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The Villainess Blooms Chapter 23




A Mysterious Voice
Night. The throne room of the Kingdom of Lafalis. The King of this nation is settled into his throne. In front of his eyes, a female knight with a dark complexion and pink hair tied into a ponytail is kneeling.
“The magical energy of the dragon disappeared somewhere around the Takrath mountain ranges.”
The King narrowed his eyes and gripped the armrest as he listened to the female knight’s report, and asked:
“Do you mean to say that it’s dead?”
“No, it is not. A dragon is impossible to kill permanently. Perhaps someone has sealed it anew, or the dragon suffered such extensive dragon that it had to reincarnate into a new body.”
The king looked incredulous as a wrinkle formed between his brow.
“Do you mean to say that someone has felled the dragon?”
“Perhaps.”
“…This is troubling.”
“Yes. If they had simply sealed them that would have been fine, but defeating it with this method is something harder to praise.”
The King agreed with the words of the knight.
Dragons are immortal.
Killing one isn’t something that can be achieved simply through persistence.
Unlike a vampire, whose immortality can be counteracted and their physical body destroyed, the dragon will simply rise from the ashes like a phoenix.
It’s because of that immortality that defeating a dragon is much less effective than sealing it. Even if you cast it down thoroughly, it will simply reincarnate and bide its time until it grows again.
“At any rate, we can’t just let this be.”
“I agree completely. A dragon on the loose can only ever be a threat to our country.”
“Yes…”
The King scratches his head. He’s had a lot to worry about lately.
It’s times like these where he finds himself longing for his wife, but just saying that won’t do any good. There’s no point in pining over those who aren’t here. He has to do his best for the people who are still with him.
“For now, we must remain vigilant. Furthermore… That’s right. We shall send a unit from the Knight’s Order to the Takrath mountain range to investigate.”
“As you command. If I may be so bold as to suggest my unit take on this task?”
“Very well. Make it so.”
The King nodded.
“AriClaire d’Or. Take your unit on an investigative expedition of the Takrath mountains, and report your findings to me.”
So he ordered her.
“As you wish. I will bring back some sort of information without fail.”
The brown-skinned female knight, AriClaire d’Or, received the king’s command and left the throne room.
And, as she left the royal chamber, she ran into a girl she was familiar with.
“What are you doing here, Vice Captain Leena?”
Aria called out to the girl known as ‘Leena Lilyfall’, who she came across admiring a flowerbed. She got a response back quickly.
“Oh, Captain Aria is it? Can you not see that I was simply admiring these flowers?”
“…Are you having fun just watching plants?”
“Yes, I would never get bored of this.”
“…I see.”
She doesn’t really understand.
In fact, Aria has never truly understood much about the girl who is crouched down in front of her.
She had recently joined her unit of knights and had proved herself so capable that she was immediately promoted to vice-captain. However, that alone isn’t enough to grasp the measure of a person.
She doesn’t really know anything about her. No matter how strong or weak she may be, if she’s this much of an enigma, it’s hard to see her as anything other than a slightly creepy young girl.
“That aside, Vice-Captain Leena.”
“What is it?”
“Our unit has been ordered to investigate the Takrath mountain range.”
For just an instant, she could have sworn Leena’s face reacted to the word ‘Takrath’, but it might have just been her imagination.
“We depart tomorrow. Please spread the word to the rest of the knights.”
“As you command.”
Leena answered and stood up.
(Takrath, huh? If that’s the case… Mother… Is there any place on earth your machinations won’t reach?)
Her black hair seems to sparkle in the moonlight and flow in the breeze. Leena conceals a smile. She is by no means a genuine knight. Unlike Aria, a career soldier who has dedicated her life to the country, she is just here as part of her job.
“I will inform the troops immediately, Captain Aria.”
“Yes, please do.”
After saying that, Aria began to walk away. Leaving Leena staring up at the night sky.
Veena’s consciousness drifted through a sea of darkness.
Drifting, flowing, drifting again.
Her consciousness moved as if being pulled by the tide of that pitch black ocean.
Where am I?
Nothing around her could give Veena the answer to that question, instead a voice simply roared.
