Chapter 39

Thank you for the bookmarks, messages, and evaluations.

The plan was to have 7 episodes for "The Secret of the Pioneer Village," but I will post additional episodes tomorrow and the day after to continue and fill in any gaps.

This is "The Story of the Forest Hunter" (2 episodes in total).

m(_ _)m

Thank you very much.

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Noel pondered and asked:

"Can't she go with her lover and be taken care of by her uncle?"

"He's staying at his uncle's house to train, right? Can he bring a woman there?

In the play, he said his parents begged for his training to be approved."

"...No.

It's rejected."

Noel shook her head with a grim expression.

"Right. It's impossible to think about it logically."

"Doesn't she have anyone else to rely on?"

"If she did, she would have already asked them."

"Her uncle did kill her parents, right?"

"The play hinted at that. Her parents died in an unnatural accident.

An accident that makes you wonder why it wasn't investigated further.

Her uncle is the type who could do it. I think he probably did.

It's not a misunderstanding; he's genuinely evil.

Her uncle isn't publicly suspected, though."

Noel thought he might have staged it as a carriage accident or used bandits.

There are many territories where investigations are insufficient, even in the capital. Unfortunately, it's a believable scenario.

"Originally, the house where she and her uncle live is hers, right?

Since she knew about the hidden passage in the secondary residence, can she sneak into the main house?"

"It's possible. If there's a hidden passage in the secondary residence, there's probably an escape route in the main house too."

"Then... what if she steals valuables and runs away to wait for him to return somewhere?"

"Not bad.

But her uncle manages the treasure room strictly with his guards. In the play, he won't return for at least three years. It would be difficult to steal enough valuables."

"In that case, she could steal enough for immediate living expenses and work. She could find a job at a job placement office.

As a waiter in a restaurant or a nanny."

"For that, she would need an ID. Her uncle is a sharp one."

"Also, she's a pure noble lady."

Noel remembered that without an ID, she couldn't use a job placement office.

Reissuing an ID would be impossible for someone with a "complicated" background.

"What about stealing a horse? Selling one would allow her to live for a year. During that time, she could find a job that doesn't require an ID...

But it might be too difficult for a pure noble lady..."

Noel's voice trailed off.

"Right."

"I see.

First, I'll give her uncle a sleeping potion.

I'll get the potion from my herbalist lover, saying I can't sleep."

"Hehe.

The beginning of revenge."

Despite the ominous conversation, Fisis sounded cheerful.

"Then, I'll break his leg."

"Oh my. And then?"

"I'll drop him down the stairs to fake an accident, but not enough to kill him."

"How kind. Not enough to kill him, right?"

"If I saw my loved one brutally murdered in front of me, I wouldn't know, but I'll adjust accordingly.

If his legs are broken, he can't move, and I might be able to avoid marriage.

I'll pretend to take care of him while waiting for her lover to finish training and come back."

There's some doubt about whether a pure noble lady can do this, but Noel thought she could probably hit a man's leg with a blunt object, even if she doesn't know how to work or steal horses. It's just a matter of determination.

"Interesting, Noel. You're brave, a fighting queen."

When Fisis said this, Noel froze, saying, "Eh?"

It seems she failed. Noel didn't want to be a fighting queen.

"I would run to a convent."

When Fisis said this, Noel hung her head, thinking, "That was an option..."

She might have talked about an outrageous plot.

--- But, I feel a bit regretful about quietly running to a convent. Plus, some convents are harsh environments, and it's not easy to leave... But maybe a convent is better for a pure noble lady.

While Noel was lost in thought, Fisis laughed, "Hehe," bringing her back to reality.

"If there was no convent to run to... or if the convent was too far away, she could gather some poisonous mushrooms or plants and put them in the soup. Choose one that would make her bedridden.

It's better to die without suspicion than to be suspected of murder. Her uncle wouldn't want to make a fuss."

"Seems healthier than jumping from the balcony without resistance."

Noel answered, still feeling drained.

"Healthy... I'm sure the public opinion would be to marry the uncle... though."

"Maybe. The world can be quite harsh to women.

To be defiled by a wicked enemy."

Noel involuntarily frowned.

"Right. After all, a noble lady who can't do anything has almost no options.

She's never walked around the city alone. If such a girl loses her home, she'll end up in a brothel. If she's kidnapped by human traffickers, it's even worse.

