Black Killer Whale Baby - Chapter 185

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 185
Just one word. He called my name briefly, but I recognized it immediately.
Could there be a voice I’d missed more than this?
When I lifted my head, undulating blue hair caught my eye first.
I scattered what I’d been holding in my hands and reached out.
“Ekion!”
The one descending from the sky was indeed Ekion.
This place’s sky was as pristine as the vast grasslands around us. The blue was truly flawless, and in a way, beautifully colored.
It felt like being underwater.
His hair swaying gently resembled sunlight viewed from beneath the ocean’s surface.
You’re always so beautiful, no matter when I see you.
The possessiveness welling up in this moment, glistening in my eyes, seemed to remind me that I was an Orca.
You said you wanted to become mine of your own accord, so until I let you go, you’re my person, aren’t you?
The vast wilderness seemed to have brought even me to some primal place.
As if in this moment alone, I could unleash all my instincts.
Perhaps you’re the most beautiful thing I possess?
“Ekion.”
Ekion’s descent accelerated.
The innocent boy reaching toward me with outstretched hands wore a startled expression, but only briefly.
I pulled Ekion into a tight embrace.
The boy who had grown taller than me was slightly too large for my arms to hold comfortably, but it was fine.
“Do you know how much I’ve missed you?”
It was strange.
Oddly enough, seeing him felt even more joyful than reuniting with my subordinates in the third loop’s life not long ago.
Just a little more.
When I released him from my embrace, his ears had taken on a reddish hue for some reason.
The time we spent embracing wasn’t long at all.
Whether this surprised him or flustered him, he couldn’t even reach out his hands.
His face had turned beet red—I must have held him too tightly.
Oh, I’d underestimated my own strength. I reflected on this.
But there was good news, wasn’t there? News that was as much a gift from Ekion to me.
“I found the materials!”
“….”
I grinned widely, pointed at the scattered materials, and chattered away with genuine childlike joy.
I brought this one down in a single strike, and I caught this feather with a nimble jump?
Even when I was truly a child in this world, I’d never done anything like this. It was incredibly enjoyable.
Father can live now.
He’ll survive. And now that I’ve found you, I’ll return.
“It’s strange. Meeting you feels like it was truly great fortune for me.”
It was the Dragon Duke who destroyed the previous world. I harbored no resentment about this.
Even then, I knew the Dragon Duke was also a victim and a scapegoat.
We all broke free from the same wretched shackles, and now we’re changing things one by one, seeking our revenge.
“I really love the word ‘comrade.'”
“….”
“Actually, any word that keeps me from feeling lonely feels good.”
Without hesitation, I reached out and stroked Ekion’s head, only realizing afterward that I’d been moving my hand too roughly, as if petting an adorable puppy.
Laughing sheepishly, I tidied up his hair, which had stood on end like coral.
“…Calypso. Is this okay?”
Even at the sudden question, I could answer with a bright smile.
“Yeah, it’s great!”
I playfully pinched Ekion’s chubby cheeks.
The plump, elastic feel wasn’t bad at all. Soon Ekion’s hand came up over the back of mine.
His hands were cold as the deep sea, but I didn’t mind. It was fine.
“Let’s go back. Can you?”
“Yeah.”
The young boy nodded slowly.
“If that’s what Calypso wishes.”
Ekion whispered with a smile.
Anything.
* * *
When I opened my eyes, I was back in my Study where we had disappeared.
“Calypso!”
“Sister!”
Atlant, Agenor, Levai, and Whale were all gathered together in the Study.
Looking around quickly, it seemed barely any time had passed since we left.
“…Why is Father here?”
I was startled to see Father resting comfortably on the sofa.
I’d thought he would have been moved to bed.
“You ask that the moment you get back? Do you have any idea how shocked I was when you suddenly vanished?!”
“Shocked? You already knew. I said I was going to catch extinct animals.”
“That’s not the point—you disappeared suddenly with the Matriarch!”
“Yeah, I guess from Second Brother’s perspective, it would be shocking.”
I hadn’t expected to go time traveling with the Matriarch either.
I patted Second Brother’s shoulder as he rushed toward me.
“I know best what you don’t want to lose. But it’s okay.”
“….”
“I didn’t die or get hurt.”
At my words, Atlant crumpled. He covered his face and let out a long sigh, laughing helplessly.
