Disqualified as a Villainess - Chapter 84

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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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#84.

Matteo paused mid-ceremony with Febrien, suddenly sensing something before his eyes lifted.
A surge of intense power had flared somewhere, only to vanish in an instant.
It was as potent as the moment when five pillars of light and the inverted Alchemy Circle had manifested.
Then he spotted small mechanical aircraft ascending into the sky, and his eyes blinked slowly.
‘Ludovisi Family drones?’
The drones, maintaining formation as they flew, abruptly altered their course toward the burning forest.
Beep-beep-beep!
Soon a piercing siren wailed through the air.
The flames where the drone had passed—the one emitting an ear-splitting noise—were extinguishing. Matteo’s pupils dilated at the sight.

-Wow, they suppressed the fire using sonic vibrations instead of water or powder. That’s quite an innovative approach.

The voice audible only to Matteo belonged to Arseno. He was observing the current situation through his servant’s eyes.
He recalled Octavia, whom he had seen through the Saint Man.

-That’s strange. No matter how I look at it, she’s powerless.

Those with abilities and those without possessed fundamentally different constitutions and mental structures.
This was an innate difference that could not be overcome, even by becoming a servant of the Royal Family.
It was beyond what was possible, even with the power of an Apostle.

-Reversing the Gate summoning conditions through magitech engineering isn’t something an ordinary human can accomplish.

The enhanced weapons granted to a select few were masterworks, precisely calibrated to the user’s abilities and designed to achieve maximum efficiency without risk.
This meant the designer had transcended knowledge of abilities and magitech, reaching a higher dimensional plane.

-She must be a genius.

The Emperor’s voice carried a peculiar excitement.
The only human known to have overcome innate limitations through knowledge alone was The Sage, who had existed a thousand years ago.
“Should we observe a bit longer?”
To the Saint Man’s question, Arseno replied.

-Yes, this is entertaining. She seems like a being from another dimension.

He continued with a subdued chuckle.

-By the way, the condition for the Chaos Gate’s disappearance is eliminating the dog that Octavia Ludovisi carries around. After their first summoning failed, they opened another gate using that dog as a medium.
“So the gate’s disappearance condition was defeating the boss. Understood.”
Matteo, who already knew the dog’s true identity, nodded in acknowledgment.

***

I managed to descend the mountain safely with Chloe’s support.
I had convinced myself that Chloe wouldn’t kill me and bury me on the mountain. What she wanted to see wasn’t merely my defeat and the annihilation of my soul—it was something far more complete.
That said, I wasn’t capable of burying her either.
Ability users possessed superior physical prowess, so while I might hold my own in a verbal exchange, I would lose in a physical confrontation against someone as fragile as myself.
Throughout our descent, Chloe maintained a stern expression and said nothing.
“You can make it from here on your own, right?”
Chloe asked once she had brought me to the base of the mountain.
“Thank you.”
I knew exactly what she most desired to hear—words that would satisfy her deep need for recognition.
Chloe, who had been staring intently at me, asked a question.
“That day, I saw you holding scales. How did you reverse the gate’s power? It doesn’t seem like you awakened. Did you receive help from the Admiral? Or did you borrow power from the Chaos Forces?”
It seemed she had wanted to ask this all along.
But if I had kindly boasted, “I’m a superior-tier Researcher from a civilization that failed at a higher level. I used my ability by consuming negative emotions as a system intervention condition. Impressive, right?”—I would be thrust into high-difficulty missions.
“Duke Ortega and the Admiral and, well, all the ability users did it together.”
“Are you really saying that power has nothing to do with the Chaos Forces?”
“If you have such suspicions, why don’t you prove it yourself? New researchers are always welcome.”
Chloe stared directly into my eyes, as if searching for traces of deception.
“Do you know? The reason alchemy was rejected in the past was because the Chaos Allied Empire was practically the origin of alchemy itself.”
“I’m aware they’re a place where magical engineering is far more advanced. I hope that someday peace will come, and we can establish a technological agreement between our nations.”
In any case, she seemed convinced that I was connected to them, but my interest naturally lay in their technology.
Dimensional design, hacking systems that manipulate consciousness—they possessed every element to excite a scientist.
Chloe asked me, who had fallen into reverie.
“Why did Emperor Arseno support and advance alchemy differently from his predecessors?”
“What’s the answer? Let me know what’s necessary.”
“I don’t know either. Perhaps he’s searching for a new apostle or the legendary Sage.”
Why pose a question when you don’t even know the answer?
I watched the back of her figure as she posed this meaningful problem and departed.

Favorability Decreased [+500]

To think I could help someone I dislike so intensely. In a different sense, it’s admirable.
‘When I was merely a reader and observer, I remember cheering for her difficult path.’

“What gave me the most strength was a single word of gratitude from those I had helped.”

