Girl in the Box: Please tell me why I was reincarnated as a mimic monster!

"Do you think this counts as being responsible for yourself?" Ning angrily shoved him again. "Do you really understand your own position? With your abilities, you want to be responsible for yourself? Have you said enough nice words?"

"Ning... you went a little too far, didn't you?" Li frowned. "Calm down."

"........."

"You're not going to say anything, are you?" Ning sighed helplessly, then continued, "I don't want to say anything to you either, but please look at yourself clearly. Have you done anything to help us this time? On the contrary, you've only caused us more trouble, haven't you? Do you really think the three of us can't handle them?"

Having spent a long time with Ning, Li and Xiao knew very well that Ning was truly angry this time, and Li hadn't expected her to be so upset. Leon sat to the side, head down, silent; he probably didn't know what to say either.

"I'm really... so sorry." Leon managed to squeeze out these heavy words with great difficulty. "I only know that I'm not strong enough. I'm just an ordinary person, and what I can do is very little. But my desire to become stronger, to be able to protect others, is genuine!"

"So?" Ning tilted his head impatiently. "Want to start getting stronger by mustering up courage? What a weak form of spiritualism..."

“It’s good that you have the intention…” Li said with a wry smile, “but having the intention alone is not enough… at least don’t cause trouble for others, it would be good to start from that point.”

"I'm sorry..." Leon's honest demeanor was quite rare. "I didn't want to cause trouble for everyone... but there are various reasons! Anyway, I can't just sit idly by!"

“That’s exactly the same as someone else’s.” Ning’s gaze drifted to Li beside her.

Ultimately, if this guy hadn't bothered with him, none of this would have happened. Li forcibly changed the subject to cover up this.

"Oh, by the way, why are you in a place like this?" Li asked curiously. "It must be dangerous outside, right? Why did you, someone as weak as you, run out here alone?"

"Pfft!?"

This attack was a direct spiritual strike to the soul, and Leon's soul suffered a considerable blow.

“That is…” Leon hesitated.

"Hmm... I'm a little curious too." Ning seemed interested in this as well. "I didn't have time to listen when I rescued you back then, but now that we have plenty of time, please tell me why someone as weak as you would leave the safe city and run away."

"So can you guys stop constantly emphasizing that I'm weak?! It's hurtful!!!"

"Pfft, hahahahaha..."

Both of them were stunned when they heard Leon's complaints, and Xiao, who was listening from the side, couldn't help but laugh.

"Okay, okay," Ning said perfunctorily, "We won't talk about this anymore. Now, tell me why you ended up in that forest. Start from the beginning and keep it brief. Don't go into the trivial things that happened on the way."

“That’s really strict…” Leon sat up and complained. “I’m from the New Kingdom. You know about that, right? Like all that’s been happening lately…”

"Oh, you mean the internal strife in the kingdom?" Xiao interjected. "Is big brother being hunted down?"

“No way! I wouldn’t dare!” Leon corrected her and continued, “Well, the civil war in the new kingdom was one of the reasons I left. It was too chaotic and too dangerous. But actually, what really made me leave the new kingdom… was my family’s situation.”

“Family…” Li lowered her eyes. “I see…Aren’t your family members in the New Kingdom?”

“They’re not here…” Leon said sadly, “They… live in the countryside.”

"…………Feel sorry."

Leon's two brief sentences were enough to explain a great deal. Recent events likely included the earlier war, in which everyone witnessed the atrocities committed by the kingdom ruled by the bald old man, Seric. Indiscriminate massacres, destroying and even annihilating everything—such demonic acts ultimately drew the wrath of justice.

But… it's probably too late. Everywhere you look is desolate. Leon's family lives in the countryside, which means they've likely been caught in the war, their fate unknown. Leon's main reason for leaving the New Kingdom was probably to check on his family's whereabouts.

“I regret it so much now…” Leon gripped his hands tightly. “Dad told me before that I didn’t have the talent or ability to be an adventurer, but I still ran away on my own and ended up in such a miserable state. I never thought that this damn thing would happen when I was about to go back and apologize to my parents. As an adventurer, I don’t even have the ability to check if they are alive or dead. What am I then? Damn it!”

Boom!

Leon pounded his fist on the ground to vent his dissatisfaction and anger, while the three sisters listened silently and watched him silently.

“So I came out of the New Kingdom,” Leon continued, “I wanted to find out if they were alive or dead, and what my homeland was like now… but now it seems quite clear…”

No one spoke, because they all knew how terrible the world was now: a global transformation into a demonic realm, geological changes, drastic alterations to the map, elves and monsters roaming freely, and desolation everywhere...

"Who knows!" Xiao laughed optimistically. "When Xiao and her sisters return to their hometown, it will still be exactly the same as before!"

“Yes…” Li and Ning both nodded.

The maze remained unchanged, untouched by anything that had transpired, though everything had changed... The three women were gone, but that didn't change the fact that it was their homeland. Besides, they had brought new family with them...

“So,” Li comforted him, “believe me… your hometown… your family will be alright.”

