I Was Just Having Fun With The Time Limit - Chapter 180

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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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A dark underground conference room.
Surrounded by countless magical barriers, this desolate space was devoid of even a single ray of light.
Arcane Mages sat on both sides along a long rectangular table.
They all spoke together in unison.
“At last, Isabel has begun to move.”
“At last, Isabel has begun to move.”
Soon the conference room door opened.
It was Wilhelm, who had spent years evading the pursuit of Lancer, Biatone, and Sermon.
“The voices of countless people become spears that move men to action.”
Wilhelm strode forward and took the seat of honor at the center of the table.
“It must be a terrible experience for Isabel.”
Being pointed at by countless strangers whose faces she would never know.
This was a horrifying ordeal that ordinary people could never experience.
The frame I had cast upon Isabel as a war instigator had proven remarkably effective.
“Ultimately, she will have no choice but to move. To prove that she is the spring of the imperial family.”
So I would seek out the places where I had once volunteered, reinforce Isabel’s image once more, and bestow various charitable acts and good deeds.
“This is precisely the moment we have been waiting for.”
Wilhelm smiled wickedly.
In the end, this was the limitation of the Villorian Empire.
“They wield powerful blades.”
He tapped his own head with his finger.
“But they lack intelligence.”
Wilhelm surveyed the Arcane Mages around him with a satisfied expression.
In truth, they were merely shells of Arcane Mages—essentially extensions of Wilhelm’s own will.
He had already destroyed their souls and implanted his own consciousness within them.
“They move exactly as I desire. Everyone, prepare yourselves. This is our final chance to execute the grand scheme.”
* * *
Wilhelm was mistaken about several things.
First, the personnel of the Villorian Empire had changed completely from those in the original work 【The Villainess Dies in Limited Time】.
They had become far stronger and more intelligent than in the original.
It far exceeded Wilhelm’s expectations and baseline assumptions.
Second, the disparity in information gathering was far more severe than anticipated.
Based on the legacy left by Beksah, the genius of the age, the male lead Arun and his allies (Tesleron and Maria) had already united.
Even Karin, the final mastermind who should have opposed the male lead, had joined their ranks, and the imperial family’s full support followed in turn.
In the original work, it proceeded as Male Lead VS Imperial Family, then Male Lead VS Karin.
However, the major forces that should have fought each other were instead uniting and cooperating together.
Thanks to this, they could grasp relatively accurately what Wilhelm was aiming for, and they swiftly established countermeasures.
Third, Isabel was far more familiar and skilled with media warfare than Wilhelm had anticipated.
Isabel had not stepped into public activities out of necessity from Wilhelm’s provocation, but had revealed herself of her own volition.
‘She will surely try to kidnap me.’
Isabel harbored one misconception of her own.
‘Wilhelm knows this is a trap, yet he’ll have no choice but to move forward.’
Wilhelm had vastly underestimated Isabel, while Isabel had placed Wilhelm far too high on a pedestal.
In other words, Wilhelm had grown careless, and Isabel had prepared with excessive thoroughness.
In any case, morning arrived.
Only Arun accompanied Isabel.
“Let’s go, Isabel.”
On the surface, the arrangement appeared modest.
Wilhelm and the Arcane Mages, having received intelligence through their spies, laughed.
“What foolishness. How much must one care about public scrutiny to commit such a stupid act?”
Arun was certainly powerful, it was true.
Proficient in both the blade and magic, he was indeed a formidable opponent to contend with.
Yet alone, there were limits to what he could accomplish.
No matter how strong one person was, they could not stand against a hundred.
This was Wilhelm’s assessment.
“Had I been in her position, I would have brought numerous guards, even if it meant facing the public’s scornful gaze.”
Through Isabel’s actions, Wilhelm became certain.
“They seem to have no idea whatsoever what we’re after.”
The Arcane Mages echoed Wilhelm’s words like a chorus.
“They have no idea whatsoever what we’re after.”
“They have no idea whatsoever what we’re after.”
Had they known, they would not have acted in such a manner.
Wilhelm and the Arcane Mages spoke with solemn expressions.
“For the sake of world peace.”
“For the sake of world peace.”
* * *
Inside the carriage heading toward Linta.
Despite the carriage’s spacious interior, Arun sat pressed against my side.
He wore a gentle smile as if to ease my tension, yet even his profile was so breathtakingly beautiful it seemed unreal.
‘I shouldn’t keep letting him stay this close like this…’
In three years, Arun would truly suffer because of it.
Perhaps I would as well.