Many readers found her frustrating and foolish for her daytime heroine role and her insistence on textbook-perfect heroic behavior.
Like right now, for instance—helping the enemy.
But that very exasperating nature had ended up helping me.
‘That said, in the original story, Chloe’s awakening happened after the Chaos Gate opened.’
Much had gone awry, but the conclusion that the Gate had opened remained the same regardless.
“Ah, there is one crucial difference, though.”
This time, that wretched Prince Dominic abandoned her and fled alone.

***

Boom-crash!
Whiiiiiir!
On the way back to the Central District, the sound of explosions and sirens echoed from not far away. Fortunately, the forest fire had already been extinguished.
Thud-boom!
I pulled out a small telescope and watched the Chaos aircraft plummeting after being intercepted by mana bullets.
Soon the Chaos entities altered their trajectory to evade the incoming mana bullets, and one broke formation, descending rapidly toward the source of the attack.
Crash-boom!
‘Too precise to be a mere creature.’
In the way they learned the enemy’s attack patterns and responded, I detected none of the characteristic errors inherent to sentient beings.
Their willingness to sacrifice themselves to reduce the enemy’s firepower was equally telling.
They moved like game monsters following programmed code.
Lost in thought, I heard a dog barking from behind me.
“Woof!”
I saw the Admiral’s dog standing there. It looked rather urgent.
“Why are you out here in danger? Come on… huh?”
“Woof! Woof!”
Beyond the barking dog, I saw Chaos aircraft flying toward us.
I quickly ran through the calculations.
My current total unfavorability points—30,628—barely accumulated while enduring the affection of my followers, including Febrien.
Whether it was because news of me, an economic criminal, being trapped here had spread sympathy throughout the Kingdom, or whether wishes were being fulfilled, my unfavorability supply had drastically decreased.
‘I need to save as much as possible for later.’
The number of Chaos entities currently chasing me was roughly thirty.
After fierce calculation, I reached a conclusion.
“Let’s run.”
I scooped up the dog and began running at full speed.
But why were only these following me? Chloe was nearby, and Ethan’s gang had fled too…
‘Did Ethan die?’
If so, then I was the only target in this area.
I ventured deeper into the Dense Forest, concealed myself behind a Rock, and retrieved the remote control.
Before things truly became fatal, the Admiral would surely appear and save me.
As an intelligent being lacking practical combat experience, I harbored rather passive thoughts.
“Ow.”
The moment the Dog tugged at my hair and wrenched my head to the side, it happened.
Crack—!
A chill swept across the top of my head.
My body recoiled as if by reflex.
Turning to look, I saw the jagged, fractured surface of the Rock where I had hidden.
Had I not lowered my head, I would have been severed just the same.
“Ugh!”
Sharp pain flooded through one leg. I belatedly realized that my leg had been pinned beneath the shattered Rock fragments.
The problem was that I had lost the drone remote control—it now lay trapped beneath the stone.
Thump, thump—I heard the footsteps of the Chaos Entity drawing closer.
“I’m fine, so run away quickly.”
I gestured urgently to the whimpering Dog, which seemed utterly bewildered.
“Whimper…”
Yet it showed no intention of leaving, instead beginning to tug at my sleeve.
“I said go, now!”
“Whine.”
Then a massive shadow fell over both the Dog and me.
Beneath the beautiful human-like upper body gazing down at me, I glimpsed alien bird wings and legs—a sight that sent chills racing down my spine.
“Grrrrr…!”
The Dog positioned itself in front of me, baring its fangs at the Chaos Entity.
Yet it was merely a weak and small creature.
Unable to abandon the Dog to death, I desperately began attempting an equivalent exchange.

Conditions not met. This is not an emergency situation.

A resonant medium is available nearby.

“…What?”
If this wasn’t a life-or-death situation, what was it? And a medium? There was only me—someone who couldn’t even fight—and a small puppy here.
Now that I thought about it, the Admiral who always appeared at the moment of death wasn’t showing up either.
Just as the Chaos Entity raised its sharp claws, the growling puppy lunged forward ferociously.
“Woof-!”
Watching the puppy, which had been biting and clinging to the Chaos Entity’s leg, get kicked away, my heart felt like it dropped.
“Stop!”
I tried to pull my crushed leg free, but I felt only excruciating pain—it wouldn’t budge at all.
The puppy, rolling across the ground, charged at the Chaos Entity again, only to be sent flying once more.
“Whimper, whimper….”
The fallen puppy barely managed to get back on its feet.
Seeing it try to protect me regardless of its own injuries, an indescribable emotion washed over me.
“Stop it—you don’t have to protect me!”
Dogs had been bred small and weak so they couldn’t survive without human protection and affection. Yet the wolf’s instinct to protect its pack still remained within them.
Even during walks, Samsik would turn back several times to check if I was following along—that image of my puppy was seared into my mind.
“Samsik.”
Without realizing it, I murmured Samsik’s name.
The moment I recognized the piercing emotion as longing and sorrow, the mana stone bracelet on my wrist flared with brilliant light.

Medium resonance complete.

Consciousness answers the soul’s call.

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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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