I’m a Villain, but I Want to Live a Long Life - Chapter 72

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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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Meg rolled her eyes upward.

 

“…What?”

 

I let out a deep sigh as if I found her pathetic and said.

 

“Even if you’ve lost your reason to jealousy, how can you cross the line like this? Are you insane?”

 

To Meg, who staggered with a shocked face, I tilted my head sideways and showed her.

 

“Or maybe all pampered kids are this careless about life?”

 

Meg looked speechless. Her pupils trembled finely with a confused light.

 

She probably never even imagined that I would fight back.

 

‘Well, this method must have always worked until now.’

 

When she doesn’t like something, she secretly calls them aside and crushes them with contempt and humiliation.

 

By showing off her power like that and adding just a bit of threat, most people probably cowered before her.

 

The backing of the Empress and Duke Belmart was indeed quite formidable.

 

‘…Also. I’ve been acting too soft all this time.’

 

After possessing this body, I tried not to do anything that would stand out.

 

‘I had to shed the reputation of being a crazy villainess, and appearing kind and gentle was better for getting close to people.’

 

But in moments like this, it was too hard to endure.

 

…No, wait.

 

Come to think of it, I didn’t need to endure it now. Thankfully, Meg had dragged me to a secluded place.

 

With my mind much more at ease, I clicked my tongue and stared at Meg.

 

“I thought you just had a rotten personality, but your backing is shady, and you have bad habits with your hands too.”

 

Looking down, I could see Meg’s hands adorned with rings and bracelets studded with all kinds of jewels.

 

Looking at those spotless hands, I suddenly remembered the deep scar carved on Peony’s cheek.

 

My anger suddenly flared up, making my voice drop much lower.

 

“Rumors circulating in the estate? Worry about your own rumors. The word is out all through the back alleys of the estate that you’re annoying and unlucky. Even passing dogs would know.”

 

It was mixed with a bit of lies, but Meg’s face immediately flared up.

 

“What?!”

 

She unconsciously let out a shriek, then hurriedly turned her gaze to look around.

 

She seemed worried that someone might have heard. But I continued muttering.

 

“You don’t know how to choose your words, you don’t know how to hide your expressions. You always raise your voice like just now. And what was it earlier? Where do you get off arrogantly mentioning other people’s parents.”

 

Meg opened her eyes wide and her mouth. Then she shouted incoherently.

 

“Th-that’s because you interfere with me at every turn! You brought exhibition items that violate regulations to ruin the charity event!”

 

I looked straight into Meg’s eyes and chuckled.

 

“Are you really talking about other people’s exhibition items right now?”

 

Meg closed her mouth that had been open.

 

“If you have time to worry about my exhibition items, worry about your own future. The magic stone you put in the armor last.”

 

“….”

 

I took a step closer to her and whispered softly.

 

“Do you still not know what money you used to buy that?”

 

After finishing my words, I stared at Meg for a few seconds. Then I turned around without hesitation.

 

As I was about to leave from behind the pillar nonchalantly, I heard Meg, who had been frozen, calling me.

 

“W-wait! What does that…!”

 

But I didn’t look back.

 

“…Where did you put your brain to use it.”

 

I muttered to myself and shook my head.

 

Although Meg Cline was detestable, she was connected to the Empress, so I hadn’t planned to make her an enemy.

 

But it seemed I would have to change my plans.

 

Meg Cline already seemed to regard me as the enemy of the century.

 

Moreover, insults toward me were one thing, but I couldn’t just leave alone someone who mocked me, Father, and our family.

 

If I let it slide now, she would definitely see me as easy prey and do something even more outrageous.

 

‘Yeah, this worked out well.’

 

The scar on Peony’s cheek, I was worried it might leave a permanent mark.

 

Let me do some justice for once in a while.

 

The estate was already full of rumors I had intentionally created. The basics of politics was always public opinion manipulation.

 

‘Rumors that there’s an official who embezzled national funds, and a noble from a quite prestigious family who received bribes from him.’

 

When it was revealed that this was Nicolaus Zelbero and Meg Cline, the impact would be tremendous.

 

Especially, I was most curious about how Duke Belmart would handle it.

 

‘He seemed like a suspicious person, so I didn’t want to get involved with him if possible.’

 

Now I had no other choice.

 

I secretly shrugged my shoulders and glanced back.

 

I could see Meg Cline, her face pale, still remaining behind the pillar.

 

“…What did you say? Sacred Sprites in the Second Hall?”

