I’m a Villain, but I Want to Live a Long Life - Chapter 49

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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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Boom- Boom- Boom-

At the drumbeats that rang through my eardrums, my gaze slowly turned toward the entrance of the arena.

Tigris knights wearing dark red sashes were entering the massive circular arena that reminded me of a colosseum.

Among them, I spotted someone wearing a robe, and a welcoming smile appeared on my lips.

‘Rubel.’

Soon his gaze, which had been scanning the spectator seats, also stopped on me.

When I waved my hand in greeting, Casian, who was standing next to him, also turned his head this way.

‘Do well and come back.’

When I mouthed the words with a bright smile, I could see Rubel quietly nodding his head.

I confirmed his face, which was barely visible under the robe, and smiled with relief.

‘Even though he changed his eye color… just in case.’

It was I who had suggested that Rubel wear a robe.

The last ball was one thing, but during combat, you never knew what might happen.

It was to prepare for every possible scenario.

When I turned my gaze, I could see the Emperor, Empress, and young Prince sitting leisurely in the opposite spectator section.

I quietly observed them before turning to Father and asking.

“Who is Tigris’s opponent?”

“Rhaiad.”

“Are those them?”

“Yes.”

I looked with interested eyes at another group of knights entering from the opposite side of the arena.

They had silver sashes tied behind their backs.

‘The margrave who guards the western part of the Empire, wasn’t it.’

Silver was the symbolic color of the western margrave, House of Rhaiad.

“Walter said that side is also quite a formidable opponent… will it be alright?”

“They faced each other in the finals long ago. Even then, it was Tigris’s complete victory.”

At his confident answer, I nodded my head.

The Erbia Empire’s gladiatorial event was conducted in tournament format.

It was a system where matches were held in order according to the bracket, but losing even once meant immediate elimination.

And our first opponent was Rhaiad, who had always been quite strong and consistently ranked among the top contenders.

On the other hand…

“My lady, I pray for Tigris’s victory!”

Estelin looked at me with sparkling eyes. She smiled awkwardly.

“Although our house was defeated…”

The battle between House of Belmart and House of Laurent held in the morning had ended anticlimactically with Belmart’s victory.

‘Well, in the original story, House of Laurent was more skilled in politics and commerce than military might.’

Of course, after Rubel joined, their military power also reached its peak.

Estelin, who had been quietly looking down at the arena, spoke again.

“Did you also see yesterday’s match between House of Beshinne and the Kingdom of Carton?”

I shook my head.

House of Beshinne was a family that held territory bordering the sea in the southeast of the Empire.

Thanks to this, the Marquis of Beshinne was able to steadily accumulate wealth by operating trading companies through maritime trade routes.

“Lady Seleneae knows too, right? That House of Beshinne’s knights are not to be underestimated.”

“I know. I heard there are many excellent former mercenaries since the house overflows with funds.”

“Yes, that’s right. But even so, they were no match at all for the Kingdom of Carton’s soldiers.”

I looked at her with interested eyes.

“Are the Kingdom of Carton’s soldiers that strong?”

Estelin nodded her head.

“Tremendously so. Honestly, it’s rare for state guests to directly participate in the Thanksgiving gladiatorial event. So I didn’t have high expectations…”

She touched her lips with a serious expression.

“I thought that if things went wrong, the ‘real purpose’ of the gladiatorial event might become obscured.”

I understood Estelin’s words and nodded my head.

The reason the Imperial House never failed to hold gladiatorial events at every Thanksgiving was superficially obvious.

‘The nobles who support the country would step forward to provide entertainment.’

But that was literally just an excuse. The real reason was obvious to anyone.

‘In truth, they want to show off the military power of the Erbia Empire.’

The intention was to subtly reveal national strength by showing the powerful military force of Erbian nobles to state guests visiting the Empire.

I chuckled and said.

“Certainly, if the Kingdom of Carton wins, the Empire would look ridiculous.”

“Exactly. Even now, if you look…”

Following Estelin’s gaze, I could see the Marquis of Beshinne trembling in the spectator seats, unable to even lift his face.

He seemed to be watching the Emperor’s mood due to his crushing defeat to the Kingdom of Carton in the previous day’s match.

“The Marquis of Beshinne has become pitiful.”

Estelin said with drooping eyebrows. I nodded my head.

“I’m also curious about who our soldiers will face in the next match. Of course, that’s only possible if we beat Rhaiad today.”

“Ah, if Tigris beats Rhaiad, they advance directly to the finals, right?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Thanks to winning last year’s gladiatorial event, Tigris could enjoy the privilege of a bye.

