The Return of Lilietta - Chapter 143

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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 143

“….”

“Anyway, the answer we eventually found was based on the premise that you accidentally met the conditions and returned first. You had an extremely weak connection between your soul and body, didn’t you? The particularly severe paralysis symptoms were proof of that. We only learned after returning that it was because you alone weren’t in your descendant’s body….”

She explained while pressing her eyes tightly.

“Based on that premise, we formed a hypothesis and experimented. First, we deliberately broke the possession magic that Pascal had used to settle our souls, even going so far as to modify our descendants’ bodies. We made the connection between our souls and bodies very weak, then exploded a star like you did and jumped into that explosion.”

“You did such crazy things? If it failed, you would have just died meaninglessly!”

“No, it wasn’t a meaningless death but an extremely safe experiment. If we just exploded and died, Gid would turn back time to prevent it. Everyone roughly caught on even though no one said it outright.”

Rita felt dizzy and pressed her forehead. Olivia recited the conclusion in a dry tone.

“And then, ta-da, all of Beacon miraculously returned.”

She spread both hands exaggeratedly and tilted her head.

“This is the inside story of our ‘inevitable return.’ The rest is as you know.”

“….”

“I’m not sure why it took different amounts of time for each of us to fully return. Looking at how those who had severe paralysis symptoms in the Ash-covered Era took longer to return, it seems the intimacy between the possessed body and soul had an influence….”

Oli, who had withdrawn her arms, tapped her lips.

“Hmm, the 4-year difference between when we returned and when you returned is probably also due to the difference in the bodies we possessed… But since there’s no way to verify it, it’s just a hypothesis.”

“….”

“I’m sorry for not telling you right away. It felt awkward to immediately tell you such things when you had just returned and were confused.”

“…It’s okay, I understand. It’s certainly something worth hesitating about.”

Rita hung her head.

She felt dizzy and nauseous. Even though she had prepared herself, it was a series of shocking facts and she didn’t know how to accept them.

It didn’t feel real.

Really?

Such things had happened, yet Gid smiled so calmly in front of her, exactly like before?

She asked in a murmur while covering her face.

“Does Gid… still have such abilities now?”

“No, our suspicious and evasive Squad Leader answered that.”

Oli clicked her tongue and replied.

“It was during our first meeting after everyone returned. Gid said he could no longer perform ‘tricks’ like in the Ash-covered Era, so please take care of him from now on.”

“Tricks….”

“When I asked if he had any intention of properly explaining what those tricks were, he just laughed it off saying we already roughly guessed, didn’t we?”

Oli spat out roughly.

“Honestly, no matter how you look at it, that bastard Gid isn’t in his right mind. He went crazy long ago but just pretends to be fine on the outside.”

“….”

“The cause of his madness is obviously you.”

Lillieta held her breath again.

Gid wasn’t in his right mind? He had gone crazy?

But this dawn, he who sat shoulder to shoulder next to her and took out the music box, he who clutched the cream puff box and was embarrassed in a way that didn’t suit him, seemed perfectly fine.

He looked so normal. He was exactly as she remembered him.

What on earth.

‘What are you hiding, Gid?’

The image of him coughing up blood in the greenhouse kept haunting her. The person she knew better than anyone, who had felt so peaceful until this dawn, suddenly felt infinitely distant.

‘Because of me?’

Such tremendous things had happened, yet he hadn’t shown any sign or said anything until now?

Rita pressed her forehead and looked down with vacant eyes.

‘…He wasn’t planning to hide everything until the end, right? He told me that. To hear the details about the return process from Oli. So he was planning to tell me someday.’

Just like how Oli, who had been avoiding answers all this time, finally told her today, these were difficult things to talk about easily, so he was probably waiting for the right opportunity.

She had only returned three months ago, and it had been just over a month since she reunited with Beacon. She was still adapting, so it would be reasonable to think it was too early to discuss such things.

‘If I tell him I heard everything from Oli and ask what happened… Gid will answer everything now, right? There were never any secrets between us.’

It was shocking that he hadn’t properly informed his Beacon colleagues of the truth, but she could try to understand that if she made an effort.

As Squad Leader and Deputy Leader, there had been quite a few things that Gid and she had discussed and handled just between themselves without telling the other squad members.

But if he wouldn’t answer her honestly even now….

