I Opened an Illegal Animal Hospital in Another World - Chapter 128

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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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128

Chapter 25. How to Distinguish Between Dreams and Reality (6)

Anais’s pale golden hair whipped wildly in the rough wind. Even as fireballs flew toward her, she didn’t flinch and only looked straight ahead.

Surprisingly, the counterattack was fierce.

“Usually the Wentworth Couple wouldn’t personally come to a scene like this.”

At the knight’s words, Anais and Kail only smiled broadly.

“Sometimes if you don’t relieve stress, it becomes unbearably frustrating.”

“It’s a rare opportunity, and Maria is our benefactor too.”

Still, preparing for any contingency, they didn’t enter the interior of the manor. Rear support from outside was sufficient.

And Anais and Kail were actually the most powerful forces as well.

Though the Royal Guard joined belatedly, originally they had planned to come with only Wentworth’s retainers to rescue Maria.

If only Raven, who was supposed to come with them, hadn’t been kidnapped.

“To be kidnapped on the very day we planned to strike – I don’t know if that’s incompetent or competent.”

“Kail, don’t tease him. It’s the fate of noble people to be kidnapped and captured.”

It seemed Shana was often kidnapped for that reason too. Kail muttered a joke to himself that he couldn’t say in front of Anais.

“So where is our protagonist?”

“Well, it seemed like he was looking for someone.”

“He was just rescued but he’s wandering around again… What if he gets kidnapped again?”

Whether that should be called a rescue was questionable.

The Royal Guard sent by Empress Belita was sharing Raven’s location. When the mage belonging to the Royal Guard broke through the barrier from outside and entered, Raven greeted them with a calm face.

‘He could have broken out on his own, so why was he waiting obediently?’

Just then Raven spotted the couple and approached them. And as soon as he saw Kail’s face, he asked.

“Wasn’t there a maid?”

“What maid?”

“A maid with black hair and black eyes. She’s rather tall.”

“Well, are you talking about Evelyn?”

“No, that’s not it.”

Raven was relieved only after confirming once again that not only Nathan, Brandon, and Matthias, but also Sena were absent from the manor. The reason he had waited obediently inside was because Sena – that is, Shana – was captured by them.

In case they might do something to her.

But fortunately, Sena seemed to have escaped from this manor.

“Madam, please contact Wentworth Castle right now.”

“Suddenly?”

“I need to confirm that Shana is safe.”

“Shana arrived safely at Wentworth Castle yesterday. It’s the safest place I know, so you don’t need to worry.”

“Please contact them.”

“Did you hear what I said?”

“There’s no time for long explanations. I must confirm right now whether Shana is really there. Damn it, my ring won’t connect unless Shana accepts it.”

“Did you just curse at me?”

He was already in a bad mood with the Lepoer Family’s mages clinging to him like moths to a flame.

Anais didn’t care that the Lepoer Family supported the First Prince. She had known that all along, and it would be more surprising if her estranged family took her side.

However, being used as merely a discarded card was too humiliating.

She had lived as a Lepoer for over twenty years, and it was unbearable to be treated like this by Nathan.

‘Do the Lepoer Family’s mages think they can go easy on me…?’

If so, that was truly a big mistake. Anais intended to kill every single one of these stupid fools without exception.

Rather, she couldn’t forgive them.

Anais couldn’t understand why Brandon, who was quite smart, continued with such actions.

Kail said.

“Does this have to do with the maid you were looking for earlier? I’ll try contacting them, but you’ll have to explain everything later.”

“Even if you don’t threaten me, I’ll tell you if I can. But more than that…”

That’s when it happened.

“Lady Anais!”

“Evelyn?!”

She was a complete mess. Anais embraced the rushing Evelyn and gaped.

“Where is Lady Shana?”

“Why are you looking for Shana here! More importantly, you should be at Wentworth Castle right now…”

When Evelyn, who should have been at Wentworth Castle, appeared along with Renate and Ron, Anais and Kail’s faces turned pale. Something was going wrong.

“Wait… How did this…”

“Lady Shana is in danger! Please! Lord Raven, where is that bastard?!”

Renate grabbed Raven’s shoulder.

“There’s no time to explain. Where is that bastard brother of yours right now!”

“Damn it.”

The chaotic situation swept past, leaving only Anais and Kail behind.

Anais and Kail had been preparing for the existence of the Demon Clan from long ago. Knowing Nathan’s schemes and purposes, they had decided to send Shana to the most distant and safe place they knew for that very reason.

Since they knew the Demon Clan was cooperating, they couldn’t let their guard down.

Some might say they were being too cautious and making no progress, but what mattered most to the couple was Shana’s safety above all else. If they lost that, the couple would lose everything, so nothing else really mattered.

Not even Maria’s safety.

“Lady Shana, Lady Shana is because of us!”

“Calm down, Evelyn. Speak slowly!”

However, Anais’s pressing voice was just as urgent. Anais, who had instantly reached the worst assumption, looked back at Kail.

That’s when the ground beneath their feet began to rumble.

“Look up!”

