I’m a Villain, but I Want to Live a Long Life - Chapter 137

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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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Anita’s expression stiffened rigidly.

“Wh-what are you saying…? I don’t have anything like that.”

“What do you mean you don’t have anything. I already came here knowing what you’re carrying.”

At Rosette’s words, Anita’s body flinched. Rosette took a step closer to her.

“Take it out right now. Seleneae’s item.”

Anita’s pupils dilated. However, she soon retorted sharply.

“What item am I supposed to have?! Do you have proof? Suddenly dragging someone here unreasonably, what is this…!!”

Rosette burst into laughter as if dumbfounded. Estelin, who was watching, let out a small sigh.

Soon, she called someone as if there was no other choice.

“Miss Naila. Over here.”

A quiet-looking young lady emerged from among the soldiers.

It was Nyla Merin, one of Anita’s group members.

“Miss Naila. Could you tell us again what you told us earlier?”

Nyla Merin hesitated and nodded.

“My ability is a detection ability. Basically, I sense the magical power of living beings, but sometimes I can also feel faint magical power remaining in objects.”

Naila raised her index finger and pointed toward Anita’s robe pocket.

“But… I’ve been sensing something from Miss Anita’s pocket since she returned from the forest…”

Anita’s eyes widened greatly. Naila glanced around nervously and added.

“…It seems like there’s an object imbued with Miss Seleneae’s magical power in there.”

“…”

“From the way the magical power is concentrated, it looks like some kind of necklace.”

Anita Solb froze stiffly with her mouth half open.

She couldn’t grasp at all how things were unfolding.

She stared at Seleneae Tigris across from her with trembling eyes.

Although there were various scratches large and small on her skin, Seleneae Tigris was more intact than anyone else.

‘She wasn’t… attacked by the magical beasts?’

During the battle in the forest.

Those were the magical beasts that had rendered all of her group members unconscious.

How terrifying was the sight of them copying human abilities and launching counterattacks.

Wasn’t it tremendously overwhelming to the point of making one’s knees weak?

‘But how is she unharmed? I clearly saw with my own eyes that she was surrounded by magical beasts…’

She had expected her to die, or at least suffer permanent injuries.

But why.

“Don’t even think about scheming.”

Rosette Grimaldi spat out coldly.

Feeling her mind snap back to attention, Anita shuffled backward on her knees.

The gazes directed at her made her feel suffocated.

Although she said she had thrown it away, the sacred object she had actually kept seemed to grow heavier and heavier in her pocket.

“What did I even do…”

Anita barely managed to answer. However, she couldn’t hide her trembling voice.

One of Rosette’s eyebrows twitched upward.

Anita hid her trembling hands beneath her clothing.

A few hours ago.

She and all her group members were being chased by Dearmants.

They had tried to hunt a young specimen but failed, and afterward, numerous adults began chasing them.

Their combat power was tremendous.

Hanod’s telekinesis was useless, and Joseph’s poison ability was seen through and instead turned back on themselves.

When they seemed completely cornered at a dead-end cliff, it was Estelin and Seleneae’s group members who saved them.

She saw it then.

On the robe of Seleneae Tigris who came running urgently.

The pendant she had always kept an eye on, swaying.

And then what happened? It seemed like some strange voice echoed in her head.

‘Obtain it. Get that object and take it to the temple.’

And when she came to her senses, the sacred object was already in her pocket.

‘…Have I gone mad?’

Anita swallowed and chewed the inside of her mouth nervously.

‘It’s true that I suspected Seleneae Tigris’s sacred object was suspicious…’

So it was also true that she had thought she should secretly steal the object and check it with her own eyes at least once.

But she hadn’t intended to do it while the exam was in progress, especially while being chased by magical beasts.

Originally, she had planned to secretly send someone to Seleneae Tigris’s dormitory or wait for another opportunity.

To minimize the probability of being caught.

But the moment she saw the pendant, she was somehow seized by the feeling that she had to get it immediately and ended up acting.

Anita looked around with trembling vision. Everyone’s gazes were directed at her.

It was strange.

‘Why did I do that?’

No matter how much she disliked seeing Seleneae Tigris, she shouldn’t have done such a thing.

That was too sloppy and stupid, not befitting her clever and smart self.

At that moment, Rosette approached with large steps from across.

She soon grabbed Anita’s wrist without hesitation.

Anita’s face turned pale as she shook off the hand.

“Wh-what?!”

“I won’t say the same thing again. Give it here, right now.”

