Please Bully Me, Miss Villainess!

Chapter 203 : Can You Hear It_ 1

A small figure crept through the darkness, leaving a trail of plum blossom-like footprints in the snow.

Bebe carefully hugged a basket of steaming eggs, unaware of the two blue eyes glowing like light bulbs behind her,

Rako tapped her head with the butt of the fish spear

"Ouch!"

"Ah... It's Rako."

Rubbing her forehead, Bebe looked aggrieved,

"What are you doing running out so late at night? Go back to sleep!"

Thinking about how Bebe's fever had only recently subsided, Rako was very worried and wanted to chase this wandering little puppy back to her den.

"Hmph, isn't Rako not sleeping either?"

"Stu—pid, it's my turn to keep watch with Grandpa Mondo tonight."

Rako pointed irritably behind her,

Only then did Bebe notice that not far behind Rako was a burning bonfire. An old man sat in front of the fire, this elderly Felis's facial fur had turned patchy white, and the fur wrapped around his body looked as old and worn as he did.

Rako noticed the large basket of eggs Bebe was holding,

"What are you doing with so many eggs?"

"I've been able to hear a voice these past few days... so as thanks, I want to share some with the person in the water!"

'Person in the water'? What's that?

Rako was utterly confused, wouldn't it be better to keep delicious food for oneself?

Come to think of it, Bebe had been saying that day someone in the water had saved her. Rako had just thought she was talking nonsense from being frozen confused,

"Rako's grandpa~ This is very delicious, please try one!"

Bebe obediently came before the old man, the eggs just scooped from the hot spring still steaming,

In front of the bonfire, old cat Mondo was biting on his pipe, looking gravely at Bebe before him,

"You say you heard a voice?"

"...Mm." Questioned by the old man, she nodded obediently.

"What kind of voice?"

"I couldn't hear very clearly... but it was very deep... and sounded a bit lonely......"

Listening to her description, the old man's expression became grave as he drew in a sharp breath, using his pipe to push back the bamboo basket the little one was offering him.

"Offerings prepared for the Lake God, this old one cannot accept."

"...Lake God?"

Mondo smacked his lips, exhaling a puff of smoke that looked very warm, giving the two a meaningful look

"Rako, you said that day, you saw a giant shadow under the ice... right?"

Rako finally reacted, opening her mouth wide,

"Grandpa... could it be, that was the Lake God?"

"There's no mistake."

"That was Lady Gagar. She usually doesn't appear before ordinary people. It seems you young ones are really lucky... Every year we're able to catch so many fish from the lake, it's all thanks to Lady Gagar's blessing."

"...'She'?"

Bebe was very confused, because the old man had used the third-person pronoun with female connotations in the beast language,

"Is Lady Gagar female?"

Because the voice was very deep, Bebe had always thought the one who saved her was a big uncle.

"Blasphemy!"

Rako lightly tapped her not-so-bright little head with the fish spear.

"Lady Gagar is the fairy of the lake! She's been protecting this place for many years since my grandpa's grandpa's generation!"

"Eh......"

Could there really be such a big fairy?

Bebe couldn't understand.

"Little one, how do you plan to give these offerings to the Lake God?"

"I was planning to go to the place from last time and pour these in!... Ouch!"

As soon as she finished speaking, her forehead was tapped again by Rako,

"Are you crazy?! Going to the middle of the lake in the dark now is too dangerous!!"

"I don't think anything will happen..."

Bebe guiltily stuck out her little tongue. Actually, she knew full well that going to such a dangerous place would certainly be scolded if her mamas found out, which is why she chose to act on a dark and windy night.

"Because... this is something that must be properly thanked..."

The old man listened silently, then raised his nearly extinguished pipe, pointing to a huge rock standing by the lakeside not far away.

"If it's just offering tributes, you can do it by the lake."

"Grandpa... how do we do it?"

From her grandpa's tone, Rako also vaguely sensed that this was no small matter.

"That's the Gagar Rock. When placing offerings, clap your hands three times, silently recite Lady Gagar's name, and if she's willing to accept, she'll take your offerings."

"Thank you!"

The little one raised her tail, energetically thanking him while hugging the basket full of eggs. Her movements were so big that some eggs almost rolled out, and Rako hurriedly caught them.

"But... will the Lake God like eggs?"

"As long as you offer them with a grateful heart, Lady Gagar will certainly accept."

Mondo extended his blunt, thick paw and patted Bebe's little head.

"Rako, go with her."

"Understood."

Seeing his granddaughter already polishing the crystal lamp for lighting, old cat Mondo raised his whiskers, showing a wry smile.

It was the first time he'd seen this little girl care so much about someone.

"Listen well, little ones—After placing the offerings, come back immediately, understood?"

"Understood~"

Hopefully, after receiving the offerings, Lady Gagar will be satisfied.

Mondo felt a vague uneasiness in his heart.

Being able to hear Lady Gagar's voice...

