I’m a Villain, but I Want to Live a Long Life - Chapter 15

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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 doubted my eyes and slowly raised my head.

Father Mayer was gesturing toward the book with a peaceful expression, as if telling me to continue reading.

I reluctantly shifted my gaze back to the book.

“…Is there pain? Then there’s no need to hesitate. Realize that revenge is the only way to be free from suffering, and as for the means…”

Wait, what the hell is this content about?

It’s supposed to be 41 ways to overcome wounds. And it’s the ‘family edition’ too?

But it’s recommending revenge as a solution?

‘This is completely suspiciously insane.’

Just as I swallowed a short gasp with bewildered eyes.

“Well then, shall we hear your thoughts on those means, Miss?”

I froze at Father Mayer’s gentle voice.

“…You want me to share my thoughts?”

He nodded. My heart began beating faster with an ominous premonition.

Everyone had definitely called this ‘education.’ Just moments ago, didn’t Father Mayer himself say with his own mouth that we should start the ‘lesson’?

Then shouldn’t it be normal for Father Mayer to explain something while I listen?

But from the start, he made me read this strange book. Now he’s telling me to share my thoughts.

‘…What is this, self-directed learning?’

I stayed quietly silent for a moment, then picked up my teacup to moisten my parched throat.

Father Mayer added as if urging me.

“Please feel comfortable. As always, just share your thoughts, Miss. If you have any painful memories, please feel free to open up about them.”

‘Painful memories.’

My gaze slowly reached Father Mayer, visible beyond the teacup.

Something seemed off about his calm smile, so I quietly narrowed my brow.

I’d been having one thought since earlier. I had no idea what the purpose of this education was.

I wondered if this was a counseling process to heal Selene’s trauma, but the book’s content was far too suspicious for that.

‘Even if this really is counseling therapy, it’s not normal to randomly poke at someone’s trauma without any foundation.’

My eyes naturally narrowed.

Maybe this isn’t education or a lesson at all…

I calmly set down my teacup. My complicated thoughts were settling down.

“How many years has it been for us?”

Father Mayer tilted his head at my asking a question instead of answering. However, he soon smiled and replied.

“It’s been quite a while. At least three years, I’d say.”

At those words, I slowly nodded.

‘That’s around when Selene started unilaterally avoiding Father, the Duke.’

I could tell intuitively. This wasn’t a coincidence.

‘And the thing about Estelin too.’

Anyone who read the novel would have known. The fact that Selene terribly hated Estelin.

After all, wasn’t the first thing I did after entering this body to thwart Selene’s plan to poison Estelin?

But…

‘Did the reason why Selene hated Estelin ever appear in the novel?’

I had thought all along that Selene had been jealous of Estelin.

But thinking about it a little, that was quite strange.

‘Selene isn’t from a humble family, and she’s not that unattractive either. Of course, she’s not a manifester, but…’

Then wouldn’t it be normal to be jealous of all manifesters in the world?

But Selene was only aggressive toward Estelin specifically. To a strangely excessive degree.

‘The circumstantial evidence is clear though.’

After roughly organizing my thoughts, I finally slowly raised my slightly stiffened face.

Before me, Father Mayer was gazing straight at me with kind eyes.

I slowly opened my mouth.

“Revenge, revenge…”

As I fidgeted with the edge of the book, Father Mayer leaned toward me as if telling me to speak up.

“Of course I think it’s necessary.”

“Oh my, against whom do you speak?”

Father Mayer asked with a slight smile.

It was true that there were many people I wanted revenge against.

The parents who abandoned me right after birth, though I don’t know their faces,

The orphanage director who secretly abused me until I entered middle school,

The kids who bullied me throughout high school and the teachers who turned a blind eye despite knowing.

‘Oh, there was workplace harassment too.’

Come to think of it, there are many people to get revenge on.

Father Mayer stared intently at me as I remained silent. He seemed to still be waiting for an answer.

Breaking through the silence, I spoke in a low voice.

“Why, Father Mayer, do you want me to get revenge on Father?”

His expression hardened for a moment.

I clearly remembered what Anna had told me yesterday.

‘Anna, is there anyone else who uses the library besides me and Ansun?’

‘Um, no. The master always uses his personal study. …Oh, I have occasionally seen outside guests use it.’

And after observing for several days, there weren’t many guests coming and going from this grim manor.

At most, it was Father Mayer and a few retainers, Rosette and Martina.

Among them, someone who wouldn’t seem suspicious going in and out of the library, and who would have the nerve to touch Ansun’s belongings.

‘It could only be Father Mayer.’

I caught my breath and added clearly toward Father Mayer.

“Or perhaps you want me to get revenge on Estelin?”

And I slowly pulled out the medicine bottle I had hidden in my pocket. The transparent liquid sloshed inside the bottle.

“Tell me. You stole this and gave it to me for that purpose, didn’t you?”

Father Mayer’s pupils dilated as he looked at the God’s Tears in my hand.

He slowly raised one eyebrow and soon smiled while making a ‘haha…’ sound.

I gripped the medicine bottle tightly and swallowed dry saliva. Father Mayer spoke.

“Oh my.”

And he hardened his expression and added coldly.

