Chapter 369

Translator: Kell | Editor: Weasalopes

Lavia Running Around

Dream Maker was bustling—the kind that the city had never experience before—ever since reports that the mastermind behind the monster invasion was dead came in. The information was currently being verified, and if it turned out to be true, everyone knew what they would be doing next.

Mapping, searching for new species of flora and fauna, and mineral deposits. The continent of Grand Dream would become a new developed land.

Behind all the hustle and bustle, Hikaru’s party had cut off all contact with others for three days. Hikaru and Paula were bedridden, their health deteriorating rapidly. Lavia was also in bed for a whole day, but had already recovered. Endurance-wise, she should’ve suffered the most.

「It must be the miasma…」she muttered.

Hikaru fought close to the Evil Drakon, and Paula couldn’t hold her breath while reciting the incantation for the Purification spell, causing her to inhale the miasma.

「What can I do to get rid of it?」

Watching Hikaru and Paula lying in bed, Lavia racked her brain. She was in the garden mansion located inside Dream Maker, where they currently stayed.

Lavia let the two sleep and fed them easily-digestible food, but they didn’t seem to be getting any better, so she was considering a different course of action. But she was worried about leaving them, and she didn’t have enough people to help her out either.

「Goddess!」A voice came from outside the gate.

Lavia immediately realized that they were back. She hurriedly put on her mask and went to open the gate, where Galixon and the members of the Flower-Masked Goddess Bodyguards gathered.

「Great Mage. I am glad to see you’ve returned safely.」The men went down on their knees.

「Forget about that.」

She urged them on their feet. The bodyguards were filthy. It was evident that they had just returned from battle. Lavia examined them all to see if there was anyone missing among them.

Hikaru tasked them with a dangerous mission—to divide the monsters’ forces. He also ordered them to go wild a little distance away from Dream Maker to draw attention. As a result, Dream Maker was safe and Hikaru and the girls were able to reach the Evil Drakon.

Of course, they didn’t want any of the bodyguards to give up their life.

「It’s fine, Great Mage. We’re all alive.」

Lavia was relieved to hear those words, but the men were in terrible condition. Some were missing limbs and some had bandages wrapped around their faces. Strictly speaking, however, none of them died.

「You must’ve fought dangerous battles.」

「Nonsense. The danger we faced is nothing compared to what you, the Goddess, and the Boss accomplished.」

The monster raids stopped and Hikaru’s party had returned. The men probably already knew that the Evil Drakon was dead.

「I’m sure Flower Face will fix you up.」

「No. We weren’t really counting on the Goddess’s miracle to heal us…」

「Don’t be shy. Flower Face will gladly use her Healing magic. It’s just that…」

The men’s faces turned pale as they noticed Lavia’s hesitation.

「Did something happen to the Goddess?!」

「It’s nothing serious, really.」

Lavia told them about the situation so far as she walked them through the yard. They must be dying to see Paula, but they said they did not want to disturb her sleep. They set up tents where they could rest instead.

『Permit me to ask, Great Mage. Do you have a plan?』

Galixon switched to Dream Maker’s language. He wasn’t too familiar with Hikaru’s language yet. On the contrary, Lavia was fluent in theirs, mostly because of the two points on her Language Comprehension.

『I’m going to talk to some experts. Do you have anyone in mind?』

『I don’t think there’s anyone in Dream Maker who can help. No one even noticed the contamination in the monsters’ meat until the Boss pointed it out. Lord Zahadu, who would be the most knowledgeable, did not join the expedition.』

『I see… Then I need you to do a few things for me.』

『I’ll do anything.』Galixon’s face stiffened.

『Take a bath.』Lavia said.

After ordering the men to clean up, Lavia asked them to take turns in watching over the Goddess and the Boss.

The house should be fine. Lavia informed Hikaru and Paula of the bodyguards’ return, and made sure they had their masks on when the men came.

Lavia left the residence alone.

「I really don’t want to do this…」

She already had a destination in mind. She believed the miasma was causing Hikaru and Paula’s health to worsen. But even when Paula used Purification, their condition didn’t improve.

There was only one explanation: Paula’s Purification was not perfect. Most likely because she was suffering from the effects of “evil”. The spell emitted a much paler light than when she used it before the fight with the Evil Drakon.

「I need someone who can use Purification.」

Lavia asked the bedridden Hikaru if he could recall people who had at least six points on their Holy stat. He named a few, but only one of them was staying in the Dream Maker—Sophie Bloomfield of the Four Stars of the East.

Lavia didn’t know where the Four Stars were staying, so she removed her mask and went to the Adventurers Guild to ask. It was already dusk before she realized it. Using her Stealth, Lavia arrived at the apartment complex where the Four Stars were staying.

「I will never forgive you, Sarah!」A disturbing voice came from somewhere.

「I-I’m sorry… It was just a sudden impulse!」

「How dare you do such a thing…!」

「Come on now, Selica. She already apologized.」

「Selyse! You too!」

「Whoa, now you’re mad at me?」

「Why are you defending Sarah?! She’s like a homewrecker! Has anyone stolen the love of your life before?!」

Love of her life? Stolen? Lavia stopped in her tracks. She didn’t expect to come across such huge mess. Wait a minute. Selica has a boyfriend? They didn’t seem like the type to care about romance.

Feeling uneasy, Lavia moved under the window where the voices were coming from. The girls seemed to be staying on the third floor.

「You’re overexaggerating. It just happened, okay?!」

「You mean the part where you said “I just want a taste”, but then went all the way anyway?! The cat’s out of the bag, homewrecker!」

Huh? What? All the way?

「I couldn’t help it! I was hungry!」

Hmm?

「It was your fault too for leaving a hotdog there!」

Wait, did she say hotdog?

「I was preparing myself for it! You turned my hopes into despair!」

Lavia breathed a long sigh. Apparently Selica was just mad that Sarah ate her hotdog.

「I said I’m sorry. I know. I’ll buy you some.」

「In that case. Sure, I’ll forgive you. Get me five!」

「What? Five? Fine. But before I go…」Sarah landed in front of Lavia.「Eavesdropping is not cool, young lady.」