Don’t Look for the Resurrected Villainess - Chapter 260

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

Side Story 4

[First, I’ll look around again for some places where I might be able to escape…]

Minte, who had been speaking as if to comfort the dejected Bak, suddenly stopped.

It was because she sensed a presence outside the tower. A presence?

From what she had confirmed over the past few days, there were no humans approaching this tower at all. Far from approaching, they wouldn’t even look at it, saying it was ominous.

Bak also seemed to sense the presence like Minte, glaring at the closed door with wary eyes.

The two beasts held their breath. It was the moment when Minte lowered her body, ready to deal with the unidentified intruder if necessary.

Creak, dazzling sunlight poured through the opened door. And the person silhouetted against that light.

The shadow of a very familiar person appeared before the two beasts.

[Minte! Bak!]

The owner of the voice full of joy was a black sparrow. Light returned to Minte’s eyes, which had been full of wariness.

“I guess you knew I would come.”

Toward the white hand extended toward her, Minte moved her steps as if enchanted.

The face that had only appeared black against the light revealed clearer contours as it drew closer.

The person giving her a gentle eye-smile was their captain. Ah, the captain had come to find them.

[Captain.]

It was the moment when Minte was about to speak with a bright smile.

[Captain! Jigol!]

Thud!

Because of Bak, who had risen in joy, part of the low and flimsy ceiling finally burst open. And due to that impact, the tower shook.

Minte, covered in dusty stone debris, spoke of the most urgent matter in a voice suppressing anger.

[Let’s escape for now.]

* * *

“It was originally a tower to be demolished anyway…”

Heinrih’s expression as he stared at the pile of stones was quite complex and subtle. I glanced at him like that, then quietly cleared my throat and turned my gaze away.

Heinrih had intended to demolish the Black Tower, but he probably wouldn’t have just destroyed it carelessly.

Since it was an ominous tower from which monsters had emerged, he probably planned to call priests to perform purification rituals and demolish it in a somewhat reverent manner. At least he hadn’t intended to suddenly turn it into powder like this.

“…Ahem.”

Even from his current appearance, I could clearly see that procedure, making me feel unnecessarily embarrassed.

If only Bak hadn’t burst through the wall when evacuating from the tower, it wouldn’t have collapsed so completely.

In that urgent situation where the first floor ceiling was about to collapse, I couldn’t expect the presence of mind to open the door and come out, but who would have known he’d burst out by breaking through the wall first?

He even proudly told me he had made an escape route after punching a hole in the wall.

…I hadn’t even properly set foot inside the tower in the first place.

“Anyway, it saved me some trouble.”

Was it my imagination that Heinrih’s hair seemed to have turned grayish-white?

Heinrih, who had been laughing hollowly with a face that seemed to have resigned himself to everything beyond being benevolent, spoke in a calm voice.

“Still, please preserve the Imperial Crypt. It would be troublesome if you destroyed it.”

“Of course.”

“So, won’t you show me the culprit who caused this mess?”

Bak, who had tried to hug me but ended up destroying the tower’s ceiling and walls, was now hiding in the separate space dimension magical device I had brought.

If a large black bear suddenly appeared in the Imperial Palace, chaos would be unavoidable, so it was a natural choice for me.

However, Bak seemed to have fled because he was afraid of being scolded for the accident he had caused. As evidence, Minte was glaring fiercely at the separate space dimension magical device.

It was really fortunate that Minte was with Bak. If I had only released Bak, there would have been an uproar long ago about either a monster or a beast appearing in the Imperial Palace.

“Is there really a need for you to see the culprit and get angry?”

“…Well, I suppose not.”

Heinrih seemed to suspect whether a Dura’han had appeared. His suspicion was true, but since I couldn’t tell him that straight out, I had no choice but to pretend not to know.

When I kept my mouth shut, he didn’t try to force it out of me either. He just turned around with a tired face.

“I’ve also sent word to the Imperial Crypt, so you can visit when it’s convenient.”

“Yes.”

“And, it’s not that I don’t trust you, but…”

“I won’t destroy it.”

When I answered firmly, Heinrih finally showed a relieved expression. Jeon, who had been quietly watching Heinrih’s retreating figure as he completely turned and walked away, clicked his tongue as if feeling sorry for him.

“Being Crown Prince is an impossible job.”

“…The sin of making the wrong acquaintances.”

“Are you admitting that you’re not an easy acquaintance yourself?”

“Both you and I.”

Since I had destroyed the tower, I should faithfully participate in the coronation ceremony. I should also spout some nonsense that would help the imperial authority while mentioning the Creator after a long time.

Thinking of the kind of repayment I could give him, I also turned around. Without needing to waste time, I planned to visit the Imperial Crypt immediately.