 

Cardinal Michael looked up with surprised eyes. The High Priest standing before him nodded.

 

“Y-yes, Your Eminence. There are even quite a number of them.”

 

Michael’s pupils dilated greatly.

 

He immediately jumped up from his seat and hurriedly put on the vestments hanging beside him while shouting.

 

“The injured! Is the situation very bad?”

 

“Well… that’s….”

 

When Deacon Tom trailed off, Michael’s steps toward the chapel stopped.

 

Tom bowed his head with a troubled voice and muttered.

 

“Your Eminence. The Sacred Sprites in the Second Hall are not attacking humans. Rather….”

 

“…Rather?”

 

“They are giving blessings to those gathered to watch the event….”

 

“Blessings?”

 

Michael’s mouth slowly fell open.

 

Tom also scratched his head as if he found it hard to believe and continued.

 

“The thing is, Lady Tigris submitted the Sacred Sprites as exhibition items for the charity event… strangely, the Sacred Sprites follow the Lady like a mother.”

 

Michael, who had been standing in the middle of the chapel, approached Tom with quick steps.

 

“Following her like a mother? Please explain in detail what you mean.”

 

“Literally. Going here and there according to the Lady’s gestures… it was almost like training guard dogs….”

 

“So you’re saying Lady Tigris commands the Sacred Sprites?”

 

Michael’s brow furrowed slightly.

 

“Sacred Sprites reject even High Priests with considerable divine power?”

 

Tom also seemed quite flustered, knowing this fact.

 

Michael, who had been staring into space as if pondering something, quickly turned around.

 

“…I will go to the Second Hall right now. High Priest, please see Cardinal Paul and tell him to convey this fact to His Holiness the Pope.”

 

Tom quickly nodded at the quite serious voice.

 

As soon as Michael confirmed this, he left the chapel with quick steps.

 

‘…Sacred Sprites following Lady Tigris.’

 

In all his life, he had never seen Sacred Sprites follow an ordinary human.

 

However, just once.

 

He had read about a similar case.

 

‘It was content related to some ancient indigenous faith….’

 

It was so long ago that his memory was hazy, but before the Empire was founded, when the continent consisted of various tribal nations.

 

There were records that priests of indigenous gods worshipped by people at that time could command Sacred Sprites at will.

 

However, all those documents have now been lost and the stories are only passed down as folklore among some regions of Erbia and the ancient tribes of Sorad.

 

‘Could Lady Tigris be related to that folklore?’

 

Michael shook his head.

 

The probability that a Lady with no connection to indigenous faiths or ancient Sorad tribes would be related to unverified folklore was slim.

 

But even so.

 

‘A human that Pincel follows.’

 

If that statement were true, it would truly be a remarkable and astonishing thing.

 

“I heard the Lady is a non-manifester.”

 

Could it be that divine power was flowing through her body instead of mana?

 

After pondering for a moment, Michael shook his head again.

 

If that were the case, the priests who register newborns wouldn’t have failed to notice when the Lady was just born.

 

‘I’ll have to go and see for myself to know anything.’

 

Michael’s steps quickened even more.

 

Fortunately, the chapel was not far from the Imperial Palace.

 

Upon entering the Imperial Palace, he could see numerous nobles gathered along the path leading to the Second Hall.

 

They seemed to be crowds gathered to watch the charity event.

 

When he squeezed through the crowd wearing his priestly robes, people glanced at Michael’s attire and automatically made way for him.

 

His priestly robes had a blue ribbon hanging long at the waist, symbolizing his status as a High Priest.

 

As Michael pushed through the crowd, he suddenly listened to a conversation he heard from beside him.

 

“Mrs. Max! Did you also come to buy tickets?”

 

“Oh my, Aurora. I didn’t expect to see you here. Yes, I came after hearing there would be good exhibits at the charity event.”

 

“Then perhaps… did you also come to receive a ‘blessing’?”

 

“That’s right! My husband urgently sent a servant, saying I must go to the charity event immediately…”

 

They were talking about the Sacred Sprites that Lady Tigris had brought.

 

‘The rumor has already spread throughout the Empire.’

 

Even if it happened at an openly public festival, could rumors spread this quickly?

 

As if someone had been waiting to spread the rumor…

 

“Information brokers these days, really.”

 

Michael clicked his tongue and practically ran into the Second Hall that he had finally reached.

 

The hall was packed with people. There seemed to be at least four times more spectators compared to the last charity event.

 

The Cardinal quickly approached Seleneae Tigris when he spotted her surrounded by people in the crowd.

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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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