I’m a Villain, but I Want to Live a Long Life - Chapter 103

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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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I swallowed hard as I looked at the old man.

‘A family where the ability to see the future has been passed down for generations, and a daughter who vanished without a trace?’

Rubel’s face overlapped once again over the old man’s wrinkled features.

Without realizing it, I clenched my fists and asked in a trembling voice.

“So… did you stay confined to your home for a while? Because of the grief from losing your first love and your daughter?”

The old man flinched and looked up. His expression seemed to ask how I knew.

I organized the tangled thoughts in my head.

‘Duke Haren was also someone who secluded himself. He never even showed himself in the Empire.’

The old man answered calmly.

“Yes. For a while, even meeting people was too much to bear.”

“Then… how long has it been since you last visited the Empire?”

The old man slightly frowned as if wondering why I was asking such a thing. But soon he opened his mouth.

“In my youth… The last time was when I went with Riana. It must have been at least 35 years ago.”

My heart sank.

There was no doubt.

‘This person is definitely Duke Haren.’

A prestigious family where the ability to see the future has been passed down for generations.

His black hair and gray eyes also matched Duke Haren’s appearance.

Most decisively, he had been using quite aristocratic speech throughout our conversation.

It wasn’t the way of speaking you’d expect from a simple guard patrolling the forest.

‘To think Duke Haren had a lost daughter. One who possessed the ability to see the future, no less.’

Her name was Sharlina?

Somehow that felt similar to the name of the Former Empress Charlotte Irina, and goosebumps spread across my arms.

According to Rubel, the Former Empress Charlotte Irina’s ability was also seeing the future.

Just like Sharlina, Duke Haren’s lost daughter.

‘Moreover, the fact that his last visit to the Empire was 35 years ago is also suspicious.’

If that’s true, then the Duke would have never encountered the Former Empress Charlotte Irina even once.

‘What if the lost Sharlina ran away on her own, resenting her father for failing to protect her mother.’

And later became the Empress and gave birth to Rubel.

Then, thanks to the Duke’s seclusion, the two never had the chance to see each other’s faces.

‘…If that’s the case, then it wouldn’t be strange at all that the Duke resembles Rubel so eerily.’

Rubel would be his grandson, after all.

My mouth went completely dry.

But then, suddenly, something like shouting could be heard from outside the cave.

Everyone’s gaze turned toward the entrance. Rosette, who tilted her head, was the first to stand up.

When she extended her hand, the flower vines at the entrance curled inward, creating a small opening.

Dawn light streamed through the gap. It seemed the entire night had passed while we were talking.

“Your Grace! Your Grace! Where are you!”

“Spread out that way and search!”

Rosette, Estelin, and I exchanged glances.

“Who are all these people in the forest at this hour?”

“How strange. There are so many people dressed as servants too.”

When Estelin tilted her head, the old man—no, Duke Haren—cleared his throat.

I had been keeping my mouth shut, but quietly stood up.

“Rosette, open the entrance.”

Rosette looked at me with wide eyes.

“Suddenly?”

“Those people are looking for this grandfather here.”

Estelin tilted her head.

“But didn’t they say ‘Your Grace’ just now? It seems like they’re looking for the master they serve, not this person…”

Estelin’s mouth gradually closed. Rosette’s eyes also widened greatly as she sensed something.

“…Wait, don’t tell me.”

I nodded.

“The ‘Your Grace’ they’re looking for is Duke Haren, and Duke Haren is this person right here.”

The flower Estelin had been holding dropped to the floor with a thud. It was the one she had been clutching all night, saying Rosette had made it for her.

“Th-that’s impossible! Why didn’t you say, no, why didn’t you tell us…!”

Rosette stammered as she ran her hands through her hair.

Her red hair was disheveled from not being able to wash since yesterday, but she didn’t seem to care.

I continued calmly.

“You said it’s a family where the ability to see the future has been passed down for generations. Why would the heir of such a prestigious family work as a guard?”

“Th-then this person really is…!”

Duke Haren cleared his throat awkwardly.

Just then, someone stuck their face through the opening Rosette had made.

“His Grace is here!”

We all jumped in surprise at that booming shout and stared blankly at the man.

Rosette, coming to her senses, gathered up the flowers, branches, and vines that had been covering the entrance.

In the distance, we could see numerous people hurriedly running toward us.

“Your Grace! Where on earth have you been! No, your leg…!”

The man who approached Duke Haren made a fuss as he examined his leg. The Duke glanced at us with an embarrassed expression.

“Don’t make such a fuss, Ray. I fell and was lying at the bottom of a cliff, but these children saved me.”

The man called Ray looked back and forth between us and the Duke, stamping his feet anxiously.

“The swelling is considerable! You need to get treatment immediately…!”

“How embarrassing, why are you acting like this? These children treated me, which is why it’s only this bad.”

Ray’s face turned pale. The Duke’s words were true.

It was none other than Estelin who had restored his broken and mangled ankle to this level.

“Please lean on me quickly! Everyone has been in chaos all night!”

