I’m a Villain, but I Want to Live a Long Life - Chapter 54

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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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‘What do you mean by that out of nowhere?’

‘The Carton Kingdom has been plagued by pirates for a very long time. I believe Your Majesty is well aware of this.’

‘So, you want us to open our territorial waters?’

‘That is correct. We can no longer stand by and watch pirates who plunder Carton’s coastal regions escape into Erbia’s territorial waters. So please, allow us to eliminate them directly.’

“You must never grant them permission!”

The Emperor awoke from his unpleasant recollection.

“Carton is merely a kingdom that hasn’t even proclaimed itself an empire yet. We cannot allow them to brazenly invade the Empire’s territorial waters!”

“That’s right! The Prince of Carton bringing his army to disrupt the thanksgiving festival is also all to pressure Your Majesty. You must stand firm, Your Majesty!”

The imperial nobles’ stance was absolutely resolute. Of course, their words weren’t wrong either.

It would be unseemly for the Empire to waver and comply with a kingdom’s demands from an external perspective.

But the Emperor clutched his throbbing forehead and muttered lowly.

“Everyone please be quiet.”

The conference room was once again enveloped in silence.

The Emperor looked around at the imperial nobles sitting in a circle around the conference room and opened his mouth.

“I too do not wish to let Carton’s army conduct pirate suppression in our territorial waters. However…”

“…”

“Didn’t you all see Carton’s army? If we create unnecessary resentment and perhaps again…”

The imperial nobles slowly nodded with stern faces.

Carton’s army was indeed formidable.

They freely wielded the unique abilities characteristic of southern peoples and relentlessly pressed the Belmart Knights.

What was more worrying was the fact that they couldn’t know how many more such armies existed in Carton’s homeland.

‘If we keep refusing pirate suppression in our territorial waters…’

What if Dein Jed, notorious for being unreasonable and dissolute, simply brought his army across the sea?

‘Then it would be war.’

But the Erbia Empire had just barely finished a long battle.

Especially since the Previous Emperor had passed away only a few years after leading the war to victory, public sentiment in some regions was still unsettled.

‘The current imperial authority is just now beginning to establish itself…’

There was no benefit in worsening relations with the Carton Kingdom, separated by merely a sea the size of two spans on a map.

“…For now.”

While everyone was lost in deep thought, the Emperor spoke.

“Our priority is protecting the laurel crown of the gladiatorial tournament from Carton.”

“…”

“Prince Dein is trying to show us. That Carton’s army is so powerful that we shouldn’t carelessly ignore them.”

Everyone nodded with uncomfortable expressions.

“In this situation, if we let Carton steal the laurel crown, there would be no more ridiculous situation. How would that be different from having the Empire’s festival plundered by a kingdom?”

The imperial nobles nodded with solemn faces. However, among them, there was one person sitting alone with a furrowed brow.

It was Duke Belmart.

‘…For my army to lose to a mere kingdom.’

How much money had he invested in the knight order for this gladiatorial event!

His insides had been boiling from the moment of defeat in the semifinals until now.

Then, one of the imperial nobles spoke in a bright voice without reading the mood.

“The Tigris Elite Knights will surely be able to achieve victory in the match against Carton. Didn’t they show sufficient capability in the preliminaries as well?”

The Emperor slowly nodded.

“We must earnestly hope for that outcome. However…”

The Emperor’s gaze, which had been circling around, stopped at one place.

“Now that I look, is Duke Tigris absent again today?”

His eyes were directed toward the only empty seat. An awkward silence spread through the conference room.

While no one dared to speak rashly, someone broke through the silence and opened their mouth.

“…Really. Duke Tigris has rarely shown loyalty from the past.”

It was Duke Belmart.

“He’s not even staying at his estate. Despite staying at the Jedo Estate, which is within spitting distance. To be absent from major conferences as if it’s a daily meal.”

Duke Belmart’s eyes gleamed sharply.

“Your Majesty, you must not let that man act as he pleases any longer. This time, please send him a warning.”

At the resolute voice, the Emperor’s head, who had been lost in thought, tilted to one side.

He remained silent with an unreadable expression.

Duke Belmart quietly lifted one corner of his mouth.

‘It’s time for Tigris’s power to be broken.’

This was his true feelings that he had kept hidden until now.

Tigris was a thorn in his side, a house that had grown in power and influence day by day using their friendship with the Previous Emperor when he was alive.

‘After the Previous Emperor died, that fool Aleon may have cut ties with politics…’

Duke Belmart looked directly at the Emperor with a confident face.

‘But I never did such a thing.’

A vile smile appeared on his lips.

He was currently the imperial noble who received the most trust from the Emperor among the Four Dukes. He was also the one who had placed his second daughter Grace on the Empress’s throne.

Moreover, wasn’t Grace now raising a Prince who would become the future master of the Empire?

