Black Killer Whale Baby [EN]: Chapter 137

Chapter 137

Ten years. I frowned. That was disgustingly long.

‘Dad will die before then.’

But instead of panicking like before, I said cheerfully,

“Reduce it.”

“Yes? How am I supposed to reduce it?”

“What if you had astronomical amounts of money and people? I’m asking hypothetically.”

Levi furrowed his elegant brow, then raised both hands in surrender, as if giving up.

“…Five years.”

“Too long.”

“Four years. That’s really the absolute minimum. This is only possible with my active cooperation and that of the Beastkins with detection abilities.”

“Is that so?”

I pondered for a moment, then smiled brightly.

“Shall we reduce it to two years?”

If we push our strategist, who knows what he might come up with.

That was something I had learned very well in my third playthrough.

As expected, Levi’s face crumpled like a piece of trash.

“Um, this might sound presumptuous since we haven’t seen each other in a while, but… you don’t think of me as some kind of tool that spits out ingredients when you press a button, do you?”

Well, I kind of do.

“Do you think I’m a library that dispenses strategies when you press a button!”

The dying words of Levi from previous timelines seemed to echo.

I felt a pleasant sensation and laughed heartily.

“You’re not saying it’s impossible, are you?”

“……”

“And if I say this, would you hate it?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Isn’t it a cheap price for a life?”

“…Damn it.”

Levi grumbled.

“You value my and Whale’s lives awfully high.”

This was as good as an agreement.

‘If it were impossible, he would have said so.’

He’s the type who wouldn’t do it no matter what if he didn’t want to.

Moreover, those eyes were the eyes of someone who had decided to do it.

“Good. Two years.”

I said this and turned to look at Dad.

“Did you hear that, Dad? In two years… you can be cured?”

I will never let you die again. You can’t die even if you want to.

Who told you to get within the Orca’s obsessive range?

As I was thinking this, Dad stared at me with an indescribable expression.

“You must be very happy?”

Complex emotions rippled across Dad’s handsome face like waves.

It was one of the most turbulent expressions I had ever seen on Dad’s usually stoic and calm face.

However, in the end, all that was expressed was a hand that gently touched my head and a calm, composed voice.

“…I see.”

The fact that the end of his sentence trembled ever so slightly, only enough for me to notice, was a secret I decided to keep to myself.

I couldn’t even begin to imagine how Dad must be feeling.

‘What’s impossible in this world?’

There are humans who regress and dragonkins who manipulate time.

What’s so difficult about curing a disease or procuring those difficult ingredients?

I decided to think like that.

“Don’t worry, Dad. This might sound incomprehensible… but the me in front of you is practically a living miracle.”

At least for this moment… I had found a clue to save Dad.

For the first time, I decided to consider this regression a blessing.

“I understand. And… I’ve thought so for a long time.”

Dad smiled faintly and murmured quietly.

“I never thought the day would come when I would feel reassured by having a daughter.”

I grinned and turned my gaze away.

“Levi, go and gather everyone.”

Now, everyone needed was here.

Two years, the most important task during that time is to gather the ingredients for Dad.

And…

“…So, we’ll dedicate the next two years to collecting the ingredients. But in the meantime, there’s something else I need you to do.”

I looked at the future pillars who would support my power, moving my neck from side to side to loosen it up.

It was a habit of mine when attempting something.

“What is it?”

Atlan asked on behalf of everyone.

Agenor looked nervous, Lilibel raised her beautiful eyebrows.

Ilia and Levi looked calm. And Whale too…

“For you to become stronger.”

The first finger pointed at Atlan, Agenor, and Lilibel, grouping the three Orcas together.

The next finger pointed at Levi.

“For you to become smarter.”

Levi frowned but didn’t argue. My gaze then turned to Ilia.

“To expand your influence. Whether it’s a large or small force, anything is fine.”

Ilia nodded, recognizing her role even before I pointed at her.

