A Strange But Effective Villainess Life - Chapter 67

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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 67
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At that moment, in the Tibe Region along the path to Riloni Academy.
“…What is this?”
Alex furrowed his brow, holding a sword dripping with blood. Blood spattered his face as well from the interrogation he’d just finished.
“I never expected to stumble upon such ridiculous information at a place I happened to visit on my way to the Academy.”
His summoned creature, the Gray Wolf, tilted its head in bewilderment, standing atop a fallen person.
【What the hell is this, Alex? So you’re saying….】
The Gray Wolf spoke as if utterly dumbfounded.
【Hyde stopped here on his way to the Prelai Ducal Residence, and after learning this fact, he went mad and ventured deep into that place?】
“Father may not have simply fled from reality to go that far.”
【Then….】
“It might be related to Kiana’s summoned creature.”
Alex leaped onto the Gray Wolf, his crimson eyes gleaming.
“…The Academy is right around the corner, so I need to hurry and meet Kiana.”
【Whatever you say.】
The wolf summoned creature bounded upward.
【Even accounting for the time to reach the Academy, I’m faster than that Jeonseogoo!】
Without sparing a glance at the fallen people he’d just dealt with, he began racing toward the Academy.
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That night.
Without anyone saying who should go first, we gathered in Julius’s room. Even Joshua arrived at the Prelai Manor with a haggard expression, though no one had called for him.
We all sat on Julius’s bed in silence for a moment. The first to speak was my Grandfather, looking down at the reclining Julius.
“Your face has recovered well enough. Why not depart tomorrow?”
“Wow.”
Julius clicked his tongue.
“Do you want to drive me out first in this atmosphere?”
【But Scari has a point.】
Daram sat upon Julius’s beard and spoke solemnly.
【You’re someone who can’t be away from the Northern Region for long. The round trip alone takes an enormous amount of time. Besides, you still have matters to handle regarding the hot springs.】
“….”
【I know your body has fully recovered. You possess the intelligence and regenerative power of a beast.】
“It seems like there’s a word in the middle that didn’t need to be there.”
Julius grumbled but didn’t deny it. In any case, Julius’s departure for tomorrow morning was decided that way.
My Grandfather added, avoiding my gaze.
“And… confirm whether Hyde is alive or dead.”
Hyde Prelai. Our father’s name.
After Mother’s death, he lost his mind so thoroughly that Grandfather sent him to subjugate the demonic beasts in the Northern Region…. Ignoring everyone’s objections, he ventured far too deep and never returned, enduring there for over seventeen years.
The method to determine whether he was alive was simple. It was because Father’s summoned creature ability was precisely “location notification.”
Once a week, Father would use his summoned creature to shoot a massive pillar of light indicating his location. Then Julius in the Northern Region would see that pillar and think, “Ah, our Hyde trapped there still hasn’t escaped. But at least he’s alive for now,” confirming his survival.
The monsters made it impossible for even eagles to approach, so correspondence could not be exchanged. However, I had heard that deep within that region lived barbarians who were not citizens of the Empire, so I could only speculate that my father might be living there among them. After all, I had heard that the barbarians maintained their own culture and lived in organized communities.
“Sigh, that man is pitiful too. But then, why did he crawl in that deep in the first place? That place no one goes to.”
Silence fell once more.
Hyde—my father—was such an excellent man that Grandfather always longed for him, calling him “my proud son.” Joshua resembled my father greatly, which was why Grandfather seemed to dislike seeing Joshua waste his life with that face.
I knew that Grandfather missed my father deeply and wished to see him. Joshua, on the other hand, resented him, saying that my father had abandoned us too.
As for me… I was actually afraid of meeting my father. I felt as though I might not truly be his daughter, and I feared that when he returned, seeing me—who resembled Mother so much—would cause him even greater pain. So unlike Joshua, I didn’t even resent my father.
Mother died and Father left home when I was five years old. That’s why my memories of my parents remained very faint. Both of them were warm and kind people who loved me. When Father would lift me up and give me a piggyback ride, I was truly overjoyed.
Because of that, I usually tried not to recall those memories. Comparing them to reality only made me feel more lonely.
