Typemoon: Starting Out as the Lion King [215]

The girl who appeared in the corner was none other than Ana, who had left the group dinner. Shortly after Alaric left the table to find Merlin, Ana followed him. Even though both Alaric and Merlin noticed Ana's presence, they didn't shy away from their conversation.

Instead, they spoke openly and casually.

Because of this, Ana came to understand what Alaric intended to do with Gorgon.

"You're planning to kill Gorgon? She's an immortal monster."

Unaware of Alaric's Mystic Eyes of Death Perception, Ana said flatly, "Without the proper method, it's impossible to kill Gorgon."

"An immortal monster, huh? It seems you know quite a lot about Gorgon, Anna."

Hearing this, Alaric smiled and said, "Where there's a will, there's a way. As long as something can be killed, we can figure it out, Ana."

Seeing Alaric's confidence, Anna was momentarily stunned, then asked, "So, are you going to confront Gorgon tomorrow?"

Since Alaric and Merlin hadn't hidden their conversation, when Alaric obtained the coordinates of the Blood Temple, Ana also gained the same information.

"Ana, would you like to come with me?"

Alaric crouched down to meet Ana's gaze, smiling as he said, "Or would you rather stay here for a while and get along with Fujimaru Ritsuka and the others? I promise I'll bring back good news."

Ana—or rather, Medusa—had materialized in the world because of Gorgon. Naturally, she had her obsessions. Alaric should have respected Ana's choice—

But after interacting with her, Alaric had other thoughts.

Ana shouldn't face Gorgon with such a mindset. At the very least, she should have genuine experiences with humanity first.

Having experienced Camelot, Alaric had gained a deeper understanding of the existence of Heroic Spirits.

Heroic Spirits are echoes of the past, starting a second life filled with regret.

The obsessions that drive their actions are born from their greatest regrets and desires. Ana was no exception.

"Did Merlin tell you?"

Ana was slightly startled at this moment, realizing that Alaric was already aware of her true identity.

She also understood the emotions behind Alaric's words.

This realization left Ana feeling conflicted and uncertain.

"Not really," Alaic replied. "But I think it's too soon for you to meet Gorgon now. Ana, I'll respect your choice, but I think you should try to connect with humanity. The experience of being with others can be beautiful.

Let's try to enjoy this brief second life."

Alaric gazed into Ana's eyes, his calm determination pressing against the walls of her heart that rejected communication.

"...…"

Hearing Alaric's words, Ana fell silent, instinctively avoiding his gaze.

Since ancient times, sincerity has been a sharp blade.

Ana could feel that Alaric was genuinely thinking about her, but it was precisely this that left her at a loss, unable to respond.

At this moment, Merlin interjected with a cheerful smile, "My, my, Brother Alaric, you are something. How about this: tomorrow, why don't you take Ana to the Northern Wall first? After all, you've got so many things to do, and taking Ana along shouldn't be a problem, right?"

"…?"

Hearing Merlin's neutral and uninvolved suggestion, Alaric, still crouched in front of Ana, glanced up at Merlin before turning to Ana and saying, "Well, how should I put it? I don't plan to confront Gorgon in the next couple of days. However, I do intend to conduct some test battles. Ana, would you like to come?"

After obtaining the coordinates of the Blood Temple, Alaric formulated a plan. Since it wasn't possible to defeat Gorgon in one go, he could adopt a strategy of attrition.

The main purpose of this approach was for Alaric to test the limits of his current maximum firepower.

With sufficient magical energy support, Alaric in his enhanced state was on a completely different level from his normal state.

Although Alaric in his regular state could achieve comparable output by sacrificing sustainability, there was still a significant gap in terms of maximum power—an almost insurmountable difference. With the Holy Lance and magical energy support, Alaric was even confident he could unleash a power close to the Lion King's true Holy Judgment!

But that would be his last resort, a trump card for the final moment.

"I'll go with you."

After a moment of silence, Ana said, "I…"

…will try to connect with humanity.

Although she couldn't say it out loud, Ana found herself unable to reject Alaric's sincere kindness.

Just as the atmosphere between them grew a bit awkward, Mash appeared, breaking the tension.

"Sir Alaric? Miss Anna? What are you two doing here?"

Holding Fou in her arms, Mash asked curiously, "Have you both finished eating? The dishes Miss Siduri prepared were delicious!"

"You saw how I ate earlier, didn't you, Mash? I was practically a one-man army."

Hearing Mash's question, Alaric stood up with a proud expression. "Miss Siduri's cooking was fantastic. The best part was how plentiful it was!"

"Indeed!"

Recalling Alaric's voracious appetite earlier, Mash smiled softly. "I didn't expect Sir Alaric to not only be strong in battle but also have such a hearty appetite!"

"That's true. My appetite has been growing lately."

While proud of his appetite, Alaric was also a bit troubled.

It's hard to feed myself—what does the King of Knights usually eat to sustain herself?

As Mash left, the group dinner finally came to an end.

After eating her fill, Ushiwakamaru approached Alaric and said, "Lord Alaric, if possible, I hope you'll consider heading to the Northern Wall to fight alongside us.

Besides, isn't there the matter of relocating Nippur's citizens? With your help, I'm sure it would be much easier."

Alaric had previously proposed the relocation of Nippur's citizens to Gilgamesh, and under Siduri's arrangements, the process was gradually progressing. All that was left was for Alaric to step in and rally the citizens to complete the move.

"Soon. I plan to arrive at the Northern Wall tomorrow. Aside from the relocation, I also plan to engage in an initial skirmish with the Beast Goddess. Most of the demonic beasts will need to be drawn away, so you'll have to strengthen your defenses."

Alaric nodded. The relocation of Nippur's citizens was a top priority.

But in Alaric's view, purely defensive strategies would only lead to passivity. Instead of waiting to be attacked, it was better to take the initiative and lure most of the demonic beasts into one area.

By then, the relocation of Nippur would be much easier.

"It seems you already have a plan, Lord Alaric. In that case, I'll await your arrival tomorrow!"

Seeing Alaric's determination, Ushiwakamaru's smile brightened, blooming like a pure white flower.

After Ushiwakamaru left, Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash curiously approached Alaric, asking, "Sir Alaric, are you leaving Uruk tomorrow to fight the goddess?"

"That's right. Don't worry; I'm confident I'll make it back in one piece. You should stay in Uruk for a while and show Gilgamesh your worth.

Oh, and make sure to ask for payment. Try to get some money out of that collector of all treasures, Gilgamesh."

Alaric spoke solemnly as if this task was even more important than fighting Gorgon.

"Understood!"

Mash nodded earnestly. "Don't worry, Sir Alaric, I'll work hard!"

Seeing Mash's serious expression, Alaric couldn't help but feel emotional. "Mash, if you lived in a normal era, you'd be a model employee!"