Don’t Look for the Resurrected Villainess - Chapter 189

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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 189

Soana accepted the fact that we had to leave immediately, even while worrying about the young hawks.

In other words, she was a knight who possessed the same compassion as Mori, yet made rational judgments.

[I’ve told you everything I can tell you, so the rest is up to you.]

Soana firmly pushed away the young hawks who couldn’t endure a single night and had followed her down to the ground.

The young hawks had been whining since early dawn, waking up me, Jeon, and even Samuel before returning. Thanks to that, we ended up preparing to leave early.

I was in a somewhat sensitive state due to not getting enough sleep. Seeing the dark circles under Jeon’s eyes, he seemed considerably tired as well.

However, waking up early wasn’t entirely a bad thing.

“Did you catch the Dura’han?”

It was because Chechye, with bloodshot eyes, stubbornly appeared from the early morning breeze.

Having woken up early and already sent the Dura’han into the separate space dimension, I secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

I stroked Nadab’s mane, who was disguised as an ordinary horse, while avoiding Chechye’s gaze.

I watched carefully to see if Chechye had any way to distinguish Dura’han, but it seemed she couldn’t recognize Nadab’s true identity.

‘Well, it would be absurd for an ordinary person to recognize a Dura’han transformed into an animal.’

Soana was an exception because she was caught transforming, but she wouldn’t be able to recognize other ordinary Dura’han.

Convinced that Chechye knew nothing, I decided to lose interest in her and focus on preparing to leave.

“We didn’t come to catch Dura’han, but simply to investigate the area.”

Jeon and I treated Chechye as if she were invisible. So naturally, it became Samuel’s job to deal with Chechye.

At Samuel’s words, Chechye bit her lips and put strength into her voice.

“The Temple said they never sent any investigators!”

Huh?

“Are you really from the Temple?”

“I am indeed a Knight affiliated with the Temple. Didn’t I already show you my identification?”

Despite Samuel’s words filled with displeasure, Chechye didn’t back down easily.

“Lies! I went to the Temple yesterday and confirmed it!”

I thought she had obediently returned following Samuel’s guidance, but apparently she had gone to the Temple instead of going home.

I could easily guess the rest of the story without hearing more. Obviously, the Temple would have said they hadn’t sent any investigators.

Though I don’t know the details, generally Temple investigators first secure cooperation from local temples for smooth operations.

If an official investigator had been dispatched, the local Temple couldn’t have been unaware. Though I don’t know if there are exceptional cases.

“I’m affiliated with the Grand Temple. Small city temples like this don’t keep track of all the duties of Grand Temple Knights.”

“Hmph, I won’t be fooled anymore! Even though I’m just a countryside hunter, I know what I need to know! You’re actually monster hunters, aren’t you? You came to steal the Dura’han I found, right?”

The term “monster hunter” came out of Chechye’s mouth once again.

That seems to be a newly created profession these days…

“I know you have the Yuskel Trading Company behind you! You think you can just brush this off, but you don’t know how scary the Hali Trading Union is…!”

I, who had been listening to their conversation with my back turned to Samuel and Chechye, paused.

“What’s the relationship between monster hunters and the Yuskel Trading Company?”

I interrupted Chechye’s spirited outburst and suddenly interjected.

Chechye looked at me suddenly joining in and stiffened her expression with a start. She seemed to remember the moment when I had grabbed her by the collar and pushed her.

Just as she seemed to shrink back, perhaps frustrated that she had been intimidated by me even briefly, she transformed into a more fierce expression and said:

“What kind of relationship! A money-related relationship, of course! But other trading companies’ guards can also deal with monsters if they put their minds to it! You might be more successful now, but how long do you think that will last? Do you think we’ll just stand by and watch you act tyrannically in others’ territory?”

“The Yuskel Trading Company raises mercenaries who hunt monsters?”

“Don’t try to play dumb…!”

“Just answer what I’m asking.”

When I took a step toward Chechye, she reflexively stepped back the same distance. I stared at her with a cold expression and asked again.

“Does the Yuskel Trading Company raise mercenaries?”

“Everyone who knows anything knows that monster hunters belong to the Yuskel Trading Company.”

I frowned while staring at Chechye, who answered in a deflated voice.

The head of the Yuskel Trading Company was Lilia’s collaborator. The man who found gold mines with Lilia and quickly grew the company to a notable scale.

One of the men I had spread rumors about as Lilia’s secret meeting partner.

‘The Yuskel Trading Company raises hunters who catch monsters?’

Naturally, that would be the result of Lilia’s involvement. And the reason for raising monster hunters would probably be…

My heart sank coldly.

* * *

After confirming that the young hawks were wandering around the rocky mountain, Chechye seemed to believe our claim that we hadn’t caught the Dura’han.

