A Strange But Effective Villainess Life - Chapter 161

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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 161
Epilogue
“Gahahahahaha!”
A giant of a man came galloping toward the capital like lightning on horseback since dawn.
“What is this, gahahaha! I never thought I’d return to the capital in less than ten years! Gahahahahaha!”
【Julius, please.】
Daram sighed deeply while hanging from Julius’s beard.
【It’s dawn. There are beasts sleeping, you know. Do you really need to make such a loud commotion?】
“Gahahaha! I’m already seeing Kiki’s face three times! Gahahahahaha! I thought I’d only get to see her once every ten years! Gahahaha!”
Julius laughed boisterously, completely ignoring Daram’s words.
The reason Julius could return to the capital so soon, when he could normally only visit once every ten years, was because of an official invitation from the Imperial Palace. It was for the groundbreaking ceremony of the ‘Imperial Academy of Magical Engineering.’
“Our Kiki is the founding Dean!”
Julius cried out with emotion on his face.
“It’s the glory of our house, the glory! Gahahahahaha!”
【Do you even know what position a founding Dean holds?】
“Gahahaha! What do you take me for! Of course I don’t know! Gahahaha!”
【…Right. Well, just keep your mouth shut and say some nice words at the engagement ceremony, will you?】
Julius’s laughter stopped abruptly at those words. Despite knowing the facts, his mood seemed to sour instantly.
The fact that the groundbreaking ceremony of the Imperial Academy of Magical Engineering and the Crown Prince’s engagement ceremony would proceed simultaneously was already known throughout the empire. The rumor that Kiana had overcome her family’s fierce opposition had spread across the entire empire.
“Kiana! You can’t! You have to live with us forever! Right?”
“Grandfather, why are you cursing me so cruelly when I’ve accomplished great things for our house?”
In truth, there was no one in the Frelai family who could defeat Kiana with logic.
“Kiki! Absolutely not! You’re getting engaged? To that inadequate, ill-mannered Crown Prince? I’d rather have dirt in my eyes!”
“You know I regressed, right? Father already had dirt in his eyes.”
“Wow…. Kiki, you’re my beloved daughter, but… hmm… well….”
“I was just stating facts.”
It was the same for her brothers as it was for Scari and Hyde.
“××! Kiana! ××! Absolutely not! Getting engaged? What kind of ×× nonsense is that! ××!”
“Is there a reason I can’t get engaged to the man I love? Let’s make a deal. If you can logically write down ten reasons why I shouldn’t get engaged by my engagement ceremony, then I won’t.”
Alex, who was weak with treaties and laws and such things, ultimately couldn’t come up with even a single logical reason by the engagement ceremony.
“Kiana, wait. I’m different from that illogical fool. I’ll definitely find that man’s fatal weakness that makes breaking up inevitable….”
Joshua also ultimately found nothing by the engagement ceremony. At least Joshua was the first to switch to Kiana’s side.
“I’ll entrust my engagement ceremony shoes to you, brother. But they need to have at least a checkered ribbon on them.”
“…Sigh…. Fine. We’re establishing a women’s shoe brand in ‘Etresha’ anyway….”
Joshua, who compromised immediately over just the decision of shoes rather than the engagement dress itself, began studying catalogs from that day on.
“I pressured Etresha by giving them money. To establish a women’s shoe brand. I predicted that would turn at least one young prince into a cooperative position.”
And above the jumping Joshua was Seliet flying.
“Because Joshua’s favorite brand is Etresha.”
“…But where does the Princess have that kind of money?”
“I asked the Emperor.”
Of course, the Emperor was complicit in this as well.
In any case, the betrothal ceremony preparations proceeded smoothly alongside the groundbreaking ceremony. And at Kiana’s request, Julius was also invited to the capital.
Julius planned to escort the criminals, including Dolores and Hitten, while he was in the capital.
“I won’t let them rest until the North begs me to kill them instead.”
Julius’s eyes gleamed with a chilling light as he thought of them.
“They’re the ones who killed our Enes.”
With multiple purposes in mind, Julius and Daram rushed to the capital like lightning.
* * *
When it was announced that the Imperial Academy of Magical Engineering would be established, there was surprisingly little opposition from the nobility. Everyone already knew that the investigative methods of the Guards using magical artifacts were quite effective.
However, some expressed concern about accepting both commoners and nobles as long as they passed the entrance examination.
“Then no nobles will apply. Studying alongside commoners, you say?”
Kiana answered calmly to that remark.
“Then don’t apply.”
“…Pardon?”
“When I was at Riloni Academy, commoners were perfectly capable of studying magical engineering. And nobles weren’t particularly exceptional at it either.”
