Chapter 1172: 159. Family

“You didn’t die? Then it seems you failed.”

The pale face sighed with emotion, a faint trace of regret showing in his words.

“Who failed!”

As if the word “failed” had struck a sensitive nerve, Priscilla flew into a rage.

“I was only testing things out for the time being. The test went poorly... can that really be called failure?”

“From the perspective of the bigger picture, no.”

The pale face said:

“But from your perspective... of course it can. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be this angry.”

“Shut up!”

The shadow instantly twisted into a ferocious shape, as though it were about to swallow the strange fish whole.

“You cowards, are you really that eager to see me fail? Heh, I understand. Only if I fail can it highlight your success!

“Pah!”

Priscilla spat, but unfortunately, she was only a mass of shadow now and could not spit out anything.

“Wishful thinking. What kind of success is blindly running away? Do you think this ‘success’ of hiding in a corner like rats and clinging to life will continue forever? Don’t be stupid! You... we will all be found sooner or later! And very soon! I’m telling you, that evil dragon already knows we’ve been using the power of time to evade her pursuit. She is currently charging over here with someone who can also use the power of time! When that happens, I won’t be able to escape, and neither will any of you!”

“I know.”

The pale face remained just as calm as before.

“Please rest assured, Priscilla. I was not mocking you this time.”

“......What do you mean?”

The other party’s abnormal reaction instead caused Priscilla to calm down. She remembered clearly that this fellow had not been like this before. Among the several “survivors of Tars,” he had always been the one who got along with her the least. Their views also contradicted each other, and they often quarreled over them, even coming to blows.

She had already prepared herself to endure ridicule and humiliation. She knew that in her current weakened state, she was no match for him... but unexpectedly, his reaction was so indifferent.

“What scheme are you plotting, Harris?” Priscilla asked warily. “I’m warning you, I won’t be fooled so easily. Don’t think that just because we haven’t seen each other for four hundred years, I’ll lower my guard around you. I know better than anyone how despicable you are.”

“No, no, no. You truly misunderstand me, Priscilla. I genuinely bear no ill will whatsoever, nor am I plotting any scheme. My regret just now came from an entirely different reason...”

The pale face called Harris stiffly moved the muscles of his face and actually revealed a rigid smile.

“Quite the opposite. I am very pleased by your return. Welcome home, Priscilla.”

“You...”

The shadow trembled violently several times, then instantly retreated a great distance. Priscilla’s tone became even more suspicious.

“You really aren’t plotting anything? There is something very wrong with you right now, Harris!”

“Ahem... I admit that compared with who I was four hundred years ago, my temper has indeed improved considerably. But people always change. I have already realized the mistakes I made in the past.”

Harris maintained his smile.

“No matter what, we are family, aren’t we, Priscilla? During those most painful centuries, it was only because we relied on one another that we managed to persevere all the way until now... Think about that. What conflict could possibly be impossible to mend?”

“......”

Upon hearing the word “family,” the shadow finally relaxed considerably.

“It seems many changes have taken place here over the years as well. Otherwise, someone like you would never have changed your nature so easily.”

“Yes, there have been many changes, but they were changes for the better.”

“Hmph. Whether they were good or not is something I’ll have to see for myself. I hope you didn’t make too much of a mess of our home while I was away.”

Priscilla gave a cold snort and no longer paid attention to the pale face. She twisted around in the deep sea and rapidly swam in a certain direction.

Four hundred years had passed, yet the paths here were still just as familiar.

“Don’t worry. We are all doing very well.”

Harris spoke from behind Priscilla.

“We have also kept your body very well protected all this time.”

Priscilla paused, but still said nothing. Following the incomparably familiar passage, she began rising toward the surface of the sea...

......

......

Priscilla opened her eyes.

The light from outside poured into her somewhat bewildered pupils, causing her to instinctively shut them tightly again.

The light was not dazzling. It could even be called gentle. But for a pair of eyes that had not opened in four hundred years, it was still far too bright.