‘No, that can’t be. Let me ask. I’ll ask him directly about everything first.’

She deliberately cut off her spreading thoughts.

Before asking Gid, before talking with him, she wouldn’t judge anything. Rather than misunderstanding or having prejudices, she just wouldn’t think about it at all.

‘Then, so, what I need to think about now is….’

Rita remained silent for a while, then spoke in a whisper.

“You know, Oli. The source of power that allowed Gid to perform such tricks. What he probably got from Pascal… it must be related to the star, right?”

“Obviously. Just think about how the secret to our return was the explosion of that star… That damn ball of light has some kind of power to manipulate time. Some force that can even modify the past.”

“That star is also the source of mana contamination. Then right now, in this era too… it must exist somewhere, right?”

“Definitely.”

“In the hands of the returned Pascal?”

“Wouldn’t that be highly likely?”

Oli, who replied crookedly, added.

“But it seems he can’t perform ‘tricks’ now either. Our Squad Leader told us that too. He said there’s no possibility of that until mana contamination spreads in this era.”

“Mana contamination.”

“Right.”

Oli nodded.

“Apparently that mana contamination has some relationship with time manipulation. So until the disaster occurs, we don’t need to consider ‘tricks’ when thinking about Pascal. That’s really fortunate… but conversely, it means that when mana contamination starts spreading, that bastard will start performing ‘tricks.'”

She sighed again and rested her chin on her hand.

“But we still don’t know his purpose, and we don’t even know his identity. Gid says he saw his face when he killed him, but aside from his face, we don’t know his real name or status. Honestly, even that face could be fake. A guy who modified the kids’ bodies could have modified his own body too, right?”

“…We need to catch his tail somehow first.”

“Right, that’s the problem because it’s difficult. We only became certain that Pascal really returned and exists in this era thanks to Ethan witnessing him last time. But hearing about that bastard’s reaction level, approaching him will be shitty too, damn it.”

She spat out profanity irritably and muttered.

“As expected, Hanna’s ‘gift’ operation seems to have the highest success rate for now.”

“But Oli, last night he saw Hanna become an Oathbinder. He heard the oath content too.”

“Yeah, that is a problem… but it might not be as big a problem as expected. I’ll let you know after we discuss it at the salon first.”

Oli checked the time, then languidly got up and looked back at Rita.

“So you… just rest for now. Your leg rehabilitation isn’t even finished yet, but you caused that commotion all night and your family got hurt too. And the Mimic.”

Olivia cut off her words and quietly looked into Lillieta’s face. Rita forced a smile.

“I’m fine.”

“….”

“I killed it directly this time too. It doesn’t bother me at all, really.”

“…I’ll modify Grace as quickly as possible.”

“Don’t overdo it. You tell me to rest, but if you collapse from overwork, I won’t let it slide.”

“I’m not like you, living without a brain, so don’t worry and please take care of your body.”

“You’re being bold when I clearly know you skip meals because you don’t even know you’re hungry when you get absorbed in something. You’re the one who should eat properly.”

“Don’t worry about that. Unlike the Ash-covered Era, it’s an environment where I can’t not eat even if I wanted to. Our maids think I’ll die if I skip even one meal.”

“They’re good people.”

Rita smiled softly and added.

“Oh, then take Hanna to Beacon Garden today too. You need to discuss the operation, and you need to introduce her to the Tritoma Special Forces. You can tell Hanna everything now.”

“Because she chose you as her master? That’s welcome news at least. Then I’ll take her.”

Soon Hanna, who came at Rita’s call, was startled and then left following Olivia with a face mixed with tension and excitement.

Lillieta, left alone in the reception room, sat there vacantly for a long time. Then she slowly got up and walked back to her room, taking care not to strain her legs.

Next to the ivory music box gifted by the Countess, a ribbon box was placed along with the wooden music box. She untied the ribbon and opened the box.

She could see the cream puffs kept cold thanks to the magic circle carved at the bottom of the box. Half remained after she had shared them with Gid at dawn.

“The shape is a bit off, but the taste is okay, right?”

The image of him saying that with a grin came to mind. His bright face and light voice.

“She went crazy long ago, but she’s just pretending to be fine on the outside.”

Rita picked up a cream puff and put it in her mouth.

The soft sweetness soothed the terribly bitter taste in her mouth.

As expected, she thought she would come to like it.

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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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