I’m a Villain, but I Want to Live a Long Life - Chapter 82

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

“Did you make the remark ‘trash of Erbia’ to Seleneae Tigris?”

 

The judge said while staring at Meg. A cold silence descended upon the courtroom.

 

Meg trembled with her head deeply bowed, and blue veins bulged over Duke Belmart’s fists.

 

“I need to verify the facts regarding the accusation. Lady Meg Klein, please answer truthfully.”

 

“….”

 

“Did you make the remark ‘trash of Erbia’ to Seleneae Tigris? Furthermore, did you disparage the achievements that Tigris established in the last war as ‘past glory’?”

 

When the words she had personally uttered emerged from the judge’s mouth, Meg’s complexion became even worse than before.

 

The silence dragged on. The Emperor cleared his throat as if frustrated.

 

The judge glanced at the Emperor with a troubled expression and urged Meg.

 

“Lady Klein, I ask again. You may not know about other things, but you must answer this. Did you really say to Lady Seleneae at the recent charity event….”

 

“Yes, I did!”

 

Everyone’s gaze turned to Meg at her sharp outcry.

 

I also looked at her.

 

Her somehow strange expression caught my eye.

 

Her face looked both terrified and extremely angry.

 

She glanced at me and said.

 

“Fine, it’s all fine! I’ll answer that I did what I did. But if there’s something unfair, I won’t hold back and will speak up too!”

 

She was far too confident for someone being interrogated.

 

To show such an attitude before the Emperor—a short sigh escaped my lips.

 

The judge seemed equally bewildered.

 

“…Do so. No one will stop you from that.”

 

He began frantically writing something on the documents before him with a pen nib full of ink.

 

‘He seems to be recording that attitude.’

 

That shameful display of showing no sign of remorse and instead lashing out at the judge.

 

Perhaps noticing this, Duke Belmart, who sat beside Meg, also let out a deep sigh.

 

After fuming by herself for a while, Meg opened her mouth again in a loud voice.

 

“I really wanted to win at this charity event! I prepared a lot because I was so earnest, and you have no idea how much effort I put into every single detail! But….”

 

Meg Klein trailed off. Then she glared at me and muttered.

 

“I was annoyed that she completely stole my spotlight at the charity event, so words I didn’t mean came out. I’m human too, so I can find someone annoying, can’t I? Besides, Seleneae Tigris had previously ruined a tea party I hosted!”

 

The judge made a hmm sound and questioned Meg.

 

“Can you explain in detail what happened?”

 

“What happened? Lady Seleneae simply embarrassed me, the party host. It was a minor dispute, but I was hurt.”

 

“What kind of embarrassment?”

 

“She openly defended some beggar family… oh, no, a lady from a humble noble house, making me look ridiculous. I was already upset with Lady Seleneae over that incident, and unfortunately, another unpleasant situation arose at this charity event.”

 

“So it was merely an impulsive action driven by emotion?”

 

Meg lifted her head proudly and said.

 

“That’s right. Exactly that. While it’s true I spoke harshly, I don’t truly think the Tigris family is that lowly.”

 

At Meg’s testimony, the judge again wrote something on the parchment.

 

I inwardly sighed and calmly watched the scene.

 

‘How is the repertoire exactly the same in both my past life and here.’

 

The way she commits a crime then excuses it as an impulsive action.

 

When I glared at Meg, she raised her voice and looked at me.

 

“Why, why are you looking at me like that?! What I’m saying is right! Besides, Lady Seleneae also raised her voice at me in the mediation room earlier…!”

 

But Meg stopped mid-sentence and closed her mouth. I was about to remain silent but changed my mind.

 

“Lady Klein. Please continue. Tell us why I raised my voice at you.”

 

When I asked calmly, Meg bit her lips tightly.

 

Everyone observing the trial was looking at us.

 

“Th-that!”

 

Meg glared at me venomously without speaking.

 

“…It’s nothing. I was mistaken.”

 

I made an ‘I knew it’ expression while watching Meg, who eventually turned her head away sharply.

 

The reason Meg stopped speaking was obvious.

 

To explain why I raised my voice in the mediation room, she would have to reveal what she had done as well.

 

But if the fact that she hired an errand boy was revealed, the trial would naturally flow unfavorably for her.

 

Meg was clearly worried about that, even at a glance.

 

Then, perhaps beginning to grasp the situation, Meg half-rose from her seat.

