Don’t Look for the Resurrected Villainess - Chapter 201

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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 201

I admit that we approached carelessly in our first expedition attempt. However, the second time will be different.

We now know how bad the terrain and ecological environment near the wetlands are, and we know what monsters lie beyond. Naturally, the second attempt should yield better results, shouldn’t it?

Maxel asked, forcibly suppressing his displeasure.

“What causes the failure?”

When he asked sharply, Lilia hesitated. She made a troubled expression and subtly averted her gaze.

“That’s…”

Seeing her unable to readily speak, Maxel narrowed his eyes.

“Don’t tell me you don’t know?”

“My foresight doesn’t show me such detailed futures.”

In other words, she didn’t know the reason for the expedition’s failure.

How could she be so certain of failure without knowing the reason?

“Lilia, am I really going to fail?”

“Are you doubting me?”

Lilia immediately showed a hurt expression.

The usual Maxel might have tried to soothe her hurt feelings with appropriately pleasant words. But not now.

“Your foresight has been somewhat unstable for me to have blind faith in it.”

He wasn’t trying to completely deny Lilia’s foresight.

Her foresight was certainly accurate at times. Not just regarding Maxel’s affairs either. Just look at the Count of Ruewark’s daughter – didn’t she have blind faith in Lilia’s words?

The fact that Lilia’s ability was real could be seen just by looking at the people who had formed connections with her over time.

However, if asked whether that foresight was always accurate… Maxel couldn’t be certain. Couldn’t he tell just by looking at recent examples?

“You came here believing in my foresight. If it weren’t for me, Your Highness wouldn’t have even thought of subjugating monsters. Are you now turning away from my contributions?”

Lilia raised her voice at Maxel, who was showing distrust in her abilities.

Maxel, who was already displeased by her words to abandon the expedition, openly frowned.

“Do you see me as a man who can’t do anything without your advice?”

“…You know that’s not what I meant.”

She looked very frustrated. Of course, Maxel felt equally frustrated.

“You may not understand well, but any battle can change depending on the situation in the field.”

Maxel soothed Lilia with a deliberately generous tone. Then she opened and closed her lips before speaking with difficulty.

“The Dura’han is… a monster controlled by Younger Sister.”

Maxel couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.

“Do you still want to believe that Anelli is undead?”

“Your Highness.”

“Don’t worry. If she really is undead, I’ll subjugate her for you.”

Maxel recalled past memories.

When Lilia stayed at the Roam Estate, she had suffered considerable harassment from Anelli.

‘…In Lilia’s eyes, the resurrected Anelli must look no different from a monster.’

Maxel thought he should work even harder on monster subjugation, if only for his timid lover.

And watching such a Maxel, Lilia realized something.

All this time, Maxel hadn’t listened to her foresight because he trusted it, but because it was what he wanted to hear.

* * *

Samuel’s method of sensing Anelli’s location wasn’t particularly logical or clear.

Rather, it was closer to relying on sensation, detecting instinctively. And right now his instincts were telling him that Anelli was still in the Lizardman habitat.

Releasing the young Lizardmen and leaving wasn’t something that would take several days.

“Has something gone wrong?”

Samuel, who had been gazing distantly in Anelli’s direction, turned his head at the sound of someone calling him.

The Knight who had taken custody of the criminals was approaching Samuel.

“Greetings, Samuel Bent.”

“Hese.”

“I hope you can spare me a moment. I just need to confirm a few things.”

Samuel looked over the documents Hese had brought.

“The criminals we escorted to this prison attacked Samuel Bent. Those bastards won’t open their mouths, but do you happen to know their criminal motive?”

Samuel narrowed his eyes. He answered calmly without deep consideration.

“They are unbelievers.”

“Unbelievers?”

“I don’t know if you’ve heard. Unbelievers have appeared, wandering around under the name of monster hunters.”

Hese, who had been about to proceed with the formal procedure tediously, widened his eyes. He looked like someone who had caught a petty thief only to learn they were a minion of a massive criminal organization.

“With visible divine miracles appearing, heretics are running rampant.”

When Samuel added his explanation, Hese spoke with a pale face.

“Heretics!”

“Yes. Those who don’t believe in the Reviver distort divine revelations and interpret them as they please in their activities. I think Hese has probably heard of this too. There’s a hunter in Harly who goes around claiming he was chosen as an Apostle of God.”

Chechye had reportedly visited the temple several times to present her claims. So Hese would know too.

As Samuel expected, Hese immediately nodded knowingly.

“Ah, yes. You mean the hunter who claimed the temple should support her because she was chosen as an Apostle of God.”

“It seems to be the same context. It appears the religious order needs to keep watch over these people.”

