A Strange But Effective Villainess Life - Chapter 135

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

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Chapter 135
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A few days later.
“Ahahahahaha! Everyone come out right now!”
It was the pitch-black dawn before sunrise.
“Look with your own two eyes at who I’ve brought! Ahahahahaha!”
Julius bellowed at the closed castle gates with a voice that rang out sharply.
“Be quiet.”
A blunt voice came from beside the castle gate.
“Where is my son?”
Julius startled and caught his breath. Only then did he see Scari, Joshua, and Kiana standing in the darkness.
【Scari!】
Hou, who had been flying above Julius’s head, swooped down swiftly and landed beside Scari. Daram, who had been sitting on Kiana’s shoulder, scurried down and clung to Julius’s beard.
“How did you… at this hour of the morning?”
Julius asked in bewilderment, and Kiana replied.
“I calculated it roughly. There was some margin of error, but it turned out fairly accurate.”
Piyak, perched on Kiana’s head, fluttered his small wings and asked.
【But why did only you and Hou come?】
At those words, Hou clicked his beak and answered.
【He said the carriage was stuffy and ran ahead alone. Everyone else is coming behind.】
And as if to prove those words, the sound of carriages approaching began to echo from the distance.
Still faint, but visible through the snow-covered path were the approaching party members. And seeing a dog running excitedly ahead of the carriage, Scari’s face brightened. It was Hyde’s summoned beast.
Until they arrived, everyone maintained a moment of silence.
It had been seventeen years. So long without being together that absence had become familiar. Kiana couldn’t even remember Hyde’s face. Yet despite this, an inexplicable longing hung between them.
A white dog that arrived first scratched at the carriage door and spoke.
【Hyde, come out quick! Your old man’s gotten all wrinkled and your fancy-dressed son is waiting!】
“…What is that?”
Kiana, seeing Hyde’s summoned beast for the first time, muttered in disbelief.
“Why does a dog talk like a cat?”
【Ah, the daughter grew up full of prejudice! Come out quick!】
The dog summoned beast even bounced excitedly, urging him to come out.
And in that brief moment, Kiana thought of many things.
She recalled the young Hyde’s face that hung in Prelai Castle. She thought of Hyde as described in the playful notes scattered throughout Enes’s room. She remembered the whispers everyone made: “Joshua’s face really does resemble Hyde a lot.”
The evaluations—neat, elegant, more noble than anyone else. In Kiana’s imagination, Hyde was a Joshua with the grace of Sezare Levin.
Meanwhile, the carriage door slowly opened.
“…Hyde?”
Scari murmured as if whispering. His tone was less one of emotion than slight bewilderment. A massive frame, a thick unkempt beard, and hair tied back haphazardly…
“Father?”
A middle-aged giant wearing strange clothes wrapped in rough monster hide muttered.
“…Could it be Joshua and Kiana?”
The awkward reunion ended with Scari pulling Hyde into a tight embrace.
“Hyde! You’ve come back! You’re here! I get to see you before I die!”
With the aching heart of a parent seeing their child after seventeen years, Scari repeatedly patted Hyde’s back. Even Julius could say nothing, simply watching the scene unfold in silence.
From that moment of emotion, Piyak whispered in a voice that could no longer be contained.
【Hou, there’s a strange smell….】
【It’s the scent coming from that monster hide clothing. Scari must be noticing it by now too.】
Hou offered a brief explanation, though his voice reached everyone’s ears.
【Well, Hyde has… returned as a man of nature, so to speak.】
* * *
The Imperial Palace’s morning was bustling. It was the day of the regular nobility assembly.
Alex sat with an expression suggesting he found everything tedious, though the meeting hadn’t even begun. Still, thanks to the formal uniform his butler had insisted he wear, his decent appearance managed to shine through reasonably well.
And a certain count gathered his courage to approach him.
“Is Duke Prelai feeling unwell? He’s missed the last two meetings.”
The count’s attempt at familiarity was a gamble on the possibility that ‘Alex might have belatedly come to his senses and become a suitable groom.’ This was because the count had a daughter of marriageable age.
If Alex had somehow become a decent human without anyone knowing, he wanted to be the first to notice and form a marriage alliance. The Prelai house was impressive enough to warrant such ambition.