In other words, if they ended this match in victory, they would immediately face the finals against whichever knight order won in the preliminaries between Belmart and Carton.

Estelin looked at me with a serious face.

“Somehow I don’t think Belmart will be helplessly defeated. You saw the morning match too, my lady.”

“I saw it. They were armed with tremendous people.”

“Yes, it seems the news about recently scouting skilled individuals from here and there was true. Thanks to that, our soldiers couldn’t exert any strength at all.”

Estelin answered with an awkward smile.

As she said, the Belmart Knights were showing tremendous spirit in this gladiatorial event.

Although they used conventional tactics, each individual’s capabilities were remarkable.

“Whether it’s Carton or Belmart, it doesn’t seem like the final match will be decided easily.”

It was when I said that.

Boooo-

At the trumpet sound from the center of the arena, the noisy crowd instantly became quiet.

“The gladiatorial match between House of Rhaiad and House of Tigris will begin shortly. We ask all spectators to please take their seats.”

It was an announcement from the chief steward standing next to the Emperor. He looked around the arena where the commotion was gradually subsiding and spoke again.

“Then, before we begin, let me briefly explain the rules.”

I watched the Tigris Elite Knights arranged in two rows in the center of the arena with a tense face.

“First, any soldier whose sash attached to their torso is removed is immediately eliminated. If all twenty deployed soldiers lose their sashes, it’s a defeat.”

The dark red sashes of the Tigris army and the silver sashes of the Rhaiad army fluttered.

“Second, knights may participate in the match freely demonstrating their individual capabilities. However, there must be no fatalities.”

At those words, my gaze moved to one corner of the arena.

There, healing priests dressed in white robes stood in a line, waiting.

‘If any knight suffers fatal injuries, they’ll immediately save them.’

Since this was a show event anyway, losing well-trained talent here would be a loss for the Empire too.

“Third, surrender declarations are recognized. That is, even if all deployed knights haven’t lost their sashes, the match will be stopped if a surrender declaration is made.”

Having finished explaining the rules, the chief steward stepped back. Then the trumpet sounded once more.

Boooo-

“Then let the match begin! Glory to Erbia!”

“Glory to Erbia!”

Starting with the chief steward’s chant, the crowd heated up passionately.

I also clenched my fists and leaned my head forward.

The Tigris elite soldiers positioned in the arena were quickly retreating backward.

The Rhaiad Knights were doing the same.

When the distance between the two armies finally widened sufficiently, the knights began moving into formations suited to their respective tactics.

“…Ah, that person!”

Eria exclaimed in an excited voice beside me.

Following her gaze, I could see Casian at the very front, emanating blue energy from his sword.

Next to him stood the large knight who had broken down the door at Plau’s Inn, holding a shield as big as a pot lid.

What was his name again, Kopel?

“Guardian of the West! Attack!”

Just then, voices cheering for Laiard erupted from behind. I clenched my fists and focused on the match.

At the very center of Laiard’s army, a young knight was also taking a ready stance.

“Ahhh—!! This looks dangerous!”

Estelin’s cry was soon helplessly buried under a tremendous roar.

Sand and dust instantly gathered above that knight’s head, soon transforming into one massive boulder.

The boulder then charged toward Tigris’s army with an ear-splitting noise.

“Th, this is insane…!!”

Crude words burst from my mouth. Father, Estelin, and Eria’s gazes all turned to me simultaneously.

But right now, I didn’t even have time to worry about that.

‘They said it was a gladiator tournament!’

Why did it suddenly become a magic competition!

I covered my mouth with my hand, unable to take my eyes off the boulder cutting swiftly through the air.

‘If that hits, it’s over!’

But the next moment, Kopel, who had been standing at the front of Tigris’s army, stepped forward. He was holding a shield in his hand.

Bang—!!

A brilliant light burst forth from Kopel’s shield.

The boulder launched by Laiard’s army shattered and crumbled against the transparent barrier that formed in front of his shield.

“Haha! Did you think you could shake Tigris with something this trivial!”

Kopel laughed heartily as he lowered his shield. His voice was so loud it resonated clearly even to the spectator seats.

“Well done, Kopel!”

When I turned my head, Walter was there—when had he arrived?—pumping his fist in the air with enthusiasm.

I stared at the arena again with bewildered eyes.

‘Kopel… he looked like he’d only do brutally aggressive attacks…’

A protective barrier, no less. He was quite the guardian type after all.

But barely having time to catch my breath, this time something shot out rapidly from our side.

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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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