A Strange But Effective Villainess Life - Chapter 75

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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 75
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It was the morning of the fourth day since Melissa arrived.
My Grandfather summoned Melissa and me to his office. And Joshua, who hadn’t been invited, came anyway and sat down beside Melissa. These days, Joshua visited the Prelai Manor every single day, constantly hovering around Melissa.
“It’s truly something I’d rather not address, but….”
Grandfather gazed at us with a worried expression and spoke quietly.
“Summoned creatures are the most critical matter for the House of Prelai. While Piyak has certainly left thanks to Kiana, we cannot continue like this indefinitely.”
In the end, he meant to clarify the rightful ownership of Piyak. From Grandfather’s perspective, it was unavoidable. In the House of Prelai, the presence or absence of a summoned creature had an enormous impact on one’s invisible standing. And for Piyak’s return, it was best to resolve this matter quickly.
‘Just as I expected.’
I glanced at Grandfather and smiled inwardly.
“Grandfather, really.”
Joshua waved his hand dismissively and spoke bluntly.
“Melissa was the one who summoned it. So obviously Melissa is the owner.”
“Summoned creatures only respond to their owner’s commands, yet Piyak moved according to Kiana’s orders.”
Grandfather looked at Joshua with a pitying gaze and pointed this out.
“Since Piyak heard Kiana’s final command, it’s correct to say that Piyak currently recognizes Kiana as its owner.”
Then Melissa clasped her hands together and spoke with a trembling voice.
“Piyak is just so kind…. If Kiana returns Piyak to me, it will immediately recognize me as its owner again.”
Kind? I clicked my tongue at that, but Melissa continued speaking.
“Grandfather, you know…. The bond between a summoned creature and its owner is inseparable…. I don’t care about anything else, but I absolutely must get Piyak back. Right?”
Melissa seemed to truly love Piyak. So I reminded her of how much she had loved Piyak in the past.
“You already separated from it, didn’t you? When you wrote that letter saying you were giving it to me as a gift, you seemed to separate from it quite easily.”
“Kiana, that was….”
“And I believe Piyak is my summoned creature. I’ve been having dreams since long ago that Piyak belongs to me. Kailon said I’m not having false dreams. Didn’t you steal Piyak from me?”
At those words, before Melissa could even respond, Joshua clicked his tongue.
“Hey, how do you steal a summoned creature? And if every dream you had came true, I would’ve beaten Alex over a hundred times by now!”
Grandfather glared at Joshua and warned him.
“Joshua, you’re being disruptive. Be quiet.”
And Grandfather, with a tired expression, suddenly snatched Joshua’s hat off his head and threw it out the window. As expected, Joshua jumped up and quickly ran out the door.
“No! This is this season’s new model!”
Having disposed of Joshua so simply, Grandfather looked at Melissa and me and spoke quietly.
“In any case, I understand that neither of you is willing to compromise.”
It was unfolding exactly as I’d anticipated. Finally, with the office quiet again, Grandfather concluded in a weary voice.
“Before Piyak returns, let us all think of a wise solution. I will give this more thought as well.”
I sighed, feeling sorry for Grandfather’s worry, but there was nothing I could do about it.
‘The truth is, Grandfather, the matter will be settled by the time Piyak returns. I’m simply not telling you beforehand because I’m afraid it would cause you more distress.’
And while I was thinking such thoughts, Melissa’s eyes grew teary as she spoke.
“But, Grandfather…. I was the one who summoned it…. Just because Kiana is of the direct line, I can’t even claim my rightful rights like this….”
There she goes with the direct line talk again. If this were the old me, I would’ve lashed out the moment Melissa mentioned “direct line.” I was so inexplicably angry that I wanted to shut her up, driven by the urgent thought that ‘direct line—everyone will mock me for this.’
‘Come to think of it, she seems to be using that right now….’
Once I took a suspicious look, I became oddly certain. But now that I was brimming with confidence, I replied with ease.
“Just let Piyak choose me, Melissa.”
“Huh? What?”
“You’re an adult, so you don’t need to stay here, do you? Just move out and be independent.”
“What on earth?”
