The Strongest Daughter-In-Law Of The Black Lion Family [EN]: Chapter 114

#114.

This story unfolded differently than I expected. Ella protested, her voice trembling.

“…But you made a contract with the Sapphire of Order. Doesn’t that mean you’re safe now?”

“So, you knew I came to Hebel to get Jonathan. Well, you’ve already read the report, so you must have known.”

“…Lady Cheresia, I—”

“Actually, the deal with Jonathan was just a temporary measure. They say we have to either eliminate one of the pheromones or prevent the awakening.”

“That’s impossible…”

I never imagined that passing on fate would mean something like this.

In the end, Cheresia was in mortal danger because of the pheromone I discarded.

It was a disaster that I threw it away without knowing she had pheromones.

Once a pheromone is transferred, it can’t be returned. That’s why ‘he’ advised me to make a careful decision.

“What to do…”

As Ella slumped, Cheresia helped her up.

“It’s okay. Tabbi said there’s still a way. We just need to find a guardian called the Opal of Nothingness.”

“But the Opal of Nothingness is a sacred object whose whereabouts are unknown.”

“That’s true…”

Cheresia looked awkward, wondering why Ella was so agitated.

Just then, Zerachiel returned from his meeting with Zacari, interrupting their conversation.

“Chi Chi.”

“Did the talk go well?”

In response to Cheresia’s gentle question, Zerachiel leaned his head against hers and murmured.

“Yeah. It looks like it’s going to be a bit noisy for a while.”

“That’s to be expected.”

Cheresia shrugged nonchalantly, and he turned to Ella.

“You probably won’t be able to return to Hebel either.”

“Pardon?”

“From tomorrow, Zavisi’s territory will be closed to outsiders. The Hebel Treaty will also be temporarily suspended.”

“Suspended? Are you planning to start a war?”

Ella retorted sharply, a rare sight. It was as if she was channeling the Zerachiel she knew from the future.

Regardless, Zerachiel simply repeated what he had to say.

“I intend to capture the Butterfly gang, even if it means war. They are a threat not only to Zavisi but to the entire Amitaras continent.”

“Ah…”

“They are a group that deliberately tried to stir up the continent by exploiting Zavisi’s madness. If you oppose Zavisi knowing this, it can’t be helped.”

Indeed, Zavisi’s madness was the main culprit behind the great disaster 100 years ago.

To deliberately try to unleash such an existence made them public enemies of the Amitaras continent.

Ella hesitated and said.

“But there are more clans involved with the Butterflies than you think. Is Zavisi strong enough to deal with them all? A coalition might be necessary…”

“If they were beasts capable of forming a coalition, Hebel’s mediation wouldn’t have been necessary.”

Ella fell silent at Zerachiel’s dismissal.

Their friendship had been barely maintained by Hebel [a neutral territory that mediates disputes].

In particular, the Lion Territory in the south and the Hyena Territory in the north were like sworn enemies.

Besides, Zavisi had never used his full power properly. He was always afraid of accelerating his madness.

But after Zacari completely overcame his madness, Zavisi had hope. The hope of being free from this tiresome madness.

A life that seemed destined only for a miserable death was suddenly continuing with vivid colors. And at the center of it was Cheresia.

Zerachiel said.

“So, Chi Chi.”

“Yeah?”

“I want you to stay within the territory for a while, even if it’s a bit stifling. At least until you become an adult.”

The most important person to Zerachiel right now was Cheresia. As long as Cheresia’s safety was secured, no Suin [beast-people] could stop Zerachiel.

“Ah.”

“By then, your pheromones will be stable.”

“Well, that’s true…”

Cheresia smiled awkwardly. The truth was that the moment she became an adult was the most critical, but she couldn’t tell Zerachiel that.

He was already so overprotective; what would he do if he knew the truth?

Zerachiel, who was completely unaware of this, seemed only worried that she would become a target of her rivals before she became an adult.

Cheresia nodded firmly.

“Don’t worry. I’m not stupid enough to do anything dangerous recklessly.”

“You’re too smart, that’s the problem.”

Zerachiel chuckled and lightly stroked Cheresia’s hair. He whispered softly with a tender look.

“Even if you refuse, I’ll try not to confine you.”

“It’s a little scary that you even thought about confining me in the first place.”

“Is that so?”

Zerachiel giggled. Cheresia stared at him and thought.

‘I just need to find a way before I become an adult.’

Her life had never had a clear answer anyway.

She had no choice but to trust herself.

First of all, she felt like she had done her part just by saving Zacari and preventing Zerachiel from going crazy, unlike in the original story.

So, she could do even more than this.

Cheresia smiled brightly and said.

“You don’t have to worry about me.”

“Okay.”

With those words, Zerachiel simply rested his forehead against Cheresia’s.

* * *

The next day, a box containing a part of Victor’s body was sent to the representatives of each clan, along with a piece of stone tablet engraved with the Hebel Treaty.

It stated that the cause of the recent rampage was the work of the Butterfly gang and requested the cooperation of each territory in suppressing them.

In other words, it meant that they would use force if they did not cooperate.

It was the moment when the Hebel Treaty, which had been maintained for over 100 years, was broken in vain.

After that, forces that opposed Zavisi’s unilateral treaty breach and forces that cooperated with Zavisi were formed, and they began to confront each other.

Zavisi did not hesitate to capture those suspected of being Butterfly gang members, even if they were from other territories.

It was the moment when the era of peace ended and the era of the Cold War began.

* * *

It had been three years since the Hebel Treaty was broken, led by Zavisi, and the continent was divided into south and north, confronting each other.

In the meantime, many suspected Butterfly gang members had been captured, but their base was still unknown due to their cut-off escapes.

Since they couldn’t find it even by stirring up the south, they were speculating that the base was in the north.

However, they were having difficulties with the suppression because the cooperation of the north was not smooth.

This was because the northern clans, led by the Page family, were strongly opposed to Zavisi’s dominance.

Since the north was already well-united, it was not easy to find a gap to exploit.

At this rate, it was difficult to avoid a war between the south and the north. There had already been several local wars at the border.

If either side attacked the mainland first, there was a risk of a continental war breaking out.

At this point, when Hebel’s mediation had become useless, Page unexpectedly proposed negotiations first.

Thanks to the bilateral talks that took place dramatically in a volatile situation, the war fever subsided.

Unless something special happened, the two families would soon meet in the northern snowfields to conclude negotiations.

Meanwhile, Cheresia had safely completed her adulthood a few days ago.

It was slower growth compared to Zerachiel, who had completed his adulthood two years ago.

At first, there were no signs of adulthood, so the whole family was worried.

Perhaps the vast amount of pheromones had hindered her body’s growth.

Just before the whole family’s overprotection of Cheresia went too far, signs of adulthood finally appeared in Cheresia.

Cheresia stretched as if the morning air she smelled today was refreshing.

Now a perfect adult, Cheresia had lost her cute baby fat, and the curves of her body were clearly different from before.

Her shimmering long hair sparkled with brilliant silver, and her clear, bright pink eyes were as radiant as the sunset in the summer sky.

Ella, who was now Cheresia’s aide and bodyguard, could not hide her joy and said.

“Congratulations again on your adulthood, Lady Cheresia. You’ve worked so hard.”