Chapter 205: Epilogue
“Where is that woman? Why isn’t she by your side?”
Verafia and Sharlotte didn’t get along well, so when she mentioned the latter, a hint of displeasure showed on the girl’s face.
“Are you referring to Charle?”
Elishia smiled faintly at the girl’s expression. “Charle returned to the Royal Capital as soon as she left that ruin. After all, as a princess, she can’t do as she pleases.”
“Tch. She ran off pretty fast!”
Verafia crossed her arms and muttered with a pout.
“Miss Verafia, Charle’s heart is not bad. Please allow me to apologize for the mistakes she made and her offense to you.”
Elishia’s voice reached her. Ig suddenly remembered the proverb, “If apologies were useful, what need would there be for guards?” but for the king’s daughter, a small guard was indeed useless.
Verafia snorted softly but clearly didn’t take it to heart. Elishia’s gaze fell upon the silver-haired loli beside the girl. “Miss Verafia, this young lady is—”
“You’re asking about Little Fran? She’s this young lady’s sister,” Verafia said casually, leaning back against the seat and tilting her head.
Fran’s red eyes met hers for a moment, then lowered as she quietly sipped her black tea.
“So it’s Miss Fran.”
Elishia smiled at her, her thoughts churning, but she didn’t intend to voice them.
“Oh, right, Elishia, why did you come looking for this young lady?” Verafia put down her teacup, turned her head, and peered with her large, scorching gold eyes.
“I just wanted to thank you before Miss Verafia’s departure.”
Elishia spoke, then suddenly reached out a slender hand, stroking the little head of the ice-blue haired girl beside her with a fond, subtle smile. “Little Fei also really wanted to see you.”
Verafia shifted her gaze to the timid ice dragon girl hiding behind Elishia, a sliver of her face peeking out, and her eyes showed suspicion.
Ophi knew she couldn’t escape and, summoning great courage, stepped out from behind Elishia, appearing in Verafia’s sight.
“Th-that, Verafia, I… I want to go on an adventure with you all, can I come along?”
Ophi’s words tumbled out rapidly, almost without pause. It was clear the young girl had practiced this short request many times in private.
Verafia’s gaze grew more puzzled. She glanced at Ig opposite her, and the boy quickly shrugged, indicating he knew nothing of the inside story.
Seeing Verafia’s expression, the ice dragon girl gritted her silver teeth, took a small box from her skirt with her little hands, and presented it to Verafia.
“Th-this is my gift, for you, Ugh! Ouch…”
Ophi accidentally bit her tongue and tears welled up, close to flowing. Elishia chuckled and fondly rubbed her little head.
Verafia leaned forward, curiously taking the small, ice-blue gift from the ice dragon girl’s little hand. The small box was exquisitely decorated, the beautiful ribbon showing signs of having been tied and untied many times, indicating its owner had put considerable effort into it.
Verafia opened the small gift box, revealing a clear blue crystal nestled in red silk, quietly emitting a lustrous glow. A pure, cold aura touched her skin, making Verafia feel a slight chill.
Ophi pursed her lips tightly, her small chest heaving, her anxious heart in her throat.
She remembered her elder sister saying that the best way to deal with difficult people was to give them gifts, which would make them embarrassed to make things difficult for her…
Verafia’s gaze lifted from the crystal, and she blinked at the girl beside her, who looked nervous and uneasy.
Elishia had specifically come to her place, clearly to gather courage for this little ice dragon princess.
However, Genehold’s descendants didn’t seem like cunning dragons. Verafia suddenly wondered what plans the Black Flame Dragon King, currently reigning over the Setting Sun Forest, was making.
A small curve formed at the girl’s delicate lips. She tucked away the ice-blue crystal gifted by Ophi, tilted her head up, her golden eyes falling on the ice dragon girl’s face.
Verafia’s slender white fingers first put on a look of deep thought.
“Hmm… letting you come along probably isn’t too bad. This young lady agrees!”
—
Warm wind seeped in from the window, and Ig squinted his eyes, gazing at the sky painted with brilliant sunlight. Flying birds cut across the unblemished azure sky.
Ig recalled leaving his family during the New Year’s snow. He had traveled alone then, light snow dusting his shoulders, and Ig had thought he would never return.
Now, barely half a year later, ever since meeting this Miss Phoenix…
Ig picked up the End he held in his hand, the ancient long sword reflecting the sun’s radiance. The black-haired young man leaned against the axle of the departing carriage, shaking his head, a slight smile playing on his lips.
Douglas, Hegar…
Inside the carriage, Fran sat like an exquisite doll, her little hands fiddling with the sword on her lap, her delicate face utterly devoid of any emotional fluctuation. The ice dragon girl beside her appeared even more flustered, regretting her decision to quickly duck into the carriage to avoid Verafia.
The golden spring sunlight touched Verafia’s peerless figure, her fine, silk-like hair as brilliant as the golden sun.
“Miss ‘Golden Flower’,” Elishia’s beautiful eyes briefly glanced at the ice dragon girl’s nervous little face in the carriage, and she couldn’t help but shake her head slightly. She pushed aside a strand of hair, revealing her pure white cheek, and smiled gently at Verafia.
“Miss Verafia, actually, Dofi also wanted to meet you. But yesterday, her father granted her the position of Count Lyon of the Burt family, and today she had to go to her territory to meet her vassals and courtiers.”
According to Verafia’s guess, the Burt family, a count’s family with deep influence in Aslandt, had become Duke Dawn’s puppet after Count Linton colluded with the Abyssal Church to rebel, even though the family’s title had now fallen to Dofiraia.
Of course, even as a nominal count, the first visit to one’s territory was still necessary.
“That woman? Tch, what business could she have with this young lady? I don’t care at all,” Verafia said, arms crossed and lips pursed.
Of course, despite her words, Verafia was still quite interested in Dofiraia, being a disciple of Vicina, but there was no rush.
Verafia snorted softly at Elishia, then waved her white little hand to her, before ducking into the carriage herself.
Verafia greeted Fran, then rested her face in her hands, propped against the car window, her big eyes gazing around.
Elishia walked to Ig’s side and smiled lightly.
“Little Fei is a cute child, but I’m always a bit worried leaving her alone in the human world. Ig, please take good care of her.”
“Miss Aixi, you don’t need to ask. I also like Miss Ophi very much.”
“Then I’m relieved.”
Elishia tossed a strand of hair and smiled gently at the boy’s smile. The girl then handed a sealed letter into Ig’s hand.
“This is…?” Ig asked. Elishia’s face showed a slight blush in the sunlight.
“It’s for my junior, Shiel. However, I’m a bit tied up right now, so I have to trouble you to deliver it to her for me.”
Verafia dangled her slender feet, watching the boy and girl below, and let out a dissatisfied hum. The girl gently raised her gaze.
Brilliant, golden dawn light bathed all of Rubiel. The spring breeze scattered the bright golden radiance, spilling into every corner of the city.
Whether prosperous or impoverished, the extravagant colors of the nobles were no different from the toiling poor people and the beheaded rebels, illuminated by the warm sunlight.
A hundred years ago, the traces of the Blood Duke were also carried away by the wind.
“Goodbye.”
Verafia murmured softly. A gentle breeze slid through the gaps in her hair.
—
The painful volume has finally ended…
(I originally wanted to add a bit more about Lancaster, but looking at it now, it’s better to leave it for another volume…)