‘The situation has completely reversed from the old days.’

Now Tigris couldn’t even compare to Belmart. So he was simply waiting.

For an opportunity to completely crush Tigris.

It was the moment he looked at the Emperor with greedy eyes. Finally, the Emperor’s lips opened.

“First, regarding Duke Tigris…”

Duke Belmart looked at him with expectant eyes.

Not only had he left the estate on his own a few months ago, but he had also been absent from major conferences like eating meals, so that bastard Aleon could no longer avoid the Emperor’s resentment.

Moreover, the Temple also viewed Tigris unfavorably. So surely he would impose a very severe punishment…

“Let’s just leave him alone for the time being.”

Duke Belmart gaped in bewilderment.

Contrary to his expectations, there was no particular anger or displeasure on the Emperor’s face.

Normally, he would have shown all sorts of unpleasant behavior and shouted that he wouldn’t leave that bastard Aleon alone.

The Emperor spoke as if it were no big deal.

“To achieve good results in tomorrow’s final match, they’ll need time to reorganize their army and strategy. And also…”

The imperial nobles’ gazes focused on the Emperor’s mouth.

“He must be busy supporting his daughter’s business with both material and moral support.”

A pleased smile was already spreading across the Emperor’s lips.

Duke Belmart stared at him with eyes full of shock.

But the Emperor murmured languidly with a voice full of laughter.

“Didn’t you all see the gift I received from Lady Tigris?”

In a good mood, the Emperor completely erased his earlier worries from his face and looked around at the imperial nobles proudly.

“The continent’s first ability enhancement potion. Isn’t it truly remarkable?”

Then suddenly he made an “Ah—” sound and smiled brightly.

“Come to think of it, perhaps that alone has already put pressure on Prince Carton!”

At that pleased smile, the imperial nobles who had been reading the mood all stepped forward.

“Th-that’s right, Your Majesty! Not only Carton, but the delegations from Tasen and Sorad seemed tremendously surprised as well.”

“This opportunity has allowed us to display the Empire’s scientific and technological prowess to the entire continent. The Lady was truly remarkable!”

“Was she eighteen, you said? She rarely participated in social circles, and Duke Tigris also seldom appeared at official occasions, so we wondered what kept them so busy…”

“Looking back, wasn’t his urgent departure to the estate a few months ago also to accelerate potion development?”

The Emperor smiled leisurely at the excited voices of the imperial nobles. Duke Belmart, watching this scene, ground his teeth.

Finally, he spoke with a voice full of displeasure.

“…Wasn’t it someone named Ansun who developed the potion? The Lady was simply lucky. What could a young lady know?”

“Th-that’s true, but…”

The imperial nobles trailed off while reading the mood. Duke Belmart, who looked around at them threateningly, said.

“In the first place, discussing business in front of His Majesty could be seen as presumptuous. But that’s how girls of that age are. They try to exaggerate whatever they’ve done…”

Just then.

“Duke Belmart. It would be best if you refrained from such remarks.”

Someone abruptly cut off Duke Belmart’s words.

“Surely you know that finding talent and keeping them under your wing is also an ability.”

The person speaking calmly with a chuckle was none other than Calypso Laurence.

He met Duke Belmart’s deeply furrowed brow and continued speaking.

“Moreover, ‘girls’? For a Duke who has a granddaughter he cherishes like the apple of his eye to speak that way.”

“…Duke Laurent.”

Duke Belmart glared at Calypso Laurence with sharp, cold eyes.

But Duke Laurent leisurely clasped his hands on the table and leaned toward Duke Belmart.

“Seleneae is a remarkable child. She’s been brilliant since she was young. So she must have recognized Ansun’s potential early on and secured him for herself.”

In Duke Laurent’s mind, he could picture Seleneae from a few months ago, smiling and saying she was fine after drinking poison in Eria’s place.

“…To dismiss it as mere coincidence would be ignoring what is truly enviable insight and discernment.”

He turned his gaze to look at the Emperor. The Emperor, who had been silent, nodded his head.

“Calypso, you’re right. Recognizing talent and keeping them under your wing is also a gift.”

Duke Belmart’s eyes widened greatly. His hands trembled beneath the table.

‘That… why is that young upstart…’

He couldn’t understand why Calypso Laurence was suddenly defending Lady Tigris.

The other Imperial Nobles couldn’t open their mouths in the atmosphere that felt like walking on thin ice.

Then, as if his mood had improved again at the thought, the Emperor added with a carefree laugh.

“After the thanksgiving festival ends, I should give Lady Seleneae something as a reward. I can’t be a shameless ruler, after all.”

“Haha, an e-excellent choice, Your Majesty…!”

“Y-yes. A very good idea indeed.”

Among the awkwardly laughing Imperial Nobles, only Duke Belmart glared at Calypso Laurence with coldly sunken eyes.

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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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