“Thank you…” Leon’s expression began to relax. “After that, I took the little girl in your arms and embarked on a journey back home. On the way, we were chased by monsters and dragged into that crystal forest. You all know what happened after that.”

"Big brother is so lucky," Xiao said, speaking the truth.

“Yes, that’s lucky.” Riya nodded.

"How dare you say that to him?" Ning said helplessly, pinching Li's face.

"Hahaha... I can't help it..." Leon laughed sheepishly. "I don't know why I always have such incredible luck. But after talking to you guys like this, I really feel... there are always people more capable than you, and there's always something beyond your understanding."

"Isn't this a good thing?" Ning yawned and stretched. "Haa~~ Hmm... Being able to have this kind of change in mindset is also part of becoming stronger. At least you are much more composed and humble than when we first met, but you are still just as hopelessly stupid as ever."

"I'll take that as a compliment..." Leon said with a wry smile.

"Compared to that..."

Ning suddenly climbed over to Xiao and picked up the puppy that had been rubbing against Xiao's chest since earlier. The puppy became docile after being picked up, and Ning placed it between them and Leon.

“We’re going to take a break,” Ning said calmly. “If you dare to outrun a little dog, you’re dead.”

As Ning finished speaking, transparent, colorless flames appeared on his body. The killing intent released by that last sentence alone was enough to keep Leon in line for the entire night.

Chapter 33 Leon's Thoughts

"Oh, the rain has stopped!!"

"Hmm...? Really...?"

"Judging from the rain last night, I thought we'd probably have to stay here for another half a day... but now it seems there's no need for that."

Riho, who had been asleep, was awakened by Akatsuki's voice. Still half-asleep, she glanced outside the renovated mud house. Because the door was open, she could see everything at a glance. The damp air was slightly cool, and the sky had cleared, revealing the unique double-moon sky of this world. The large amount of water left after the heavy rain reflected the colors of the sky.

"so beautiful……"

Seeing such a beautiful view, Li, who was still half asleep, began to wake up, but when she tried to get out of bed, the coolness outside kept her from getting out.

"It's so cold..." Li quickly shrank back into the blankets. "Why is it so cold..."

"There's no sun in this world, is there?" Ning said with a wry smile. "It's precisely because there's no sun that the climate in this world always stays at the same level. The heat that was taken away by the rain last night hasn't been replenished yet, so it's a bit chilly in the morning. Alright, even Xiao is already up, what are you still doing lying in bed?"

"Mmm..."

After hesitating in bed for a while, Li struggled to get out of bed and quickly packed away everything, cutting off her escape route.

"Hahaha! Oh la!"

"Wang! Wang!"

While Li was still lazing in bed, Xiao had already run out to play in the water. She happily splashed around in the puddles, playing freely and kicking up water with her toes. The water droplets she kicked up looked like sparkling crystals under the light, creating a beautiful picture with the pure white fox-eared girl and the playing white dog.

"It feels like people live just to see these beautiful sights," Li remarked as she tidied her hair.

"Why are you suddenly acting like an old lady..." Ning complained.

"Can't I just reflect on life?" I rolled my eyes at her.

"That's not what I said." Ning shrugged, then called out to Xiao, "Xiao, don't go too far, your clothes will get dirty."

"Oh~~!"

Xiao verbally agreed, but she had already run quite a distance with the puppy, and the splashing water droplets had already soaked her skirt. There wasn't much mud, but as long as she was happy, that was all that mattered.

“And another thing,” Ning pushed Li aside and blocked her way, “hurry up and put your clothes on.”

"Eh?"

Li was stunned for a moment, then noticed Leon, who was still facing the wall, out of the corner of her eye. Her gaze lingered on Leon for a while, then shifted to the pajamas she was wearing. She then understood why Ning had urged her to get dressed quickly. She hurriedly put on the clothes that Li had thrown to her from the treasure chest, and then straightened herself up.

She almost forgot that she was still looking awkwardly like she had just woken up from a deep sleep, and walking around so freely in front of men was really embarrassing. If Ning hadn't reminded her, she wouldn't have realized what was going on.

"By the way, what do you want for breakfast?"

While checking if the clothes were tidied up, Li asked Ning. But after a while, she didn't get a reply, so she looked up to check and saw Ning covering her mouth and nose, looking away, with a slight blush on her face.

"What's wrong...?" Li patted her shoulder.

"Huh?" Ning's body trembled. "What's wrong?"

"I'm asking you what you want to eat for breakfast?" Li looked at her suspiciously. "What's wrong with you?"

"N-nothing," Ning replied casually. "Let's just have something to eat for breakfast. The weather's pretty good today, so it should be a good time to travel."

"...You really look strange." Rin didn't understand why Ning was acting this way. "Since you put it that way...how about we just grab some bread and eat it while we travel? Is that alright?"

"Whatever you want, I'll go call Xiao. You can tidy up here."

"Won't the mud houses be restored?"

"There won't be any problem leaving it like this. It's also good for any passing adventurers or other people to have a place to rest."

"Okay, then Xiao is in your hands."

"Alright, alright, I'll go call her now."

