LIGHTNOVELWORLD Ch. 49 - Three Guards
She gently coaxed her.
“Miss, if you keep locking yourself in the room, the boss will just worry more.”
“… Levina.”
“My leg is fine now. Do you want to see it? It’s healed cleanly.”
Although the wound on her ankle had left a scar, with time, the sunken flesh would gradually fill out.
Levina wasn’t young anymore, so the doctor didn’t guarantee it would be scar-free, but it didn’t affect her ability to walk.
Yuriana tightly closed her eyes for a moment before asking seriously.
“Levina… aren’t you scared of living in Dark Town? Are you okay with continuing to live here? Have you ever thought about living somewhere else, like Trisha or another place?”
She didn’t know much about the lives of people like Alice or Aidan.
But with Levina’s standing, it seemed like she could live a respectable life in the kingdom.
However, Levina shook her head.
“No, I was born in Dark Town, and like you said, I’ve lived in the capital and some rural territories for a short time too, for a few years.”
“Mm.”
“I have no regrets about returning to Dark Town. Right now, I like it here. I like being by your side.”
Of course, more than 80% of the reason was Yuriana!
If Yuriana ever wanted to live in the capital in the future, Levina was already determined to follow her there.
She had also been saving up all her earnings, only spending on what was absolutely necessary.
“Levina…”
Levina tried not to dwell on the presumptuous word
“Rather than that, how about we go outside for a bit? The boss has assigned new escorts, so it’s really okay.”
“Alright.”
Yuriana took Levina’s hand and finally stepped out of their hideout.
Even though it was Levina who had practically forced her out, Yuriana began to feel better as soon as she breathed in the fresh air.
Levina was right. People lived here too.
Since that day, she had become more curious about the ecology of doppelgangers.
‘Ugh. But if I bring it up, Levina will faint for sure. And I’m not even sure if the doppelganger was really the one who sent the assassin to Dark House that day.’
Given that Dark Town seemed stable for now…
Maybe no one knew. Probably.
She had certainly learned an important lesson from that day.
In movies, the most dangerous moment was when someone rashly said, “Did we get them all?” or “It’s finally over, right?”
That was so true!
‘Ugh, I thought the doppelganger would never appear again after Amira, the former queen, died. I didn’t expect another one to show up.’
“Shall we go this way?”
“Yeah.”
“Don’t go through the alleyways. Stick to the main streets.”
The new escorts that Asil had assigned were three in total. One woman and two men.
Yuriana, feeling curious, asked cautiously.
“What’s your name?”
“….”
The female escort pressed her lips together, clearly not willing to share her name.
Yuriana, ever the brave seven-year-old, wasn’t embarrassed and asked again.
“If I don’t know your name, what should I call you?”
One of the male escorts, the bald one, spoke up.
“Just call us No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3. It’s easier for everyone.”
“But you’re my escorts. Can I ask what weapons you use?”
Her tone was overly innocent!
Levina quickly stepped in.
“Miss!”
“Oh. Was that not okay to ask?”
“Ha. You shouldn’t go around asking strong people about things like that. Remember that.”
“Mm.”
The silent female escort, who Yuriana had dubbed No. 1, remained quiet, while the bald man, now known as No. 2, responded.
“We use whatever we can.”
“Really?”
“Anything that fits in our hands becomes a weapon. We’re not quite on the boss’s level, but we can manage.”
‘Bullshit!’
Levina scoffed internally but didn’t let it show.
With the three escorts in tow, Yuriana and Levina explored every nook and cranny of the area surrounding their hideout.
Life in Dark Town carried on as usual.
‘People must know about the attack on Dark House, even if only secretly, but they all seem to be living their lives peacefully. How strange.’
Maybe it was because everyone trusted Asil’s abilities.
Amidst it all, something caught her eye.
“… what’s that flashy light?”
She glanced toward a neon sign leading down to a basement that read
Levina, upon seeing it, gasped.
“Oh no, when did we get this far? Miss! Don’t look at that.”
“Hmm?”
Judging by Levina’s reaction, it was a casino. Definitely a casino!
A casino running in broad daylight… impressive. As expected of Dark Town.
‘Well, that explains why Alice and my father met at a gambling table in broad daylight.’
Sticking out her tongue, Yuriana turned away and wandered around a bit more before heading back.
When would they be able to return to Dark House?
Yuriana’s small fingers started curling one by one.
‘Ugh, those scary assassins didn’t even set anything on fire. They just broke every single window as if they held a grudge against them. It’ll take time to clean up the mess, buy new glass from the capital, and install it.’
Even if they replaced one window a day, they would be done soon enough.
Living in a place that didn’t feel like home had been going on for a long time now.
She missed the Dark House.
Haa.