Samuel’s face was so calm as he spoke of heretics and unbelievers that Hese didn’t seem to have the slightest thought that the High Priest’s proud knight was lying.

“I’d like to personally escort the unbelievers myself, but it’s not feasible. I must carry out the revelation that the Creator has given me.”

The news that Samuel had received a divine revelation was known within the religious order as well.

The High Priest had threatened throughout the entire temple not to obstruct Samuel’s journey for his sake. Several high-ranking priests led by Morico were also supporting Samuel’s journey.

Hese had no doubt whatsoever about Samuel’s words.

“I’ll immediately report the appearance of heretics to the Grand Temple!”

“Your swift judgment inspires confidence.”

“Samuel Bent, don’t worry and carry out your sacred duty with the Reviver.”

Listening to Hese’s voice, Samuel recalled how Anelli would sometimes evade situations by randomly invoking the Creator without rhyme or reason when she was at the Imperial Palace.

She who used to sneer at divine revelations and such was now playing such a devout Reviver role that it was both fascinating and absurd, but now he could see there were reasons for it all.

‘How convenient indeed.’

Though it was quite an irreverent sentiment for a devout Knight to have.

“Then I’ll trust in Hese and be on my way.”

“Yes, I’ll pray that Samuel Bent’s sacred pilgrimage be filled with blessings.”

Leaving Hese’s prayers behind, Samuel mounted his horse.

It would be wonderful if those monster hunters that Anelli found troublesome became intimidated by this.

And if the temple ended up branding them as heretics or cultists entirely, that would be absolutely perfect.

‘If that happens, would she acknowledge my usefulness even a little?’

Samuel had already made a great contribution to the Dura’han’s transformation into cursed creatures. He didn’t want to make such mistakes anymore.

So this time, he intended to properly and certainly eliminate what obstructed Anelli’s path.

Though that scum of a former fiancé and younger brother were bothering her, Anelli would overcome all those adversities and complete her power.

When the final power is completed…

And after giving rest to the Dura’han, he would have somewhat repaid his sins from his previous life against them.

‘After repaying my sins.’

After that, he might be able to stand beside Anelli a bit more proudly.

And he might even be able to ask her for forgiveness.

Samuel’s gaze grew mysteriously deeper.

* * *

Though I had expected the expedition force to return, seeing it with my own eyes brought new feelings.

“Even mages have joined.”

They couldn’t have mobilized Imperial Palace mages…

Even among nobles who maintained private armies, families that operated mages as military power could be counted on one hand.

As I narrowed my eyes to observe the mages visible among the soldiers, Jeon, who was maintaining invisibility magic beside me, whispered softly.

“It’s fine. I’m stronger.”

“Of course you would be.”

Jeon was the successor to the Mage Tower Master, but those people were ordinary mages serving noble houses.

Generally, such people were those who had failed to become Imperial Palace Mages and ended up serving noble families instead. In other words, their skills were so low that even I, a complete outsider, could tell.

Perhaps because I readily acknowledged his abilities, Jeon grinned broadly and puffed out his chest. It seemed like he wanted to demonstrate his skills against them right away.

I was about to watch Jeon for a moment because he looked cute, when a loud commotion came from the expedition force.

Maxel was stepping forward and shouting something to boost the soldiers’ morale.

Though I was the one who had sent the scouts false information so he could act confidently, seeing Maxel accept it so readily made me sigh involuntarily.

“It would have been better if he had sought the Temple’s cooperation for a higher chance of success.”

Rather than bringing along mages of such mediocre skill, it would have been much easier to bring Holy Knights or priests with divine power.

Didn’t he have any subordinates around to give him such advice?

As I unconsciously clicked my tongue and muttered, Jeon asked in a puzzled voice.

“Wasn’t that trash already at odds with the Temple?”

“Probably so. Well, even if that weren’t the case, given Maxel’s personality, he wouldn’t want to join hands with the Temple anyway.”

Maxel had a rather emotional personality. Since he would think Heinrih had allied with the Temple, his pride alone would prevent him from looking toward the Temple.

“The forces are larger than before. Several more houses have joined.”

Just then, a breeze blew, causing the flags held by the standard-bearers to flutter slightly. The fluttering flags bore emblems symbolizing their respective houses.

They were all houses I knew. Did Heinrih also know which houses were participating in that expedition force?

I wondered whether I should contact him through the communication orb to inform him, but decided against it. Instead, I took out a recording crystal that could capture video.

“Are you really going to crush them all with the Dura’han?”

“Yes.”

“If the expedition force suffers too miserably at the hands of the Dura’han, won’t that evoke sympathy instead?”

Jeon hesitated when he saw my expression.

“Do you think an expedition force meant to hunt monsters being brutally defeated would look pitiful?”

No, they would look incompetent instead.

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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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