A Strange But Effective Villainess Life - Chapter 42

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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 42
He was about to leave immediately when he paused. Normally, having obtained what he desired, he would have turned back without hesitation. Yet suddenly, certain words came to mind.
“You can become a good person again, Count Levin.”
My heart clenched sharply at that moment.
A good person… I no longer truly understand what that even means anymore…
Is it being a fool who treats others with genuine sincerity and only offers kindness, only to be stabbed in the back? Knowing such foolishness existed, wasn’t that why the young Kiana showed me no interest back then?
I thought the boy who once arrived at his first unrequited love, helplessly watching from afar, no longer existed in this world. Yet the moment I considered the possibility that Kiana might come here, my feet refused to move away.
I couldn’t fathom Kiana’s intentions at all, but regardless, I didn’t wish for her to fall into danger. Not since that chance encounter in the forest six years ago.
‘Kiana Prelai…’
Six years ago, when two children of the same age met alone in the forest, not at some social gathering.
Kiana didn’t recognize me at all, but I could tell who she was just from hearing her voice. Even without trying to ascertain her identity, even when I truly didn’t want to.
I thought fate was strange indeed. Those I had trusted with my life betrayed me, yet the girl I could never grow close to was the one who saved me.
After that, Sezare watched over Kiana from a distance for a long time.
I vowed never to trust anyone again, never to let anyone into my heart. Yet Kiana’s abilities were absolutely necessary for my return. So I decided to use her only as much as needed, without dragging her into my dangerous path.
If things escalated to extremes, a storm of blood would sweep through the Empire, and I wished for Kiana to remain safe and peaceful at the Academy. That’s why I’d only sent research requests to the Academy all this time, but then Kiana suddenly returned…
In that back alley where Kiana had comforted me, I felt like I’d reverted to that foolish, stupid Crown Prince from before. Defenseless, truly defenseless, my heart had grown soft and wavered.
“But… why are you asking me that?”
“For the sake of the Crown Prince.”
I had vowed to trust no one, yet I wanted so desperately to believe those words.
But regardless, I intended to accept her help minimally. Hitten was no easy opponent, and I had no intention of involving Kiana in this matter.
‘Yet I’ve already received far too much from her.’
Without Kiana, I wouldn’t have found the sacred relic so easily.
‘Just in case…’
The hesitant Sezare placed a small note into the mechanism beneath the Goddess Statue. The contents were brief.
I gazed at the neatly folded note.
‘If I leave it like this, she’ll lose interest now. She won’t pursue this any further.’
As I was about to stand up after leaving the note, I hesitated for a moment.
‘…But… if there’s nothing, will she be terribly disappointed?’
After all, it was something to be grateful for—obtaining the sacred relic thanks to Kiana.
I pulled out a single diamond from my pocket. It was exceptionally large, with exquisite craftsmanship that made it clearly a precious gem to anyone’s eyes.
‘This means nothing special; it’s merely an expression of gratitude. That’s all. I dislike owing debts, and I simply want us to use each other only as much as necessary, cleanly and plainly.’
I placed the diamond on top of the note and restored the mechanism to its original state.
That was when it happened. Suddenly, the sound of hoofbeats echoed, and Sezare quickly concealed his presence. Who would come rushing to the Goddess Statue in the middle of the night like this…?
‘If it were the Princess, she would surely have taken a carriage?’
My body tensed sharply, wondering if Hitten had already made a move.
“This place truly has poor quality.”
It was Avian’s voice.
“It seems that after we cracked down on smuggling, multi-level dealers have begun gathering here. We must start enforcement in a different direction starting tomorrow.”
“As you wish.”
The responding voice was hollow. Kiana, dressed in a blue checkered one-piece dress, jumped down from the horse with Avian’s assistance. In that instant, my brow furrowed.
Avian’s voice grew serious.
“You did well to call for me. If an incompetent escort had shown up, it could have been disastrous.”
“Would I have called you if I wasn’t sure of my abilities? Finding the most efficient optimal value was the subject of my master’s thesis.”
“Well, even so….”
Avian spoke awkwardly.
“You have a lover, yet you asked me to accompany you… I found it rather puzzling. But after seeing where we’re headed, I understand now.”
“A lover? Are you talking about Count Sezare Levin? Where did you hear that? News travels fast, doesn’t it?”
