Chapter 91.2
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Chapter 91 Words of Love And Love Letters [2]
Linnevia didn’t return to Gerris City right away.
She had painstakingly prepared for three years, serving as the city’s Saintess, healing and helping others, all for this day—so those who had received her aid could repay her.
But after reuniting with Naya, she suddenly felt like her three years of effort had been a joke.
She ran away clutching Akatsukimaru.
She ran until she was exhausted, finally stopping when she could run no more.
Lying on some unknown patch of grass, she looked up at the Blood Moon in the sky and felt as if her eyes were weeping blood.
Akatsukimaru…
Why did I name you that?
Because you carry my fervent hopes, and the name “Red Moon-Maru” is one I gave you.
Linnevia held the pill to her face, feeling immense sorrow.
“Akatsukimaru, why… Why did this happen? Why did she have to see me like this? I was supposed to be consumed by hatred.”
“Eee…”
Akatsukimaru clung to Linnevia’s head, rubbing its soft fur against her tears.
“Are you mocking me, Akatsukimaru?”
“Eee…”
Akatsukimaru shook its head.
Even though Akatsukimaru could only make vague noises, after so many years together, Linnevia had come to understand the meaning behind each sound.
She sat up, hugging Akatsukimaru, using its tail to wipe her tears.
Akatsukimaru had just been anxiously denying it, not mocking Linnevia at all, but feeling heartbroken for her.
Linnevia burst into laughter, then immediately started sobbing again.
“What am I even fighting dragons for?”
For hatred.
For revenge.
Leo once told her with absolute certainty that Monet had died, and in that moment, her entire world collapsed.
All she could think about was revenge. She hated Leo, and sometimes even felt that Leo had deliberately caused Monet’s death.
Then, one day, Leo said to her, “Why does it have to be Monet? I can give you everything he could. I’m a transcendent Hero too, so why only him?”
From that moment, Linnevia’s heart was shattered.
So, she chose to leave Leo.
Hearing Naya recount those past events today finally confirmed her suspicions.
It was Leo who had disrupted the balance between the three of them.
Perhaps the three of them should never have formed a team in the first place.
“Akatsukimaru, do you think my greed is the reason I’m being punished by God?”
At the time, Linnevia had felt so lucky, with two men constantly circling around her.
She had thought she was happy.
Even if she never married, she thought she could spend her life wandering with Leo and Monet, creating countless precious memories together, even if they never actually achieved their dream of slaying dragons.
She had never imagined their team would end like this, in tragedy.
In her mind, the most romantic outcome would have been the three of them facing the Dragon King together after countless trials and finally dying gloriously in battle.
Dying on the same day, at the same moment.
She thought that becoming a legend among legendary Heroes would be the most romantic thing in the world.
“Why?”
“Eee…”
Linnevia lowered Akatsukimaru and picked up a nearby stick, suddenly jabbing it toward her neck.
But Akatsukimaru quickly intervened, blocking her in the nick of time.
It whimpered as it gently wiped away her tears with its paw.
“Thinking back now to the name I gave you, I really am… deserving of death!”
She had burdened Akatsukimaru with the weight of her revenge.
Akatsukimaru shook its head furiously.
It’s not like that.
This is the most precious thing Linnevia has given her. She loves hearing Linnevia’s melodious voice, affectionately calling her “Red Moon-Maru”.
Akatsukimaru transformed into a fox-girl and pinned Linnevia down.
“Ahh… Ugh…”
Her throat, still unable to express her emotions in human language, struggled to convey her feelings to Linnevia.
Now that the person Linnevia yearned for has married someone else, could she finally muster the courage to express her love?
Akatsukimaru kissed Linnevia’s face, her throat emitting soft murmurs, trying her best to communicate her affection in her own way.
Linnevia wasn’t oblivious to the little fox’s feelings. But tonight, with the little fox being so straightforward, it only made Linnevia feel sadder.
What did she do to deserve such unwavering devotion from the little fox?
As the little fox-girl licked her face, instead of drying her tears, Linnevia cried even harder.
Her enemy turned out not to be an enemy after all, and the person she sought revenge for was still alive. She had lost all sense of purpose and didn’t know what to do next.
