I’m a Villain, but I Want to Live a Long Life - Chapter 8

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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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Someone who had walked out from behind the bookshelf was looking down at me with indifference.

“Wh-wh-who are you?!”

The person stared at me lying on the floor and spoke in a languid tone.

“That’s what I’d like to ask you.”

His tone was utterly dry. Through his ash-gray hair that covered his forehead, tired-looking eyes peered out.

As I remained frozen with a bewildered expression, he tilted his head and muttered.

“Ah… could it be. Lady Celynne?”

“…”

“…Wasn’t it Celynne.”

I gasped and slowly got up from my position. My bottom, which had hit the floor when I fell, started to ache.

As I glanced at the man while brushing dust off my skirt, he continued muttering to himself.

“…Selvia? Cellophane? Cellulina? Celestina?”

How could he get so close yet never get it right? Unable to bear it any longer, I spoke up.

“…It’s Selene.”

“Ah, that’s right. Lady Cecilia.”

I let out a short sigh and looked at him.

The man slowly set down the book he was holding on the floor and took a step toward me.

I reflexively stepped back while watching him with wary eyes.

For some reason, he had a very interested expression, his deep black eyes gleaming in contrast to his extremely pale skin.

Soon his lips, with corners slightly turned up, parted.

“This is… more pleasant than I expected. I didn’t think I’d run into you in a place like this. We saw each other at the welcome ceremony, didn’t we?”

His speech was so slow and languid that an impatient person would clutch their chest listening to it.

“Oh my. Don’t you remember? Back then, when I showed you that fire show, you laughed so delightfully.”

What on earth was he talking about right now?

As I rolled my eyes in disbelief, he shrugged his shoulders.

“Don’t look at me with such disappointed eyes. You’re the one who entered someone else’s bedroom without permission, Lady.”

At his ridiculous words, I narrowed my brow and replied.

“Look here. This is the library.”

Despite my rather sharp voice, he showed no sign of surprise.

Instead, he just let out an annoying laugh.

“Ah, that’s right. It’s the library. But I’m using it as a bedroom, so it’s a bedroom.”

“What kind of… nonsensical talk is that?”

The man’s eyes curved as if amused. He chuckled and continued.

“Why doesn’t it make sense?”

Then he hardened his expression coldly and spoke eerily.

“…Thanks to Lady’s Father who doesn’t know a speck about employee welfare, I’ve been rotting away here for a whole week already.”

“R-rotting…?”

“Yes. I came here with high expectations because it was called the Noble Knight Order, but what am I supposed to do when the workload is exactly the same as some shabby mercenary group rolling around in the provinces?”

I flinched seeing him glaring into the air.

But he soon returned to his languid, expressionless state. Then he muttered indifferently as if annoyed.

“I don’t know if you remember, but I’m Ansun. As you can see, I’m being overworked, so please understand if I look a bit shabby.”

I looked at the pale hand that had suddenly been extended toward me and stepped back hesitantly.

A few minutes later.

“What do you think is the most important thing when it comes to work, Lady?”

At the unexpected question, I, who had been leaning against the bookshelf, looked at Ansun. He had been absorbed in something ever since encountering me.

‘…What is this, it’s not even an interview.’

But I soon counted on my fingers one by one and muttered.

“If we’re talking about what’s important in work… above all, it would be work-life balance, right?”

Then Ansun narrowed his eyes and asked.

“Work-life… what?”

I quickly came to my senses and added.

“Ah, work-life balance… it’s like the balance between work and life. Whether you can maintain your personal life while working, something like that?”

That work-life balance I couldn’t even dream of having a speck of in my previous life.

Then Ansun made an “aha” sound, though I wasn’t sure if he properly understood.

He slowly nodded and then turned toward me and said.

“That’s absolutely perfect.”

“…What is?”

“It’s perfect content to bring up to Lady’s Father when I escape from here later.”

I stared at Ansun blankly.

‘…No matter how I look at it, this person seems a bit crazy.’

From what he was saying, I roughly understood he was someone working under Father, but looking again, his appearance was also peculiar.

Especially with his disheveled gray hair and shabby robe draped over him, he looked just like…

“A caterpillar…”

At the word that unconsciously slipped out, I quickly covered my mouth with my hand.

But Ansun had already stopped rummaging through books and turned his gaze toward me.

“What did you just say…?”

“N-nothing.”

I mumbled vaguely and, feeling embarrassed, randomly picked up and opened one of the books nearby.

However, after just a few seconds, I quietly raised my head again.

I had been curious about something regarding Ansun for a while.