Kiana spoke deliberately while looking directly into the eyes of the opposing noble.
“If we assume that nobles and commoners have equal talent in magical engineering, then commoners vastly outnumber the nobility anyway. Drawing samples from a larger pool of commoners would naturally result in a higher admission cutoff than drawing from a small number of nobles.”
“…What on earth are you talking about…?”
“See? Nobles like you don’t need to apply anyway.”
“…”
Kiana dismissed the opposing opinion, saying that nobles who loved magical engineering would come regardless.
“Where in the world would you find such a foolish noble?”
“Me. I even went all the way to the Riloni Duchy.”
“…”
In any case, as a result, the groundbreaking ceremony and betrothal preparations for the Imperial Academy of Magical Engineering proceeded smoothly.
On a bright afternoon with sunshine pouring down, Kiana and Edmund cut the ribbon together in front of many people. Watching this, Alex bit his nails and muttered.
“××… The way he smiles like he owns the whole world… that’s not a ×× logical reason to find it disgusting, is it?”
【Yeah, complete ××nonsense. Don’t ask me anymore from now on—ask Kitty instead.】
【I don’t listen to nonsense either, meow.】
Joshua, who was covered head to toe in Etresha brand merchandise, also shouted desperately.
“Kiana! Stick out your right foot a bit! Just your right foot! Show the Etresha logo!”
Hyde, who was standing next to him also wearing Etresha brand clothes, shouted as well.
“××! Just lift your foot and step on the person next to you, Kiki!”
Since that “person next to her” was Edmund, Scari had to sigh heavily and cover Hyde’s mouth.
“Kiki! You can’t get married like this! You can’t!”
Julius also cried out at the top of his lungs, and Daram grabbed his beard and pulled it to calm him down.
【It’s a betrothal, you fool. Today is the betrothal ceremony. Not the wedding.】
Piyak chimed in with a giggle.
【Fighting spirit! Goodness, how many years have I been raising you now? Piyak could never do something like that.】
【…Thank you for the support.】
“Yes. So in exchange for that…”
Daram gave a casual response, but upon hearing the word “exchange,” he furrowed his brow as he watched Piyak rush toward him with sudden seriousness.
“Could you show me the future just once more? Like you did back then. I’ve exhausted my power in other timelines, but I’m curious if I can still see the future.”
“Hmm…”
Back in the North, Piyak had once glimpsed the future with Daram’s help.
Daram cast a single glance at Piyak with the look of someone observing a ruffian, then chuckled softly and pressed his front paw against Piyak’s forehead once more.
Not long after, a hazy vision began to play out in Piyak’s mind.
“Mommy, why is the leaf falling in front of me?”
Could the child be three years old? A adorably featured baby. In the hazy vision, Piyak answered gently.
“The leaf must have wanted to come to our little one.”
At that moment, a woman with pink hair who appeared to be Kiana picked up the baby. And she spoke firmly.
“No, sweetie. That’s because of gravity. It’s the force that pulls objects near the ground downward.”
The hazy vision cut off there. Piyak blinked in bewilderment.
“What… what was that…”
Piyak muttered while gasping for breath.
“I think I just witnessed something… absolutely dreadful parenting…”
“What? What did you see, little one?”
Daram asked urgently, and Piyak answered while shuddering.
“Just… magical engineering needs to collapse soon. There’s no other way…”
“Truly remarkable. The summoned creature of the first Dean, praying for the collapse of magical engineering at the academy’s founding ceremony itself.”
And even amidst that chaos, Edmund and Kiana gazed at each other with smiles, as if seeing only one another. They were filled with anticipation not only for the Magical Engineering Academy they would build together, but also for their future ahead.
The still-vigorous middle-aged Emperor had decided to regain his health and lead the empire steadily. In other words, it meant Edmund’s workload would not be as heavy as before. The Emperor had even declared, “I’ll work like an ox, so you stay right by Lady Kiana’s side.”
“Thank you for making my dream come true, Ed. When I think about it, I’ve always wanted to dedicate my life to researching magical engineering since I was young.”
Kiana spoke while gazing at Edmund.
“I’m truly… grateful.”
“Don’t thank me so much. After all, my dream has come true as well.”
Edmund whispered leisurely. His eyes were brimming with happiness.
“Just as I dreamed as a child, I will always assist you with all my heart and soul by your side, Kiana.”
Quite literally, the days they had dreamed of were now just beginning.
The founding ceremony and betrothal ceremony continued grandly outdoors late into the night. That evening, brilliant fireworks burst across the pitch-black sky.
They were far more magnificent than the fireworks prepared on the day young Ed turned seventeen.
【THE END】

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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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