Please Bully Me, Miss Villainess!

Chapter 246 : Extending a Helping Hand

"It seems you've made your decision." Linda said, her expression showing relief upon seeing Elsa's no longer confused gaze.

"However... are you certain about taking this child along?"

"There will be many dangers on this journey, and caring for a child... it will be very difficult for you."

Linda furrowed her brow, her gaze shifting to Bebe hiding behind Elsa.

"There's no choice, I can't leave this child alone in such a place..."

Elsa didn't want her precious child to become a vulnerability. If left in the palace, Bebe might be used as a tool to threaten her into obedience.

"How about I take her back to our elven realm to care for her? I'll ensure her safety."

"Mama... please don't leave Bebe behind... Bebe won't cause you any trouble!"

Linda offered to take care of the child, but Bebe was almost in tears from fear, afraid Elsa might leave her with this unfamiliar elf lady.

Bebe didn't recognize Linda now. In the little one's eyes, the only trustworthy person was her adoptive mother Elsa. Upon hearing Linda's offer to take her away, the fur on her tail bristled in fright.

"...Do I look that much like a bad person?"

Bebe's reaction made Linda somewhat dejected.

Previously, Bebe had been quite close to Linda, often letting her hold her and nuzzling her face when happy. Seeing her now so averse was truly hurtful.

"It's not Lady Linda's fault... It's alright, I'll take her with me. Don't worry, Mama won't abandon you."

To soothe Bebe's frightened emotions, Elsa smiled wryly as she stroked her little head, speaking gently.

If she couldn't even protect this child, she wouldn't be worthy of the title of Grand Magician.

"Very well, at least wear this."

Linda removed the necklace from her neck and handed it to Elsa.

"What is this...?!!"

In the center of the necklace was set a blue-green magic stone emitting a mesmerizing glow.

However, upon merely releasing a trace of magical power to probe it, Elsa was startled by the pure magical ripples that echoed back.

The purity of its magical concentration and its vast capacity left Elsa in awe.

She looked at Linda in shock.

"Wait?? Could this possibly be... the legendary elven treasure?"

Many years ago, the elven race had mastered several special forms of magic before humans. One of these was the method of sealing certain high-level magics within magic stones. The elven treasure was said to be a secret stone that had accumulated the magical power of generations of elves—it could be said to be the lifeblood of the elven race.

"...Is it really alright to entrust me with something so important?"

"As I said before, I will help you to the best of my ability, Lady Elsa."

Linda smiled gently.

Although she had lived for centuries compared to humans, this was the first time she had formed such an intimate relationship with humans.

Elves' emotional concepts are more detached than humans', and they rarely invest as much emotion as humans do.

They are a very orderly race, valuing 'order' more than 'love' and 'hate'.

But accompanying the girls as they grew up, infected by their emotions, Linda felt that she too had changed considerably, and finally understood what 'love' meant.

Since both the young lady and Elsa considered her an important family member, she felt the need to reciprocate these feelings.

"Lady Linda... thank you. I will use it wisely."

Too moved for words, Elsa could only grip the elven stone tightly, her eyes reddening as she spoke.

"But Lady Linda... won't you come with us?"

Gazing at the attendants waiting not far away, Linda gently shook her head.

"Although I wish I could... I currently bear the responsibility of my entire race, and cannot accompany you for now..."

"But this is only temporary. Once I've dealt with the affairs of my clan, I'll meet you at the appointed place... Until then, keep moving forward."

Saying this, Linda bent down to kiss both their foreheads.

"May your journey be blessed by the stars."

·

"Mmm..."

A small black furball curled up on her lap stirred, then stretched out its little hands.

"Mama... is it morning already?"

"Yes, the day has dawned."

Elsa whispered, looking at the ray of morning light filtering through the carriage window.

This was a dragon-drawn cargo wagon. Since they had sneaked aboard, they couldn't speak too loudly, lest they disturb the driver.

"...How much longer until we arrive?"

Bebe asked, rubbing her eyes, her voice full of drowsiness.

Using refraction magic, Elsa had hidden herself and Bebe in this wagon leaving the city, successfully evading the guards at the city gates. They planned to rest a while before reaching their next destination.

The dragon wagon jolted, and the straw on board was prickly, making it far from a comfortable place to rest.

In fact, Elsa hadn't closed her eyes all night.

"We're almost there. Alright—now we need to change clothes, raise your arms."

