Reincarnated as a Sickly Princess, She was Kidnapped by the Evil Dragon Lady - Chapter 22

Aria sat on the nearby bed, silently watching the sleeping Illycia. A myriad of emotions flashed through her mind, but in the end, they coalesced into a single sigh.

“Just a human,” she murmured.

With that, Aria lay down on the adjacent bed and closed her eyes to rest.

Illycia, completely unaware of how close she had come to death, remained deeply immersed in her dream.

At first, Illycia felt utterly exhausted, but gradually the sensation eased, leaving her feeling refreshed and at peace.

In her dream, the former Illycia stood before her, speaking.

She explained that she was entrusting her body to the current Illycia, allowing her to happily depart from this world.

Before leaving, the former Illycia made sure to convey how content she had been in this world. Though the scenery remained unchanging day after day, she had cherished the care and affection of her parents and elder brothers. She knew that her family felt guilty for not providing her with the best possible life.

But as long as she knew what her parents had truly done for her, she wouldn’t blame them.

In the end, the Illycia of the past had completely vanished, leaving only the transmigrated soul—the Illycia of the present.

As the sky outside the window gradually brightened, a ray of sunlight, symbolizing new beginnings, slowly fell upon Illycia’s face, its dazzling light piercing through her eyelids and waking her.

Illycia felt stiff and uncomfortable all over, but she was much better than the exhausted state she had been in the night before.

“Awake?”

Just as Illycia was still sorting through the jumbled thoughts in her mind, a pleasant female voice drifted from beside her, immediately drawing her gaze to its source.

It was Aria, sitting on the bed, watching her as she stirred.

“Ah… good morning…”

“Mm.”

Aria replied with her usual detached tone, then gracefully leaped off the bed, landing steadily on the floor.

“Get up if you’re rested. We should leave early.”

Aria raised her arm to tidy her hair, which had become slightly disheveled overnight, while urging Illycia to hurry.

Upon hearing this, Illycia froze for a moment, her expression darkening slightly.

Aria noticed Illycia’s reluctance to leave, but she pretended not to see it.

Illycia’s thoughts were simple: having finally made it to the Dwarf Kingdom, it would be a waste to leave after just one night.

Moreover, in her dream, Illycia had recalled the last words the previous Illycia had spoken before departing: Use this body to see the world’s wonders and fulfill the lifelong dream I never achieved.

This memory intensified Illycia’s already strong desire to explore and experience everything.

But there was no choice. Without Aria, she was practically useless. Surviving alone in this unfamiliar Dwarf Kingdom with her current body was a pipe dream.

Since Aria was unwilling, Illycia had no recourse.

“Alright…”

Sullenly, Illycia could only respond to Aria. After taking some time to tidy up, she followed Aria out.

As soon as they descended the stairs, Illycia noticed a group of people gathered nearby, seemingly watching something. This piqued her curiosity.

Illycia tugged at the hem of Aria’s robe, who was walking ahead of her.

The slight movement successfully caught Aria’s attention, causing her to turn and look at Illycia.

“Um… what’s that…” Illycia wanted to go see what the crowd was looking at, but she couldn’t quite find the words, leaving her feeling awkward.

“What is it?”

“Well… I…”

As she spoke, Illycia’s gaze shifted uneasily toward the clustered group, then back to Aria’s cold, impassive face.

That expression alone revealed Illycia’s little scheme to Aria.

Aria had initially intended to refuse, but seeing Illycia’s pitiful, hesitant expression—wanting to go but too timid to ask—she sighed inwardly. It won’t take long anyway, she thought, and nodded in agreement.

“Let’s go. I’ll take you,” Aria said, immediately taking Illycia’s hand and leading her toward the crowd.

Illycia, feeling her hand suddenly being held, found her mind momentarily short-circuiting.

It had to be said that Aria, as a dragon who had taken human form, was indistinguishable from humans—even her hands were soft and delicate, just like a girl’s.

However, the initial shock of their first physical contact quickly faded as their attention was drawn to the scene before them.

At the center of the crowd stood a man in tattered clothes, his face weathered and slightly haggard. He held a somewhat damaged guitar and was singing:

“Distant falling leaves carry news~ The blooming Roland Flower repelled the Dragon’s invasion~ The crowd roars, the masses surge with fervor…”

The notes vibrated from the guitar strings, accompanied by the man’s poetic singing style. Illycia and Aria couldn’t help but be impressed by the wandering bard’s skill.

As they listened to the song, Illycia naturally noticed the lyrics.

Illycia tugged on Aria’s hand, drawing her attention.

Aria turned to look at Illycia behind her.

“Do you think there’s a deeper meaning to the lyrics he’s singing?”

“Probably,” Illycia replied.

Aria agreed, but hesitated to draw any conclusions.

Noticing Aria’s uncertainty, Illycia turned to a female dwarf standing nearby.

“Excuse me, do you know where he’s from?”

The dwarf showed no surprise at being addressed by a human.

“Are you humans?”

Illycia nodded.

“Then you must know of the Roland Empire. He drifted here from there.”

The dwarf gestured toward the minstrel, who was still lost in his song.

Hearing that the minstrel came from the Roland Empire, Illycia felt her interpretation of the lyrics was likely correct.

“Aria…” Illycia shook Aria’s arm again.

“What is it?”

“You seem to think… you’ve been defeated?”