The Strongest Daughter-In-Law Of The Black Lion Family [EN]: Chapter 165

#165.

At Cersia’s command, Cainrich quickly clarified.

“Of course. I mean, is there anything else you need?”

“Oh, here I go again.”

Only then did Cersia relax her stance.

‘Come to think of it, Cainrich has a tendency to be very devoted to his benefactors. Having been indebted to Zerachiel and now me, he seems eager to help in any way possible,’ she mused.

“What do you take me for?”

Cainrich grumbled quietly but gestured for her to speak.

Cersia pondered for a moment before opening her mouth.

“Hmm, then could you send a messenger to the Javice territory to inform them of the situation here? I think they should be aware of what’s happening.”

The Javice Castle seemed unaware that the epidemic was still spreading outside. She had roughly informed Merina of the upcoming situation and taken measures, but it was always better to be cautious.

“Alright. Leave it to me.”

Cainrich flexed his muscles, burning with fighting spirit.

Afterward, without further delay, they headed to Hebel.

Cainrich was worried about entry, but that was because he didn’t know Cersia had made a contract with Kirin [a mythical hooved creature often depicted with scales and antlers, symbolizing good omen and nobility in East Asian cultures].

As Kirin’s power made all three of them invisible, Heathcliff was particularly amazed.

“When did you make a contract with another sacred object? You didn’t use this power last time.”

Cersia replied nonchalantly.

“I told you, I was going to raid the vault soon.”

“…You were serious?”

As expected, Heathcliff, being the model student, seemed shocked by the fact that it was a ‘stolen sacred object.’

Before he could say anything, Ella retorted bluntly.

“They’re taking things out and using them as they please, so what’s wrong with stealing some?”

“I haven’t said anything yet.”

“It’s written all over your face that ‘it’s a bad thing.'”

“…Sorry.”

Heathcliff apologized with a sullen face. It was a little pitiful how he was intimidated by Ella.

Cersia glanced at Ella.

‘But it seems like Ella’s heart has softened compared to before.’

After Heathcliff and Ella both regained their memories, it greatly helped resolve their past misunderstandings. Now that they knew the truth, she no longer had any reason to hate him.

In fact, it was all because of Ebensev. Nothing good ever came from that woman’s involvement. It was as if she deliberately sabotaged everything around her.

Cersia, who had been smiling thanks to the two of them, once again fell into worry. Even a brief moment of respite was always filled with concerns.

‘Is Zerachiel alright?’

According to Ella, he had been affected by the Ruby of Binding and lost his mind. If so, he might be being manipulated by Ebensev even at this moment.

Moreover, now that he had followed Ebensev, there was no telling what might happen to him.

Even in the other world, she had been trying to hold onto Zerachiel, who was driven mad, and do something with him.

* * *

With such mixed feelings, they arrived at Hebel, which seemed as peaceful as ever.

No, that’s what she thought, but there was something subtly different about the atmosphere. The priests passing by all seemed busy.

Then Ella murmured quietly.

“Ah, now that I think about it, it’s almost the Day of Atonement.”

“Day of Atonement?”

“Yes. Tomorrow is the day of the Divine Beast’s Descent. On that day, Mishr holds the Day of Atonement to commemorate the Divine Beast’s Descent. It’s also the only day Naaman can enter Mishr.”

“I see.”

Naaman, the head of Hebel, was not allowed to enter Mishr except on permitted days. It was because he couldn’t handle the power there.

However, he could freely enter and exit on the Day of the Divine Beast’s Descent. Other than that, he was not allowed to enter except in special cases.

‘The timing is very coincidental,’ Cersia thought.

The Day of the Divine Beast’s Descent is the day when the Divine Beast’s power is most abundant.

Especially in Hebel, which was once the Divine Beast’s habitat, his presence becomes even stronger.

Therefore, most of the Soo-in [a race or group of people with unique abilities or characteristics] avoided entering Hebel as the Day of the Divine Beast’s Descent approached. It was because they were more greatly affected by the fog than usual.

“No wonder I felt heavier than usual.”

Hearthcliff said, rotating his shoulders.

Indeed, the fog became thicker as the Day of the Divine Beast’s Descent approached.

Unlike Ella, who had no pheromones, and Cersia, who was immune to the fog, it would be even more difficult for Heathcliff to use his powers.

Ella asked with a worried expression.

“Are you alright, Cersia?”

“I feel even more refreshed.”

“It’s amazing. How are you not affected by the fog at all?”

“It must be because I’m the reincarnation of Larien.”

Cersia shrugged, answering casually.

The fact that she felt comfortable when she first came to Hebel.

And that she wasn’t affected by the fog.

It was all because she was the first child chosen by the Divine Beast.

Knowing that fact, it all made sense why she felt so comfortable in Hebel.

Although she eventually left Hebel on her own, Hebel still didn’t reject her.

The meaning of that was clear. It meant that the Divine Beast’s wrath had subsided to some extent.

If he was still angry, entry itself might have been impossible.

Cersia felt her body lighten and gazed at the Mishr River.

In that place, she felt she could purify Zerachiel’s madness without much difficulty, even in her current state.

Then Ella said.

“Thinking about it again, it’s amazing. Cersia is the reincarnation of the first Saintess Larien, and Zerachiel is the reincarnation of her partner. They must have been drawn to each other even after a thousand years, right?”

“I don’t know. Would you call that being drawn to each other?”

Cersia recalled the tree where she first encountered Zerachiel.

Of all the escape routes, she happened to fall on his head, and she happened to dance like a madwoman in front of him to attract his attention.

And she was fed and rolled around by him every day as a pet.

Until then, she never dreamed that she would be connected to Zerachiel in this way.

That thought naturally brought back a memory.

‘Come to think of it…’

The first meeting between Larien and Basilius.

Back then, Basilius was so hungry that he tried to eat me.

How hungry must he have been to wander around in a state where he couldn’t even transform into a human and end up in Hebel?

She still vividly remembered subduing the attacking Black Lion and providing him with food.

Looking at it this way, it seems like a tenacious relationship. Somehow, they had each fed and sustained each other once.

“I guess you could say they were drawn to each other.”

“Pardon?”

“Never mind.”

Cersia chuckled and changed the subject.

“First, it’s best for Heathcliff not to move around alone until his body stabilizes. It might put unnecessary strain on him.”

“It seems like I’m unintentionally holding you back.”

As Heathcliff looked dejected, Cersia shook her head.

“Not at all. Thanks to you, we were able to get this far.”

“I’m grateful that you say so.”

Only then did Heathcliff’s face relax. Seeing this, Cersia brought up the main point.

“Then, since Kirin’s invisibility has a time limit, let’s meet back here before sunset. You move as a team with Ella.”

“Wait a minute. Weren’t we moving together? Why only us…?”

“I have somewhere else to go. Don’t worry, I’m not going to do anything dangerous.”

“Still…!”

“Then see you later!”

Cersia quickly moved away, leaving behind the worried Ella. It was because she had a place to stop by in secret.

* * *

At that moment, Zerachiel suddenly regained consciousness and looked around.

‘Why am I here?’

There was no one in the space surrounded by curtains.

He was sure he had been confronting the Sarvan family head just now.

Trying to think made his head ache again. His mind was as if shrouded in fog, making it difficult to stay conscious.

It was as if he was refusing to think for himself.

Moreover, his body felt heavy, as if he were inside Hebel.

Just as he was about to bite his tongue, fearing that he might fall asleep again,

Clatter.

Zerachiel belatedly recognized that he had a collar around his neck and frowned.