Volume 5, Chapter 47 – Tilulu’s Worries

Tilulu Alexia Lujue was walking down the path from the arena.

The dark corridor, filled with the stench of decay and sweat like an underground tomb, did not affect her. She walked with her head down, completely ignoring the deafening cheers from the arena above, her brow furrowed as if deep in thought.

“Tilulu, Tilulu?”

Seeing that she wasn’t reacting, Liti, who was walking beside her, placed a hand on her shoulder and shook her forcefully. Only then did Tilulu snap back to reality in a panic.

“Wh-what is it?”

“What are you thinking about? You didn’t react at all when I called you.”

Liti’s pretty face was filled with concern.

Liti seemed to be competing with Tilulu for favor at every turn, but in reality, she held no malice towards her. On the contrary, just like Milu, she was very concerned about her. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have gone easy on her in the match just now. Unfortunately, the difference in their tiers was too great, and without Fia’s help, the match had ended with Liti’s victory.

“I was going to say, this is a beastman city, right? You’re going to be queen in the future. Isn’t it bad for you to lose to me in public?”

“Huh?” Because her thoughts hadn’t caught up, Tilulu was first stunned, then she hastily waved her hands. “N-no, it’s fine. My skills were inferior. Miss Liti is a Third-Tier magic caster, and I’m only at the Second Tier. It was just my bad luck to be drawn against you. Please don’t worry about it.”

Tilulu’s blushing, childlike appearance made Liti find it amusing. She couldn’t help but put herself in the role of an older sister, showing an exceptionally tolerant smile.

“This isn’t Silvar. Mother won’t blame me for losing. But it’s different for you. I don’t know if anyone in the arena recognized you. If they did, it would be troublesome.”

“Probably… probably no one recognized me…”

If someone had recognized me, it would have been a good thing.

A shadow crossed Tilulu’s heart.

Not noticing the change, Liti, her forehead slightly sweaty, straightened her long purple hair and said casually.

“But you’ve been calling my sister ‘mom’, yet you call me ‘miss’. Shouldn’t you be calling me ‘aunt’? No, that sounds too old. You can call me ‘sister’ too.”

“Uh…”

Tilulu’s shoulders shrank, her eyes filled with hesitation. Although Liti didn’t know what she was thinking, from her expression, she was probably reluctant. Liti waved her hand magnanimously, brushing the problem aside.

“Forget it. I was just curious. You can call me whatever you like. But you have to change this timid personality of yours. I heard from my sister that you were afraid to move forward because you were worried about everyone’s criticism and disappointment. Now that you have my sister’s backing, you should be a little bolder. Do whatever you want. If you keep acting so timid, you’ll bring shame to her, you know. Although my sister is tolerant and magnanimous, she doesn’t like bad children who refuse to learn.”

“Refuse to learn…”

As if realizing something, Tilulu’s mysterious purple eyes flickered. She lowered her head, and it took a full two breaths before she looked up again.

“Earlier in the carriage, Mom told you, Miss Liti, that if you neglected to improve your strength, she wouldn’t take you with her. Does that mean she is going to leave you in Silvar and go somewhere else herself?”

“Ah…”

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This time, it was Liti’s turn to be embarrassed. If Fia hadn’t forced her to improve her strength, she would surely still be at the Second Tier. To be told by a junior to her face that she would be abandoned if she didn’t improve made her feel a little ashamed, and she guiltily glanced to the side.

“Well… it’s just as you said. My sister has all sorts of things to deal with. Sister Claire is burdened with the world’s curse, and the only way to find a solution is to seek out a god. There haven’t been any records of a god appearing in this world for a long time, so who knows when we’ll be able to find one, or if they’ll agree. The journey will be filled with all sorts of dangers. My sister feels that she can’t always protect the people around her, which is why she asked me to improve my strength.”