I wanted to comfort him, but unfortunately I had a more urgent matter to address first.
“…Ekion, where’s the Matriarch?”
Ekion turned his head slowly instead of answering.
‘You said I’d understand once Ekion arrived, didn’t you?’
Because of that, I couldn’t ask further where the Matriarch had disappeared to or what would happen next.
And then I saw the Orca Family Matriarch lying on the ground behind us.
Whether she was unconscious or asleep, she looked somewhat disheveled but peaceful.
“Is she dead?”
“She’s unconscious. Should I kill her?”
“….”
No, that peaceful expression made irritation flare up for a moment, but this wasn’t the time to express anger.
‘Should I really just kill her like this?’
It wasn’t that such thoughts hadn’t crossed my mind. But anything was possible.
If that Matriarch also had her water power forcibly activate when unconscious like Father, it would be troublesome if anyone touched her.
More importantly, if I killed the Matriarch while she was unconscious here, I couldn’t legitimately claim the position of Matriarch.
When I was directly refuting the Matriarch’s theory about the survival of the fittest, killing her in this state would be—
What difference would that make from the dead Baian or that Matriarch?
“Never mind. There’s something more urgent right now.”
Besides, I needed to treat Father first.
‘Actually, this moment when the Matriarch can’t regain consciousness is an opportunity.’
Yes, an opportunity.
Let me save Father first!
That Matriarch will surely make a huge fuss once she wakes up. And would she really overlook my disrespect?
‘I can already see what excuse she’ll use to pin on me.’
In the worst case, I even considered being driven out like this.
That’s fine. After all, I’d already taken that into account when I acted.
At least it felt satisfying.
For some reason, Tus perched on Ekion’s shoulder looked slightly anxious.
The way his mouth kept opening and closing made it seem like he had something to say to me.
But when Ekion looked at Tus, he quickly shut his mouth.
“For now, let’s save Father while the Matriarch is unconscious. What about Lili?”
“She’s over there, Noble Lady.”
Levai explained. Lili had fallen asleep while trying to prevent Father’s energy from depleting further.
“Is she injured anywhere?”
“No, it seems she fell asleep from exhausting her energy.”
“…She’s had it rough. Just a young girl.”
No matter how much it was her own choice, my heart felt uneasy. I’d have to repay this somehow.
“Levai, you heard? We need to save Father. Do we have the materials?”
I stopped mid-sentence, realizing there was no need to ask.
Near Father, numerous materials were neatly organized. It was clearly Levai’s handiwork.
I set down the materials I’d been carrying in my arms one by one.
“Did you really bring them all?”
“Mm.”
I explained each item I had brought, and surprise flickered across Levai’s face repeatedly.
I thought everything would work out, but when I asked if it could proceed once all my explanations were finished…
Levai’s expression turned rigid.
“I apologize, but… the materials are not completely sufficient.”
“What?”
Levai wore a grave and pained expression, as though he hadn’t wanted to speak these words.
“Originally, you hoped for a timeframe of two years, did you not?”
“You said you’d raided the Orca Family Matriarch’s storehouse? Besides, I’ve brought all the extinct animal materials myself?”
“Yes, the most difficult materials are gathered. However, that does not mean all materials are complete. Surely you understand—the treatment is only possible when everything is perfectly assembled.”
I bit my lip.
I looked at my sleeping Father’s face.
‘So pale.’
Even someone ignorant of medicine like me could see how grave it looked.
Moreover, my intuition was screaming. That it had to be done now.
“We still have to do it.”
“…Noble Lady.”
In truth, Levai hadn’t wanted to deliver bad news either.
But.
“Do it. You said you would.”
I spoke calmly.
“It has to be now. There won’t be another opportunity. Or rather, it feels like there won’t be.”
“…Intuition?”
“Yes. Intuition.”
Levai didn’t dismiss my words as mere talk.
“Calypso.”
That was when someone who had remained silent until now called to me softly.
I turned to see Whale with his hand raised.
“…I think I might be able to help.”
“Whale?”
Both Levai and I stared at Whale with puzzled expressions.
I was the first to gather my wits and ask.
“How?”
“I’ll explain…”
Whale seemed to sweep his gaze across the room for a moment.
“Let’s talk, just the two of us for now.”
Seeing his resolute yet composed expression, I nodded without hesitation.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————