Steampunk Era: Mad Abield
Chapter 370 - 251: Promotion (Part 3)

Chapter 370: Chapter 251: Promotion (Part 3)

Malin was awakened by the sound of machinery.

Sitting up, he found himself in Clovis’s Mage Tower. Malin instinctively stood up because he saw the room was full of ashes, as if it hadn’t been tidied up in a while.

"Clovis," Malin called out the old rabbit’s name, wanting to find him, but no one answered.

Malin walked upstairs, and the closer he got to Clovis’s room, the more keenly he felt that faint soul. Malin pushed open the door and saw Fafa curled up in the corner, already dead, and also saw the old rabbit sitting on the bed, her head drooping weakly.

Seemingly having heard the noise Malin made when he entered, Clovis lifted her head, the old rabbit looked at Malin and revealed an ugly smile.

"I... I’ve been waiting for you."

Malin looked at Clovis, who had become inhuman, and finally walked over to her side, crouched down, and reached out his hand to grasp her hairless and withered limb: "What happened, how long have I been gone?"

"I can’t remember..."

The shell in front of him could no longer laugh or cry, the azure Soul Fire flickered in her eyes as if it could be extinguished at any moment.

At this point, she looked at Malin, who was watching her.

"Don’t look at me, please."

"Why?" Malin held her hand tightly, unwilling to let her withdraw her icy limb.

"Because the happy me in your world is the only reason I’ve held on until now. My life, was a tragic one, and I want to hear her happy story from you. That way, I would know that I too deserve happiness."

At these words, the azure Soul Fire tumbled in Clovis’s eye sockets, droplets of similarly colored Negative Energy liquid fell from her eyes, landing on the back of Malin’s hand, causing corrosion.

Seeing the smoke caused by the corrosion, the rabbit hurriedly looked up.

Malin watched her, not knowing what to say.

Why is it that in every different timeline, the girls he knew were all so unfortunate? Life should not be so painful like this, the original owner of this body was not him. Without his world, does every person have such a tragic end... It shouldn’t be this way; each person is their own savior.

Finally, Malin extended his arms and held Clovis in his embrace.

"Malin... is that me, doing well?"

The soul’s whisper echoed in Malin’s mind, and he extended his hand to stroke Clovis’s head: "Yes, she’s doing great. She loves carrot soup just like you, and I adore holding her while sleeping because the sound of her heartbeat brings a unique sense of security."

After saying all this in one breath, Malin listened to this Clovis’s cries, hugging her tightly in his arms... Stop crying, I’m sorry, I couldn’t come to your world.

After crying enough, Clovis’s ears drooped, and she gently pushed against Malin, seemingly trying to push him away or herself out of Malin’s embrace.

Eventually, Malin could only let go, observing the Soul Fire in her eye sockets that was gradually turning red. He reached out his hand and stroked her head: "I’m sorry."

"No apologies, Malin; being able to see you in my twilight years is my fortune. Can you fulfill one small request for me at the end?"

"What request?" Malin smiled, watching the azure Soul Fire being slowly swallowed by crimson red, observing the tremble within Clovis’s soul.

"Free my soul."

Looking at Malin, Clovis reached out, grasping his hand that was stroking her head. She cried again while recounting her tale.

Only then did Malin learn that after tasting his carrot soup, Clovis had wanted to dig for her own but got injured by Spirits, and it was Fafa who desperately brought her back.

She had wanted to see him one more time, to know if another her in a different time was happy, so she turned herself into a Lich, waiting for him.

"Now that I know, being able to see you one last time before I fall into corruption, the Goddess of Fate has given me a moment of satisfaction, Mr. Malin. I am about to be corrupted. Please stop me, okay? I’ve lived a life in such an ugly shell, and I don’t want to become even uglier after death."

"Clovis, you really aren’t ugly," Malin said, smiling as he freed his other hand to wipe the Negative Energy tears off her face, looking at the mere wisp of blue in the Soul Fire. He reached out his hand to pull Clovis’s Soul Fire from her body, and in that instant, Malin expressed a phrase to the love before him that she might have never heard in her life.

"I love you."

"Thank you..."

Before the Soul Fire dissipated, Malin heard the content voice of a young girl’s gratitude.

After arranging Clovis on the bed and covering her with a sheet, Malin gently left the room. Passing the stove, he cast a flame, igniting the firewood and scattered furniture pieces nearby.

Stepping out of the Mage Tower, Malin saw a mechanical being that watched him and eventually turned aside, pointing towards the central city district.

Malin nodded and followed its guidance towards the city center – he wanted to see who else might be in this damned city.

Along the way, Malin saw many mechanical beings with exquisite craftsmanship. Some resembled the twisted armor he had defeated, very elaborate, but definitely not human.

Without exception, these mechanical beings were guiding Malin. Following their direction, he finally came upon the factory — it was right in the city center, perhaps with some kind of fog effect.