Volume 6, Chapter 85 – Epilogue

One week later.

The area before the gates of Brinkat was exceptionally lively. In addition to the merchants and travelers who normally frequented the city, a massive number of armored soldiers and civilians had gathered. The sea of bobbing heads might have made one mistake the scene for an emergency, but in reality, the people were simply here to see someone off.

The Eldest Princess of the Elves, the Witch of Calamity Flame, the Regent of Cold Night, and the Undertaker of Monsters—today, she was leaving Brinkat and the land of Cold Night. Furthermore, a portion of the elf soldiers would be returning home with Fia.

In the war to defend the Barony of Khesa, the Kingdom of Alfrieg had ultimately proven no match for the Elf King and his command over a vast number of magic chanters, resulting in their crushing defeat during the desert encounter. Since Yelido had decided to use this opportunity to punish the human kingdom—allowing the elf reach to extend into the central continent—a large number of personnel was required to garrison the Kingdom of Alfrieg. Consequently, the idle soldiers in Cold Night were slated to move into the northern regions of Alfrieg.

Fortunately, Fia had crushed the elites under Chazo’s command early on; the soldiers pushing toward the Royal Capital of Cold Night only had to mop up the remaining beastmen who resisted, resulting in almost zero casualties. Otherwise, these soldiers who had to head to another country without even getting a chance to rest would have certainly harbored resentment.

“Your Highness, the soldiers are ready. We can depart at any time.”

Anastasia, having hurried over from outside the city, reported to Fia with a bow.

Fia nodded slightly.

“Mn, I know. We’ll set off immediately.”

“Understood. This subordinate will go inform them.”

“There’s no need for Anastasia to go personally. Just send any guard to notify them.”

“Uh…”

Anastasia looked hesitant. Although she no longer held the rank of Captain of the Imperial Guard, she was still Fia’s personal maid. It was her duty to relay her master’s orders; letting a mere soldier snatch the task made her feel conflicted.

Ying, standing quietly opposite the group, teased:

“Does Miss Anastasia really not want to see us off?”

“No, it’s not that, it’s just…”

“There are no ‘justs.’ Anastasia, stay here.”

Not understanding Anastasia’s internal conflict, Fia adopted an imperative tone. Only then did Anastasia give up her attempt and stand quietly by Fia’s side. Beside her stood Claire, Liti, and Milu; opposite them stood Nola, Tilulu, Tsukuyomi, and Ruth, with Ying at the lead.

Originally, Ruth shouldn’t have been here. First, she had returned to the Weeping Mountains long ago to try and repair the illusion barrier. Second, she wasn’t suited for crowded places. Her appearance today was entirely born of her grudge against Fia; she wanted Fia to remember her, so that when she eventually paid Fia back, she could mock her about how the tide turns every thirty years and enjoy the sight of Fia repenting and begging for mercy.

“Take good care of yourself.”

“Mn, thank you, Milu.”

While Fia’s side was conversing, the three members of the “Youth Group” were also saying their goodbyes. Milu held Tilulu’s hand like a big sister, her tone devoid of emotional fluctuation as she gave her instructions. Beside her, Liti was gently pinching Tilulu’s beast ears, her face full of reluctance to part.

Having experienced hunting monsters together, the bond between the three had grown day by day. Though they sometimes argued incessantly, their relationship was actually quite good—good enough that they would lean against each other to sleep when tired.

“I’ll come back often with Sister to see you.”

“Unromantic.”

“What was that? Letting Sister stay alone with Tilulu is too dangerous. What if Sister gets carried away and starts getting touchy-feely with her?”

“You’re just worried Tilulu will steal a march on you.”

“Milu, aren’t you worried too?!”

“No.”

“Hmph, you say that, but why do you lack the courage to look me in the eye?”

As she spoke, Liti stepped forward and stared into Milu’s eyes. Milu simply glanced at Tilulu, completely ignoring Liti.

Tilulu’s eyebrows arched in response.

“I won’t harbor crooked thoughts like Sister Liti. Sister Liti is just judging others by her own standards. Sister Milu, I’ll be counting on you while I’m gone.”

“Mn. Don’t forget the reward.”

Rarely, Milu offered Tilulu a faint smile. Tilulu returned it with a serious gaze.

“Of course. That is our promise.”

“What, what? What promise did you make? Why was I left out?”

“Isn’t it because Sister Liti likes to sell us out?”

“When have I ever sold you out!”

“You look like the type who would.”

“So I haven’t done it yet, right? Hurry up and tell me what the promise is. I want in!”

