Don’t Look for the Resurrected Villainess - Chapter 36

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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 36

What’s done is done. I quickly rummaged through my pocket.

“I’ll pay for it.”

“Money isn’t the problem. What are we going to do about needing flowers right now? We’re already short on supply as it is…”

“Short on supply?”

Since the harvest festival is so large-scale, there should be farms nearby specifically set up to grow flowers for the festival, right?

“Are you from out of town?”

“Yes, I haven’t been here long so I don’t know much about the city’s situation.”

I firmly pressed down on Jigol’s head as he shouted about showing that insolent human who dared act rudely toward the Captain a lesson.

The man looked at me with a displeased expression, then glanced around nervously. A hint of fear flickered across his face.

“Don’t wander around late and get back to your lodging early.”

He turned around as if he didn’t want to say more. I quickly approached him.

“I broke a flower pot, so I can’t just leave. I’d like to provide compensation before I go.”

“You can’t afford compensation anyway, so just go.”

“I know there’s a flower farm nearby. Couldn’t I bring you flowers from there?”

“Hey, miss! You’re talking about something dangerous!”

The man jumped and became serious. He looked around once more, then lowered his voice to warn me.

“That place is closed for the time being, so don’t even go near it. Not if you don’t want to end up a corpse.”

“…That’s where the headless ghost appeared, isn’t it?”

The man’s face turned pale. Instead of answering, he emphasized several times that ‘he had warned me not to go’ before turning away.

Watching him tremble as he walked away, I turned my gaze to the bee sitting quietly nearby.

“Is your hive at the flower farm by any chance?”

[That’s not our home!]

Glancing at the sky, I saw the sun was setting. The street lights hadn’t come on yet, but it would be dark soon.

The flower farm is quite far outside the city, so even if I left now, it would be midnight by the time I arrived.

I wanted to head to the flower farm, but…

Thinking of someone who would be grumbling while still cleaning the house and preparing dinner as instructed made me feel uneasy.

After staring down at the communication device while pondering, I finally climbed onto Nadab’s back and turned the reins.

“Let’s go back to the lodging for now.”

I’ll have to visit the flower farm early in the morning after meeting up with the new Dura’han.

* * *

It was pure coincidence that Heinrih ended up accompanying Maxel’s schedule.

Heinrih hadn’t attended any events held in the capital since his defeat in the power struggle. He only occasionally showed his face when there was a need to maintain appearances in some distant rural area.

No matter how much he had lost in political strife, as long as his status was maintained, there were still positions where his face could be put to some use.

This time was the same. Naturally, the capital event was Maxel’s responsibility, and Heinrih was originally supposed to fill a ceremonial seat in a small city near Freya.

It was an additional schedule arranged because public sentiment had been unsettled due to recent abnormal monster behavior.

But when rumors of monsters appearing in Freya coincided with the Crown Prince’s visit schedule, a long-distance warp gate was opened.

Thanks to this, Heinrih was able to travel comfortably instead of having to go on horseback.

“Elder Brother arrived earlier than scheduled, but do you have a place to stay?”

Heinrih remained silent at Maxel’s mockery.

As if he hadn’t expected an answer anyway, Maxel continued indifferently.

“Ah, perhaps that’s too much to expect from someone who couldn’t even secure a seat at a small banquet.”

The city was bustling with news of the Crown Prince’s visit. The Freya Regional Lords and retainers welcomed them with a splendid feast. Maxel was invited to a banquet prepared for him as soon as he arrived.

Of course, unlike the well-received Maxel, no one paid attention to Heinrih. Naturally so.

Maxel glanced at Heinrih, who hadn’t been invited to the banquet, and commanded as if showing mercy.

“Give him a room. Surely we can show that much charity.”

“It’s fine. I’ll handle my own schedule.”

“I heard monsters appeared in the area – if you’re unlucky, Elder Brother’s head might go flying, don’t you think?”

Maxel’s soft voice was low and cold.

With his hands behind his back and chin raised, he looked down at Heinrih arrogantly.

“Know your place and bow down.”

Maxel was displeased with Heinrih’s company. If the Emperor hadn’t told them to travel together when opening the warp gate, they probably wouldn’t have come side by side like this.

It was a sensitive reaction for Maxel, who usually mocked Heinrih freely with a victor’s face whenever he saw him.

“…”

Heinrih obediently followed Maxel’s words. It was true that he had no proper place to stay, so it didn’t matter either way.

The only thing he was curious about was perhaps the reason for Maxel’s sharp attitude.

“I’ll show you to your room.”