“That… hand it over here.”

I shook my head. However, cold sweat ran down my spine.

“I told you to hand it over.”

Father Mayer’s voice echoed through the drawing room once more. I answered.

“No.”

Anger suddenly flared in his previously gentle eyes.

“Why are you suddenly doing something you’ve never done before?”

I calmly stood up from my seat.

“How exactly did you do it?”

Father Mayer hesitated.

“It’s a brainwashing ability, isn’t it? What you did to me.”

Father Mayer’s eyelids widened greatly as if he hadn’t expected these words. I kept my gaze fixed on him and took a step back.

Thanks to thoroughly searching through ability-related books in the library, I was able to know.

[The abilities awakened through manifestation are very diverse. …Even mental domination abilities like ‘brainwashing’ and ‘conditioning’.]

‘There were mental domination types among abilities.’

Moreover…

The Grand Cathedral of the Fratres was a place like no other.

After the Imperial Palace, the Grand Cathedral was the largest building on the Estate.

As the place where the Pope and Cardinals resided, the Grand Cathedral was on a completely different level from ordinary temples.

Not only was civilian access strictly forbidden, but even among priests, only senior clerics and above could enter the cathedral.

And Father Mayer was a priest who came from that very ‘Grand Cathedral.’

‘Why didn’t I think of this?’

I stared intently at Father Mayer. This wasn’t something I could simply overlook.

‘Father Mayer is at least a senior cleric, possibly even higher.’

And the reason he could become a senior cleric at such a young age was undoubtedly due to his incredibly valued brainwashing ability.

That’s when it happened.

“I’m the one who should be asking questions.”

Father Mayer muttered in an amused voice. He was staring directly at me with a chilling smile.

“Just how did you do it?”

“…”

“How did you break through it? My ability.”

He looked at me as if finding this interesting. My expression hardened involuntarily under his penetrating gaze.

I silently surveyed my surroundings. The door leading out of the drawing room was behind Father Mayer.

To escape from here, I would have to get past him no matter what.

“I was foolish. I trusted you too much, miss. I thought you would surely follow my teachings well.”

“…”

“I should have been more thorough. I made a mistake by letting my guard down for a moment.”

Father Mayer, who had been muttering, rose from his seat. I unconsciously took another step back and hid the medicine bottle behind me.

“But it’s fine.”

He said in a low voice. His eyes flashing.

“I can just do it again.”

I shook my head. Then I cleared my throat, tight with tension, and spoke.

“No. I already know you can’t.”

Father Mayer tilted his head. I swallowed dryly and smiled coldly.

“I know that you need a medium to activate your mind control ability.”

Father Mayer’s eyes widened in surprise. I continued speaking.

“You can only activate your ability by using my painful memories as a medium.”

“…”

“That’s why you’ve been making me read that strange book all this time, isn’t it?”

But Father Mayer’s lips slowly curved upward.

“Ha, hahaha!”

My expression hardened at the sight of him bursting into low laughter. He wiped the corners of his eyes as if dying of amusement and said.

“I see! So that’s why you acted so fearlessly!”

“…What?”

“How incredible, you thought I wouldn’t be able to activate my ability again!”

Father Mayer’s eyes flashed sharply. Then in the next moment, I suddenly felt as if someone was strangling me, cutting off my breath.

I clutched my throat with one hand and gasped for air.

‘This can’t be… happening?!’

I had clearly seen it in the book. Higher-level abilities like mind control absolutely required a medium to activate.

And just moments ago, seeing that strange book and Father Mayer’s questions, I was certain.

The medium for activating his brainwashing ability was Selene’s painful memories.

“H-how… is this…”

A faint voice leaked out through my blocked throat.

A terrible feeling like being bound by invisible chains was wrapping around my entire body.

‘I didn’t say anything!’

As I widened my eyes looking for a place to escape, Father Mayer, having regained his composure, whispered calmly.

“This is exactly why. The reason I repeatedly told you to stay quiet.”

“…”

“The more you act like this, the more terrible things I have to keep doing to you, miss.”

The world spun around, centered on his eyes.

“Relax, Miss Selene.”

He had approached at some point and placed his hand on my shoulder. I could feel the strength draining from my body.

I bit the inside of my mouth to hold onto my fading consciousness. I tasted the metallic flavor of blood.

But strength kept draining from my body.

“This time I’ll help you more, more thoroughly. So you won’t have to go through this again.”

Along with the voice buzzing in my ears, something roughly wrapped around my hand that was gripping the medicine bottle tightly.

Father Mayer was prying open my stiff fingers one by one.

“Ugh, urgh…”

A drop of cold sweat trickled down my furrowed brow at the chilling sensation.

That’s when it happened.

“…Take your hands off.”

A quite familiar voice reached me, and I struggled to lift my eyelids.

I don’t know when they arrived, but some familiar faces were visible in my blurry vision.

Anna, covering her mouth with both hands and staring at me with a pale face,

Walter, standing with armed knights blocking the drawing room door.

And beside him.

‘…Father?’

“Before I kill that filthy god you serve as well.”

Duke Aleon Tigris stood upright, his gaze fixed only on me.

With that sight as the last thing I saw, the world went dark.

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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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