I’m a Villain, but I Want to Live a Long Life - Chapter 195
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
“Aaahhh-! Scary!!”
Meriyang let out a shriek and hurled a chained hook at the lizard-shaped monster.
The hook instantly severed the monster’s head and returned to her.
Blood dripped from the razor-sharp blade.
Levan, who had been watching, opened his mouth with displeasure.
“Hey, Meriyang… control your strength… I feel like I’m going to drop my sword because of your magnetic force…”
Meriyang scratched her head.
“What can I do if I’m not good at it? I didn’t train my abilities as diligently as Sister Rosette.”
“…Is that something to be proud of? That’s why you still… use your power so crudely…”
Pesher frowned.
“Levan, instead of chattering, go kill another monster. Can’t you see there’s one right in front of you?”
“…Fine.”
Levan with his physical enhancement ability, and Meriyang who emitted magnetic force from her body.
Pesher who fired instantaneous shockwaves from his hands, and Aison who manifested earth-type elemental abilities.
“Guys! We don’t have time to chat! This is a real situation!”
Finally, Martina, who had climbed onto a monster’s back, shouted.
She pressed the monster’s head to the ground with tremendous force while drooping her eyebrows anxiously.
“We can’t get hurt if we mess up, right? We really need to stay focused!”
The surroundings were literally chaos.
The five people continuously rolled on the ground, kicked off the earth, and swung their weapons.
Nearby monsters were helplessly exploded and sliced apart.
When I turned my head, I saw Rosette with an indifferent expression.
She shrugged her shoulders.
“…Why are you looking at me like that? I brought them to do something. They were just playing around at home anyway.”
Then she glanced back at the commotion behind her.
“It’s better than having nothing, right?”
Estelin, who had been frozen, quickly approached Rosette.
And she embraced her tightly.
“Of course! You came at the right time, Rosette!”
Rosette pushed Estelin away with an awkward expression, but Estelin didn’t care and hugged Rosette even tighter.
“If you came from the manor… that matter was resolved well, right?”
Rosette’s parents.
I didn’t know how much Rosette had suffered mentally to send them far away from the Empire.
She cleared her throat.
“It’s thanks to you guys.”
Estelin immediately shook her head.
“What are you talking about! We…”
At that moment.
“Kieeeek—!!”
A giant wyvern burst out from the thicket on the left.
Behind the monster with bloodshot red eyes, thorned wings spread wide.
However, the monster that had been charging at us at a terrifying speed soon crashed to the ground.
“Kiek! Kieek-!!”
The monster writhed while letting out bizarre screams.
Sharp claws left deep, sharp marks in the dirt.
What was binding the creature’s legs were tree branches that had sprouted from the ground.
The more the wyvern struggled, the tighter the branches pressed against it.
“Whatever it is, let’s talk later. The situation is urgent right now.”
Estelin nodded at Rosette’s words.
“Right, that’s true.”
And she fired a white sphere of holy power from her hand.
The sphere flew at high speed and hit the bound monster.
The monster that couldn’t move was instantly decomposed and scattered into the air.
Rosette opened her eyes wide in surprise.
“What? Did you develop your abilities while I didn’t know?”
“Hehe, a little. I learned diligently from Lord Michael.”
“No wonder, well done.”
Then she turned her gaze toward me.
“How about you… Selene.”
Rosette’s eyes paused for a moment on my hair that had turned to white silver.
I smiled and answered.
“I’m fine.”
Then I quickly decomposed a monster that had been charging from behind and continued speaking.
“But there’s a problem.”
“A problem?”
“The opened power of Pluma is too strong.”
“…What do you mean? Too strong.”
Estelin spoke instead of me.
“Whenever she tries to use it, it puts strain on her body. So we’ve been observing the situation.”
Estelin was right.
The ritual to open the path for Pluma.
That was to completely open the power of Pluma sleeping in my body.
The problem was that ever since the ritual ended, my heart area ached whenever I used my abilities.
I narrowed my brow, feeling the power precariously swirling inside my body.
‘The magical power inside my body is overflowing to the point it feels like it might burst.’
It was frustrating that my body hurt whenever I tried to use that magical power.
Perhaps because my body was human, it couldn’t handle Pluma’s power.
I watched with complex eyes the endless stream of monsters and our allies fighting them.
‘If only I could ask Amicus what to do in situations like this.’
During the ritual at the temple, the souls of Adam, Amon, and Amicus had been absorbed into me.
‘Should I just use it even if it strains my body? I might learn something if I try.’
Just as I was having such thoughts.
“Don’t do it, Selene.”
