Cold Embrace (2)

"Atula?"

A patrolling squad of soldiers recognized the woman.

"It really is you. I thought I'd seen wrong."

"They all said you were dead. I honestly don't know what to say to express my joy right now."

"Flora?" Atula was equally surprised and stepped forward to catch up with the titan girl. "It's so good to see you're okay. How has the city been these past few days?"

"How else could it be? The prison has thousands of bodies to move out every day. The cells were filled with corpses long ago."

"Only our strong bodies have kept the plague from getting the better of us."

Mounted on a brawny ram-horned horse and holding the reins, Flora shook her head, her expression far from optimistic.

"But it's hard on us, sigh. All the dirty and exhausting work is dumped on our laps."

"I don't know when these days will ever end."

"Let's not talk about that. It's rare for us to meet, so let's talk about the old days. Remember last time..."

As they reached an interesting topic, the two tall figures laughed until they leaned back and forth, their hearty laughter echoing through the empty streets.

Sevia stood silently in place, watching the two of them chat excitedly. Just as she planned to take a look around the vicinity, Atula called out to her.

"Let me introduce you to my new friend, Sevia."

Atula pulled Sevia in front of Flora.

"Sevia... doesn't sound like one of our people," Flora said with a thoughtful look.

"Ah, you have no idea. This girl saved me out there. Otherwise, I wouldn't have made it back," Atula explained.

"Is that so? Then I must thank you. Atula and I grew up thick as thieves."

Standing closer, Sevia finally realized just how massive the ram-horned horses beneath them were.

She barely reached the joint of the horse's leg. The robust muscles were like rising hills. Rather than a horse, it felt more like a juvenile long-necked dinosaur. Its two curved horns glinted with a bronze sheen, its long neck held high as it snorted arrogant flames from its nostrils.

One could only imagine the strength required to stay steady on its back.

"Miss Sevia, how tall are you?" Flora asked with a grin.

"One hundred and seventy centimeters," Sevia answered expressionlessly.

"You must have remembered wrong. How do I recall that this ram-horned horse beneath me is less than five feet tall at its leg joint...?"

This meant that perhaps at this moment, the blue-haired girl in boots was barely one hundred and sixty centimeters tall, maybe just a bit more?

"She probably can't even step into the stirrup."

Atula smiled to help Sevia out. "Flora means, do you want to come up and sit for a bit? You see further when you sit higher."

It was an indisputable fact that the titan race were born massive. Atula’s height of two and a half meters didn't even reach the average height of her tribe. The legendary General Belisa was rumored to be nearly three zhang tall, looking magnificent.

"Look at her thin arms and legs. Can she even do it? These ram-horned horses have explosive tempers. You can't suppress them without some strength," Flora glanced at Sevia and burst into laughter.

Atula didn't say anything and walked toward a ram-horned horse, preparing to mount. However, the blue-haired girl silently approached her side, her gaze peaceful as she gently stroked the horse's mane.

Something that made both their jaws drop happened. The ram-horned horse, which had previously looked down its nose at everyone, actually became docile after being touched by the girl, quietly lowering its head.

Sevia leaped lightly onto the horse's back, her slender legs pressed slightly together as she let out a soft chuckle.

"It seems they don't only submit to brute force."

"If you communicate with them kindly, they are still willing to listen, aren't they?"

The two were speechless, knowing the girl had won this round.

The three of them advanced toward that high wall in the distance, followed by the patrol squad. Atula was in front leading the horse. Along the way, they saw many people attempting to flee from the soldiers' pursuit, only to be roughly pinned to the ground.

A man struggled and jumped down from a prison carriage, accidentally stumbling under the ram-horned horse. Mistaking the girl for a noble, he fell to his knees with a thud.

"Please, help me. I'm really not sick. I can't go to prison..."

"My wife is dead, and I still have two children at home. They'll die if no one takes care of them! I have a job. I'll get a handsome reward soon. You can't lock me in prison!"

Sevia was momentarily at a loss.

The soldiers who rushed over quickly hoisted the man up. After nodding to Sevia, they escorted the man—who seemed to have aged many years—toward the prison carriage.

The gray look in the man's eyes was deeply engraved into the girl's pupils. Sevia thought of many past memories.

Only those in complete despair would show such a gaze.

Once upon a time, she had seen many such gazes.

She could not bear such eyes; she did not want to see people suffer.

She had tried to save people.

If enduring all the suffering herself could ensure this world no longer had any coldness or injustice, and that people could live forever in a beautiful Eden, she would choose self-sacrifice without hesitation.

This devotion was not self-pity or self-satisfaction.

It originated from her psychological defect.

Perhaps she was not giving.

She was seeking liberation.

Being willing to harm herself for the suffering of others was not because of her nobility, but because of her selfishness.

If the fields were filled with the fragrance of flowers and the singing of birds...

Then, facing the reflection of her scarred self in the mirror...

Sevia would feel beauty.

Perhaps she was quite ill.

Seeing the girl suddenly fall silent, Atula teased, "What? Can't stand seeing this mess?"

"Yes," Sevia answered.

"Grandma Hartan always says there's nothing we titan race people can't do." Atula suddenly began to sing a song from her hometown loudly.

"If there is, it's only because our shoulders aren't broad enough, and our muscles aren't strong enough!"

"As long as our strength is great enough and our will is firm enough, there's nothing to fear!"

"I think that saying applies to you too. Although I don't know where you're from, you look so delicate yet you're so stubborn and resilient. You always look unhappy. I knew your head must be filled with other people's problems."

"Since you can't stand the way the world is and feel there's too much suffering, instead of being gloomy all day, you might as well find a way to become strong—strong enough to change everything!"

"Strength..." Sevia lowered her eyes, looking at her hands and softly whispering the word.

"Though I don't have such grand ambitions as saving those people," Atula said.

"Leave the grand ambition of ending suffering to the big shots. My greatest wish is to lead a few far-trade sheep back to my hometown, strip off all my clothes, lie on the sheep's back, and sing loudly on the plains of Turatan!"

Sevia began to re-evaluate this friend she had made in a foreign land.

"So, where are we going now?"

"Flora just told me that a team of wizards has arrived in our Pangard. They're talking about a hundred years ago, the Gnawing Parasite Miracle and whatnot, saying they can help us solve this plague. They want to see our king."

"The general has locked them up. Since we have nothing better to do, I'll take you to the Bastion to have a look."

Upon hearing this, Sevia's expression tightened, becoming solemn.

"The 'Gnawing Parasite Miracle'..."