I’m a Villain, but I Want to Live a Long Life - Chapter 69

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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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The charity event was held at the Second Hall of the Erbia Empire. The first person to enter the hall was none other than Viscount Brienne.

 

As soon as he entered the hall, he spotted something and stopped dead in his tracks.

 

“Ooh—!”

 

He hurried his steps.

 

Without even glancing at the other exhibits near the entrance.

 

His steps led him to Meg Cline’s exhibit.

 

“Th-this is the rumored…!”

 

He stared intently at the torso on the platform with wide eyes.

 

More precisely, not at the torso, but at the extraordinary armor hanging on it.

 

‘Indeed, it was worth coming to see this!’

 

Viscount Brienne blinked several times in disbelief.

 

The estate had been buzzing about Meg Cline’s ‘charity event exhibit’ for weeks now.

 

Especially when rumors spread that her exhibit was ‘ethyl stone armor,’ nobles lined up to buy charity event tickets just to see that one exhibit.

 

“As, as expected, it’s truly…”

 

Brilliant and beautiful!

 

Just as Viscount Brienne thought this, the midday sunlight streamed through the hall’s glass ceiling.

 

The armor began to shine dazzlingly as if it had been waiting. It was truly a magnificent sight.

 

Meg Cline smiled brightly and greeted the viscount, who was completely entranced.

 

“It’s been a while, Viscount Brienne.”

 

The colorful light reflected from the armor flickered and rippled on her cheeks.

 

Coming to his senses, Viscount Brienne nodded with an impressed expression.

 

“Oh, L-Lady Cline! Good to see you! I heard this is all ethyl stone. Is, is that really true?”

 

He pointed at the armor with slightly trembling hands. Meg nodded with a relaxed smile.

 

“Yes, that’s right. Since it will be presented as a gift to His Majesty the Emperor after the exhibition, my grandfather paid special attention to it.”

 

“Indeed, Duke Belmart…”

 

Viscount Brienne nodded, unable to close his gaping mouth.

 

Only someone like Duke Belmart could obtain such a magnificent item.

 

Soon other nobles gathered around Viscount Brienne one by one. Of course, their reactions were all the same.

 

“Incredible! Is all of that really ethyl stone?”

 

“Seeing it in person is even more amazing!!”

 

“How, how much must it have cost…”

 

Meg Cline looked around at the murmuring crowd and smiled leisurely.

 

All the spectators in the hall were gathered around her.

 

Even the nobles who had just arrived were rushing toward her without giving other places a second glance.

 

In other words, all the other young ladies except herself were being ignored at this event.

 

Including Seleneae Tigris, of course.

 

‘Ethyl stone must be quite precious indeed.’

 

I had never had occasion to handle armor or magical tools, so I had no way of knowing how remarkable ethyl stone was as a mineral.

 

‘Even when grandfather first said he would prepare armor made of ethyl stone, I didn’t know it would be this impressive.’

 

Meg’s smile grew wider and wider.

 

Watching the nobles gazing at her armor in rapture made her shoulders rise with pride.

 

Suddenly, a thought occurred to her.

 

‘When you think about it, this is all thanks to Her Majesty the Empress.’

 

Ever since the Empress gave birth to the Prince and gained the people’s trust, the authority of House Belmart had risen endlessly.

 

Authority, power!

 

They were truly sweet and wonderful things.

 

Even without doing anything, capable people would approach and bow their heads, asking to be accepted.

 

Those with money offered money, those with knowledge offered knowledge.

 

These numerous ethyl stones that formed the armor must have been obtained through the information and connections of those who followed House Belmart.

 

Then someone who noticed the dark purple magic stone embedded in the center of the armor spoke up.

 

“What is that in the middle?”

 

Meg answered as if she had been waiting for this question.

 

“That is the core of a northern golem obtained from the Kingdom of Tassen, and also a magic stone.”

 

The nobles’ mouths opened even wider than before.

 

One person even trembled with their hands.

 

“A, a golem’s core…”

 

“Indeed, this is a gift worthy of His Majesty the Emperor…”

 

Yes, what was a golem’s core?

 

Setting aside its expense, it was so incredibly rare that even wealthy people couldn’t easily obtain it.

 

‘Of course, I couldn’t have obtained it without Captain Nicolas’s help either.’

 

Although she had pushed herself a bit to raise the funds, Meg had no other choice.

 

She absolutely had to win this charity event.

 

But ever since before the harvest festival began, Seleneae Tigris had been causing a strange stir, and I had already been pushed out of the spotlight long ago.

 

Wherever you went in the estate, it was bustling with talk of Seleneae, and even the Empress, Emperor, and state guests had no interest in me.

 

Meg could never accept this fact. She had to somehow reclaim the attention that had been stolen.

 

Her gaze turned toward Seleneae standing across from her.

 

‘Fortunately… it seems like my complete victory this time.’