“I don’t think anyone would be so blind as to provoke us in Silvar, but my sister has her considerations. So this is a very~ very~ long-term topic. If not for the long lifespan of us elves, and the fact that my sister is incredibly strong, an ordinary person would have given up long ago. Ah, don’t say things like ‘you can live without lifting the curse’. My sister will definitely get angry if she hears it.”

“Then if I also become very strong, is it possible for Mom to take me with her?”

With great concern, Tilulu’s head drew closer to Liti, to the point where it was almost perpendicular to her shoulder. Generally, a naive and cute little girl approaching without any sense of defense would only be seen as cute, but for some reason, Liti felt a sudden chill, as if she were being stared at by something unknowable.

She turned her stiff neck and subconsciously distanced herself from Tilulu.

“Well… I don’t think that’s very likely.” Liti switched from holding her staff with one hand to holding it with both, her walking posture exceptionally girlish. “You are the queen of the Cold Night. A queen has to stay in her own country. And you don’t have your own power base. Once you leave, the people below you will easily rebel. It’s not like my sister, who not only has her own supporters, but has also swept away all her competitors.”

“So it’s like that.”

Tilulu lowered her head in disappointment.

Liti smiled and placed a hand on her drooping beast ear. She was not stupid; she only seemed inconspicuous because she was overshadowed by Fia’s brilliance. She knew what Tilulu was thinking at this moment.

It was nothing more than that she had a sense of dependence on her sister and was uneasy about her leaving.

“Don’t worry. It won’t take long for my sister to solve the curse on Sister Claire. And she will definitely help you stabilize your regime before she leaves. You don’t have to worry about the people below you rebelling after she leaves. She is a person of her word and will not let her own daughter be wronged.”

Daughter…

As if pondering this word, Tilulu chewed on it repeatedly in her heart.

These past few days, she had finally understood why Milu didn’t want Fia to call her “sister.” It wasn’t as simple as Fia already having a younger sister. It was that a bond that was too intimate would fix their relationship. If Milu had been treated as a sister from the very beginning, she would be like Liti now, and it would be difficult to go any further. But by becoming the more distant “master” and “slave,” there was more room for advancement in the future.

However, she hadn’t understood this that night—no, it was too early to say for sure now.

The chaotic thoughts made Tilulu bite her lip.

As Liti had thought, Tilulu did not want Fia to leave, but she also clearly recognized that Fia would have to leave one day and could not stay with her forever. Even if they were a mother and an adopted daughter with no blood relationship, the result would be the same. Or rather, this was the normal ending. Just as a fledgling would leave the nest after its wings were fully grown and start its own family, a child would eventually leave their parents one day. She and Fia had such a relationship. The only difference was that they would still visit each other often in the future.

But this kind of visit was not the result she liked. What she hoped for was a relationship like that of a swan, which only recognizes one partner for life, a relationship where they could always be together. Of course, she didn’t dare to hope that Fia would stay in the Cold Night forever. It was enough for her to be able to stay by Fia’s side like Liti. This feeling of being able to rely on her at any time, and the sense of security of not being woken up in the middle of the night, was as intoxicating as an addictive drug.

It was precisely because of this that Tilulu felt a hint of regret.

She couldn’t help but think of the way Fia had looked when she had given her a promise that night. It had indeed been an atmosphere and a condition that was impossible to refuse. Even her cowardly self had couldn’t help but agree.

That endless majesty and warmth, which made one feel small, had a bewitching magic. Although Radric was also trustworthy, he was different from Fia. She was like her peer, with a natural affinity that made her unable to help but follow her rhythm step by step, like the forbidden fruit in a story. Even if you know it’s not a good idea, you can’t help but move towards it. She was the one who was tempted, and what tempted her was Fia’s charm and the heart that wanted to believe.

If Fia were a man, she would have surely seen her as her savior and prince, admiring and falling for her.

Tilulu often lamented that if she hadn’t agreed to become a daughter back then, the situation would be much better now.

