The Return of Lilietta - Chapter 237

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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 237

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After returning to the cave, Prince Elision moved busily.

Having witnessed the ‘revelation’ proven true and learning that not only the Black Dragon but also the ‘Black Dragon’s Eye’ possessed overwhelming power, everyone unanimously decided to move according to her revelation.

Continental Calendar Year 0, the point where a meteor fell that divided the elven era of the past from the human era that followed, a land where mountains rose from that impact and the earth became desolate, turning into a den of monsters more vicious than even the Black Forest—’Monstra’.

By the standards of year 821, no matter how much they were being pursued by the Holy Empire, it was a settlement that no one in their right mind would ever choose, but the miracles and revelations shown by the Black Dragon and Black Dragon’s Eye were enough to change people’s minds and plant hope in them.

As soon as the prince decided to depart for Monstra, he separately gathered people to go to ‘Endskirt Village’ to exchange several magic stones for supplies like food.

Endskirt Village, by the standards of 1770, was a village located on the plateau of the White Mountains where Winterfield Castle stood, close to the Black Forest and being the frontier of frontiers in the Holy Empire, where imperial law had weak influence.

It had been a hotbed of illegality from the start, secretly trading with residents of Whispering Cave and the ‘Witch of the Black Forest’, so as long as you were willing to pay inflated prices, even fugitives could obtain supplies.

After Sion departed for Endskirt Village with his close associates, the remaining people hurriedly finished preparing to leave the cave. They had decided to depart immediately upon the prince’s return.

If before they had packed their belongings with gloomy faces as if fleeing, now everyone was packing with subtle excitement and anticipation for the new home revealed in the revelation.

Meanwhile, as soon as Lillieta returned to the cave, she immediately tried giving the Black Dragon the magic stone she had brought.

It was a plum-sized crystal glowing with a whitish light. Even with such low purity, a natural magic stone of this size would be worth an enormous amount, but she deliberately didn’t calculate the price.

Since it was a magic stone that Gid would devour and make disappear anyway, what good would knowing its value do? Having decided to choose the best, she couldn’t feed him her magic while enduring contamination just to save money.

Therefore, it was better not to know the price. She closed her eyes tight and held out the milky plum-like magic stone to the small Black Dragon.

“Here, Gid. Want to try eating this?”

The Black Dragon, bringing his nose close to the magic stone, raised the spines on his entire body halfway. Saliva dripped from his mouth that opened involuntarily due to a monster’s appetite upon detecting magic.

Even in that state, the Black Dragon didn’t immediately devour the magic stone but looked up at Rita.

-Grong?

His expression seemed to ask, “Can I really eat this?” Rita answered with a smile.

“Of course you can eat it. Eat as much as you want.”

-Grrrrr….

The Black Dragon made a pleased sound and took a big bite of the magic stone with his small mouth. Then, clutching the remaining magic stone with both front paws, he crunched the crystal in his mouth like a snack while wagging his tail.

“Is it delicious?”

Rita smiled contentedly and was petting the Black Dragon’s head when she heard the artificial spirit’s disgruntled voice that she had left on.

[Warning: User, that thing is not actually a pet monster. That human whose calling is to be a pet is one thing, but even you shouldn’t forget that that lizard is actually the big, black Crown Prince and just find him adorable.]

“….”

Rita flinched in surprise and withdrew her hand from the Black Dragon.

The Black Dragon clutching the white plum-like magic stone with both front paws and nibbling on it was still cute, but as the artificial spirit said, that was Gid.

‘Gid….’

She recalled him when he had returned to human form after touching the moon bone.

When she remembered how his large frame had pinned her down naked and clung to her in confusion, only to return to monster form before accomplishing anything and then tilt his head with a face that knew nothing, she somehow felt like punching him.

The Black Dragon, who ghostly sensed Lillieta’s subtly menacing mood, was startled and dropped the magic stone he had been clutching with both front paws, then looked up at her with eyes that had grown round as saucers.

-Grooong…?

“…No, you didn’t do anything wrong. The one who did wrong wasn’t you, but that damn human called Gid Pascal, also known as Gideon el Redert Kairam.”

-Groooooo….

That’s my name, Rita….

Gid’s protest only sounded like trivial whimpering to Rita. She picked up the magic stone he had dropped and placed it back in his front paws.

