Who Corrupted the Hero

The sea breeze carried tidings.

At the end of the world, in a land forsaken by the gods, the evil Demon King awoke from his slumber.

A holy light appeared.

Transforming into an eternal and blazing "sun."

It brought equal annihilation upon the Demon King and his abominations.

Thus, the world knew peace, and all things were at rest.

...

The second day after Servia swiftly cleared the Demon King's castle.

Astrologers.

Prophecy mages.

Nature shamans.

Every being capable of sensing the world's changes was struck with shock, their faces blank with bewilderment and helplessness.

The laws of the world whispered to them.

An indescribably sublime existence had eradicated the newly awakened Demon King.

The world was now at peace.

Never again would the ancient wars of turmoil arise.

"This... this can't be possible! To destroy the immortal and indestructible Demon King—could it be the legendary God-King has descended?"

"Gasp—"

"What in the heavens did that exalted one do?!"

"He eradicated the entire dark aspect of the world!"

The people trembled in awe.

Yet, they were also exhilarated beyond measure.

Amidst the flood of magical communications, the joyous news of the Demon King's demise spread like wildfire to every corner of the world.

Even Xu Xi and Servia, on their journey,

could hear the cheerful discussions of passersby during their rest.

"Word travels fast..."

"I underestimated the Demon King's influence on this world."

Under a clear sky,

the sunlight shone brilliantly.

The leaves of the tree-sea shimmered like emeralds, their edges glistening as they rustled in the gentle breeze, producing a crisp and melodious sound.

Xu Xi paused and sat down to rest by the roots of a tree.

The girl followed suit, settling beside him.

Her platinum-high ponytail cascaded over her shoulders,

its tips brushing against the grass and soil.

"Servia, do you see? Because of your actions, people no longer live in fear."

"I only did what I could, Master Xu Xi."

Faced with Xu Xi's praise,

the girl merely smiled faintly, not considering herself particularly great.

She lifted her gaze to the boundless azure sky, her voice tinged with a hint of bashfulness:

"Master Xu Xi."

"I'm sorry for troubling you, always dragging you around like this."

This simulation was unique.

After vanquishing the Demon King,

Servia did not settle down with Xu Xi in one place. Instead, they roamed the continent, traveling through various regions.

The reason was simple.

In the fifth simulation, the two had traversed every corner of the wizarding world, but those lands, tainted by the Netherworld's corruption, were nothing but desolate ruins.

The hero's adventure bore no resemblance to the colorful tales of legend.

Only death had accompanied them.

Thus, the hero wished to seize this opportunity to experience a true, beautiful, and vibrant adventure with Xu Xi.

"It's fine, Servia."

Xu Xi reached out and ruffled the girl's hair. "I find this kind of life quite enjoyable too."

"Really, Master Xu Xi?"

"Mhm, really."

Leaning against the sturdy trunk, Xu Xi's gaze pierced through the blinding golden sunlight, settling on the peculiar adventurer town in the distance, watching the joyful expressions of the people coming and going.

"Though you've destroyed the Demon King and there are no dangerous enemies left,"

"peaceful life itself is a kind of splendor."

"Experiencing the customs and culture of another world firsthand is a rare and wonderful opportunity for me."

As he spoke,

a green leaf, carried by the breeze,

drifted down and landed perfectly in Xu Xi's palm.

"As long as Master Xu Xi doesn't dislike it," Servia's expression visibly brightened, her eyes gleaming with relief.

Afterward,

the two sat beneath the tree, enjoying the shade.

At times, they reminisced about the wizarding world.

At others, they discussed where to go next in this simulation.

As they chatted, Servia's gaze grew unfocused, her posture stiffening as she struggled to meet Xu Xi's eyes.

"Master Xu Xi..."

"I think... I'm a little sleepy..."

Her tone was stiff.

Her acting, clumsy.

The emerald of the Clawphire Family, in a motion so awkward it embarrassed even herself, leaned her head against Xu Xi's shoulder, squeezing her eyes shut tightly.

Her expression seemed to scream: I'm asleep, really asleep.

Xu Xi: ?

The blue sky played its part, the white clouds drifted lazily, and a flock of birds passed overhead, casting dappled shadows through the canopy.

Xu Xi did not expose the hero's poor acting.

Instead, he adjusted his posture slightly,

allowing the flustered hero to rest more comfortably.

"Who could have corrupted Servia...?" Xu Xi mused, savoring the summer breeze, as images of several girls flashed through his mind.

It was hard to pinpoint the culprit.

Every one of them seemed suspicious.

Xu Xi glanced down at Servia's overly tense face and found her terrible acting oddly endearing.

Out of habit,

he pinched the hero's cheek.

The smooth texture was as delightful as ever.

Meanwhile, Servia's increasingly flushed face, as she desperately pretended to sleep, brought Xu Xi no small amount of amusement.

"Servia, are you asleep?"

"I... I'm already asleep, Master Xu Xi."

The hero's inexperience showed—she failed to realize that someone truly asleep wouldn't be able to answer.

...

The first month of the simulation passed uneventfully.

Though dangerous monsters and treasure-hoarding dragons still roamed the world,

these threats were insignificant.

The native powers were more than capable of handling them.

Rather than dangers, they were more like essential parts of the world's ecosystem.

Xu Xi and Servia wandered the edges of the world,

witnessing its exotic customs and experiencing the unique charm of this otherworld.

Occasionally, they lent a helping hand to those in need.

"Thank you, thank you!"

"We are truly grateful!"

At the village entrance,

after Servia helped dig a well,

the villagers showered them with fruits and vegetables as tokens of their gratitude.

"The knight lady is so kind."

"Indeed, she must be that lord's fiancée, right?"

"They look so well-matched."

Amidst the gratitude, misunderstandings arose.

The hero waved her hands in refusal, declining the villagers' heartfelt gifts.

Yet, she forgot to correct their assumptions.

After leaving the village, Xu Xi noticed Servia's expression had grown unusually cheerful.

"Servia, what has you so happy?"

"Master Xu Xi, I was thinking... now that the villagers have water, their lives will be better."

Hearing her reply,

Xu Xi smiled.

Servia truly was the hero who saved the world—her heart never ceased to care for others.

Even in the filth, even in despair, amidst the darkness of the wizarding world, the girl had never lost the kindness befitting a hero.

That kindness endured.

Now, it shone even brighter.

"Let's keep going, Servia. There are still many places to see."

"Yes, Master Xu Xi!"

As they walked, the hero began to "doze off" again, her clumsy motions gradually growing smoother.