‘Besides, if Father were to return and didn’t treat me the way the Father in my memories did… it would be too sad.’
But if my nightmare was true, then I was Father’s biological daughter. That meant I didn’t need to fear meeting him. Our family had fallen apart, yet we lived without knowing the truth. And there was still so much we didn’t know.
“If only Enes had lived, none of this would have happened.”
Julius murmured sorrowfully.
“Everything would be different except for Joshua and Alex fighting like dogs.”
I alone recalled the scenes from the dream.
Everyone would have adored me, the youngest daughter who resembled Mother so much. Joshua wouldn’t have run away despite his complaints. Alex wouldn’t have grown up with such a rotten personality.
‘Grandfather would have long since passed the Duke’s title to Father and cared for us all with ease.’
It seemed like everything would have been so different from how distant we all are now, and that made me sad.
If Mother had simply died, the family wouldn’t have fallen apart like this. But the fact that Mother, who was loved by all the Prelais, left a letter saying “the Prelais were horrible,” and destroyed all trust between family members… that became a wound for all of us, and not knowing how to handle that wound, we had come this far.
“…Kailon really only knew that much.”
Grandfather said, grinding his teeth.
“I interrogated him all day, but nothing more came out. It seems… there was a much larger problem behind targeting Enes.”
“And as Kailon said, if someone had the power to act directly against the Prelai Ducal Residence, the mastermind is no ordinary person.”
Joshua spoke in a hoarse voice.
“I investigated diligently all day today… and it seems Mother was called to see the Third Queen frequently during that time. Do you happen to know anything about it?”
Grandfather slightly furrowed his brow. But his expression showed he didn’t know much. He wasn’t the sort to know every detail of his daughter-in-law’s social activities.
However, Julius opened his eyes wide and spoke.
“The Third Queen? Do you mean Dolores? The one who’s Prince Hitten’s mother?”
“Ah… Yes, that’s correct.”
“Hmm, I met your mother once at my estate when she was in the Northern Region.”
Julius, who had raised Mother, tilted his head as if confused.
“Why, Scari, don’t you remember? When Enes was ten… Hyde and Rocky came to visit too. At that time, Dolores, the daughter of Grand Duke Lucia who was traveling, stopped by briefly as well.”
It wasn’t a particularly complicated story. It was simply that children of similar ages had gathered at Julius’s estate and spent about two weeks together.
“The two weren’t close. Dolores disrespected Enes quite a bit.”
In terms of status, Dolores and Mother were incomparable. Dolores was, after all, the Grand Princess of the Grand Duchy of Lucia. But Mother was merely an orphan from a vassal family living off the charity of her godfather’s house.
“From what I remember, Dolores seemed to like Hyde quite a bit? Well, that’s all childhood stuff anyway. Ahahaha… no, wait.”
Julius habitually began to laugh, then immediately dropped the corners of his mouth.
“In any case, there was a connection. And then suddenly during that problematic period, she started calling out to Mother, who wasn’t even close to her…”
Joshua furrowed his brow and murmured.
“We should investigate that angle.”
【That’s exactly where the suspicion lies.】
Lea, coiled around his arm, hissed softly and nodded in agreement.
“And for now, let’s keep all of this under wraps publicly. After all, we haven’t uncovered everything ourselves.”
I gazed at Joshua with admiration.
Throughout my time at the Academy, I’d conducted numerous collaborative research projects. Yet every time, I’d eventually realize I was handling everything myself. But hearing Joshua speak with such reassuring confidence, I finally understood—this wasn’t me carrying the burden alone. This was true cooperation.
“Right, do your best.”
I spoke quickly to Joshua.
“If there’s no news worth reporting for a while, just peddle stories about my and Sezare’s romance instead.”
“That’s… well, what if the atmosphere shifts to where it’d be strange if you two don’t actually get married? I can’t become family with that reckless scoundrel.”
Though he seemed hardly innocent himself when it came to being a reckless scoundrel. I shrugged casually, and Joshua quickly added more.
“Of course, I can’t become family with a rigid fool like Avian either.”
“Why on earth is Avian’s name coming up here?”
“He didn’t dance a single dance at the entire banquet and just waited for you.”
This was something I had no idea about whatsoever.

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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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