That being said, she was actually not clear about what kind of feelings she had for Fia. Or rather, just like Nola to Claire, because multiple feelings were mixed together, it was difficult to say it clearly in a few words. It was as if there was something indescribable, but also as if there was nothing. The only thing that was certain was a strong attachment and reluctance. When she tried to investigate further, it was like a flower in a mirror or the moon in the water, which she could not touch no matter how hard she tried.

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And because of this reluctance, she fell into her old vicious circle. The matter of becoming queen was progressing too quickly, making her unable to sleep or eat in peace. She understood that this mentality was extremely twisted. Once she said it out loud, it would be a betrayal of everyone’s expectations and would make her the target of public criticism. But she still couldn’t help but think—she hoped to become queen a little slower, so that she could stay with Fia a little longer. Or, as long as she performed well enough, Fia would, out of pity for her cuteness and hard work, mercifully take her away.

Compared to that, the position of the Queen of the Cold Night had no attraction at all. All she wanted was revenge and not to let everyone down. As long as she could kill Chazo, it didn’t matter who sat on the throne.

No, it would be best if Fia were to be the queen. That way, both her wishes could be fulfilled.

Wait, isn’t this answer very good?

A flash of inspiration came to Tilulu’s mind.

She should give it a try. First, pretend to be in a difficult position and let Fia agree to let her be the acting queen. Then, use various reasons to delay, so that it could be dragged on indefinitely.

Although it was despicable, it was worth a try.

“Ah, Milu.”

Liti’s happy voice came from the side.

While Tilulu was lost in thought, the two of them had already arrived at the rest area. Milu, with two one-handed swords hanging from her waist, was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. Although she had the appearance of a child, she had the heroic air of a noble knight, giving a sense of reliability.

Seeing Liti and Tilulu, Milu’s expressionless face relaxed slightly. She took out two water bottles from her storage item and handed them to them.

“Here.”

“Which one did you drink from, Milu?”

“They’re both clean.”

“Eh,” Liti deliberately made a disappointed sound, took the water bottle, and then handed one to Tilulu. “Little Milu looks cold and hard to talk to, but she’s just like my sister, just not good at expressing her feelings. I must marry you home in the future.”

“I refuse.” Milu unceremoniously extended her hand. “Give me back the water bottle.”

“Hmph, I was just saying. I’m the elf princess who is going to marry my sister. Even if you wanted to marry me, I wouldn’t.”

“Whoever marries you is unlucky.”

If Fia were to hear Milu say such harsh words, she would surely doubt her own ears. But similar conversations had not been uncommon in their daily lives. In front of Fia, they would both put on a likable and well-behaved appearance. When she was not there, they could say anything. There was even a time when the two of them had argued and fought, and because their strength was not that different, they had ended up wrestling on the bed and biting each other.

It should be said that only they themselves knew about this.

So envious.

Tilulu, watching from the side, had a look of envy.

She had no such friends, nor could she express her feelings as frankly as Liti. She could feel that there was always an invisible barrier between her and Fia and the others. This was not to say that Fia was not good to her, but that she was too good, making it feel unreal, like a guest who was being treated too politely. Therefore, whenever she saw Fia lecturing Liti, she felt as if she were looking at the sun, dazzling. Liti was happy.

Suddenly, as if she had seen through what Tilulu was thinking, Milu patted her, who was pretending to drink water.

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“Good job. I’ll help you beat her up when I have the chance.”

“No, no, I lost to Miss Liti because my skills were inferior. She is very nice.”

“Hmph, hmph, little Lulu is so cute. Come and sleep in my room tonight.”

As she spoke, Liti wrapped an arm around Tilulu’s shoulder without any princessly demeanor.

Tilulu stiffened and said with a troubled expression.

“As for sleeping…”

“If you don’t like it, just say it, Tilulu. Or tell Fia and have her teach this arrogant pointed-ear a lesson.”

“You shouldn’t learn bad things, Tilulu~ Let’s go and sleep on Milu’s bed tonight.”

