I’m a Villain, but I Want to Live a Long Life - Chapter 68

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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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“…Not bad at all.”

 

Duke Belmart muttered with a strange smile playing at his lips.

 

On the torso in front of him hung a dazzling ethyl stone armor.

 

“Indeed…”

 

The silver ethyl stone that reflected light in all directions was split into thousands, tens of thousands of pieces forming the breastplate of the armor.

 

And in the very center of it…

 

“Where on earth did you get that magic stone?”

 

Duke Belmart narrowed his eyes and rose from his seat. Meg Cline startled and looked up at her grandfather.

 

That’s right. In the very center of the ethyl stone armor was embedded an unfamiliar dark purple gem.

 

After a moment of silence, Duke Belmart muttered.

 

“…To my eyes, it looks exactly like a golem’s core.”

 

“I, I saved up my dignity maintenance allowance and made inquiries to obtain it.”

 

Meg Cline answered with a nonchalant voice and smiled awkwardly.

 

Duke Belmart tilted his head.

 

“You obtained a golem’s magic stone with money saved from your dignity maintenance allowance?”

 

Meg secretly swallowed at her grandfather’s suspicious expression. However, she soon answered with a composed face.

 

“Ah, when I combined it with the money Father gave me for my last birthday, it became quite a large sum.”

 

Duke Belmart nodded.

 

“…I see, well done. Certainly, the armor looks much more radiant.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Yes. You should be able to easily claim victory in the charity event, Meg.”

 

Duke Belmart, who had approached at some point, patted Meg’s shoulder approvingly.

 

Meg nodded with a flushed expression.

 

“Yes, I’ll definitely win and get invited to the closing ceremony banquet!”

 

And there, as planned, she would look for her future husband.

 

Meg smiled slyly and bowed deeply to Duke Belmart. Then she walked briskly out of the Duke’s office.

 

The servants followed behind her carrying the torso with the armor. However, as soon as the office door closed, Meg glared at the servants.

 

“You all. You know that item needs to be handled with special care, don’t you?”

 

The servants bowed their heads. But Meg, clicking her tongue in displeasure, muttered lowly.

 

“If even the tiniest scratch appears on it. I’ll show you what it means to have a debt that three generations of work couldn’t repay.”

 

The servants’ faces turned pale.

 

Then, as Meg watched them with malicious eyes, a look of puzzlement suddenly appeared in her gaze.

 

“Wait. Come to think of it, where is Peony?”

 

One maid from the corner stepped forward.

 

“Th, that is, Peony said she wasn’t feeling well today…”

 

Meg’s expression hardened coldly.

 

“How foolish. Does she even know how important today is for the master she serves? Even if she’s sick, why today of all days…!”

 

Meg let out an irritated sigh and spun around. Then she moved quickly.

 

“What are you doing, hurry up!”

 

At her sharp voice, the servants scrambled to move.

 

She planned to be the first to display her exhibit in the Second Hall of the Imperial Palace today.

 

‘That way I can suppress everyone’s spirits from the beginning.’

 

Once they see this, they’ll firmly realize how trivial their exhibits are.

 

Meg looked at the ethyl stone armor with flushed cheeks.

 

“Oh my.”

 

The young ladies who had just entered the hall stopped in their tracks. They were all holding their respective exhibits in their arms.

 

“Lo, look at that.”

 

“That’s Lady Cline’s armor, isn’t it?”

 

“Seeing it in person… it’s even more amazing.”

 

Ethyl stone, which doesn’t come from anywhere in the Empire.

 

The reason ethyl stone was precious was because of its unique ‘resistance’ to abilities.

 

For this reason, ethyl stone was included without fail in most defensive equipment, even if just a piece.

 

Of course, most of those pieces were so small they were barely visible. Since it wasn’t produced in the Empire, its price was tremendously expensive.

 

“If you wore that armor… you’d be fine even in front of dragon breath.”

 

When one young lady muttered jokingly, the other girls around her nodded.

 

A small-framed young lady in the corner muttered quietly.

 

“Wh, what should I do? I’m right next to Lady Meg… I’ll look shabby in comparison.”

 

In her hands was an old book that had been passed down through her family for generations.

 

Another young lady who was looking at her sympathetically drooped her eyebrows and said.

 

“Rian, don’t worry about it. Your exhibit is wonderful enough too.”

 

Rian nodded with a forced smile. But she couldn’t hide her already deeply dejected expression.

 

And it was the same for the other young ladies. Then someone, as if coming to their senses, suggested with an awkward voice.

 

“Shall we all go to our places for now?”

 

The girls nodded and slowly moved to find their respective spots.

 

The hall was already bustling with numerous young ladies and servants.

 

Rian, who had just placed the old book on the platform at her spot, muttered quietly to Sophia, a baron’s daughter next to her.

 

“This year, there seem to be particularly many participants in the charity event, don’t you think?”

 

“Yes, really. After all, the list alone exceeded two sheets of parchment. Also…”

 

Sophia glanced around and said.

 

“Then did you see? This time Lady Seleneae is also participating.”