Could she really be with Akatsukimaru?
Did she even deserve Akatsukimaru’s love anymore?
Should she still persist in slaying dragons?
No, that was the one question with a clear answer—she would not take another step on the path of dragon slaying.
Her former friend, her cherished “White Moonlight”, was now the Dragon Queen’s consort, and they had a child together.
Linnevia could never raise her sword against that person. Even when Leo betrayed her, she hadn’t harmed him.
The things she said to Naya were only to help her truly forget the old Lina, so she could live with the Dragon Queen without guilt.
Linnevia didn’t want Naya to believe that she had become like this purely out of revenge for her.
She didn’t want Naya to live with guilt, as she herself had.
The sun rose in the east, and the warm light shone upon her.
“Thank you, Akatsukimaru.”
Linnevia’s eyes were red and swollen from crying, and she sniffled as she spoke.
In her arms, Akatsukimaru groggily awoke. She opened her eyes, lifted her head, and felt an unfamiliar softness on her lips.
“Akatsukimaru, you are free now.”
With her thirst for revenge gone, Linnevia no longer had the desire to continue nurturing Akatsukimaru.
Linnevia tried to push Akatsukimaru away.
Akatsukimaru shook her head in alarm, clinging to Linnevia tightly.
“Eee-ooo!”
She cried out, refusing to break their bond.
She wanted to remain Linnevia’s contracted companion forever.
She always wanted to stay with Linnevia forever.
‘Little fox, are you disobeying me now? I’m setting you free.’
But this was the one thing Akatsukimaru refused to accept.
She clung stubbornly to Linnevia.
Suddenly, Linnevia felt a warm trickle down her neck.
Last night, the little fox had worked tirelessly to comfort her, without shedding a single tear. But now, upon hearing that Linnevia wanted to give her up, she could no longer hold back.
“Alright, I understand. We’ll stay together. Little fox, what name do you like? You should be able to read by now, right? Come, write your name in my hand.”
Linnevia extended her hand, and Akatsukimaru lowered her head, looking at Linnevia’s delicate, pale palm.
With her finger, Akatsukimaru clumsily traced three characters in her hand: “Red Moon-Maru”.
“Not that. You’ve already missed the Blood Moon Festival, so you can no longer be called ‘Red Moon-Maru’.”
‘Uuu!’
She insisted—that was the name she wanted.
“Ah, I just can’t win with you. Let me know if you change your mind someday.”
Linnevia stood up, gazing at the little fox still clinging to her.
‘Come, Akatsukimaru, transform into a fox.’
With a flash, Akatsukimaru turned into a small fox, and Linnevia held her in her arms.
Her black hair fluttered in the wind, then, under the sunlight, it began to fall like snowflakes, turning white.
Linnevia lifted her head and saw two massive dragons circling overhead—one purple, one blue and white.
“They’re gone… I suppose I should return to the Cathedral of Gerris.”
With Akatsukimaru in tow, Linnevia stealthily made her way back to Gerris City.
Step by step, she climbed the grand stairs leading to the cathedral’s entrance.
The sacred cathedral stood tall.
Inside the cathedral’s hall, nuns hurried about, still tending to the victims whose souls had been damaged the previous night.
“Saintess! You’ve finally returned!”
“Saintess! We’ve been treating them as you instructed, but there are still so many, we can’t manage on our own, Saintess!”
“Akatsukimaru, return what doesn’t belong to you.”
Immediately, a faint green light emanated from the little fox in Linnevia’s arms, and it began to transfer soul energy back to the still-unconscious victims.
As for those who had already regained consciousness, Akatsukimaru selfishly kept their soul energy for herself.
Over the years, Linnevia had also taught the nuns some healing magic. After all, for the past three years, she had been treating the people of Gerris City every day—she couldn’t have managed it alone.
Watching as the unconscious victims began to awaken one by one, in just a few minutes, they had accomplished what the nuns had been struggling to patch up all night.
“As expected of the Saintess!”
The nuns looked up at Linnevia standing at the entrance, their eyes filled with admiration.
“Akatsukimaru, there’s more.”
