Don’t Look for the Resurrected Villainess - Chapter 17

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

Chapter 17

Being revived with my head reattached felt less like a divine blessing than surviving a fall from a horse with only minor injuries.

Come to think of it, if I died from something like falling off a horse after God went through the trouble of reattaching my head, even God would feel quite wronged.

After checking all the visible wounds, Samuel pulled out a rolled paper from his chest. He placed several sheets on the ground, and as he concentrated on his fingertips, white flames suddenly blazed up.

“Though this is a cave, a campfire would likely catch the search party’s attention. But this should be fine.”

“That’s fire?”

It looked like fire, but the paper wasn’t burning at all. Far from burning, it seemed to just be holding the flames in place.

“Condensed divine power contains high-temperature heat, so it should be sufficient to warm your body.”

“It’s not self-sustaining fire, and if it’s divine power, don’t you have to continuously pour your strength into maintaining it? It seems quite inefficient.”

Despite my blunt criticism, Samuel calmly continued to tend the flames.

I could feel the warm heat radiating from the fireball that was only about the size of a fist. To manifest such warm divine power with such an ice-cold expression.

“Even so, enduring the cold night air with an injured body in such harsh conditions would be foolish.”

“Instead of wasting divine power like this, couldn’t you just drag me to the village?”

Samuel fell silent for a moment at my question. Then he answered calmly.

“Roam’s search party is probably still in the village. Do you wish to encounter them?”

“Ah, so you can’t hand me over to Roam. I asked something obvious.”

Right. If they showed me to Roam now, I might be taken away. They’re planning to quietly capture me after those people leave.

As I carelessly shook my head and was about to lie down on the cloak I’d roughly spread on the ground, Samuel suddenly took off his outer garment and laid it on top.

“The cold rising from the ground is bitter.”

“…Even if you act kindly, I have no intention of being cooperative.”

“Though your injuries are abnormally minor compared to the accident you experienced, you are undeniably wounded. I must provide appropriate treatment accordingly.”

“…”

My eyes narrowed at Samuel’s words.

So this kindness was because I was injured.

In his eyes, my wounds probably seemed like they would require several days of bed rest. Given my healing speed so far, I’d probably recover enough strength to escape by tomorrow morning.

Of course, I had no intention of informing him of that fact.

“Nadab. Come here.”

Since I didn’t have the energy to argue with Samuel right now, I decided to just ignore him.

As he said, if I went out now, I might encounter soldiers searching the forest with torches.

“Are you really controlling monsters?”

Samuel frowned as he watched Nadab fold his massive body and sit obediently beside me.

“I don’t have such abilities.”

Samuel didn’t look convinced at all. Whether he believed me or not was none of my business, but I still didn’t want to be misunderstood as ‘controlling’ monsters.

“I simply don’t refuse living beings that like me. Except humans. Besides humans, there are countless lives on this earth that God should love.”

I expected him to rage about misinterpreting divine care, but Samuel just stared at me quietly.

Feeling uncomfortable under his gaze, I looked away first.

His attitude seemed strangely softened compared to our first meeting, which somehow felt unpleasant. Had there been some change of heart in between?

I preferred when he acted like a fanatic – it was much easier to deal with.

“How did you find me?”

When I calmly changed the subject, he answered readily.

“Leaving bloodstains leading in a different direction in that brief moment was good judgment. Knight Arin led the search party in the opposite direction.”

The blood that fell on the ground was from an animal. Blood from a rabbit caught by the Dura’han’s hooves.

I threatened that if it didn’t immediately run in the opposite direction, I would eat it, and the frightened rabbit ran with its wounded body. Since it wasn’t a fatal injury, it probably fled quite far.

I thought it was pretty good for a split-second response, but he figured it out? Wow, the more I know about this man, the more I dislike him.

“I wasn’t asking for praise. I asked how you found me.”

“I cannot tell you.”

“I’m dying of curiosity. The first time was coincidence, the second time I could chalk up to good luck, but by now it’s reasonable to be suspicious, isn’t it?”

What exactly is he detecting about me?

“Did you cast some tracking magic on me?”

“I do not use magic.”

“Then?”

“The only power given to me is the blessing bestowed by God.”

Religious people!

Shuddering at his faith-filled answer, I asked back in a sharp tone.

“Are you saying God gave you the ability to track people?”

At my persistent questioning, he finally turned away from me. It was a very clear reaction, rare for someone who usually remained impassive.

