After receiving the memories from her fragment, Rina leaned back in her chair and wore a silly grin.
The memories contained within the fragment were filled with the utmost happiness.
Lucy, smiling brightly.
Lucy, drenched in sweat after a grueling training session.
Lucy, curled up with her knees pulled to her chest, looking upset.
Lucy, exuding disgust with her entire body.
Lucy, crying uncontrollably.
Lucy, her face slightly swollen from crying so much.
Lucy, who became even more beautiful after letting the Apostle of the Art Guild touch her face.
Lucy, looking so sacred that even the worshippers of the goddess sent their reverence toward her.
The images of Lucy—beautiful enough to take the majesty from the Forest's Lord—made Rina long to be by her side instead of just observing her through the fragment.
"Lucy is hugging the doll-like me!"
After scanning the fragment’s memory of endless embarrassment and happiness several times, Rina flailed her arms and buried her face in her desk.
The nature of the fragment was Rina's own personality, so she didn’t always take pleasure in being captured by Lucy Alrn.
She could tolerate initiating strange acts herself, but when the other person took the initiative, it was hard to accept.
Because it was too embarrassing.
The most beautiful and cute pinnacle of beauty in the long life of the Forest’s Lord, to have it caress me—how could I bear that?
Even now, as she absorbed the fragment's memories, Rina’s cheeks were bright red.
Just taking in the memories was enough to make her blush. If she were to actually embrace Lucy, wouldn’t she just die from overwhelming happiness and embarrassment?
"...I really do want to go in person, don’t I?"
Looking up subtly, Rina gazed at the bunny girl painting of Lucy on the wall. The thought of escaping this dull forest entered her mind.
The title of "Lord of the Forest" itself was proof of her existence’s dignity, but what the Forest's Lord actually did in the forest was rather trivial.
Her duty was simply to protect and maintain the forest.
The Lord of the Forest, who wasn’t even allowed to interfere with the ecosystem, could only passively watch as time passed by.
It was for this reason that Rina, ignoring the objections of others, had been the first to form a contract with the academy after returning.
She had entered a deal with them because she was on the verge of dying from boredom, and through that transaction, she gained much enjoyment.
However, as with any living being, desires do not fade once fulfilled. They only grow stronger.
Slowly, the Forest’s Lord began to cross boundaries she had never crossed before, and at some point, she began to wish to be beside Lucy.
"Rina!"
Hearing a voice outside that sounded like a wolf’s howl, Rina’s expression turned cold.
Why was that bastard here? Just when I was in such a good mood, how irritating.
Rina, who had been grumbling at her desk, couldn’t ignore the voice calling her from outside.
The one calling her now was a powerful being among the guardian spirits of the forest.
"Can’t you hear me?!"
"It’s fine, stop calling. Myrra."
Myrra.
A wolf that guarded the northern forest and had the sharpest fangs in the world.
True to his species, he was a zealous guardian of the forest.
"Was I interrupting something? I sent a message before I entered the forest, but I didn’t hear anything back."
"I’m sorry, I had something I needed to focus on."
"Was it a disturbance?"
"No, it’s fine. Don’t worry about it."
"I’m relieved to hear that."
Myrra, who recognized the other forest guardians as part of his pack, smiled at Rina’s response.
"So, what’s going on? Myrra?"
"Ah, there’s been some unusual things happening in several forests recently. I’m just going around checking things out."
Myrra’s face was not cheerful as he spoke of these strange events.
Looking at his drooping wolf ears, Rina guessed what had happened. There was only one reason the usually proud wolf would show sadness.
"Has someone died?"
"Yes. The guardians of the Mebida and Dermogul forests have passed away, joining nature’s side."
Upon hearing the names Mebida and Dermogul, Rina recalled the guardians who had watched over them.
Either one of them was still a young child, not even fifty years old yet.
They must have been targeted for their weakness.
"Who did this?"
"The dark magic’s ominous energy mixed with the evil god’s power. They must have joined forces."
Hearing the words "dark magic" and "evil god," the face of the girl Rina had been thinking about until just moments ago appeared in her mind.
But unlike before, the image of that girl no longer felt just beautiful. It now also carried a sense of strength and reliability.
Recalling that image, Rina inexplicably felt confident that this disaster would not last long.
"You’re someone who wouldn’t easily be defeated, but still, be careful. The situation on the continent has become unstable," Myrra warned.
"Thank you for your concern."
"No need. It’s only natural between comrades."
