A Runaway Villainess, Now Healing In An Enemy Country - Chapter 80

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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 80】

Clang!

Chessier immediately sprang up from the floor as if kicking off from it. It took only a few seconds for him to grab the collar of the High Priest who stood upright.

“You, what do you know?”

The unrefined killing intent he unleashed was menacing.

Even facing that chilling intimidation, Ezekiel’s smile hardly faded.

“I know quite a lot. That what Your Highness is truly seeking while leading the Countess Search Party is actually the Princess, and that she is alive…”

Veins bulged on the back of Chessier’s hand as he gripped the collar.

Even with his voice sounding choked, Ezekiel continued speaking calmly as if nothing was wrong.

“Where she is now.”

“…”

“And how you can meet her, *cough*!”

“Speak.”

That sounded more like grinding teeth than a voice. His darkly sunken blue eyes had no focus whatsoever.

“Your Highness has not yet… answered my question. How far are you willing, *cough*, to go?”

“Anything.”

The answer fell without pause, as if it wasn’t worth considering, very hasty and fierce.

It was an attitude quite unlike the Prince of old in many ways. To reveal such raw emotion just because ‘that woman’ was mentioned.

How great is the change that love brings.

Ezekiel thought half cynically, half pleasantly. If he had known he would see such an interesting sight, he should have visited a little earlier.

“Anything! That’s good to hear, *cough*!”

“High Priest. My patience doesn’t seem very long.”

“Aren’t you going to ask… how I’m so certain the Princess is alive?”

Saying this, he raised his right hand above his head.

Blood drops fell from his palm, cut by something. A golden flash burst from there right after Chessier’s gaze turned to his hand.

Flash!

“Actually, Your Highness. Recently I… was gloriously awakened to divine power.”

His palm, now completely healed as if it had never been injured, proved his words. Chessier’s gaze toward him froze ice-cold.

However, Ezekiel reported this faster than Chessier could ask about that divine power.

“God has confirmed the Princess’s survival. Does this give you a little more faith?”

“…”

Chessier unconsciously softened his intensity slightly. During all this time, the High Priest before him was the only one who had spoken with certainty that Irene was alive.

Though her body had vanished, there were many witnesses to her death. Rumors about the Princess who died becoming a Vermin spread secretly and established themselves as ghost stories.

Even after seeing her lifeless form directly, only Chessier himself believed she was alive.

Duke Baltres, who had been in seclusion since the secret funeral, and even Noah Ren, who had joined the search party at his suggestion, didn’t believe it.

He recalled his conversation with Noah Ren from a few days ago.

“Let me tell you, I’m different from Your Highness. I can’t possibly think that child is alive.”

“Don’t you want to rely on that belief just the same?”

“…It feels like my whole life has been manipulated by something. What I’m looking for is closer to the answers that child left behind rather than Irene herself.”

“I thought you regretted what happened. That’s why I thought you accepted my proposal.”

“I do regret it. I hope she returns alive. But I’m not romantic enough to rely on such slim miracles.”

Romance? The heart Chessier possessed was more gloomy and damp than that. Like rust that forms on iron.

However… he deeply agreed with the words about feeling like one’s life had been manipulated by something.

The love he harbored wasn’t gained in a single moment one day, but cultivated over the past ten years.

Nevertheless, he had been unaware of that inexplicable emotion for a very long time. How could that be possible?

But when he realized it, it was already too late.

So he was acting based on a fanatical belief of unclear origin that it could still be undone.

“…High Priest. If you truly awakened divine power, why don’t you announce that fact?”

Chessier slowly regained his composure and released the High Priest’s collar that he had roughly grabbed.

Ezekiel straightened his clothes and said.

“If a new Saint appeared, His Majesty wouldn’t search for the missing Countess. Wouldn’t that put Your Highness in a difficult position?”

“You speak as if you’re thinking of me.”

Since God is unique, only one divine representative descends to earth per era.

If the High Priest had truly awakened divine power, naturally Lishie would have lost her power as Countess. The Emperor wouldn’t care at all about her disappearance.

