A Runaway Villainess, Now Healing In An Enemy Country - Chapter 51

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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【Chapter 51】

 

“Irene!”

 

Chessier was the first to react.

 

He kicked off from his seat and rushed to the front of the procession in one breath. He rose so violently that the carriage shook as if it would break apart.

 

Even as his beloved Lishie swayed like a piece of paper from the impact, his blue eyes remained fixed on me, piercing and unrelenting.

 

It had been a long time since I’d seen a gaze that held me so clearly. It might even be the first time.

 

“Your Highness. Did you miss me?”

 

“How can you say such a thing right now…!”

 

Can’t even take a joke.

 

At his thunderous roar, the knights escorting the carriage grew alert and gripped their sword hilts. They looked ready to draw their blades the moment Chessier said a word.

 

‘There are quite a few mages too… but Noah isn’t here, as expected.’

 

Well, of course. He’s not shameless enough to serve as escort while my woman is getting engaged to another man.

 

Everything matched the escort list Mel had given me in advance. It was fortunate in many ways.

 

The crowd’s cheers that had filled the street turned to deathly silence, and the air grew heavy as if weighted with lead.

 

In that atmosphere, I smiled lightly with narrowed eyes.

 

“You look healthy. Would you like to get stabbed once more while we’re at it?”

 

I had signaled Jepi, who was waiting with the bell, to start, so now I had to draw aggro for a while.

 

For now, it was best to avoid combat if possible. No matter how great a mage I was, I couldn’t face dozens of escorts alone.

 

In other words, I’ll start by running my mouth.

 

“Actually, I came to get revenge on Lishie this time. The more I thought about it, the more unfair it felt, so I really wanted to make the rumors come true.”

 

Though I hadn’t prepared my lines in advance, provocative and infuriating words flowed out as if my tongue had been oiled.

 

“Will I go to hell if I kill the Countess?”

 

“Irene Baltres!”

 

“If Your Highness had just kept your promises from the beginning, I wouldn’t be doing this.”

 

Well, it was true.

 

If Chessier had kept his promise, if I were sitting in Lishie’s place right now.

 

I wouldn’t be trying to kill him, wouldn’t have fled to Belmayer, and wouldn’t be going through this hardship now.

 

But hypotheticals were meaningless, and regardless of how it started, I liked my current life. Enough to make maintaining this peaceful life my goal.

 

“You should have treated me well when you had the chance.”

 

“…There are many eyes watching. Don’t cause more trouble here and surrender as you are. Considering what you’ve done, if you have even a shred of remorse.”

 

Chessier’s voice as he said this was sharp and ominous. It also sounded weary with fatigue.

 

Soon he roughly ran his hand through his hair, his usual habit when he became sensitive. His hand was wrapped in bandages that didn’t match his formal attire.

 

The moment I noticed those wounds, words slipped out like an exclamation, faster than thought.

 

“You hurt your hand?”

 

“…You.”

 

“I told you that as a swordsman, you should take care of your hands. Well, Your Highness has never listened to what I said anyway.”

 

Then Chessier visibly hesitated. Deep ripples formed in his blue flame-like eyes.

 

“…”

 

Why is his reaction… like that?

 

I expected him to get angry or be bewildered, asking what business it was of mine. But he just stared at me intently.

 

Come to think of it, his attitude today was strange in many ways.

 

First, leaving Lishie neglected as if she didn’t matter, then not making a fuss even when I said I came for revenge.

 

Not ordering suppression or attack – everything was off.

 

As the Prince remained silent for a long time, the guards’ wariness grew even sharper. From their stance alone, you’d think I was holding a hostage.

 

I didn’t know what change of heart he was having, but anyway, it was good for me…

 

Crash!

 

“C-Countess!”

 

“Don’t get close, it’s dangerous!”

 

Lishie, who had fallen from the high carriage, ignored the pale-faced guards and staggered toward me.

 

Unable to lay hands on the Countess’s body, they fretted but cleared a path, allowing Lishie to stand before me without interference.

 

“…Lishie.”

 

Only then did Chessier’s gaze turn to the child.

 

Such an annoyed and bothered look? It wasn’t quite fitting for a man experiencing the love of the century.

 

I recalled the information Mel had given me recently.

 

“There are rumors in the Imperial Capital that the Countess’s condition isn’t good. Not her body, but her mind. They’re trying to keep it quiet, but how well can such things be hidden?”

 

“Your Highness, you can’t.”

 

Lishie said this abruptly and gripped Chessier’s clothes tightly. Her whole body trembling finely, shaking her head left and right in a pitiful manner.

 

But Chessier, who would normally have acted as if dying for her, scolded her in a terribly cold low voice.

 

“…Yes, you’d better return to the Imperial Capital.”

