I Just Wanted Revenge, But Everyone Loves Me - Chapter 73

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 73
“……The Duke? Bangcardium?”
The nobles’ faces drained of color the moment they heard the news from the knight.
The explosion they’d just heard was Bangcardium’s doing? It was only natural they were shocked by this utterly unexpected identity.
The Banquet Hall, which had fallen silent for a moment, erupted into chaos at once.
Some of those gathered openly glared at Bangcardium’s supporters clustered on one side.
Until now, the atmosphere had calmed somewhat with rumors that Bangcardium might have been wronged, that evidence of his involvement existed—
But this latest news had flipped everything on its head.
“How could Bangcardium……? Is he truly mad? Attacking the Imperial Palace!”
“I know, right? I was even wondering if maybe he was innocent…….”
“This confirms it—he murdered the Crown Prince. Attacking the palace itself is treason, is it not?”
There were few who could contradict that. No matter how one looked at it, the fact remained: Bangcardium had just attacked the Imperial Palace.
Bangcardium’s inner circle was thoroughly shaken.
They had no idea what was happening either. If only they’d heard beforehand that the Duke was coming, they wouldn’t have been so panicked.
But to suddenly be told Bangcardium had demolished a building? Panic was inevitable.
Had he really moved without telling them? Without any proof?
‘Or is the Imperial Court lying right now?’
That suspicion flickered through them, but no one dared voice a counter-argument.
The mood had already shifted against them. One careless word now could invite unbearable condemnation.
‘Damn it. What do we even do?’
The knights sealed off the Banquet Hall and kept close watch on the nobles.
There were too many eyes and ears to even discuss what came next.
They could only be grateful they weren’t being dragged away as accomplices to treason on the spot.
‘Cursed.
Surely this wasn’t the end of everything? Anxiety flickered across their faces.
And watching from afar, two figures.
“How entertaining things have become.”
A young man raised his glass with an elegant gesture, smiling leisurely. He was Decaron, a high priest who had come to the birthday celebration in place of the High Priest.
The Emperor across from him furrowed his brow.
Since hearing that Bangcardium had attacked the palace, his nerves had been sharper than ever.
“You call this chaos entertaining? You’re remarkably optimistic.”
“I speak in all sincerity. In fact, this has worked out rather well.”
“Ha!”
If only he would just shut up.
The Emperor ground his teeth in silence.
So they had some brilliant scheme to frame Bangcardium, did they?
At this point, the Emperor seriously doubted whether any such method even existed.
But now that Bangcardium was making his move, the Emperor desperately needed whatever method they had brought.
There was no means to suppress Bangcardium beyond the Lockdown Order.
“Now tell me. What exactly is this brilliant scheme the High Priest spoke of?”
“I knew you would ask that right away.”
At Decaron’s response—as though he’d known the Emperor would be cornered just now—the Emperor’s face twisted.
“If you’ve brought something trivial…….”
“The High Priest never acts carelessly.”
Decaron cut him off flatly.
“No matter what.”
……
“So do not worry. The scheme has already been in motion for quite some time.”
“……What?”
In motion, he said.
What did that even mean?
The Emperor furrowed his brow, struggling to comprehend.
Decaron’s lips curved upward.
“We have brought our masterpiece.”
!
At those words, the Emperor’s face went white.
“Are you mad?! Where have you released it?!”
The masterpiece.
The Emperor, who knew of its existence well, clenched his lips.
As though he’d anticipated this reaction all along, Decaron took a sip of wine from his glass.
“Have no fear. We placed it under Mind Control.”
……
“It will not attack Your Majesty.”
Of course,
“Everyone else is fair game.”
“……You mean to attack the nobles right now?”
“It will inflict only light wounds. Killing a few useless servants should suffice.”
Decaron set down his glass.
“Tomorrow morning’s newspaper will read thus: Not only did Bangcardium revive a Demonic Beast, he controlled it in an attempt to slay the Emperor. Several nobles attending the party were injured in the chaos.”
