The Return of Lilietta - Chapter 199

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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 199

Still, she contemplates her own desperation once more.

Why, for what reason—to answer the questions that naturally well up within herself. To interpret and convince herself. And through that, to convince others, everyone, him.

‘If Gid asks why he came… I need to give him an answer.’

Lillieta took a step back and looked into the shape of her own heart.

Her heart was never that deep. It was just an emotion that had barely begun to sprout, merely an extension of friendship and daily life.

She couldn’t throw everything away and cling to it blindly like that. She couldn’t choose it while abandoning family, friends, colleagues, the world, morality, and beliefs.

An ordinary, gentle affection.

‘But still…’

Nevertheless.

Even if it was a different shape from his ‘love.’

‘I just…’

Want to save him.

Want to meet him again.

Want to fill together the vast gap that had been hidden between her and someone she thought was infinitely close.

She wants to talk. She wants to hear his thoughts. She wants to understand the changed parts and align the mismatched parts.

She doesn’t want a world without him.

Right after awakening as Lillieta again, wanting to return to the Ashen World somehow.

Even after learning this was her hometown, deciding that after spending enough time with her family, she would definitely return to her comrades’ side someday.

When she stripped away miscellaneous thoughts and rational judgments, the honest desire that remained was:

To live together.

With them, especially with him.

Since meeting Gid, she had never lived in a world without him. She couldn’t even imagine herself living in such a world.

Even in that short gap between death and reuniting as Lillieta and Gideon, she felt a strange anxiety and a vast emptiness.

Because that hole was finally filled after meeting him again. Because only then could she make the decision to put down roots in this world.

Looking back, it was natural. He was embedded too deeply in her life.

From when she set her goal among the snow-covered tombstones. Or from when she aimed her gun at the Squad Leader who had stabbed the boy’s eyes.

No, perhaps even before that.

From when the boy gave up passing the Pascal graduation exam and came looking for her. From when he first got her a gun. From when they decided on their private hand signals.

Rita Pascal cannot give up Gid Pascal.

She didn’t want to.

‘I can’t do without you.’

This was her answer to tell him.

Suddenly, she understands a little. The choices he made after she died. Just a little.

Only after he disappeared. Only when she faced a situation where she might lose him.

It finally hits home.

‘So… I have to go.’

Though she has no certainty. Though she doesn’t know what to do. Though it feels overwhelming like being surrounded by a distant horizon.

If there’s even a speck of possibility, if she sees a single point of light at the end of the black sea, that alone is enough for her.

She suddenly raised her head.

Something had entered the range she was monitoring by spreading her Oath as widely as possible.

‘A person.’

And presences more violent than animals poured into her range, following that person. There were no signs of mana contamination, so they were monsters.

‘Being chased.’

She quietly rose from her seat and drew Silvergrass from her bracelet. After gauging the number of monsters, she looked down at Lucas sleeping soundly for a moment.

‘Let’s not wake him.’

Luca needed to rest. Since it was a level she could handle easily, it would be better to finish it alone before he sensed any disturbance.

Rita placed her thumb on the butterfly pattern carved on the revolver’s grip and injected Oath. A faint light swirled as the artificial spirit awakened.

[Notice: Current time is 3:49 AM.]

[Suggestion: Insomnia is harmful to health, User. Shall Gnewg sing you a lullaby in an adorable voice?]

“Skip the lullaby, I need night vision.”

Rita, who had somehow adapted to Gnewg’s nonsense, replied calmly.

[Notice: Activating night vision function.]

Transparent butterflies flew up and covered her eyes. Looking through the butterfly wings, the dark mountain path became clearer.

[Question: Are enemies approaching? Baby Gnewg doesn’t quite understand. How does User’s detection work?]

‘I spread Oath out like thin ribbons. I’m not a Transmission-type, so spreading Oath is a bit tricky, but with practice the distance does increase.’

Lillieta headed into the darkness while extending one hand. She formed several silent bullets above her palm while answering Gnewg’s question.

‘When I feel the waves of Oath that exist in nature with those spread ribbons, I can detect distances farther than the limit of where I can spread Oath. It feels like a seismograph… well, there are no seismographs in this era.’

