A Strange But Effective Villainess Life - Chapter 65

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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 65
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Julius had finished his breakfast and was lying in bed. His strained back was still recovering, and his physician Kailon had advised him to remain “absolutely still.”
The moment we entered the room where Julius lay, Daram waved both hands excitedly.
“Welcome, Kiana!”
Despite his solemn voice, his appearance was utterly adorable.
“This fellow refuses to think about his own recovery and keeps insisting he needs to see Kiana. It’s been quite troublesome!”
“But I wanted to see Kiki! I’m perfectly fine!”
Julius thrashed his legs against the mattress and bellowed loudly from his prone position.
“We couldn’t even have a proper conversation yesterday! That cursed Kailon shot me with anesthesia…”
“Kailon prescribed the appropriate treatment. Even in his age, he’s a truly skilled physician.”
Grandfather spoke coldly and settled into a chair, crossing his legs.
“In any case, recover quickly and get yourself back to the Northern Region.”
Grandfather and Julius were cousin brothers. And true to their Prelai nature, they didn’t get along well.
“There’s no need for your insight anymore.”
Originally, Julius had come to use his insight on the maid who attempted to assassinate Grandfather, but she had already taken her own life. So there was nothing left for him to do. In the original story, Julius had arrived at the gates of the Prelai Ducal Residence and simply said, “What? She’s dead? Well then, I’m off!” before turning his horse around without hesitation. This time, he remained in the Capital because of my request.
“Ahem, that’s for Kailon to decide. Oh, my back.”
Julius, who had been loudly insisting he was fine, suddenly clutched his lower back.
“I should stay a bit longer and see our Kiki’s face more… ugh.”
“You cannot leave the Northern Region unattended for long, Julius. You must think of your duties.”
Daram sighed deeply from where he sat perched on Julius’s chin, his expression like that of someone watching an exasperating child.
Julius ignored Daram’s words and obviously changed the subject.
“Kailon is still here? Won’t he retire? He’s been around since I was a child.”
“It’s not your concern, Julius Prelai—you who cannot leave the Northern Region unattended—but it seems he’s in financial need.”
Grandfather answered grumpily.
“His wife has a rare illness, so the cost of medicine must be considerable. And there’s no physician with as deep an understanding of the Prelai Family as he has. Of course, Julius Prelai, who cannot leave the Northern Region unattended, might not know such information.”
“Ah.”
Julius blinked and spoke.
“I know better than anyone that Kailon is a skilled physician. When I couldn’t summon my familiar until I was twelve, he even diagnosed the nightmares I was having.”
Hmm?
I had been feigning indifference since the conversation seemed unrelated to me, but I flinched at the word “nightmares.”
“Nightmares… you say?”
I asked carefully, and Julius chuckled in response.
“Yes. According to Kailon, the power to summon a familiar lost its target and manifested through dreams… I don’t remember the details though—hahahaha! It was such a long time ago!”
“Ah, that reminds me.”
As I stiffened, Daram, Julius’s familiar, looked at me and spoke.
“If I ever sense that aura I felt back then coming from you, Kiana…”
“…Yes?”
“What?”
Both Grandfather and I were startled by those words.
‘This fool took forever to summon me, something others do naturally. Even if it’s rare for a cadet branch to call forth a Summoned Beast, the summoning process itself is identical. The power of Prelai wouldn’t come to me and kept scattering uselessly.’
Daram continued speaking seriously, his arms crossed.
‘So eventually, that power with nowhere to go accumulated in his subconscious. That’s probably why it manifested as dreams once I was about to be properly summoned.’
Dreams. That word I could never ignore. Seeing my serious expression, Daram scampered across Joshua’s abdomen and stood before me.
‘But I felt that exact sensation from you ten years ago, just a glimpse. That’s why I knew you’d soon summon a Summoned Beast.’
Then he tilted his head and added a question.
‘Kiana, has anything strange happened to you all this time?’
