I’m a Villain, but I Want to Live a Long Life - Chapter 57

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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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As soon as Rubel confirmed that I was safely seated in the spectator stands, he hurried back down to the waiting room.

The match was already imminent.

I recalled Rubel’s serious expression as he sighed heavily and stared at the stairs where he had disappeared.

“…He’s acting strange today.”

As I muttered, Estelin, who was sitting next to me, spoke up.

“Selene. Look over there, it’s the Prince of Carton.”

Following her gaze, I saw Dein Jed sitting in the Imperial Box with his legs crossed, looking in my direction – when had he returned?

‘He looks pleased.’

What could make him so happy? Could he possibly be confident of victory today?

‘That would be difficult.’

I calmly stared at him while recalling the hellish training of the past few days.

Our elite knights had already completed their analysis of Carton’s military forces.

The reason I had endured the embarrassment of frequenting the training grounds was solely to achieve one single objective.

“Today, Tigris will win.”

Father, who was sitting in the seat to my other side, glanced down at me.

“According to Walter, you haven’t been sleeping properly for days.”

I smiled awkwardly.

“I just wanted to make sure everything was certain, just in case…”

Aleon reluctantly nodded his head.

Honestly, he had never once thought that Tigris’s elite knights would lose in the final match.

And for good reason – by his standards, most of the military forces of Erbia’s nobles were of poor quality.

Even those with decent abilities were mostly unable to exert much power when facing the well-trained Tigris elite knights.

And this was the same when dealing with foreign knights or armies.

Moreover, the opponent was Dein Jed, supposedly the most insignificant among Carton’s royalty.

How impressive could the military forces such a person brought be?

While he might have easily defeated Duke Beshinne and Duke Belmart’s knight orders, Tigris could not be broken so easily.

‘However, seeing how earnestly Selene is preparing…’

There must be something. There must be some concerning aspect that’s making her step forward and work so hard.

He merely thought this vaguely.

At some point, Aleon had stopped questioning what Selene did.

‘The young lady is… remarkable. That’s the only thing I can say.’

Aleon chuckled softly as he recalled something Walter had once said.

‘She was trying to establish connections with the Imperial Palace. As soon as she made that decision, she brought Oscar Tibon under her command. Her influence is tremendous. Sometimes it even gives me chills.’

Aleon turned his head slightly to look at Selene, who was surveying the arena with a tense expression.

The child’s blue eyes sparkled brilliantly as they reflected the sunlight.

With a somehow resolute will contained within them.

Ever since awakening from her long sleep, Selene had been earnest as if possessed by something.

She had obtained a holy relic and, with the help of the special being contained within it, brought back the missing prince.

She developed God’s Tears to secure business rights, boldly had a private audience with the Emperor, and now had been stirring up her elite knights for days, insisting they must win at all costs in the gladiator event.

‘She said it was for the family.’

Aleon clenched his fist slightly as he recalled what Selene had said before.

The child had casually brushed it off saying it was just ‘for the family,’ but he knew why Selene was working so hard.

She was organizing things, one by one.

After Hemera left, Tigris had been left broken and neglected in various places.

It was because he lacked the strength to repair the damaged areas.

But those countless wounds were being healed one by one by none other than Selene.

Though it must have been difficult for her too, she had first applied medicine to her father’s heart and wrapped it with bandages.

Aleon could instinctively understand.

Ever since she regained consciousness after collapsing because of that filthy temple, the child had been even more desperate.

“Father.”

At the sound calling him, Aleon turned his head.

Selene was looking at him with lovely, sparkling eyes.

“After today’s match ends, there’s something I’d like to ask of you.”

Aleon’s eyes widened.

“You said you’d grant it last time, didn’t you? You’ll keep your promise, right?”

At that question, Aleon quietly nodded his head.

She was a child too good for him, who had first approached her foolish father.

So he wanted to give her anything she desired.

Considering all the things he hadn’t been able to give her, he could answer yes even if she asked for a country.

“No taking it back, Father?”

The child’s blue eyes, like embedded ice crystals, sparkled and shone.

At the sight so reminiscent of Hemera, a faint smile spread across Aleon’s lips.

Buuuu—

The familiar sound of a horn echoed from the center of the arena. The noise from the crowd gradually subsided.

My gaze turned toward the entrance of the spectator stands.

The Emperor and Empress were entering under the escort of the Imperial Knight Order. Young Prince Zenon was with them as well.

The Emperor wore a red cloak embroidered with Erbia’s crest in gold thread.

It was the emblem of a dragon holding a pomegranate.

Soon after he took his seat, the herald blew the horn again.

“The final match will begin shortly. The armies from each camp are requested to enter the arena.”

Then, from both entrances of the arena connected to the military waiting room, soldiers marched out with disciplined steps.

The Tigris elite knights wore dark red sashes across their chests, while Carton’s soldiers wore deep blue sashes.

