Team villains except me

Chapter 557 The Escaped Puppet Master

As Norvia traveled to the northern continent via the magic circle, the story of Elrit's past, told by Cabra, still echoed in her mind.

The nobleman hated being betrayed by his lover, but he also felt that the pure-blooded succubus could be useful. So he didn't kill Elrit, but instead gave her love and honor. Then, when Elrit grew up to the age where she understood shame and dignity, he directly exposed the truth.

Elrit's biological father was killed by his uncontrollable talent, and his mother, fearing the great nobles, was driven to mental instability and vented all her hatred on Elrit before dying not long after.

A pampered nobleman suddenly falls into the lowly category of being the product of an adulterous affair, and his talent is also said to be flawed. In order to survive, little Elrit has no choice but to desperately prove his worth.

The nobleman regarded Elrit as an invincible weapon, using his abilities to defeat his enemies. However, the nobleman's actions were too hasty and reckless. He thought that with Elrit, there was nothing to worry about, so the enemy took advantage of the situation.

The great nobles were brought down, and Elrit disappeared without a trace.

"He had several sellers. It is said that each of them eventually died, and people began to fear him, but the profits he could bring were so great that the desire for him never disappeared."

I don't know much about what happened after that, but he must have caused quite a stir, which is why he was sent off the northern continent.

Cabra spoke calmly, but when she looked up, she found that Norvia across from her was in a daze.

It was almost a form of suffering.

Cabra sighed inwardly. She understood this feeling, of course: the protectiveness towards family, the sadness over past hurts, and the reluctance to confront those feelings.

Who says love is happiness? Love can also bring endless sorrow.

Cabra's information wasn't entirely clear. She liked to recruit talent and would use people like she was doing now, but she wouldn't stoop to such sordid methods as controlling a pure-blooded succubus and using his abilities to make dirty deals.

“Miss Riley, is there anything else you want to ask me? This is all I know.”

Norvia was brought back to her senses by Cabra's words. Her throat was dry, and speaking aloud would trigger pain.

"No... there's one more question. Do you know what season it was when that great noble family was brought down and Elrit disappeared?"

Cabra thought for a moment.

"Autumn, I suppose. Early autumn. The weather on the northern continent is extreme; it can get so hot it can dry you out. And it can get cold very suddenly, for most of the year it's cold."

Norvia was shaken. She quickly thanked him and promised to give him an answer to the invitation. Then she fled from Cabra's room as if she were escaping.

Why would I crave sweets so much at the very beginning of autumn? Why would I start throwing a tantrum as soon as it gets cold? Why would I talk back to Teacher Musha... Oh, I see.

But this is only the first half. In the first half of Elrit's capricious, childlike, and always mischievous life, this is just the beginning.

What will happen next?

Will it get better?

No. Absolutely not.

Norvia held back her tears and rode the magic array to the northern continent; she still had to pick up Dooku.

Dooku was still unconscious, with Fiana and Spider Queen by his side, not yet waking him.

After seeing the image stone, no matter what Dooku did, they wouldn't be angry with him.

There are millions of people in this world with tragic pasts, whose own pasts are not exactly pleasant, but they all hope that the other person can have beautiful memories.

However, in Dooku's account, there wasn't a single thing he could bring him joy. He even deliberately omitted the more serious injuries he had suffered; his past was entirely filled with belittling and abuse.

The wounds are on the body, and also in the heart.

Yes, what Dooku did tonight really worried them. Dooku didn't discuss it with them; he just wanted to go to the Abyss and fight his master to the death, trying to solve his own problems. He was impulsive, but it also showed that Dooku felt completely trusted and loved.

Should I blame him? I can't bear to. Should I not blame him? I feel he's just too stubborn.

When Norvia met Dooku, Fiana stood guard outside with her arms crossed and a cold expression, while Spider Queen pretended to lecture Dooku by using flower vines to block out the air.

Fiana noticed Norvia's pale face and frowned.

"Nolvia, you should rest. Since Teacher Can is in Abosge, you can stay in the school clinic with Teacher Abel."