“What is it that thou desires?”
Veena didn’t answer right away. She didn’t understand the meaning or the intent behind those words.
“Fortune? Status? Fame?”
The voice was heavy, and deep as the sea. Like a man’s voice layered atop a woman’s, or a woman’s atop a man’s.
“State your desire.”
Veena still did not answer. Fortune, status and fame were all things that she had cast away. It’s not something she longed for anymore.
“Then, what desire do thou hold?”
She didn’t understand. She didn’t have any desires.
“No. Thou certainly has some ardent desire. State it.”
Still, she did not understand. She didn’t comprehend what this voice was, or how it seemed to be able to read her thoughts.
“Should you desire it, then I shall reveal myself.”
To answer Veena’s question.
“‘The Angelic Author’.”
He introduced himself at last.
“I am the origin point of all magic, the force that binds all the world together.”
He continued.
Although Veena was surprised, she quickly accepted it as fact.
This is just a dream. Such a dream that will fade from memory as soon as she wakes up. But, it was still all very strange.
“Therefore, I ask of you. What is it that thou desires?”
Veena took a deep breath and began to speak with an “I…” but got lost in her own answer. As she did, she woke up.
“Veensama, good morning.”
“Mm…”
It was morning. Veena raised her arm to shield her eyes from the sunlight that streamed into their room.
She felt like she was dreaming of something, but she couldn’t grasp the memory of it.
“…Yua, good morning.”
“If you’re awake, I’m going to make some breakfast Veensama.”
“Mm, okay…”
Veena slowly peeled herself out of bed still half asleep and began to undo the buttons on her pyjama top.
Her breasts spill out as soon as she undoes the second button. The freedom feels great.
When she’s at home, maybe it would be okay to simply walk around like this?
“Veensama, you can’t go around looking sloppy like that. Please sort yourself out.”
She received a firm telling-off.
“Ah, you’re right. I’m sorry.”
Veena folded up her nightwear on top of her bed and changed into the white dress that Yua had laid out for her.
“Gauu!” Sylph who had been sleeping on the dress protests at being woken from their comfortable slumber.
“I’m sleepy as well, but if I have to get up then so should you.”
“Gu…”
Opening their large mouth, Sylph yawns and scratches at their eyes. Yeah, that’s cute.
Veena picks up Sylph and starts to walk still barely awake. Taking the bed sheets that Yua had cleaned, she began to make her bed.
Before, this was the kind of thing that she would do with magic, but she’s beginning to find some fulfilment in doing it by hand.
Honestly, she didn’t quite understand why she felt that way.
“All done. Veensama, let’s have breakfast.”
“Okay…”
“Gyun~”
The girl and the dragon follow Yua from the room to the dining table. The smell of fried fish fresh from the pan tingles the noses of Veena and Sylph, and makes them realize just how hungry they are.
“That smells good.”
“Yes. Since I got some freshly caught ones, I thought it would be good to have a fish main for breakfast today. Do you prefer red meat or fish, Veensama?”
“Hmm… I like both. But, if you pressed me, I suppose it’s fish.”
“Thank goodness.”
Yua smiled brightly, and Veena’s cheeks relaxed as well. Sylph is still fighting off sleep.
The two of them sat at the table and offered thanks for the meal. Sylph’s portion was eaten off a dish on the floor.
Dragons are omnivorous. Be it meat, fish, vegetables, or anything. They will eat it all. Even something that would be a deadly poison to a human is just a simple meal for a dragon. Perhaps the only thing that a dragon can’t eat is its own flaming breath.
“Yua, it’s delicious.”
“Gau!”
Yua was relieved at the two positive reviews.
With the meal finished, Veena prepared to leave.
It’s a hassle, but she can’t avoid her new work.
Repairing the mountainside that was blasted through by that dragon. It seems strange that this is something a hunter has to do, but apparently, it is part of their duties.
Of course, she isn’t tackling this task alone.
Other hunters are also contracted to help out.
(Haa… Really though, I’d rather just relax with Yua some more.)
She may lament, but inevitably Yua sees Veena off as she departs. The form of Sylph rested on her shoulder, invisible to everyone but those two people.