Facing Liti’s loud clamor, Tilulu flicked her white beast ears. She looked toward Milu, her eyes full of inquiry.

“…Is it okay?”

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“Have some pity on her.”

“Alright then.”

Nodding briskly, Tilulu pulled on Liti’s sleeve, and the three of them circled up to whisper. Although Fia was too far away to hear clearly, she could still catch murmurs like “surveillance” and “ambush together when the time comes.”

I feel like they’re talking about something very dangerous. I’d better hang a bell on my door before bed from now on.

“Hey, even at a time like this, don’t you have any intention of speaking to your dream girl? If you don’t say it now, you’ll have to wait until next week. Or are you worried I’m in the way? If you’re too scared to speak, then I’ll go first.”

Ying bumped her shoulder against the shrinking Nola, causing the latter to frown. Nola certainly wanted to talk to Fia, but with Claire standing right there, she didn’t dare meet her eyes. As someone who had once liked Claire and owed her a debt for saving her life, she had been avoiding Claire ever since she confessed to Fia. Her guilt made her too ashamed to show her face.

Seeing Nola’s cowardice, Ying tapped Nola’s head with her snake tail, looking like a mother worried sick for her daughter.

“Falling for the Princess in secret without telling me… I only found out from Tsukuyomi. You stealthily gave your heart to Her Highness while I wasn’t around. Even though you rejected me without a thought whenever I suggested sleeping together in the past, now you’re sticking to her of your own accord. Am I really that pathetic?”

It’s not that Ying is pathetic, it’s just that Fia is too outstanding.

Nola answered in her heart.

Ying let out a seemingly angry huff.

“Hmph. When you get back to the hunting grounds, you’ll have to treat me to a feast. No, you have to treat me at the noble district in Blossom. I’m going to scam you for everything you’ve got.”

“Mmu…”

Still not answering Ying, Nola just fidgeted with her hands in front of her, her ears pinned tight against her head. It was as if she thought that by shrinking into a ball, she wouldn’t be noticed by Claire opposite her—she looked nothing like a Lord.

Seeing this, Ying looked helpless. She gave up on Nola, stepped forward, and began to speak of official business. First, she bowed deeply to Fia, then clasped her hands before her with a sincere smile.

“Eldest Princess, I have heard of your great achievements in the Weeping Mountains from Nola. If not for you, Brinkat and the entire territory of the Fire Cat Tribe would have been swallowed by monsters. You even specially created food for us, ensuring even homeless beggars received a meal. Recently, the people in the city have much more color in their faces, making the whole city much livelier. This is all thanks to you. On behalf of the entire Fire Cat Tribe, I thank you for your gift. Your name will certainly be recorded in the annals of history as an indispensable part of Cold Night’s legacy.”

“Thank you very much.”

Following Ying’s gratitude, the surrounding Fire Cat soldiers and nobles knelt on one knee one after another. The momentum quickly spread to the civilians in the distance, and for a moment, everyone on the street was bowing to Fia.

This display was not excessive. Not only had Fia helped them so much, but her status as Regent alone was enough to warrant their obeisance. Everyone knew Tilulu had ascended thanks to the Elf Princess, who had single-handedly crushed Chazo’s elites, and whose elf army had captured the capital. Opposing such a person was purely asking for trouble.

Fia couldn’t help but feel a bit flustered; Ying hadn’t told her there would be such a performance. She smiled bitterly.

“There’s no need to be so solemn. I only did what I wanted to do.”

“That you helped us with countless major problems is an indisputable fact. Everyone is thanking you from the bottom of their hearts. While not all beastmen are as grateful as Nola, most are. If we didn’t have a sense of reality back when you defeated Chaos, then those countless loaves of food are a blessing everyone can enjoy. The turn from spring to summer is often a time for famine; we will keep your kindness in our hearts.”

As she spoke, Ying bowed deeply again. The nobles, soldiers, and civilians behind her followed suit, leaving only Fia’s group standing on the vast street.

“Sister is like everyone’s King.”

Liti whispered into Fia’s ear in a voice inaudible to outsiders.

“I don’t want to be a King.”

Fia muttered back indignantly, then coughed loudly.

“Ahem. Ying, it’s about time you let your people get up. If this continues, I won’t be able to leave the city until noon.”

“Thank you.” Ying hesitated for a moment, appearing to have a request that was difficult to voice. “But… but I have one more personal, unreasonable request. If you don’t agree, I won’t get up.”

“What is it?”

Fia asked instinctively. She felt Ying wouldn’t have anything good to say.

