I’m a Villain, but I Want to Live a Long Life - Chapter 182
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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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The journey home was smooth.
Under the escort of the Sorad Royal Guard, the carriage moved forward without obstruction.
Though it was a rugged mountain range, Hanod’s carriage pulled by eight horses never fell behind.
However, on the evening of the second day.
The royal knight captain suddenly brought the party to a halt.
“Your Highness, we would like to camp here for tonight.”
The place where they stopped was right next to the sheer Rohas Cliff.
Below the dizzying height of the cliff, fierce river water was flowing.
It was so turbulent that it seemed ready to devour the earth at any moment.
Hanod calmly asked back.
“This doesn’t seem like a suitable place for camping.”
The knight captain bowed his head.
“…I apologize. If we pass this place, we’ll have to go much further, but the horses won’t be able to endure until then.”
His voice was unwavering.
Hanod, who had been silent, eventually nodded.
“Fine. We’ll stay here tonight.”
“Thank you for your permission.”
The knight captain who bowed and stepped back gestured to the soldiers.
Then the surroundings instantly became busy.
The soldiers began unloading large cloth and wooden poles from the carriage to set up barracks.
Some took their swords and entered the forest. It was to search the area before camping.
It was the moment when Hanod was quietly watching them.
“Your Highness.”
Someone approached his side.
A young-faced knight looked up at Hanod and spoke awkwardly.
“Um, while the barracks are being set up, if it’s alright with you…”
The hesitating soldier carefully pointed somewhere.
A little distance from them, an old tree could be seen.
Underneath it, thick blankets were laid out comfortably.
“We’ve prepared a place! In case you wanted to rest…!”
“Yes, let’s do that.”
When Hanod readily nodded, the young soldier’s eyes widened.
Soon a bright smile appeared on his youthful face.
“Yes, yes!”
The soldier began guiding Hanod, unable to hide his excited expression.
Darkness was gradually descending around them.
The knight walking ahead spoke in an excited voice.
“I don’t know what you’ll think, but Your Highness is my idol.”
Hanod looked at the knight.
“My father and my older brother were also knights of the Royal Guard. They always told me to keep loyalty to the royal family in my heart.”
The knight’s eyes sparkled with loyalty.
“Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve Your Highness…! To actually see the one who will soon inherit the throne is really…”
The knight’s face turned slightly red.
“I think I did so well to volunteer for the returning entourage!”
A faint smile finally appeared on Hanod’s lips.
He was a knight who looked at least four or five years younger than himself.
He must have skill to enter the Royal Guard, but his face was so youthful that it felt like looking at a child.
Hanod replied with a voice tinged with amusement.
“When I ascend to the throne, I’ll surely remember you.”
The knight’s eyes widened.
“Pardon?”
“If it weren’t for you, I would have had to stand by the carriage for quite a while.”
The knight’s complexion brightened.
“Really? It’s an honor!”
He touched his sword belt with a moved expression.
A transparent magic stone hanging at the end of the sword belt swayed and sparkled.
Hanod’s expression became peculiar.
In Sorad, underage knights would decorate the end of their sword belt with the magic stone of the first monster they caught.
In his own youth, he had also decorated his sword with a green magic stone.
When his brother died, he buried it together in his grave, so he didn’t keep it now.
It was when he was staring intently at the knight’s magic stone.
Caw- A crow crossed the sky.
At the same time, something quickly brushed past his side.
“Urgh…!”
A death groan burst out nearby.
Hanod’s gaze quickly turned.
The young knight was stiffly frozen and falling forward.
He could clearly see a thin arrow stuck in the middle of his neck.
“It’s an attack! Protect His Highness!”
Roen’s urgent shout could be heard.
Without time to regain his senses, several arrows flew toward him from behind.
Hanod quickly lowered his body.
The profile of the knight collapsed on the ground slowly became clear.
Catching his stopped breath, Hanod gritted his teeth.
And quickly turned the knight over.
There was no life left in his wide-open eyes.
“…Damn. Those bastards.”
Hanod closed the young knight’s eyes with trembling hands.
“Reload!”
Another loud shout came from behind.
Hanod didn’t dodge but turned around and faced the arrows pouring toward him.
As his purple eyes flashed, the arrows changed direction and stuck into the trees around him.
“Your Highness! Please take cover!”
By the carriage they had just left, Roen was fighting against two opponents.
