I’m a Villain, but I Want to Live a Long Life - Chapter 125

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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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“Are you telling me to be bait right now?!”

“Lower your voice immediately. Are you planning to provoke the magical beasts again?”

Anita shut her mouth. I rubbed my forehead and let out a sigh-laden remark.

“Bait… Yeah, we have to do something like bait. You and I are the only ones who can run properly on our legs.”

Anita looked toward Rosette and Estelin.

Rosette was coughing repeatedly, and Estelin was squeezing out what little mana she had left to heal her with a pale face.

Seeing the blood at the corner of Rosette’s mouth, Anita closed her lips. I met her gaze and spoke firmly.

“If we make them run and the situation goes wrong, the plan will be completely ruined. It’s safer for us to be bait and for those kids to go to the Central Building to bring people.”

Silence followed. After being quiet for a while, Anita roughly tousled her bangs and sighed.

“…Fine, let’s do it. I’ll do it.”

Then she glared at me and said.

“If we fail, know that it’s all because of you.”

I shrugged my shoulders.

“Think whatever you want.”

At that moment, I felt the presence of magical beasts around us again. Anita flinched and looked around.

“The magical beasts…”

“Yeah, there’ll be another attack.”

Leaving behind Anita who was anxiously looking around in all directions, I carefully approached Estelin and Rosette again.

Rosette, who was receiving healing from Estelin, raised her head.

“Did you convince that idiot?”

“Yeah. She must really want to save the royal descendant. She came around quickly when I mentioned Hanod.”

When I spoke in a deliberately light tone, Rosette burst into laughter. Estelin whispered in alarm.

“Rose! You shouldn’t laugh…!”

But Rosette chuckled a few more times before raising her gaze.

“Still, be careful. Something about her actions feels unsettling.”

“Yeah, I’ll be careful.”

Despite my spirited answer, deep shadows fell across Rosette and Estelin’s faces.

They seemed quite worried about me. Rosette said.

“I’ll try to bring people as quickly as possible. Not just for you, but…”

Her gaze turned to the group members lying scattered here and there.

“The fallen people also need to receive treatment quickly.”

Estelin muttered quietly.

“I don’t know how things ended up like this. To think the Dearmant was such a tremendous magical beast…”

She grabbed my hand and said.

“Selene, you must be very careful. Those creatures seem to show hallucinations while absorbing mana.”

“Hallucinations?”

“Yes, when I got close to the magical beast earlier, I saw strange scenes for a moment. My mind became hazy and my body lost strength, so it seemed like hallucinations.”

“Then could it be that the reason the fallen people aren’t regaining consciousness is also…”

“That’s right. They might be trapped in hallucinations. So please, please…”

I nodded my head.

“Yeah. I’ll definitely be careful. Don’t worry.”

Estelin reluctantly let go of the hand she was holding. Rosette made a groaning sound as she got up from her spot.

Then she brushed off the dirt and grass from her robe hem.

Watching her, I made eye contact with both of them one last time.

“…Well then, I’ll go.”

And as soon as the two nodded, I started running in the opposite direction.

When I grabbed the wrist of Anita who was frozen in place at the path, she let out a short scream.

But soon she began running after me in a hurry.

I turned my head to watch the faces of Rosette and Estelin growing distant.

The surrounding forest was completely bustling.

The magical beasts seemed agitated by our sudden movement.

“It worked according to plan! Their attention is focused this way!”

When I shouted loudly, Anita glared at me with a deeply frowning face.

I spoke even louder on purpose.

“Try yapping and screaming like you did earlier!”

“What?! When did I ever yap!!”

Anita’s clear voice spread through the forest faster and louder than mine.

‘Her voice is actually helpful.’

Whether from excitement or fear, my heartbeat grew increasingly intense.

I glanced back.

The magical beasts were definitely chasing us. The luring was successful.

“You know, you’re hiding something, aren’t you?”

Behind a giant magnolia tree.

Anita suddenly asked. I stopped gasping for breath and turned my head toward her.

We had come quite far from where we had laid down our group members.

Judging by the presence felt around us, most of the magical beasts seemed to have followed us.

‘I was feeling relieved that the plan seemed successful.’

What is she talking about now.

When I frowned, Anita leaned her head toward me and flashed cold eyes.

“Anyway, it’s just the two of us left now. Try being honest.”

“…”

“It was strange, from before.”

Anita stared at me intently.

“You know what? I’m someone who witnessed you causing trouble at social parties at least ten times. Since we were very young.”

