I’m a Villain, but I Want to Live a Long Life - Chapter 141

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

“Manipulation, you say?”

“Yes. If not, how else could you explain what Miss Anita said? Why would I suddenly run away? For what reason?”

Seleneae looked at me with a smile.

“Moreover, saying my ability is fake.”

“….”

“Miss Anita. It seems you must have seen something in the hallucination. Of course, I understand. I experienced that hallucination too, and it did feel quite real.”

Anita’s face filled with bewilderment.

As she opened and closed her mouth, Duke Haren’s muttering could be heard.

“…Yes, indeed. Now that I think about it, others said similar things. That they saw vivid hallucinations after being affected by the Dearmants.”

Seleneae nodded.

“That’s right. If I hadn’t been able to communicate with the Dearmants, I would have been in great trouble too.”

“Communication?”

“Yes. I don’t really know why it’s possible, but it worked.”

Duke Haren’s eyes widened in surprise.

Anita also stared at Seleneae with her mouth agape.

Seleneae continued speaking without any concern.

“Previously, I submitted Pinchels as exhibition items for a charity event. Do you happen to know about it?”

Duke Haren narrowed his eyes and soon nodded.

“Yes… I think I heard about it. The entire Empire was in an uproar over rumors of a lady who submitted sacred sprites as exhibition items.”

Seleneae smiled as if embarrassed.

“That’s right. Actually, at that time, I was curious because the Pinchels I happened to encounter followed me so well. And this time felt similar.”

“Similar feeling. You mean the Dearmants also followed you like the Pinchels did?”

Duke Haren’s face filled with interest.

“That’s right. At some point, I suddenly felt like I could read the Dearmants’ thoughts. Thanks to that, I was able to realize they were preparing for war against humans.”

“Wait, war?”

When Duke Haren asked back, Seleneae nodded.

“Yes. The Dearmants were preparing for war. I only thought about how I had to stop it somehow.”

Duke Haren hesitated with a shocked expression for a moment, then sighed.

“Indeed…. So that’s why those creatures came leading so many adults.”

“That’s right. I was trying to persuade them when I realized that Dearmants are sacred beasts.”

Duke Haren gazed at Seleneae with eyes filled with awe.

He seemed to have completely forgotten that Anita was there beside him.

“The reason I requested official verification was actually that. I wanted to clear the Dearmants’ grievances. Also….”

“….”

“If I couldn’t stop the war, Rishion would surely suffer tremendous damage too….”

Duke Haren closed his mouth. After maintaining silence, he soon muttered as if moved.

“…Yes, after you collapsed, I also carefully reflected on what happened. There wasn’t a single thing wrong with what you said.”

His eyes sank with complexity.

“The Dearmants hadn’t attacked us all this time. There were various other suspicious points as well.”

“….”

“I’m already somewhat convinced that they are sacred beasts. Sadina also said she would return the Dearmant cores that were previously collected.”

Seleneae spoke gently as if comforting the Duke.

“Since it was so long ago, there must have been some error in the temple’s certification. But now we have a chance to correct it.”

“You’re right.”

Duke Haren smiled.

And after staring at Seleneae with fond eyes, he suddenly looked back at Anita with a start.

“…Oh my. The conversation went in a different direction. We were supposed to be investigating what happened between you and Anita that night.”

Only then did Anita’s lips twitch at the Duke finally looking at her.

But before she could say anything, Seleneae interrupted again.

“Ah, that night it seems we both saw hallucinations… Isn’t that right, Miss Anita?”

Anita flinched and looked at Seleneae. Seleneae smiled brightly.

“You said I was deceiving everyone with a fake ability… Really, Miss Anita, I’m not that bold of a person. You know that.”

As Seleneae spoke, the temple’s pendant dangled from her neck.

Anita’s mind went cold.

“Why aren’t you answering? We both saw hallucinations, Miss Anita thinks so too, right?”

Anita bit her lips tightly.

‘Cunning thing.’

Her insides boiled with anger.

In this situation, how could she answer no to that question?

If she insisted on her claim to the end, saying she didn’t see hallucinations, she would definitely look strange in the end.

‘If only I had some evidence.’

She didn’t have a single piece of evidence to present.

Even if she exposed the sacred object’s effects in this situation, there was a possibility she’d be seen as crazy again….

Anita held her breath and glanced at Duke Haren.

Duke Haren was still looking at Seleneae like a beloved granddaughter.

‘There’s no one left to support my words now.’

Because that cunning girl had already won over even Duke Haren, the head of the Academy.

Her head throbbed.

Anita finally nodded faintly. And barely managed to open her reluctant lips.

“…That’s right.”

And added with difficulty.

“Now that I think about it again… I might have been mistaken. …This is my first time with something like this.”

As if she had been waiting, Seleneae looked at me and smiled brightly.

“I knew it, Miss Anita thought so too! Still, I’m glad everyone is safe. Right?”

At those words that seemed directed at me, Anita bit her lips tightly.

