A Strange But Effective Villainess Life - Chapter 185

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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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Side Story – Episode 24
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Until Kiana mentioned the “Ginkgo Tree Path” beside the statue behind the theater, I had completely forgotten such a path even existed. To be precise, what captured Kiana’s interest was the automatic streetlamp along that path, but….
In any case, the very next day after Kiana spoke fondly of that path, I instructed my attendant Ben to investigate those streetlamps in detail.
“I’ve gathered the information diligently.”
Ben returned within hours and recited information I already knew, so I patiently ordered him to investigate further.
Only after a full week passed did I finally obtain accurate information.
“It appears the Riloni Academy provided these streetlamps two years ago for promotional purposes. They said that installing them on paths where people rarely travel minimizes magical waste, and staff members don’t need to manually turn them on and off.”
Indeed, that path saw little foot traffic. It wasn’t particularly beautiful, nor was it a shortcut, and it didn’t even connect major buildings. Though it connected to the Crown Prince’s Palace Garden, I myself never used it.
“And apparently, these streetlamps are no longer produced due to poor commercial viability.”
Ben reported while scanning through the document.
“The magical refinement process is complicated, requiring frequent replacement of special batteries, which are quite expensive. It’s apparently cheaper to just hire people.”
“I see. What’s the battery lifespan?”
“Approximately one year on average, they say.”
My brow furrowed.
One year? But I distinctly heard these streetlamps arrived two years ago. And if production has ceased… wouldn’t battery production have stopped as well?
“Once the magical battery is completely depleted, it will no longer function. So she’s probably trying to visit as often as possible while it still works.”
Kiana must have known the battery’s lifespan was limited. Since almost no one uses that path and only Kiana occasionally passes through, the battery has somehow managed to persist, but it didn’t seem like it would last much longer.
“When the battery is nearly depleted, a red light appears at the bottom as a signal to replace it. After that point, they say it lasts at most another month.”
That night, I immediately checked the bottom of those streetlamps. Surprisingly, all of them were glowing red.
‘The next Imperial Palace event… was it Hitten’s birthday celebration? That’s about a month away.’
If Kiana discovered these streetlamps no longer functioned… it was obvious. She would certainly never attend the Imperial Palace events unless absolutely necessary.
‘She’d be just like Alex Prelai….’
Unlike Joshua, who never showed his face at all, Alex would at least come if there was a strict requirement. Though he literally just ‘showed up’ and nothing more.
And I could barely remember what Alex’s face looked like. It meant we could hardly ever meet. He’d usually hide behind some corner, curse under his breath, and leave.
‘…I don’t like that.’
The Princess was already confined to Prelai Manor. Now I might not even be able to see her face anymore.
So ultimately, I hastily wrote a letter to Riloni Academy. Could they obtain batteries for the automatic streetlamps, or if that was difficult, could they manufacture new ones?
The reply came quickly.
We apologize. Production was discontinued long ago, so we cannot provide new batteries or manufacture replacements.
However, you need not remove them. There is a switch on the back, so you can simply use them as manual streetlamps.
I sighed once and wrote another letter.
I’ll pay ten times the original price. Surely that makes manufacturing possible?
Another reply came.
We apologize. The production line has been shut down and materials have become rare, so the situation differs greatly from two years ago, making it difficult for us as well.
I noticed the reply did not contain the words “absolutely impossible,” so I wrote again.
Thirty times the original price.
And the reply came.
We will begin production line construction immediately. However, it will likely take one to one and a half years. We truly cannot go any faster.
Forty times the original price.
I’ll make sure to complete it within ten months, no matter what.
Good. Make absolutely certain the delivery is kept secret.
Secret is a bit…. In any case, it’s a shipment crossing the border.
I’ll provide sixty ships.
After the delivery, I’ll burn all the Academy’s related documents. Thank you.
However, just before the newly manufactured streetlights were to arrive, the Emperor fell gravely ill with an inexplicable disease. After that, all events at the Imperial Palace were canceled, and entry to outsiders was forbidden.
Kiana ultimately never saw the new streetlights and departed for Riloni Academy not long after.
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Sigh…. So Edmund was the Academy’s acknowledged fool even before he became Sezare Levin. In truth, if he’d only asked for twenty ships, I would have approved it right away.
I sighed deeply with genuine regret.
“Well, in any case, that’s how it turned out.”
I heard the story directly from Edmund as we walked together along the path behind the Crown Prince’s Palace garden.
After going to Riloni Academy, I had no reason to think about this path, and after returning to the Empire, I had completely forgotten it. The ginkgo trees lining the path remained unchanged, and the streetlights, still unlit in the daylight, were exactly as they had been.
“Something seems odd, though.”
After hearing the entire story from Edmund, I tilted my head in confusion.
“Until His Majesty the Emperor fell ill, I continued walking that path. The batteries hadn’t run out by then, had they?”
According to Edmund’s account, there was a one-year gap before the new streetlights arrived. And until I was forbidden from entering the Imperial Palace, I had naturally assumed the streetlights turned on and off with each of my steps as I left the Palace.
“Actually, they had all run out. Two months after the puppet theater performance, they stopped working entirely.”
Edmund said with a slight smile.
“During that entire year, I manually switched them on and off.”
“…What?”
“I followed behind the Princess, quietly concealing my presence and matching my pace to hers. I turned the streetlights on and off in sync with her speed. Hiding my presence from the Princess was nothing difficult for me.”
I was left speechless, my mouth falling slightly open. So that meant… every time I walked down that path, Edmund had been right beside me, turning those lights on and off?
“Of course, part of it was because I wanted to see the Princess again next time, but more than that….”
Edmund continued with a faint smile.
“Whenever the Princess returned alone from the Imperial Palace, she always looked unhappy. So I hoped the path home would provide at least some comfort.”
The walk home after misbehaving with Melissa and leaving earlier than others was naturally bound to be miserable.
Edmund laughed softly as he kissed my hair.
“For the Princess of that time, it seemed she needed those streetlights more than she needed me.”
“…So you’re saying every single time I returned, you really did that every time?”
“It wasn’t that many times. You didn’t come that often, after all.”
“Still….”
Suddenly, I felt how terribly unfair unrequited love truly was.
He must have been constantly aware of me and watching my actions every time I attended an Imperial Palace event. And the moment I rushed out, he must have sensed it and slipped away at the same time.
After that, he would quietly walk beside me with his presence concealed, repeatedly turning the streetlights on and off. A simple task that only children among the Palace servants would do—yet the Crown Prince himself performed it, simply because he could hide his presence….
I had left so quickly and lived forgetting that moment all this time, but how much had young Edmund been thinking about it throughout the entire event?
On the night I heard that story, I remained at the Crown Prince’s Palace until evening. And this time, we walked the streetlight path together, hand in hand.
Young Edmund had ordered sufficient batteries back then, and as we took each step together, the motion-sensor streetlights illuminated in sync with our pace.
Under the dark night sky, each time a light came on, we stopped and kissed once. For the time of a young girl who walked the streetlight path alone with sorrow, and for the young man who quietly concealed his presence beside her and offered comfort in his own way.

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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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