The Oracle of the Villainous Baby - Chapter 171

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 171
…But Young Master never did that.
Luriel’s handwriting was clear and distinct.
Bunny kept her mouth shut and quietly observed the letters.
Luriel tried to read the emotions of Bunny, who held the Notebook. Yet emotions that were usually easy to discern today eluded her completely. The harder I tried to read them, the more impossible it became to grasp them when I needed it most.
Young Master wished for everyone to be happy.
“Yes.”
That was the greatest reason Luriel’s plan had failed. The Bunny she had raised with her own hands refused to seek happiness for herself alone.
Bunny was already no longer anyone Luriel knew.
Not the villainess in a story, nor could she become any sort of villain, yet she was not the protagonist either.
Bunny was simply Bunny.
The Bunny that Luriel had raised was a child who did not despise others, who loved people, who did not yield to small failures but rose again countless times with a bright smile.
A child who seized what she desired and in the end smiled while seeking praise.
Rather than pushing Shalone away, Bunny spoke of becoming happy together with her, and Luriel had nothing more to say to her. No matter what trials befell Bunny now, there would be no problem. The child had grown into someone who would not easily break.
Because Young Master wished for it that way, the story did not flow as I desired, nor as others desired.
“…”
Bunny remained silent, slowly swallowing her breath.
Luriel could read nothing from Bunny’s silence.
Usually, Luriel would read the emotions or thoughts of whoever held her, whoever held the Notebook, and conduct conversations accordingly.
But now, the emotions and thoughts of the grown Bunny could not be properly discerned. Whether she was angry, or enraged, or perhaps felt betrayed… there was no way to know.
“So it was all for me then? Luriel.”
At first, my own greed came first. But as we spent time together… it is also true that I genuinely wished for Young Master to be happy.
Bunny stared intently at Luriel’s Notebook before slowly nodding her head.
However, despite that… it is also an undeniable fact that I deceived Young Master for a long time. I… have committed a grave wrong against Young Master. So I will accept the punishment gladly.
Punishment.
Bunny gazed intently at the letters written in the Notebook.
How is punishment determined, and how can it be repaid?
In truth, Bunny had suffered no actual harm from being used by Luriel. She was merely hurt.
“Is Luriel dead?”
I have not yet died. I merely separated my soul and offered it here in exchange. In that sense, this is not a complete relic either. It is simply that I abandoned my body and exchanged it for the Notebook.
The fact that the soul remains means it could return. And Bunny felt she understood what Luriel was aiming for.
A Demon King who takes office after a long vacancy, rather than through succession, must perform a necessary task. That is the synchronization process.
Work is needed to solidify the connection between the new Demon King and the existing Demon Clan members. During that time, souls return to the bodies of dead Demon Clan members who remain. Additionally, Demon Clan members who have lost their power regain their original strength.
This is also called the dormancy period in other words.
Perhaps Luriel had intended to return to her original state during the synchronization process within this dormancy period.
However, this dormancy period could last anywhere from one to two years at the shortest to several decades at the longest. It depends on how long the vacancy period was.
‘When I open my eyes, Father might not be there.’
But if Bunny does not enter the dormancy period, Luriel cannot return.
‘And Luriel’s power is almost exhausted too.’
At this rate, Luriel would disappear.
The reason Bunny had wanted to stay in the Human Realm until reaching adulthood was precisely because of this. Once she entered hibernation, she wouldn’t be able to see Father anymore.
“….”
But I also know there’s no way around it.
Father could survive without me, but Luriel cannot. Without me, Luriel would die completely. I cannot abandon Luriel, who has sacrificed so much for me over such a long time.
“Luriel, how much time is left?”
….
At Bunny’s question, an ellipsis appeared before my eyes.
After waiting a moment, letters began to form.
…Not much remains. The magic is breaking down. Perhaps my power was insufficient, as it didn’t last as long as I expected. Someone even broke it in the middle.
Luriel spoke.
As Bunny tilted her head, rustling sounds came from behind. It was Ma-Gom floating in mid-air… no, it was Belial. Somehow, the Doll had also joined Bunny from behind, looking at the Notebook together.
The inorganic eyes of the Doll were fixed intently on the Notebook.
However, Young Master, you need not concern yourself with that.
Luriel spoke.