“So what are you talking about! Can’t you get your hands off me?!”

It was the moment when both people’s voices were getting louder and louder.

“Stop.”

Duke Haren, who had been silent, stepped forward with a stern face.

“That’s enough, Rosette.”

Rosette’s eyes widened. Soon, resentment appeared on her expression.

Estelin, who was beside her, opened her mouth with a flustered voice.

“Your Grace…! Considering that Miss Anita Solb said Seleneae had run away, this requires investigation…”

“I know.”

Estelin closed her mouth.

“However, the truth of that incident can be determined somewhere other than here, can’t it.”

He looked around at the people filling the surroundings.

“Dawn will break soon. Everyone has been unable to rest due to the commotion that continued all night.”

Estelin seemed at a loss for words, closed her mouth, and eventually nodded. Duke Haren spoke soothingly.

“I don’t mean to let this matter slide easily. I’m saying that those involved should come with me to the Central Tower, and the rest should disperse from here.”

Sadina, who was standing beside him, asked Duke Haren.

“Then what will you do about the magical beasts? You said you would contact the Empire tomorrow for official verification.”

Duke Haren’s eyes became complicated. He stroked his chin and glanced back.

Next to Seleneae. He could see dozens of magical beasts still watching this way.

“…For now, we’ll just leave them and return to the tower.”

Sadina’s eyes widened.

“Magical beasts… no, didn’t everyone already confirm that they don’t attack us?”

His words were correct.

It had already been about an hour since they had been confronting the Dearmants here.

However, the Dearmants had not launched any attacks toward the humans.

This was in contrast to how humans had been indiscriminately killing Dearmants and obtaining magical stones.

“But….”

Sadina frowned and trailed off. Duke Haren placed a hand on her shoulder.

“It can’t be helped. Nothing has been confirmed yet, has it?”

“….”

“We’ll know once we verify everything.”

Sadina reluctantly nodded. However, she hesitated just as she was about to take a step.

She had remembered a fact she had momentarily forgotten.

“But shouldn’t we verify this immediately? The Dearmants only reveal themselves on the days when Yanan’s Moon rises.”

‘Yanan’s Moon’ referred to the second moon that only rose exactly eight times a year.

“Tomorrow Yanan’s Moon will disappear, and we’ll have to wait at least a month until it rises again. How can we verify….”

“Ah, don’t worry about that.”

At that moment, Selene, who had been silent the entire time, stepped forward. Duke Haren and Sadina looked at her.

Selene looked tired. However, her expression was infinitely serious.

“Even on days when Yanan’s Moon doesn’t rise, Dearmants can reveal themselves at any time.”

Sadina’s eyes widened.

“It’s just that only on the days when Yanan’s Moon rises can humans see the Dearmants.”

“….”

“On days like today when Yanan’s Moon rises, the Dearmants’ magic power weakens due to the negative energy. Then the concealment effect on them disappears, and humans can see them.”

Professor Sadina just stared at Selene with wide eyes.

More than being surprised by this new information, she was more curious about how Selene knew such facts.

From a distance, Naila muttered.

“Th-then those things’ power… is much stronger normally.”

My shoulders trembled without realizing it.

Whether Dearmants were sacred sprites or magical beasts.

Thinking that I had confronted such creatures and saved my life made goosebumps rise on the back of my neck.

Selene’s voice was heard again.

“So you don’t need to worry about having to time the verification with when Yanan’s Moon rises.”

“….”

“Dearmants will gladly appear at any time. They want to prove that they’re not monsters. Very desperately.”

Duke Haren’s expression became serious once again. Sadina let out a short sigh.

While everyone was awkwardly frozen, Duke Haren spoke up.

“Good. Let’s all return to the Central Tower for now.”

People nodded and moved busily.

Meanwhile, the forest, which had been tinged with pale dawn light for a while, gradually brightened.

Following the increasingly bright surroundings, the two moons that had been precariously hanging beyond the mountains gradually became fainter.

When the moons completely disappeared, everyone gathered there reflexively turned their gaze to look at where Selene was standing.

“Th-this can’t be.”

“Really, I can only say it’s amazing….”

All those numerous Dearmants had somehow vanished without a trace.

“…As the Lady said, now that Yanan’s Moon has disappeared, they can conceal themselves again.”

It was the moment Duke Haren muttered this.

“Selene—!!”

Estelin cried out urgently. Duke Haren looked up in surprise.

Selene, who had been standing there, was collapsing sideways, having lost consciousness.

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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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