That's why the girl in the play threw herself. The noble audience accepted it.

The popular songstress sang beautifully and pitifully about her unmet lover. When she threw herself from the window, the female audience cried until they ran out of handkerchiefs, honestly. They didn't say, 'It's a bad feeling,' like Noel."

When Noel looked uncomfortable, Fisis laughed, "It was a nice answer. Not sarcastic, really."

"By the way, Noel. What do you think the previous queen answered?"

"...The previous queen? I've never met her, so I don't know..."

"Use your imagination.

You must have heard some rumors?"

"If you want my imagination... "

Noel thought for a moment.

The queen had only bad impressions. Everyone said she was forced to be a queen. Noel herself was almost falsely accused.

--- She's selfish and loyal to her own feelings.

"Would she go with her lover? Without thinking about the future, just run away and follow him."

"Right, maybe a bit close.

The correct answer is to introduce her lover to her uncle and get his approval."

"Eh? But...

The queen saw the play, right?

Her uncle killed her brother and sister-in-law to marry her, didn't he?"

Noel tilted her head.

"Right.

Her uncle's main goal was probably her brother's wealth. Getting a beautiful niece might be a bonus."

"Her uncle wouldn't recognize her happiness, would he? Would watching the play lead to a different conclusion?"

"Noel.

Don't think the previous queen's sense was normal.

After watching that play, no one would think to introduce their lover to their uncle. It's crazy.

If she loved her lover, it would be an impossible choice.

The queen was that kind of person.

She would force the worst choice on her beloved for her own desires.

Was she born thinking only of herself? Or did she become that way?

It wasn't just in the play; it was in reality too."

Fisis is right.

The king the queen loved suffered and died.

Noel was terrified.

The previous queen seemed like a devil in a beautiful face.

Just before leaving, Fisis leaned in close to Noel.

"I'm grateful to you for freeing those children."

Noel was confused.

Fisis whispered in her ear.

"The trees in the Enchanted Forest were happy to be burned, right?"

"Oh... Yes."

Noel remembered the smiling flames.

"You noticed, didn't you?"

Fisis nodded in satisfaction.

"I noticed, or maybe it was just my imagination. The flames of the burning trees looked like smiles.

I burned so many. They all looked like smiles."

"It wasn't just your imagination. Those children wanted to thank you.

The Northern Enchanted Forest was a new forest.

So, the forest was suffering.

The old Enchanted Forest isn't a forest anymore. It's not even trees.

It's been corrupted by miasma into something else.

But the Northern Enchanted Forest was different.

It wanted to return but couldn't. It wanted to die but couldn't.

It's my foolish brother's fault. Stupid brother.

Thank you for cleaning up after my foolish brother."

Fisis smiled gently at Noel.

"No, I just did what I had to do."

"As a thank you, I'll tell you my secret.

It might not be a proper thank you, but...

I'm a plant empath. An incomplete one, not very powerful.

I can only sense things. Whether it's a blessing or a curse.

Being incompetent meant I could be irresponsible, which was a blessing.

I could just be Luka's wife."

Fisis shrugged and continued.

"Our royal family occasionally has people with unusual abilities.

I was a little bit 'that.'

I heard many stories from plants. The stories from the Enchanted Forest were only painful.

The stories I couldn't hear with my ears were beautiful."

Even as Fisis called them beautiful, her smile made Noel feel a pang of sadness.

"Hey, Noel. Where will such a child be born next?

I was a failure, but the next child might be amazing.

I'm glad I was incompetent. But those children will use their abilities joyfully, I'm sure.

Since they were born to use 'that.'

Take good care of them."

"Of course, I will."

"Hehe.

You know, I fell in love with Luka because he didn't laugh or be surprised when I told him I could hear the forest's voice.

He calmly said, 'You're a plant empath.'

He made it sound so normal.

That's why I proposed to him."

Noel returned to the capital with a strange feeling after meeting Fisis.

When she realized she was pregnant, she couldn't stop thinking about her conversation with Fisis.

It was seven years ago.

◇◇

After that incident. The Northern Enchanted Forest was decided to be jointly managed by two territories. A few years later, the Enchanted Forest retreated, and it returned to its former state.

"The Battle Begins Suddenly! The Secret of the Pioneer Village" (End). Thank you very much.

I will post again tomorrow at 8 or 9 AM.