Volume 6, Chapter 71 – Prelude to the Change

“Haa…”

Exhaling a long breath, Nola wandered on the street with a face full of sorrow, like a wife whose husband hadn’t returned for a long time. Her hair was full of split ends and messy, she had no mood to tidy it up. The rims of her eyes also showed a grey-black color from not sleeping all night.

There was only one reason that made her like this, and that was last night she suddenly realized she fell in love with someone she shouldn’t have.

That petite fairy with black hair named Dofilia.

I must have owed her a lot in my previous life, so the Goddess is torturing me like this in this life…

Thinking of this, Nola sighed again.

“Haa.”

She completely didn’t notice the strange gazes from passersby looking at her. Instead, she lowered her head, staring blankly at the sunflower in her hand. Because it had been pinched all morning, the originally upright sunflower was listless at this time, the flower drooping entirely, just like Nola’s head.

She picked off petal after petal again, chanting in a low voice.

“Tell Fia, don’t tell Fia, tell Fia, don’t tell Fia, tell the crow, don’t tell the crow…”

Even chanting until her mouth was dry, the sunflower was only picked halfway. Nola couldn’t help regretting why she chose a sunflower with so many petals, making the process of entanglement exceptionally torturous.

This must be heaven’s punishment for my stubborn mouth. If I hadn’t gone against Fia back then, and hadn’t said words like ‘I’d rather die than like Fia,’ I wouldn’t need to be so sad now.

Damn it.

And what would Claire think about this?

As soon as she thought of Claire, Nola sweated on her forehead, trembling with fear.

Thinking from Claire’s standpoint, the person who originally liked her now ran to steal the person she liked. For Nola, this not only showed her love for Claire wasn’t firm but also made her appear shameless. Shifting affection to another aside, she even made a move on the woman Claire liked. Simply like taking revenge on Claire.

She could touch her conscience and say she absolutely had no thought of revenge on Claire. If possible, she didn’t want to like Fia either. But liking was a fact. She could hardly guarantee Claire wouldn’t think in the direction of her taking revenge. Once Claire thought so, she couldn’t explain clearly even if she apologized with death.

Taking ten thousand steps back, even if Claire didn’t think she was taking revenge, the matter of liking Fia itself was shameless. Stealing a girlfriend from her benefactor, mentor, sister, and secret crush object, and stepping in to intervene when the other two were already engaged. calling it an act of an ungrateful wretch would be considered light scolding.

Of course, under normal circumstances, burying this feeling at the bottom of the heart was the choice that would hurt the other party the least. But the key was, Nola didn’t think she had absolutely no chance. Neither Cold Night nor Silvar were monogamous countries. Fia was the future Elf Queen, leaving aside she had many other female companions around her, now she was even eyeing that blue-haired Stellacryst Beast. If she really had a chance to be recognized but didn’t stand out bravely, she would definitely regret it for life when thinking about it later.

The fact was she had already missed a chance due to cowardice and dullness. If she could have realized her love for Claire earlier at that time, maybe there wouldn’t be Fia’s matter now. She couldn’t fall in the same place twice. The opportunity was right in front of her; she couldn’t watch it go far helplessly.

On one side was Claire’s heart, on the other side was a possible opportunity. Caught between these two problems, Nola only felt caught in a dilemma, riding a tiger and unable to get off.

There are so many people on the World Tree Continent. Even liking Ying would be fine, why did I fall in love with this crow elf… Truly committing a sin.

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Unwilling in her heart, Nola continued the action in her hand, picking off petals one by one, chanting whether to tell Fia her feelings. However, the scale in her heart gradually tipped toward Claire’s side. Her subconscious told her maintaining the status quo was the best choice. This was good for everyone. As for herself, she could choose to slowly forget Fia. Maybe in a few years, she could return to her original life, assisting Tilulu to become the Queen of Cold Night, letting the poor people of Cold Night live a life without worrying about food and clothing.

Ah…

Thinking like this, feelings seemed insignificant, as if this was the best choice. But her subconscious understood again this was a self-deceiving thought. Actually, she was desolate, feeling restless as if a big chunk had been dug out of her heart, so much so that she clenched her teeth, her features showing pain.

Just at this moment.

“Nola.”

The voice she least wanted to hear but most hoped to hear at this moment came to her ears.

Almost subconsciously, she showed joy on her face. However, the joy only lasted for a moment before she suppressed it. She noticed the sunflower with only half of its petals left in her hand, as if telling of her love for Fia. Crimson climbed up Nola’s face at a speed visible to the naked eye. She felt her cheeks were incomparably hot, seeming about to catch fire.

