Regarding the Matter of Me Being Picked Up and Adopted by Talula Chapter 13

Talula covered her eyes, her two horns glowing crimson as she spoke.

19. The Man Surrounded by Admirers

That night, at the settlement where the guerillas resided, a bonfire of unprecedented size was lit for the first time.

The people didn't know exactly what was happening. They had simply stacked firewood according to Talula's instructions. Fortunately, there was no shortage of wood frozen on this permafrost, only suitable for burning after decades of being encased in ice.

"Oh... so warm, so bright."

Although the people didn't understand why such a tall pyre was being built, the moment the bonfire was lit, flames taller than a person instantly warmed everyone, as if capable of dispelling the darkness of all of Terra.

Everyone sat around the bonfire lazily, no longer pondering why they had gathered there, simply enjoying the dazzling light.

"Sasha, your palms are covered in calluses. It looks like you haven't been slacking on your crossbow training. Yekaterina, have you memorized your lessons? It's been a while, but I'll find time to test you!"

By the fire, Alina sat with a smile, surrounded by many children she had taught before. They were incredibly excited by their teacher's awakening and clustered around Alina.

"Tsk tsk tsk tsk... (the rustling of insects)"

Not far away, Orson was completely different. The acting teacher glared at Alina with the resentment of a cuckolded man.

"I prepared my lessons so diligently, told the children stories, and then as soon as the original wife returned, everyone forgot about me! You little brats, I'm not telling you the 22nd episode of my Dark Souls story!"

Orson gnawed on his hand with a wronged expression, staring at Alina. Even Ino had been lured away by Alina, leaving him completely a lonely old man.

Alina seemed to notice Orson's resentful gaze. They made eye contact, and Alina offered him a warm smile.

"...Haa."

Despite his sulking, seeing Alina's smile, Orson could only admit defeat with a sigh, acknowledging that his loss was not unfair.

This Elafia girl was truly like a lighthouse and the sun, warm, calm, and continuously emitting light.

After awakening, she didn't complain about her severed right hand or the cherished ring that was stolen from her. Instead, she returned to her original duties, helping Talula mend the slightly torn clothing.

What a good little deer, watching her clumsy yet earnest efforts, Talula resolved to find the best prosthetics maker in Kazimierz or Minos.

Orson also decided to see if he could find Retsu Kaiō from another world and borrow an arm.

After a brief period of idle chatter, Talula walked onto the platform by the bonfire, and everyone tacitly ceased their noise.

"Everyone, you're probably all curious why we've gathered here today. Actually, there are some things I want to confess to everyone completely today."

Because her military uniform was damaged, Talula was currently wearing the familiar black lace-trimmed long dress from Orson's memory. But to Orson's surprise, after spending some time together, this dress, which should have been more familiar, now looked somewhat strange.

"You may have had doubts about the Inner Guard's attack earlier. In reality—I am the daughter of nobility."

Talula directly revealed the identity she had been hiding. A clamor immediately erupted around her, but it quickly subsided into silence again.

"I am the 'daughter' of 'Koschei the Deathless.' This identity cannot be changed, but I have no intention of continuing to hide it. We have lost too much along the way, even making me feel lost at times... but I will no longer be confused."

As she spoke, Talula glanced at Orson. After a brief exchange of glances, Talula refocused her attention on the members of the guerilla force.

"Once we are prepared in the North, we will advance south."

Talula stated her goal once more. This time, it wasn't as passionate, but it was more resolute.

"If we advance south now, we'll just be swallowed by the Enforcement Team and the Group Army, Talula."

FrostNova asked with a frown. She had thought Talula had given up on advancing south.

"So, we need to establish ourselves in the North first. Not in the current manner, but by uniting with other villages, regardless of whether they are Infected or not."

Talula responded immediately.

"How will we unite them?"

"There are many ways, for example—by using the rights of my noble status."

"—"

Talula's response surprised FrostNova. Patriot, who was nearby, also questioned her:

"Your actions could cross the line at any moment. Abusing your privileges is the first step toward corruption."

"I will not lose my way or fall into corruption."

Talula replied with unwavering determination. This was also the first time she had enough confidence to respond to Patriot's questioning.

"I have two constraints by my side—a light that can restrain me from being consumed by darkness, and... darkness that is willing to embrace the darkness for me."

Talula looked at Alina and Orson, responding with a smile.

"...I understand. To liberate the Infected in other mining areas, we do indeed need the maps from the southern Enforcement Team. Father?"

FrostNova agreed with Talula's subsequent actions and then looked at Patriot.

"You've abandoned your pathological obsession and chosen to try another path. Then let me see how far you and your restraints can go."

Patriot also surprisingly agreed with Talula. The stubborn Wendigo's promptness caught Talula off guard.

After the representatives of the Abyssal Hunters and the guerillas agreed, the other Infected soldiers also endorsed Talula's future strategy.

"...Thank you for your support. I'm truly grateful. Then next—let's treat today as a celebration feast!"

"Ooooh ooooh ooooh!!"

"Before that, please allow me to introduce my two dear friends here, Alina, and... the former prisoner you all know, acting teacher, Orson."

"Huh?"

Orson, caught off guard by this unexpected situation, froze in place. Alina eventually pulled him onto the platform with a laugh.

"I told you Talula and that little deer teacher were friends!" "I took classes with Alina, and Talula took classes with Alina too. Alina and I are besties!"

"Orson, you're amazing! I heard you didn't even flinch facing two guards, and you even protected Talula!" "We will avenge our brothers one day!!"

Orson was surrounded in the center, still unaccustomed to such a scene.

"Then—to tomorrow and the past, to the departed and the newborns!"