“Ahaha…”

Faced with the overly enthusiastic two, Tilulu could only droop her ears and give a wry smile. To her, both Liti and Milu were her elders, and she could not afford to offend either of them. And her attention was also on Milu’s address to Fia. For some reason, whenever she was in front of her, Milu’s address to Fia would change from “master” to “Fia.”

Will there be a day in the future when I can also call her ‘Fia’ directly?

With such thoughts, Tilulu gradually felt the voices of the people in the arena outside getting louder and louder. The other contestants in the rest room had also stood up, as if a major event had occurred.

“It’s the Holy Son’s fight.”

“Let’s go back to my sister first, uh—”

Before Liti could finish, her body stiffened. A thick smell of blood and death rushed towards her. A chill that was like falling into an ice cellar went from the bottom of her feet to her brain.

Almost instantly, Milu stood in front of Liti and Tilulu. She put her hand on the hilt of her sword and took a fighting stance, her blood-red, bewitching vertical pupils filled with vigilance.

The next second, a tall man in dark red metal armor and a heavy sword appeared at the entrance of the rest room. He first glanced around at the other people in the room, then looked in their direction. His helmet had no viewing port and he should not have been able to see outside, but the three of them could feel that they were being sized up.

“Oh my, this smell, you must be the ones with those two young ladies, right? Hmm… a white tiger girl… an interesting thought.”

“Who are you?”

There was a hint of a warning in Milu’s cold voice.

However, not only was the man in the dark red armor not afraid, but he also walked towards them. He spread his hands to show that he had no ill intentions.

“Don’t be afraid, beautiful young ladies. I am the Wandering Knight people talk about. I have a duel with the Holy Son later, so I can’t entertain you properly. I am ashamed to have frightened you. Please accept this as my apology.”

At this, the Wandering Knight, holding three pendants in his hand, gave Tilulu an extra glance.

“This is an amulet that can make wishes come true. Although it’s just a comforting saying and has no magic power, it’s a treasure I accidentally found in the land of Molten Flow. It should be worth a gold coin or two.”

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“Take it back. We don’t need it.”

“Then these two young ladies—”

“Thank you for your kindness, sir, but your thought is enough for me.”

Liti gave the knight a slight bow in the manner of a noble lady, politely refusing the gift.

The knight finally looked at Tilulu.

“Then what about this young lady of the white tiger tribe? The princess of the Cold Night.”

“I…”

“Tilulu doesn’t need it either.”

Because the knight had a bewitching look and had brought the pendant to her, Milu directly slapped his hand away. [Danger Sense] was desperately reminding her that the person in front of her was extremely dangerous. If not for her strong self-control, she would have already been thinking about how to pick up Liti and Tilulu and run, shouting for help.

“What a pity.”

The knight smacked his lips and regretfully put the pendant back in his pocket.

Then, the Holy Son Nola and Anastasia appeared in Milu’s field of vision. Almost without thinking, Milu took Liti’s and Tilulu’s hands and, facing the knight, moved step by step towards Anastasia. It wasn’t until she was in front of her that she relaxed a little, her sweaty hand tugging at the corner of her clothes.

“Anastasia.”

Whether it was because she hadn’t sensed the knight’s danger, or because she had let her guard down with the Holy Son nearby, Anastasia was not as nervous as Milu.

“You did a good job. Next is the fight between the Holy Son and the Wandering Knight. Let’s go up first and go back to Her Highness.”

“Mm.”

Nodding, Milu led the other two to hide behind Anastasia.

Nola, on the other hand, had a look of wanting to say something but holding back.

“Tilulu…”

Just then, the Wandering Knight’s voice sounded.

“Lady Holy Son, let’s enter the arena. Please be merciful.”

“Don’t forget our agreement. If you lose to me, you will have to work for us for a year.”

“Of course. It’s a deal.”

With the steady sound of metal clashing, the Wandering Knight was the first to leave the rest room.