Duke Haren glanced at us and slowly stood up. Rosette and Estelin still looked dazed.

The Duke, now fully standing with support, stared directly at me.

“You have remarkable insight. You must take after your mother?”

I looked at the old man with a surprised face. The old man smiled.

“I figured it out when I heard your friends calling you Selene. It’s not exactly a common name, and these days even here, rumors about you are rampant.”

The old man laughed heartily and asked his adjutant ‘Isn’t that right?’ Then he added.

“If you came from the Central Garden, you must have met Sadina. Your mother was a student that eccentric was terribly fond of. Ah, your mother over there too.”

His gaze shifted to Estelin. Estelin moved her lips with a bewildered expression.

“Those girls were always stuck together too… I wonder how their children turned out so similarly.”

As the conversation grew long, the adjutant beside him urged the old man.

“Your Grace, please stop now and let’s go. We should escort these students first…”

“Just leave them be. Sadina must have given them another strange assignment.”

The adjutant paused and nodded as if he understood. Then he briefly expressed his gratitude before supporting the old man out of the cave.

I watched their retreating figures and glanced at Rosette. Rosette had a complex yet strange expression.

‘Among us, Rosette was the one most passionate about the Academy.’

Duke Haren, the headmaster, only knew the names of Estelin and me.

“Um, Rose…”

Just as I was about to approach Rosette, the Duke suddenly turned around.

Toward Rosette, of all people.

“Right, I almost forgot about this.”

He rummaged through his inner pocket and soon pulled out a stiffly folded piece of paper.

“Rosette, wasn’t it? Your ability was truly remarkable. I got to see something good, so I should repay you.”

Rosette’s eyes blinked as she received the paper with his playful voice. The Duke chuckled.

“I do hope you pass the exam so we can meet again at the entrance ceremony.”

He smiled at all of us, then turned around and added to himself.

“Who would have thought I’d turn a blind eye to Sadina’s wicked deeds.”

And he began to walk away again.

When his figure had disappeared from view, we quickly gathered together and opened the note the Old Man had given us.

Everyone’s eyes widened as they confirmed the contents.

Meanwhile, at the Central Building’s Grand Garden.

“…How boring.”

Hanod muttered in a bored voice. He was lying on his side on the grass, supporting his head with one arm.

“Just bear with it a little longer, Hanod. Once we get through today, we can take the exam, right?”

At Anita’s words, one of the female students who had been shivering nearby asked cautiously.

“Wh-what do you think this year’s ex-exam will be? I heard the content ch-changes every year.”

Despite the air being extremely cold, she wasn’t wearing a single coat. This was because Anita had taken her cloak at dawn.

The reason was that the cold air rising from the ground made it impossible to sit there.

Anita shrugged her shoulders and answered.

“Well, it’s probably one of two things.”

All the group members looked at Anita. Even Hanod, who had been lying there with an indifferent expression, did the same.

“Treasure hunt, or mock battle.”

“Treasure hunt?”

Hanod’s eyes lit up.

“Yeah. It was an assignment given 6 years ago, where groups had to find treasures hidden throughout the entire jurisdiction. By the way, the treasure that year was tokens. Pure gold tokens engraved with the Academy’s emblem.”

Joseph clicked his tongue as if impressed.

“How do you know everything, Miss Anita? You’re truly amazing.”

“That’s right, I don’t think any other group has as much information as we do. It’s all thanks to Miss Anita.”

When another group member chimed in, Anita laughed with her eyes curved in delight. Then Hanod sat up and asked.

“Besides the treasure hunt, what’s this mock battle?”

As if she had expected that question, Anita smiled brightly.

“Ah, that was an exam given 8 years ago, where each group was given a flag before starting. If your flag gets taken, you’re eliminated.”

Hanod narrowed his eyes and nodded.

“It’s similar to the jousting tournaments often held in Sorad.”

“Right. It’s a competition where the compatibility of abilities between group members needs to be good. In that sense, it would be an advantageous assignment for us.”

Joseph, who had been listening, cautiously interjected.

“So, Miss Anita, you’re confident that one of those two will be assigned this year?”

“That’s right.”

She continued quietly.

“Actually, I heard something about this before. From none other than Duke Haren.”

The group members looked at her with curious eyes.

“My grandfather has connections with Duke Haren, so I often visited his estate, and the Duke told me then. He said exam assignments are reissued in cycles of 6 years at the shortest, 8 years at the longest.”

Joseph responded with a brightened expression.

“Indeed! It must be time for the cycle of those assignments you mentioned to come around again.”

“That’s right. Besides, this year’s incoming students are famous in many ways, aren’t they?”

The group members’ eyes widened.

“From Hanod who manifested tremendous telekinetic power, to Estelin who’s called a saint. Though I’m embarrassed to say it, I’m also considered quite a valuable talent.”

“That’s right. Also, Se-Seleneae Tigris is am-amazing too.”

When the shivering group member added this, the atmosphere turned cold. Anita replied icily.

“Are you talking about how that young lady vulgarly destroyed the salon?”

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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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