‘Uuu…’
Reluctantly, Akatsukimaru released the rest of the energy, returning all that she had absorbed the night before back to the victims.
Linnevia made her way to her room, slowly packing her belongings.
In the end, she gathered only a small bundle.
Inside were just a few handcrafted trinkets that Akatsukimaru had made for her when bored.
With the small pack slung over her back, she walked out of the cathedral.
“Saintess! Are you leaving?”
“I am not a Saintess. Please, from now on, don’t call me that.”
The nuns looked at the little fox perched on Linnevia’s left shoulder.
The fox bore a striking resemblance to the nine-tailed fox from the previous night that had absorbed people’s soul energy. They began to understand who was responsible for the disaster and gazed in disbelief.
“Saintess…”
“Saintess, don’t go!”
“Saintess!”
Hearing the desperate cries and pleads behind her, Linnevia didn’t look back. She walked with resolve and determination.
If she didn’t leave now, her plot would be uncovered, and soon she would find herself imprisoned by Gerris City’s soldiers.
The nuns watched Linnevia’s departing figure, recalling every word and lesson she had imparted to them over the past three years. If not for her guidance, they wouldn’t have become nuns.
But now that the Saintess had done such a thing, she likely had no face left to show to the people of Gerris City.
With that thought, their calls to stop her gradually faded away.
……
That night, after Linnevia left Gerris City, she camped out under the open sky, resting wherever she could.
She sat up in a tree, holding Akatsukimaru in her arms, preparing to sleep beneath the stars.
‘Linnevia! Long time no see.’
Suddenly, a dark figure landed on a branch in front of her.
Alarmed, Linnevia quickly raised her hand, casting a light spell.
Once she saw the person’s face, Linnevia trembled all over and hastily straightened up.
“La-Lady Phyllins!”
“You missed the Blood Moon Festival.”
The black-haired woman in revealing leather clothing glanced at the little fox in Linnevia’s arms.
“I deeply apologize! I-I encountered the Dragon Queen, it was an unavoidable circumstance.”
“I saw everything.”
“Lady Phyllins, the Dragon Queen is truly unbeatable. I-I didn’t dare act rashly.”
“I didn’t ask you to face the Dragon Queen head-on, don’t be so tense.”
Linnevia’s hands trembled uncontrollably, while Akatsukimaru, cradled in her arms, glared at the black-haired woman with a hostile gaze, ready for a fight.
“No big deal, we can always wait for the next one, right, little fox?”
The black-haired woman reached out and taped Akatsukimaru’s head playfully.
“Goodnight, my dear apprentice, and you too, adorable little fox.”
In the next instant, the black-haired woman’s figure dissolved into the darkness.
Linnevia finally let out a breath, her tense nerves relaxing as she hugged the little fox tightly. She whispered softly,
“She scared me to death. What is she planning to do?”
“Linnevia!”
Suddenly, a childish voice called out. Linnevia looked around, confused, until her gaze settled on the little fox in her arms.
“Akatsukimaru?”
“It’s me! I can finally talk!”
Akatsukimaru pounced on Linnevia’s face.
“Hey, hey, hey!!”
With her vision blocked and Akatsukimaru’s sudden leap, Linnevia lost her balance and fell out of the tree.
But just before hitting the ground, Akatsukimaru transformed into a large fox, cushioning Linnevia’s fall.
“Akatsukimaru…”
Then, the large fox turned into a small fox girl, wrapping her arms around Linnevia and happily nuzzling her back.
“Linnevia! Linnevia!”
“Akatsukimaru…”
Linnevia turned around in disbelief, staring at Akatsukimaru.
The little fox she had raised for three years could finally speak.
That woman—since she had returned Akatsukimaru‘s voice, she must have taken something else in exchange.
Linnevia stared blankly at Akatsukimaru, feeling both joy and apprehension.
But now that Akatsukimaru could speak…
“Linnevia, I love you!”
The little fox boldly confessed her love to Linnevia.
As Linnevia stood there, stunned, a leaf gently floated down, landing between her and Akatsukimaru.
No, it wasn’t a leaf.
That scent…
Linnevia picked up the thin object before her and, upon closer inspection, realized it was a letter. The scent on it was unmistakably Phyllins’.