I’m a Villain, but I Want to Live a Long Life - Chapter 20

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

Count Bastin looked with curious eyes at the small princess following closely behind him.

‘Is she truly the one who suffered terrible things at the hands of Father Mayer?’

The princess had only grown a little taller than before and was still a seventeen-year-old girl.

Yet she suddenly wanted to come see Father Mayer in this prison where flickering candlelight was the only illumination.

The Tigris Estate Prison was a place that even most knights feared. Then the princess spoke.

“This place is incredibly narrow and dark. …And complicated.”

Count Bastin nodded his head.

As she said, the prison had a complex structure like a maze.

“This place was designed directly by the previous Duke. Even if someone attempts to escape, most starve to death while wandering and searching for the way out.”

Selene murmured “I see…” and nodded her head.

“It took me five years after the prison was built to finally become familiar with it.”

Count Bastin chuckled and entered an even narrower and darker corridor.

As they turned the corner, a terrible smell pierced their noses. Soon he looked back at Selene carefully and said.

“We’re almost there, but no matter how I think about it, for you to see this is a bit…”

But the princess shook her head back and forth as if it was nothing.

“It’s fine.”

At that indifferent and calm answer, Bastin looked at her with slightly surprised eyes.

‘Is this kind of boldness something she inherited from His Grace?’

It was when an unconscious faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. Finally, the prison cell where Father Mayer was confined came into view.

“This is it.”

When Count Bastin gestured, Selene slowly approached the iron bars before her eyes.

A thin wrinkle formed between her brows as she examined the inside.

“His condition is really worse than I thought.”

“After torture, I wondered if his consciousness might return…”

She slowly nodded as if understanding. Then she remained silent before quietly muttering to herself.

“Certainly, there’s no life in his eyes at all…”

Bastin stared at her with a curious expression.

That was because Selene was dressed in attire that didn’t suit the prison at all.

Her skin had grown pale from lying in bed for so long, and her thin arms and legs were visible beneath her flowing indoor dress.

Yet she was now looking into the iron cage soaked with blood as if it was nothing.

Looking at Father Mayer, who was no different from a living corpse, without batting an eye.

Bastin found this sight somewhat amusing and unconsciously lit up his eyes with interest. That’s when it happened.

“…No matter how I think about it, it’s strange.”

Selene’s quiet muttering could be heard.

“How could he have gone mad the moment torture began?”

Count Bastin stroked his beard and answered.

“There are occasionally such people. Usually they become that way from feeling excessive pressure.”

“But somehow I don’t think that’s the reason.”

The Count made a “hmm” sound and stared into the iron cage. His lips opened.

“Actually, His Grace and I have been thinking the same thing. But there are no noticeable clues…”

However, the next moment, the Count who had trailed off stared at Selene with surprised eyes.

She was suddenly putting her hand into the iron cage full of filth.

“Miss! It’s dangerous…!!”

It was the moment the Count rushed toward Selene.

Clatter-

Selene, who had picked up something from inside the prison cell, slowly pulled it out through the iron bars.

“That’s…”

Count Bastin tilted his head. Something strange was in her hand.

Father Mayer’s necklace, which had never received any particular attention despite several torture sessions.

But Selene, who had been examining it closely, suddenly lifted her sleeve.

And then she began brushing off the dust and filth that had accumulated on the necklace.

“Miss, why on earth are you…”

Bastin’s eyes widened.

But Selene was now even using the hem of her dress to clean it.

A look of bewilderment appeared on Count Bastin’s face.

The white hem of her dress gradually became dirty with dark red stains. However, Selene seemed not to care at all.

After a moment, she carefully examined the somewhat cleaner necklace and spoke.

“May I take this item with me?”

Count Bastin stared at her with bewildered eyes before reluctantly nodding his head.

Meanwhile, in the Duke’s study.

“The young lady has gone to the prison to see Father Mayer.”

At Walter’s words, the Duke turned his gaze from the documents he was reading to look at him.

“Selene went to the prison?”

“Yes. Count Bastin stopped by to pay his respects, and the young lady suddenly said she needed to go see the prison…”

Aleon silently rose from his seat.

“Are you going to see the young lady?”

Walter asked. But the Duke gave no answer.

He just stood there with an expressionless face and then sat back down.

Without taking any action at all.

At this strange behavior, Walter looked at him as if dumbfounded.

Suddenly getting up and then sitting back down.

Every time he reported about Selene, the Duke showed this kind of strange attitude.

