Don’t Look for the Resurrected Villainess - Chapter 123

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 123

“Your common sense might be a bit different since you’re from the provinces, Lilia. To become a member of the noble Imperial Palace, one must purify both body and mind. A promiscuous past should be dealt with quickly and properly.”

At my words calling her ‘promiscuous,’ Lilia’s complexion turned pale.

“What are you talking about? The one who promiscuously fooled around with men was you, Younger Sister. Have you forgotten that Arin confessed to your infidelity?”

“Ah, that ‘Arin Toson’ who harmed his master and went to prison? Since he was a knight with no loyalty to be found, his words can’t be trusted either, can they?”

When I asked back mockingly, Lilia closed her mouth. I clicked my tongue loudly while looking at her.

“As God’s representative, how can I stand by and watch God’s child go down the wrong path? Especially when that wrong path affects not only the person involved but also those around them…”

That’s when it happened.

Feeling the stinging sensation of gazes on my cheeks, I stopped speaking mid-sentence and glanced around.

Even though music was playing, there were hardly any people dancing.

Instead, an even larger crowd than before had formed a circle around us.

Those who had been openly watching us turned their gazes away and pretended to look elsewhere when they met my eyes.

Ah.

I had been in a similar situation before.

「Let go of me! I am the princess of Roam! Do you think you can treat me like this and get away with it?」

On the day I was bound by the Imperial Palace knights and dragged to the courtroom, those who came to observe the trial looked at me with those same expressions.

People who felt elation watching my downfall, who mocked me, felt curious about me, and watched me as if I were an entertaining spectacle.

They were the same as those standing here now.

‘Their next spectacle will be Lilia.’

The fighting spirit I had barely managed to build up disappeared instantly like a campfire doused with water.

“I’m worried that the Imperial Palace, which had finally quieted down thanks to God’s blessing, might be tainted with negative energy again.”

I muttered indifferently and turned around. Lilia said something to me, but it no longer reached my ears.

I felt nauseous and just wanted to escape this place as quickly as possible.

* * *

After getting through the first day’s banquet somehow, I sent word that I wouldn’t attend the second day.

For the guest of honor to not attend was an extremely rude act toward those who hosted the banquet, but as someone who paid no attention to the Royal Court’s feelings, it didn’t bother me at all.

Since my absence was sudden, the other attendees would only hear the news at the banquet hall. However, I informed Heinrih, Samuel, and Jeon in advance.

Heinrih naturally said he would attend the banquet alone. Samuel seemed reluctant to attend but appeared unable to choose freely because of the priests.

And Jeon was…

“It’s so peaceful like this!”

He was enjoying his freedom like that next to Bak’s cage.

“Weren’t you afraid of Bak?”

“Compared to those terrible stares from yesterday, I’d rather have Dura’han.”

I glanced at him as he shuddered and exaggerated, then sprawled out on a chair. Thanks to bringing a chair long enough to lie down on, my body was comfortable.

“Wow, the sound carries all the way here.”

Jeon was right. The banquet must be quite large in scale, as the noise could be heard faintly. I wasn’t sure if Jeon could hear it, but to my ears, even the music was distinguishable.

“I really don’t understand what’s so fun about that kind of thing.”

“Delicious food, pleasant music, enjoyable dancing.”

When I answered with my eyes gently closed, Jeon’s grumpy rebuttal could be heard.

“Food and music can be enjoyed without necessarily having a banquet.”

“But dancing is best when done in a banquet hall.”

And I dance well. Generally, it’s enjoyable to do things you’re good at.

After I finished speaking, Jeon was silent for a moment. Then he replied a bit late.

“You must like dancing.”

“It’s not bad for changing moods occasionally.”

The conversation stopped again.

When I slightly opened my eyes to look toward Jeon, I could see him looking down, lost in thought.

“There aren’t only things that Anelli dislikes here.”

“Of course. My whole life is here.”

Everything Lilia had taken away were things I used to love.

Some were things Mother taught me, but many were things I learned because I liked them. I greatly enjoyed the glamorous lifestyle and the position of ruling over others.

“I see.”

Jeon nodded slightly and raised his head. The direction he was looking was toward where the banquet hall was located. Though it wasn’t visible from here.

Perhaps because I was looking at Jeon while almost lying down on the chair, his face seemed half-shadowed.

I watched him intently as he gazed into the distance, lost in thought again, then casually spoke up.

“Who knows. You might find dancing outside the banquet hall more interesting.”

At my casual words, Jeon glanced toward me. He seemed to understand my words as a kind of invitation to dance and answered awkwardly.

“Actually, I can’t dance.”

He shrugged as he replied and awkwardly pulled up the corners of his mouth.

“I can’t dance… that’s why I couldn’t ask yesterday either.”

Watching Jeon avoid my eyes with an embarrassed expression, I impulsively asked.