At this rate, parting from this world would be far too painful.
Before I could help myself, Arun had already found his way deep into my heart, knocking upon its door.
With a knock far too loud to ignore.
‘For now, let me focus on today.’
Whether three years from now would come at all remained uncertain.
Wilhelm, who had meticulously prepared and designed everything, was surely watching for his opportunity to strike at me.
We arrived at Linta.
“The travel time has certainly been reduced considerably.”
“It’s all thanks to our radiant Princess Isabel.”
During the seven years I slept, the world underwent a dramatic transformation.
The Tesleron Transfer Gate had become the standard for all transfer gates, and countless cities were now densely connected.
[We welcome the Princess’s visit.]
Countless people waved yellow flags to welcome Princess Isabel.
“Why is everyone waving yellow flags?”
“Yellow is the color that symbolizes Isabel.”
“It symbolizes me?”
“Yes. Isabel is the spring of the Imperial House. It comes from your golden hair and amber eyes.”
I found this kind of welcome somewhat burdensome.
That’s what reason told me.
But deep in my heart, a second Isabel was dancing with unbridled joy.
‘Ah.’
With everything going on lately, I’d momentarily forgotten.
‘I’m definitely an attention seeker.’
I’d felt it since childhood.
I was born to crave attention.
This attention thrills me.
It seemed this was an innate nature I couldn’t control with reason.
Even with Wilhelm’s invasion looming at any moment, here I was, savoring this attention.
Rahela, the King of Alpea and the one called the Holy King, had come to greet me.
“I sincerely welcome your visit, Princess Isabel.”
And beside her was Hector as well.
“We welcome your visit, Princess.”
“Hector, the Foreman?”
He was the person who had treated me kindly when I came as a volunteer.
Back then, he was the foreman of Disaster Recovery Zone 3, but now he had become the mayor of Linta.
Wow, so much had happened in the meantime.
Linta was merely a mid-sized village, but it had been promoted to a city.
“Since Princess Isabel graced this place with her presence, countless pilgrims have visited each year, and the city has naturally developed.”
“Pilgrims?”
Hector spoke with an oddly composed expression.
“Yes, this is a holy site, is it not?”
I didn’t quite understand what he meant.
Why would this place be a holy site?
“It is the sacred ground restored by the touch of the Princess’s breath.”
“….”
As we exchanged brief words, the kingdom’s people began to sing in unison.
It was the ‘Isabel Hymn’ that I dreaded so much.
I enjoyed all other kinds of attention, but this hymn in particular was something I could never quite get used to.
I wanted to flee.
I grasped my wavering mind firmly.
‘This was the priority point.’
Wilhelm would definitely appear.
It was obvious he would attempt something underhanded.
I had selected several locations where he might make such an attempt, and this entrance to Linta was one of the most obvious.
‘The Holy King and the Mayor came to greet me together. They would naturally assume I would have a brief conversation here.’
If I were Wilhelm, I would have set a trap here in advance.
I had even given him two days to do so.
‘Is it not here?’
Well, this place was too obvious.
‘He must have hidden the trap more subtly.’
I had already grasped the approximate locations of those other points.
The think tank composed of Serna, Biatone, Aselia, and Karin was truly reliable.
‘It seems this isn’t the place after all.’
I had intended to enter deeper into Linta and have conversations with many people, reminiscing about old memories.
‘Huh?’
Suddenly, I felt an intense surge of magical power.
‘This is…’
It was a magical flow similar to a teleportation gate.
Arun, sensing it, pressed close to my side.
‘It’s a forced displacement spell.’
Just yesterday, Karin had told me this.
‘We must keep several possibilities open, but the most likely is a forced displacement spell.’
Karin’s words hit the mark perfectly.
A golden light enveloped Arun and me.
The magical wave tried to repel Arun, but he endured it.
With a slight dizziness, Arun and I were transported elsewhere.
It was a dark and damp space.
A place with a long rectangular table.
It felt desolate, devoid of even a single ray of sunlight.
“It’s been a long time, Isabel.”
I saw eyes like a viper’s.
I had felt chilled before, but now it was far worse.
“You’re Wilhelm?”
I was honestly startled.
Wilhelm’s face was not human.
His skin had completely melted away, and his bones were fully exposed.
In other words, he was not a person but a skeleton.
‘How… repulsive.’
Wilhelm chuckled softly.
“How foolish. It seems you never anticipated things would unfold this way.”
No, that’s not why I was startled.
I was shocked by that grotesque appearance.
Wilhelm seemed to be under some sort of misunderstanding.

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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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