Don’t Look for the Resurrected Villainess - Chapter 228
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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 228
Beladia was constructed with double walls. The outer walls connected by a drawbridge, and the inner walls protecting the main towers.
And in the space between them existed several facilities and residential areas.
Unlike the walls that maintained their intact form, a considerable number of buildings in the residential area were in a damaged state.
“How unexpected.”
At least from the outside it had looked intact, so naturally he had expected the interior scenery to be the same.
Jeon, who had been looking around, habitually checked Anelli’s complexion. Ever since she had used her divine power on Ganic, her complexion had remained pale throughout.
“You should probably rest for a bit.”
“I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine at all.”
Even at Jeon’s firm words, Anelli maintained an indifferent expression.
She might be desperately trying to convince herself that she was fine. She was certainly the type of person who would do that.
Or perhaps she truly believed she was fine.
“The path down from the mountain was rough, and the journey here was longer than expected. It would be fine to sit and rest for a moment.”
Instead of pointing out her potentially unstable emotions, Jeon reminded her of how treacherous the path they had taken to reach this place had been.
“Actually, my legs are a bit sore too.”
When he added this somewhat exaggerated complaint as if talking to himself, Anelli hesitated.
After showing signs of brief contemplation, Anelli soon nodded her head.
Fortunately, there were a few intact buildings among the damaged ones, so they decided to choose one sound building to rest in briefly.
He couldn’t know whether postponing her remaining farewells even slightly was the right thing to do.
However, Jeon didn’t want her to forcibly handle all of this work at once.
These weren’t farewells to be lumped together and stubbornly resolved like that.
Moreover, anyone should be given sufficient time to accept farewells.
* * *
When they had visited Febrin Monastery, the Dura’han had been busy rejoicing as they recalled forgotten memories.
However, now that they had arrived at Beladia Castle, the Dura’han weren’t simply rejoicing like before.
Through Dasha and Ganic before them, they had learned what they would gain here.
[Someone must have guarded this place.]
[Yes, just like how Ganic guarded the city gate.]
Bak in the form of a black bear and the bumblebee Tristan perched on his head chatted quietly as they looked around the residential area.
While Anelli rested briefly, they had come out to scout the vicinity in advance.
Usually when camping, whichever Dura’han were available would pair up to patrol the surroundings, so this time too they intended to scout this place where who knows what might be.
If there was something different from usual, it was that this time almost all the Dura’han had come outside in a group.
Even Mori had been kidnapped along with his silk pouch.
There were various reasons, but their main intention was to have conversations about this situation in their own way. Rather than someone taking the lead, it was an atmosphere that had formed naturally.
[Mori, how do you know that Ganic guarded the city gate?]
Jigol, who had been sitting with folded wings next to Tristan, suddenly turned his head.
[Uh, huh?]
Mori, who had been sticking just his head out of the pouch and constantly looking around, was startled and looked back at Jigol.
It was Palides who spoke instead of Jigol, who was hesitating and delaying his answer.
“Mori has always had better memory than you, Jigol, since long ago.”
[What? Palides! Come out and fight me right now!]
Palides snorted at Jigol’s appearance as he puffed up his feathers and challenged him to combat in what he thought was a threatening manner.
“I don’t fight with lowly sparrows.”
[Grr!]
Jigol flapped his wings as if he was about to transform immediately.
However, even as black smoke began to waft up, Jigol didn’t transform into a Dura’han.
It wasn’t just Jigol. Among the Knights of the Round Table present here, not a single one stood in Dura’han form.
It wasn’t because they couldn’t transform.
They were afraid that when they returned to their true forms, they might unknowingly find peace with their recovered heads.
It was the peace they had waited so long for, but now that it was right before them, they were afraid.
[Your head probably isn’t here.]
[I know. I would never have left the Captain’s side until the very end!]
While responding boldly to Minte’s casual remark, Jigol still didn’t transform in the end.
No one called Jigol a coward for this. They simply looked away, pretending not to notice.
Soana, who had been watching the Dura’han with gentle eyes, landed on Nadab’s saddle and looked at Mori.
[Mori, do you remember by any chance? Who was guarding this place.]
At Soana’s sudden question, Mori’s eyes widened. Mori reflexively looked at someone, then quickly hid his head inside the pouch.
The movement was so swift that the other Dura’han, busy with their chatter, didn’t notice Mori’s unnatural silence.
Only Soana noticed who Mori’s gaze had briefly reached.
Soana didn’t voice what she had noticed. Instead, she quietly watched the Dura’han.
[Actually, I didn’t know our peace would begin this way.]
Tristan, who had been contributing to the noise by engaging in meaningless banter with Jigol, suddenly spoke up.