This child... could she have been chosen?

·

"Is it here?"

"It should be."

Out of concern, Rako had also followed along,

She held the lamp with her tail, carefully examining the markings on the huge rock.

The inscriptions on the rock had somewhat weathered, and in front of the boulder was a rather deep well pit. For some reason, this place hadn't frozen over, and the inside was pitch black, seemingly connected to the bottom of the lake.

Come to think of it, she had seen adults put the caught fish here after removing their innards. So it was for offering tributes to Lady Gagar.

The Felis tribe's migration from here was decades ago. Rako was born after the tribe's migration, so she didn't know the specific traditions, only having heard the legend of the Lake God mentioned by the adults in the tribe when she was younger,

Standing before this huge rock, she felt a sense of awe similar to when she saw the giant shadow that day.

Was that enormous being really Lady Gagar?

"Lady Gagar... Lady Gagar... This is a small token, please accept it!"

Clap, clap, clap!

After setting down the basket of eggs, Bebe respectfully clapped her hands three times,

After doing this, she turned her head to look at Rako,

"Rako~~ Is this okay?"

"Idiot—! At least concentrate a bit at a time like this!"

Rako shushed her, gesturing for her to properly complete the required offering ritual,

...Water sound?

With her keen hearing, she noticed subtle changes in the surroundings,

In the darkness, the lake water rose to the mouth of the well,

The small basket floating on the water surface was gradually submerged.

"Great~"

Bebe cheered,

The simple little one was very happy that the Lake God was willing to accept her gift, but Rako felt something was off.

"Now that it's done, come back quickly."

"Eh... Shouldn't we be polite to Lady Gagar?"

The unusual rising tide didn't stop there.

"What's this??"

Lake water overflowed from the well mouth, reaching her feet.

Like an invisible hand, it grabbed her ankle.

Not considering whether such an action was disrespectful, Rako rushed forward, stomping on the water flow with her foot.

"This child is not an offering!!"

However, liquid cannot be easily blocked like this,

The scattered liquid water flow twined up like vines,

"I hear it again......"

Her eyes became unfocused, Bebe murmured, beginning to move towards the well mouth guided by the water flow.

"...I won't let you take her!!"

By the time she hugged her,

The water vines on her body had formed a thin film of water.

Unable to breathe...

A feeling of suffocation came over her.

At this moment, Rako clearly sensed the other's intention,

This was a warning,

The water was attached to Bebe, so if she let go and left here, she could escape the life threat,

But, she refused!

"...Cough ah!"

Water seeped into her nasal cavity, but Rako still held Bebe tightly, refusing to let go,

"Gu cough...! Won't... won't let you take her!!"

Hot tears were carried away by the cold lake water, Rako felt as if she was being frozen,

Ding ling ling—

A crisp sound suddenly came from behind,

"Grand... grandpa?"

Mondo walked forward shaking a ritual bell, followed by several young Felis.

After the bell rang, the water flow's movement stopped.

"Lady Gagar... It was our fault for leaving here in violation of the contract, but these two children are innocent... Please show mercy."

The Felis knelt before the rock representing the Lake God,

"As a substitute, this old one will stay here with these returning tribesmen... living here until death reunites us with this land... I swear to you."

Hearing this promise, the water flow finally receded.

After the water flow withdrew, Bebe went limp as if her power had been unplugged, collapsing onto Rako.

"Bebe! Wake up!! Hey—!"

Rako was very flustered, but no matter how she called, Bebe kept her eyes tightly shut in pain.

"It's alright, this child has just fainted."

Mondo came forward and felt Bebe's forehead,

"That great one won't take lives without reason."

"Grandpa Mondo, what exactly is this...?"

Perhaps because she had just been in a state of suffocation, Rako felt the surroundings spinning,

"Rako, have you heard the original legend of the Lake Goddess?"

After putting down the bell, Mondo looked at the towering rock and sighed.

According to legend, because other goddesses were jealous of the Lake Goddess's peerless beauty, they turned her into a terrifying giant beast,

The goddess was heartbroken and could only lurk in the cold water bottom all day.

Unable to make a sound, she longed to communicate with people, longed to be accompanied by people again.

So, she used food, water sources... everything she had as an exchange.

"What a sad story..."

Surprised that the story of the Lake Fairy was so heavy, Rako's tail drooped lower and lower as she listened,

The flickering bonfire flames reflected dazzling light on the surface of the silver bell passed down through generations in his hand. Mondo let out a long sigh,

"The Felis tribe members have played the role of the god's 'listeners' for a long time, but before the migration, fewer and fewer people in the tribe could hear the goddess's voice."

Not just fewer and fewer, people who could communicate with the goddess had not appeared in the Felis tribe for a long time.

Is that why she so desperately wanted this child?

His gaze lingering on Bebe lying on his granddaughter's lap, Mondo fell into deep thought.

This child... might be the hope to reestablish contact with that great one.