Time Healer Ceres - Chapter 104

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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“Leave the Capital? Why?”
“The ventures overseen by Count Alerius Household have run into some difficulties.”
“All of a sudden?”
“All the businesses have ground to a halt, or so I hear. The estate and lands are all slipping into the banks’ hands.”
“Hmm.”
“Perhaps it’s divine punishment.”
Colin, the butler, bobbed his head with evident satisfaction, as though relishing the news.
I recalled how he’d trembled with outrage for some time after learning of his own abduction and imprisonment in the basement.
‘I wonder if he’ll get in trouble when he realizes I went willingly.’
Truth be told, I harbor no ill will toward Fake.
One doesn’t go to such trouble for someone who doesn’t deserve it, does one?
‘He’s simply pathetic.’
No matter how deceived he claimed to be, how could he kidnap and imprison a man on nothing more than Aria’s words?
Of course, that meant he’d been letting himself be manipulated by her all this time anyway.
‘Besides, that abduction was something I wanted in the first place.’
When I was taken, I didn’t receive a single blow.
‘If I had…’
I’d have beaten him half to death. I’m not the type to tolerate being struck without retaliation.
In any case, predictable people do predictable things—there’s nothing to be angry about.
‘What surprised me was Princess Nailia instead.’
After the incident with Aria.
‘It seems I misunderstood you due to my own foolish judgment. I sincerely apologize.’
Princess Nailia had bowed deeply and formally before all those watching.
Though she attributed the misunderstanding to Aria, I never expected her to offer such a direct apology.
‘And yet she is of royal blood.’
The very royalty who know their heads are so heavy that bowing risks snapping their own necks.
“By the way, Colin.”
“Yes, Miss?”
“Don’t you think you should stop giving him more?”
“Ah… yes…”
Colin, who had been cutting the Cake, froze mid-motion.
[Woof?]
Blackie, who had been consuming the Cake endlessly, turned to regard Seres with clear dissatisfaction.
‘Look at that insolent glare.’
Even with those tiny eyes, the creature certainly knew how to glower.
“Since he eats everything given to him without fail, I find myself unable to stop offering more.”
“Right. I’m sure he’d keep eating even if his belly burst.”
Though I wonder if that small belly would actually burst.
Watching Blackie devour a Cake larger than his own body with remarkable efficiency, Seres shook her head slightly.
“Stop eating.”
[Whoof!]
“This isn’t just today’s snack—it’s both today’s and tomorrow’s. Do you want to eat it all now and have nothing tomorrow, or would you rather save the rest for tomorrow?”
[….]
…He was actually considering it.
Was this really something that warranted such a serious expression of deliberation?
Seres watched Blackie’s evident struggle for a moment longer, then exhaled softly.
Tap-tap-tap!
“Hmm?”
At the unfamiliar sound from the window, she turned her head and frowned slightly.
A small bird no larger than a palm was persistently pecking at the windowpane with its beak.
Recognizing the bird at once, Seres let out a brief sigh and opened the window.
“Well, what an unusual color. I’ve never seen a bird with such a reddish hue before.”
Colin gazed with fascination at the bird entering the room.
“You again? What are you doing here?”
“Ah, do you perhaps know this bird…?”
[There is a problem.]
“Gasp!”
Colin’s breath caught at the sound flowing from the small bird.
“The bird—the bird is speaking?”
“Yes.”
It wasn’t an ordinary bird, after all.
“You can go now.”
“Ah… Yes, miss.”
Colin, the butler, had been watching the mysterious bird with caution, alternating his gaze between the creature and Seres. At her command, he slipped quietly from the room, his initial surprise giving way to wariness.
“Why are you here?”
Seres’s eyes fixed on Juberios, the Spirit King of Flame, held nothing but annoyance.
This one wouldn’t have come just to visit—something had happened, it seemed.
‘Well, at least he listens.’
If he was going to show up, she’d asked him not to draw attention, so he’d made himself small—tiny, even.
Though she hadn’t meant for him to shrink to the size of a sparrow.
“You look pathetic.”
[What did you say?!]
“So? What’s the problem?”
In that small form, his bluster was hardly frightening at all.
[Puff!]
[Huh?]
But to Blackie, it felt like a threat.
