I’m a Villain, but I Want to Live a Long Life - Chapter 110

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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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“A, a penalty point? Me?”

I asked while hurrying to follow the staff member, and she nodded.

“Yes. A penalty point.”

But I haven’t even enrolled yet? I blinked with my mouth agape and asked urgently.

“N-no… Why am I getting a penalty point? Don’t tell me I wasn’t supposed to sleep in the bathtub?”

The staff member stopped mid-step. Then she stared at me as if I were strange and frowned.

“Whether you sleep in the bathtub or dance, Rishion doesn’t interfere.”

“Then why am I getting a penalty point…?”

The staff member shook her head and started walking again.

“For overlooking or facilitating unauthorized entry and lodging by outsiders.”

“…”

“Rishion Academy gives penalty points to such students. In Seleneae Tigris’s case, it would be facilitating unauthorized entry by an outsider.”

My eyes gradually widened.

“F-facilitating unauthorized entry? I never did such a thing! Didn’t someone just use my name to infiltrate the Academy?”

“It’s embarrassing to even call it infiltration, since he entered so boldly. Besides, he said with his own mouth that he came to see Miss Tigris. Said you’d know if he mentioned Tatio.”

I stopped walking and gaped. Then I asked in disbelief.

“Why would that guy come here…?”

“So you do know him.”

The staff member turned to meet my eyes and raised an eyebrow.

I blinked with a speechless expression.

It was absurd enough to receive a penalty point before even taking the exam, but for it to be because of Rubel was even more ridiculous.

‘Rubel may be a bit clueless, but he’s not stupid. Could something have happened?’

But no matter how much I thought about it, there was no incident that would make Rubel suddenly come looking for me.

If anything, wouldn’t it be normal for me to go looking for him? Especially with Duke Haren’s matter.

While continuing my serious contemplation, we arrived at the main building.

Opening the massive doors, we entered a spacious hall. The staff member led me to a large drawing room.

Just before entering the drawing room, the staff member glanced at me and spoke as if scolding.

“Originally, prospective students absolutely cannot meet outsiders before taking the exam. But Miss Tigris is lucky.”

She opened the door, looked inside, and continued.

“If it had been Professor Sadina, she might have stripped you of your exam qualification, let alone arrange such a meeting. It’s fortunate that it’s the Dean…”

But before she could finish speaking, the drawing room door swung open.

Through the open door, I saw Rubel for the first time in ages.

For a moment I felt glad, but I soon froze when I spotted someone beyond his shoulder.

I saw Duke Haren sitting on a plush sofa, looking at me with a welcoming expression.

I stood frozen with a bewildered expression.

‘I’d been constantly worrying about how to get these two to meet.’

And they went ahead and met on their own?

“So this is the young man? The one who supposedly resembles me.”

Duke Haren, sitting in the seat of honor, continued to examine Rubel with interested eyes.

Of all places, Rubel had entered through the backstreet of the central building, where Duke Haren happened to be conducting some plant research or something.

“I knew it the moment I saw him! He really does resemble me. When I heard about it in the cave a few days ago, I had no idea it would be to this extent, but he’s the spitting image of my younger self.”

Hearty laughter followed. I watched him silently with complicated feelings.

The reason the two resembled each other was probably because Rubel was likely Duke Haren’s grandson. But Duke Haren showed no sign of even suspecting this.

Meanwhile, Rubel sat across from me with a serious, rigid expression. Seeing that face reminded me of why I had come here.

I took a calm deep breath and carefully addressed Duke Haren first.

“First, I’m truly grateful. I heard this meeting was originally impossible according to the rules.”

Duke Haren shook his head.

“Don’t mention it. After what happened a few days ago, this much is something I can certainly do.”

His tone was much more favorable than expected. While I was inwardly surprised, Duke Haren kindly added.

“I’ll give you two time to talk if you need it. Though it can’t be for long.”

My eyes widened.

I hadn’t expected the Duke to even arrange a place for us to talk.

I hadn’t expected such special treatment, but honestly, it was a welcome proposal.

I quickly nodded to the Duke, who wore his characteristic comfortable smile.

“If you would do that, I’d be truly grateful. It won’t take long.”

Then Duke Haren smiled and rose from his seat. After glancing at us with curious eyes, he soon closed the door and left.

I confirmed the door was firmly closed and turned my gaze to Rubel.

“How did you get here? Without any notice. Did something happen?”

Rubel didn’t answer. He just stared at me silently with a serious expression.

I pondered and whispered very quietly.

“Did someone discover your identity?”

Rubel’s eyes widened slightly. But he soon smiled faintly and shook his head.

“That’s impossible. I just had something urgent to tell you… I didn’t think about the consequences.”

