Chapter 313 ·Dragon Crystal

Dragon ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Crystal

On the other side, Celia had returned to the treehouse, where Serea was already waiting for her.

"Di... Did Mother say anything to you?"

"Mm, she said you're very strange."

"What, she actually noticed?"

"Not really. Unless there's definite proof, what mother in this world would truly suspect her own child?"

"Phew...that's a relief."

Serea let out a breath of relief. But come to think of it...

Catherine really was a gentle mother, and her immense strength had truly amazed her. In Serea's memories, queen Catherine's image was always just that of an elegant silhouette, sipping afternoon tea gracefully by the window.

To possess strength on par with the newly resurrected 'Gandalf', that is, level 45, or even higher—what a pity she hadn't been able to Appraise her stats.

Right, she had also given her something. Even if Serea couldn't Appraise her, she could at least Appraise the item.

With that in mind, Serea pulled out the black gemstone.

Dragon Crystal (gold, sealed): A gemstone containing powerful strength.

"Dragon Crystal? As expected, it's related to the dragon tribe again."

But because it was in a "sealed" state, Serea couldn't investigate what was hidden inside.

Thinking about it, for Queen Catherine to appear at this time, could it be that she had followed Aurela here all the way?

No matter what, her presence had allowed Serea to face Aurela with even more composure—at least now she knew that mysterious "mother" was standing on her side.

"Take things one step at a time. As long as I grow stronger, nothing will be a problem."

Thinking so, Serea tossed aside all her worries.

... One night passed...

The next day, at the Trading Post.

Aurela was lying on the bed, clutching his swollen cheek while eating fruit handed over by a handmaiden. Having been inexplicably stuffed into a sack and given a beating—when had he ever suffered such humiliation?

The sweetness in his mouth couldn't dispel the hatred in his heart. But there was nothing he could do: he was traveling in secret this time, and with the complicated situation here and no way to find the assailant, he could only let it go.

Yet, mixed with his frustration, a certain graceful silhouette kept floating up in his mind.

For that, he took out the souvenir he had obtained from the opera house yesterday. On it was the alluring figure of "Candice".

That figure—that beauty—even as a prince who had seen many beauties, there was no one else who could match Candice's charm and talent...

Impossible!

And unlike other girls... for the first time, Aurela had been rejected. There weren't many girls like her.

If only he could find her—putting aside the fact that she was a talented diva capable of using diva magic, even if he could just have a beautiful encounter...

"Your Highness!"

Someone rushed into the room—it was none other than the battered and bruised Tirus. On seeing him, Aurela's expression immediately darkened with anger.

"You dare show your face here!?"

"Non—not at all, Your Highness, I have important information."

Tirus spoke in a low voice, as if he were afraid of Aurela.

"What information? Did you find the attacker, or did you find Miss Candice?"

"Neither."

"You dare come see me if it's neither?!"

Aurela was furious and was about to throw the fruit at him, and Tirus flinched in fear.

But in the end, wanting to save the dignity of the son of a military minister, Aurela only stuffed the fruit back into his own mouth.

He endured what ordinary men could not!

"Speak, what is it?"

"It's...it's regarding Princess Serea."

"What could possibly be up with her? She couldn't really have not died and gone off to become some kind of 'Dragon Holy Maiden'?"

Aurela wore an expression of total disdain, but Tirus nodded.

"What's the meaning of that nod?"

"Uh... I meant, Your Highness is truly far-sighted."

When Tirus said this, Aurela sat up in shock, but then his butt hurt and he lay back down, the swallowed fruit stuck in his throat.

He pressed his hand to his chest, showing obvious discomfort, so Tirus hurried over.

"Are you alright, Your Highness? I'll help you!"

Tirus tried lightly at first with no effect. Then, summoning all his strength, he struck with a solid punch.

Thump!

The fruit dislodged. Then Aurela turned and spoke.

"What did you just say!?"

"I... I said, it's very possible Princess Serea is actually here."

Tirus looked a bit nervous as he said this. Aurela pressed further:

"Where's your proof?!"

"Didn't you tell me to send people to investigate the jungle? I paid off a few small tribes in the jungle, and after comparing portraits, the rumored 'Dragon Holy Maiden'—or rather, the Queen of the Darkmoon clan—looks exactly like Princess Serea."

At those words, Aurela was utterly stunned. Then, recalling his father's farewell advice—three times as cautious—could it be...

That old man knew everything all along!

"Help me up. We're leaving for the jungle immediately!"

"Your Highness, your wounds—"

"Move!"

With a stern face, Aurela stood up. But just as he was about to act, a figure wearing a black robe and a mask appeared in the room.

The guards were startled and rushed forward to apprehend, but with just a glance—

Terrifying!

The sudden, oppressive aura made everyone freeze in their tracks; even beads of sweat appeared on Aurela's forehead. This sensation was very familiar—it was the same as when he had tried to take Lilith and Serea's candy before.

"It's you!"

...

Standing atop the high wall at the camp, Serea and Lilith were reading a letter.

"My dearest Serea, lilith, and Ina, you are all my good daughters, but I've been unable to be a competent mother, especially to Serea. The current situation means it will take a long time before we can meet again, but I believe that day isn't far off. What I can give you is a safe home where you can grow up safely."

Just these simple lines left both Serea and Lilith in silence.

"Does Ina know?"

"She probably knows by now."

Upon hearing this, Serea said nothing and instead handed the envelope to Lilith to keep safe.

Queen Catherine had left without saying goodbye, which must have been due to her own difficulties. But the "safe home" she mentioned made Serea think of something.

Could it be that neither Otto Kingdom nor the Ailera Empire had taken any special actions against her because of Catherine?

Though it was just a guess, it wasn't baseless speculation. Their mother really was too mysterious.

"Forget it. There's no point in thinking too much. What I'm meant to know, I'll eventually know. For now..."

As she spoke, Serea changed her mood and turned to look at the tall towers beside her.

There were two in total: gray stone towers, with massive red Blood Stones atop them, the whole structure swirling with red blood power, appearing truly magical.

Called "Crimson Eyed Guardian," this building had tremendous attack and defense strength, and was now completed—finally, she could see what it was capable of.

(To be continued...)

RelatedRelatedRelated