“It’s fine, so eat it deliciously. I’ll give you more if it’s not enough.”

The self-awareness that had briefly strengthened was blurred again by the magical energy wafting right in front of his nose. The simple-minded monster bit into the magic stone again and chewed happily.

Rita swallowed a sigh inwardly so he wouldn’t hear and thought about the moon bone.

‘Let me try asking Jurlene to exchange the magic stones I got this time for moon bones. Even if the relic is too much, she might be willing to trade the small moon bones that Mentor collected.’

The day after having such thoughts, Jurlene came looking for her first.

“Knight.”

March 9th, year 821.

Jurlene, who came to Lillieta’s dormitory, seemed somehow drained of energy. She said weakly.

“I promised to show you Mentor’s moon bone research materials before. Come see them before we leave.”

“Thanks for preparing them, Jurlene.”

Rita brightened and followed her out. With the small Black Dragon perched on her shoulder.

The two left the village hall and headed outside the cave, encountering several people who seemed excited as if preparing for a journey. While exchanging greetings with those who greeted them warmly, Jurlene’s mood seemed to sink further.

‘The relocation funding issue has been resolved, so why?’

As soon as Lillieta left the cave, she asked her.

“Jurlene, do you have some kind of worry?”

“Huh?”

“You seem to lack energy somehow.”

“….”

She, who was usually talkative, didn’t answer right away. Rita waited a moment and asked again.

“Are you reluctant to leave the Black Forest?”

“Leave? Me?”

Jurlene asked back in a bewildered tone and added.

“What are you talking about? I’m not leaving. Only you, Knight, and Sion’s group and the village people are going.”

“What?”

This time Rita asked back in confusion.

“Jurlene isn’t coming with us?”

“Why did you think I was coming along? My home is the Black Forest, has been for over a hundred years. Even the lunatics of the Holy Empire don’t dare touch the ‘Witch of the Black Forest.’ So why would I leave here?”

At Jurlene’s counter-question, Rita felt like she had been hit in the back of the head.

“…I see.”

Come to think of it, Jurlene really had no reason to leave with them. She was a witch who had continued living in the Black Forest following in her mentor’s footsteps, and she wasn’t even a resident of the cave village.

Rita had never once seen Jurlene spend the night in the cave since meeting her after coming to 821. Even when she visited the village, she would return to her own home when the sun set.

After the people left, Jurlene would simply return to being a ‘witch’ living alone in the Black Forest, just as her mentor had done.

‘I didn’t anticipate this situation. What if the first Empress, who will later be identified with the Black Dragon, doesn’t accompany this journey?’

Rita’s mind became complicated in an instant. Should she somehow persuade her to follow the myth? Even by fabricating another revelation?

Lost in thought, she walked silently through the Black Forest covered in white snow for a while. Thanks to the Black Dragon’s inability to hide his presence, the monsters of the Black Forest didn’t approach, making it like a leisurely stroll.

“The monsters aren’t attacking. I guess it’s thanks to Lord Black Dragon.”

Suddenly Jurlene spoke as if talking to herself. Rita responded.

“Right, they’re not approaching because of the Black Dragon. But then do you usually fight monsters every time you come to the cave on this path?”

“It’s daily life in the Black Forest.”

It was an affirmation. Rita stared at the long black hair swaying gracefully ahead of her.

So Jurlene walked this path to the cave village almost daily, enduring fights with monsters, and every night walked this path again to return to her home.

‘Even though it’s a place where people fear her.’

She recalled the alienating attitudes of people who had looked back at Jurlene to confirm the truth of her words. Also the way people in the cave had treated Jurlene during her stay.

They didn’t dislike the ‘witch.’ Rather, they respected and were grateful to her as their benefactor.

While simultaneously fearing or finding her difficult. Some treated her like something other than human and tried to keep their distance.

Because the witch was too different from them.

An elf-born who had lived outside human civilization in the Black Forest for at least over a hundred years. Conspicuous pointed ears and a lifespan longer than humans.

If the Holy Empire taught that elf-born were demons, and if the number of elf-born was so small that most people had only ever seen Jurlene in their entire lives… there would be some who couldn’t completely shake off prejudice and some who couldn’t overcome the sense of alienation.

To come see such people every day, hover around them without staying by their side, then return home again.

‘…Could it be that Jurlene was lonely.’

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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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