Chapter 374
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 374
Chapter Title: You Have Many Sins.
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"Such a thing happened?"
[That's right. You have no idea how much I suffered because of it.]
"That must have been quite the ordeal."
[Ordeal? That's putting it mildly! From now on, even if Princess says beans make soybean paste, I won't believe her!]
She'd trusted Li Chingwei's words that it would be like taking a casual stroll to help Rimon out, only to nearly end up in the afterlife again.
Watching Yuna Kyung grumble, the witch with crimson-black hair and a beauty mark—Syr—chuckled softly.
"I told you to stay and be my assistant, didn't I?"
[Who could've known it'd turn into such a mess...]
She'd nearly burned to death.
Almost gotten silenced for good.
Got dragged into wars and duels.
Even had to conduct rescue ops inside a monster's gut.
Yuna Kyung vented about how many near-death experiences she'd had on this Africa trip alone.
Syr listened with a sly smile.
'Heh, what an entertaining little thing.'
She spoke so lightly of it.
But what Yuna Kyung had endured would make even high-level players scream and drop dead multiple times over.
For this legendary archwitch Syr, the fact that this fledgling had survived it all unscathed was nothing short of miraculous.
'And her talent for magic too.'
That wasn't the only surprise.
Yuna Kyung's magic had already reached a level comparable to witches from the 27th line of the magic lineage.
It was rough around the edges since she'd learned through attributes, but considering she'd started less than a year ago, it was truly astonishing talent.
Even among the countless witches—and archwitches—she'd taught, few had picked it up this fast.
Was it innate?
Or granted when a familiar's descendant bonded with a human soul?
Or some other reason?
'If only I could experiment...'
Her curiosity stirred, but only briefly.
Syr let out a sigh of regret and patted Yuna Kyung's head.
"You're lucky to have such a good master."
[What do you mean? Where else is there someone who treats their pet as roughly as you do, Team Leader?!]
Syr chuckled again at Yuna Kyung, oblivious that Rimon's help had spared her from becoming a lab rat, still complaining away.
She picked up a small box next to Yuna Kyung.
"Anyway, you did well. Thanks to you and the little one bringing this back, I can finally craft Dagda's Cauldron."
[Oh, so the prep's done now?]
"Of course."
While Rimon and Yuna Kyung slaved away in Africa, the rest hadn't been idle.
Li Chingwei had gathered the other materials by any means necessary, and Syr had finished her research on Dagda's Cauldron.
Only possible because they were the Seven Dragon Society's princess and a legendary archwitch.
Two issues remained.
The biggest was securing the key ingredient, but...
"A feather freely given by a newly molted Seven-Colored Bird? With a material this rare, I couldn't possibly fail to make it."
[Is it that valuable?]
"Beyond valuable."
The Seven-Colored Bird's true worth lay in its near-immortal vitality.
Even its feathers varied wildly in quality depending on how much lifespan remained when plucked.
Forcibly pulled ones dropped sharply in potency.
At the extreme, a feather from a corpse might be as worthless as ash after burning, while one from a freshly molted bird was pure gold.
"The Seven-Colored Bird doesn't give feathers lightly. It must have really taken a liking to you."
[Uh... maybe as thanks for freeing it from captivity?]
"It wouldn't give a feather this pristine for that alone."
[Really?]
Yuna Kyung scratched her head as Syr marveled that she'd never seen one in such perfect condition.
But then she shrugged it off easily.
[Well, whatever. Good materials make crafting Dagda's Cauldron that much easier, right?]
"Exactly. This solves pretty much all my worries."
With ingredients like these, Syr declared it might be the greatest masterpiece of her witch career.
She smiled gently and added,
"Now we just need the little one to finish prepping."
[You mean that thing where Team Leader said he'd have to work pretty hard too?]
"Yes. Apparently, the little one's already gotten started."
[...Team Leader's one busy guy.]
Yuna Kyung made a weary face.
Rimon had pulled all-nighters prepping for war and chased man-eaters, so he must be exhausted.
Yet here he was diving straight back into work upon return.
Was she supposed to admire his endless stamina or pity his workload?
But Syr's expression turned peculiar at her words.
"Hmm... From what I see, the truly busy one is someone else."
[What do you mean?]
"Oh, nothing you need to know."
With those meaningful words, Syr tilted her head at the lifelong singleton fledgling's puzzled look, thinking inwardly,
'That little one... always so sinful, past and present.'
Clink.
Hotel Leviathan's parlor.
In the space of utmost luxury befitting the world's finest hotel, she moved with deliberate grace.
Warming the pot and cups.
Adding tea leaves with a spoon.
Waiting for it to steep.
Gently stirring inside the pot.
Pouring through a strainer.
Never rushing, yet precise and tidy.
With flawless elegance, she brewed clear black tea, then personally poured from the pot into two cups.
"Blue Blend. A black tea made from five tea leaves produced around the world."
"So this is the famed Blue Blend?"
The black-haired girl across from her.
Li Chingwei lifted the cup before her.
She inhaled its aroma slowly, took a sip, then spoke calmly.
"Indeed, superb. I can see why it's only served to esteemed guests visiting the Serpent Earl family."