Since it was a path I had taken once before, finding the way wasn’t difficult. And this time too, Jeon walked close to me with a pale, frightened face.

“How did you take care of Beladia Castle when you’re this timid?”

“That place isn’t a mausoleum.”

No, considering how much of a ruin the abandoned Beladia Castle was, it would have been no less than this place. Moreover, that place wasn’t even an empty ruin.

“Skeletons migrated to Beladia in groups.”

“…Even so, adapting to those guys was the hardest part. Honestly, I still haven’t fully adapted.”

Jeon, who had complained that he had run around all of Beladia Castle because they couldn’t communicate but kept rattling their bones and chasing him, shuddered. He seemed to be recalling the scene from that time.

Thanks to running around and playing like that, they’re getting along so well now. I guess physical interaction really is the best way to become close.

I should make the monsters that migrate to Beladia Castle in the future run around and play with each other, I was thinking when.

Someone suddenly popped out and blocked our path.

“You have come… Reviver…”

“Eek!”

Jeon, who was startled, clung to my arm.

Somehow this seems like a familiar situation.

“Greetings… I am Remia, the gravedigger who manages this place…”

“Yes, I remember you. You’re very… unchanged.”

Did even the greeting have to be exactly the same?

Remia, still with dark circles and ashen skin, greeted us in a languid voice. Only then did Jeon recognize her and quietly let go of my arm.

Even so, he was still sticking close to my side. Ready to hug me again at any moment, Jeon glanced at Remia.

“Skeletons would be better. At least I could beat up monsters.”

“I can hear you…”

“It was a joke.”

Jeon, who explained with a serious face, put about a step’s distance between himself and Remia.

He had acted so nonchalantly in front of Heinrih, but his appearance of being endlessly weak only in front of the gravedigger was both funny and cute.

Anyway, it’s never boring when I’m with him.

“Now, if you go this way… Oh, Mimi…?”

Remia, who had guided me to the entrance and was about to step back, suddenly had her eyes flash. Her gaze was directed exactly at my feet.

Minte, who had been following behind with minimal presence, bristled her fur in shock. As if she couldn’t even see Minte’s sharp reaction, Remia smiled with both corners of her mouth stretched wide.

“I knew it… You couldn’t forget the mouse meat I used to give you, right…?”

[Kyaak!]

Minte, who had been retching, leaped in one bound and jumped into my arms. Catching Minte in bewilderment, I quickly raised my head only to meet Remia’s gloomy gaze head-on.

“…Th-thank you for guiding us. Well then, I’ll be going.”

As I quickly passed by Remia, I felt a gaze piercing my back.

I was definitely on Remia’s bad side. I hope my dreams won’t be troubled.

* * *

“But why did you come here?”

Jeon, who had regained his energy thanks to escaping from Remia, looked around.

“There’s something I want to confirm.”

“Confirm?”

Leaving Jeon tilting his head in confusion, I strode forward. Since I had a clear goal, there was no reason to delay.

“That sarcophagus is…”

Jeon, who had been watching me from behind, seemed to realize something and trailed off. He had probably recognized at a glance what the sarcophagus placed in front of where I had stopped was.

I stood still in front of the sarcophagus of the Empire’s first Emperor. In other words, Diearis’s coffin.

[Diearis.]

Minte, who had already come to this place with me before, muttered with a sigh-laden voice while gazing at the sarcophagus.

“Should I open the coffin lid for you again?”

“No, that’s not it.”

After all, the flesh inside had long since turned to dust.

Unlike the day I first faced this coffin, no light leaked out now. I couldn’t feel any particular energy either.

Of course, I no longer had any divine power left either… But I could tell just by looking. The fact that not a single trace of Diearis remained in this sarcophagus.

I carefully brushed the edge of the coffin with my fingertips. White dust clung to my fingertips.

“Diearis…”

Unlike the other knights, he couldn’t make any choice, yet he was the faithful second knight who left his traces for the Captain until the very end.

Since he had scattered into dust without even being able to properly greet me, and this had been weighing on my mind, I had resolved to visit this place again while at the Imperial Palace.

Since the final divine power had been realized, I hoped that his soul, which had been destroyed, might have found salvation.

I thought I might find some trace if I came here, but that seemed to have been too much to hope for.

[Diearis wouldn’t have regretted it, Captain.]

Minte, who had leaped onto the sarcophagus, faced me.

[He chose to guard the key, and he completed that mission. Because of that, your final divine power was also realized.]

As if understanding my complicated feelings, Minte spoke in a quiet tone.

[We all met the end we desired.]

The cat’s yellow eyes looking clearly at me were as cool and calm as when we first met.

I gazed at Minte quietly, then slowly extended my hand. Minte readily leaped into my arms.

“Let’s go back.”

Since only dust remained in this place, all I could do was remember Diearis in the time that would be given to me.

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