 

“Maybe that’s why His Highness the Prince has become a bit cold toward the Countess.”

 

“While making all this fuss over an engagement?”

 

“He loved her until she caused trouble, but living with her, he got sick of the crazy woman.”

 

“His feelings cooled in just a few days?”

 

“You said your feelings for His Highness cooled in an instant too, Miss. What’s impossible about it?”

 

Indeed, those words made sense, but it was certainly an unsettling change.

 

I felt the same inexplicable discomfort as when I saw Lishie ‘serving’ before.

 

“You can’t. You promised not to… kill, look for Older Sister—”

 

“She didn’t come looking, she walked here on her own feet. Also, it wasn’t me but His Majesty who decided not to seek out Irene and question her crimes.”

 

“But.”

 

“Enough, Lishie. I cannot overlook the commotion Irene has caused now. There are more than a few spectators.”

 

Frowning, he spoke decisively and turned his head back to me. He had a neurotic atmosphere like someone tormented by nightmares.

 

As I was thinking this, Chessier gave an order.

 

“Subdue Irene Baltres.”

 

“Your Highness!”

 

Whether Lishie clung to him or not, he remained unmoved. He even added what sounded like a contradictory difficult instruction.

 

“Treat her as a criminal but do not harm her.”

 

‘I thought he’d say it didn’t matter if I got hurt.’

 

At that command, the knights hesitated, unable to easily draw their swords. Soon a mage from their rear ranks cast a binding spell on me.

 

“Damn it. Why don’t you just give me complete immunity.”

 

I grumbled while easily dodging the chains made of magic power. Compared to the magic I’d received from Noah at the border region before, this had weak force.

 

There were only four or five mages here, and all were lower rank than me. They weren’t particularly threatening opponents.

 

Even if they joined forces to cast more powerful magic, my reactions and calculations would be faster than theirs.

 

Chessier watched me leisurely evading attacks with a stern face and quietly warned.

 

“Irene. It would be better if you behaved.”

 

“Mm, no. I’m starved for attention right now.”

 

“You, you crazy…”

 

At my provocative words, the faces of the knights at the front flushed red and blue with anger.

 

‘About 15 minutes have passed now?’

 

As I was gauging the time, some of the guards surrounded Lishie protectively. It looked like they were trying to take her back to the Imperial Capital.

 

I couldn’t let that happen.

 

After dodging binding spells three more times, I sent a magic bullet near their feet. With a bit of killing intent.

 

Boom!

 

“…!”

 

The moment the ground shook heavily, the knights trained to respond instantly to danger drew their swords by instinct.

 

Just then, Pelbarte, who served as the Prince’s first sword, protected his lord while pointing his blade at me.

 

Just as Chessier was about to say something to him.

 

Whoosh!

 

“Greetings, sir.”

 

Using magic to mimic Jepi’s high-speed movement, I lightly touched my finger to his sharpened blade.

 

In the blink of an eye, the sword blade changed as if dyed golden from the part my fingertip touched.

 

Pelbarte, who lost his sword before he could even blink, cried out in surprise.

 

“What in the world…!”

 

“What else, it’s magic.”

 

My golden transformation magic doesn’t discriminate whether the raw material is rock or steel.

 

The downside is that it can only transform through skin contact, so I can’t use it in actual sword-wielding combat.

 

But if the situation allows, I can put on a show like this.

 

“Thanks for letting your guard down.”

 

Now was the perfect stage to showcase this specialty. Since the order was to capture alive, they couldn’t recklessly cut me down.

 

Gold is too soft a metal to use as a weapon. I could hear them swallowing their shock at losing their means of attack in an instant.

 

“Irene Baltres…!”

 

Quickly distancing myself from the furious-faced Pelbarte, I began new magical calculations and suddenly stretched my hand toward the sky.

 

“Actually, I prepared an engagement gift for you two.”

 

It’s true.

 

For the past few days, there was something I had been holed up in my inn room making day and night for this moment.

 

Something that anyone would love madly.

 

Something that would make them ignore order and rush forward.

 

Something that would turn this street into complete chaos, enough that they might not even notice the Countess disappearing.

 

I finished setting the movement coordinates. Snap! With a light flick of my finger, the gift I had prepared poured down like a torrential rain.

 

Crash!

 

“T-the sky is strange!”

 

“Kyaaah! Please save me!”

 

“Everyone take cover! Whatever this attack is… huh, what?”

 

The narrow sky right above the street where the flower carriage procession was located opened up, and what fell through it were gold coins about one-third smaller than standard currency.

 

“This is r-real gold…”

 

“First come, first served!”

 

Lowering my outstretched hand, I shouted in a bright voice.

 

As if they had been waiting, excitement filled the entire street.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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