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Chapter 246

It was the morning after Lenia’s attack on Demon Lord Yaheim, an ambush that plunged the upper echelons of the Demon Lord’s army into chaos.

The turbulent night in the dark wilderness brought about by this young lady—the strongest and most wicked celestial magic beast in existence—finally passed. Even the sun would be relieved that such mayhem had not occurred while it hung in the sky.

Dran and Dreadnought were probably the only ones beyond the dark wilderness who had a clear grasp of this incident. That was only because these two were constantly surveilling their surroundings, including the barony of Bern.

Dran kept silent about the rare occurrence—or rather, strange event—that happened last night. As for Dreadnought, it was troubled over how to report the matter to Christina. Once it noticed Dran’s reticence, it simply followed suit and kept this incident from Selina, Diadora, and the rest.

Meanwhile, Lenia had returned to the barony of Bern before dawn. In the morning, she had gobbled down several loaves of freshly baked soft white bread, a bowl of mixed vegetable salad, and many servings of cold tomato soup. She even picked the bones clean from a number of fish.

The cooks employed by Christina, some of whom were spies, were superbly skilled, but Lenia’s rather pompous behavior was due to a number of reasons. There was the fact that Dran was present, and her personal desire to congratulate herself for the job well done last night.

Selina batted her lashes as she spoke to Dran who was sitting next to her. Lenia’s stomach growled with exhilaration as if she were witnessing a blue sky peeking from the clouds after days of rain.

「Lenia’s appetite is unusually voracious today. She usually asks for three extra servings of bread, but she’s already on her seventh one now. Oh, the eighth.」

Selina’s gaze fell on Lenia’s hand holding a fist-sized loaf of bread with small pieces of chopped fig on it.

Lenia did not seem to pay any attention to Selina as she spread a colorful jam from a small glass bowl onto the bread as she saw fit. Then, she took small bites of it and continued eating. Even as Lenia was enjoying the bread and chewing away, her left hand was already gripping a large jug filled with fresh milk for her next mouthful.

Dran let out a light chuckle at his daughter’s hearty appetite and gave a placating answer to his beloved snake lady about the situation. The presence of Irina, Kushli, Aznar, and the rest made it hard for him to be honest about Lenia’s solo ambush on the Demon Lord’s army last night.

「She was pretty active last night, so she’s hungrier than usual. Besides, she’s still growing.」

「Hm… I didn’t sense anything like that last night. Well, Lenia sure is capable of moving about without us noticing.」

Selina’s blue eyes were a mixture of acknowledgment and suspicions, with suspicion weighing greater in her gaze.

There was no reason for Lenia to be running about for no good reason. Based on Selina’s past experiences, it was not hard for her to guess that there were circumstances preventing Dran from speaking the truth right now.

In any case, Lenia would not do anything detrimental to Dran. With this thought in mind, Selina resumed her own meal.

Christina, Diadora, Lynette, and the others who knew Lenia well came to the same conclusion as Selina. As for Nelneshia, Aznar, and the rest who were continuing their intense training with the dragons of Mores mountain, along with Lynette, Gundeus, and Kyrlinne, these few were focused on their own conversations.

Lenia, oblivious to the interest and attention on her from those around her, was absorbed in the task of emptying the plate before her. Occasionally, she let out a giggle of amusement that indicated her good mood.

After the mock battle with Vaje, Winchant, and Klaubord, Lenia rarely participated in the ongoing training. One of the reasons for this was the successful demonstration of her strength in defeating Vaje, a dragon that was regarded as superior in capabilities.

Even if Lenia continued to refine her abilities and develop further by engaging in mock battles with dragons, she would not be able to unleash her full strength at the Magic Tournament. This was the other reason for Lenia’s lack of participation in the mock battles.

Manos and Nelneshia were elated to participate in the mock battles, while Kushli and Aznar often fought with determined looks on their faces. At times, they would even engage in mock battles from sunrise to sunset against Selina, Dramina, Lynette, Gundeus, Kyrlinne, and Christina when she had the time to show up.

While the young men of Galois Magic Academy were steadily nurturing the seeds of their talents, Lenia was blessed with the opportunity to accompany Dran who had finished his work earlier in the day.

This promise had already been made before the party’s arrival at Bern village. Rather, it had been set when Dran and Christina were informed of the request for mock battles to be held.

The war with the hostile Demon Lord’s army and other forces was encroaching, and the flow of people and goods in the barony of Bern was increasing daily. Dran’s workload as the lord’s aide was piling up steadily as a result.

However, Dran’s desire to spend time with Lenia who had come all this way outweighed his massive workload. While Nelneshia and the rest were immersed in mock battles, Dran and Lenia decided to take a leisurely stroll around Bern village.

Soon after breakfast, Lenia invited Dran to join her. When Dran readily agreed, Lenia’s joy was as radiant as a garden of flowers in full bloom. That left an impression on Irina as she watched them with a smile.

Dran changed into his usual aide outfit of a white shirt, blue vest, navy trousers, and leather shoes. These clothes were slightly better in quality than those of an ordinary peasant.

Lenia was in a light blue dress with puffed sleeves and elaborate floral patterns embroidered on it. At her neck was a combination of a white collar and a white ribbon, and her long black hair flowed down her back. A straw hat was also on her head. This outfit was probably a gift from Irina and Fatima in Galois or something sent from her parents.

Once Lenia spotted Dran waiting at the main gate of the mansion, her fair cheeks flushed with embarrassment and delight as she scuttled over to her soul’s father.

Dran’s fatherly heart was ever generous and embracing. The sight of his beloved daughter made him relax instantly. Those who were unaware of the true identity of their souls would easily mistake them as budding lovers. No one would be able to tell that the two of them were father and daughter.

「Oh, Dran. Sorry for making you wait.」

「I don’t mind waiting for you, so don’t feel bothered. You’re in an unusually lovely dress today. Did you pick it just for today?」

「Yes. After speaking with Irina, Fatima, and Sierra… They were just nice enough to help me. What do you think? I hope I don’t look too shabby standing beside you…」