The Return of Lilietta - Chapter 241

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

Chapter 241

‘Huh? If we’re talking about marriage standards between elves, then as you said, Minewg, 1700 years would only be 3 or 4 generations, but hasn’t the Kairam Imperial family been marrying only humans since Jurlene? Then it should be dozens of generations.’

[Consideration: …The user’s question is valid. Little Minewg was buried in Hecate’s data and provided hasty information.]

[Excuse: In the process of interpreting the information this artificial spirit possesses based on Hecate’s data, I mistakenly thought the Kairam Imperial family had only a few generations genetically, causing little Minewg to make an error.]

‘The Kairam Imperial family doesn’t have many generations? What do you mean by that?’

[Information: In Kairam’s history, from after the death of founding emperor Elision until the 1400s when the Shadea Church Nation separated from the empire, the emperor’s name was consistently ‘Melchizedek’. After the Shadea Church Nation separated, the names of Kairam emperors began to differ from generation to generation.]

[Information: Imperial mythology explains this fact by saying that Melchizedek, son of founding emperor Elision and Coronator Jurlene, inherited the Black Dragon’s blood and thus ruled early Kairam for a long time with his extended lifespan.]

[Information: However, historians after the Shadea Church Nation’s separation consider this explanation mere mythology and don’t trust it, interpreting that early Kairam Imperial family maintained the custom of passing down the name ‘Melchizedek’ through generations to preserve their authority as descendants of the Black Dragon.]

[Reflection: Little Minewg accepted the mythological explanation as is and calculated that the Kairam royal family had lifespans comparable to elves through the generations. I apologize, user.]

‘No, there’s nothing to apologize for. And… I think the mythology is probably true. If it’s a child between Jurlene and Sion, the elven characteristics would be strong, so having a long lifespan makes sense.’

[Agreement: I agree with that hypothesis, user. Little Minewg also thinks there’s a high probability that Melchizedek, son of Jurlene and Elision, actually ruled the empire for 600 years.]

[Hypothesis: The empire’s system underwent drastic changes in the 1400s when the Shadea Church Nation separated from Kairam after the civil war, and this change could be the result of the emperor changing for the first time in 600 years.]

[Hypothesis: If the emperor after Melchizedek was Melchizedek’s own child and also had a long lifespan, having children late, then truly the Kairam Imperial family might not have had many generations. It means having a generation turnover cycle similar to humans might be relatively recent.]

[Verification: This hypothesis can be verified by analyzing the empire’s historical records in more detail after returning to 1770.]

‘…Anyway, it’s certain that Gid still has elven traits inherited from Jurlene. You can tell from his black hair, golden eyes, and Ode-friendly constitution.’

[Agreement: Even if not to the mutant level like the user who repels divine power, I certainly think so.]

Rita started walking again, letting out a deep sigh and rubbing her temples.

‘Why did the meteor gain the ability to manipulate time? Is there such content in Hecate’s data too?’

[Consideration: There is no content about time manipulation in Hecate’s research data. However, there is analysis that the existing ‘Moon’s Bone’ and ‘Sun’s Egg’ are in a state where their contents have been drained, unlike the meteors at the time of impact.]

[Opinion: It’s presumed that when the meteor collided with the continent, its contents leaked out and changed the environment, leaving behind the shell that is the current Moon’s Bone.]

‘Ah, right, the ‘Star’ had something inside it. That thing Pascal called a demon. Did the meteor shell’s function of converting contamination to magic power reverse to cause contamination when something was contained in it, and it even gained time manipulation abilities to become the ‘Star’ we know?’

She added while looking at the entrance to the Whispering Cave that was beginning to appear between the trees of the Black Forest.

‘Perhaps, right at this time when we’re here?’

[Agreement: Little Minewg’s speculation is the same as the user’s.]

[Speculation: The user getting caught up in the Star’s explosion and coming to this particular time might be because this is when that Star gained time manipulation abilities, the Star’s beginning. Since there was no particular time period the user or that lizard wanted when caught up in it, you might have ended up at the Star’s starting point.]