Spider-Her and I can handle this here. The doctor sent by Cabra said Doku is just unconscious. I dare not move Doku, fearing he might have hidden injuries or puppetry skills. My men just gave Doku a full examination. All the injuries are old; he is indeed unconscious. So many people have come, yet he remains completely still. Spider-Her and I are preparing to take him home.

I know you're worried about Dooku. But Norvia, you must have faith in our abilities. Dooku isn't a fool; he didn't come to the Abyss unprepared. He knows what he means to us; he won't risk his life.

"Yes, but Fiana, I'll still be worried until I see Dooku."

Fiana sighed.

“Let’s go home. Hazi is pestering Hugh. No one is resting at Garcia’s either. Eileen is very sad, and Yalinshu is talking to her. Ellit is a bit irritable, and Garcia doesn’t dare to give him candy, for fear of being discovered again.”

"If it makes me feel better, what's wrong with eating some candy?"

Norvia's obvious bias made Fiana realize something.

A flicker of unspeakable pain crossed Fiana's rose-colored eyes. She knew that Norvia might know something about Ellit's past.

First Dooku, then Elrit.

A bloodstained past may be something you've let go of when you look back, but when you present it to your family, it's a sharp weapon that can pierce their heart.

Fiana's pink hair fluttered in the air as she recalled the list of information her subordinates had given her regarding Dooku's physical condition.

Dooku's bones were almost all broken. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he was shattered to pieces.

"...It's clear that he drank the recovery potion quickly after the injury, so the recovery is going well, but he can't afford to get injured again. If the bones break again, his dexterity in his hands and feet won't be as good as it is now. As he gets older, some minor problems will appear, but this is already considered very good. If it weren't for his special constitution, which is different from ordinary people, he would have been..."

Her subordinate caught a glimpse of her expression and awkwardly stopped speaking.

Fiana wasn't really angry to begin with. Worry and annoyance had overwhelmed her emotions, and now, hearing all this, she could only sigh and then protect Dooku like a fragile doll.

Fiana did not immediately tell Norvia about Dooku's physical condition.

She felt that Norvia was also very tired.

Since the beginning of this month, Norvia has seemed constantly on edge; she has so much to think about and so much to do. But everyone is like that.

Those who have survived to this day all possess a keen sense of danger.

Something is about to happen.

Before the blizzard hit, they were all desperately trying to save their families and themselves.

Death, conspiracy, struggle...

Fiana clenched her fist.

Her life was already filled with this kind of thing. She wasn't afraid.

She knows she has burned a part of her life to get to where she is today. She will absolutely not give up her current happiness.

She knew that everyone thought that way.

Hughes said, "We each rely on our own abilities."

She would never give the opportunity to Norvia and the others.

Fiana's eyes were faintly red, but the wind and snow were heavy on the northern continent, and she closed her eyes as if she were being blown by this extreme winter.

Nolvia's long white hair was blown by the wind, and Spider-Woman smelled a familiar scent. She looked up and saw Nolvia almost blending into the snow scene, looking exceptionally fragile.

Spider stopped what she was doing and said that if Ellit were here, she would go into Dooku's dream and kick his ass.

Norvia smiled slightly and enveloped Dooku in water magic.

The scars on Dooku's face gradually faded. Even when he was asleep, he still frowned. His delicate face was pale because it was covered by a mask all year round. He still had some baby fat, so he had shallow dimples when he smiled.

When enveloped by water magic, one experiences a feeling of being suspended in mid-air. Dooku felt a vague unease, but upon sensing a familiar presence, he fell asleep again, even relaxing his furrowed brows.

Dooku is always the first one to fall asleep. Sometimes, while listening to everyone chat during dinner, he'll quietly drift off to sleep on the table. Other times, he'll be in the living room, doing some crafts, and fall asleep, knocking all the parts to the floor. When he can't find them, he'll ask Hazi for help. Hazi will happily move the sofa to look for the parts, and if he still can't find them, he'll secretly buy them back to surprise Dooku.

Whoever was home was responsible for taking Dooku back to his room. Therefore, Dooku was familiar with everyone's presence. His frown just now probably stemmed from not being able to sense Spider's presence anymore, leading him to believe he was isolated and helpless in that dark, hard abyss space, unable to feel at ease.