Rosette crossed her arms and stared at me intently.
“Whatever it is, wait for now. Your hair color changed and… I feel uneasy about it.”
I suddenly looked down at my hair swaying near my chest.
After the ritual ended, my hair had turned completely silver.
“What if something unexpected happens when you use your power?”
I eventually nodded.
Given the situation, there was a need to be careful.
It wasn’t like we lacked fighting power just because I didn’t use my abilities right now.
I briefly surveyed the surroundings, then gazed at the reddish sky.
The pillar of light that had risen vividly between the clouds was gradually fading.
Our current location was the northern part of the Empire.
It was the beginning of the path leading to the Imperial Palace.
Michael and the priests who approached said.
“We’ve dealt with most of the monsters in the area. Let’s move again.”
As he said, we needed to reach the Imperial Palace as quickly as possible.
We were supposed to meet Father and Rubel there.
But when we finally reached the back gate of the Imperial Palace.
In my blurred vision, I could see the silhouette of someone waiting for us.
“This is our first meeting like this, child of Pluma.”
A chilling voice.
“I knew it. I knew you would arrive at this place.”
A half-distorted face and black patterns carved all over his body as if burned in.
“Very, very delightful indeed.”
The absolute ruler of the Frater Order.
Pope Pector’s lips curved upward as if they might tear.
“Finally seeing you, I cannot contain this joy.”
Blue veins slowly rose along his neckline.
Then the Belmart soldiers behind him began collapsing one by one.
“Urgh-!!”
“Ah, ahhh! Your Holiness!!!”
“Save me!!”
The joints of the fallen soldiers twisted in all directions.
They writhed like earthworms before suddenly going limp. And then….
“Kuk- Kruk…! Kieek-!!”
They transformed into horrific forms beyond description.
Some sprouted wings, others grew horns and claws.
One soldier, covered in crimson blisters all over his body, screamed while spewing poison from his eyes, nose, and mouth.
“A gift I prepared for you.”
With a sound like a beast growling, Pector spoke.
“I hope it pleases you.”
Simultaneously, other demons began slowly revealing themselves from all around us.
Estelin stepped back at the overwhelming numbers.
Rosette bit her lips as if disgusted.
And Michael,
“Your Holiness….”
He staggered in place.
“Did you truly… perform the forbidden arts?”
I turned my head. And doubting my ears, I asked back.
“Forbidden arts?”
Michael’s fist trembled weakly.
“Lady, you just saw it yourself.”
“….”
“His Holiness, no, Pope Pector corrupting human souls.”
I looked at Pector again.
Behind him were dozens of soldiers whose forms had changed into demons.
“That is power that cannot be obtained without forbidden arts! And… the demons.”
Michael gestured toward the demons surrounding us.
“Rift demons do not originally follow humans. But look at that.”
Michael’s index finger slowly pointed to one spot.
There, a demon with dozens of eyes on its head was drooling.
My mouth slowly closed.
I could clearly see a black pattern slowly pulsating on the demon’s forehead.
It was the same as what had sprouted on Pector’s body.
“…He finally obtained the rift demons.”
“….”
“He burned countless sacred blood to amplify Frater’s power.”
Estelin and Rosette’s expressions hardened.
“Now there’s no turning back.”
Michael muttered quietly.
“Frater and Pope Pector have fallen. They are now… undoubtedly demons.”
Then a weak wind stirred right in front of us.
“Insolent, Michael!!”
At the same time, Michael, who had been right before our eyes just moments ago, disappeared.
Looking straight ahead, I saw Pector holding Michael by the neck and lifting him high into the air.
Michael looked down at Pector with bloodshot eyes.
“Kuk… You…!”
“I pitied you and favored you. Yet how dare you call the master I serve a demon?”
“Then are you not a demon?”
“What?”
“Seeing that you’ve gained this much power, you must have offered at least a thousand, or even more innocent blood!”
Even while being strangled, Michael shouted in an angry voice.
“If that’s not a demon, then what is-!!”
Light flashed from Michael’s body and Pector was sent flying far away.
Taking that as a signal, the Belmart army and countless demon hordes began charging toward us.
“Aison! Pesher!”
Rosette urgently called to her brothers.
Estelin also gritted her teeth and activated her abilities.
I too gathered magic power in both hands, ignoring the pain in my heart.
If a battle broke out like this, we would certainly be at a numerical disadvantage.
But there was no other choice.
Then.
Someone from behind pulled me back and hid me behind them.
My eyes slowly widened.
“…Father.”
Father, who had drawn his great sword rippling with blue sword energy, spoke.
“Stay back, Selene.”
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————