“…My handkerchief was returned from House of Count Levin.”
“Oh my, is that so? He must have wanted to announce to everyone that he has an intelligent and beautiful high-born lover. How adorable.”
“…Aha ha.”
Avian laughed awkwardly. Kiana shrugged slightly and spoke.
“But Count Levin apparently can’t handle himself well. He couldn’t even get past these thugs, let alone navigate a normal crowd. That’s why I called you, Captain of the Guard.”
Damn it, Sezare cursed inwardly.
Avian spoke with a look of surprise.
“But with that terrifying aura he gives off… his power seemed almost at the level of a Sword Master.”
“That’s just common bluffing, I suppose. Anyway, that’s why I ended up asking the Captain of the Guard instead of the Count.”
Kiana answered casually, then glanced at the moon once. Then she spoke to Avian.
“Say, would you mind turning around for a moment? Just for a bit. I have some personal business to attend to.”
“…Yes, understood.”
After that, Kiana pressed the scales of the fish carving just as Sezare had done and checked the tips of her feet. Then she discovered Sezare’s note and the diamond, and let out a deep sigh.
“What’s wrong?”
“It was a wasted trip.”
Kiana irritably shoved the note and diamond into her pocket. Then she pulled out a pen and paper, scribbled something hastily, left it there, and restored the mechanism to its original state.
“You can turn back around now.”
Having said that, she looked up at the sky again and let out a deep sigh. Seeing her dejected expression, Avian spoke as if to comfort her.
“…You didn’t achieve what you wanted.”
“No, it was a fruitless effort.”
Her voice was calm despite her gloomy expression. Avian asked carefully, gauging her mood.
“Are you alright?”
“Whether I’m alright or not, there’s nothing I can do about it. I’m used to failure.”
“…That doesn’t seem to be the case at all. It was the same at the Club House.”
“If I wasn’t used to failure, how would I conduct research? I try again and again, a hundred times, two hundred times, until it works.”
Kiana answered calmly.
“Until I’m so sick of it that I want to give up, and when that moment comes, I try just one more time. If I keep trying, things improve little by little anyway.”
Avian stared at Kiana with a somewhat surprised expression.
“Ah…. That’s right. I… trained that way too. Through repeated failures.”
“Well, isn’t that how everyone does it? If you can make an effort, you should see it through to the end.”
“Actually, I’ve met people who don’t do that.”
“Who?”
“The Crown Prince, Your Highness.”
Avian let out an embarrassed laugh and continued speaking.
“Your Highness the Crown Prince was a genius who succeeded at a basic technique on the first try, despite my countless failures.”
His eyes narrowed as he reminisced about their childhood.
“He was someone who experienced no failures or hardships in life. Everything came easily to him, everything was given—he was truly blessed.”
“Ah, but why couldn’t he succeed at dieting?”
“Perhaps he didn’t see the necessity. Even when he was quite plump, he moved his body well.”
“Right, he never intended to in the first place. He was simply a genius, after all.”
“I thought Lady Kiana was a similar kind of genius, but it seems otherwise.”
“Ah, I am a genius, that’s true. I wasn’t denying it. Anyway, since this failed, let’s leave now. There’s nothing more to see here.”
Kiana turned back without any lingering attachment. Then Avian gently grasped her arm.
“Still, we’ve come all this way…”
At his subtly enticing tone, Sezare nearly rushed forward without thinking. But what came from Avian’s mouth was unexpected.
“Why don’t we make a wish at the Goddess Statue before we leave? I overheard the sailors saying it’s quite effective.”
Avian was a far better person than Sezare had thought—annoyingly so.
“Ah, well.”
Kiana answered with an unmoved gaze.
“I don’t believe in superstitions, but since we’ve come this far for nothing, I suppose I might as well make a wish.”
She exhaled softly, then gazed directly at the Goddess Statue. Her long pink hair fluttered in the sea breeze.
Standing quietly before the statue, she spoke with deliberate clarity.
“Please let the Crown Prince remain safe and alive.”
In that moment, Sezare swallowed hard. With her hands clasped together, Kiana spoke once more.
“I pray that the Crown Prince returns safely and ascends to the throne without incident.”
In the dark night, beneath the gentle moonlight, a woman stood reverently before the Goddess Statue with clasped hands, praying for his safe return.
Sezare felt certain he would never forget this sight for a very long time.

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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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