Vol 4. Chapter 66: Heart-Soul Scales

“Be careful~”

After watching the adorable little Yuan’er and the centipede-shaped Abyss Demon disappear into the forest, Miss Yumo slowly closed the window and turned her gaze back toward the room.

At this moment,

Karina had also finished changing and returned to her usual valiant appearance as a female knight.

After tying up her hair, Karina looked somewhat puzzledly at the black-haired girl, who was recording their body measurements while sorting through the memory fibers at the same time.

“Mother, are you planning to... personally make clothes for us?”

Hearing Karina’s question, Miss Yumo blinked her crimson eyes and nodded as though it were only natural.

“Of course.”

“B-But... Mother, if you want to weave six sets of clothes out of memory fibers, it’ll take a lot of time and effort.”

Concern surfaced in Karina’s voice.

In Karina’s eyes, her mother was an incomparably noble existence, someone who ought to be served and pampered by others.

Mother had no need to personally handle everything herself. Things like sewing clothes, cleaning the house, doing laundry, cooking, and so on should naturally be left to servants.

Ennmm...

Well,

Karina would certainly feel a little regretful if she could not eat food personally cooked by Mother.

But no matter what, the filial Karina still did not want her noble mother to perform such exhausting work.

“Mother, you don’t need to weave them personally. We can just leave this kind of work to the elven designers. They really ‘like’ making new clothes.”

“It’s all right. There’s no need to trouble the elves anymore.”

Miss Yumo shook her head and quickly rejected Karina’s proposal.

“The elves have already helped us so much. We shouldn’t trouble them again. Besides, asking them to come into the Great Winter Forest wouldn’t exactly be appropriate.”

“B-But...”

“Don’t worry, little Na. My stamina is pretty good. I won’t get tired. Besides, when it comes to your clothes, I somehow feel more at ease if I make them personally.”

As she spoke, Miss Yumo slowly stepped forward and smiled as she patted the red-haired woman’s head.

“And besides, your mother has recently been strengthening her sewing training inside the consciousness space! So let me give it a try.”

“A-All right. Since Mother has already said that, I don’t have anything else to object to.”

“Mhm. Anyway, just leave everything to me.”

The black-haired girl confidently patted her chest, looking completely certain of herself.

“Oh, right, Mother. Actually, besides the memory fibers, the goods the Black Rose Family ordered from the Dragon Race have arrived too.”

As though she had suddenly remembered something, Karina abruptly reminded her.

Hearing this, the anticipation in Miss Yumo’s crimson eyes grew even stronger.

“Little Na, do you mean the Blacksteel Dragon King’s scales have arrived?”

“Uh, not those...”

Karina awkwardly raised a finger and twirled a lock of her crimson hair.

Some time ago, after Mother learned that the Blacksteel Dragon King had recently entered a molting period, she had wanted to purchase those shed scales and use them to make defensive equipment.

After all, on the Anqieka Continent, the scales of Steel Dragons were publicly recognized as one of the best materials for crafting armor.

They possessed extremely high physical and magical resistance.

And naturally, scales from a Dragon King-class existence were even more effective.

According to Xiao’s previous feedback, Mother might have developed some suspicions toward the Black Rose Family because of the reaction of the Holy Sword Ishufel.

In order to eliminate Mother’s doubts, the Black Rose Family had truly gone all out this time in their attempt to obtain those armor materials.

After all, they had bullied—

Ah, no.

After all, they had maintained such a harmonious relationship with the Dragon Race for so long. Even if the Child of Destiny possessed armor made from dragon scales, they naturally had countless ways to deal with it.

However,

this Blacksteel Dragon King was not particularly cooperative.

Proud and unruly, he refused to submit to the Black Rose Family. He immediately rejected the envoy’s request and even declared that he would fight the Black Rose Family to the bitter end...

Faced with such a stubborn opponent, Xiao sent the Captain of the Black Rose Knights to the Dragon Race, intending to persuade him with reason...

And then,

they awkwardly discovered that the Blacksteel Dragon King had already run away without a trace...

Since they could not catch the Blacksteel Dragon King for the time being, naturally they could not obtain his scales either.

Thus,

Karina could only shake her head.

“Sorry, Mother. We weren’t able to buy the Blacksteel Dragon King’s scales. That Dragon King has recently disappeared without a trace.”