Once, he had even gone with him right to the front of the princess’s room before just turning back.

Walter, unable to bear it any longer, asked.

“What on earth happened between you and the young lady a few days ago that makes you act like this?”

“…”

At the Duke’s lack of response, Walter sighed in frustration and said.

“If you’re curious, just go see her. How easy and simple…”

But Walter had no choice but to close his mouth immediately.

The Duke had turned his head to look at him with chilling slowness.

He spoke coldly.

“Get out.”

It meant he was annoyed, so don’t say anything and just leave.

Walter shook his head back and forth, then gave a short bow and left the study.

Meanwhile, Aleon, who had been quietly watching the door close completely, slowly turned his head again.

His fingers, contemplating something, tapped the desk out of habit.

It had already been several days since he had been unable to visit Selene’s room.

Until the child woke up, he had gone to see her face without missing a single day.

Looking at that face that so closely resembled Hemera made him feel both complicated and tender. Of course, sometimes he felt afraid too.

But…

“Never hated… she said.”

He quietly muttered.

The words that child had said to him a few days ago were still vivid in his mind.

As if she had looked into his rotten and festering insides, the child had spoken as if comforting him.

‘I don’t hate you.’

‘It’s not because I hate or resent you. …Really.’

‘That couldn’t be helped. Originally, things rarely go as we want them to…’

‘Don’t cry.’

Here I am crying myself while telling her not to cry.

As he recalled the child’s appearance, something boiled up inside him once again.

Aleon thought.

Sending Hemera away was certainly an accident, but it was something he could have prevented if he had just been a little more careful.

There were always enemies targeting Tigris. And perhaps that was only natural.

His predecessor, Father, had died at the hands of his own brother. In a moment of brief carelessness, a blade was thrust into his back.

‘That position was mine! Father loved me more! Remember this, Aleon. Your father stole what was mine. I was only trying to take back what belonged to me!!’

His uncle had screamed with bloodshot eyes until his final moment.

Eyes filled with hatred, a voice shrieking with rage, and curses too vile to speak aloud.

That image was rooted in Aleon’s mind as a memory that would never fade.

It was then that he realized.

At least in Tigris, someone must inevitably shed blood to claim the title.

It wouldn’t be strange for a brother to kill his sibling, or for a child to kill their father.

Perhaps that was why. From some point on, Aleon had constantly thought.

Trust no one except yourself. Never give your heart away.

In order to survive.

But….

‘Aleon, I want to become family with you.’

The smile she wore while speaking playfully. Eyes more beautiful than anything else could compare to.

One day, Hemera had leaped into his life.

Like a stone thrown into a calm pond, she had settled heavily in his heart.

Creating very deep ripples.

At first he hesitated. His own mother, and his predecessor’s mother too. None of them had managed to keep their lives for long.

He feared Hemera would meet the same fate.

However.

‘I’m not someone you need to protect. I make my own decisions about my affairs.’

He could clearly see her speaking firmly while looking into his eyes.

‘Aleon, I won’t let even you manipulate my life as you please. This is my choice.’

But in the end, she had lost her life as the price for that choice. They couldn’t even find her body.

Whatever she might say, he had wanted to protect her.

Aleon remembered very vividly that day eight years ago when he returned to the castle after a long battle.

It was a day when torrential rain poured down and thunder and lightning struck.

There had been an intruder in the castle. Hemera had rushed into Selene’s room. It must have been to protect the child.

‘Ah, Father…. M-Mother…! Mother is hurt….’

Selene’s dress hem was soaked with Hemera’s blood as she muttered with unfocused eyes.

The window was wide open, and Hemera was nowhere to be found in the room.

She had completely vanished. Even after thoroughly searching the entire estate, they couldn’t find her in the end.

All that remained were traces of someone having intruded.

Selene had collapsed as if dead for a long time. And after regaining consciousness, she lost her ability to speak.

He had… thought many times about following Hemera.

Though he never carried it out in the end, his life had already been shattered to pieces.

Grief too easily turned into despair, became anger, and soon settled as hatred toward himself.

So from some point on, even while watching Selene refuse to have any conversation with him, he easily accepted it.

Foolishly, he had never once doubted it.

Since he was undoubtedly a terrible father, it was only natural for that child to distance herself and hate him.

“Ha….”

Aleon pressed his hand against his throbbing temple.

‘Please don’t cry.’

Selene’s words continued to circle endlessly in his mind.

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