I reflexively tilted my head.

‘Something urgent enough for Rubel to come looking without thinking of consequences.’

But the words that came from Rubel’s mouth next were truly surprising.

“Actually, my mother… seems to have been acquainted with your mother.”

I doubted my ears and opened my eyes wide.

“Who was acquainted with whom?”

“…Empress Dowager and Duchess Tigris.”

This was completely unexpected information.

Without giving me time for the confusion to settle, Rubel pulled something from his chest and held it out.

“I found this in an abandoned cabin in Bastin County. His Lordship said that place was Duke Tigris’s hideout.”

What Rubel handed me were several old pieces of paper. I quickly took the papers.

“The Sharlina written there is my mother’s nickname. So those letters are ones that my… mother and father exchanged.”

As Rubel said, the faded and torn papers were mostly ordinary love letters.

But something was strange.

“These came from a place that was our father’s hideout?”

Why would love letters between the Former Emperor and Former Empress be found in Bastin County, and at a place that was Father’s hideout, no less?

Rubel answered calmly.

“That’s not all. If you look at the sixth page, your mother’s and Duchess Laurence’s names are written there too.”

“That can’t be…”

But when I quickly flipped through the papers, I really saw the names ‘Hemera’ and ‘Kione.’

Moreover, this wasn’t the only place where the two names were mentioned.

“This is strange. Too strange.”

When I muttered quietly, Rubel answered.

“Right. It’s strange. So I thought about it and reached a conclusion… There’s only one possibility.”

“…”

“Before I, before we were born, they were already acquainted. All three of them.”

My eyes gradually moved from the letters to Rubel. Rubel added in an uncertain voice.

“…Somehow I feel like I’m remembering something too.”

I looked at the several letters again. The content was simple.

Content about war, content about coming to meet soon.

And content showing that the Former Empress, who appeared to be pregnant with Rubel, was relying heavily on her friends.

And the names of those mentioned friends were the same as the two duchesses’ names.

The fact that the three were close friends was undeniably evident throughout the letters.

Suddenly, I remembered what Estelin had said in passing at the charity event.

‘Why, back then our mother and Duchess Tigris were close friends. So were our fathers.’

After hearing that, I had thought that House Tigris and House Laurent might have originally been close.

‘But you’re saying the Former Empress was also involved in that?’

So it wasn’t just two people, but three who used to spend time together?

And currently, all three of those people had passed away. Around the same time, for different reasons.

It was too contrived to be a coincidence, chillingly so. As I pondered, I slowly raised my gaze.

Across from me, I could see Rubel’s remarkably clear eyes, though they seemed to be deeply contemplating something.

I thought I understood why he had come all the way here.

I slowly placed the letter down on the table. Then I spoke.

“I can roughly guess what you’re thinking. Well, if we’re being honest, I’m having similar thoughts myself.”

“….”

“But before that, there’s something I want to confirm briefly.”

Rubel raised his head to look at me.

“About what the letter mentions—that Sharlina was Empress Dowager’s pet name—are you certain?”

Duke Haren had definitely called his lost daughter by the name ‘Sharlina.’

But if that was the Former Empress’s pet name…

‘As expected, Sharlina and Charlotte Irina. I should consider these two to be the same person.’

Rubel stiffened for a moment, then nodded.

“Yes. I remember it accurately. It wasn’t a public pet name. Only Father and I, and about two duchesses called her by that pet name, I think.”

“I see.”

I nodded and asked my next question.

“Then is that cottage where you discovered these letters close to here by any chance?”

Rubel’s eyes widened slightly. However, he soon answered calmly.

“That’s right, it’s right nearby. The cottage’s location itself is in Bastin County, but it’s right at the edge of the territory boundary, so it’s actually closer to Duke Halen’s Domain. Through the forest, you can freely travel between both territories.”

I nodded.

The point that the Former Empress was Duke Halen’s lost daughter… seemed to be completely certain to some degree now.

“Then we should assume that your mother, that is, Empress Dowager, stayed at that cottage? The letters came from there, after all.”

Rubel smiled bitterly. Then he pulled out something else from inside his coat. It was several photographs.

“These were found together with the letters.”

Among several photos of an unfamiliar elderly couple, I could occasionally see the figure of a young girl.

Black hair and deep dimples in her cheeks that followed her smile.

“…She looks like you.”

As I muttered, Rubel picked up one of the photos and placed it on top.

This time it was a photo of the black-haired girl, now grown up after some time had passed, smiling brightly together with two other girls.

The woman in the middle had gorgeous blonde hair and beautiful blue eyes.

Rubel said.

“The one in the middle looks like you.”

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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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