The antennae above Yuriana’s head, her silver hair, drooped lifelessly.
“Meow?”
“……”
“Meow!”
Lulu, who had popped out from somewhere, swatted at Yuriana’s hair with her front paws as if trying to catch it.
No way that felt like a threat.
“What… ugh!”
Just as Yuriana was about to respond indifferently.
Lulu’s jiggly belly smacked Yuriana’s face!
Ugh, that didn’t hurt?
Soft and squishy.
The fur on the belly was much softer and warmer than the fur on the back.
Lupedos’ tone might have been haughty, but their Lulu was an angel. Absolutely.
Without realizing it, Yuriana smiled softly.
“Hehe, it tickles.”
As Yuriana chuckled, her shoulders shaking, Lulu wiggled her belly even more, grabbing Yuriana’s head with her paws and shaking her body.
“Kyaa! I said it tickles, Lulu.”
Yuriana’s body eventually toppled over onto the bed.
Lulu continued to press her soft paws into the girl’s calves, making sure Yuriana could feel her warmth.
The warmth of a cat, pulsing softly.
This cat would never raise her claws against Yuriana.
‘Are you comforting me?’
The words that would usually escape her throat instantly were hard to utter.
When Yuriana turned over and laid down, Lulu crossed the sheet and plopped down.
That sight reminded her of something warm and square-shaped.
“Meow…”
“Trying to sit like a loaf cat but can’t manage it, huh?”
Because he was chubby.
There was a time when Yuriana, feeling down, would have Lulu sit on her feet like that for a bit.
As if to share her warmth and say, “It’s okay.”
It brought back memories of those tough days when she scavenged through trash cans.
Yeah. Let’s not be down. No matter how she lived, it was better than back then, right?
Yuriana reached out and gently stroked the back of Lulu’s ears.
“Thank you.”
“Meow…”
“You must be feeling unsettled too, but you keep comforting me.”
“Miaow!”
Lulu cried loudly as if it were only natural.
When Lupedos was in human form, he was a brave wizard who could even stand up to Al, but when he was a cat, he was the gentlest thing in the world.
Yuriana’s head nudged forward, and she brushed Lulu with her cheek.
“No matter what anyone says, Lulu, you’re the best cat in the world.”
“Meow…”
Should Lulu be pleased with this compliment or not?
For a moment, Lulu closed his golden eyes tightly, confused.
The defiant personality of Lupedos only wanted to be a good cat in front of this little girl.
Wasn’t it strange? It was amazing. But it was true.
“Yuriana Litus, who struggles for a lifetime because of one day, won’t be happening. I know how you feel, too.”
“……”
“Promise me, Lulu. So just hang in there a little longer, until spring.”
Yuriana’s face smiled brightly.
‘Your lively expression is better than most spring flowers.’
Lulu blinked his brilliant eyes, conveying those words in his heart.
It was the kind of sappy talk Lupedos would never say in human form.
* * *
March 1st.
On the first day signaling spring, Yuriana was being carried in Asil’s arms, heading somewhere.
“Dad, where are we going?”
“……”
There was no response, unlike usual.
“And where’s Lulu?”
Their dear Lulu!
It was the same even after leaving the Dark House. Lulu never showed his face when he had to turn back into Lupedos.
He said he had to train desperately during that brief time of two or three hours.
‘If only he could’ve come with us.’
Still, Asil kept walking, carrying Yuriana while leaving Lulu behind at their hiding place.
After asking several times but receiving no answer, Yuriana buried her face in her father’s chest and pursed her lips.
Asil carried her, supporting her soft, chubby little body, all the way to their destination.
Well, that extra weight was no more than adding a light bundle of cotton to Asil.
“We’re here.”
Asil murmured softly as he confirmed their destination.
“Yes.”
“Do you want to get down and take a look, or would you rather see from here?”
Yuriana couldn’t see what was ahead since she was cradled in Asil’s arms, facing backward.
It would be easier to get down than try to turn around while being held.
She gently tapped his shoulder with her small fist, and her feet touched the ground.
And as she spun around.
Yuriana was speechless for a moment, doubting her eyes.
What was this?
“Huh?”
Familiar tall trees.
These trees were definitely the barrier trees planted around the Dark House.
If she saw these dense trees that were behind the annex here.
‘Does that mean we came in through the back gate instead of the front?’
Yuriana asked, confused.
“Dad? Are we going to check out the annex first?”
“Pfft…! No, Miss, that’s not it. Even if the trees look familiar, this isn’t behind the annex. Look ahead.”
“Huh?”
Yuriana’s gaze remained low, alternating between the trees, Levina, and Asil.
‘What? Could it be that they installed sun and moon-stained glass windows in my room and that took time?’
She couldn’t even guess what had changed.