Chapter 155
Chapter 155
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 155
Chapter Title: Nighttime Confessions and Elven Secrets
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The night the second day of travel came to an end.
Before meeting Eonia, I urgently called a family meeting.
Mother, Julia sis, and even Ymir.
With the three of them before me, I brought up the matter of Eonia.
Julia sis immediately burst out yelling.
“Youngest!”
“Eek…!”
It had been forever since Julia sis last scolded me. Probably more than ten years—I’d have to dig back that far to find a memory like it.
It was that rare.
“I wouldn’t say anything about you meeting other women! But you need to show some restraint while Ymir is pregnant!”
“I’m deeply ashamed. But she’s the one who wanted to talk first…”
“Talking back!”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Mother wore a complicated expression.
“I know Miss Mirabel is a good person. I know how much she cares for you. But this isn’t something to decide rashly, dear. Do you understand? Your father had a similar situation once. But he turned it down for my sake.”
True enough. Father had only one wife: Mother.
What Mother meant was that my actions now could hurt Ymir.
I had nothing to say about that.
Glancing at Ymir, surprisingly… no, as expected, she smiled at me.
“I’m fine with it. Becoming like this with you feels like a miracle to me, Young Master. No matter how many other wives you take, I’ll accept them.”
Seeing that, Julia sis clutched her chest in frustration.
“Ymir, you have no greed at all! This is when you’re supposed to get mad! ‘Weren’t you only looking at me!?’ That’s how you do it!”
“I’m not upset. Eonia is like a friend to me too… And I know she’ll make you happy, Young Master. I’m actually glad. That you’ll have such a wonderful partner by your side.”
“S-Such magnanimity…!”
Julia sis shuddered in awe.
I locked eyes with Ymir and asked.
“Are you really okay with it?”
“I am, Young Master. Besides, right now I… can’t satisfy your desires…”
“What’s that supposed to mean!?”
“A-Anyway. I’m truly fine. So please give Eonia your answer freely.”
“Got it. I’m… really sorry. And thank you.”
I repeated that several times before returning to my room at the inn.
Just before midnight, a timid knock sounded.
“Come in.”
“…”
Eonia’s face was as red as boiled octopus. She darted her eyes around nervously.
Then she suddenly went off the rails.
I’d wanted to speak first if possible, but she beat me to it.
“Please! Give me your child!”
“What!?”
Eonia started rambling incoherently.
“Valkyries have an important duty to pass on their legacy! I want to entrust it to my child if possible! I don’t want any other relationship! Just give me a child…!”
It seemed like her own compromise. She’d preemptively assumed we couldn’t have a deep bond and settled for this.
“Calm down. Sit here first.”
I sat her on the bed.
Once she’d settled a bit, I told her about the talk with Ymir.
Eonia listened with wide rabbit eyes.
“Is that… really true?”
“Yeah.”
“Uh….”
Eonia didn’t know what to do.
She looked so cute that, even knowing better, I said it.
“You don’t want to, do you, Eonia? Yeah, I get it—this isn’t right.”
“I do want to!”
Eonia yelled.
“I’ve dreamed of it forever! So…! Ah…!”
Her outburst made her blush again.
I gave her my answer.
“I only realized it recently myself… But I’d like that too.”
“…!”
Eonia froze up like a stick.
I kissed her, slowly easing her tension.
Eonia soon relaxed and surrendered to me.
*
*
*
The third day of travel.
I woke up late and stretched languidly, feeling great.
I looked for Eonia beside me in bed, but she must have slipped out as soon as morning broke.
Stepping outside the inn, the crisp local air filled my lungs.
I savored it, taking deep breaths several times.
Then an officer-looking man approached me.
I thought he might be from the search team, but no—he was an informant sent by Jurass.
“Lord Wade. Here are the results of this continental conference.”
Apparently, there’d been another round of diplomatic maneuvering since the Ballast incident. This was the report.
“As expected.”
The nations were hunkering down.
The trigger was the non-aggression pact between our arch-enemies, Europa and Tunkai.
That left Svenner unable to move easily.
With Ballast and Byulang having non-aggression treaties with every nation, Svenner’s only options were Europa and Tunkai. But those two had allied, paralyzing Svenner.
As a result, Svenner was now waiting for changes in Byulang, biding its time for years ahead.
“At least three years without war… That’s Jurass’s prediction.”
“Yes. The Prime Minister said as much.”
“If he says so, it’s certain. Thanks.”
