The Return of Lilietta - Chapter 226

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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 226

 

‘This is why Jurlene’s Mentor unconditionally sent the refugees out of the forest.’

 

Because she anticipated that if the refugees gathered and lived in the forest, they would eventually be tracked down and massacred.

 

Jurlene’s Mentor believed that scattering them to different places would give them a higher chance of survival.

 

If there was only one ‘Witch’ living in the Black Forest, the Empire wouldn’t deploy a large army, and even if an army did invade, a single ‘Witch’ could easily flee and hide within the Black Forest.

 

‘Jurlene must have known that if a village formed in the Black Forest, it would eventually become dangerous. But she couldn’t bring herself to drive them away…’

 

But now this place could no longer serve as a hideout. Since it had been discovered by enemies, no matter how carefully they had cultivated it, everyone had to leave.

 

Where to?

 

‘To Lamcard.’

 

The place that would become the capital of the Kairam Empire.

 

Right now it would be a region where people absolutely couldn’t live, but like the origin of the ‘Frontier Festival,’ things would change once the Black Dragon swept away the monsters and pioneered that land.

 

‘They’ll probably decide to leave quickly. It’s clear they can’t live here anymore. The only question is where to go.’

 

If the founding ancestors tried to go somewhere other than Lamcard, she would have to somehow change their direction.

 

It would be good if they naturally headed toward Lamcard, but would people easily choose as their next settlement a land so dangerous that it required a dragon’s power?

 

In a situation where they didn’t really know what the Black Dragon could do, and couldn’t be certain how far the unfamiliar Black Dragon and Dragon Knight would protect and help them?

 

‘…Persuasion won’t be easy. Plus the journey itself is a problem.’

 

With so many ‘heretics’ gathered and moving together, the Holy Empire wouldn’t just leave them alone. And even setting aside that obvious prediction, from a future person’s perspective, it was the same.

 

‘Because that journey was arduous in the founding myth.’

 

A journey that could only succeed with a miracle.

 

‘The Black Dragon is that miracle.’

 

The reason the Black Dragon became a religious figure in the Kairam Empire.

 

Protecting hundreds of people including the elderly and sick from the Holy Empire’s pursuit and countless monsters while safely guiding them to the land that would later be called Lamcard.

 

It was nearly impossible without a miracle like the Black Dragon.

 

‘Conversely… it also means it’s a plan that can only be attempted if you consider the Black Dragon a certain ally. So I need to do well.’

 

The Kairam Empire’s Frontier Festival was May 17th. Since today was March 4th, to make things flow according to the myth, they had to reach Lamcard within about two months.

 

From the Black Forest at the northern extreme of the continent to the central plains.

 

Riding the Black Dragon would take just a couple hours, and by carriage or horse about a week, but if they had to travel on foot while protecting hundreds of people, two months was by no means a leisurely timeframe.

 

Only if she could guarantee that the Black Dragon would protect everyone would such a reckless journey be possible.

 

‘And we actually have to protect them.’

 

She and Gid, all those people.

 

Against the Holy Empire that currently dominated the continent. While recreating the main scenes of the myth.

 

‘We even have to match the Frontier Festival date. If that gets messed up, we might not be able to return to the future where everyone is.’

 

She felt her shoulders stiffen. Whether from tension or from repeatedly doing the labor of attaching shells with magic circles drawn on them to funnels.

 

‘Probably both.’

 

Getting tense would ruin even the strategies she could execute. Rita regulated her breathing and lightly rolled her shoulders.

 

‘Stop thinking and move. First, focus on what needs to be done right now.’

 

She put the completed funnel and other tools back in the box. To gather Oaths, she had to do it outside where natural energy was abundant, not in an indoor space like this.

 

‘The wound has mostly healed so it’s comfortable to move. Divine power is definitely fast for things like this.’

 

She picked up the box and stood, looking at the bed. She saw the small Black Dragon sleeping sprawled out.

 

She wanted to let him sleep more, but she was anxious about leaving him alone, so she had to wake him.

 

“Gid?”

 

At Rita’s call, the Black Dragon’s eye sockets slowly revealed themselves. The way he gaped his mouth and looked up at her with a tilted head while blinking was quite cute, naturally curving her lips.

 

If it were Beacon colleagues who knew that was Gid, they might be horrified or dry heave, but wouldn’t they still admit that appearance itself was cute?

 

‘Or not, would they still say it’s disgusting?’

 

Rita unconsciously imagined him doing such actions in his original form.