“Look over there. It’s Rin and the Dosha sisters.”

At Estelin’s whisper, my gaze turned to the long-haired woman standing at the vanguard of Carton’s army.

The woman with dark blue hair tied high in a single knot was glaring at our elite knights with fierce eyes.

“She’ll use that ability again this time… won’t she?”

At Estelin’s question, I nodded my head. Then I answered calmly.

“We’ll be able to stop it.”

“Of course. The Tigris elite knights are strong.”

I chuckled softly while looking at Estelin, who was smiling at me with a serious expression.

Then the herald’s voice was heard again.

“The match ends when all members of a knight order are rendered unable to fight, or when a surrender is declared. Now then…”

The herald took a deep breath. Then he shouted.

“Begin the match!”

The final match had begun.

The two armies maintained a tense standoff without moving an inch.

I stared at the two armies standing face to face in the arena without taking my eyes off them for even a moment.

Rin, who stood at the very front of the Carton camp, was the first to speak.

“As expected of Tigris, your eyes are different from the others we’ve faced before.”

Though her voice carried a hint of laughter, her gaze remained tense and directed straight at her opponents.

Tigris’s Jackson responded.

“Thanks for the compliment. You’ve got pretty good eyes yourself, don’t you? Just like a feisty cat.”

At those words, Rin’s face gradually crumpled.

Jackson’s remark was clearly referring to Rin’s ability.

She stared at Jackson quietly before smiling coldly.

“You’re eager to finish this quickly. Fine.”

Black fur began to sprout from her nape.

“Rin is manifesting her ability!”

Estelin shouted from beside me.

As she said, the fur that began sprouting from Rin’s neck was gradually spreading throughout her entire body.

The spectator stands erupted in commotion as if they had been waiting for this.

“Beast transformation again!”

“That’s the one who destroyed the Beshinne and Belmart armies…!”

I swallowed hard and stared directly at Rin, who had completely transformed her appearance.

Now her body was completely covered in glossy black fur without exception.

When Rin opened her mouth, sharp fangs were revealed between her lips as a threatening growl flowed out.

“A-a black panther…!”

A terrified voice came from the House of Beshinne’s side.

These were the knights who had been helplessly defeated by Rin in the preliminary matches on the first day.

“Even though beast transformation is a unique ability of the southern peoples, to think it’s the rare black panther…”

Just as someone muttered in admiration.

Rin, who had instantly closed the distance, thrust her face forward right in front of the Tigris camp.

It was the beginning of full-scale combat.

“Felix! Get ready!”

At Jackson’s urgent voice, Felix stepped forward, spinning the twin swords at his waist with his fingers.

His gaze keenly followed the form rapidly circling around him.

A few seconds later. Felix, having grasped the pattern, kicked off the ground and charged at Rin.

Bang—!

The spot where he had launched from was deeply gouged in the earth.

“Oh, so that’s Felix.”

“I heard he has an ability to strengthen body parts as needed, indeed…”

Around the Tigris camp, two shadowy figures that were hard to make out rapidly clashed and separated.

But Rin, who had instantly shaken off Felix and retreated far back, shouted.

“Hover, what are you doing!”

At her call, someone else stepped forward from the center of the Carton camp.

It was a tall man with a slender build.

“Going in.”

He nodded to Rin and immediately began charging forward without any warning.

At the sudden movement, the expressions of the Tigris Elite Knights hardened.

“He’s coming, assume attack formation!”

When Kopel shouted, the elite knights moved quickly.

They soon reorganized their formation into a diamond shape with Kopel at the front.

Having finished their preparations, their gazes followed Hover, who was rapidly charging at them from ahead.

That’s when it happened.

“…!!”

“He disappeared!”

Hover, who had approached right up to the Tigris formation, vanished in an instant.

Bewildered expressions appeared on the elite knights’ faces.

I stared at the gladiator arena with a tense expression, my fists clenched tight.

Then, Rubel, wearing his hood, shouted.

“Stay alert! Above!”

Simultaneously, Kopel reflexively raised the shield in his hand toward the sky.

A lead arrow was cutting through the air, driving straight down toward them vertically.

Bang—!!

The fiercely descending arrow was blocked by a barrier that originated from Kopel’s shield.

With a sharp explosive sound, the deflected arrow embedded deeply in the sandy ground a short distance away.

“H-how can an arrow come from the sky…”

Estelin muttered in disbelief from beside me.

“It’s beast transformation. That Hover has the ability to transform into a hawk.”

At my answer, Estelin’s mouth gradually fell open.

Hover, who had been swiftly flying through the arena’s sky with fluid movements, said.

“What, how did you know it was from above?”

He flapped the wings extending from his back and looked down at the Tigris Elite Knights with curious eyes.

Kopel shouted in a somewhat choked voice.

“We studied, you bastard!”

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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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