“Do you remember the promise you made with my father? The matter about being… lovers. My father has probably noticed something is up. Once you leave, he’ll surely pressure me to marry someone I don’t know again. Now that you’re the Regent, one word from you would be enough to shut him up. So… so I hope you can help me settle my marriage issue…”

By the end, Ying’s face was full of bashfulness, and her eyes were full of a spring-like affection as she looked at Fia.

This caused Nola’s eyes to widen, and her spine straightened instantly.

“Ying?!”

“What’s wrong? I’m not trying to steal your dream girl. Why such a big reaction? I’m not like you, only interested in women. Come to think of it, you’re actually quite gross.”

Didn’t you just insult me as well?

Fia’s expression turned subtle.

“In other words, as long as I say ‘No one may interfere in Ying’s marriage,’ your father, Woz, won’t trouble you, right?”

“No, no. It’s best to give the Snakemen some gifts they can’t refuse. That way, even if my father wants to refuse, he won’t be able to. Of course, I’ll provide the gifts; you just need to drop them off to him on your way back to Silvar.”

“Fine, I’ll bring the items for you.”

Although it felt a bit like a marriage proposal and a declaration of ownership, Ying was a straight girl through and through; she likely just meant it literally—not wanting her father to interfere—rather than using the opportunity to make her father think she was sending gifts as a son-in-law.

“Thank you again. These are items I specifically picked that my father likes. Additionally, there are several carts of volcanic stones used by the Snakemen for hatching offspring; I’ve already ordered them to be loaded. They will travel with your army to the Snakemen.”

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Saying so, Ying handed a gift box to Fia. This, however, triggered a massive reaction from Nola, who anxiously grabbed Ying’s arm.

“Aren’t volcanic stones a gift specifically sent for marriage proposals?! Ying, how could you!”

“Oh? I thought you were mute. I had to go this far just to get you to speak. I said that on purpose for you to hear. Who prepares several carts of gifts without telling anyone? Go ahead and say your goodbyes to the Princess. I won’t disturb you. Also, don’t dawdle and end up failing to say what needs to be said, then come crying to me afterward.”

With a look of mock annoyance, Ying poked Nola’s forehead with her finger, then turned and blew a kiss to Fia, giving a playful look that seemed to say “Good luck,” before returning to the ranks.

Clearly, Ying’s gift-giving was just a provocation to force Nola, who was too scared to face Claire, to step forward.

Then, under the smiling gazes of everyone, the Nola standing alone between the two parties stiffened.

She instinctively wanted to retreat to her original spot, but Claire suddenly called out to her, making her shoulders jolt.

“Nola.”

“Eek!!”

“I only called your name. No need to be so nervous, right?” Claire offered a gentle smile. She knew what Nola was thinking and that she had been avoiding her. “Could it be that Nola has also started to fear the curse on my body? Even though I’m already wearing the stone that grants immunity.”

“No… n-n-no…”

Her neck moving like a machine that hadn’t been oiled in years, Nola turned her head stiffly. She didn’t dare look into Claire’s eyes, keeping her head down with her tail pinned between her thighs.

I might have established too much authority over Nola.

Claire smiled bitterly. She stepped forward, leaned down, and whispered into Nola’s ear.

“I never had any intention of blaming you. When Fia told me you might confess to her, it gave me a surprise, but I don’t think it’s a bad thing. To have the courage to speak your mind… you’ve grown up, and you have the right to pursue your own happiness. To be honest, I’ve always wanted a sister to help me share the burden of being Queen, but little Fia is too stubborn. Nola has managed to move her heart a bit, making her try to change. I think that’s a good thing. If I had…”

Midway through her sentence, Claire paused, her expression darkening. This made Nola widen her eyes and look at her, but the latter only smiled and shook her head.

“Anyway, I don’t blame Nola. You don’t have to worry about me overthinking. Isn’t it good for everyone to be together in harmony? Little Fia is a very charming woman; I completely understand Nola being captivated. This way, we’re family again.”

“Cl… Claire’s thoughts are just too strange…”

Strange as they may be, if Claire didn’t think this way, I wouldn’t have a chance.

Nola responded in her heart.

“Alright, go say goodbye to Fia. Even though she’ll be back periodically, the meaning is different.”

Like an elder encouraging a junior, Claire lightly patted Nola’s shoulder, her clear green eyes full of smiles and encouragement.

Soon, it was time for Fia and Nola to say their goodbyes.

Looking at Nola’s hesitation, Fia couldn’t help but find it funny.

“What? Even if you’re reluctant to let me go, I still have to leave.”