 

Her 12-year comrade-in-arms who used to chop up monster necks and human necks alike, blinking his eyes and tilting his head…

 

Honestly, it was kind of disgusting.

 

With her smile completely gone, she said matter-of-factly,

 

“We need to go outside, so come here.”

 

The Black Dragon who had been staring at her blankly soon stretched his wings sluggishly and flew to her, clinging to her shoulder.

 

‘His movements seem slow somehow? Is something wrong?’

 

Rita looked down at him worriedly, then chuckled when the dragon resting his chin on her shoulder opened his mouth slightly and yawned.

 

‘He must not be fully awake yet.’

 

She went down to the first floor with the Black Dragon hanging on her and the box in her arms. A boy who had been talking with someone at the first floor entrance looked toward the stairs at the sound of footsteps.

 

“Dragon Knight?”

 

“I have something to do outside the cave for a moment, so I’m going out. I’ll be back soon.”

 

“Uh…”

 

The boy looked back and forth between her holding the large box and outside the village hall. Then someone standing outside the entrance tapped his head and said,

 

“I’ll follow the Dragon Knight, so you go make your report.”

 

It was Jurlene’s voice.

 

At her words, the boy’s face brightened as he nodded, then hurriedly ran out of the hall. From the situation, it seemed he was going to inform the village chief.

 

‘So it’s not just errands but also surveillance. That’s natural.’

 

No matter how much she had become an object of reverence, or rather, precisely because of that, everyone would be watching her every move. Not necessarily with bad intentions, but with good ones too.

 

“Good morning, Dragon Knight.”

 

Jurlene standing at the doorway greeted her, then pointed at the box Rita was holding.

 

“What’s a patient doing carrying such heavy luggage? Give it here.”

 

Rita obediently handed the box over to her. Jurlene took the lead carrying the box and asked,

 

“What are you going to do with this outside the cave?”

 

“Make medicine.”

 

“Medicine? Healing potions? You know how to make healing potions too?”

 

Her golden eyes widened as she looked back at her. Rita quickly shook her head.

 

“No, different medicine. Medicine that works better for me than healing potions but is poison to ordinary people.”

 

“…There’s medicine like that?”

 

“There is. The principle is hard to explain though.”

 

“Hmm…”

 

Jurlene’s eyes sparkled with interest. Rita smiled and added,

 

“You can watch if you’re curious.”

 

“R-really? Isn’t it some kind of secret alchemy?”

 

“It’s fine. It’s a common method where I used to live.”

 

Since there wasn’t an Oathbinder in the Ash-covered Era who didn’t know Oath collection magic circles, it was true.

 

Rita went outside the cave and looked for a clean snow pile. She spotted a snow pile accumulated under a tree.

 

It was made when the Black Dragon hit the tree with his tail last night, but she couldn’t know that inside story.

 

“Put the box down here.”

 

Jurlene set the box down next to the snow pile and crouched down, watching Rita’s movements with a curious face.

 

Rita took all the items out of the box, then gently detached the Black Dragon clinging to her shoulder and put him in the empty box. The Black Dragon looked up at her briefly, then soon laid his head down and curled up in a ball inside the box.

 

After confirming the Black Dragon was falling asleep again, she dug into the accumulated snow pile.

 

She buried a leather pouch in the snow, then connected a funnel covered with magic circles to its spout. She pulled snow up to cover even the upper part of the funnel for support, then lightly covered the wide opening with cloth and pressed down the edges with a few small stones to secure it.

 

A primitive structure was completed that would gather and trap natural Oaths, liquefy them with cold air, and collect them in the leather pouch.

 

“If we leave it like this for about half a day, the leather pouch will be full of potion.”

 

“That’s medicine only for you, right? Poison for ordinary people?”

 

“It’s fine for people with similar constitution to mine, but the probability is low. The side effects could be serious, so it’s hard to test carelessly.”

 

Since this was an era without monsters except for Gid, she had no intention of teaching about Oaths and Oaths. She was also worried about potentially distorting history.

 

Rita picked up one of the few remaining birch bark pieces to write a warning not to touch it. Just as she was about to stick it in the snow pile burying the manufacturing equipment, Jurlene stopped her.

 

“Let me see.”

 

She added what appeared to be her signature below the warning.

 

“This way is safer. Everyone’s afraid of me.”

 

“They’re afraid of you?”

 

“Of course, since I’m a witch.”

 

The elf-born mage answered primly and stuck the warning sign with the added signature into the snow pile.

 

Rita recalled the story about how the Holy Empire called the Elfborn demons or devils. She also remembered that among the people who had come out to the open field last night, not a single one had pointed ears.

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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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