overco.
The boy and girl held each other's hands tightly, overjoyed to prolong the ti they could spend together.
...
A few days later—
"Little Elias, little Elysia, stay safe, okay?"
"Make sure to take care of each other, you hear?"
"Have fun, but don't take too many risks!"
"Co back soon—this will always be your ho."
After hearing the angels were going on a journey, everyone in Vostok Town ca to send them off. Over the past three years, Elias and Elysia had brought joy to each and every one of them.
The people of Vostok were genuinely reluctant to see them go, but they still gave their most heartfelt blessings.
"Goodbye, everyone! We'll be back!"
"Mm! I'll miss you all! Bye-bye!"
Elias and Elysia waved vigorously to the crowd until the townspeople were out of sight.
And when the two finally disappeared from view, the people left behind felt a hollow emptiness in their hearts.
"Ah... it's only been one second since they left, and I already miss them."
"I'm so worried. Maybe we should've gone with them."
"Those two better not run into any danger... I just hope they have a joyful journey."
Soone looked at Celia with admiration and said—
"Celia, you really let Elias and Elysia leave just like that? If it were , no way—I'd be worried sick."
"You're all overreacting. This isn't so farewell forever—it's just a trip for two kids... Sure, I'm a little reluctant, but if I can endure for half a month, they'll probably be back from their journey by then."
Celia spoke while gazing in the direction the two had gone.
"Half a month? Yeah, that makes sense—they're just kids, after all."
Soone nodded in agreent.
"One week. Tops."
"One week? Aren't you underestimating Elias and Elysia a bit? I think they can last a whole month."
"No, what I an is—if they don't co back in a week, I won't be able to hold out!"
"Ah, I see… yeah, that makes sense."
The townsfolk chatted animatedly, debating how long the two little ones would be gone. Though Celia had prepared plenty of supplies and given Elias and Elysia a small sum of travel money,
Even with careful budgeting, a month was about the limit—and that was already quite a long ti.
Celia figured that once their travel-sized supplies ran out, the two would have seen and experienced enough, and would choose to return ho.
She had even prepared a map of the surrounding regions—only neighboring towns and one small city at most, but it ca with detailed travel guides.
For two first-ti travelers like Elias and Elysia, that would surely be enough.
However…
"Ely, is there any place you want to go?"
"I don't know, Elias. I didn't realize it until we stepped outside town... but I know absolutely nothing about the world. I don't even know a single place na. But..."
Elysia held Elias' hand with one of hers, and with the other, pointed in the direction of the rising sun.
"I want to go to the farthest place in the world!"
"Alright, that's the spirit, Ely! In that case, we won't be needing this."
With that, Elias tossed away the map that had a set route marked on it. For two people who had made the world their goal, that map was far too limited in scope.
Besides, they had no set destination. Their journey would only end once they could go no farther.
And that mont was still a long way off.
"Then let's go—toward the light!"
"Oohhh! Hyaa! Let's gooo!"
Hand in hand, Elias and Elysia marched forward,
Heading boldly in the direction where the sun was rising.
At that mont, it felt like two birds had flown free from their comfortable cage,
Finally soaring into the vast, boundless sky.
"Ah—!"
"Ely!"
Then, in her excitent—
Elysia tripped on flat ground.
Elias was so startled he nearly froze on the spot.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
40 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon:
Patreon/DaoOfHeaven
User Comments
0 comments from readers