[Notice: Baby Gnewg was injected with much knowledge from Creator, including common sense from the ‘Ash-covered Era.’ Therefore, this artificial spirit knows seismographs.]

[Analysis: User, being a Processing-type who cannot spread Oath far, remarkably extended detection range by creating ribbons with her own Oath and using them like seismographs. It’s surprising there are still aspects of User’s skills to be amazed by.]

[Boast: Gnewg perfectly understood User’s analogy!]

‘Smart, our Gnewg.’

[Opinion: This artificial spirit is certain User has begun finding Gnewg cute. The adorable baby strategy is successful.]

Lillieta chuckled and stood at the edge of a cliff along the mountain path. She could clearly see the winding downhill path below the cliff with her night vision.

And along that mountain path, a man running frantically and a group of monsters chasing him.

Humanoid monsters with hyena-like heads and bodies covered in fur. They were Gnolls.

‘…Twelve of them.’

She switched Silvergrass to sniper mode. She put the scope that emerged with clicking sounds to her night-vision eyes and aimed at the head of a Gnoll chasing the man.

‘At this distance, standing shots are sufficient. There’s also the need to let that person know I’m here.’

The monster’s head that would look thumbnail-sized to ordinary people looked fist-sized to Rita with the scope’s assistance. Actually, even if it were really thumbnail-sized, it wouldn’t have been much of a problem.

With a muffled gunshot like air escaping, the hyena-like head exploded. She moved her muzzle without watching the result. Next, and next.

The Gnoll pack realized they were under attack around the time the third target died. They stopped pursuing and milled about in confusion, then finally noticed the direction of attack when the fourth head exploded.

Yellow and red eyeballs spotted the woman standing on the cliff beyond the darkness.

They turned direction and began charging toward her, but Lillieta moved without any disturbance. She methodically loaded the pre-made silent bullets into empty chambers and continued sniping.

The sound of cutting wind echoed at regular intervals. Each time, invisible bullets pierced heads and green blood scattered.

When four more collapsed before even reaching the cliff, the remaining Gnolls got scared and began scattering.

Still within the Mage Gunner’s sniping range. Even those scattering in all directions were all accurately shot in the head and died.

After dealing with the last monster, Rita released her shoulder stock and lowered her muzzle. Then Gnewg’s solemn voice was heard.

[Notice: All combat targets eliminated. Rescue operation complete.]

‘Huh?’

[Opinion: User’s ‘complete’ declaration from the last ‘Ethan’ and ‘Gift’ rescue operation was very impressive to Gnewg. Learned and applied it.]

That was something she said to inform Hanna that the operation was over, and there wasn’t really anyone to report to now… she thought, but since the artificial spirit seemed happy, she just nodded and let it pass.

She could see the man who had been running on the mountain path stop and look up at her. Rita gestured for him to come this way, then turned from the cliff toward the path.

Standing on the path and waiting briefly, a panting man appeared. He stopped in front of her, covered in sweat, and bowed his head.

“Th-th-thank, huff, you…”

“Who are you? Traveling the mountains at this hour.”

“I’m a, huff, messenger from Winterfield, wheeze, there’s an urgent, huff, message to, gasp, deliver… Are you, huff, a mercenary?”

“Not a mercenary, a traveler.”

A messenger running mountain paths in the middle of the night. She had an ominous feeling. Rita asked urgently.

“A messenger from Winterfield?”

“Yes.”

“What’s the message?”

“That, that’s…”

The man hesitated. She quickly understood the reason and turned around.

“I was going this way anyway, right? Follow me.”

Walking a bit along the mountain path, a campfire came into view. A living proof of identity that anyone from Winterfield couldn’t fail to recognize was sleeping soundly beside it, but sensed an unfamiliar presence that wasn’t a comrade and opened his eyes wide.

“Sister?”

“Luca, this person says he’s a messenger from Winterfield.”

“What?”

When Lucas wiped away his saliva and turned around, the man’s eyes widened in shock.

“S-Second Young Master?”

“Huh? Jacques?”

Since they apparently already knew each other, the conversation immediately jumped to the main point.

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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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