 

Rian’s eyes sparkled as she nodded.

 

“I saw! I was so surprised to see Lady Tigris’s name on the list!”

 

“Exactly. What do you think she submitted? Let’s see, where is her spot…”

 

Both their gazes swept around the hall once and stopped at one place.

 

The spot diagonal from Rian and directly across from Meg Cline was empty.

 

That seemed to be the space where Seleneae would display her item.

 

“She must not have arrived yet.”

 

“But the event will start soon…”

 

It was when Rian muttered this.

 

“This way!”

 

Two servants with sturdy builds entered the hall carrying some kind of wooden chest.

 

Sophia, spotting someone behind them, said brightly to Rian.

 

“There, over there! It’s Lady Seleneae.”

 

Seleneae was dressed in an elegant navy blue dress.

 

“Put it over there.”

 

When she spoke in a gentle tone, the servants carefully set down the chest in place.

 

Rian and Sophia looked back and forth between the suddenly appeared chest and Seleneae with curious eyes.

 

When their eyes met Seleneae’s, they quickly approached with small steps and shyly curtsied.

 

Rian spoke first.

 

“It’s an honor to meet you, Lady Seleneae. I’m Rian from House of Curtis.”

 

“I’m Sophia from House of Mio.”

 

Seleneae, who had been blinking as if flustered, soon smiled brightly.

 

“Nice to meet you. Lady Rian, Lady Sophia.”

 

Rian and Sophia looked at each other with slightly surprised expressions.

 

It was because Seleneae’s voice as she greeted them was incredibly kind.

 

‘When I met her a few years ago, she wasn’t like this.’

 

‘They said she changed after going through a major ordeal, and it was really true.’

 

After finishing their respective thoughts, Rian and Sophia smiled shyly and nodded.

 

Rian said.

 

“I heard you were ill. Are you feeling alright now?”

 

“Of course, I’m perfectly fine now.”

 

Seleneae smiled. At that sight, Sophia’s face turned bright red.

 

‘Sophia, if you happen to meet Seleneae Tigris at the charity event, make sure to get acquainted with her. It would be even better if you become friends!’

 

Remembering her parents’ earnest words before arriving at the hall, Sophia shyly stepped forward.

 

“I, I was really impressed by the gladiator event, especially that potion, I thought it was truly amazing…”

 

“Oh my, who do we have here?”

 

But a sharp voice from somewhere interrupted Sophia’s words.

 

It was Meg.

 

Her voice was so shrill and loud that the noisy hall fell silent for a moment.

 

“Lady Seleneae!”

 

Meg, who had approached at some point, smiled brightly and exclaimed.

 

The young ladies gathered around Seleneae, including Rian and Sophia, stepped back hesitantly.

 

Meg glanced at them and spoke as if she didn’t care.

 

“How wonderful to see you at the charity event!”

 

Meg covered her face with her fluttering silk sleeves and laughed, then gestured toward the wooden box behind Seleneae.

 

“…Is that perhaps your exhibit, my lady?”

 

Seleneae smiled faintly without answering. Meg took a sharp breath to suppress her bursting laughter and thought.

 

‘How foolish.’

 

All she brought was that pathetically shabby chest?

 

There was even dirt and grass stuck to the surface here and there from who knows where.

 

Meg, barely swallowing her sneer, said.

 

“You’ve… worked so hard on the packaging? But shouldn’t you put it on the platform soon? The event will start shortly.”

 

Seleneae, who had remained silent, shook her head and said.

 

“Thank you for your concern. I plan to take it out when the event starts.”

 

Meg frowned and tilted her head inwardly.

 

‘What could it be to make such a fuss?’

 

But she soon relaxed her expression.

 

Because behind her was the brilliantly shining ethyl stone armor.

 

What did it matter what Seleneae Tigris had brought?

 

The victory would be hers anyway.

 

And it seemed she wasn’t the only one thinking this.

 

“That… chest, what could it be? I was expecting an exhibit from the Tigris family… but it feels rather shabby.”

 

“Really. Doesn’t it seem to have a bad smell…?”

 

“Indeed, whereas Lady Meg’s exhibit is truly…”

 

Among the young ladies surrounding Meg and Seleneae, murmurs large and small had been breaking out for a while.

 

“It looks like there’s even a magic stone embedded in the center?”

 

“Yes. Lady Meg is truly amazing. To be able to spend several years’ worth of a major noble family’s budget on a charity event…”

 

“She’s the only granddaughter of the Belmart family.”

 

Meg secretly covered her mouth and smiled.

 

‘Yes, this is the reaction I wanted.’

 

It was the moment she showed a satisfied look. The imperial palace referee rushed into the entrance of the hall.

 

“The spectators will be entering soon, please everyone get ready!”

 

At those words, the gathered young ladies hurriedly returned to their places.

 

However, while they all found their positions, Meg stood motionless in place.

 

Staring at Seleneae’s old chest.

 

‘What is it?’

 

Meg tilted her head with her smile gone.

 

‘Just now, didn’t that thing… move?’

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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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