After speaking, Ning quickly walked out of the earthen house as if she wanted to leave as soon as possible, because today's situation was slightly different. Today she was wearing a ruffled tank top, hot pants, and a white coat, a combination that had an indescribable feel to it. In particular, her long, white legs under the hot pants aroused Ning's desire, but she tried her best to control herself from doing anything that would lower her favorability rating.

Ning couldn't guarantee she wouldn't do something drastic. If she did, Li would probably just throw her into another dimension, which would be troublesome. Besides, she didn't want to be intimate with Li in front of outsiders; she wasn't that outrageous.

"Speaking of which... that coat looks kind of familiar..."

Ning searched her memory; she seemed to have seen this white coat somewhere before, but she couldn't remember where. However, she felt a subtle sense of unease and discomfort. It looked fine, but she didn't know why she had this feeling.

"Leon, help me put out the fire. Water from outside will do."

"oh oh……"

Leon helpfully tidied up the earthen house for Ri, and Ri also packed up some essential items. Although she didn't know if anyone would come, she left some things behind and also placed a small surprise in a box, burying it under the damp firewood. After finishing, Ri picked up the treasure chest, which had transformed back into a briefcase, and prepared to leave, glancing back at Leon, who was still standing there in a daze.

"What's wrong?" Li asked. "Aren't you leaving?"

Leon hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Is it okay...? I might actually hold you back..."

"So that's what you care about..." Li sighed and said casually, "The situation is different now than it was back then. Don't worry, let's go together. Aren't you going back to your hometown? It'll be good to have someone with you on the way. If you die on the way, you won't be able to find out anything."

"Thank you all."

After a long silence, Leon finally answered. He immediately shouldered his nearly empty luggage and followed Li's footsteps. With his strength waning, all he could do now was try not to cause trouble for the three girls. Since they had already said so, refusing their kindness at this point would only bother them.

The two left the earthen house and caught up with Ning Xiao and the other person who had already started moving forward.

"Here, for you."

Li handed the basket of bread to Xiao and Ning, and after they each chose the bread they wanted, she handed the basket to Leon.

"What is this?" Leon asked, bewildered.

"Bread," he said, puzzled. "Haven't you ever eaten it before?"

“No, of course I’ve eaten it.” Leon hesitated for a moment, then said, “But I’ve never seen bread like this before…”

The breads in the basket had golden, oily crusts that looked incredibly appetizing. They also emitted an enticing aroma of wheat. Even Leon could tell that these breads were the kind of high-class breads served at aristocratic gatherings—no, even better. Moreover, the breads looked quite interesting; some of them had something unusual on their outer layer.

"Hmph~ Is that so~" Li snorted twice. "Don't worry, no matter how strange the texture is, it's still edible. Instead of that, why don't you take two to eat? You look so pale, you must not have eaten properly lately, right?"

"Then... I want both of them."

"Here you go. It's been sitting for a few days, so the taste might have deteriorated a bit. Please forgive me."

"Thank you, I'm happy as long as I have something to eat."

Leon took the two loaves of bread from the basket from Ri, then watched as Ri magically made the basket disappear. He then looked at the two loaves of bread in his hand: one had a layer of yellow cotton-like material on its crust, and the other had a layer of reddish-black mashed potato-like material on its crust, both of which looked rather unappealing.

After thinking for a moment, he took a bite of the bread covered with a layer of red and black mashed potatoes. The first thing he felt after taking the first bite was an indescribable soft texture. Then, the soft bread wrapped around a sandy sweetness that assaulted his taste buds. This novel experience made him widen his eyes in surprise, and he unconsciously took several more bites. When he came to his senses, he had already finished the bread.

Without hesitation, he took a bite of the other bread. He couldn't wait to taste the new delicacy. It still had the same soft texture. So what was next? The layer of yellow silk, which was like cotton, slid into his mouth and actually brought a meaty taste. After he finished the two breads in two or three bites, he began to regret eating them so quickly.

What exactly is this?

Leon had these questions in his mind. The bread was so soft, and there were even some strange things inside. What were those yellow threads? And why did they taste like meat? This kind of bread was something that even nobles would rarely get to eat, let alone ordinary people like him. This time, he was just lucky.

"How is it?" Li asked, looking at him. "Is it delicious?"

"Mmm, delicious!" Leon exclaimed, praising the bread. "How can bread be so delicious? How is it made? I've never seen or tasted anything like it before!"

“Hehe, of course,” Ri smiled smugly, “This is a delicacy that only exists in Akihabara.”

"Akihabara?!" Leon's eyes widened in surprise. "You mean Akihabara?!"

"Hmm, right?" Li smiled. "There's only one Akihabara, isn't there? Could it be another Akihabara?"

"OMG……"

Leon was so shocked he couldn't speak.

What was once considered a thorn in the side of the world has now transformed into a legendary and desirable place. First, it accomplished the feat of repelling the kingdom's attack, then shone brightly in the final battle against the kingdom, even giving birth to a hero stronger than the bravest to punish the kingdom's madness, and now, this delicious food has appeared.