Without even glancing at the count’s face, Alex’s crimson lips slowly parted.
“Are your ears clogged, or is your memory simply abysmal? Everyone in the Capital must know that our house lord walked to the Prelai Duchy on sturdy legs.”
He even yawned while twirling his pen in a threatening manner. Had weapons not been forbidden in the assembly hall, it seemed he would have been twirling a sword instead.
“Shall I drill open your ears, or would you prefer I beat your brain awake?”
“N-neither is necessary. Thank you for your concern.”
The count ultimately retreated backward and left. His gamble had failed. After that, no other nobles approached Alex’s side.
Alex yawned and folded his arms with his eyes closed.
From various directions, people were discussing taxes. According to imperial law, they had to pay, but since they couldn’t accept it, they planned to lodge strong protests. Of course, Alex had no interest in such matters.
‘I hope something interesting happens soon.’
It was when Count Sezare Levin arrived that he opened his eyes slightly with some interest.
‘That bastard….’
Alex’s eyes, which cursed first regardless of who the other party was, gleamed slightly.
‘He seems to know how to use a sword.’
His neat attire, handsome face, and dignified bearing drew people’s attention.
‘He’d be decent enough as Kiana’s eye candy of an ex.’
It was a positive assessment that could only emerge from a breakup.
‘He didn’t drag things out messily and even ended things cleanly at the right time, so there’s no need to kill him. I’ll just beat him soundly and call it even.’
Of course, “positive” was entirely by Alex’s standards.
In any case, Sezare’s arrival caused a stir among the nobles. Those nobles with reasonably quick information knew that the military forces of the Levin Domain had been moving unusually.
And not long after, Hitten appeared. Today, Dolores accompanied him. While Dolores attending the nobility assembly with Hitten wasn’t an everyday occurrence, it wasn’t rare either. So no one found it particularly strange.
Alex had seen Hitten several times at official gatherings. Due to Joshua and Kiana’s absence, it was Alex who had been attending official events most frequently. And as a result of Alex’s frequent attendance, Scari never had to answer the question “Why haven’t you designated an heir to the eldest grandson?” anywhere.
‘What the hell, that bastard….’
Alex rose casually and bowed respectfully to Hitten along with the other nobles, thinking to himself.
Of course, Hitten was smiling benevolently as usual. But Alex, with instincts like a beast, sensed something different from his normal demeanor.
‘Why does he look so tense and sharp? Does he sense that something’s about to happen?’
Hitten’s attention was entirely focused on Sezare. Well, there was nothing particularly surprising about it. With the intelligence network of an Imperial Prince, he would certainly know that the armies of the Levin Domain had moved. Demanding attendance at the noble assembly under these circumstances naturally made him sharp.
‘What could he possibly say while pushing armies forward? Is he really being obstinate about taxes?’
That was the limitation of Alex, who disliked thinking too deeply.
In any case, it was when the assembly began in earnest.
“Today, I—”
Before the other nobles could even broach the subject of taxes, Sezare opened his mouth quietly.
In truth, speaking without first obtaining the floor violated the assembly’s protocols. Yet not a single person dared to point this out. Because an overwhelming pressure emanated from Sezare—one that made even Alex catch his breath.
“I have come to reclaim my rightful place.”
Though his words were brief and offered no further explanation, they possessed a power that commanded everyone’s attention.
“It has been six years since we last met.”
Then Sezare smiled faintly and placed a sacred object upon the table. In that instant, even the indifferent Alex held his breath. The jewel bearing the crest of Tailizes shone brilliantly in Sezare’s hand.
Sezare’s appearance, which had strangely failed to register in their memories, now came into sharp focus for everyone. Black hair, golden eyes—yet unmistakably, the facial features of his childhood remained etched upon his face.
“It truly has been a long time, everyone.”
Everyone’s mouths fell open in astonishment.

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

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