In the sky, Matthias and Brandon were floating. Anais immediately began casting an attack spell. But Matthias was one step faster.

“Not killing humans was a condition of the contract.”

Brandon smiled broadly.

“But there was no condition about not trapping them.”

“Anti Magic Barrier.”

When Matthias quietly spoke the incantation, a magic circle spread across the entire manor grounds. Anais, stripped of her means of attack, cursed viciously.

“Damn shitty old bastard!!”

Brandon left his final words that he wasn’t quite old enough to be called an old man yet.

Renate lifted Lili, and Ron lifted Jake.

“We need to evacuate first!”

Evelyn also transformed into a black Fenrir and carried Anais and Kail on her back. However, there wasn’t enough time for everyone to escape. Renate gritted his teeth. The feeling that he’d been caught up in explosions frequently lately probably wasn’t just his imagination.

Since it was a ‘condition’ that they couldn’t directly kill people, this was the result of choosing the method that could indirectly kill the most people.

The mages of House Lepoer also seemed flustered when they suddenly couldn’t use magic. But it was already too late.

***

Renate couldn’t stand how pathetic he was.

He regretted that he should have separated them long ago, should have sent them back to human society. The image of her collapsing, pale as a sheet after having all her life force drained by that bastard, was painfully etched in his mind.

It couldn’t be too late. He would save her.

***

Evelyn was already out of her mind.

She couldn’t understand why she wasn’t by Shana’s side, how such a distance had come between them when she had resolved never to be separated no matter what happened.

‘Just kill me instead.’

If only she could turn everything back, she truly, sincerely could have sold her soul to a demon. She was that desperate. Paradoxically, in this moment Evelyn came to understand the feelings of those humans who had summoned demons to make wishes.

Take me. Take me instead.

“Evelyn, let’s sleep together. Okay?”

“Are you afraid of the night, Lady Shana?”

“No… I’m not afraid.”

“…?”

“I’m just a little lonely.”

“…Do you have nightmares?”

“No. It’s not nightmares…”

“Lady Shana?”

“I’m really glad you’re here… Evelyn, thank you.”

Who should be saying that.

She had resolved then to stay by her side no matter what. To protect this person who had saved her life, given her a place to live, and taught her how to love someone.

But to think she couldn’t even stay by her side, let alone protect her – this was truly a nightmare.

They all should have died instead.

***

The loud noise left his ears ringing.

Kail slightly loosened his grip on the arm that held his wife. The explosion was powerful, but it wasn’t particularly threatening to those who had reached a certain level.

In fact, while it would deal damage to Anais and Kail, Raven, and most of the beastfolk, it wouldn’t inflict fatal injuries.

“They were trying to blow away all the evidence left in the manor…”

“It means this place is no longer useful to them.”

Anais bit her lip. In other words, their purpose had been achieved. It meant Shana had provided treatment.

The Wentworth couple had prepared for every possibility. They had acted with Shana’s safety as their top priority, and though tediously slow, they had been cautious.

The fatal flaw was that while they had anticipated Matthias’s existence, they hadn’t accurately grasped Seth’s existence.

“We need to get to our daughter right now, Kail. Damn it, the artifact won’t even activate…!”

-You’ve been fooled again.

“…Shana…?”

A hazy figure appeared in the air. It was Shana.

“Shana!”

When Kail shouted, Renate and Evelyn also spotted Shana.

Shana looked around, confirmed that everyone was safe, and chuckled softly.

-Maybe it wasn’t danger, but time given to say goodbye.

“What are you talking about, Shana. Where are you right now? Mom and Dad will come get you! Where are you, hm?”

“Shana, my daughter…”

-Mom, Dad. I’m sorry. I miscalculated. I thought it would be okay, but I overdid it again. I had resolved never to overwork myself again, but I couldn’t just leave things alone…

“Mom doesn’t understand…”

-So, it might take a little longer. I’m sorry. Just think of it as me running away from home. I’m sorry. For only causing you worry.

Shana brushed her hand over Evelyn’s head as if stroking it, though Evelyn wouldn’t lift her head. Then she smiled apologetically at Renate and spoke to Raven.

-You should give up now too and find another fiancée. Oh, we already broke off our engagement anyway, right?

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

It shouldn’t have come to this. Nathan wasn’t an opponent worth losing Shana over. Definitely not.

It was a fight they couldn’t lose, and she was the treasure he had tried to keep furthest back.

So why was only Shana saying what sounded like farewell?

Raven couldn’t believe any of this. It had only been a few explosions. Aside from taking Shana away, Nathan hadn’t taken anything else.

That was all.

-You need to know when to give up too.

Shana laughed refreshingly. Her face showed no regret or pain.

That’s why Raven couldn’t tell if he was dreaming or seeing an illusion right now.

Shana was as light as always, joking as usual, and though hazy, she looked healthy. She seemed so normal that no one could tell if this was a dream or if they were in the middle of a tragedy.

Especially the beastfolk who had seen Shana collapse all began to believe this was a dream.

-Take care! Don’t worry about me! I’ll go have some fun and come back!

And then she disappeared.

As if leaving for a picnic.

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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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