Read Novel Full Vol 4 Chapter 1 Part 4
Vol 4 Chapter 1 Part 4
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Part 4
Just like when they went out to sea, the sea dragon brought them back to shore.
“Hah, that was so much fun! Okay, next time we play on the beach!”
Luna interrupted Lexia, who was kneeling on the beach.
“Wait, it’s almost sunset.”
“Eh, has it been that long? Hmm, we’ll go to the beach tomorrow! And then play in the ocean again the day after tomorrow!”
“Wow, after all that fun, you’re already ready to play again…!”
“How long are you really planning to stay?”
Giselle tilts her head at the busy Lexia and the others.
“By the way, have you decided where you’re going to stay?”
“Oh. We haven’t yet.”
“It doesn’t look like a tourist island, but is there an inn?”
“There is an inn, but it’s a very simple one… and since there are very few people staying there, it might not be cleaned for a while. It might take a little while to get things ready…”
“We’re just grateful to be able to stay there!”
“And we can do the cleaning ourselves!”
“Well, let’s go negotiate first.”
While Lexia and the others were talking, Giselle interrupted hesitantly.
“Um… if you want, you can stay with me.”
“Uh, is that okay?”
When Lexia rolled her eyes, Giselle’s face lit up.
“Yes, of course! I want to talk to you more now that we’ve become friends. I’d love for you to stay with me!”
“That would be great, I could spend more time with Giselle!”
“Well, I’ll take your word for it.”
“I’m looking forward to staying with you, Giselle-san!”
Giselle took the three of them on a lively walk.
“My house is this way, follow me!”
＊＊＊
As they followed Giselle, they saw a small settlement by the sea.
“Everyone on the island lives in small villages. They are all like a family.”
The people, who seemed to be preparing dinner, looked up when they noticed the four of them.
“Welcome home, Giselle. …Oh, who are these girls?”
“These are my friends.”
Giselle introduced Lexia and the others and greeted them happily.
“Hello, I’m so sorry to bother you!”
“This is Lexia-san, Luna-san, and Tito-san. The three of them are traveling together. We just met today, and we’ve become very good friends.”
“Oh dear…”
The islanders were surprised to see Giselle smiling at them, and then they surrounded Lexia and the others.
“Oh, thank you, dear traveler…!”
“Giselle has a friend…thank goodness, thank goodness…!”
“I wonder how long it’s been since I’ve seen Giselle smile so brightly…!”
“I’m sorry, Giselle. You’ve been lonely your whole life. Oh, thank God…”
The old woman, who seemed to be the chief, bowed her head with tears in her eyes.
“Thank you, traveler… Giselle is a kind girl, as you can see. Please be a good friend to Giselle.”
“Yes, of course!”
The others came in turn, offering their hospitality.
“Here are dried nut sweets, take them.”
“This is a dried local fish, it’s very good when grilled.”
“Is it that good? They all look so good, thank you!”
They thanked them with both hands full of food and left the village.
Lexia’s voice cracked at the warm hospitality.
“The sea is beautiful, the islanders are so friendly, it’s a very nice island!”
“Oh. It just seems a bit exaggerated…”
“It seemed to me that they were very moved by Giselle’s smiling face.”
When Luna and Tito tilted their heads, Giselle pointed to the ocean.
“That’s my house.”
“Wow, a house by the ocean…!”
Tito’s eyes lit up.
Giselle’s house was over the water.
“Come on in.”
They climbed the stairs and entered the house.
Inside was an open structure with the sea breeze blowing through, a hammock, and a large bed canopy swaying.
The terrace overlooked the vast ocean.
“Wawawa, it’s amazing!”
“What a beautiful view!”
“This is a spectacular view.”
“You can even go straight down to the sea from the stairs on the terrace.”
The four of them sat on the terrace and watched the sun sink into the sea.
As the sun set, the horizon turned red, creating a magnificent color palette.
“I’ve never seen such a spectacular sunset!”
“You can even see Mount Aurea over there!”
Mount Aurea was visible from the overhanging terrace.
The bare rock surface looked like it was on fire in the setting sun.
“Ara? There are stars above Mount Aurea.”
Lexia pointed to the darkening sky.
There were two blue-blazing stars.
“It is true. I’ve never seen stars that blue before.”
“Unlike the other stars, it looks very clear.”
“Yes, yes, it does.”
Giselle nodded and looked back at Lexia and the others.
“Anyway, I’d love to hear about your journey.”
“Oh, yes, of course! Oh, where do I start?”
Lexia and the others told Giselle about their journey so far.
They told her about the countries and landscapes they had visited, the people they had met, and the food they had eaten.
“──So I went to a big country in the east called Lianxi Empire, and I ate a lot of baozi! Oh, baozi is a soft dough stuffed with various ingredients…”
“Right, right! Oh, by the way, we were assigned to tutor the Imperial Princess in that Lianxi Empire──mugugu!”
Luna stops Lexia from slipping up.
“Ahem, ahhh. Well, we’ve been to many different places and interacted with many different people. We’ve seen things that only travel can offer.”
“Yes, I’ve seen a lot of things! I have seen the underground ruins of a desert country, the magic tools of a snow-covered empire, and the dragon power of a great power in the east!”
“Oh, you’ve traveled to so many places. That’s amazing!”
Giselle’s eyes lit up.
“I didn’t know that there really was a country covered in deserts and snow… I’ve never left this island, so I only know about it from books.”
“Maybe we can go together someday. I’d love to show Giselle the snowy fields of the Romel Empire and the streets of the Lianxi Empire!”
“! Yes!”
Giselle nodded with a twinkle in her eye──but suddenly, her face clouded over.
“…Yes… someday…”
“Giselle…?”
As Lexia tilted her head towards such an appearance of Giselle.
Boommmm…!
An eerie sound, like crawling on the ground, echoed from the center of the island.
“Kyaaa!”
“What is that sound…?”
“It’s coming from the direction of Mount Aurea…!”
Tito was right; Mount Aurea was roaring low.
The atmosphere trembled, and the earth rumbled low.
It gradually diminished and then subsided.
“…It’s stopped.”
“What was it?”
Lexia and the others tilted their heads.
Beside them, Giselle stared at Mount Aurea with a pale face.
“…There’s no time…”
“Eh? What do you mean there is no time…”
Just as Lexia looked back at Giselle, there was a knock at the front door.
“Giselle, are you there?”
The door opened with a shrill voice, and the village chief, supported by the islanders, entered.
The chief’s wrinkled face was sad and sorrowful.
“I’m sorry, Giselle. You must have heard… that Mount Aurea demands a sacrifice. Even the old tales do not tell of such a raging Mount Aurea… There is no time to waste… In fact, a meeting was held at noon with the chiefs of each village, and it was decided that the sacrifice should be hastened rather than wait for the seven evil stars to align…”
The chief looked at Giselle with moist eyes and announced as if trying to squeeze her out.
“…Let’s speed up the schedule and perform the ritual tomorrow night.”
“Eh?
“What ritual? Sacrifice…?”
Lexia and the others were confused by the strange atmosphere.
But Giselle smiled and nodded.
“Yes, it’s okay. I’m already prepared for it.”
“I’m really sorry, Giselle… Sorry…”
The chief and the others bowed deeply several times and wiped away tears as they walked out.
“Giselle-san, what was that… ritual you were talking about…?”
“And what is this sacrifice…?”
Giselle smiled sadly at Lexia and the others, who sensed that something was not quite right.
“…It is a ritual to stop the eruption of Mount Aurea. I am the sacrifice.”