And it was not only her eyes. Her hands, feet, limbs... this body, which should have been the thing most familiar to her, now felt the most unfamiliar.

During these four hundred years, she had opened her eyes countless times through all kinds of people... Pioneers, travelers, lost wanderers, woodcutters, villagers... or someone’s grandmother.

But never had opening her eyes been as painful and difficult as it was this time...

She felt a stabbing pain in her chest... Those were her lungs, which had not worked for a full four hundred years, drawing in their first breath of air.

Her abdomen twisted in agony... That was her stomach, which had not received any food in four hundred years, convulsing.

Her entire body was in intense pain... because every joint seemed to have rusted solid, and every tiny movement forced blood and bone to grind directly against each other.

Fortunately... just as Harris had said moments ago, this body had been preserved very well. A full four hundred years had passed, yet she felt not the slightest sign of aging or withering. Every cell seemed no different from when she had left.

In that case, things would be simple.

Above her head, the other half of the crown slowly rose and scattered a faint light, forcing her shadow and physical body to merge together more quickly.

Priscilla once again felt fortunate. It seemed her decision to split the crown into two halves back then had been correct. Otherwise, even if she had escaped from that evil dragon’s jaws this time, she would ultimately have lost most of her power and become a complete cripple.

“Lady Priscilla, may I ask whether you require assistance?”

The sudden greeting caused Priscilla to disregard the fact that she had not yet adapted to her body. Her eyes abruptly opened, and her sharp gaze stabbed toward the one who had actually dared to sneak in while she was weak...

Hm?

Priscilla froze.

“A little girl?”

The one who had spoken was not some dangerous existence. She was merely an ordinary young girl, without the slightest trace of combat aura or magic anywhere on her body. Feeling Priscilla’s sharp gaze and killing intent, she immediately shrank back like a quail and began trembling.

“Who are you, and what are you doing here?”

The girl’s age, which was close to that of a certain someone, quickly caused Priscilla’s expression to soften.

“I... My name is Sera. Lord Harris... arranged for me to come and serve you, Lady Priscilla. He said that since you had only just returned to your own body, there would certainly be many times when things would be inconvenient for you,” the little girl named Sera said timidly.

“That fellow... always likes doing unnecessary things.”

The name Harris made Priscilla frown deeply.

“You may leave. I don’t need anyone to serve me.”

“But... but...”

Sera hesitated for a long time before gathering her courage.

“Do... do you need to take a bath?”

“A bath?”

Priscilla froze and looked down at her physical body.

Four hundred years...

Even though it had been well protected by magic, the surface of this body was still covered in filth and even gave off a sharp, foul stench. Harris and the others certainly would not have been attentive enough to clean her during that period, so she could probably be considered someone who had not bathed in four hundred years.

“Then I’ll have to trouble you,” Priscilla said with a dark expression.

“It’s no trouble. This is my duty!”

Little Sera became overjoyed, as though helping Priscilla bathe were an incredibly honorable task, and hurried off to make preparations.

“It seems this place has also developed quite well over the past four hundred years.”

Priscilla surveyed her surroundings.

This was still the room from her memories.

Her room.

The damp stone walls and the opening that led directly into the deep sea had once given her enough security to fall asleep through countless nights.

But besides those things, she also discovered objects in the room that had not existed in her memories.

For example, the magic stone above her head that emitted warm light, and the tables and chairs that had clearly been carved from precious wood.

These decorations could not be considered particularly luxurious, yet they suddenly drew her memories back to an even more distant time, back to the days before it had been destroyed...

She could not help falling into a daze...

“I’m back!”

Sera was very small, but surprisingly strong. She returned unsteadily while carrying a large wooden tub. Before Priscilla had time to worry about Sera, the liquid spilling from inside the tub made her freeze again.

Because what it contained was clearly not ordinary hot water...

It was a pure-white liquid giving off a rich, mellow fragrance.

“This is...”

Priscilla walked over, carefully sniffed it several times, and said in shock:

“Milk?”