My body trembled in that instant. I looked at Joshua and asked in a tense voice.
“Joshua, if it was a nightmare, what kind of dream did you have? Do you remember?”
“I don’t remember well. It was too long ago. But according to Kailon, it was probably something that actually happened. It wouldn’t have been an ordinary dream.”
Joshua, who had been explaining while scratching his chin, suddenly looked at me and asked urgently.
“But Kiana, why do you look like that? Are you in pain somewhere?”
“Don’t pretend to care when you can’t even afford to be away from the Northern Region for long! Kiana’s complexion has always been poor!”
Grandfather habitually flared up, but upon seeing my face, he was even more startled.
“Kiana? What’s wrong?”
My heart pounded violently.
“It’s so unfair… I’m so unfair….”
Something that actually happened? Then was Mother, who lay collapsed and murmured painfully, really appearing in my dreams because she was so wronged? The dream where Father and Mother held me so happily and soothed me—according to Kailon’s opinion, was all of that true?
And what had that Kailon said to me?
“Your Highness, dreams are not reality. Dreams are merely illusions and cannot serve as evidence. Do not tell others. They will think you strange.”
Why would the same physician prescribe differently?
One possibility flashed through my mind. I grasped Joshua’s hand with trembling fingers.
“Joshua, could you perhaps ask Daram to use Insight on someone?”
“Huh?”
Joshua blinked as if bewildered. Then he nodded readily.
“Well, I don’t have much use for it anyway, so it’s not difficult. But who do you want me to use Insight on? You know it only works on commoners, right?”
“Yes. I want to use it on a commoner.”
I spoke without hesitation.
“Physician Kailon.”
In that moment, shock flashed across both Grandfather’s and Joshua’s faces.
I swallowed dryly and continued.
“When I was young, I had similar nightmares for a long time too… Kailon told me not to mention it to the other family members and covered it up.”
* * *
In Joshua’s room, we maintained a fearful silence.
And soon after, Kailon was brought before us. With his pristine white hair, he knelt surprisingly obediently. There was no complaint of unfairness, no desperate cry of protest.
‘There’s definitely something.’
And watching him, I felt strangely as if my heart was collapsing. Joshua became so agitated he gasped and even began to struggle for breath. Though I couldn’t grasp the exact situation, I was certain there was something about Kailon.
“Without lengthy words.”
Grandfather spoke in a cold voice.
“Begin the Insight.”
Kailon, firmly restrained by the knights, wore an expression of complete resignation.
Right on cue, the door burst open. Joshua, having received word, came rushing in breathlessly.
“Oh.”
Grandfather and I widened our eyes upon seeing Joshua’s state.
“Brother, you didn’t need to rush here in such a frenzy!”
“Joshua, are you alright? Are you in your right mind?”
The brands of the clothes Joshua wore didn’t match at all. He had clearly thrown on whatever he could find.
“…Kailon said what?”
Joshua spoke between heavy breaths.
“The royal physician… was hiding something related to Kiana?”
Joshua’s red eyes blazed with bewilderment and fury.
“No, we just caught those House of Purbis bastards we’ve been dealing with for years yesterday, and now even the royal physician who’s worked for nearly forty years is like this?”
He cried out, his fists trembling.
“Why is nothing in this household ever normal? Huh?”
“You’re right.”
I quietly agreed.
“After all, neither you nor I are normal either.”
【Be quiet, you abnormal creatures.】
Daram, who belonged to Julius and had been the most composed, let out a deep sigh. Then, hopping quickly, she perched on Kailon’s head. After that, she took a deep breath and spread both arms wide.
As faint light began to seep out, Kailon’s eyes slowly closed. Insight had begun.
Julius breathed heavily and looked at me. It seemed like a signal for me to ask questions. During Insight, all questions receive only truthful answers. I knew the effect lasted just under a day.
Grandfather and Joshua kept their mouths firmly shut, watching Kailon and me intently with tension.
I took a deep breath and asked my first question.

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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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