Hanod quickly got up and entered the nearby grass.
The attack time Lady Tigris had warned about was midnight.
Not now, in the early evening when they hadn’t even properly set up the barracks yet.
‘…I was careless.’
A groan mixed with anger and tension leaked through his clenched teeth.
Even during this, arrows were constantly being shot into the tree behind him.
Hanod calmly used his head.
‘Judging by the number of arrows that flew, at least twenty, or more.’
The returning entourage would be a mix of his confidants, those sent by King Draiden, and Joseph’s assassins.
So except for the knight captain, he couldn’t be sure who was Joseph’s person.
‘The situation has become complicated.’
Suddenly, the knight who had been hit by an arrow earlier came to mind.
‘…He seemed to have volunteered without knowing anything.’
He was just a young talent who had been excited to see himself, the only royal heir of Sorad.
Hanod’s expression grew increasingly cold.
Though anger burned hot inside him, he had to maintain his reason now.
The returning entourage consisted of sixty-five members in total.
‘Among them, fifteen are my people, including Roen.’
So perhaps the forces Joseph sent could exceed forty.
“Capture Hanod Riubon! It doesn’t matter if you kill him! There will be a great reward for whoever brings his head!”
As expected, the Captain of the Knights’ voice could be heard from behind.
Hanod gritted his teeth.
Joseph seemed intent on eliminating him and all his forces here.
After catching his breath for a moment, Hanod slightly extended his right hand beside a tree.
Soon a well-sharpened dagger flew from somewhere and settled in his hand.
“Your Highness! Don’t look back! The path is open!”
Roen’s shout could be heard from behind.
Hanod began advancing into the forest, breaking through the dense trees.
The forest where darkness had completely descended was chaotic.
Torchlight flickered here and there, and birds fluttered up from various places.
“Huff, whew…”
Hanod swallowed his ragged breath and wiped the blood streaming down his face with the back of his hand.
In front of him lay an assassin who had suffered fatal wounds.
That made five.
These were the assassins Hanod had dealt with.
The problem was that no matter how many he killed, assassins kept appearing endlessly.
Moreover, since they moved in groups, once combat began, even Hanod with his telekinetic ability found it overwhelming.
“…Damn uncle. Just how many did you send.”
It was when he frowned, feeling his vision blur.
He sensed a presence from far away.
Hanod quickly hid behind a nearby rock.
When he looked up, he could see the dim moon floating in the sky.
Were Roen and his loyal followers safe, and how exactly was the situation developing?
His mind became complicated.
As he readjusted his grip on the dagger dripping with blood.
Rustle-
This time a sound came from right in front.
Then soon a dim silhouette suddenly emerged from between the thicket.
Hanod tensed his body and asked in a low voice.
“…Who are you.”
Was this another one of Joseph’s assassins?
But it was strange.
If it were an assassin, they would have immediately shouted to call the others.
Just as he was about to step back and take a combat stance.
“Hanod…”
A thin, sobbing voice that didn’t match the dark forest came through.
Hanod’s pupils gradually grew larger.
The silhouette across from him slowly removed their cloak. The face hidden underneath was revealed.
The person wearing a dirty green dress with tears welling up around their eyes was…
“…Anita?”
She said.
“I-if you want to live, follow me. I know the way…!”
Hanod moved his steps while looking at Anita’s back.
“I-it’s almost there now. If we go just a little further, we can get out of the forest.”
Indeed, the forest exit began to appear in the distance ahead of them.
Anita looked back at Hanod anxiously.
“We just need to get to that point. Once we get there, we can shake off Joseph’s assassins and depart for Sorad…”
Hanod didn’t answer.
The forest boundary line visible in the distance gradually drew closer.
Their footsteps also quickened.
At the point where they reached right in front of the boundary line.
“Now. Shall we stop there, Prince?”
As Hanod’s steps stopped, the surroundings suddenly brightened.
His vision cleared and he could see the palace archers surrounding him in a circle.
At the very front stood Joseph’s princess consort, Annette Peil.
“…Aunt?”
Anetresha smiled with a bright face.
Then she turned her gaze not to Hanod, but to his side.
“Well done, Anita. Come here quickly.”
Hanod’s head slowly turned.
Anita was hanging her head low with a gloomy expression.
“Yes… Your Highness the Princess Consort.”
Soon she staggered toward the princess consort.
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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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