“…Ansun, you’re a manifester, right?”

He turned around and tilted his head. I quickly continued.

“I mean, at the welcome ceremony. You said you showed me a fire show. I-I just remembered it now. That’s an ability, isn’t it? Right?”

After pausing for a moment, he shrugged with an expressionless face.

“Well. Isn’t the word ‘ability’ a bit grandiose? Everyone calls it strange tricks or unpleasant stunts.”

“What?”

“Well, the word ‘ability’ only suits nobles, doesn’t it? It’s too much for a commoner like me…”

He smiled self-deprecatingly. Flustered, I quickly shook my head.

“Hey, what kind of talk is that? An ability is an ability, so Ansun is a manifester, and besides, Ansun handles fire!”

I had just read it in the book. The fact that while there are many manifesters who handle elements, few can handle fire.

In other words, it meant Ansun was an amazing person.

He looked at me with a strange expression and reluctantly nodded.

“Formally speaking, yes. And it’s true that I handle fire.”

I swallowed my saliva. Somehow, I understood his reaction.

The book stated that ability manifestation had been passed down through ‘royal bloodlines.’

That meant ability manifestation was a privilege of the ruling class that commoners or minor nobles couldn’t easily enjoy.

It might be different if one were a noble.

But what if a manifester appeared among commoners who couldn’t possibly have even a speck of royal blood mixed in?

Naturally, it would make the royalty look ridiculous.

It would prove that royalty wasn’t actually special at all.

‘So it seemed like commoner-born manifesters couldn’t call their abilities “abilities.”‘

What is this, it’s not like they’re Hong Gildong or something?

The shabby man before me looked pitiful for the first time.

As if noticing my gaze, he replied nonchalantly.

“I don’t really care. My ability isn’t that grandiose anyway. But probably…”

I looked at him with a puzzled expression as he suddenly trailed off.

“But what?”

However, Ansun shook his head as if it was nothing.

“…It’s nothing important.”

What, why are you stopping mid-sentence?

“Why, what is it? If it’s nothing special, just tell me.”

Ansun looked at me with my eyes sparkling brightly, then let out a sigh.

“Certainly. Your obsessive side does resemble Father.”

“What did you say?”

Me, resembling that terrifying man?

When I raised my eyebrows and glared at him, a reluctant, indifferent answer followed.

“It’s really nothing special. I was just preparing something. Though I lost it a few days ago.”

“You lost it? What?”

He stared at me intently, then raised one hand without answering. Then he gestured with his palm as if telling me to watch carefully.

Just as I was wondering what on earth he was doing, craning my neck to stare intently at his hand.

In the blink of an eye, crimson flames shot up right in front of my face.

“Ahhhhh!”

I quickly pulled back my body that had been leaning toward Ansun.

“What! Stop it!! What if there’s a fire!!”

Seeing my terrified face, he calmly closed his outstretched palm. The flames instantly died down.

The fire had been so fierce that there were slight scorch marks left on the ceiling.

While I was frozen with a shocked expression, Ansun spoke matter-of-factly.

“This is the extent of my skill, no, my ability.”

I held back the lecture that had risen to my throat and nodded for now.

“But Lady’s Father wanted something more, how should I put it, impressive.”

“Impressive, like what?”

He slowly raised his hand in the air.

Thinking he might spew fire again, I shrank back, but Ansun matter-of-factly made a ‘whoosh-‘ sound and slammed his hand to the floor.

Surprised by the contextless action for just a moment. He said.

“Like this, fireballs falling, exploding, that sort of thing. What Lady’s Father likes…”

“…?”

“Something useful for killing people in war.”

My eyes widened. But Ansun seemed unconcerned.

“So, I thought of something interesting.”

I listened intently, thinking ‘surely not.’

“What if there was a potion that could instantly amplify abilities?”

I shot up from my seat. Ansun looked up at me as if finding it strange.

“Was my idea that moving?”

“Co-continue.”

“Well, it’s nothing amazing. I just roughly estimated it. I do know a bit about drug combinations, you see.”

He shrugged and added, “Of course, that’s how I was able to come here.”

“Anyway, combining this and that, I did come up with something useful…”

“You succeeded in making it?!”

“…Yes. I did succeed. At least theoretically, with just a very small amount, it can amplify abilities…”

“How small is a small amount?!”

Ansun looked at me strangely for constantly interrupting him, then replied.

“Well, assuming 100% concentration, about one or two drops. Drinking more than that would be extremely dangerous.”

I screamed internally.

The drug Ansun had created was definitely the Tears of God I had been looking for.

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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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