I’m a Villain, but I Want to Live a Long Life - Chapter 42
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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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My lips fell open in bewilderment.
But Estelin, who turned around without hesitation, didn’t look at Rubel again.
She simply linked arms naturally with Rosette and me.
And then said cheerfully.
“Shall we go inside now?”
I stood frozen in place, staring at Estelin with a dumbfounded expression.
“What, what is this…?”
When I stammered, Estelin tilted her head.
“Pardon?”
“No, that’s not what I meant!”
I looked back and forth between Rubel and Estelin like a puppy that needed to poop.
Both of them had expressions as if asking what the problem was.
Even Rubel’s gaze looking at Estelin was…
“Ta, Tatio. Why are your eyes…”
“…?”
He had the perfect dead fish eyes.
“No, why is your expression so…”
Rubel frowned slightly and stared at me.
His expression seemed to have no idea why I was acting this way.
“How is this…”
Shocked, I stuttered and then closed my mouth.
Then Rosette, unable to bear it any longer, grabbed my arm as if frustrated.
“Why is she acting like this? Let’s hurry up and go. Lady Eria is waiting!”
But I turned my head pitifully.
Behind me was Rubel, still staring at me with a bewildered expression.
‘What on earth is going on!’
These two used to cherish and love each other more than their own lives.
Their personalities were so perfectly compatible that readers gushed about them endlessly!
Unable to let go of my attachment, I spoke to Estelin with a half-dead expression.
“Es, Estelin. Don’t you have anything more to say to Tatio?”
“Something to say?”
“Yes! There must be something, right? No, there should be something?”
Rosette whipped her head around.
“Selenea, why are you really acting like this?! What would Lady Estelin have to say to your escort knight!”
I turned my dejected gaze backward.
I could see Rubel and Casian standing at the main gate, looking this way.
Just as I was being led by Rosette’s hand, taking reluctant steps dripping with regret.
“Lady Selenea!”
A delighted voice came from the opposite direction.
Eria, with pretty ribbon decorations in her hair, was hurrying across the garden with quick steps as if she might trip.
“Ah, Eria. It’s been a while…”
But as I was greeting her, I slowly trailed off.
Eria, who had been running over with a genuinely happy face, suddenly stopped dead in her tracks.
But the direction of her gaze was a bit strange.
‘Where exactly is she looking?’
Eria’s gaze wasn’t directed at me. Precisely, it was toward behind me…
‘…Casian?’
My eyes slowly widened.
No way.
Eria, who had completely stopped in place, parted her lips with a trembling voice.
“Who… who is that person?”
It was a voice that sounded thoroughly enchanted. My mouth fell wide open.
‘No way, no way, no way!’
Eria, covering her blushing cheeks with her hands, spoke in a small voice.
“My goodness… I’ve never seen such a handsome face in my life.”
When I turned my head, I saw Casian looking twice as shy as usual.
The important thing was that he too was blushing.
I staggered in place.
‘Why… why are you two hitting it off.’
“Kids these days… really…”
Sitting on the bed, I trailed off blankly.
Anna, who had just set down a basin of warm water on the floor, asked.
“Did something happen today?”
“…It did, something absolutely tremendous.”
“Didn’t you go to visit the Laurent Estate?”
I nodded.
“Right. I went and just ate a ton.”
Estelin’s words about the Laurent Estate’s pastry chef having incredible skills were true.
The cupcakes were so delicious that I devoured three of them in the blink of an eye, to the point where I couldn’t even think about dinner.
Anna chuckled softly and looked at me while soaking a towel in the warm water.
“It seems like your expression has improved since coming to the capital after so long.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Since you have to stay here until the Thanksgiving Festival ends anyway, please meet with your friends like today and go sightseeing around various places for a while.”
I nodded, recalling the buildings, shops, and estates I had seen during the day.
The Tigris Estate also had a prosperous commercial district. But it felt different from the capital.
‘After all, all the nobles are gathered here, so it makes sense.’
Then Anna asked.
“But Miss, what are all those documents you placed on the desk?”
Following her gaze, I made an ‘ah’ sound and shook my head.
“It’s nothing special. I just have some things to look into.”
A little while ago, as soon as I arrived at the estate, I found Walter and asked for information about Oscar Tibon.
And after briefly stopping by the study to see Father, the organized documents were already neatly stacked in my room.
‘Walter is so good because he handles work quickly.’
As I was staring at the pile of documents, Anna dried my wet feet with a dry towel and said.
“Please don’t overdo it, and always take care of your health, okay?”
I nodded and yawned drowsily while entrusting my feet to Anna’s gentle touch.
But Anna, who had been carefully wiping away the moisture, suddenly glanced at me cautiously.