“Please rest now.”

Since he was avoiding it so much, I became determined to find out, even out of spite. Frowning, I raised my body that had been leaning against Nadab and approached him.

“Samuel Bent.”

The moment I tried to touch his arm, he moved faster than I did. His large hand shot out and grasped my neck in an instant.

Simultaneously, Nadab brought his massive sword to Samuel’s neck as if he would slice it off immediately.

[Take your hands off the Captain!]

“Nadab. You can put the sword away.”

Though he had grabbed my neck, he wasn’t applying pressure. It was more like he was gently encircling the curved line of my skin.

It wasn’t an intention to strangle. I could feel the somewhat rough texture of his gloves brushing down my nape. It was the part where a scar remained from my head and body being reattached.

Samuel, who had been staring intently at my scar, slowly moved his lips.

“It’s because you are a revived one.”

Unlike his blunt expression, his touch was quite careful. Perhaps he was a little curious.

Could he be sensing traces of the divine power God used to reattach my neck?

If that’s the case, isn’t that a bit too much? It means that while reviving me without being asked, God also left traces on my body that allow tracking?

At this point, it would be more appropriate to call it God’s curse rather than God’s blessing.

“Even if you run away, I will eventually find you. Wouldn’t it be better to accompany me instead?”

He withdrew his hand and silently averted his gaze. Taking out a few more rolled papers from his chest, he continued speaking while making the divine fire a bit larger.

“I won’t stop you from running around. However, rather than entrusting your protection to such monsters, entrust it to me.”

His words about not stopping me from running around were surprising, but his suggestion to entrust my protection to him instead of monsters wasn’t.

His words as a Knight about receiving his protection ultimately meant no different from seeking refuge in the Temple.

If I kept Samuel by my side, my destination would eventually be the Temple.

As I snorted, Nadab, who had been watching with his sword lowered, made a fierce sound.

“Nadab, endure it.”

[Captain, I’ll cut off that bastard’s head right now.]

“I said endure it.”

That man has divine power that’s among the best in the Temple, and you’re a dark-attribute monster. It’s different from being attacked by ordinary soldiers. You could really be annihilated.

Since I couldn’t say that outright, I glared at Nadab instead.

You’re a Dullahan who awakened because of me, so you should understand my intentions without me having to say them, right?

When I put force into my eyes with that sentiment, Nadab drooped his shoulders and backed away. He looked like a dog that had been scolded and dejectedly lowered its tail.

I’m stopping you because I’m worried about you – did you understand my intention correctly?

Just as I was about to say something more to Nadab, who had clearly misunderstood my meaning, Samuel suddenly spoke up.

“The man you kept by your side ran away alone.”

The man I kept by my side?

Wondering what he meant, I turned to look at Samuel and finally remembered my forgotten traveling companion.

Ah, so Jeon managed to escape without being caught by the Temple soldiers. With Nesi by his side and having lived as a wanderer for quite a while, I figured he’d manage to get away.

“I’m glad to hear he’s safe.”

Strictly speaking, I was the one who ran away alone. I was the one who fled, leaving Jeon behind.

Having left without proper explanation, how absurd must it have been for the one left behind.

Samuel frowned at my nonchalant concern for Jeon’s safety.

Whatever was so displeasing, a hint of anger appeared on his face that had been maintaining relative calm.

“Do you always keep only untrustworthy people by your side?”

No, it wasn’t anger but frustration. Samuel, who had shown hesitation after speaking, said in a suppressed tone.

“The one who shot the arrow at you was Knight Arin.”

Ah.

It wasn’t that I felt disappointed or betrayed anew, but I couldn’t help the bitter taste in my mouth.

To think that Arin shot an arrow at me—Roam must have ordered him to use any means necessary to find me. It was quite a violent command for supposedly searching for a beloved daughter.

I’d bet my father’s order was simple: secure the person first, as long as they’re still breathing.

“He was said to be your knight. I’ve never heard of a knight threatening the lady he serves with a bow. Especially knowing there was a risk of death from falling off a horse.”

Samuel’s voice carried undisguised displeasure and contempt. Perhaps being a knight himself, though of different rank, he felt shame on Arin’s behalf.

I finally understood the reason behind the strange attitude he’d shown me since our reunion.

“If that’s what drew your sympathy…”

How emotional of him, truly useless. To show sympathy for me, of all people.

“Drop it immediately. I don’t need it.”

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