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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Lord Fourth
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Under the gentle sunlight, there existed a kingdom more prosperous than any other.
Its people lived in harmony with nature, blessed by the World Tree, the tree of life and creation. They were the guardians of the World Tree, which bestowed gifts upon all living things.
They were all beautiful, with pointed ears, and their lifespans were said to be a hundred times longer than that of humans.
“Princess Melina is entering!!”
This was the elven kingdom of Yggdrasil. And this was the royal audience chamber, located closest to the heart of the World Tree.
“Father!”
The princess who entered the chamber looked up at her father with a nostalgic voice.
“Melina. You seem very cheerful today.”
The current king, a middle-aged man with a dignified and stately appearance, a bushy mustache and beard extending down to his chin, sat on the throne.
“You are truly beautiful, befitting the future queen of this kingdom.”
He praised Melina with a kind smile, like a loving father doting on his daughter.
“You flatter me, Father! What is the reason you summoned me?”
The princess, though beaming with joy, tilted her head curiously at the king and queen.
“Melina? You know what this year signifies, don’t you?”
It was the queen, Melina’s mother and the king’s wife, who answered her question, sitting beside the throne.
“Of course! It’s the year I enter the academy!”
The king and queen nodded almost simultaneously at Melina’s answer. But the harmonious family atmosphere was short-lived, as the king’s expression turned solemn.
“Yes… that too, but there’s something more important.”
He looked at Melina with a worried expression.
“Ah…”
Had she also realized what the king was referring to? Her bright smile faded like a wilting flower.
“You must have heard the prophecy. That we must find the destined savior who will lift the curse upon you.”
“And you know that this savior will also enter the academy this year, don’t you?”
The queen also spoke in a serious tone, emphasizing the need to find the savior.
“······.”
Melina remained silent. This was a matter of life and death, a cruel twist of fate. She lowered her head, her gaze filled with sadness.
“I know.”
She answered in a low voice, placing her hand on her chest.
“Ugh…”
She bit her lip lightly, as if struggling with the ominous premonition churning within her.
“Oh, my poor Melina… cursed from birth by the Demon King, your lifespan cruelly limited.”
The king lamented, filled with regret.
His daughter, who should have lived for hundreds of years, was now destined to die before the year’s end due to the curse.
“Father…”
Melina also felt the pain, watching her father grieve. It wasn’t her intention, but she couldn’t bear to see her parents suffer because of her.
“It’s alright. Don’t worry… Melina will surely break free from the curse.”
The queen comforted the king, her gaze shifting towards her daughter.
“You’ll be fine. I have no doubt that you will find the destined savior, my daughter.”
Unlike the king, she tried to remain calm and maintain a smile.
“I understand. I will definitely find him.”
Melina, inspired by her mother’s strength, closed her eyes with determination.
“I… I… I w-will…”
“Huh?!”
But then, a strange, distorted voice made her open her eyes abruptly.
“M-Mother? Father!”
Something was wrong with the king and queen. Their bodies moved stiffly, like puppets.
“A-Are you alright?!”
“C… C-Curse…”
“S… S-Savior… m-must… find…”
She asked about their well-being, but only chilling voices responded.
Rustle -!
Then,
“Father, Mother?!”
Their skin turned purple. Disgusting tentacles erupted from every orifice of their bodies.
“What is this… who are you?!”
Melina finally realized that something was terribly wrong. But by the time she did, her surroundings had transformed into a dark void.
Grab –
“Ugh?!”
Someone tugged at her clothes. She looked down and saw shadowy hands pulling her towards the ground.
“What is this?! Let… let go!!”
Melina struggled with all her might. But the more she resisted, the more numerous and stronger the shadowy figures became, dragging her into the abyss.
“N-No!”
She sank slowly, as if being swallowed by a swamp. She struggled desperately, but the force restraining her was overwhelmingly powerful.
“Three days… You have three days…”
A chilling voice whispered to her, telling her how little time she had left.
“Gasp…?!!”
She jolted awake, gasping for air. She looked around and realized she was in her dormitory room.
“Ah, it was just a dream…”
Melina closed her eyes in relief, grateful that it had been just a nightmare.
“…Three days.”
But then, she muttered the remaining time of her life with a grim expression.
“Three days.”
Such a short time.
“Where are you…?”
She sighed deeply.
◇ ◇ ◇
“Hmm?”
One peaceful afternoon at the academy, something caught his eye.
“Meow~”
He saw Professor Adria in a quiet corner of the academy grounds.
“Oh! It’s licking its paw, so cute~!”
The problem was that, just like at the tavern, her usual stern demeanor was gone… and she was acting innocently cheerful.
“Meow~ Meow~ Meow~ Say it again~”
She was smiling at a white cat, which seemed to be a stray, with a completely innocent expression.
“Hehe~ You’re so cute.”
She knelt down, placing her hands on her knees, to be at eye level with the cat.
“Meow~ Meow~ Hehe…”
She even tried to imitate the cat’s meow, as if she wanted to communicate with it, or perhaps she simply wanted to be a cat herself.
She watched the cat with undisguised delight.
He was glad he was the only one who witnessed this. If the other students saw her, they would be shocked.
Everyone would be stunned to learn that the strict and fearsome professor had such a childish side.
“Professor, you like cute things?”
“···?!!”
She flinched at his voice, as if caught red-handed.
“A-Arnold?! What are you… doing here?!! And how long have you been watching?!”
Her cheeks flushed crimson, and she looked around nervously.
“Since you started imitating the cat.”
“S-Since then…?!”
The blush spread across her entire face. She looked like she wanted to hide in a hole.
“It’s okay. It’s fine to like cute things.”
“Th-This is…! It’s not like that!!”
Despite his attempt to reassure her, she seemed even more flustered, clenching her fists and shaking her head vigorously.
“J-Just… keep it a secret… okay?”
But she quickly gave up and whispered in a small voice.
“I understand.”
“Please… If the students, who are used to seeing my serious and strict side, find out about this, I might not be able to stay at the academy anymore.”
He tapped his index fingers together. Seeing her flustered state, he decided to change the subject and turned his gaze towards the cat.
“By the way, that cat isn’t afraid of people. Usually, they run away when you make loud noises or try to approach them.”
He pointed at the white cat, which was calmly wagging its tail beside her. It was unusually fearless and calm for a stray cat.
“······.”
That cat…
Why did it seem so familiar?
“Hmm.”
It felt like running into someone he vaguely recognized. He tried to recall where he had seen it before…
“Meow~”
Suddenly, the white cat meowed and started rubbing against him.
“Huh?”
He was a bit startled by its sudden action. But the cat clung to his thigh, showing no intention of leaving.
“No…! It ran away when I tried to touch it, but why is it approaching Arnold?!”
Professor Adria seemed envious and jealous that the cat had chosen him.
“Meow, meow~”
Why was it so clingy? It was rubbing against him as if asking to be picked up.
“Lates!”
Just then, a third voice called out.
“Where have you been? I’ve been looking all over for you!”
An elf rushed towards them, looking at the white cat with a possessive air, as if it were her pet.
“······!”
He was inwardly shocked by the elf’s appearance. Because she was the second heroine of the original story.
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Hi Lord Fourth here!
I’m new to translating so if you find some mistakes or inconsistencies let me know about it on the dedicated channel on discord.