“I know why Your Highness is searching this place. It’s because you suspect Belmayer as where the Princess is.”

“…If so.”

As those words suggested, Chessier’s current purpose in the north near the border was singular.

To find a connection between the Countess’s disappearance and Belmayer, and obtain justification to search that place.

“Irene was in Belmayer during her missing period. We estimate she may have received their assistance in the Duchy.”

Because that was the clue Irene had left behind.

To uncover the connection between Belmayer and Irene, in other words to find Irene, they needed to enter Belmayer.

However, the two countries were currently in a long ceasefire.

It was difficult to charge in with a search party, a kind of military force, without reasonable justification.

Nothing would be as decisive and certain justification as evidence of being behind the Countess’s kidnapping.

“If Your Highness is prepared for war, I will arrange for you to meet the Princess in Belmayer. No…”

“…”

“It would be more correct to say I’ll help bring the Princess back to the Empire.”

Having finished speaking, Ezekiel smiled broadly. Joy overflowed in the smile of one who anticipated no refusal.

“…Is that God’s will?”

Sure enough, the Prince accepted by asking this question.

Ezekiel was impressed by that selfish love that would wage war even against demons to get her back.

Yes. Sometimes affection is a more frightening emotion than hatred.

“I’ll answer that everything is… according to God’s will.”

Saying this, he approached the window and cast his gaze on the snow-capped mountain scenery that had become quiet as if it had never been turbulent.

The mysterious blizzard that had engulfed the entire vast mountain range had disappeared, but the wind left by that storm was still bitter.

“How is the mountain range investigation going?”

“…Noah Ren and his squad have begun the primary search. You know something. It wasn’t something you caused with divine power, was it.”

The mountain range’s disturbance that lasted a full day was overwhelmingly massive. The search party staying in the north couldn’t fail to detect that anomaly.

First it was a massive flow of magical energy, then some kind of… ‘great’ power that seemed to change even the weather.

A wave of power.

“If Your Highness believes so, perhaps it was.”

Ezekiel responded ambiguously with his consistent smile.

Because God in his head was constantly expressing anger about that, his sharp headache wouldn’t subside.

‘Unexpected. I didn’t think she’d already grown such power.’

Though he couldn’t achieve his original purpose, it was fine.

Anyway, those who try to protect many things alone will inevitably fall into overload.

* * *

The price of recklessly growing divine power was quite steep.

I had expected to recover just by sleeping moderately, but I ended up bedridden with a severe fever.

“You weakling. The medicine isn’t working at all!”

Nishe threw the empty glass bottle onto the soft couch with all sorts of irritation.

It was a fever reducer made with tears by the physicians who were forced to work at Winter Castle since I fell ill from the Drens incident months ago.

What I just drank was probably the fifth improvement or so.

Looking at my pitiful state of being bedridden for several days straight gives you the answer, but unfortunately, their efforts haven’t been working well on me yet.

This body ache is closer to aftereffects from purification rather than a physical illness. Probably.

“Don’t snap at Older Sister.”

Lishie scolded him while personally changing the wet towel she had placed on my forehead.

I don’t know what change of heart she had, but Lishie has been particularly sharp-tongued lately.

“Medicine effects originally take time to show results. It doesn’t cure you immediately after drinking it.”

When Lishie pointed this out methodically, Ally, who had been hovering nearby, chimed in agreement.

“That’s right, Nishe. You brought the medicine so you’ve done your job, so stop bothering her and leave now!”

“Ally, you don’t have anything to do either, so please stop wandering around the room and leave together.”

“…There might be things that need physical strength!”

“You caused an accident with that strength.”

Well then. Ally slapped me with a wet towel soaked in cold water. Though it wasn’t intentional, it was great because it woke me right up.

Ally, who had lost her words to such a logical rebuttal, closed her mouth and groaned in frustration. Then Nishe laughed “Puhaha!” as if pleased by her predicament.

“You’re the one who should leave!”

“Be quiet. I won’t make mistakes anymore.”

“Both of you, please go outside to argue.”

Good grief. This will never end at this rate.

I made a gentle suggestion to them.

“Everyone get out.”

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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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