Don’t Look for the Resurrected Villainess - Chapter 21

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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 21

Fortunately, the man accepted my lies without suspicion and even began rattling off explanations I hadn’t asked for.

“Ah, you’re aspiring to be a research assistant! I, I am too!”

The man was a regular member of this library. According to his explanation, after I had disguised my identity, snuck in, and caused a disturbance, the library had made major revisions to their visitor management.

The place I had been looking around was open to general visitors, but he said there were hardly any books worth getting information from.

To get proper information, one had to prove their identity and obtain a regular visitor pass. Relying on the man’s regular visitor pass, I finally entered a proper section.

“I didn’t know there were visitor grade levels at the library. I’ve been studying alone in the countryside all this time… I only came up recently after seeing the research assistant recruitment notice.”

“Of course that’s understandable!”

“If Brown hadn’t helped me, I would have had to leave empty-handed. Thank you so much.”

“Mo, monster fields require field experience too, but Mary, you’re really amazing!”

“Since I lived in the countryside, I ended up gaining experience unintentionally.”

Making rough excuses, I carefully scanned the book spines. The thickness of the books was definitely different from before.

“What did you say your research field was, Brown?”

“Ah, I study the durability of small magical device materials.”

He knows nothing about monsters then.

“Thank you. I’ll look around on my own from here.”

“I’ll help you!”

“No, it’s fine. You need to study too, Brown. The selection exam is coming up. Let’s both pass the exam and meet as research assistants.”

When I smiled gently and encouraged him, Brown nodded with a bright red face.

“Please call me anytime if you need anything.”

Even after saying that, Brown lingered around me for quite a while.

I ignored him as much as possible, pretending to be absorbed in books, and Brown reluctantly turned away.

Instead of going to the reading room, I could see him hovering around the adjacent bookshelf, apparently determined to stay nearby. Since I had no time to spare worrying about him, I began searching for books in earnest.

After several trials and errors, I finally found a book with detailed information about Dura’han.

‘Finally!’

It was a book completed by an author who had gathered and consolidated content from various documents including historical and theological texts.

Checking the table of contents, it seemed to contain what I was looking for. After memorizing the book’s title, I immediately checked the background of Dura’han’s origins.

“Why are there so many?”

There were an enormous number of theories about Dura’han’s origins. Along with explanations that no one had succeeded in proper research, the author had also written that the significance lay in gathering scattered information.

If you’ve decided to research something, you should dig into it more persistently. How can a scholar have such insufficient academic passion!

I lamented inwardly as I turned the pages.

Among the many origin theories, the two most plausible were: the theory that corrupted spirits were banished from the spirit realm and became Dura’han, and the theory that the souls of holy knights who weren’t saved by god became monsters wandering the earth.

“The souls of holy knights who weren’t saved by god…”

Maybe because of my current situation, but this seems like a very convincing theory.

Carrying an uneasy feeling, I quickly skimmed through Dura’han’s characteristics and past cases.

Since I didn’t have enough time for thorough analysis, I quickly flipped through pages while memorizing only important keywords, when I suddenly stopped.

It was because a map of regions where Dura’han had been sighted appeared as an illustration. It was essentially marking their habitats.

‘This is quite tempting, I wonder if I could tear it out?’

As I was touching the map page with regret, a gentle voice came from behind me.

“You mustn’t damage the books.”

Startled, I awkwardly pulled my hand away and turned around. A tall man wearing glasses was staring directly at me. A librarian?

“I wasn’t trying to damage it.”

“Then that’s fortunate. But you’re someone I haven’t seen before. We haven’t accepted new members recently.”

His gentle way of speaking was very pleasant to hear. And also, somehow familiar. Was he someone I had met when I visited with a disguised identity before?

A staff member with long hair loosely tied back and wearing glasses. I couldn’t remember anyone like that.

“…An acquaintance is a member, so they showed me consideration. Was there a rule against bringing companions?”

“That’s…”

“Oh, Manager!”

Brown quickly interjected. He seemed to already know the tall man in front of us. So he really was a library employee.

“This person came with me. She’s preparing for the upcoming research assistant selection exam and it’s her first time here, so she said she wasn’t familiar with it!”

“Ah, I see. But if you’re preparing for the research assistant selection exam, why are you looking at books in this section?”

“This person is applying for the monster field. She even has field experience. Amazing, right? Haha.”

Brown rattled off unnecessary details while showing off his friendship with me.