“Tsk.”
Belial clicked his tongue.
Since Belial wasn’t holding the Notebook, Luriel wouldn’t know Belial was here. Bunny gazed at the letters for a moment, then opened her mouth again.
“What do you mean, no need?”
I mean you need not help. When I think about it… the time I’ve spent living here has been quite satisfying. If I return to the Original World, I suppose I could live more vibrantly and diligently than before, but….
“….”
However, I don’t think I must return right now. The time I’ve spent here has been joyful. It’s just… I wanted to return because there were things I wanted to say to my family.
Bunny gazed at Luriel’s letters and slowly nodded her head.
Everyone has moments they regret. And Bunny was a king. A person who could turn back the moments of regret.
Now that I think about it, the decision I made because I couldn’t endure that trivial harassment feels truly pathetic. There were people far more important than that.
“….”
So I just wanted to apologize and thank them. To tell them I was happy. Why didn’t I know back then? The things that tormented me turned out to be absolutely nothing in my life once time passed. Now I think, ‘How could I have been so afraid and unwilling to live because of something so trivial?’ Those sorts of things.
Luriel’s writing grew longer.
Bunny chewed through every letter carefully and read them all with her eyes.
‘Family….’
Bunny knows how precious family is.
Luriel had made many sacrifices and efforts for me over a long time. So now, it’s my turn to repay her.
It’s unavoidable. This is something I must repay, or it cannot be done.
Bunny slowly blinked and exhaled softly.
“After saying goodbye to my family, meeting Roel, and visiting the High Priest once more….”
Bunny slowly closed her eyes, then opened them.
“I’ll become the Demon King.”
Bunny declared it.
Becoming the Demon King was the same as meaning she would never return to the Human Realm again. Once she became the Demon King, people would fear her even more than the Demon Clan.
“So you’ve finally resolved to become a proper Demon King? If you were to swallow the Human Realm in one fell swoop, you could actually live together with that human family as you desire.”
Belial spoke through Ma-Gom’s body with evident delight.
Bunny stared at Belial with a sullen expression.
“I’m not doing that. You’re being foolish.”
“…What?”
“Who would want to frighten someone they care about? I don’t want to hurt my family. I don’t want to do things they would hate.”
Bunny shook her head at Belial as if to say he should have known better.
“If you keep doing things like that, Luriel is going to hate you terribly.”
At Bunny’s words, Belial froze in place.
Bunny glanced at the frozen Belial suspended in the air, then sighed and lowered her gaze back to the Notebook.
“About a week should still be fine, right? Luriel.”
That much is no problem, but… truly, it’s fine. I can wait until Young Master becomes an adult… In fact, even if it ends like this, it would be acceptable. I am sufficiently…!
“Lying is wrong, Luriel.”
…!
At Bunny’s words, Luriel’s Notebook turned completely pale, and an exclamation mark appeared above it.
Bunny gazed silently at Luriel’s Notebook, then broke into a gentle smile.
“There’s nothing worse than deceiving yourself. You want to go back home, don’t you?”
….
“And you want to return to your original form too.”
….
“Even I would hate being trapped inside a Notebook. So… I’m fine. Luriel raised me so wonderfully that this time, I’m going to save Luriel.”
I know the truth.
Without Luriel and the Notebook, perhaps I would never have been loved so deeply by my family.
Thanks to the information Luriel provided, there were many moments when everyone became happy.
There were certainly things I could never have obtained without Luriel, and so as Bunny standing here now, I cannot abandon Luriel’s wish.
Father is precious. Allen and Kalbad are precious too, and so is Roel.
But equally—perhaps even more so—Luriel is precious. That is why, in the end, I cannot let her go.
“Luriel.”
….
“Thank you for raising me so wonderfully.”
Young Master, I….
“Regardless of your original intentions, you loved me, didn’t you?”
Bunny tilted her head slightly, her hands clasped behind her back, as she asked.
Luriel remained silent for a long time. I could not tell what expression she wore or what emotion she felt, but….
Of course. Naturally…. I have never stopped loving you. I thought of you as my own child. Truly… this is the truth.
At Luriel’s words, Bunny’s face brightened with a radiant smile.
“That’s enough.”
That was sufficient. For Bunny, knowing that the love she had received was not a lie was enough.
That was everything.

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