Don’t Look for the Resurrected Villainess - Chapter 151
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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 151
Samuel seemed quite displeased with my decision.
“Is it really necessary to go secretly like this?”
It wasn’t just because he had to participate in a ridiculous charade for my sake, pretending to be a servant.
Ever since Jeon mentioned the Magic Tower’s guarantee, Samuel had occasionally suggested we invoke the Temple’s authority.
He probably wanted to help in his own way, but sadly, the Temple’s authority was something I was already making good use of without the Temple’s direct involvement.
Other than that… unless they announced that the Dullahan was a divine apostle or something. There wasn’t much to gain officially from the Temple that had branded them as rampant evil.
“It would be safer to officially declare a subjugation and go.”
“Subjugation? You want me to lead a monster subjugation? Me?”
“Naturally, as a deception…”
“And where would we get monster corpses for this deception?”
Samuel hesitated and closed his mouth. I glanced at him and coldly turned my head away.
I was checking in the mirror to see if the appearance-changing magic device was working properly, when Samuel, who had been quietly watching me prepare, spoke in a resigned voice.
“What’s the reason we need to leave right now?”
“Today Father took Prisian Sister to Baron Kendall’s house. Mother went to meet Maxel with Seiri. Could there be a better day than this?”
“There’s one more person.”
“Lilia Roam?”
When I glanced toward Samuel through the mirror, I could see him pressing his lips together with a stiff expression.
“Oh my, Samuel Bent.”
Letting out a deflated laugh, I hid the appearance-changing magic device under my clothes.
“I’m going out to see her.”
* * *
The location where the monster attack occurred was the Lindea River.
There was a Warp Gate across the river, so it was a place where many people usually passed through, but on the day of the incident, they had controlled the road all day due to the imperial procession.
And now, soldiers and investigators dispatched from the Imperial Palace for the incident investigation were scattered everywhere.
Of course, that posed no threat to me. I was Samuel’s servant, and Samuel was a famous Knight.
“Since this is an unusual attack, the Temple must also get a clear grasp of the situation.”
“This is a matter for the Imperial Palace…”
“If it’s an unknown monster, the Temple must also begin verification work.”
Samuel’s status was certainly useful. Thanks to that, we could easily enter the crime scene.
Moreover, everyone was only paying attention to Samuel, showing no particular interest in me, a mere servant. Thanks to this, I could freely walk around the riverside.
The river surface, bathed in sunlight, sparkled beautifully. Perhaps because the weather was nice, even moving to a slightly deserted area felt incredibly peaceful.
After confirming that Samuel was excellently drawing attention, I slowly moved my steps.
I could see a side alley that led down under the bridge.
「There were particularly many ducks in the river.」
As Heinrih had said, there were many ducks. When I went down the side alley and reached the wet gravel bed, the quacking sounds became clear conversations.
[Swim over here, dear.]
[Mom, Mom!]
[Move your legs more vigorously!]
[Oh my, my wings are so stiff.]
Peaceful, everyday conversations could be heard randomly. I approached close enough to the riverside that my toes got wet, then bent down and carefully examined the surroundings.
The river seen up close was still peaceful. It was as calm as what I had seen from above.
“Hmm?”
I tilted my head while staring at the sparkling water surface.
It was natural for sunlight to reflect brilliantly off the water. But what was the reason for the water surface under the bridge, in the shaded area, to sparkle as well?
[Hello!]
I snapped to attention from blankly staring at the river surface. Without me noticing when it had approached, a baby duck was floating near me.
I stared at the duck intently, then calmly parted my lips.
“Hello.”
[Wow, you responded to my greeting!]
The baby duck flapped its wings. I could see tiny water droplets flying up into the air.
“Do you live in this river?”
[We arrived last week!]
“Oh, really?”
Then were they here during the attack too? I crouched down completely and made eye contact with the baby duck.
[You don’t throw stones?]
“I don’t throw them. Why do you ask that?”
[You humans always throw stones at us! You laugh whenever we try to fly!]
The baby duck’s voice was innocent.
[But I can’t fly much yet. So please don’t throw stones.]
The Lindea riverside was usually counted as one of the places with beautiful scenery. The sight of flocks of birds taking flight in such pleasant scenery was bound to add to the atmosphere.
Suddenly I remembered Heinrih’s words. There were unusually many ducks, and during the journey, one of the attendants had thrown stones.
Perhaps that someone had done such a thing without much thought, trying to present a beautiful scene to the Empress riding in the carriage.
“I just came down because I wanted to ask something.”
The moment I took a step toward the baby duck, something came flying from afar with a flutter.
[Get away from our baby!]
