29~The Return
“Last time, Dillin, the report you submitted to the school received personal feedback from the principal.” Pushing aside all the bizarre thoughts in her mind, Aistride handed over the file she had been holding to Dillin.
Dillin skimmed through a few pages casually. The gist of the content was that the issues regarding the Ruglien ruin laboratory that he reported had caught the positive attention of Principal Didelai. He mentioned plans to dispatch professionals to investigate Ruglien in the near future, emphasizing the importance of preserving the scene as much as possible before that and not rushing into actions.
Following this was an expression of concern about their Ruglien adventure, reminding them to prioritize their own safety above all else, and only after that, focus on completing their academic work.
It was a rather routine feedback for a report.
The Ruglien laboratory ordeal had come to a temporary conclusion, and the school intended to take full responsibility for handling the situation, not expecting much useful information to come out of it anyway.
Dillin no longer asked further and decided it was more important to focus on treating Princess Filisia’s illness. If they let this sadistic princess grow unchecked, who knew what kind of new antics she’d come up with next.
Dillin sighed helplessly as he glanced at Filisia, who, despite keeping a few steps ahead of him, kept sneaking glances his way.
After a day of rest, the Brilliant Sun and Moon team set off on their journey once again.
Given the lessons learned from their previous experience, this time Tillysha had to accompany the group without a doubt. Facing this dangerous and unknown land, clearly the full force of the team was needed to deliver a powerful punch.
In the early morning, Tillysha stood magnificently in front of the mirror in her room, adorned with hair accessories.
She looked spirited and poised, just like her usual composed self, as if the loss of face and black history in the Secret Realm had nothing to do with her.
Dressed in her school uniform, she walked out of her room with a leisurely pace, entering the living hall where her teammates had obviously prepared to depart.
Princess Filisia wore a revealing sporty outfit, showing a hint of her slightly raised, pale abdominal muscles.
These muscles, which were not overly prominent but certainly noticeable, didn’t seem out of place on Filisia but added to her allure.
Aistride, quite rarely, wasn’t wearing her school uniform either. She opted for an elf-style outfit, featuring a skirt that resembled lotus leaves, paired with slightly see-through stockings and open-toed high heels. Her top was a sleeveless silk blouse with a back cut-out.
Everything was designed for the convenience of movement.
Don’t ask why wearing high heels makes movement easier; elves just aren’t a scientific species. After seeing those two elves capable of photosynthesis in the Secret Realm, Tillysha had come to accept anything as normal.
“Huh?”
“Ugh………”
Just as Tillysha came downstairs as usual with her wooden bow, she noticed something different.
She couldn’t help but notice how her teammates were looking at her more than usual today, their eyes twinkling with curiosity, as if it was their first time seeing her.
“Tillysha sister.”
“What is it, Wenfu? You’re acting like it’s the first time you’ve seen me.” Tillysha moved closer to poke Wenfu’s cute, small nose.
“No, it’s just… Tillysha sister seems a bit different today.”
“Different?”
Tillysha glanced at Wenfu and noticed that her two other teammates subtly agreed with Wenfu’s statement.
“So, exactly what’s different?” Tillysha patted Wenfu’s hair.
“Hmm, this… Wenfu can’t really put it into words, but it feels like Tillysha sister is a bit different from usual. If I had to say, it’s like a complete refreshing change.”
Refreshing change?
Tillysha thought about everything that happened in the Secret Realm. Since she returned, she realized her body had undergone some changes.
The changes in her human form were significant, and if anything, her elf form saw even more dramatic alterations.
While she noticed the changes in her human body – not much but definitely more feminine – she couldn’t discern the changes in her elf form.
Was it because she had gotten too used to her elf body that she couldn’t notice these subtle changes?
Where exactly did the changes occur?
Tillysha tilted her head, cradling her swinging bosoms that seemed to move with her thoughts.
Could it be they’ve changed?
“Hey, why did your first thought go there, huh!” Wenfu complained, pouting slightly.
After all, she regularly drinks milk, eats pork, and her nutrition isn’t lacking in any regard, but why hasn’t she…?
Wenfu glanced down and found that she could still easily see her toes directly. There hadn’t been any change in her size for the past month; her peak remained extremely stable.
Meanwhile, it almost felt like Tillysha had grown some more.
Why does the world have to be so unfair!
Wenfu the more she thought about it, the more her pout deepened.
Why can others grow big from just drinking water, while others try every possible method to drink milk and see no results at all??
Seeing Tillysha’s carefree gestures with teammates, Aistride glanced over and, almost instinctively, commented upon observing the ‘snowscape’ that had seemingly grown slightly, probably by an inch or two.
Upon this remark, the scene fell silent for a while as all eyes turned to Aistride.
“I estimated…,”she added hastily, realizing the weight of her statement after saying it out loud. Trying to maintain her calm, she added nonchalantly.
“Given that you estimated with such certainty and precision, I assume, Aistride, you’ve done plenty of ‘studies’ on this subject?” Tillysha smiled slyly.
Now, no matter how composed Aistride tried to appear, a flush crept onto her cheeks, whether out of embarrassment or something else.
Aistride herself thought her emotions were mainly due to being teased by the other but noticed, more than embarrassment, she felt an excitement.
She shot a playful glare at Tillysha.
Miss Tillysha, always so fond of teasing her!
Princess Filisia watched their interactions with great interest, suddenly recalling Aistride’s feelings for Dillin…
Suddenly, it all grew so intriguing.
