Don’t Look for the Resurrected Villainess - Chapter 196

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 196

Although the schedule had suddenly changed due to the assassin, I didn’t think we would lose our way from Soana.

Since Dura’han could sense each other’s presence to some extent, I thought Soana would also be able to detect her companions in the same way.

So when Soana wandered around for quite a while and finally found me with the guidance of the thrushes, I was a bit flustered.

“…You couldn’t sense the presence?”

[Yes.]

Soana let out an awkward laugh as if embarrassed.

[I was originally a priest who served Birth. Although the Captain gave me freedom, the price of betrayal was mine to bear.]

The expression “price of betrayal” sounded quite bitter.

“Then you should have told me before we departed.”

[I naturally thought you would wait for me in the village.]

“Ah…”

I consoled Soana by saying she had worked hard. Soana bowed her head without showing much resistance.

Rather, it was the other Dura’han who were surprised by the fact that Soana had almost failed to join us. I could see the Dura’han gradually approaching Soana and striking up various conversations with her.

[Soana, I’m glad you found us safely!]

[From now on, Soana shouldn’t be far away from us!]

Soana was listening to the Dura’han’s words with a gentle and charming smile.

Palides, who had been watching from near the driver’s seat, quietly approached me and asked.

“Shall we depart again now?”

“Let’s rest a bit more. Everyone seems startled.”

When I told Palides to rest as well, she also approached Soana and chattered away.

I settled down nearby and gazed at the Dura’han quietly.

‘A learned, kind, mother-like teacher.’

I could feel that not just Mori and Jigol, but all the Dura’han were relying on Soana. It was different from the blind devotion the Dura’han felt toward their captain.

It was more like, a familial feeling?

‘Familial, you say.’

The expression that came to mind carelessly seemed ridiculous. To use such an expression when I didn’t even know what a familial feeling was like.

“That subordinate feels quite different from the other subordinates.”

Jeon, who had returned after washing his face to chase away drowsiness during our brief rest, plopped down beside me and opened the conversation.

“Does it seem that way to you too?”

“Yes.”

Saying they looked exactly like a mother and her children, Jeon exclaimed in wonder.

Hearing his words, I recalled what Palides had said.

Something she had said about the past captain once, when she was pleased that I was paying more attention to her.

「In the past, we didn’t even dare to cry in front of the Captain…」

Ah, the past captain was busy caring for all things in the world and didn’t particularly look after the Twelve Knights more.

It was Soana who took care of the Twelve Knights in place of the past captain.

That’s what being like a mother meant.

‘So that’s why they’re like that.’

That’s why they have such an unreserved feeling.

The ones who tried so hard to look good to me were like that in front of Soana.

I was nodding my head as I somewhat understood the Dura’han’s attitude when I suddenly paused. It was because of a question that suddenly occurred to me.

‘She’s so calm and dignified, so why…’

Why did Soana return to her original Dura’han form in front of Chechye in the first place? She didn’t seem thoughtless enough not to know what would happen if she did such a thing.

To say it was simply to escape from the trap… it seemed like she could have thought of other ways without necessarily transforming into her original form.

I, who had been staring blankly at the Dura’han, slowly parted my lips.

“Mori.”

Mori, who had been with the other Dura’han, heard the call and quickly turned around. Realizing that I had called her, Mori wriggled her small body and approached this way.

I placed small Mori on my palm and stood up. When Jeon asked where I was going, I casually said I was also going to wash my face, and I saw Soana glance this way.

However, she focused on laughing and conversing with the Dura’han again without saying anything particular.

I arrived at the stream where Jeon had gone to wash his face and put Mori down.

Mori was clearly flustered by my sudden action. I could clearly see her rolling her black eyes around, reading the situation. She seemed to be wondering inwardly if she had done something wrong.

“Mori.”

[Y-yes?]

“I have something I’m curious about.”

[Yes!]

Mori nodded her head, visibly relieved that this wasn’t a place where wrongdoings were being questioned.

I stared at Mori like that, then glanced back. I could see the Dura’han chattering noisily in the distance.

And Soana surrounded by them.

“How did Soana die?”

[Huh?]

“How was Soana killed in the past?”

Perhaps it was an unexpected question, as Mori couldn’t easily speak.

[Uh…]

“You remember everything, don’t you.”

[Y-yes.]

“But your memories would only be up to the moments you were alive.”

[Yes…]

“Did you see Soana dying?”

Confusion settled in Mori’s eyes.

That answer was sufficient. I extended my palm to Mori again. Even while flustered, Mori obediently climbed onto my palm, and I returned to the group with her.

Seeing me return, Soana urged the Dura’han. From what I could hear, she was saying shouldn’t we depart now.