A large duck made a threatening cry. The mother duck that flew in as if ready to peck me with her beak immediately got between me and the baby duck.
[Mom, I greeted that human!]
[Greeting? You can’t greet humans. It’s dangerous, so let’s go quickly!]
“Excuse me, I just want to ask a few things.”
When I casually joined their conversation, the mother duck flapped her wings in alarm. Then much more water droplets splashed than with the baby duck.
With so many water droplets flying up into the air, I could tell more clearly.
The water in this river was glowing.
“…”
I stared at the river water with subtle eyes, then slowly dipped my hand in.
A faint green light wrapped around my hand in the water that should have been transparent. I quickly pulled my hand out in surprise, but couldn’t find any traces.
Naturally, there was no particular feeling in my hand either.
“Hey, duck.”
I clenched and unclenched my wet hand a couple of times, then stared at the duck.
The mother duck, who had hidden her baby behind her, was glaring at me with eyes full of wariness.
[What? Are you calling me? How can a human talk to me?]
“A while ago, humans crossing the bridge above were attacked by a monster. I wanted to ask if you know anything about it.”
[Attack?]
The duck muttered in confusion and tilted her head. I watched such a duck intently and narrowed my eyes.
This wasn’t it. I needed to change the question.
“Did a Dullahan appear in this river, by any chance?”
The duck looked at me, frozen stiff. Seeing the completely tense duck, I became certain.
“A Dullahan who can transform into animals, right?”
[How do you know about him?]
That day, Nadab had sensed the presence of his comrade. That’s why he must have left Jeon and rushed out.
But then what about that black shadow and power that supposedly attacked the Empress’s party? Was that the work of a corrupted fairy as Jeon had said?
Or had this newly appeared Knight of the Round Table… regained some power in this river where the Goddess’s divine power faintly lingered?
“I came to meet him.”
Perhaps realizing that my interest was solely in the Dullahan, the duck relaxed a bit more and answered.
[He’s not here. He avenged us and left.]
“Where to?”
[To the forest.]
Right across the bridge was the forest. Though it was currently designated as a restricted area due to the monster attack.
“Do you happen to know why he went to the forest?”
[Well… he said he had to go somewhere?]
The Mother Duck couldn’t explain anything more beyond that. Since even this much explanation was already sufficient, I stood up with words of gratitude.
The Forest had been designated as a restricted area, but fortunately, the Royal Court hadn’t begun search operations yet. This was because the details regarding the subjugation force hadn’t been agreed upon.
‘Right now, they’re probably just blocking entry to prevent additional damage.’
While Samuel drew people’s attention, it would be entirely possible for me to enter the Forest alone.
Having made up my mind, I was about to turn around hurriedly when I suddenly stopped.
“By any chance, what animal did that Dura’han transform into?”
The Mother Duck, who had been tending to the innocently whimpering Baby Duck, glanced at me and replied nonchalantly.
[A snake.]
* * *
Preshi’s eyes flashed fiercely inside his helmet.
He had only discovered today that the target used appearance-changing magical tools. Thanks to this, he had lost track before, but with today’s pursuit, he intended to make up for all his previous mistakes.
However, approaching the target wasn’t easy because of the Knight standing firmly on the Bridge.
Despite their efforts to disguise themselves as Soldiers and investigators, they could only watch from afar and click their tongues in frustration.
At least it was fortunate that they had secured visual contact.
The target’s movement range wasn’t large, and at most, she had just played in the water a bit under the Bridge before coming back up. Other than that, she was hovering around the Knight, putting on an ill-fitting act of being a servant.
But an opportunity would surely come.
Preshi didn’t think the target had come all this way just to get some fresh air. Naturally, she hadn’t come to play in the water or watch Ducks either.
The area around the Bridge was relatively bustling with investigators and Soldiers, but just a little away from here, human presence disappeared.
So if that target let her guard down and acted carelessly, she might end up alone.
If she wandered around carelessly in the Location where the monster attack occurred and had an accident, wouldn’t that also be attributed to the monster’s doing?
Of course, there was Someone who believed the target would defeat the monster under God’s mission, but Preshi didn’t believe it at all.
He knew ‘the person who truly received God’s mission.’ Shouldn’t Her, who possessed the ability to see clearly into the future, be said to have received God’s mission?
And Her had said that the target would not exist in the future.
Just then, he saw the target quietly crossing the Bridge, avoiding the Soldiers’ eyes.
Preshi quickly gestured to his subordinates. The subordinates cleverly blocked others’ line of sight so the target could completely slip away beyond the Bridge.
The target finally entered the Forest alone.
At last, it was the moment Preshi had been waiting for.
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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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