When I later heard the story from Soana, she said there had been an incident where Soana released young hawks that Chechye had caught.

Chechye seemed to think that Soana was attached to the young hawks and was still hiding in the rocky mountain.

She began setting up the traps she had dismantled again after we left. Leaving her immersed in futile dreams, we decided to leave Hali as quickly as possible.

After returning to Hali to replenish insufficient supplies and prepare for long-term camping, Jeon and Samuel briefly left to buy what they each needed.

I waited for the two in the carriage while briefly communicating with Heinrih. It was to hear about the atmosphere in the capital from Heinrih.

—The conflict between Kendall and Roam is becoming prominent.

The content Heinrih conveyed was quite welcome.

—Duke of Roam publicly criticized Baron Kendall. Everyone guessed it was because he had seduced Roam’s heir, but to me it didn’t seem like that was the reason.

“Your guess is probably correct. Prisian Sister seems to have stepped in.”

It was I who had generously handed over some of the secret documents found in Roam’s library to Prisian Sister, pretending to be generous.

Sister recognized those documents at a glance. She probably knew the contents better than I did.

So she would know well how to use them too.

—I’m thinking of gradually releasing the footage of you being dragged away like a criminal from the Imperial Palace the other day.

“Well, that’s not bad timing.”

I don’t know if Roam is looking for me who disappeared, but if he starts being suspected of kidnapping the Reviver on top of his conflict with Prisian Sister, he really won’t have the mental capacity to worry about me.

And probably to overcome this situation… he’ll try to help Maxel’s restoration more actively.

—Have you heard news about Maxel?

“Is there some news from there too?”

—News arrived by express that he subjugated one monster habitat. The rumors spreading among the empire’s citizens were faster than the news reaching the Palace, so didn’t you hear?

That was unexpected news. Surprised, I remained silent for a moment before slowly parting my lips.

“…Monster subjugation?”

—Yes. It seems he had smooth negotiations with Margrave Luejak. The Emperor is pleased, saying the Crown Prince stepped onto the front lines himself to wash away the Creator’s wrath.

I knew that Lilia intended to use Maxel to subjugate monsters and achieve military merit. It was content I could confirm from the prophecies Lilia had written.

But as far as I knew, the place she was targeting was the Trebi Mountains. Margrave Luejak’s estate should be some distance from the Trebi Mountains.

“Don’t tell me he’s already reached the Trebi Mountains?”

—No, the subjugated area is around Margrave Luejak’s estate.

“I understand there are no monsters around Margrave Luejak’s estate.”

—Not that there weren’t any, but that they were hiding. Maxel brought back monster corpses as trophies and rumors spread instantly.

So he deliberately sought out and killed monsters that had been hiding from humans and put them on display?

My expression naturally frowned with displeasure.

Both the Yuskel Trading Company’s monster hunters and Maxel’s belligerent moves…

It seemed Lilia didn’t intend to end Maxel’s monster subjugation as just some fighting game.

Perhaps they were really seriously trying to hunt all monsters. Even if not the Trebi Mountains, all monsters living in the empire might become targets.

“Then Heinrih should hurry and persuade the Emperor.”

It was unfortunate that my expectation that Maxel would build up more forces and start subjugation under the confidence of his own safety was wrong, but it couldn’t be helped.

However, there was no need to give up saying it couldn’t be helped.

Was there any reason to deliberately leave Maxel to massacre monsters? If he moved faster than expected, our response should also be correspondingly fast.

But this time, Heinrih and my thoughts diverged.

—I’m thinking of waiting a bit longer.

Hearing his answer, my brow naturally furrowed.

“Why?”

—Maxel’s forces are weak. That level won’t be enough to uproot everything at once.

“But didn’t you say he started monster subjugation?”

—If he tastes small victories, he’ll soon be intoxicated by the thrill of victory and increase his forces. Nobles trying to ride on his shallow fame will rashly join.

“Are you saying you’ll continue to turn a blind eye to successful monster subjugations for that?”

—I don’t want to repeat foolish mistakes. I think you also know that there’s an optimal moment.

Of course, I knew.

To transform the monster subjugation force into an army of rebels, they first had to be threatening.

Although he had received military assistance from the margrave, the soldiers Maxel would currently be leading wouldn’t be at a level to worry about civil war.

To prove Maxel’s treasonous intentions, he needed to be more threatening. For instance, by showing Roam actively intervening.

I knew. I did know.

“But….”

―Are you upset that he’ll succeed in monster subjugation and receive praise?

“That’s not it.”

The praise of the Empire’s citizens was nothing more than fickle noise.

When I firmly denied it, Heinrih immediately changed his question.

―If that’s not it, then are you worried about the monsters that will be subjugated?

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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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