The Return of Lilietta - Chapter 51

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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 51

“Master, you understand two things when told one. That’s correct, the Late Emperor’s boat excursions were annual events to display the royal family’s wealth and dignity while confirming the nobles’ loyalty. They say it was quite a spectacle with boats floating on the river as numerous as water striders, and all the citizens would come out to watch. It became a kind of festival.”

“Ah. So Drakanis’s boat excursions were also a symbol of the prosperous era of the Late Emperor. The current Emperor didn’t hold such events, but the Crown Prince wanted to revive them… Then to the nobles, it must have sounded like a declaration to inherit the Late Emperor’s legacy.”

“Exactly, Master. This boat excursion means recreating the glory of the Late Emperor, skipping a generation. Everyone will probably try their best to impress the Crown Prince like peacocks showing off.”

“Conversely, there will be those who want to ruin it.”

“…You’re guessing three things instead of two.”

Lindsey grinned. Rita let out a small sigh and changed the subject.

“What about the investigation results I requested?”

“Based on our investigation so far, there are no missing persons around the Crown Prince.”

“Even including attendants and servants? No one who went missing and returned either?”

“No, none at all.”

“…I see.”

Seeing her master’s disappointed expression, Lindsey asked cautiously.

“Should I expand the scope and investigate further? Including delivery workers and laborers who come and go from Onyx Palace?”

“Yes, look into it once.”

“Understood.”

Lindsey bowed and left. Rita, now alone, began walking again.

Soon her destination came into view. A small training ground located in a corner of the Cream Dome Gardens. Richard, waiting for her in comfortable clothes, grumbled.

“Hey, you’re a bit late?”

“Sorry.”

She had promised Richard during the hunt to do physical training together. Since several days had passed since the debutante ball ended safely, today was when they decided to begin training in earnest.

“Come to think of it, you had a huge pile of invitations. Did you see them?”

“I just left them all to Lindsey.”

“You didn’t even look at them? Really.”

Richard shook his head as if he expected as much and stretched.

“Ugh, well then, let’s check your basic fitness first.”

He had Rita do simple tests like running, push-ups, and balancing on one foot. His mouth gradually fell open as he watched.

“Wow… this is unbelievable. Really.”

“Huff, huff…”

“Your form is perfect but your stamina and strength are terrible. Hey, how can you have such perfect push-up form but not be able to do even 3? You’re amazing in many ways.”

“I told you, huff, physical training, huff, was necessary…”

Rita replied while trembling and gasping for breath, but remained standing upright without collapsing. Richard clicked his tongue seeing her heaving shoulders.

“You look like you’re about to pass out. Sit down and rest a bit.”

“Then, huff, muscles will stiffen. Phew… You’re not asking because you don’t know, right?”

“…”

As her breathing calmed down a little, Rita slowly stretched in place. Richard, watching her with his chin propped up, muttered.

“You really did train properly before.”

“I was in a place similar to the military.”

“Don’t you actually not need my help? Looking at your form just now, you could train sufficiently on your own.”

“Originally, physical training is better done with others than alone. Someone can watch if your form gets crooked, you can plan training together, and help with stretching. It’s also mutually stimulating.”

Rita finished speaking while stretching her arms and legs, then looked at Richard.

“So now it’s your turn, brother. Want to take a test from me?”

“From you, who can’t even do 3 push-ups?”

“So you don’t trust me?”

Richard stared at her quietly, then chuckled.

“Hey, this was your goal from the beginning, wasn’t it?”

“You caught me.”

“Look at you, not surprised at all. You weren’t even trying to hide it.”

While grumbling, he immediately did some light stretching.

“You want to test me using methods you learned in that world?”

“Yeah.”

“Go ahead and try. What should I do first?”

Rita smiled a little at his proactive attitude. He could have been hurt in his pride or distrustful, but his immediate acceptance showed his trust in her.

“Basic fitness tests wouldn’t mean much for brother, who’s already a top-tier knight, right?”

She drew Silvergrace from her waist while still smiling. Richard’s complexion turned slightly pale.

“…Little sister, why are you drawing your gun?”

“This is a test I used to give new recruits when I was a unit commander.”

The silver revolver was aimed at him, wrapped in pale golden light. Lillieta smiled gently from beyond the barrel.

“First is a reflexes test, brother. Try to dodge well.”

“Hey, you crazy!”

“It’s fine, you won’t die. They’re non-lethal rounds.”

“That still means it hurts, ahhh!”

