Chapter 79
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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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Chapter 79
[Edwin, Sister, how are you doing? Lucian and I are getting along wonderfully. Everyone here is so kind.
You've noticed how much Lucian has grown, haven't you? I wonder how much you've grown while we've been apart?
The weather has become much warmer lately. I think spring has finally arrived. Soon we'll be able to go outside and play.
Once the subjugation is over and we return, let's pack a lunch and go on a picnic together. By then, I'll teach you how to make flower rings.
Until then, you need to listen well to the adults and behave yourself. Understood?
Oh, and if it's still difficult to read, ask your teacher to help you read it together.
Well then, I'll wrap this up. Goodbye!]
Thanks to his quick aptitude, reading the letter wasn't particularly difficult. Edwin's intelligence and learning ability were sharp enough to astonish his teachers.
The problem lay in the final sentence.
'What on earth does she mean by wrapping this up?'
Edwin stared at the last line as if trying to bore through it, then folded the paper once.
It certainly didn't seem like she meant folding the letter to make it shorter.
'I should just read the letter Lucian sent instead.'
Edwin, who gave up quickly, unfolded the letter from Lucian.
[Brother Edwin, you're the best!
You must be pretty bored without your big brother around, right? Just wait a little longer. I'll defeat all the bad monsters and come back.
I'm super strong! When I use my power, the monsters go "Aaaah!" and disappear. Pretty amazing, right? Even the senior members say I'm the best.
After I defeat all the monsters and become incredibly strong with huge muscles, I'll come back.
So don't cry missing me—just wait for me. Goodbye!]
"Hehe."
Edwin couldn't help but smile.
Lucian's letter was so characteristically Lucian that it made him laugh.
"What's so funny?"
Amelia poked her head over, trying to peek at Edwin's letter.
Edwin quickly hid the letter in alarm.
"It's nothing."
"Tch."
Amelia, disappointed, smacked her lips and unfolded the letter that had come for her.
The letter to Amelia was from Claude and Lucian.
From what she could glimpse, unlike Lucella's heartfelt letter, Claude's letter consisted of only three lines.
[I am doing well. So don't worry about me and make sure you eat well, sleep well, and play well. Don't stay up late.]
At the brevity of the content, Amelia pouted her lips. Of course, it wasn't because she felt hurt.
'Who cares about that? I want to know how things are progressing between Sister and him!'
Her uncle was someone who managed fine on his own anyway, so she wasn't particularly curious about his current situation.
When body and heart are weary, that's precisely when love between a man and woman can blossom.
'Now would be the perfect time to win Sister's heart.'
She was worried whether her clueless uncle was handling things well.
'Stupid uncle.'
Amelia shook her head and unfolded the next letter.
The letter that boasted an overwhelmingly thick stack was the one Lucian had sent.
[Hey, Amelia. How are you? I'm doing great. I'm subjugating monsters magnificently, just like a brave knight should.]
Despite his claims of doing well, the first sentence bore water-stained smudges from the very beginning. Judging by the size of the droplets, they appeared to be tears.
[...So I struggled to force myself to eat. The Subjugation Unit's food really has no taste, right? But the Commander secretly gave me candy....]
'Ugh, so noisy.'
Amelia plugged her ears with her fingers.
How could he manage to be loud even through written words?
I thought that once he went to subjugate monsters, he'd pick up some discipline and finally quiet down. But Lucian remained consistently loud.
[...I've grown so much! Even the senior members say I'm impressive. Bulging muscles aren't far off. At this rate, soon....]
Somehow, the letter contained nothing but his own boasting.
Should I stop reading? I was having a brief moment of hesitation.
The next sentence captured Amelia's eyes.
[...Anyway, Amelia, I miss you so much. I miss you as much as if I collected all the stars that glitter in the sky.]
Amelia's clear eyes wavered upon encountering those words of longing.
[I'll finish up quickly and come to you. So please wait for me just a little longer.]