“No… since you’re coming back once a week anyway, I’m not actually that reluctant. I just remembered that your purpose for coming here was to find gods, yet in the end, you didn’t find either the Goddess of Polar Night or the Goddess of White Night. I’m sorry.”

“It’s only natural not to find them. There’s nothing to apologize for. If gods were that easy to find, they wouldn’t have been unheard of for the past ten thousand years. More importantly, don’t you have anything you want to say to me? Like a tearful plea to stay, or wanting to give me a hug?”

Fia’s teasing made Nola look angry for an instant, but remembering Fia was right, she sheepishly looked away and pouted.

“If you say it out loud, how am I supposed to bring it up?”

“Embarrassed?”

“So many people are watching…”

“Then I won’t stand on ceremony.”

“Hey!”

Before Nola could react, Fia pulled her into a sudden embrace. The sensation of the warm, soft girl in her arms caused Nola’s brain to lose all ability to think for a moment, and the orchid fragrance drifting into her nose made her entire body flush hot.

However, Fia only held Nola for two or three seconds before letting go. Her cheeks were slightly pink, though she was much more composed than Nola.

“It’s only right to be embarrassed; I love doing things that make people feel that way. Alright, Cold Night will be counting on you while I’m away. You can kill or reward those nobles as you please. If you run into a tough nut to crack, just tell me when I come back——I’ll go and make them kneel down and cry while begging for your forgiveness.”

“So domineering.”

“That’s right, I am that domineering. The one with the bigger fist makes the rules; isn’t that your Beastman tradition?”

“But you’re an Elf.”

In the past, Nola would have definitely talked back to Fia, but the hug just now had left her brain unable to function. Even now, her mind was a total blur. She could do nothing but offer a low mumble of agreement, her thoughts having long since flown into the clouds.

This gave Tilulu an opening. She squeezed her way over, straining her purple eyes wide as she opened her arms toward Fia with a face full of expectation.

“I… Can I be hugged like that by Lady Fia too…?”

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“Of course, no problem.”

Saying so, Fia hugged Tilulu just as she had hugged Nola. Tilulu had a petite frame, and Fia could easily catch the scent of her hair—the tickling sensation of beast ears brushing past her nose and the lavender fragrance filling her senses made Fia find it hard to let go. From the moment she met Tilulu, Fia had always loved the feeling of Tilulu sitting on her lap because she could smell the scent of her hair.

“Sister has such an enjoyable expression, yet you weren’t nearly this happy when hugging Miss Nola.”

You’re just trying to drive a wedge between us, aren’t you?

Ignoring Liti’s remark, Fia let go of Tilulu and gave her an encouraging pat on the head.

“Work hard to become a qualified Queen. If you encounter any problems, feel free to ask Nola, the others, or me for help at any time.”

“Then… Then after I become a qualified Queen, can I become Lady Fia’s… can I become Lady Fia’s bride?”

A flash of maturity that didn’t belong to her age flickered in Tilulu’s eyes, giving Fia a premonition that if she agreed, a profound bond would be forged with the girl.

Realizing this was a question from Tilulu’s heart, Fia pondered for a moment. She met Tilulu’s gaze and gave her a serious answer.

“Mm. By then, I’ll certainly be attracted to Tilulu’s maturity.”

“Then I will definitely become an unprecedentedly excellent Queen!”

A visible surge of motivation erupted from her body. Tilulu jumped up excitedly and threw her arms around Fia’s neck, causing Nola in the back to frown.

“Don’t forget the one-month promise.”

“I won’t forget. Returning to Silvar this time is also to give myself time to think.”

As Fia’s voice fell, a soldier hurried from outside the city gate to Anastasia. After a brief hesitation, Anastasia stepped forward.

“Your Highness, Lady Erin Slate is asking when you will depart.”

“Ah, we’ve said just about enough. Let’s go. Liti, Milu, back to the carriage.”

“Okay~”

Having received their responses, Fia took Claire’s hand and turned around. She took one last look at the group seeing her off. Her gaze lingered on the Charm Cats led by Tsukuyomi; countless Charm Cats were wiping away tears, reluctant to see her leave. Some were even as despondent as if they had been dumped, staring blankly at her with lifeless eyes.

No need to be so sad.

Unsure whether to smile or show the melancholy of parting, Fia looked away. She boarded the back of the carriage and gave everyone a final wave.

Following her gesture, music suddenly began to play, accompanied by the farewell cries of the entire city. She thought she saw Nola secretly wiping away tears, but because the carriage door was closed, she couldn’t verify the guess.

Though she could have stuck her head out the window, that would only have intensified the lingering feelings of reluctance. It was better not to.