“Brother.”

Norman Solb flinched and turned around at the familiar voice. His eyes narrowed as he confirmed who it was.

“Anita?”

Norman froze for a very brief moment.

However, he quickly grabbed Anita’s wrist and dragged her into a warehouse beside the corridor.

As soon as the door closed, he pressed her in a low voice.

“What are you doing here? Don’t you know prospective students are prohibited from entering the administration building?”

Anita shook off his hand and frowned.

“Do you think I wanted to come here? Since brother works here, I wanted to ask you something….”

“What the hell have you been doing lately!”

Anita closed her mouth in bewilderment.

The man making a fierce expression in front of her was Norman Solb, the second son of House Solb and her second brother.

He had graduated from Rishion Academy with high grades and was currently working as an administrator at the Academy.

“The rumor is already spreading among the administrators. That you’ve gone crazy and been spouting nonsense! What kind of disgrace is this, how embarrassing.”

“What?”

Anita, who had been glaring at Norman holding his forehead, asked back.

Norman looked down at Anita sideways with a contemptuous gaze.

“You’ve been doing nothing but pathetic things since childhood. Now it seems you’ve decided to disgrace the family completely.”

“What did I do, what are you talking about….”

Norman shouted angrily.

“Of all people to mess with, you had to mess with Lady Tigris! Didn’t I warn you several times to fix that personality of yours?!”

Anita’s expression turned cold. Norman continued harshly.

“What? Lady Tigris’s ability is fake? Say something that makes sense. Do you know who her father is!”

“Ha, I don’t care about that….”

“If Lady Tigris had been even a little less generous, this wouldn’t have passed! Because of you, I almost got kicked out of Rishion too!”

Anita held her breath for a moment. A sigh burst out from her absurdity.

She soon widened her eyes and said.

“Do you think I came here to listen to you badmouth me, brother?”

“What?”

“Just tell me what the exam assignment is. That’s what I came here to hear!”

Norman shut his mouth. Anita glared at Norman while fuming.

“The entrance exam was postponed because of this Dearmant mess! So the assignment must have changed!”

She hadn’t gotten along well with her brothers since childhood. If anything, they had a colder competitive relationship than strangers.

It hurt her pride to ask such a brother about exam questions, but she had no choice.

She didn’t have many cards left to play.

Her own exposure revealing Seleneae’s ability as fake had already become nonsense spoken while seeing hallucinations.

She sighed in despair.

‘Since everyone says the Dearmants are sacred beasts, it seems wrong to take the sacred objects back from that girl.’

The official verification proceeding at Seleneae’s request was already just days away.

Rishion was already filled with the atmosphere that the Dearmants were sacred beasts.

‘How could such violent beasts be sacred beasts?’

Anita ground her teeth inwardly.

Moreover, dozens of appraisers dispatched directly from the Imperial Palace were scheduled to come for this verification.

This was because the Emperor had great interest in this matter.

‘He must have been quite concerned to even send the Empress as an observer.’

Anita felt her lips go dry as she glared at Norman.

“There’s no time, so speak quickly! I need to know the assignment to prepare or not.”

Norman let out a hollow laugh.

“You’ve really gone crazy. If Father or elder brother saw this state of yours…”

“Then would you prefer if I failed the exam?! Would it satisfy you to hear that I, a member of House Solb, am called an empty-headed fool!”

Norman made a “huh” sound and shut his mouth.

“You said I need to stand out at the Academy! You said I need to show distinction in something!”

Anita trembled with anger as she rapidly shot back.

“It was Father and you brothers who said that since Meg Cline was erased from the registry, Belmart, which lacks hands, would take in an adopted daughter.”

“…”

“You said I need to do well at the Academy to enter that house as an adopted daughter, that I absolutely must get good grades on the exam!”

Her words were correct.

For the past few months, Duke Solb and his three sons had been scheming to register youngest Anita as Belmart’s adopted daughter.

Finally, Norman answered in a low voice.

“Stupid. The assignment hasn’t been decided yet.”

“What? If it’s still not decided, then what am I supposed to do…!”

“Right now Rishion is too busy with other matters to breathe. What else do you want me to do about it.”

Anita stopped breathing at his cold gaze. Norman glared at such Anita and added quietly.

“When the assignment is definitely decided, I’ll pass along the word then.”

And he looked her up and down.

“I wonder who you take after. You can’t do a single thing properly on your own.”

Anita bit her lips tightly.

“If you understand, then leave. Don’t stay here and cause a commotion by getting caught.”

At the cold dismissal that followed, she whirled around and rushed out of the warehouse.

Her insides boiled with rage.

‘Whether becoming Belmart’s adopted daughter or Hanod’s fiancée.’

She needed to resolve at least one of the two quickly.

If that happened, she planned not to let those brothers who always ignored her like a bug get away with it.

She was truly confident she could do that.

If only it weren’t for that annoying girl, that damn Seleneae Tigris.

But…

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————