[I thought I would be given more time…]
“Actually, me too. We had just all gathered together, but now we have to part ways immediately.”
Palides nodded in agreement with Tristan’s words. Her gloomily subdued voice revealed her mood.
With her words, silence settled among the Dura’han. Soana, who had been quietly watching the heavy atmosphere spread rapidly, spoke calmly.
[It’s the peace we’ve been waiting for all along.]
It was the same gentle voice as always, yet with a firm tone.
[Everyone, that’s what you’ve endured for all this time.]
“I… I’m not sure.”
Palides answered hesitantly.
“I haven’t even been boating with the Captain once yet.”
After failing at boating a couple of times, Anelli had once comforted the dejected Palides.
At that time, she had said she would later get an introduction to a mage from the Magic Tower who was skilled in lightening magic through Jeon.
Then there would be no problem with boating even while wearing heavy armor.
Perhaps that had just been consolation to get through the moment. Palides was easily swayed by emotions, and Anelli always worried about that.
However, Palides had been happy with just the words. And she had remembered it all along, often bragging about it to the other Dura’han.
[You used to go boating a lot in the old days.]
Even at Soana’s words, Palides’ drooping shoulders didn’t regain their strength.
“That was with the old Captain.”
[Since you’ve done it before, the regret shouldn’t be…]
“No. It’s completely different.”
Palides shook her head.
“I haven’t done it with the current Captain. The Captain has no idea how good I am at fishing. She doesn’t know how well I can row either.”
[Come to think of it, I haven’t shown all my brave moments either! She’s only seen me beating up mere Lizardmen! I’m a knight who strikes terrible fear into enemies at the vanguard!]
Jigol suddenly interjected, flapping his wings. He was so frantic that several feathers flew off and fell to the ground as he flapped roughly.
Bak, who brushed off Jigol’s feathers that had gotten stuck in his fur, shrugged his shoulders and said.
[When it comes to combat, I’m the expert! If she saw my sparring, she’d immediately assign me as a guard!]
[Bak, you should develop some awareness. Dummy.]
Bak, who had been proudly puffing out his chest, drooped his head dejectedly at Minte’s criticism.
Then this time Tristan shouted in a cheerful voice.
[It would take much more time for our current Captain to understand my charm!]
[Stop attracting bugs. Don’t tell me you’ve attracted bugs even here?]
[Oh my, Minte. Bugs? The proper term is insects. How heartbroken they would be if they heard that?]
The atmosphere that had become gloomy for a moment turned boisterous again.
Soana watched such Dura’han with strange eyes, when Nadab, who had been quietly present, called her in a low voice.
[Soana.]
The Dura’han who had been noisily conversing as they crossed the residential area were getting farther away.
It was because Nadab, carrying Soana on his back, had completely stopped his slow walking pace.
[We are no longer God’s puppets. Birth’s strings were severed long ago.]
Soana answered while keeping her gaze on the backs of the Dura’han growing more distant.
[The reason we fell into such a state of slumber was….]
[To see our Captain.]
Soana closed her beak. At Soana’s attitude of falling silent as if trying to deny her own words, Nadab lightly shook his head.
Along with a gentle whinny, a calm voice continued.
[Even though he is not the Captain of old, he brought us headless ones all the way here. So you should trust him too.]
[I… trust in your devotion.]
[Our devotion is possible because our Captain is here.]
[Nadab. Since we’re facing rest anyway, there’s no need for unnecessary arguments.]
As Soana said, regardless of what the Dura’han discussed or what views they conflicted over, the result they would face was the same. The rest that comes after a long, long wait.
The price of devotion that should have been received long, long ago.
At Soana’s words, Nadab lightly tapped the ground with his front hoof. He wasn’t trying to deny what Soana said.
[Yes, we are facing rest. And whatever form the Knights accept it in, that is their will. Even if it’s not the form you expected.]
The fact that the Dura’han made clumsy excuses while somehow finding reasons to stay by their captain’s side wasn’t because someone ordered or forced them to.
It was unclear whether Soana understood the intention contained in Nadab’s words. She simply maintained quiet silence.
[Hey! Soana! Nadab! What are you doing there?]
The Dura’han who had gone ahead belatedly discovered Soana and Nadab who had fallen behind and called out loudly to them.
Soana, who had been sitting on Nadab’s saddle, slowly spread her folded wings. With just a couple of wingbeats, Soana’s body floated up.
She flapped her large wings and flew up into the cloudy sky.
Nadab, who glanced to confirm Soana flying up, resumed the steps he had briefly paused.
[Ugh, it looks like it’s going to rain?]
Saying her wings mustn’t get wet, Tristan’s noisy cry could be heard. Indeed, dark-colored droplets could be seen increasing one by one on the ground.
It was time to return to their Captain.
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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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