With gunshots like hail, the barrel spat fire repeatedly. Richard rolled around on the ground frantically.

After several more unusual tests that followed without rest, the siblings did cool-down exercises and sat side by side on a bench.

Rita, who had been scribbling something next to Richard as he gulped down water, handed him a paper.

“I made a training plan for us, what do you think?”

“…These reflex training exercises, are they the same as earlier?”

“Yeah.”

“Hey, why are there so many reflex training sessions! You’re trying to torment me! No wait, tell me honestly! This is revenge for that night 10 years ago, isn’t it!”

As Richard jumped around in dismay, Rita spoke in a dry, rapid tone.

“Decreased stamina, decreased stamina recovery, impaired balance due to nervous system damage, decreased reaction speed, decreased flexibility due to joint weakness, decreased cardiopulmonary endurance due to lung function damage, muscle atrophy and decreased strength.”

“…”

“That’s what happened to your body from living immersed in alcohol for 4 years. The nervous system damage is especially severe, so your reaction speed has dropped tremendously. That’s why there are so many reflex training sessions.”

Rita pulled out another paper and held it up in front of him.

“My amethyst got your past physical ability test results from your amethyst. I wrote today’s results next to them, so compare.”

Richard silently took the paper and looked at it.

Lillieta knew that since her return, he had been struggling alone to regain his former skills after quitting drinking.

She also knew he was frustrated because it wasn’t going well. That he had given up and hadn’t even done rehabilitation training for the past few days. And that he hadn’t confided his troubles to any family member.

Rita looked at him for a moment, then spoke.

“Let’s rehabilitate together, brother Richard. It’ll be better than training alone.”

“…”

“I need rehabilitation too. My body doesn’t move as I want it to right now, which is frustrating. I get tired too easily too.”

“…That bastard Jeremy has a loose mouth. Going around blabbing about his master’s information.”

“He did it out of concern for you. You know that.”

“Yeah, I know, damn it.”

Richard, who had cursed his own amethyst, let out a big sigh, threw down the paper, and sprawled out on the bench. He looked up at the sky where clouds were drifting and muttered.

“Somehow I keep showing you only pathetic sides of myself.”

“So what if you do. We’re family.”

“Hey, give me some consideration. I want to be a reliable older brother. Someone you can depend on no matter what happens…”

“Is that why you trained like crazy?”

Rita took a sip of water and added nonchalantly.

“After I went missing.”

Richard turned only his head to look at her while still leaning against the bench. Shadows fell over the purple eyes visible beneath his sweat-dampened red hair.

“Lili. No, Rita.”

“Yeah.”

“I am…”

After opening with that, he couldn’t continue his words. Rita waited for a moment, then when he groaned and buried his face in his hands, she continued for him.

“Irredeemable trash?”

“What?”

“Brother cried to me and said, ‘I’m trash.'”

“Ah.”

“But my disappearance wasn’t brother’s fault.”

“…Don’t say that.”

“I’m being sincere. It wasn’t brother’s fault.”

“I told you not to say that.”

“Why?”

Rita looked at Richard, who still had his face buried in his hands and wouldn’t look back at her.

And she voiced the speculation she had been thinking about continuously while hearing about Richard’s past ten years.

“At first, brother thought that way too, didn’t you? That it wasn’t your fault. That’s why you’re telling me not to say that, right?”

“…!”

Richard raised his head. With a face somehow like a frightened boy. Rita stared straight at him and continued speaking.

“Not talking to family members and only obsessing over sword training, trying to become a proper holy knight – it was actually because you wanted to deny it, wasn’t it? Because you wanted to believe that I didn’t disappear because of you, brother.”

“Wait, that’s.”

“‘I want to protect her when she returns’ – that was just an excuse to convince yourself, wasn’t it? Brother wanted to forget that night and prove that you were innocent. That’s why you tried to become an excellent holy knight.”

“Lili, stop.”

Richard let out a groan-like voice. Lillieta didn’t stop.

“Trying to become a supreme knight was probably the same reasoning. You naturally would have wanted to find me, but on the other hand, you wanted to confirm that I didn’t disappear because of you, brother. Even if it meant receiving an oracle from His Holiness the Pope.”

“Stop, stop talking.”

“I think I know what kind of oracle brother received. First, naturally, it would have said my whereabouts were unknown. If the oracle had given any clues about me, brother wouldn’t have become a who only drinks. And about that night’s events—”

“I told you to stop!”

Richard shouted and shot up from his seat.

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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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