After breakfast, the four set off.
Taking the past experiences into account, due to a run-in with a strong enemy last time, each of them scattered, fleeing without even grabbing their luggage, losing many items at Ruglien.
This time, Filisia carried all the luggage while the other three just took their weapons, which would also help Filisia burn off any excess energy.
“Is Mr. Dillin not coming this time?”
“Yeah, Mr. Dillin has his own tasks. He has to write a report on the last investigative task at the estate,” said one of them. Of course, that’s just what they said. In reality, Dillin had completed his report days ago.
An investigative report differs from a proposition report. A proposition report is all talk, full of fancy wording with no real substance since everyone knows it’s just a formality to inform the academy of the team’s specific assignments. On the other hand, an investigative report needs substantial evidence, experiences, and conclusions drawn from practical fieldwork; there’s no room for bluffing, and everything must be factual.
It’s no theoretical essay; one can’t just sit around and concoct things. The truth is, with life-and-d*ath experiences, it’s easy to write something substantial.
“Oh yes, Tillysha.” Reaching Coleman Forest, Filisia handed a crystal shard to Tillysha.
Tillysha recognized it immediately. It was the crystal that fell from the strange monster they defeated that day.
She had felt a connection to the crystal at that moment. The moment she saw it, it felt inexplicably familiar.
“I guess this crystal isn’t ordinary. I kept it for you then. Here, it should belong to you.”
As soon as Tillysha touched the crystal, unsurprisingly, it reacted. Checking her internal panel, she noticed changes: the Realm of the Collective Forest Authority’s power consumption had decreased, and the reserve limit had increased from once a day to twice. Simultaneously, a gem resembling this crystal appeared in the Holy Oblivion’s socket, everything aligning naturally as if it were meant to be.
Additionally, Tillysha observed her power restoration rate had accelerated.
Then, the crystal’s gleam dimmed slightly. She wasn’t sure if it was her imagination.
This gem certainly held some secrets. It was not a coincidence; this crystal may have once been connected to her, or to the original Tillysha.
But why?
Since entering Lan’in Academy, Tillysha had discovered two gems linked to her former identity, all within less than half a year.
Assuming these stones once belonged to the original Tillysha, was it really that coincidental?
Had she been Tillysha for that long, and now these stones rushed to acknowledge her as their new master? Could they have some kind of sentience, recognizing her when she returned?
It was possible; after all, this was a magical world, and she knew little about these stones. Even asking others might not yield useful answers.
If she had to guess among those she knew, it was probably Bilodis who might have an idea.
Unfortunately, Tillysha couldn’t currently ask her, and even if she could, she didn’t want to see her.
If it wasn’t about the stones, is it really possible for such coincidences to exist in this world?
She felt as though she were following a script written for her, making her feel somewhat unreal.
Regardless of the truth, Tillysha remained cautious.
She tried analyzing the crystal with Divine Analysis Technique.
“Essence of Ten Thousand Trees: Rumored to be the leftover ‘raw materials’ when the Elven Mother Goddess created the forests, it seemingly contains the Goddess’s power.”
That was all the Divine Analysis Technique had to say, but it was packed with weighty information.
An artifact from the elven Mother Goddess’s creation of forests, containing fragments of the goddess’s divine power—its archaeological and mystical value was incalculable.
Instead of clarifying things for Tillysha, the analysis only added more questions.
Why would someone who previously owned such a precious relic casually implant it on a monster?
Or was the crystal meant as an energy core, sustaining that composite monster?
Yet, that explanation didn’t entirely make sense. Why would someone place such a dangerous creature inside a laboratory? Furthermore, leaving the crystal implied intentionally rewarding anyone who defeated the monster?
From Tillysha’s observations, whoever constructed that laboratory wasn’t exactly in their right mind and couldn’t be considered normal by any stretch of the imagination. The idea that they would do such a favor out of the kindness of their hearts seemed highly improbable.
Moreover, that individual had accurately anticipated that others would eventually enter the lab. If they wanted to ensure the place remained a secret forever, by placing such an almost unbeatable monster as the final boss, there would have been far quicker, more efficient methods.
—
Miles away, deep within the ruins at Ruglien’s edge in a fortress encircled by debris,
Countless skeletons and furs were piled into a grotesque throne. A tiny figure, with caramel-colored skin, suddenly opened its bl**d red eyes that seemed to glisten with fresh bl**d.
Her crimson eyes scanned afar and revealed a flicker of surprise.
Silver hair cascaded on the ground as the caramel-skinned maiden stepped off the ghastly throne. A flicker from her fingertips caused thunderbolts to flash through the sky, splitting the clouds.
“Is that… you?” The silver-haired, horned maiden’s gaze refused to shift, like someone she deeply cared about, missed, and resented existed there afar.
Her young voice rasped out hoarsely, “Til-li-sha………….!”
—
After much thought, Tillysha came up with no answers. Placing the crystal near her chest, she walked at the back of the group, wielding her wooden bow.
“Ugh………” Unbeknownst to her, Wenfu noticed her move, licked her lips a bit, then followed silently behind.
Good development, indeed—equal to having an extra 4D pocket.
—
When the quartet arrived at Ruglien, they felt a slight chill in the sunlight casting down, as if the world grew colder.
Ruglien seemed the same, except for the decaying wooden sign that marked the end of Coleman Forest. They felt as if they hadn’t left Caleburn at all.