 

“…Yes, yes. It’s all my fault. I didn’t do it on purpose, but anyway, if my actions hurt Lady Seleneae’s feelings, I should apologize. I’m sorry.”

 

She looked around and muttered incoherently as if frightened.

 

“If you want me to pay compensation, I will. If you want any other form of reparation, I’ll consider all of that positively too. Isn’t that enough?”

 

Meg looked at the judge with desperate eyes.

 

She seemed quite eager to cover up this attack incident.

 

“Both Tigris and Belmart belong to the Four Ducal Houses that support Erbia. I don’t think there’s any need to unnecessarily escalate such an unpleasant matter. I was foolish, and it’s all my mistake. So let’s wrap up today’s proceedings here….”

 

“What do you mean wrap up.”

 

When I tilted my head sideways and spoke, Meg closed her mouth and looked at me with confused eyes.

 

An awkward silence continued in the courtroom.

 

The Emperor made a coughing sound with a troubled face, alternately looking at Duke Belmart and my father.

 

I rolled up the sleeves of the new dress Anna had put on me without hesitation.

 

Reddish bruises spread across various parts of one arm were revealed.

 

The Emperor’s eyes widened, perhaps unaware that my body had been injured.

 

The gallery where several nobles and attendants sat was also becoming noisy.

 

I gestured at the bruises and slowly opened my mouth.

 

“We should also talk about how you bribed the coachman and nearly killed me.”

 

Then I pointed toward the courtroom door.

 

“And also about how that person received money under the table.”

 

Simultaneously, the door burst open and Nicolaus Zelbero, bound by the imperial knights, stumbled in as if collapsing.

 

He fell flat on the floor from the hands pushing him from behind.

 

I stood up abruptly.

 

“I will formally file charges here!”

 

Then I glanced at Father beside me. Father also quietly rose from his seat.

 

“…That is correct.”

 

Father looked at me once, then added.

 

“We accuse Privy Council Chairman Nicolaus Zelbero of insulting His Majesty the Emperor and embezzling the Empire’s tax money.”

 

The Emperor, Belmart, and Meg froze as if they had become statues.

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

The Emperor spoke in a deeply subdued voice.

 

“Embezzling palace money? The Chairman? No, wait… before that, who bribed the coachman? Nearly killed Lady Tigris?”

 

Seeing the Emperor’s eyebrows twitch, I swallowed nervously.

 

I turned to look at Nicolas, whose expression was changing by the moment.

 

At first, he looked as if he didn’t understand, then his face colored with anger before gradually turning pale.

 

“Nicolas. You couldn’t have….”

 

The Emperor rose from his seat as if he couldn’t believe it.

 

“Did you really embezzle national funds for personal gain?”

 

“Y-Your, Your Majesty….”

 

Nicolas trembled violently while glancing at me.

 

“Answer me!”

 

The next moment, the Emperor’s thunderous roar struck down in the courtroom.

 

Duke Belmart and Meg also stared at Nicolas with wide eyes.

 

“Th-that’s not….”

 

I looked at Nicolas, who was trembling all over, then took a breath.

 

It seemed I would have to explain the situation.

 

But just as I was about to rise from my seat, Father lightly grasped my shoulder.

 

“Selene. You don’t need to struggle anymore.”

 

Father murmured quietly enough that only I could hear.

 

I tilted my head, not understanding what he meant, when suddenly people dressed in the Tigris Family’s formal uniforms came flooding through the open courtroom doors.

 

A woman wearing glasses who stood at the very front looked at the judge and spoke.

 

“We’ve come as the young lady’s legal representatives. Where should we sit?”

 

The judge’s eyes widened as he stammered with his lips.

 

Behind the legal team, another familiar face entered.

 

“Wa, Walter Levy?”

 

The judge muttered.

 

Walter Levy—there were countless words that could describe him.

 

The youngest person to pass the Imperial Palace administrative exam with top honors.

 

A genius who received countless scouting offers from royalty and nobility of other nations but chose to make his nest in Tigris.

 

An extraordinary figure with exceptional knowledge of warfare and military science, who helped Aleon Tigris, who had stood at the vanguard in the last war, achieve victory wherever they went.

 

He was only seventeen years old at that time.

 

“I greet His Majesty the Emperor.”

 

Walter, who finished greeting the Emperor with textbook-perfect posture, spoke.

 

“I have brought evidence of the atrocities committed by those who dared attempt to assassinate my young lord.”

 

Walter made eye contact with me.

 

Soon, documents piled up like mountains began streaming into the courtroom entrance one after another.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————