As I watched her with curious eyes, I soon discovered something and opened my eyes wide.
The clock on the wall was already well past six o’clock.
Barely swallowing my bursting laughter, I pretended not to notice and said.
“Wh, what, it’s already this late? Anna, it’s time to get off work. No overtime allowed.”
Then Anna looked at the clock with a creaking motion. And then shouted stiffly as if reading from a textbook.
“Oh, oh?! It’s really already past six o’clock…?!”
At her attempt to feign surprise, I covered my mouth pretending to yawn. It was to hide my bursting laughter.
And I nodded inwardly.
‘…That feeling of being awkward before leaving work, I know it best.’
Anna hurriedly organized the water basin and wet cloth that were on the floor and stood up.
And then spoke again in a textbook tone.
“Th, then may I go in now?!”
“Yes, hurry inside.”
She really looked like a newly hired employee.
‘Meanwhile, I’m completely like a department manager.’
Seeing Anna’s face filled with excitement, I couldn’t help but keep smiling.
But just as Anna was about to open the door and leave, she stopped in place again. Then she turned around with a beaming smile and said.
“Um, Miss. Actually, I went out briefly this afternoon too. I met some servants I knew after a long time…”
“Oh? You did?”
“Yes! And you know what, they were all envious of me. They said they wished they could serve a master like you at least once in their lives!”
I looked at Anna’s sparkling eyes and answered awkwardly.
“Well, that’s because Anna always faithfully completes her assigned tasks during the day. Since you’ve finished your work, there’s no need to stay late.”
Then Anna bit her lips and her eyes welled up with tears.
“For you to say such things…”
“No, what I mean is, you don’t need to worry about reading the mood. Hurry inside and rest.”
When I said this with a smile, Anna nodded vigorously. Then she bowed to me several times before leaving the room.
I shook my head as if I couldn’t stop her and slowly got up from my seat.
With a smile on my lips, I walked to the table with feet that had become soft thanks to Anna’s care.
Leaning back in the chair and looking at the documents, I saw detailed information about Oscar Tibon written densely.
“Let’s see…”
As I was flipping through the documents, I suddenly stopped my hand.
‘Here it is.’
The data about Jane Tibon, Oscar Tibon’s granddaughter.
A manor on the outskirts of the Empire.
Oscar Tibon looked at Jane, who was sweating coldly, with a worried face.
“Jane, are you feeling very unwell?”
As he carefully brushed away the hair stuck to his granddaughter’s forehead, Jane shook her head with a faint smile.
“I’m fine, but…”
Jane looked at Oscar with anxious eyes and then trailed off.
Oscar watched this with a devastated heart.
“Why, why are you like this? Does somewhere else hurt again?”
“Actually, my eyes are a little…”
At those words, Oscar gripped the edge of the blanket covering Jane with trembling hands.
‘Thomas also experienced similar symptoms to Jane…’
Oscar recalled the time when his son Thomas was still alive.
He had been bedridden with symptoms similar to Jane’s, and at some point began complaining of eye pain.
Soon after, he lost his sight and passed away without making it through that year.
But now similar symptoms were appearing in Jane too.
“Don’t tell me, you can’t see well?”
Jane bit her lips tightly without answering. There was a faint moisture around her eyes.
Oscar, barely suppressing a sigh, whispered softly to comfort her.
“Don’t worry. This old man is continuously searching for famous doctors in the Empire. There must be someone who knows your illness. Then…”
At that moment, Jane turned her head with difficulty and looked at Oscar.
On her young face that still hadn’t lost its baby fat, there was a strange despair unsuitable for her age.
“Grandfather.”
Jane murmured in a frail voice. Oscar nodded and brought his ear close to her face.
“I know everything. Father was sick like me too, wasn’t he?”
“…Jane.”
“I’m fine, so I just hope Grandfather would start researching again.”
Jane looked up at Oscar with earnest eyes.
“You even sold our previous house at auction because of me, didn’t you?”
Oscar was about to say something but closed his mouth. There wasn’t a single thing wrong with his granddaughter’s words.
“I know my medicine costs are tremendously expensive. I heard it from the maid.”
“That woman told you such things?”
Jane didn’t answer and turned her head away. Oscar sighed and held his forehead.
It seemed the maid who only came during the day had said unnecessary things to Jane.
“Why did that woman have to say such pointless things…!!”
“No, no, Grandfather! I’m anyway…”
At Jane’s voice, completely drained of strength, Oscar stopped being angry and turned his head.
The face of a child who was only fourteen years old was filled with resignation.
Unable to bear the heartbreak, Oscar suddenly stood up from his seat and shouted.
“You child! Don’t say such things!”
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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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