Ah…

She suddenly noticed that those things she cared about before were too far away. What should really be cared about right now was Fia’s thoughts, and how she should say the matter of liking Fia out loud—if telling Fia straightforwardly, it would definitely make Fia and even people around laugh their heads off, treating her as a laughingstock. One must know, she had said the statement that liking Fia was worse than dying.

Now I’m really going to die.

She was stiff all over like a rusted machine, not knowing what to do. She could only watch Fia approaching step by step. To appear less abrupt, she shouted Fia’s name stammeringly. And at this time Fia had already walked in front of her. She discovered with horror that once realizing the fact she liked Fia, Fia became as holy as an angel in her eyes. Every move was full of natural elegance. Her heart was like a moth on a spider web, only able to let Fia take it.

Too cute…

Not good.

Gonna die, gonna die, gonna die.

Her brain desperately urged her body to move quickly, not to stare at Fia motionless like a lovestruck fool. Then her body made a reaction completely without passing through the brain—turning around and walking away.

Hah?

Nola didn’t even realize what she was doing herself. Her legs seemed to have their own will, walking alternately on their own without listening to the brain’s command.

Could it be the subconscious thinks leaving Fia and maintaining the status quo is the best choice?

Because of not sleeping all night and having a muddled head, she couldn’t figure out the situation. But because she had already turned and left, she couldn’t turn back.

Until Fia caught up with her, grabbing her shoulder at once.

“I only haven’t seen you for a day, why hide when seeing me,” Fia, completely confused, handed the sunflower to Nola. “Don’t want your flower anymore?”

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When did I drop it?

With stiff muscles, Nola’s neck made a creaking sound like it was rusted.

“I…”

No, Nola, you have to be serious. Although Fia might have seen through your mind long ago, since that layer of window paper hasn’t been pierced yet, don’t touch it casually. First sound out Fia and Claire’s tone, then making a decision is the wise choice. At least… at least live like this with Fia before obtaining Claire’s consent!

Taking a deep breath to encourage herself, Nola pulled herself together and turned around, trying not to look at Fia’s face as much as possible.

It was just that Fia pressed on without waiting for Nola to speak.

“You look preoccupied. Encountered difficulties? There shouldn’t be urgent matters to solve right now.”

“This…”

Nola was speechless for a moment. She felt Fia seemed to be holding a spear against her neck, making her sweat profusely. She couldn’t help glancing at Fia’s curious face, then suddenly had an idea.

If it were Fia encountering this problem at this time, how would she answer?

She would definitely muddle through with a joke, turning the difficult person into the other party.

Right, if I say my true feelings in the form of a joke, wouldn’t I be able to muddle through Fia’s question and also sound out Fia’s tone?

I am simply a genius.

With an answer in her heart, Nola twitched the corner of her mouth stiffly, revealing a guilty and forced smile.

“Well… last night I found out I actually like you, so I’m extremely conflicted now.”

“Ah?”

This time it was Fia’s turn to be stunned. She frowned in an instant, even withdrawing the hand placed on Nola’s shoulder.

Indeed effective.

What, that smart Eldest Princess is nothing more than this.

Such a mood lasted less than a second before Nola felt cold for no reason. She subconsciously looked opposite, then discovered Erin Slate beside Fia. The latter was expressionless, completely substituting herself into the guard role.

Nola opened her eyes wide at once. She thought there was no one beside Fia before daring to sound out Fia like this. In case Erin Slate told Anastasia after going back, and Anastasia told Claire again, making everyone know she liked Fia, treating the joke (although not a joke) as truth, she would be…

Fortunately, Fia saved the situation in time. She sized up Nola with a look of looking at a fool.

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“Is your brain broken? Didn’t you say you would rather die than like me?”

“Ah?”

I forgot this part!

Nola’s mouth instantly became an “o” shape, her body stiff as wood. She originally thought she could rely on a joke to sound out Fia. Didn’t expect Fia to still remember her words when she was stubborn.

I am the fool!

Nola’s right hand trembled slightly. She wanted to slap herself very much. Why was her mouth so cheap back then, having to speak in absolutes? Now she couldn’t even sound out the tone with a joke.

Like a goldfish, her mouth opened and closed, but couldn’t say anything.

Fia pinched Nola’s cheek, her tone full of teasing.

“Wanting to tease me, Nola was born a few hundred years too late.”