Walking slowly behind the servant, Heinrih glanced out the window. It was almost harvest festival time, but the outside scenery seemed strangely gloomy.

Had they said all festival preparations were completely suspended because monsters appeared?

“Did you suffer direct damage from the monsters?”

“Pardon? Oh, yes… Some property damage was reported.”

“What are the city guards doing? They should be able to provide at least minimal response.”

The servant hesitated and pondered for a moment. However, unable to ignore the prince’s question, he answered carefully.

“It’s, it’s presumed to be the monster that kidnapped the Reviver, so they couldn’t kill it carelessly.”

At those words, Heinrih, who had been turning his head indifferently, paused.

“They’re waiting because they said the Temple Official Search Party could properly identify it when they arrive.”

“Where did you say this monster appeared?”

“The most recent sighting was at Oel Flower Farm outside the city. It’s temporarily closed now.”

Heinrih’s eyes narrowed.

Oel Flower Farm was on Maxel’s official visit schedule for tomorrow.

‘I thought he was going to inspect famous sites to encourage the harvest festival, but was he actually going because monsters appeared there?’

But if that were the case, it was strange. Maxel had already sufficiently encouraged them just by visiting this region in person.

He might send some of his knights, but there was no need to personally tour a place that was closed due to monster appearances.

The servant asked Heinrih, who had a serious expression.

“You can rest here. Shall I bring dinner to your room?”

“No need.”

After sending the servant away, Heinrih stood alone, lost in thought.

Maxel had certainly heard the news that the monster appearing here might be connected to the Reviver.

「Anelli is a woman who has lived her entire life to enter the Imperial Palace. There’s no place more suitable for Anelli than here.」

Maxel’s arrogantly assertive voice was still vivid. The face that had coldly hardened when his form of address was pointed out also came to mind naturally.

Maxel’s words about Anelli being suitable for the Imperial Palace sounded exactly like he was referring to his own side.

‘I thought it was just something he brought up to provoke me…’

But what if it wasn’t? What if the conversation in the corridor that day had really touched Maxel’s emotions?

Heinrih remembered the Maxel of the past.

「We almost brought an evil woman into the Imperial House as family.」

Maxel often deliberately brought up news of Anelli in front of Heinrih.

「Was even that woman’s love precious to Elder Brother?」

He felt sorry for her, as if she was receiving ridicule she didn’t deserve because of him. For Heinrih, it was one of his most painfully frustrating moments.

「She’s not someone who should be treated like this.」

「What good do you expect to see from defending a criminal sentenced to execution?」

「…Neither you nor I have the right to disparage her feelings.」

At that time, Maxel had frowned briefly, but that was all.

「Of course, Anelli does adore me quite a bit. But my lover is much more lovely than such a stone-like woman.」

To Maxel, Anelli’s existence was merely one of the means to express his superiority. At least in the past.

‘…Then what about now that she’s been revived?’

Heinrih twisted his lips.

Was it his speculation that Maxel seemed to harbor arrogant confidence regarding Anelli?

「I hope we never meet again, even by chance. I don’t know how this will sound, but you resemble Maxel.」

Heinrih habitually fingered his horn-rimmed glasses that he always carried.

This was a magical device made by a friend who had once been his faithful collaborator. Since it was one of the few items that hadn’t been discovered by Maxel, he could occasionally use this device to shake off the surveillance Maxel had placed on him.

That the monster might be the one who kidnapped Anelli.

Does that mean Anelli might be somewhere in this area? Will I be able to see her again?

Of course, she said she’d rather not see me again…

“I feel like I might hit you without realizing it.”

Couldn’t I interpret that to mean it wouldn’t matter if the face didn’t resemble Maxel’s?

* * *

Samuel woke up drenched in cold sweat.

It was still dark outside. Wiping his soaked forehead with his hand, he let out a long sigh. After sitting on his bed in a daze for a while, he slowly got up.

When he threw open the window, cold night air rushed into the bedroom. The chill felt even sharper because of his damp shirt clinging to his body.

“…Hah.”

Even pressing firmly on his throbbing temples didn’t relieve the headache.

Lately, he’d been having sleepless nights like this more frequently. It used to be about twice a week, but he could feel the frequency gradually increasing.

Since he wasn’t one to sleep long anyway, having his sleep time slightly disrupted wasn’t a major problem.

The issue was that these sleepless nights stemmed from nightmares of some kind.

Since they always disappeared into his murky subconscious upon waking, he couldn’t lay out all the specific details, but there was one thing for certain.

His nightmares clearly repeated two scenarios.

Either cutting someone’s neck, or having his neck cut.

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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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