Finally, my finger landed on my chest.

Lastly.

“For me to become stronger as well.”

Agenor raised his hand.

“Hey, Little Sister… how much stronger are you planning to get? Aren’t you already strong enough?”

“I agree. You’re already disgustingly strong.”

“No, it’s not enough.”

I have no intention of waiting leisurely.

Like a fierce beast in the ocean, I will rush towards the head of the family at the top.

“You know what?”

I asked with a smile, and Atlan replied with a reluctant expression.

“…No, I don’t know what you’re going to say, but isn’t it scariest when you make that kind of face?”

“Some abilities bloom in life-or-death crises.”

“…And?”

“Especially combat-related stats, they grow significantly in real battles rather than practice. You guys must know this fact.”

At that, the faces of Agenor and Atlan, who had been under my command, turned either pale or gaunt.

Only Lilibel frowned as if she didn’t understand, but she didn’t argue, seemingly having some idea of what I was getting at.

“So, what are you going to do? Start a war in the family?”

“No? Excessive conflict is counterproductive at this point. Instead, I’ve turned my attention outward.”

“Outward?”

“Yes, what we need to do now is to catch the Head of the Family’s eye.”

Although I have emerged as a strong candidate, the final decision ultimately rests in the hands of the Head of the Family.

And I know what the old woman would like the most.

“Where else can we get proper training while catching the Head of the Family’s eye?”

The most ancient conflict on this land is the conflict between sea creatures and land creatures.

Besides, I happen to have an excuse.

“I’m the Dragon’s Bride.”

“…!!”

Everyone looked puzzled or bewildered by the sudden revelation.

I continued before anyone could speak.

“And I’m planning to go to the Dragon City again soon as the Dragon’s Bride.”

I don’t remember all the ingredients since so many were needed to cure Dad’s illness, but I know this.

Ingredients I listened to carefully.

‘Some ingredients can only be obtained from the land of land animal Beastkins [humanoids with animal features].’

And Dragon City is actually… a place where all the goods from the land animal territory and the aquatic animal territory gather and intersect.

‘It’s a great place to gather ingredients.’

However, Levi will have to come with me for the ingredients. It’s okay since he’s already become an essential member of my party.

‘Of course, I would have gone to Dragon City even if I hadn’t heard about the ingredients.’

For five years, the image of the baby snake who was left in that hellish place for Ekion’s sake has remained like a debt in the corner of my heart.

‘Ekion will be happy.’

Now, it’s time to pick up our baby snake two years earlier than promised to Tus.

* * *

Of course, Calypso’s decision was met with opposition.

Of course, was Calypso Aquasidel the type of person to care about the objections of her subordinates?

Atlan thought this, but he couldn’t hide the words that naturally flowed out.

“…Are you crazy?”

“Yeah. How about it? It’s a great excuse, right? A great excuse to go to Dragon City!”

“Excuse or not!”

The people here were the ones who knew best what the ‘Dragon’s Bride’ was.

Isn’t it a place to go to die!

Of course, everyone knew that Calypso wasn’t someone who would die easily.

But that was a separate matter.

‘Besides, that damn Dragon Duke bastard is right here, where are you going?!’

However, among the subordinates who were making reluctant expressions, only Atlan was jumping up and down.

If you were to pick someone here who had a strong grudge against land animals, it would be Atlan, who was just as deep as Calypso.

‘I knew he would jump up and down like this.’

Calypso, who had been listening to Atlan’s shouts for a while, said bluntly.

“Be quiet.”

It’s not like Calypso didn’t think before she spoke. In reality, this is just an excuse, and she’s just going to cause a bit of chaos.

Of course.

“I have a good plan?”

Calypso, smiling like that, was exactly like a certain image Atlan remembered.

‘…Didn’t she make that face when she declared war?’

* * *

A few days later, my face, which should have been smiling brightly because things were going well, was serious.

That’s because…

‘Dragonkin can’t open his eyes.’