Norvia's eyes stung with tears; she longed to leave the northern continent as soon as possible and return to her warm home.

As the magic circle was activated, the spider leaned against Fiana, idly playing with the flower vines, its voice lazy and dangerous.

"I don't like the northern continent."

Fiana nodded.

Norvia remembered Cabra's invitation and relayed Cabra's words to Fiana and the Spideres.

Spideres preferred the southern continent to the northern one, and both Teacher Oub and Hector were there. Fiana was somewhat worried about the monsters on the southern continent; she knew it was where Teacher Matia had perished.

A vacation seems like a luxury right now.

……

When Norvia and her companions returned to Rose House with Dooku, the castle was brightly lit.

Eileen and the others, along with Garcia, couldn't stay put and came to the Rose Mansion. Eileen also brought over the shimmering spruce tree and the gifts Norvia had bought, while Hazi found a flowerpot about half a person's height so that the spruce tree could be placed in the castle.

Shanna also arrived. She originally intended to urge the children to rest early before bedtime, but after exchanging only a few words with Elrit, she realized something was wrong.

She followed Eileen and the others to the Rose Mansion, but quickly found a guest room to rest. She figured one adult was enough to manage the household, and Hazi was more reliable than Garcia.

Musa heard the news from Julia. Julia was completely unable to sleep because of what happened that night. After contacting Cabra, she returned to Abosgar to handle her work. She told Musa to come to her office tomorrow, but Musa knocked on her door very soon.

Aibosge didn't sleep all night.

Julia knew that Musa was also a teacher who "sent you home," and assumed that Musa was still up so late because she was worried. However, when she casually mentioned it, the beast warrior candidate eagle froze, seemingly unaware of the reason.

Julia didn't want to explain to Musa. She told Musa to ask her students or Abel—Abel and Chan were still in the school infirmary.

Musa held the communicator in silence for a long time. She didn't send messages to Norvia or the others to inquire about their whereabouts, nor did she return to her faculty dormitory. Instead, she went to the school clinic.

Three people were boiling cocoa in the school clinic.

Abel couldn't remember what she had forgotten, and Chan couldn't find anything wrong either. After treating Abel's wounds, he let her lie down and rest for a while and drink some healing medicine.

Then Can squatted down next to Aoqifu and waited to be fed.

After resting for a while, Abel smelled a fragrance. She sat up and followed the scent to find Can and Auchev.

The three of them were waiting by the pot for hot cocoa when Musa pushed open the door and saw them.

Abel: "Would you like some hot cocoa? It's just right."

Musa inexplicably finished a whole cup of hot cocoa, and then learned what had happened from Abel.

Auchev received Fiana's message and knew that Fiana and the others were taking Dooku back to Rose Mansion. He looked at the three teachers and led them all back.

So when Fiana and the others got home, they were greeted by a very lively scene.

Everyone crowded around to check on Dooku, but he was asleep. Norvia took Dooku back to his room, and Fiana lit some calming incense that Dooku hadn't used in a long time.

In the living room, Can asked Ellit and the others why they didn't wake Dooku up and interrogate him properly.

Ellit didn't even look up.

"He's sleeping right now."

Can: ?

Aren't the mysteries of the abyss and what exactly happened more important than sleeping? Besides, after all the trouble of searching for him, now that he's back, shouldn't I give him a good scolding?

Let's not talk about anyone else, just Abel...

Abel had a late-night snack with Hazi and the others at the dining table.

Can let out a long sigh.

"...Why didn't you call me?!"

……

This late-night snack should be considered a slightly earlier breakfast in terms of timing.

Norvia ate while glancing absentmindedly at the communicator.

Hughes was beside her, and he asked softly.

"What are you investigating?"

Norvia looked up, her gaze somewhat cold.

"The trail of a fugitive puppeteer."

Hught knew that Dooku's "master" was missing, and he sided with Dooku killing him.

Norvia shook her head, her voice as soft as thin ice.

“Professor Abel didn’t see any new bodies in the abyss. Hugh, that ‘grandfather,’ escaped.”