“Should I teach you?”

“What?”

“I dance well.”

After staring with wide eyes in silence for a while, Jeon answered bewilderedly.

“…Sh-should we?”

Hearing his answer, I readily got up. Though it was evening, lights were lit throughout the backyard so it wasn’t dark.

And for music… that melody coming from the distance would be sufficient.

* * *

Anelli’s claim that she danced well was true.

Even to Jeon, who knew nothing about dancing, Anelli’s movements were excellent. As he had felt yesterday, it seemed like he could watch all day without getting bored.

But unfortunately, despite her skill, she didn’t make an excellent teacher.

Whether she had no talent for teaching, or whether she hadn’t intended to teach seriously from the beginning, he couldn’t tell.

“Why isn’t this working?”

Hearing Anelli’s muttering that sounded like talking to herself, Jeon automatically felt embarrassed. Remembering how Samuel had danced with her so showily yesterday made him even more ashamed.

‘I’m definitely moving as she taught me.’

Jeon, who had been stiffly moving his arms and legs according to her instructions, dropped his shoulders with a resigned voice.

“I guess it just doesn’t suit me.”

“It’s more like we chose the wrong dance. This song definitely won’t work.”

“The song?”

“Yes. This current song.”

Anelli’s gaze turned toward the direction of the banquet hall.

Only then did Jeon realize that she had been listening to the noise from the distant banquet hall.

To him it was just mixed and muddled sounds, but Anelli had apparently been listening to the music precisely.

“Ah, fortunately. The next song is very easy.”

“I can’t tell at all.”

“Can’t you hear the music?”

“Wouldn’t it be strange if I could hear it?”

He didn’t want to treat her like a strange person if possible, but this time it couldn’t be helped.

At Jeon’s appearance as he protested with an aggrieved face, Anelli rubbed her chin thoughtfully. Then, as if she had decided, she nodded her head.

“I’ll let you know the rhythm by humming, so follow along well.”

At this point, Anelli seemed to have developed a stubborn determination to see Jeon properly dance at least one song somehow.

At her strangely spirited appearance, Jeon chuckled and nodded.

However, Jeon soon had to tense up again.

“Eek! You startled me!”

Unlike before, Anelli had come to stand right close in front of Jeon.

Jeon reflexively tried to step back, but Anelli grabbed his hand and placed her hand on his shoulder, so he had no choice but to stop awkwardly.

“How are you going to dance standing so far apart?”

“The position is different from before!”

“The song changed, so the position is different.”

“No, wait, this is a bit…”

“Come on, put your hand like this. No, hold here. You need to support my waist. Are you planning to let me fall?”

Anelli took his hand and adjusted the position herself.

Her waist was so slender that one arm could wrap around it completely. Standing close like this, Anelli’s delicate frame felt particularly prominent.

Jeon unconsciously swallowed as he felt blood rushing through his entire body.

And what was this fragrance?

‘Is she wearing perfume?’

When they were camping together, there hadn’t been such a strange scent.

‘No, wait. We never had reason to stand this close together back then…’

Whether she knew of Jeon’s troubled state of mind or not, Anelli continued her explanation without hesitation.

“Imagine letting your body flow with gentle waves. Now, left foot first.”

After finishing her explanation, she hummed softly in a small voice and pulled him along.

Even as he was helplessly dragged along by that force, Jeon’s mind became increasingly chaotic.

‘She’s surprisingly good at singing? And were her hands always this small?’

“Three steps. Yes, that stride is just right.”

‘Her waist is too thin too. Isn’t the Imperial Palace food too inadequate? …But no matter how I think about it, we’re too close. She danced like this with other men?’

“Jeon, aren’t you concentrating?”

At Anelli’s scolding, Jeon snapped back to attention. However, his concentration didn’t last even five minutes. His mind soon filled with all sorts of distracting thoughts.

Jeon, who had been trying somehow to shake off the rambling thoughts branching in all directions, glanced down with a half-resigned feeling.

Looking down from close up, he could see at a glance Anelli’s face turned to the side, her straight neck, and shoulders.

‘Those clothes are a bit… isn’t she cold?’

“Turn here.”

Anelli’s hand that had been resting on Jeon’s shoulder applied slight pressure.

Naturally, the two bodies spun around drawing a large circle. Accordingly, her skirt fluttered in a round shape.

Naturally, yesterday’s Anelli came to mind in Jeon’s head.

Her appearance had been dazzling beyond description. Anelli, properly dressed up, had been more beautiful than anyone else there.

Jeon, during the time when he was continuing his trials and training with Nesi, had once heard rumors about Lilia Roam being incomparably beautiful in both face and heart.

However, yesterday at the banquet hall, he came to think that the rumors about Lilia he had heard might actually have been referring to Anelli.

‘Well, her heart… I can’t see that, so I’ll let that pass.’

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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