Parting is not a permanent goodbye; everyone will meet again. For the sake of a longer companionship in the future, she would endure the temporary separation for now.

To cast the accumulated feelings of departure from her chest, Fia let out a long breath. She looked at Claire beside her, only to find Claire was looking at her as well. The two shared a look and simultaneously offered a faint smile.

I hope those who part will be together forever when they reunite.

For the first time ever, Fia silently offered a prayer to the gods in her heart.

Volume 6 End

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Author Note

Afterword

Hi~ It’s time for the afterword again. Honestly, I didn’t really want to write one because everything that needed to be said has already been discussed in the chat group. However, thinking about it, this is my “traditional skill” after all, so how could I skip it? I’ll say a few words.

First of all, this volume was really, really long. It exceeded my expectations by a lot. I originally thought Nola’s plot would be thirty or forty chapters at most, but I ended up writing eighty-five chapters, catching up to Volume 4. It’s truly terrifying.

Thinking about it, it’s probably because I made some compromises in the plot to make the character’s change more reasonable. Because of those compromises, I had to lengthen the story. After all, the character of Nola was very unlikable at the beginning. If I didn’t lay the groundwork seriously, the transition would have been extremely stiff, and my reputation would have been ruined. As far as the results go, Nola’s transformation and growth are quite good, exceeding my expectations. As expected of me.

Now let’s talk about the original plan for Nola. At the very beginning of the story, Nola was a character with a lot of tragic color. The person she liked was snatched away by Fia, and as they spent time together, her heart was snatched away by Fia as well. However, because of Claire’s existence, she couldn’t confess to Fia and could only tell Fia her feelings while drunk. Unfortunately, because she was drunk, Fia didn’t take it to heart, leaving Nola deeply troubled.

Then at the end of the story, she finally gathers the courage to confess, only to see Tilulu get rejected. Thinking she won’t succeed either, she chooses not to speak her heart in the end, leaving alone while clutching her envelope. Finally, at the moment of parting, she would hide in a corner and silently wipe away tears while missing Fia—roughly that kind of character. In terms of the scene, it would be similar to Adonis from Yisi watching [T/N:SPOILER ALERT]fireworks while confessing to Yisi, but his voice is drowned out by the sound of the fireworks, and he ends up crying with a smile.

BUT!

But since I am a pure love writer, I cannot allow a beautiful girl to be alone. Besides, the Fire Cat has been persecuted for too long, and I couldn’t help but laugh while writing certain plots. So, I made a small adjustment to let the lovers be together. I love stories with perfect endings like this; how could I let two people who love each other not be together? I started writing this story for the sake of a beautiful ending, so this is called “staying true to the original heart.”

Anyway, that’s it for the Fire Cat’s plot. She will definitely appear again when I write the part about the Kingdom of Death later, and it will surely be very interesting.

Now, let’s talk about the next volume.

The next volume is Anastasia’s personal volume. We’re finally reaching the second stage of the plot, and I’m truly looking forward to it. Honestly, when I thought about the end of the plot, I couldn’t help but shed a tear. Since I started writing Fia, Anastasia has been a character I like; she redeemed Fia but couldn’t redeem herself. Unfortunately, the illustrator didn’t grasp Anastasia’s essence, which led to her being less popular. When writing this volume, I will reset Anastasia’s character design, let Anastasia hold a forget-me-not and give it to Fia—the soul of the harem begins to burn here!

As for the plot content, since it will be unexpected from the very beginning, I’ll keep it a secret. I shall descend once again with the posture of an Emperor!

Also, for the sake of pacing, this volume won’t be too long, probably ending in thirty to forty chapters. Of course, it might be even shorter. I want to make it as full of ups and downs as possible. I’ve recently read a lot of reference and tool books and gained quite a bit, so I’ll put it to use.

Also, Tilulu’s character design is almost finished. This is how it looks currently; you should be able to see the full version in a few days.

Finally, thank you to all the readers for following the updates to this point. Your subscriptions, monthly tickets, tips, and comments are the motivation for my creation. Without your support, Fia wouldn’t have reached nearly two million words in a year. My coding power has been growing lately, it’s really growing! Thank you very much (:з)∠) !

Well then, the next volume, the ballad dedicated to Anastasia, is now officially in serialization! See you in the next volume!

2023/05/13

yomi

Translator Note

WAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

I FOUND THISSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Fia completed illust from prev sketch:

nexttttttttt FIA&CLAIREEEE (the author did the commission for this):

<33333

I shouldn’t make this any longer, Thank You all!! Cya!

Volume 7: Ballad of the Forget-Me-Not