Even pinching cheeks feels exceptionally sweet…

Nola only expected Fia to pinch a few more times, so she could smell the floral scent on Fia’s fingertips. Simple skin contact made her emotions run high, even starting to be shy and coy, like a pure virgin boy who had never been teased by a girl, just a breath of hot air in the ear could make him nervous enough to flush all over his face.

Of course Fia didn’t know what Nola was thinking. She waved her Spatial Hand to pat off the only remaining flame on Nola’s ear, asking seriously.

“So what exactly is going on with Nola? Eyes swollen like this, didn’t you sleep all night?”

“Ugh…”

“Your Highness, better not press on a girl’s worries.”

Erin Slate said with a smile from the side. In the presence of outsiders, Erin Slate was the Captain of the Royal Guard of Blossom, the Eldest Princess’s noble friend, and wouldn’t speak in a subordinate’s tone.

Fia pondered and nodded slightly.

“True. But we are friends for now. If Nola has problems, you can ask me for help anytime. Ah, if it’s soothing the estrus period, it’s not impossible, but I have to ask for Claire’s opinion first.”

“With Tsukuyomi the Charm Cat here, the Holy Son shouldn’t need to trouble you. Charm Cats are very good at this kind of thing.”

Erin Slate followed up with a smile again.

Not wanting Erin Slate to laugh at her, Nola came back to her senses. She feigned calm, snorting unhappily.

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“I’m not a weak-willed person. Estrus period can be survived by will. Just now I was just thinking about those two Darkborn frozen in the air. What are you two doing here?”

“Visiting hostages.” Fia pouted at the alley not far behind. “Wandering Knight also came.”

“He’s not at the hunting ground?”

“He is your subordinate; the person who should know what he is doing most should be you. But I asked him why he came here. He said he was bored in the hunting grounds and knew the monsters in the Weeping Mountains were rioting, so he came to check on things. He also said he’d already spoken to Ying beforehand.”

Fia’s explanation didn’t reassure Nola. On the contrary, Nola’s face was full of unhappiness.

“I ordered him to watch the hunting ground for me when I’m not there. Moreover, even if the hunting ground is fine, those remnants of Chazo hiding in the mountains and forests also need a capable general to oversee. I never ordered him to come over. This is unauthorized leave; I’ll go find him.”

“Then when are you going to settle accounts with Helian? I intend to go in the afternoon. Today is the new moon; I don’t want to drag it to night.”

The new moon was when the Darkborn were strongest in a month. Although Fia didn’t think Helian and Galil could fight her under the enhancement of the new moon, in case there was instantaneous teleportation magic, maybe there would be no time to use [Spatial Confinement].

“I’ll go in the afternoon too.” Seeming to remember something, Nola asked again, “Is Claire going?”

“Just two minions, no need to trouble Claire.”

“That’s good.”

Nola obviously breathed a sigh of relief. Her right hand covered her chest, her eyes flickering, seeming to be thinking about something. However, this state only lasted for a few seconds before disappearing. She took Fia into the alley, pushing open the warehouse gate where the slaves were settled straight away.

Like other places detaining slaves, what came to the face was the smell of sweat from being stifled for a long time, the smell of excrement, and the smell of rancid food. Although the caregivers looking after the hostages tried to cover the stench with incense, the mixture of fragrance and stench turned into a more pungent subtle smell instead, making one’s stomach churn and frown subconsciously.

Nola looked around the yard, then narrowed her eyes slightly—the hostages in the yard no longer looked listless like yesterday. Instead, everyone was saying something to each other. Not only did their eyes regain spirit, but they also recovered the ability to speak. Some even started to clean up with mops and brooms. Seeing someone enter the door, everyone looked at Nola in unison, but the figure of the Wandering Knight was nowhere to be seen.

A skinny young man walked up. Nola remembered clearly that this beastman youth was still like a doll yesterday, showing no reaction no matter what was said to him.

“Excuse me, Miss, you are… No, may I ask why we appear here? Where is this?”

“I ask you, did you see a person wearing black armor?”

“Yes, but maybe I saw it wrong. I saw him… I saw him turn into ashes and disappear. Before leaving, he even smiled and asked us to pass on the message that he couldn’t fulfill the agreement with the Holy Son; he had more important things to do. By the way, he also muttered to himself saying ‘Actually didn’t call me for such an interesting thing,’ seemingly going to find something.”

Speaking of this, the youth scratched his head and smiled bitterly.

“I must have been mistaken. How can a person turn into ashes and disappear? Don’t you think so?”