 

On Seleneae’s platform, that unsightly chest was still sitting there.

 

‘She said she’d open it when it started, but when exactly is she planning to open it?’

 

Meg slightly frowned and looked unpleasantly at Seleneae’s wooden box.

 

But then the entrance to the hall became noisy again.

 

Turning her gaze, she saw two tall men in military uniforms conversing as they entered the Second Hall.

 

Their appearance was so beautiful that even the nobles and noblewomen who had been absorbed in the armor turned around murmuring.

 

“Duke Laurent and… Duke Tigris?”

 

The nobles’ faces gradually hardened.

 

Duke Laurent attending the charity event every year to see his daughter Estelin was one thing.

 

‘Why is Aleon Tigris here?’

 

Duke Tigris always participated in gladiatorial events but never showed his face at banquets or anywhere else.

 

Could he have come to see his daughter this time too? Like at the last ball?

 

The nobles’ questioning gazes slowly moved toward Seleneae.

 

That’s when it happened.

 

“Where is my daughter?”

 

Duke Tigris’s voice, cold as winter frost, echoed through the hall.

 

The referee standing at the entrance with a bewildered expression pondered the words ‘my daughter’ before hurriedly answering.

 

“Ah! L-Lady Tigris is over there…”

 

But before the referee could finish speaking, Aleon swept past him.

 

His red eyes scanned the crowd and soon stopped at one spot.

 

“There she is.”

 

A faint smile appeared on Aleon’s lips as he spotted Seleneae.

 

Everyone’s mouths fell open at this sight. Duke Laurent, who was watching right beside him, was no exception.

 

Calypso Laurence sighed briefly and shook his head while saying,

 

“…Aleon. Please, could you not smile? You’re giving me goosebumps.”

 

Then Aleon frowned and turned his head.

 

“Me? When did I smile?”

 

“Then what did I just see? It was a scene that would make children faint if they saw it.”

 

When Calypso spoke as if incredulous, Aleon, who had been silent for a moment, slowly muttered,

 

“I have no desire to play word games with you.”

 

It was a voice so menacing that anyone nearby would have felt their knees buckle, but Duke Laurent didn’t even blink.

 

“Why don’t you tone down that murderous look? If it weren’t for me, you would have spent your whole life searching for the Second Hall.”

 

Aleon closed his mouth.

 

It was indeed Calypso Laurence who had guided me here after I wandered around the Imperial Palace not knowing where the Second Hall was, though it hurt my pride.

 

He stared at Duke Laurent with a hardened expression for a moment, then quickly walked past him.

 

The direction of his steps was toward Selene.

 

“Father!”

 

Selene, who spotted him, ran over with a bright face.

 

“Selene.”

 

Aleon Tigris looked down at his daughter who had approached him, the corners of his mouth twitching.

 

“Thank you for coming, I’ve been waiting.”

 

Selene naturally took the Duke’s hand and smiled.

 

An unstoppable smile began to slowly bloom at the Duke’s lips once again.

 

The nobles had been unable to contain their shock at the scene unfolding before their eyes.

 

‘W-was it true?’

 

Lately, strange rumors about Duke Tigris had been circulating throughout the Empire.

 

That his eyes, which always seemed ready to kill someone after losing his wife, had become gentle,

 

That he became a docile lamb in front of his daughter,

 

That he was now just cleaning up after his daughter’s business ventures.

 

They had all thought it was absurd, but apparently everything was real.

 

Whether she knew about the surrounding gazes or not, Selene asked casually.

 

“Father, what about lunch?”

 

The Duke’s expression hesitated for a moment, then melted into softness.

 

He muttered with the expression Duke Laurent had described as ‘looking like a child about to throw a tantrum.’

 

“…Not yet.”

 

“You should have eaten before coming, why didn’t you?”

 

Aleon cleared his throat and muttered quietly while gazing at distant mountains.

 

“…wanted to eat together.”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“Wanted to eat together after it’s over.”

 

Selene’s eyes widened.

 

“I brought a lunch box. It’s waiting in the carriage outside the Imperial Palace.”

 

A lunch box?

 

Did he just say lunch box?

 

In the hall covered with shock and horror, Selene was the only one who burst into laughter.

 

“That sounds great. Let’s eat together after the event ends. I was actually waiting without even opening the exhibit because I wanted to see it together when you came, Father.”

 

The attention focused on the father and daughter intensified even more.

 

Exhibit? What exactly was this exhibit?

 

The nobles’ eyes sparkled with curiosity.

 

Selene walked with quick steps toward her platform.

 

Then she lightly placed her hand on the lid part of the chest and inserted her fingers into the slightly carved groove.

 

Finally, with a clicking sound, the clasp that had been firmly securing the chest and lid came undone.

 

The box slowly opened.

 

Soon, something no one had expected popped out from inside.

 

“About the exhibit, there was no regulation saying living things weren’t allowed.”

 

Selene said with a bright smile.

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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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