The Strongest Daughter-In-Law Of The Black Lion Family [EN]: Chapter 155

#155.

‘Could he be a priest of Hebel after all?’

I’d heard that only those without pheromones are free in Hebel. If that’s the case, the beastman in front of me must be a priest of Hebel.

Why is he not only telling me to run away but also urging me to do something impossible?

Unable to resolve her questions, Ella increased the distance between herself and the mysterious beastman, answering cautiously. Usually, such kindness often hides ulterior motives.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Seeing this, Chelsia sighed softly.

The moment she saw the pheromone fruit, Chelsia was certain.

‘He’ who Ella had met while imprisoned was her.

Thinking about it, there was no other beastman who would visit the imprisoned Ella. With even Heathcliff, whom she trusted most, betraying her, who would try to help her?

Moreover, finding Ella hidden deep in the underground prison was highly difficult. It would be absolutely impossible without using a sacred object like she did.

‘To think that was me.’

Now she understood why Ella couldn’t remember ‘his’ face.

Perhaps the world Chelsia had crossed over to was connected to the other world.

So, this was the world before Ella’s regression.

And what happens here affects the other side.

The reason Ella’s memories weren’t complete was because Chelsia hadn’t time-traveled yet.

If she didn’t give Ella the pheromone fruit here, the healing pheromone would remain with Ella.

If that happened, the result might not be much different from the current future.

‘I must give Ella the pheromone fruit to return to where I belong.’

Perhaps from this moment on, Ella in the other world might also remember her. That ‘he’ she knew was actually Chelsia.

Then, Chelsia had only one thing to do.

Make Ella discard her pheromones to her.

Chelsia cleared her throat and spoke solemnly. To make Ella believe her without revealing her identity, she had no choice but to invoke the Divine Beast.

“Ahem! I am actually a messenger carrying out the orders of the Divine Beast.”

But what to do? She was so immersed in her role that Ella seemed to think she was a crazy beastman.

Ella asked back with a bewildered face.

“……Excuse me?”

“…….”

“…….”

An unbearable silence flowed between them.

Chelsia, who came to her senses first, raised her chin solemnly. Now that she had started, she planned to push through shamelessly to the end.

“Ahem. Originally, the principle is to act without revealing myself, but I couldn’t just pass by, so I showed myself like this.”

Chelsia rattled on about herself as if she were making excuses, then took out a pouch from her pocket. It was a quick move to prevent Ella from questioning her.

“Take this.”

Ella, who had received the pheromone fruit in a daze, wore an unknowing expression.

“What…… is this?”

“That’s called a pheromone fruit. If you fill the fruit with your pheromones, it will ripen red.”

“Pheromone fruit…….”

Ella stared blankly at the fruit. She didn’t even know such a fruit existed in the world.

Well, Ella, who hadn’t even lived for 100 years, couldn’t possibly know about the pheromone fruit that disappeared a thousand years ago.

Ella said.

“How is that related to getting rid of pheromones?”

“If the pheromone fruit ripens red, you will lose your pheromones.”

“!”

“Why? Are you scared now that you’re going to lose your pheromones?”

“……It’s not that. I just never thought there would be a way to get rid of them.”

“It would normally be impossible. But with me, it’s possible.”

Ella only blinked her eyes at the words, patting her chest. She looked like she didn’t know whether to trust the beastman.

‘To think there would come a time when Ella wouldn’t trust me this much.’

At this moment, Chelsia missed the obedient Ella who always said, ‘I trust you, Chelsia!’ no matter what she said.

“Anyway. If you use that, you can live like a normal beastman even without pheromones.”

“Normally…….”

Ella rolled the word, which seemed unrelated to her, in her mouth and pondered.

Soon, she clenched the fruit tightly and strengthened her resolve.

“Okay.”

She seemed to have decided to believe her since she had nothing to lose.

Having confirmed Ella’s intention, Chelsia began to deliver information rapidly.

“Then I’ll tell you what to do now, so listen carefully.”

“Yes!”

“First, when the ceremony starts tomorrow, you will be forcibly repatriated to the Room of Choice by the will of the Topaz of Time. The Topaz of Time is hidden in Mishr’s altar.”

“So the sacred object that wasn’t in the report was actually there.”

“That’s right. Mishr is a place where you can’t enter carelessly, so the priests of Hebel couldn’t find it.”

Ella had a confused look on her face at the sudden information.

Chelsia continued her explanation based on what she had heard from Ella in the other world, after the regression.

“After that, you will regress to a time when you haven’t met Heathcliff. At that time, leave the fruit that you made red in advance at the place of regression and leave. Then your fate will be transferred to someone else.”

“……Is that really all it takes? Are there no other costs?”

“Yeah. There aren’t any. You’ve paid enough of a price here.”

To go through hardships due to pheromone manipulation and eventually be forced to die.

On the other hand, Ella, whom she met in the other world, didn’t seem so sad, even though she had shadows.

Because she laughed and cried often in front of her and lived a fairly normal life.

‘I will protect your life.’

As she was thinking that, Ella, with reddened eyes, lowered her head.

“Thank you, Messenger.”

‘I thought she didn’t believe me, but she still calls me Messenger, so she must believe me. That’s a relief.’

Chelsia grabbed her hand tightly and urged.

“Yeah. I’ll take care of everything after that. So don’t worry and don’t blame yourself. This was my choice.”

With those words, Chelsia tried to leave. Seeing this, Ella grabbed the hem of her clothes.

“Wait a minute!”

“Yeah?”

“Why are you helping me?”

“Saving a beastman in trouble is natural as a messenger…….”

Chelsia was about to lie shamelessly but stopped talking. It was because Ella’s expression was too serious.

She couldn’t lie here.

Chelsia mumbled, bowing her head shyly.

“Because…… I’m your friend.”

Following that, Chelsia, who raised her head, smiled and said to Ella.

“So don’t worry about anything and wait for me there.”

“Wait a minute……!”

Chelsia, who didn’t have any more time, disappeared.

Ella, who saw her disappear without a trace in front of her eyes, sighed softly.

“Ah.”

After that, Ella only stared blankly at the place where Chelsia had disappeared, holding the pheromone fruit tightly.

* * *

After bringing the pheromone fruit to Ella, what I did was investigate Naaman.

When I saw him stealing sacred objects from the treasury, I was convinced that he was in collusion with Ebensev.

From the beginning, there was no other reason to steal items that only the saintess could use.

So, before returning to the original world, I intended to confirm Ebensev’s whereabouts.

Why am I so sure I can go back?

Because the White Door will exist here too.

Since I came here by opening the door, the only way to return there would be through the door.

So, until then, I was going to stay as quiet as possible and get all the necessary information.

Unlike my expectations, Naaman didn’t show any other suspicious behavior.

He went to the prayer room three times a day to pray and worship, a truly devout life itself.

If someone who didn’t know he was suspicious saw him, they would be impressed by his faith.

But as someone who witnessed Naaman stealing sacred objects, I was most suspicious of the prayer room he frequented.