Perfect material for the front page, wouldn’t you say?
“God favors us. Bangcardium was stupid enough to demolish the building himself. It’s only a slight pity that it was an aide and not the Duke himself.”
But the Bangcardium name attached to it would work either way.
“The headline should read: ‘Attacked the Imperial Palace.'”
The Emperor turned his gaze toward the railing. Below, the nobles were just beginning to process the news, milling about in confusion.
“Thus they shall all become witnesses.”
“Precisely. We handled the Crown Prince matter by buying off the knights, but this time it’s the nobles. The impact will be far greater.”
……
“Bangcardium will be utterly isolated from this point onward. With no means of escape.”
Unless the Duke himself appears.
The moment this night passes, Bangcardium will be completely destroyed.
‘Seems he was trying to buy time with that baseless rumor.’
A decent attempt, but a foolish decision. The very rumor he’d spread to rehabilitate his image would now become a noose around his neck.
‘It’s finished.’
Decaron’s eyes, dark and murky, shifted.
One wall of the Banquet Hall.
Toward the massive arched glass window, his gaze fell with particular intensity.
Move.
A command—one only the caster of Mind Control could invoke—whispered silently.
Even the Emperor standing beside him did not hear it.
Decaron, having issued the command, smiled at ease. His mind was already occupied with thoughts of reporting that the task had been completed successfully and receiving his reward.
Then, after a brief moment had passed.
“Th—what’s that——!”
A sharp scream tore from below.
Soon after, screams both loud and small erupted from other parts of the hall.
Decaron, confirming the reactions beginning to spread, looked once more toward the windows.
Crash!
At the same instant, a piercing shatter rang out.
“Kyaaaa!”
“W—what——!”
Barely had they recovered from the shock when a serpent the size of two or three people combined burst in, and the Banquet Hall descended into pandemonium.
Shriek!
The mind-controlled Demonic Beast’s eyes burst open, burning crimson. The pupils, stretched into elongated slits, were anything but those of an ordinary reptile.
“A—a monster——!”
One noble pointed with a trembling finger.
The Demonic Beast, having registered the movement, began slowly opening its maw.
Fangs, honed sharp as blades, came into view.
At the sight, the nobles’ complexions turned a sickly green.
As the saying went, terror can paralyze you. Even the nobles with knight’s training found themselves panicking.
The Demonic Beast crawled across the ground, drool dripping, toward the noble who had just pointed at it.
“D—don’t come! Ahhh! No!”
The terrified noble collapsed to the floor. The others nearby immediately scrambled backward in unison.
“P—please wait!”
Only then did the noble realize he’d been separated from the group.
His trembling body wouldn’t obey his will no matter how hard he pushed.
“S—save me…….”
All noble dignity abandoned.
His voice quavered.
The Demonic Beast opened its mouth wider still.
As though it would swallow a human whole with ease.
Shriek!
“Aaaahhh!”
The noble clamped his eyes shut.
But contrary to what he’d expected,
……?
He felt no pain and carefully opened his eyes again.
What he saw then was,
“Wh—wh……?”
The very serpent that had been about to attack him.
Frozen solid, as though crushed by some invisible force.
!
Decaron leaped to his feet. A faint Golden Light rippled across the Demonic Beast, now rigid as stone.
‘……Golden Light?’
The question arose reflexively—
“Quite the predicament.”
“?!”
“For the Imperial Palace’s security to be this weak.”
Through the shattered glass window stepped a man, at ease. He had only now removed the deep-hooded robe that covered his head.
Hair the brilliant gold of a dragon’s symbol.
Golden eyes that spoke of primordial nobility. Paired with an unmistakably arrogant gaze and features so devastatingly handsome they were almost cruel.
“The D—the Duke. Bangcardium.”
Someone murmured.
……
The Emperor, observing his opponent from a distance, clenched his fists.
Meanwhile, having surveyed the suddenly silenced surroundings, Rodrigo laughed.
“An uninvited guest, it seems.”
After so long away from the palace,
“No one even greets me.”

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