Talula raised the mug of mead in her hand, and the guerrilla group's banquet officially began.

Deep into the night—

"Mmm..."

Orson groggily woke from his sleep. He felt as if he were in a sauna, holding ice cubes.

"...It wasn't a dream."

Orson noticed he was lying in a tent, with a bunch of people sprawled around him.

His left hand was pinned down by the sleeping Snow Rabbit, while his right hand was firmly held by a drunk Sankta. On his stomach, as usual, a white-haired Liberi boy was sprawled there, who knows when he'd climbed on.

Not far away, Alina and the children were leaning against a table, breathing softly in light slumber. In front of them lay the simple chess pieces Orson had made.

Even though he had transformed back into the forest's ice and fire man, Orson felt incredibly happy and warm at this moment.

He was surrounded, and he knew clearly that the future of Reunion could be changed.

Just then, a pair of scarlet lights appeared in Orson's field of vision.

"Orson, how did you sleep? Is my daughter's arm soft?"

Patriot's deep, death-knell voice shattered all the beauty.

"Wuwuwuwu—!?!?"

Prologue—The Man Surrounded

20. Overbearing CEO, Door-to-Door Sales

In a secluded village, it was unusually bustling today. Many people gathered around the edge of the village chief's room, chattering away.

"Did you hear! That 'Up-and-Coming Noble Merchant Guild' that's been famous in other villages has come to ours!"

"Really? What could possibly be here?"

"Who knows, I heard those merchant guilds are quite peculiar. The leader is a young girl, but she truly looks like a noble!"

"Stop talking, stop talking! I can't even hear what the village chief and the others are saying!"

The discussions rose and fell. But most of the onlookers, after listening for a long time, still didn't know what this "Up-and-Coming Noble Merchant Guild" was.

Inside the village chief's room, separated by only a few wooden planks from the outside, a girl with short silver-white hair, dressed in a sharp noble military uniform, sat with her legs crossed, resting her chin on her hands with a profound smile.

Beside her were a young man holding a longsword like a knight, and a Liberi girl with beautiful silver hair and a smile on her face.

Opposite the three, the village chief and a few other youths were leaning against the wooden table. However, these people did not have such a relaxed demeanor. The village chief nervously wiped sweat from his brow, carefully considering how to speak.

"Um... Which noble lady are you? Our village has no more grain to hand over..."

The village chief tremblingly asked the silver-haired girl—Talula.

"Please rest assured, Elder Village Chief. The Enforcement Team wouldn't go to such lengths. You can call me Talula. I'm just a new noble merchant who came out to find business opportunities out of boredom."

Talula picked up the cup in front of her and took a sip of the extremely bland tea.

"Merchant...?"

"Ah, while I say merchant, it's not wrong to call me a porter. I bring what you need, take away what you have in excess, and occasionally bring out things you've never seen before—So, can we talk about what your village lacks and what you have in excess?"

Talula's words continued to press down like an attacking formation, leaving the Elder Village Chief no chance to interrupt the conversation.

"Our village isn't really lacking food, but we're always short on charcoal. There aren't many trees to cut around here... As for excess, since there's rock salt nearby, we have plenty of salt... Ah! Could you be—"

"Don't worry, we're not here to inquire about anything else worth plundering. Besides, the nobles in the city are tired of salted apples. We're just here to trade, like this—"

Talula reached out, and her "guard," Orson, took out a small tin box. When he opened it, it revealed exquisite cigarettes.

"Th-this is..."

The village chief, who had a pipe beside him, stared intently at the cigarettes.

"Interested in trading rock salt and some surplus grain for Ursus city-made cigarettes?"

"I... Please, let me consider it. Also, those two attendants beside you, are they..."

The village chief swallowed and then asked about Orson and Alina.

"They're Infected. Interesting, aren't they? Do you know how likely it is for an Infected person to become an infection source? It's as likely as you finding this cigarette in the wild. But once a person becomes Infected, their 'labor price' suddenly becomes much cheaper—Of course, I don't like cheap things, so whether it's the wages for my guards or my secretary, I pay them according to market rates. This is the most interesting part of trade: if you give others respect and equivalent compensation, you can gain more than double the respect and profit. It's the same for the Infected."

Talula finished her tea in one gulp, her eyes, which seemed to see through everything, fixed on the now greatly shaken village chief.

"Infected aren't dangerous...? That's not what we've been told..."

The village chief's tone was somewhat confused, while his own gaze remained firmly fixed on the small tin box in Talula's hand.

"Infected who die and turn into Originium are dangerous. Other than that, discriminated people are also dangerous—but that has nothing to do with whether they are infected or not."

"Even if you say that... the Enforcement Team—"

"You are the village chief, aren't you?"

Talula rose from her seat and pressed forward, walking directly in front of the village chief, looking down at the administrator before her from a superior position.

"If I recall correctly, the Baron responsible for governing you hasn't paid attention to his territory in a long time. What was his name again? Baron Bordeaux? Or Baron Bordo? His name is meaningless, isn't it? You and I both know very well that the name of the most crucial person at this moment—is you, Village Chief sir."

Talula sat on the table and tossed the cigarette box in her hand to the other person, and the village chief and the few people beside him didn't even dare to lift their heads.

"Whether you want to get more charcoal for the winter, or whether you want to show the villagers tobacco from the city-state, that's for you to consider?"

"Please... please allow us to consider it!"

"That's right, of course you should consider it."

Talula smiled, and the village chief and his entourage hastily left the room, leaving only Talula, Orson, and Alina in the small cabin.

After confirming the village chief had temporarily left—

"Haa...!"