“Why? Even Joshua, who’s a direct line member, left. You’re a collateral without a summoned beast—what justification do you have to stay with the direct line? Originally, only direct line members remain in the Capital. How about it? Since you seemed to like the direct line so much, I’ve been talking about them quite a bit.”
“K-Kiana… What are you…?”
“Originally, I couldn’t make such claims because I was a direct line member without a summoned beast, but once I become a direct line member with one, I can demand that you be sent out according to the rules.”
Melissa’s lips trembled. I continued mercilessly, thinking everything was going according to plan.
“And collateral members with summoned beasts have an obligation to answer the direct line’s summons, so they receive support funds, right? I’ll cut all of that off.”
I looked at Melissa with a laugh, as if the mere thought delighted me.
“I was already a villainess without a summoned beast. If I gain one here too, can you even imagine how insufferable I’ll become?”
Then I stood up gracefully and bowed respectfully to Grandfather.
“Well then, I’ll be going now… Aaaah!”
As I was leaving, I stumbled and nearly fell.
Just then, Joshua came in with a hat he’d picked up. He looked at me and tossed out a comment.
“You’ve been staggering ever since Nix stepped on your foot. Aren’t you getting treatment?”
So I answered, telling him not to worry.
“Mind your own business and get lost.”
* * *
At that moment, in front of the devastated Academy.
The guards of the Riloni Principality rushed out in panic, then gasped in shock upon seeing a man and retreated hastily.
“Ugh… ugh…”
Scattered across the lawn were the Dean and all manner of Professors.
And gazing indifferently at that sight, Alex sat carelessly atop a stone ornament inscribed with “The Cradle of Magical Engineering, Riloni Academy.” Beside him, a large gray wolf stretched its body as if bored, though blood was matted in its gray fur, apparently from the rampage it had just finished.
“What?”
Through the faint cigar smoke Alex exhaled, his fierce eyes gleamed sharply. The guards who met his gaze faltered and stiffened slightly. The madness Alex radiated was that formidable.
With blood-splattered short blonde hair, glimmering crimson eyes, and black clothes wrapped around his entire body, he looked not like a noble youth but rather like a mercenary who specialized in such work.
“Th-th-that is… the R-Riloni Principality… the d-diplomatic law… uh…”
The Captain of the Riloni Principality Guards trembled as he met Alex’s gaze directly.
Since the Prelai Family was undoubtedly a great noble house of the Empire, rumors about Alex were widespread even in foreign lands. There was the rumor: “Alex Prelai was born in the wrong era. Had he been born in an age of chaos, he would have led every battle to victory and been called a hero, but being born now, he’s called a psychopath.” There was also the saying: “Whenever Alex appears normal, he’s either destroying something or on his way to destroy something.”
And the Captain of the Guard came to realize painfully that the rumors were true. This man was such a violent talent that it was a waste he’d been born in a peaceful era.
“U-um, d-diplomatic… law… uh…”
“Just shut up for a moment.”
Alex, cutting off the Captain’s words, scoffed and pulled out a pouch from his breast, tossing it. The pouch rolled across the ground and came to rest at the Captain’s feet, opening slightly. Gold coins and jewels spilled out in a cascade.
“Th-this is!”
“You Riloni beggars solve everything with money anyway, don’t you?”
Alex sneered while exhaling cigar smoke.
“So you just need to pick one of three options, you worms.”
As the Captain of the Guard struggled to swallow under the weight of that presence, Alex’s words continued.
“First, you accept this and we end it here. Second, you take a beating from me and we end it later. Third, you declare all-out war and destroy the nation forever. By the way…”
Alex cracked his neck once, and the sound of joints popping echoed through the air—crack, crack, crack.
“You’re aware that the Prelai Family’s private forces are larger than the Riloni Principality’s military, aren’t you?”
“That, well…”
“These bastards dared to use and abuse the Princess of the Prelai Family. So you should’ve been prepared to die long ago, shouldn’t you?”
The barbaric atmosphere and unrestrained speech unbecoming of an Imperial Prince—the Captain of the Guard no longer had the confidence to even protest.

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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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