Reborn as an Extra Chapter 540: Aurora, the lazy fox. Part-2.

"Did the demon king command you to perform any tasks for him in exchange for your freedom?"

Rio couldn't accept the idea that the demon king had aided Aurora purely out of goodwill.

After all, he ruled over demons for good cause; he hadn't rushed to rescue his own offspring even after Rio led to Alverto's demise.

Put simply, there was a strong chance he harbored some hidden agenda in directing Aurora here.

"I have no idea... He seemed shocked that Alverto's scheme actually succeeded and freed me from the miasma's hold... beyond that, nothing else..."

Having endured unimaginable torment to arrive here, with Alverto giving his life to protect her, Aurora wished to avoid further schemes, so she shared the honest truth.

’He was taken aback by Alverto's success?... So he doubted from the start that Alverto could pull it off?’

The demon king's response struck Rio as eerily similar to his own initial reaction upon spotting Aurora.

Aurora had been deeply tainted by that cosmic entity's influence at first.

Rio had figured that once Alverto was out of the picture, Aurora would eventually seek vengeance against him.

Yet over the last several months, she hadn't launched any assaults, leaving him puzzled.

And right now, as he journeyed toward the spirit realm, he encountered her along the path.

’This dwarf kingdom holds endless mysteries; events unfold everywhere within it...’

Shaking his head, Rio pushed the thoughts aside.

He realized it was futile to guess the demon king's intentions, given how erratic and strange that figure truly was.

Getting entangled with him too soon wasn't something Rio desired.

’First, I must attain SS rank... Then I'll confront him face-to-face...’

As Rio prepared to depart, Aurora gathered her resolve and begged with desperate eyes,

"C-can you? Can you describe Alverto's final moments to me?"

Aurora was aware the whole ’Spire of Ascension’ had burst apart, erasing every trace of Alverto from existence; his gear and relics had crumbled to nothing with his body.

Only a single individual had beheld Alverto's last instant, and that was Rio.

Upon hearing her request, Rio let out a heavy breath and replied in his typical flat tone.

"He remained a brave ’hero’ right to the very end. Like a true ’Protector,’ he battled on for his people until his final breath."

Through Alverto's memories, Rio had witnessed his deep affection for Aurora, so it felt wrong to reveal how madness had gripped Alverto in those closing moments.

Much like how Rio dreaded Lia losing faith in him, he understood Alverto's spirit was equally vulnerable regarding Aurora.

With no animosity toward Aurora, Rio saw no issue in conversing with her.

"Yet don't cling to the past... He probably hoped you'd embrace joy moving forward; avoid straying onto the incorrect ’path,’ and steer clear of seeking payback against me, or you'll squander the chance Alverto died to create..."

Rio's advice helped Aurora grasp that Alverto desired her to progress and enjoy her days unbound.

She gave a nod, and right as she meant to express her gratitude to Rio, his form wavered and vanished in a flash.

His aura had vanished completely, as though he'd never been there at all.

"Unbelievable..."

That single term captured Rio's power perfectly; Aurora couldn't even grasp the full extent of his might.

’You clashed with a beast like him, Alverto?... Sigh, what drove you to such folly...’

Though Rio had recounted Alverto's end, Aurora didn't view him as benevolent.

Having once been a top-tier demon dwelling among her kind for ages, she'd encountered countless ruthless and mighty demons and beasts.

Still, none among those demons or monsters matched Rio's ’emotionless’ and ’bizarre’ nature.

’What was that odd sensation... He's incredibly strange... no, ’bizarre’ suits him more...’

Demons experienced terror, suffering, desire, rage, and more.

But in Rio's pitch-black gaze, Aurora detected zero ’emotions’; it resembled an endless void. No room existed for a ’heart’ in such a detached form.

’And that sword intent... it's terrifyingly potent...’

Aurora couldn't sense Rio's sword intent at all.

She'd only perceived it once, when Rio deliberately pressed her down with its pressure.

Yet once he eased off, it faded into stillness, impossible to detect.

She had observed Alverto's famed ability, soul resonance.

He'd honed it for years upon years! Even so, he lacked that level of command over his signature technique!

’I've never witnessed talent like this before... Given time, he could surpass even the demon king...’

The deeper her reflections went, the more despair washed over her, knowing a direct confrontation with Rio was beyond her.

’Forgive me, Alverto... I can't avenge you... I'll honor your wish and pursue a joyful existence...’

Challenging Rio would only throw away the life Alverto had preserved for her.

"Oh! My coffee!?"

It was only after sorting her thoughts that she recalled tossing her coffee mug to the floor, shattering it.

"Ugh! That was my absolute favorite! I despise that freak! He's the reason my coffee's ruined now, ugh!"

Aurora massaged her temples to ease the throbbing ache and began tidying the mess.

Once finished, she slumped against the bench while seated.

’Ugh, I lack any urge to budge... Such laziness overwhelms me...’

As she sat there, her gaze drifted to her tail, revealing its disheveled fur.

"Oh no! That freak caught me in my just-woke-up state! I didn't even brush my hair!"

This realization left Aurora feeling utterly foolish!

"I need to relocate my home, yes! I'll find a spot so remote that nobody bothers me!"

That idea sparked motivation in Aurora, but it faded swiftly as she pondered having nowhere else to turn.

’Ugh, I've barely ventured through the world... I just lingered in the hidden lair, watching the surroundings while awaiting Alverto's return...’

Aurora had forever been a laid-back sort who shunned travel and discovery of fresh locales.

She preferred idling in one spot for extended periods.

’Ugh, I've grown comfortable here, and now departure looms... Sigh, the mere notion of relocating exhausts me...’

Shaking her head, Aurora forced herself into action and began gathering her belongings.

Rio had cautioned her to abandon this cabin due to its ties to an SS-ranker, and she aimed to evade notice from mighty figures, leaving her no option but to relocate.

’Where to head next?... Maybe the beast nation?’

Given her foxish traits, she could potentially dwell there in greater tranquility.

Eyes alight with fresh determination, the indolent fox Aurora set forth on her latest journey.