Although they had successfully escaped the capital, the clothes Elsa wore were far too conspicuous, clearly not those of an ordinary person.

So to avoid attention, Elsa had spent a silver coin at a second-hand clothing store to buy a large bag of old clothes.

"Ugh... I still think the original clothes were more comfortable."

Bebe pouted, looking at the oversized, patched ragged clothes Elsa was putting on her. The tip of her tail swayed in protest, but she still obediently cooperated in wearing the clothes.

"I'm sorry... please bear with it for now."

Children's skin is more delicate. Having lived in the castle before, Bebe was accustomed to wearing soft, finely woven clothes, naturally unused to these simple outfits made of coarse cloth and grass rope.

Elsa felt heartbroken too. She and Yvonne had always cherished and pampered the child, wanting to give her the best in every aspect if possible, not wanting the child to suffer even the slightest discomfort.

Elsa herself was an orphan displaced by war, and her childhood had also included impoverished periods when she could only wear such clothes. She absolutely didn't want her own child to endure similar hardships.

"It's okay~ Bebe is willing to wear the same clothes as Mama!"

Seeing the sadness in Elsa's expression, Bebe quickly said.

"...Good child."

Fortunately, this child was obedient and understanding, not throwing tantrums or crying endlessly over such matters.

"But... Mama, Bebe still doesn't understand... why do we have to wear these tattered clothes and smear ash on our faces?"

"This is called 'disguise'."

"Mama... what does 'disguise' mean?"

"Hmm... when you play hide-and-seek, you hide in places where you're not easily found, right?"

"Mm! Bebe likes to hide in trees~~ It's not easy to be found that way!"

"Look, those people preparing to enter the city like us, aren't they wearing clothes similar to what we're wearing?"

Elsa gestured towards the civilians outside who, like them, were trying to enter the city.

"Mm... it does seem so!"

An eye peeped out curiously through the gap in the curtain, looking around.

"These people are like leaves in a forest... and what we need to do is become leaves of the same color as them, so we can hide among them... This way, those annoying soldiers won't find us."

"Ooh~~ I see!"

If that's the case, just getting dirty is enough? That's simple!

"Okay—Bebe will help too~~"

As if understanding something, the little one pounced on the hay pile, then her big tail began to swish rapidly, instantly stirring up dust everywhere.

"Cough, cough cough—!!"

This made both Elsa and Bebe covered in dust.

"Hehe~ Bebe will name this move 'Dust Storm'~!"

"...It seems the effect was too good."

Elsa smiled wryly as she patted the dust and grass bits off Bebe's ears and hair, then fastened a small cloak for her, put on her hat, covering her ears and hiding her tail.

A beastkin appearing in such a place would still be eye-catching. Elsa didn't want to draw unnecessary attention and create additional trouble.

"From now on, hold my hand tightly and don't run off anywhere, understand?"

Bebe nodded obediently, her little hand gripping Elsa's tightly.

With their disguises complete, they could finally enter the city smoothly.

The wagon had brought them to Bacchus, known as the City of Fine Wine.

The journey ahead was still long; the safest approach would be to acquire some form of transportation.

But...

Has it already become like this...

Large swathes of empty grape trellises were left with only withered vines.

Abandoned wine barrels were piled along the streets.

This scene of desolation and ruin compared to its former prosperous and lush appearance inevitably evoked sighs.

The sight before her eyes was so vastly different from the past, it couldn't help but evoke a sense of melancholy, as if from another world entirely.

The inland capital of Greenwoam, surrounded and protected by city walls and barriers, could still maintain a semblance of order and peace on the surface. However, once outside the capital, arriving in other cities, the dire wartime conditions became glaringly apparent.

When constructing the teleportation gates, Elsa had visited this place with Yvonne. Due to the mild climate and abundant sunlight in this region, it was renowned as the City of Fine Wine, famous for its fruit cultivation and wine brewing. After the transportation routes were opened, fine wines from Bacchus quickly graced the tables of ordinary citizens.

Elsa recalled tasting that delicious, finely brewed wine with Yvonne at a festival.

The rich liquor in crystal glasses, gently swirled, refracted light like sparkling red gems.

Countless memories came flooding back along with this recollection.

Elsa struggled to restrain herself from dwelling on these thoughts. Now was not the time to be immersed in the past; she had to move forward.

This world couldn't exist without her.

She had to find Yvonne no matter what.

Seeing the scene before her, Elsa further strengthened her resolve.