Blackie, who had been absorbed in the cake, suddenly threw himself in front of Seres and shrieked with all the volume he could muster—demanding the intruder be gone at once.
[…….]
[…….]
For a moment, the two beings stared each other down in silence, beginning to emit a subtle, hostile aura.
‘…What are they doing?’
But to Seres, it was simply amusing.
What was the point of two palm-sized creatures glaring at each other? Neither was remotely intimidating.
[Boooooo…….]
[You brute!]
“Stop it. Both of you.”
Seres plucked Blackie—who was issuing a long, furious cry, convinced he’d found an enemy—and Juberios, who was trying to expand back to his full size, each into one of her hands.
[Boo?]
[You’d better let me go this instant!]
Blackie looked aggrieved, as if to ask why she was stopping him, while Juberios protested indignantly. Seres shook her head firmly at both of them.
“Fight in my home and you’ll both be thrown out on the spot. Understand?”
[Booo…….]
[Hngh…….]
Both looked disgruntled, but neither seemed inclined to resume their quarrel.
Still, what had made them start fighting all of a sudden?
[Why are you keeping that thing here?]
“That thing? What are you talking about?”
There’s nothing wrong with him.
[I don’t know the details myself. But that creature—I can sense a very deep darkness coming from him!]
Darkness, then.
“Is it because he’s a demon?”
[It’s not the sort of darkness you feel from those crude things! It’s something purer, something deeper…….]
“So in other words, you don’t actually know, either?”
[…….]
“And you dare carry on like that when you don’t even know what you’re talking about? Quiet.”
[You, you really……!]
Let him shake and tremble in that tiny body all he wanted—it was pathetic either way.
“So why did you come?”
How many times was she going to ask this? He needed to stop dancing around and tell her why he’d sought her out.
[Ah…….]
Only then did Juberios seem to snap to attention, his expression turning urgent.
[Herion is hurt.]
“Hurt? How badly?”
If the head of the Elrsia Countess Family was injured, they should handle it within the household. So why come to her?
[The knights beat her!]
“What?”
What kind of nonsense was this?
“Who? Who did they beat?”
Chapter 29. Acting Head of Household
“It appears the Count Alerius Household will be liquidating all their Capital operations shortly.”
Del, Kainel’s aide, handed him several documents and posed the question carefully.
“But Kainel, why did you move against the Count Alerius Household?”
It had happened not long ago.
He’d suddenly summoned Kainel and issued a command: investigate the Count Alerius Household—a family he’d scarcely exchanged two words with until now—and leave nothing uncovered.
Then, gradually, the Household’s operations began grinding to a halt. Naturally, Kainel was the architect behind it all.
“Punishment for poor parenting.”
“I beg your pardon?”
The Count’s son—wasn’t his name Fake?
‘I’ve heard rumors he behaves like a ruffian, but…’
Kainel wasn’t the sort to concern himself with such things.
“What about Seres?”
“Ah! I was just about to mention that. Please take this.”
“…? What is it?”
“A letter from Seres. She asked me to deliver it to you.”
It was a letter.
Why a letter, suddenly?
Kainel stared at it for a moment with a puzzled expression before opening it to read the contents.
「Something came up. Won’t be able to come for a while. Don’t look for me. Eat properly. You know what happens if you starve yourself while I’m gone, right? I’ll ask the aide about it later.」
The message was remarkably brief.
Could this even be called a letter? Perhaps a note was more fitting.
“Did she say anything else?”
“No. She said something urgent had come up and she’d be away for some time. She didn’t explain what it was.”
“…”
“Shall I look into it?”
“No need.”
“Very well.”
“I’ll investigate myself.”
“Yes… yes?”
Investigate herself?
What? Where?
“Kainel?”
Del could only watch helplessly as Kainel rose from his desk and left the office in silence.
“Where on earth are you going?”
* * *
“Seres!”
Seres, visiting the Elrsia Countess Family after some time away, made straight for the family head’s quarters.
The moment she saw Herion sitting at her desk, Seres couldn’t help but squint slightly.
“Welcome!”
Herion, by contrast, greeted her warmly with a bright smile, clearly delighted by the visit.
“What happened to your face?”
“Ah…”
At Seres’s blunt remark, Herion’s smile wavered awkwardly as she averted her gaze.

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