[Information: Additionally, Hecate’s data contains various experimental results regarding the Moon’s Bone’s characteristics. Among them, characteristics the user should know are—]

“Wait.”

Rita spoke aloud to interrupt the artificial spirit.

“Something feels strange about the atmosphere.”

Even though it was already nighttime after sunset, people had all rushed out to the open field outside the cave. Under the frantically flickering torches, frightened or confused faces and dragged-out belongings were glimpsed here and there.

In the midst of such a scene, silver hair glittered in the firelight. Prince Elision, who had returned from the edge village at some point, was urgently shouting.

“Hurry! Hurry up more! We must leave this place immediately!”

There was a situation that came to mind from that sight. Lillieta hurried toward him.

“Prince.”

“Ah, Knight!”

“Don’t tell me the Inquisitor forces have already entered the Black Forest?”

“Yes.”

The Prince continued speaking rapidly with a pale face.

“I heard at the edge village. Two days ago, a large-scale Inquisitor force stopped by the village to resupply and entered the Black Forest.”

“…!”

“As soon as I heard that, I returned as quickly as possible. We must leave here immediately.”

“If it was two days ago, they must be close already.”

Rita replied heavily and immediately focused on the forest in the direction of the edge village.

She expanded her detection range to the maximum. Various Ode vibrations were detected in the Ode ring she had made surprisingly wide for a processing-type covenant holder.

Tree branches swaying in the wind, wild animal movements, the impact of snow falling from trees, monsters’ rough breathing… and the disciplined marching footsteps of people moving as one body.

She calculated the distance based on the interval of vibrations reaching the ring. It was closer than expected. Rita’s expression hardened.

“I found a force marching in the forest. The scale is at least three times that of the force we attacked before. At their current speed, they’ll arrive here within an hour.”

“What? How did you know that, no, that’s not important right now. I heard at the edge village that it’s a force of about 600 people. Are you saying that Inquisitor force will arrive within an hour?”

“Yes. Can you erase the traces and depart within that time?”

Sion looked around the open field with a darkened face.

A group mixed with patients and the elderly and weak. Healthy people were carrying or supporting those who couldn’t walk well, coming out in a line through the narrow cave entrance.

Frightened children were precariously held in adults’ arms. Somewhere, a baby’s crying could be heard. Parents were tearfully trying to soothe it, but the baby wouldn’t stop crying easily.

Even though they had reduced it as much as possible, there was still a mountain of luggage. They hadn’t even taken out half of it. But if they abandoned the luggage and departed, the weak would freeze and starve to death first while passing through the forest where the snow hadn’t even melted.

The Prince answered in a grim voice.

“Within an hour is impossible.”

“I’ll buy you time.”

Rita, who had expected that answer, replied immediately.

“I’ll prevent them from approaching the cave, so depart as quickly as possible.”

“…Thank God. How long can you hold out?”

Rita attempted calculations while gauging the Inquisitor force’s armament state and personnel composition based on the environment of a forest in the middle of the night.

‘If I hide in the darkness and snipe mainly commanders and officers…’

Midway through, she felt a tapping motion on her shoulder and looked down to see the Black Dragon, who had awakened at some point, looking up at her and tapping his chest.

‘Ah, right.’

I’m not alone.

It would have been better if there was an intact Gideon, but just having a named-class monster as an ally vastly expanded the scope of operations.

She smiled slightly and raised her head.

“If we do well, we might be able to stop them all.”

“…What?”

“But just in case, aim to depart within three or four hours if possible.”

“Three or four hours… Yes, that seems possible. Thank you so much, Knight.”

The Prince, who had steeled his resolve, was about to turn around when Rita called him back.

“Wait a moment, Prince.”

“Yes, what is it?”

“Jurlene is at her house.”

“Jurlene is…”

Sion’s blue eyes wavered. Rita continued speaking rapidly in a calm voice.

“Go see her. It’s not like having the Prince here will speed up the time it takes to get luggage out and people to escape. Are you going to leave like this without even saying goodbye?”

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