Amelia's bright eyes lingered on the final line for a long time.
A subtle smile bloomed across Amelia's face as she reread the letter.
"...."
Edwin watched Amelia's serene smile before turning his gaze to his own letter.
Lucian had sent me one page, while he had sent Amelia four pages.
Of course, that was still better than my father, who hadn't sent me a single letter.
'Still....'
Edwin turned his head and gazed at Amelia once more.
This was the first time I had seen Amelia smile with such an expression.
Would she smile like that after reading the letter I sent?
For some reason, I had a feeling she wouldn't.
Edwin fingered the paper inscribed with Lucella's handwriting.
I was happy, but laughter wouldn't quite come.
* * *
After the werewolf attack, the Subjugation Unit resumed subjugation efforts conservatively.
With a considerable number of injured personnel, aggressive subjugation like before was impossible.
While the members rested, I flew through the sky with the help of mages. It was to expand the detection area as I had mentioned before.
"There's a small swamp north of the Military Camp, you see? I'm sensing strong demonic energy there."
I shared the location I had sensed through the communication magical tool.
-A swamp, you say.... It could possibly be a Hydra.
A Hydra was a serpent monster with multiple heads, and it was extremely difficult to defeat. This was because whenever one head was severed, two new heads would grow in its place.
"There seem to be several of them. The demonic energy I'm sensing is quite strong."
-And elsewhere? Do you sense anything in other areas?"
"This area is clear."
I shaded my eyes with my hand and peered into the distance.
The Monster Forest, which had seemed endless, was finally revealing its end. It was thanks to our diligent subjugation efforts.
"The northeastern section is nearly complete, and it looks like we'll be done once we finish the northwestern area."
"Good. It's time to head back now."
"Yes."
As soon as I finished my response, the wind that had been blowing northward shifted southward. Ahin and Melissa had changed the wind's direction to come retrieve me.
After moving for about five minutes, I began to see tiny human figures in the distance. It was Melissa, Ahin, and Claude.
"Phew."
Seeing their familiar forms put me at ease.
Though I had spoken confidently, flying through the dark forest outside their line of sight had frightened me a little.
"Lucella, are you hurt anywhere?"
"No. I'm perfectly fine."
I waved toward Melissa. By now, we had drawn close enough to hear each other's voices clearly.
"Then let's land...."
The problem occurred just as my feet drew near the ground.
Suddenly, a violent gust of wind struck, and the magic enveloping my body vanished.
"Oh!"
Where the wind spell had been, only gravity remained. My body plummeted rapidly toward the earth.
'I'm falling!'
Bracing for impact, I instinctively squeezed my eyes shut.
Yet despite considerable time passing, I felt no pain.
Something solid had caught my body.
"Are you all right?"
At the voice from above my head, I opened the eyes I had clenched shut. The scent enveloping my body was far too familiar.
"Your Grace?"
The person holding me was Claude.
I remained cradled in his arms like a princess, blinking helplessly. I couldn't comprehend what had just happened.
In my stead, Claude raised his voice.
"Are you in your right mind? Of all times, when a person is suspended in the air, how could you make such a careless mistake!"
"Lucella, are you okay?"
"I'm so sorry!"
Melissa and Ahin rushed toward me in a panic.
"I'm truly sorry. The magic suddenly stopped responding."
"Are you making excuses now?"
Claude's face was terrifying as he glared at Ahin for his excuse.
"It's true. Both Ahin and I felt it at the same time. It was as if the magical power had twisted.... Regardless of the reason, I'm sorry, Lucella. You must have been quite frightened?"
"It would be a lie to say I wasn't, but it's fine. As long as I'm not hurt."
"My lady, this is not something to be dismissed so lightly."
When I tried to ease the tense atmosphere with a forced smile, Claude's expression grew even more fierce.
"It's only fortunate because the distance to the ground was short and I was here.... Just imagine if you had fallen in the middle of the forest."
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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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