The Return of Lilietta - Chapter 246

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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 246

Elision had visited Lillieta’s tent. The prince expressed his gratitude several times with bloodshot eyes.

He said Jurlene had collapsed and he was personally nursing her. They decided to hear later about what conversation had passed between the two and how Jurlene had come to follow Elision.

Dawn was coming.

Sleep wouldn’t come.

She was hearing things.

Rita had laid Marien down in her tent and slipped out.

To ward off approaching monsters, the Black Dragon, returned to its original size, was crouched with its massive body right next to her tent.

As she approached, the Black Dragon’s eye sockets opened like windows. Rita silently climbed up the dragon’s front paw. The Black Dragon naturally extended its hand to make it easier for her to climb up. Then it drew the front paw she had climbed onto close to its head.

She sat on the Black Dragon’s palm and leaned against its head. She wrapped the blanket she had brought around herself.

She remained crouched quietly like that for a while. Her breath came out white and hazy in the cold night air.

Suddenly the Black Dragon made a low crying sound. Not just once, but a thin, long, continuous sound.

It was quiet humming.

A familiar melody.

Rita recalled the old wooden box carved with roses, the broken mirror, and the angel doll with peeling paint. She recalled the moment when they had sat shoulder to shoulder, breathing in sync.

A corner of her chest grew warm. Like the burning sensation in her eyes when she wanted to cry. Or like body heat rising where they touched.

She pressed her cheek against the Black Dragon’s head. She reached out her hand and stroked the dragon’s skin covered in thorns.

The well-like eye sockets narrowed and slowly closed. Even with its eyes closed, the dragon didn’t stop singing. As if replacing a music box that didn’t exist.

Lillieta fell asleep listening to that song. It was dreamless sleep.

* * *

The next day, everyone moved busily as soon as the sun rose.

March 10th, 821.

People put their heads together over maps. Discussions were held and plans were made. The final decision was given to the Knight.

Since the Inquisition Unit had been destroyed, the group decided to change direction. Even with the Black Dragon, continuing to move along the Black Forest was too dangerous. It wouldn’t be easy for over 300 people to cross the White Mountains carrying baggage either.

First, they decided to go get the supplies the prince hadn’t been able to bring from Endskirt Village in his hurried return. There was a road in that direction, making it easier to cross the mountain range.

The problem was that this increased the probability of encountering Inquisitors, but since the unit had just collapsed, they should be fine for a few days until the scattered soldiers returned and reported.

After deciding on the direction and setting goals, everyone ate breakfast.

Lillieta ate with Sion, Jurlene, the village chief, the Captain of the Guard, the Captain of the Self-Defense Force, several ministers from the Shadea Kingdom, and the elders of Cavern Village. The meeting to discuss travel routes had naturally continued into mealtime.

It was there that she finally learned what had happened between Jurlene and Sion.

“As soon as I got there, I got on my knees and begged Jurlene. I apologized for not being able to speak up first, said I actually wanted to be together, that I would do well, so please come with me.”

The Captain of the Self-Defense Force laughed and added to what the prince with his long silver hair neatly tied had said so matter-of-factly.

“Prince, wasn’t that practically a proposal?”

“Ah, does it sound like that?”

Sion tilted his head with a smiling face without being flustered, but Jurlene turned bright red and shrieked.

“What nonsense!”

“How dare you speak such insolence to His Highness the Prince! Impudent!”

And the Captain of the Guard bristled with indignation. The Captain of the Self-Defense Force chuckled and replied.

“No, if wanting to be together and saying you’ll treat someone well so let’s go together isn’t a proposal, then what is it?”

“Th-that’s not what it meant! It was just about traveling together!”

When Jurlene protested with a flustered, reddened face, the Captain of the Self-Defense Force hurriedly covered her mouth. It was a gesture to hide her spreading smile.

“Oh yes, of course, Witch. I was just joking. Don’t worry, I won’t misunderstand.”

The middle-aged woman, who was actually much older but looked like she could be the elf’s mother, gazed fondly at her and soothed her. Her eyes looked like she was watching innocent young people.

Lillieta recalled how she had been intimidated by Jurlene at Mushroom Swamp. Her gaze had clearly changed from then.