I moistened my drying lips with my tongue and quietly listened to their conversation, when the man called Manager tilted his head and fell silent. Then he stared at me intently.

Perhaps because of his glasses, his red eyes seemed to sparkle particularly. He clearly had an ordinary appearance, but somehow his face gave off a strange sense of unease. What was it?

“I see.”

He smiled and nodded. Then he spoke to Brown.

“It’s not that I don’t trust Brown, but for a first-time visitor to view materials here, you need to fill out at least a visitor reading card. So I’ll escort this person for a moment.”

Brown couldn’t bring himself to stop even that, and his shoulders drooped. For me, who had wanted to use him as a shield somehow, it was a disappointing outcome.

By the way, a visitor reading card. Was that a procedure for identity verification? There was no such procedure when I came before.

It seemed my disturbance had created a bunch of unnecessary procedures at this library.

Just because I vented a little, they created such strict regulations. Really, all these mages and researchers are inflexible and lacking in flexibility.

“Could you come this way for a moment?”

Though I felt uneasy, I couldn’t cause trouble, so I reluctantly followed the manager. Walking slightly ahead of me, he casually opened the conversation.

“You’re preparing for the research assistant selection exam.”

“Yes.”

Whether it was a visitor card or reading card, I needed to make up some plausible information.

I was anticipating what kind of content he might ask me to write, when the manager spoke in an amused voice.

“How curious. I heard they’re not recruiting for the monster department in this selection.”

“…You must be mistaken, Manager.”

“Absolutely not.”

“…Then I must have been mistaken. I should have looked at the announcement more carefully.”

Damn it. I bit my tongue and tried hard to compose my expression.

Even so, I kept thinking constantly. If only I were on the first floor right now, I could have found some way to escape.

No wait! I have a magical device! I could just change my appearance and casually slip away, saying I got lost and wandered in by mistake!

Having made a quick decision, I hurriedly spoke to the manager.

“Excuse me, sorry but I just remembered something I need to do…”

“If you cause a disturbance this time, you’ll definitely be caught.”

The manager, who had quickly reached our destination, opened an office door and calmly cut off my words.

“After the chaos you caused, the mages extensively renovated the Great Library.”

He glanced back at me and gestured for me to enter.

And I, who had frozen in shock at his changed tone, finally recalled the owner of that familiar voice. Though we didn’t meet often, he was someone I occasionally encountered at the Imperial Palace.

Without being stubborn, I obediently entered the office, and he followed behind me.

“I have no intention of reporting you. I just moved locations because there were too many watching eyes over there.”

Saying this, he closed the door and removed his glasses. As the frames smoothly slipped past his ear, his ordinary hair color slowly changed to a subtle platinum blonde. His long hair length also scattered like a mirage.

The blurry impression from before disappeared and clear features revealed themselves. His red eyes curved gracefully.

“When the door is closed here, soundproofing magic automatically activates, so we can talk comfortably.”

I was certain. The man who had lost the crown prince position to Maxel and was known to have gone into seclusion.

But when that position was still vacant, he was frequently mentioned as my fiancé alongside Maxel—the First Prince, Heinrih.

…But why are you here?

“It’s been a while, Princess.”

For reasons unknown, the other party had accurately recognized me. After briefly considering whether to pretend ignorance and back out, I just gave up and spoke with a sour expression.

“What an unexpected place to meet you, Your Highness.”

“I too never expected someone who was supposedly kidnapped to be leisurely reading books here.”

“How did you recognize me?”

Could the magical device have been defective? Unless it was an illegally distributed magical device, this was an officially sold item so it couldn’t be defective. As I unconsciously touched my necklace, Heinrih smiled and replied.

“How could I not recognize you? You’re a woman I might have been engaged to.”

That wasn’t wrong, but…

Though Heinrih was also an excellent prince, he ultimately couldn’t win in the competition against Maxel. After the crown prince investiture, rumors said Heinrih was almost forcibly confined to his own palace.

It was fortunate that he at least preserved his life that way. Among the other brothers, there were plenty who couldn’t even preserve their lives.

However, even that position was precarious. By the time Maxel’s imperial coronation ceremony was held, he would probably be completely banished from the Empire, or perhaps be executed on any pretext they could find.

It seemed like he was already struggling just to save his own life, so seeing him here like this made me wonder if he had simply given up on everything.

“There was a possibility, but ultimately it didn’t come to fruition, and His Majesty and I made no progress whatsoever, so we’re sufficiently strangers to each other.”

We weren’t close enough to greet each other warmly, were we?

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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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