This 𝓬ontent is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.
Myrra, who seemed to have more work left to do, looked healthy as he spoke and was about to leave when he suddenly stopped.
"Rina. You’ve always liked beautiful things, haven’t you?"
"Yes. I have."
"How about this? I met some members of the Art Guild on my way here, and I received this from them."
Myrra pulled out a pendant that looked plain on the outside but had an elegant craftsmanship, though it wasn’t extraordinary enough to overthrow Rina’s high standards.
"Open the pendant. It’s the piece they put the most effort into."
As Rina examined the pendant, she finally opened it at Myrra’s urging.
The moment she saw the drawing inside, she froze.
Inside the pendant was a drawing of a praying girl, and it was unmistakably Lucy Alrn, the girl Rina cherished the most.
Rina’s shock was evident on her face, and Myrra muttered to himself, pleased with his choice to bring it.
"I knew you’d like it. Even I, who don’t know much about Mie, was captivated by it, so there’s no way you wouldn’t like it."
Before Myrra could finish his sentence, Rina stepped forward with a sharp, almost frightening gaze and stared directly at him.
"Is there more?"
"Huh? What?"
"I asked, is there more? More things with Lucy in them."
"The person in the picture is named Lucy, you say?"
"Answer me, Myrra. Is there more?"
"...Well, there are some others, but those are for other people."
"Give them all to me. Now."
Myrra resisted, but it was impossible for the wolf, who belonged to the same forest, to win against the Forest’s Lord.
The wolf, with the sharpest fangs in the world, was left with nothing but fur after being stripped clean by the fox who dealt in illusions, and he left the forest.
As the ominous imagination suggested, Luca’s story turned out to be true.
The Art Guild had already begun spreading items related to me across the continent, even though I had left not long ago.
At first glance, it might sound like a group of careless merchants selling random trinkets, but the lunatics of the Art Guild were not the type to degrade their own pride.
Within just a few days, they had crafted items that either matched or exceeded the previous jewelry they had spread and were even calling them prototypes while looking for ways to improve them.
The Art Guild, already famous for their artistic products, was now desperately investing in this project, so it was no surprise that the continent’s gossipers were all over it.
In the midst of the growing public interest, another event occurred that further fueled the excitement around these jewelry pieces.
A rumor started circulating that wearing one of the Art Guild’s accessories would bring good luck.
The rumor began with a merchant.
The merchant had randomly acquired one of the jewelry pieces and started wearing it, and during a business trip, he narrowly escaped death in an accident.
He felt that the jewelry had protected him, and soon after, he began recommending the Art Guild’s jewelry to those around him.
This stroke of good luck happened to others as well.
What began with minor incidents, like finding money on the street, eventually led to much bigger fortunes. Everyone began to experience luck.
As a result, the Art Guild’s jewelry had become so popular that it was now completely sold out, as I learned from information I gathered in the back alleys.
"Master said he’d like one sent to him as well."
"...Tell that old man he’s about to become a grandpa. He’s got no shame," I muttered to myself.
After making things awkward for Jacal, I left the back alley and hoped that the Art Guild’s trend wouldn’t reach the academy.
But my hopes were dashed. Not long after, I began noticing that several of the new students at the academy were wearing the Art Guild’s jewelry.
"Young Lady, if you had told me about this earlier, I wouldn’t have had such a hard time getting one."
When Joy showed off the pendant she had managed to get, I almost lost my mind. I really wanted to snatch it away and throw it somewhere.
But when I physically tried to take it, seeing her face fall made me hesitate, and I ended up giving it back to her.
"That’s unfair. I want a pendant too."
"I agree with Kent, Young Lady. Joy, I think that’s really unfair. You could’ve gotten one for us, your friends."
"If I could’ve gotten one, I would’ve! But the situation right now is just not allowing it!" Joy retorted.
Seeing Fray and Faby team up to criticize Joy, I felt a sense of resignation. I debated calling the perverted apostle and asking for one, but then I shook my head.
Just dealing with Joy was dizzying enough. If the other two had those pendants too, I’d truly die of embarrassment. It’s fine if they get their own, but I can’t bring myself to hand one over.
<Lucy, turn your head slightly to the right.>
‘Why? What’s going on?’
Hearing my grandfather’s voice, I subtly turned my head and noticed someone far off, glancing at me now and then. I tilted my head, trying to figure out what was happening.
What’s Vish doing by himself? Where’s the boy he usually drags around?