‘Now that Jurlene is dating and getting embarrassed, she probably feels more like a normal person.’

It was a positive development in many ways. Conversely, there were also negative developments.

“His Highness the Prince’s marriage is not something to be spoken of so casually! Please be careful!”

Following the Captain of the Guard’s warning with a strained voice, an elderly man who wore a neat ceremonial robe that fit perfectly despite having slept outdoors spoke with a heavy expression.

“That’s right. You may not understand this well, but this is a very important matter for us. Prince Elision is now the only remaining legitimate heir of the Shadea royal family, so he cannot marry just anyone.”

The high-ranking officials and nobles from the Shadea Kingdom nodded in agreement. Some even glanced disapprovingly at Jurlene’s pointed ears.

Fortunately, Jurlene was too busy getting angry at the Captain of the Self-Defense Force for laughing to notice the ominous looks from the Shadea nobles.

‘The kingdom’s side doesn’t want to accept Jurlene as Sion’s partner. The reason is… obvious.’

It felt pathetic beyond stuffy that they were still concerned with bloodlines and family lineage when the country had been destroyed.

But thinking about it the other way, it was also because they still cared about bloodlines and family lineage that they continued to obey the prince’s orders.

Therefore, this wasn’t a matter for her to interfere in. Lillieta managed her expression and endured.

Prince Elision did not endure. He looked at the old man with a cold expression.

“What do you mean by that, court official?”

“Your Highness, don’t you know? You must have a sense of responsibility as the legitimate heir of Shadea.”

“I already have enough sense of responsibility.”

“No, Your Highness is being dissolute.”

The court official did not yield even under the prince’s gaze. With his wrinkled face set stubbornly, the old man spoke sternly.

“You’re trying to abandon the responsibility of nobly continuing the royal bloodline.”

“Noble?”

The silver-haired prince raised one corner of his mouth and added.

“Now that I’m the only one left, my bloodline must seem noble too? When before it was called a lowly bloodline mixed with vulgar dancer’s blood.”

“Y-Your Highness.”

The Captain of the Guard stammered in confusion. The court official’s white eyebrows twitched, but his expression remained composed as he replied.

“Yes, now that you are the only remaining Shadea, you are sufficiently noble. But precisely because you originally had great flaws, shouldn’t you pay more attention to your succession?”

“Ha.”

Sion let out a hollow laugh as if dumbfounded.

“The court official seems to think this is still Shadea’s palace. I suspect senility, so from now on, refrain from attending meetings and reflect on yourself.”

Having spoken coldly, he looked at each of the nobles who had shown discomfort.

“You all be careful too. When the illness deepens, one loses touch with reality and speaks nonsense like that. Of course, even if that happens, I won’t abandon you on the road but will treat you as patients, so don’t worry too much.”

“…!”

The court official gritted his teeth and the nobles lowered their eyes. However, some of them couldn’t hide their displeased expressions. Or rather, it was closer to saying they didn’t hide them.

The prince ended with those words, pushed back his chair, stood up, and left the meeting tent.

Jurlene looked around in confusion and then chased after him, while the Captain of the Self-Defense Force and the Cavern Village people sighed or clicked their tongues as they finished their meal.

Some of the kingdom’s nobles stood up, gathered among themselves, and left the tent. Others remained and finished their meal with the village people.

Lillieta, who had emptied her bowl early, immediately left the tent and looked for Sion and Jurlene. They were behind the prince’s tent, between the dense coniferous trees.

Rita deliberately made noise as she approached them, but the two were so absorbed in their conversation that they didn’t notice her approach.

“…The one whose words were too harsh wasn’t me but them, Jurlene. Those people called your blood impure.”

“Th-they didn’t go that far. They just said your bloodline was noble…”

“That’s what it meant. And I decided I don’t care what they babble about. I told you I made up my mind on the way running to your house, didn’t I?”

Sion said, looking into Jurlene’s eyes.

“I’ll say it again, Jurlene. I want you.”

“…!”

“I won’t give you up anymore. I won’t postpone our relationship either. I won’t hesitate anymore.”

“Uh, uh…”

Jurlene’s face turned bright red and she looked around helplessly, not knowing what to do. Sion gently held her chin and made her look straight at him.

“What about you?”

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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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