“Just doing my job. Oh, and Lord Wade—Jurass had one more request.”
“What is it?”
“He asks that you guard Princess Melodiana.”
“Diana?”
“She’s due to arrive here around noon today. Didn’t you know?”
“Oh….”
Come to think of it, Estelle had mentioned inviting Melodiana too.
“But guard duty? Is that necessary? This is Crossing territory.”
“The Prime Minister sensed some ill omen. Whenever he gets those hunches, something big usually happens.”
“Haha, what’s he, a fortune-teller? Anyway, got it. Tell him I’ll see her back safely.”
With all these people here, no bandit group could touch us.
I felt no real sense of danger.
Searching the elves’ secret warehouse went smoothly too.
Yoris, the search team lead, nodded that I could enter.
“No idea how they built it, but it’s incredibly sturdy. Proper ventilation too. With enough food, you could live here for a month no problem.”
“That solid? Then let’s take a look.”
I decided to do a quick morning survey. After informing Anton, I headed down to the elves’ secret warehouse with Yoris.
After ten minutes down the cramped spiral stairs, a grand antique door appeared.
Opening it revealed search team soldiers carefully excavating the warehouse.
True professionals—they’d already secured a safe zone. Relics were handled safely, and any treasures sorted aside.
“Everyone’s working hard. These safe to touch?”
“Yes, sir!”
No ultra-valuable treasures, but one thing caught my eye.
“This is…”
A ornate spear for rituals.
About a meter long, short spear with impressive craftsmanship.
Chester-style users, who wield weapons in both hands, preferred short spears over long ones—this was perfect.
Whoosh! Swinging it once, I liked it even more. Light yet sturdy. The blade was razor-sharp.
For any eventualities, I drew my sword from my waist with my left hand to check balance.
“Not bad at all. Nice, I’ll take this.”
An unexpected score.
Plenty of other treasures too—I planned to haul them up for appraisal.
“Yoris, what do you think this place was used for?”
He furrowed his brow at my question.
“Pardon me for saying so, but it doesn’t seem like the warehouse you described.”
“As I thought.”
That’s how it looked to me too. Too few items for a warehouse, and the space felt too empty.
Especially the central area—nothing there.
“Given the evidence, probably for rituals.”
“Rituals…”
“Yes. Most items we’re unearthing are ritual tools. Like that spear you took.”
“…Any chance it’s a tomb?”
“A tomb?”
The elves who’d vanished without a trace.
I suspected this might be their secret burial site.
Yoris nodded, convinced.
“That could be. An altar for honoring the dead fits. Then we should dig deeper.”
“Take your time.”
Search came first.
“Captain! Found something interesting!”
A search team member ran up to me and Yoris, clutching a book.
I was sure it was a vital clue.
I took it and flipped it open, but couldn’t read the script. Yoris said,
“Elven script. Might take time to find a translator. Hardly anyone can read it these days.”
One person came to mind.
‘Right—Bisceta can read it!’
I immediately requested Bisceta be brought.
It was nearing noon anyway, so I told the soldiers to head up for lunch.
Bisceta arrived soon and showed deep interest in the book I handed her.
She began translating its contents for me.
*
*
*
Als’s disappearance was known to the retainers too.
Seeing Anton gone as well, they assumed he was handling other matters and accepted it.
Then, when a Crossing officer took Bisceta away, Eonia frowned with anxiety squeezing her chest.
‘What’s going on? Don’t tell me…’
Were they off to explore that elves’ secret warehouse or whatever?
She had no right to stop it, but she wished Als wouldn’t go there.
“Mirabel? What’s wrong? You look pale.”
Lisitea asked worriedly.
Feeling humiliated at worrying her, Eonia forced a normal expression.
“I’ll step out for a bit.”
She never wanted to return to that elves’ forest, but she was worried about Als.
Ymir, sensing it, asked.
“Eonia, is Young Master in danger right now?”
“I… don’t know exactly.”
“…”
“But… I think so.”
“Understood. Lead the way. I’ll go too.”
With Ymir joining, Als’s mother Claire and sister Julia tagged along.
The group growing, the others with nothing to do decided to sightsee the elves’ forest and followed.
The moment they all arrived at the elves’ forest.
“Uwaaaah…!”
Eonia clutched her head and collapsed to her knees.
The voice echoed again. Eonia desperately resisted the pressure threatening to steal her sanity.
“Eonia!?”
“What the…?”
Seeing Eonia’s extreme reaction, the others naturally assumed Als was in danger here.