My mouth gradually closed. Anita continued.

“I don’t know about other idiots, but you can’t fool me. I’m someone who grew up being called a prodigy of the family since age three. Even in Sorad, I beat out all those international students and received scouting offers from the Gifted Development Institute multiple times.”

“…”

“Starting with the ability enhancement potion development, you—no, your entire family is suspicious. Does it make sense to achieve such perfectly orchestrated results in everything you touch?”

My rapid breathing gradually subsided.

“That’s not all. After His Majesty the Emperor, now you’ve even won over Duke Haren.”

A deep light of suspicion appeared in Anita’s eyes.

“It’s strange. It’s as if there’s someone in your family who knows the future.”

The back of my neck felt cold. I swallowed quietly.

But I soon replied as if nothing was wrong.

“Are your delusions acting up again? What on earth are you talking about…”

Anita let out a snicker.

“Really. Disgusting to the end. I was just testing you, but do you think I won’t know if you play dumb like that?”

“…”

“Well, considering what you’ve been doing, it’s understandable. Growing up rudely under a single parent, you probably weren’t taught properly.”

“What?”

Anita rolled her eyes and smiled coldly.

“I told you, you can’t fool me.”

She hardened her expression coldly.

“Estelin, who’s supposedly the saint reborn after a thousand years, and Rosette from that crazy marquis family are both incredibly stupid.”

“…”

“I wonder what everyone’s reaction would be if they knew that your abilities actually all come from sacred relics.”

My eyes widened.

“Aren’t you curious too? What everyone’s expressions would be like if they knew you fooled them all.”

A short breath burst from my mouth. Anita burst into laughter.

“The mad Lady of Tigris, the young lady without manifested abilities. An incompetent who doesn’t resemble her father in the slightest. Did you lie because you hated those labels?”

“What are you talking about right now…?”

“What am I talking about? I’m saying that I know perfectly well you can’t manifest even the simplest ability without a sacred artifact. What? Guardian-type ability? Don’t make me laugh.”

Anita glared at me with contempt.

“The telekinesis you showed at the Prospective Student Gathering, and all those rumors about you handling elemental abilities—it’s all lies.”

Then she thrust her face close to mine and snapped.

“If I’m wrong, then refute it. Right now, having lost your sacred artifact. If you can, try using your ability.”

I felt my throat burning up as I held my breath briefly.

My thoughts seemed to freeze at this unexpected situation, but something felt strange.

“…How do you know?”

I asked quietly.

“What?”

“How do you know that I lost my sacred artifact… How the hell do you know that?”

The smile gradually faded from Anita’s face.

At the same time, an ominous premonition filled my mind. I roughly grabbed Anita’s clothes and pulled.

“…Answer me, right now. How do you know?”

Anita shook me off. Then she laughed as if incredulous, tilted her head up, and spoke haughtily.

“Well, because I threw it away.”

“…Threw it away?”

Anita smiled.

“That’s right. I picked it up after it fell to the ground and kept it, but once I realized that was the secret to your ability, I threw it away in the forest. Why?”

“You… Are you insane?!”

I raised my voice without realizing it. But Anita didn’t back down and met my gaze directly.

“You’re the one who’s insane! How dare you try to deceive everyone with something like that?!”

I looked at Anita with trembling eyes. A small voice leaked from my completely blocked throat.

“…Whatever I deceived anyone about. If you had thought even a little about the current situation… you should have returned it.”

If only I had my sacred artifact properly, Rosette wouldn’t have gotten hurt,

and Estelin wouldn’t have had to overexert herself.

Anita retorted resentfully.

“It was just trash that wouldn’t help me anyway, so why should I bother?”

My expression gradually hardened.

“Don’t tell me you…”

A shallow sigh escaped. I stared intently at Anita.

“…You didn’t just pick up something that was lying around.”

Anita flinched in surprise and closed her mouth.

Now that I thought about it, something was strange.

Anita Solb might have a loud voice, but she wasn’t the stupid type. She had a good reputation and wasn’t particularly dim-witted either.

‘But she kept causing a commotion in the forest anyway.’

Even though we never knew when or where we might be attacked by magical beasts.

Moreover, when I tried to stop her, she grabbed onto me and acted like someone who had lost their mind.

While grabbing my shoulder, screaming and causing a scene…

I let out a hollow laugh.

“I didn’t lose it.”

“…”

“You took it, didn’t you. My sacred artifact.”

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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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