“Captain, shall we depart now?”

Palides asked in a lively voice. I nodded my head in response.

Soana flapped her wings, saying she would fly and follow the carriage. Some Dura’han went into my bracelet, while others got on the carriage.

Minte went to sit beside Palides, who found sitting alone on the driver’s seat boring.

“Lady Anelli, didn’t you say you were going to wash your face?”

Jeon, who had gotten up and dusted himself off, quietly approached and spoke in a low voice.

When I looked at him silently, he hesitated for a moment before continuing.

“There’s no moisture on you at all. Is there perhaps something wrong?”

A faint worry was embedded in Jeon’s voice as he asked. I shook my head and replied calmly.

“Nothing.”

I gazed up at Soana who had flown into the sky, then turned toward the carriage.

* * *

The Lizardman habitat was getting closer.

Soana, flying high, couldn’t help but know. Everything was visible in her field of vision.

It had always been like that. She had seen many things and tried to understand them.

‘That must be the place.’

In the distance, she could see a wetland where water plants grew sparsely above the dull gray water.

Was this the place they had come to release the young Lizardman that Ganic was caring for?

Soana glanced at the carriage that looked like a dot.

The path leading to the wetland looked smooth. Perhaps they could take the carriage very close to the waterfront.

It was Palides who was driving the carriage. Palides was a proud knight, but now she looked like a coachman clumsily learning her job. While listening to advice from Minte sitting beside her.

Should it be considered fortunate that Nadab wasn’t chosen as the horse to pull the carriage?

‘Everyone has truly become quite ridiculous.’

Soana suppressed the sigh that habitually rose and flapped her wings widely.

She briefly cast her gaze beyond the wetland, over the hill, then circled the sky nonchalantly.

Then she descended at a not-too-fast speed. Although it was above the running carriage, she landed relatively easily.

[We’ll arrive at the wetland soon.]

When Soana spoke gently, Palides opened the window attached behind the driver’s seat.

“Captain! We’ll arrive at the wetland soon!”

[We’ll get to see Ganic cry!]

Jigore’s cheerful voice could be heard from inside the carriage. Soana’s eyes softened gently.

Jigore was as adorable now as he had been before. The same went for Mori. Even in their monstrous forms, both knights still looked like children in Soana’s eyes.

And it wasn’t just Jigore and Mori. Palides, Minte, Nadab, Bak, Tristan, Ganic—they were all the same.

They were all precious knights. Precious Knights of the Round Table.

Knights who dreamed of freedom and longed for peace, who served their captain with all their hearts for that purpose.

“What? We’re stopping?”

Soana, who had been momentarily lost in old memories, suddenly snapped back to attention. Palides had abruptly pulled hard on the reins and stopped the carriage.

“Captain, what’s wrong?”

Palides immediately peered into the carriage with a serious voice. Minte also stuck his head out to look inside the carriage through the window.

The Dura’han inside the carriage were undoubtedly getting restless too. Though she didn’t know what was happening, their captain had apparently ordered them to stop the carriage just before reaching their destination.

Soana waited quietly while sitting on top of the carriage.

Shortly after, the carriage door opened and their captain emerged.

Soana’s gaze naturally turned toward the captain.

Ever since they had reunited at the rocky mountain, Soana had thought the captain’s gaze was quite cold and dry.

If the captain of the past had been someone who looked upon all things with warm eyes, the current captain was someone who observed all things with indifference.

She could tell without needing to observe for long. When Soana had brushed off the young hawks, the captain of old would never have shown such a reaction.

「Quite a decisive personality.」

The captain’s back as she passed by with just that one calm remark was certainly different from the captain in her memories.

But whether that felt unfamiliar—in truth, it didn’t really.

Their captain was the same person now as before. Heartbreakingly so.

[Captain, what’s wrong?]

Soana shook off her thoughts and asked the captain. The captain, as if not hearing Soana’s question, was suddenly sending Minte and Palides into the separate space dimension.

Was she planning to abandon the carriage and approach on foot? Even so, why send all the Dura’han inside?

Though she felt puzzled, Soana didn’t bother asking. Instead, she also prepared to enter the separate space dimension.

However, for some reason, after sending even Palides into the separate space dimension, the captain said nothing to Soana.

[Captain?]

The captain, who had been fidgeting with a sparkling bracelet with one hand, glanced up and looked at Soana.

It was a gaze that viewed everything at the same temperature. Just like in the old days…

No, now it wasn’t the same as the old days. The captain of the past had never looked at her so directly. Not just her, but all the knights—she had never looked at them like this.

“Soana.”

[Yes, Captain.]

“Do you resent me?”

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