“Ah?... I see...”

“But Mother, you don’t need to worry. We managed to obtain an even better substitute material.”

“A... better material?”

“Yes. After learning that we intended to make defensive equipment for the Child of Destiny, the Dragon Queen and the other Dragon Kings all voluntarily contributed their Heart-Soul Scales.”

“H-Heart-Soul Scales?!”

Miss Yumo’s eyes suddenly contracted, and she could not help letting out a cry of astonishment.

The reason the black-haired girl lost her composure was quite simple.

Heart-Soul Scales were far too precious.

They were unique scales possessed by high-ranking dragons, growing over their chests to protect the Dragon Heart.

Not only was their replacement cycle extremely long, their hardness and resistance were also far superior to ordinary scales!

These scales could be said to be the most ideal material in Miss Yumo’s mind.

However, considering how precious Heart-Soul Scales were, Yumo had never dared to ask the Black Rose Family to bring the matter up with the Dragon Race.

She had been worried that the dragons might think the Black Rose Family was pushing its luck, which would be harmful to their long-term relationship.

And yet,

she never expected these members of the Dragon Race to actually... voluntarily offer up their Heart-Soul Scales for the sake of the greater good of the world?

They were that broad-minded?!

Shocked, Yumo’s small face also filled with joy at this unexpected pleasant surprise.

“I-I really didn’t expect the Dragon Race to be so willing to make sacrifices?”

Miss Yumo sighed in delighted astonishment.

However,

as she listened to the black-haired girl’s touched words, Karina beside her imperceptibly furrowed her brows.

Uh,

voluntarily contributed?

Those lizards...

Enmm.

Briefly imagining the members of the Black Rose Family pinning the various Dragon Kings to the ground and forcibly ripping the scales from their chests...

Karina’s smile could not help taking on a rather strange quality.

After an awkward silence, the red-haired woman scratched her head somewhat sheepishly and reached into her spatial ring.

“Y-Yes... they were certainly very willing to contribute... Here, Mother. These are the scales the Dragon Kings contributed. Take a look?”

“Mhm.”

Miss Yumo smiled and nodded.

Then she happily accepted the box Karina handed over and gazed with delight at the Heart-Soul Scales inside, each one brimming with immense power.

In Miss Yumo’s eyes,

Mengxi, as the Child of Destiny and the female lead of this world, naturally had to possess a powerful set of exclusive equipment!

Since those people from the Asumos Church still had not given Mengxi a suitable equipment set even now, then she, the villain boss, would personally give her one!

After all, villains giving the protagonist experience and equipment or something like that?

Wasn’t that practically commonplace?

As for the weapon, that Holy Sword would do.

As for the armor, she would personally make it!

“Today really is a good day~”

Miss Yumo revealed a delighted smile.

Now, not only could she make a set of clothes for each of her adorable children, she could also conveniently take care of Mengxi’s battle attire~

......

Enmmm~

Wait?

Speaking of making clothes?

As though she suddenly remembered something, Miss Yumo slightly furrowed her brows.

“Hm?”

On the other side, Karina, who had always been Mother’s thoughtful little darling and was exceptionally skilled at reading expressions, noticed the change in Miss Yumo’s expression almost instantly.

The red-haired woman then crouched worriedly beside Miss Yumo.

“Um, Mother, what’s wrong? Is there something wrong with the quality of the Heart-Soul Scales?”

Fuck!

Those damn lizards’ scales couldn’t possibly be defective, could they?

If they were, then they would just have to go rip them off again......

At the thought of this, a trace of coldness flashed through Karina’s orange-red eyes.

However, in response to Karina’s question, Miss Yumo slowly shook her head.

“No. I sensed them briefly. The quality of these dragon scales is very good. There’s no problem.”

“Hm? Is that so?...... Then Mother... why are you frowning?”

“Actually......”

“What is it?”

“When I thought about making clothes, I remembered your second older brother. I remembered your brother. I was planning to make a set for him too, but... why hasn’t he come back yet?”

Apparently missing the son she had not seen for a long time, a trace of longing slowly surfaced in Miss Yumo’s eyes.

However,

after hearing this, Karina could not help shuddering.

“You mean... Brother Piere?”

Uh......

Second Brother,

right now,

probably doesn’t dare come back, does he?