"It's not distributed outside due to limited quantity, but nothing particularly special about it."
"That's what makes it special."
Li Chingwei smiled faintly.
Of course, only the Blue Dragon Clan—with spatial travel and global networks—could produce it.
And since it was labor-intensive and produced in tiny batches, they'd even turned down orders from the British royals.
"Honestly, it's too generous as repayment for just a cup of coffee."
"Don't worry about it. I was the one who promised good tea to begin with."
When Rimon became Hasneti's consort.
Recalling her promise to Li Chingwei—who could've blamed her but offered coffee instead—Rose replied evenly.
She wore a faint smile.
"Besides, friends don't need to quibble over such things."
"...You make it hard to argue."
Caught off guard.
She chuckled briefly.
Li Chingwei savored another sip, then continued.
"Truth be told, I felt guilty toward you, Rose."
"Why is that?"
"When I first asked you to accompany the Sword Duke, I never imagined it'd escalate like this."
Li Chingwei sighed softly.
Her goal had been solely the Seven-Colored Bird.
Even if things tangled with Hasneti, Rose mediating could've wrapped it up neatly—or so she'd thought.
Instead, a continental war erupted.
Even for the Seven Dragon Society's top strategist, it was unimaginable.
"When the Sword Duke became Hasneti's consort, no one would've faulted you for stepping back."
Accompanying Rimon was to maintain neutrality to begin with.
So for the Society.
Or her own clan.
Withdrawing then would've been best for Rose.
"Yet you braved war to rescue him from Hasneti's grasp. How could I not feel sorry—and grateful?"
Stunned by the unexpected words.
Rose, with lake-blue eyes fixed on Li Chingwei, lifted her cup only after a pause.
"...Don't take it to heart. I merely did what needed doing."
"It wasn't neutral, though?"
"But as a friend, it was something I could do."
"Is that so?"
"Yes."
Her face half-hidden as she lowered her head to smell the tea.
Li Chingwei gazed at her quietly for a moment.
Then, with a soft smile,
she said,
"I've got a good friend."
"...And I, one far too good for me."
Rose smiled faintly.
Truthfully, friends were foreign to her.
For the Seven Dragon Society's princess of the world's noblest blood, there were only subordinates and subjects.
Not even lifelong retainers could be equals, and other clan princesses were rivals before allies.
Who'd have thought she'd call another princess—Li Chingwei herself—a friend?
Beyond unexpected, it was wondrous.
Yet that unfamiliarity was welcome.
The selfless exchange, delightful.
It warmed her heart.
...So warmly it ached.
But Rose swallowed the pain with her tea, keeping her smile.
For one who'd fallen and abandoned her clan's creed, nothing mattered more than this warmth.
As the Seven Dragon Society's princess.
As an ancient noble.
She hid her heart behind a smile, as always, chatting with Li Chingwei.
Or trying to.
Until Li Chingwei spoke up as if struck by a thought.
"Rose, to celebrate our friendship, shall I tell you an interesting story?"
"What kind?"
"It's from a novel I read recently."
"A novel...?"
"Yes. It was so fun, I just had to share it with you."
"Now I'm curious what kind it is."
Rose laughed.
Chatting idly about a mere novel was possible only between friends, she thought.
"Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess."
"And a prince from a neighboring kingdom who loved her."
"Sadly, their countries were bitter enemies, so the prince and princess were star-crossed."
Rose looked surprised.
She hadn't pegged Li Chingwei for someone with a taste for fairy tales.
"But is there such a thing as fate?"
"One day, the princess's kingdom faced peril from a fearsome monster. Defying his retainers, the prince set out to slay it."
"He crossed blazing rivers and icy forests, suffering great losses, but defeated the beast."
"For that, he became betrothed to the princess."
If the story ended there,
Rose would've nodded with a smile, pondering its appeal.
But fortunately.
Or regrettably,
Li Chingwei's tale continued.
"But what to do about this?"
"The princess had other suitors besides the prince."
"The northern grand duke, the desert king, the high priest, even the demon king. Many had eyed her before."
"So they threatened the prince with every dirty trick."
That was when it began.
Rose's smile started to fade.
"When his kingdom fell into danger, the prince led his army to the battlefield."
"But he worried what might happen to the princess in his absence."
"So before departing, he asked one person to protect her."
Li Chingwei paused.
Her obsidian-dark eyes bored into Rose.
"His kingdom's greatest knight—and his most trusted friend."
"......"
Silence blanketed the parlor.
Her voice echoed softly.
"In truth, the desert king kidnapped the princess, but true to the prince's faith, the knight repelled him and saved her."
"But then a problem arose."
"The knight, spending time with her, fell for the princess too."
The cooling tea.
The chilling air.
"Unable to suppress his love despite friendship and loyalty, the knight confessed to her."
"The princess sadly refused, saying she had the prince."
"But that was a mistake."
"Instead of honoring the request, the knight kidnapped her and fled to a distant land."
For some reason.
Her usual smile gone.
Seeing Rose's hardened face.
Li Chingwei smiled—beautifully, serenely.
And said,
"Just like a rabid mongrel gone mad from blue balls."