I’m a Villain, but I Want to Live a Long Life - Chapter 87

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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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I, who had been lying on the bed like a corpse, quickly walked to the window upon hearing the commotion outside.

When I opened the window and stuck my head out, I could see dozens of carriages passing through the main gate in a line, just as expected.

I immediately spun around.

Then I hastily put on mismatched slippers and rushed out the door.

After passing the stairs and opening the door, I finally saw Father.

“Father!”

Father dismounted from his horse and watched me running toward him with a smile.

“Selene. Are you feeling better now?”

At those words, I made a tearful face and shouted.

“I’ve been fine for ages! More importantly, did you go to Ruden Island?! You only told me you were going somewhere for a bit!”

As I stamped my feet, Father laughed awkwardly and cleared his throat.

“You were sick then. If I had told you the truth, you would have worried for sure.”

“Did you really leave because of the sacred relic?”

Father avoided my gaze. Then he said sheepishly.

“Well, following the Emperor’s command while also taking care of other matters…”

I looked at Father with suspicious eyes. Father laughed as if he couldn’t help it and opened his mouth.

“Selene. You know that after the last war ended, the invaders who were driven out of the Empire fled to Ruden Island.”

“I know. They’ve been occupying the island without permission…”

“Right. Those we call barbarians are exactly those people. As you said, they took root on Ruden Island, and the Emperor has never been pleased about that.”

“Is it because he’s worried they might cross the sea again and invade Erbia?”

“That might be part of it, but he probably just wanted to give them a proper scare at least once. Just in case.”

I nodded, recalling what I had read in history books.

The Erbia Empire was a country where civil wars frequently broke out until just 20 years ago.

The civil wars were caused by tribal states that controlled the northern regions of the continent at the time, countries that hadn’t been integrated when the Empire was founded.

They repeatedly invaded the Erbia Empire’s territory and carried out indiscriminate attacks.

But whenever the Imperial army moved to suppress them, they would quickly retreat and hide behind the Cursed Land.

Finding and punishing them was never an easy task.

Combat in the Cursed Land was considered extremely dangerous.

Father and Duke Laurent also had to participate in the war immediately after graduating from the Academy because of this.

Fortunately, the war ended exactly three years later.

It was all thanks to Father, Duke Laurent, and the Former Emperor turning the stagnant battle situation completely around.

Afterward, most of the tribal states declared surrender.

‘After that, I know they fled by ship to an island called Ruden in the east.’

Without returning the sacred relics they had stolen during the war. But with the news of victory, the existence of the stolen sacred relics was quickly forgotten.

The Empire was in a festive mood, and Father was undoubtedly considered the hero of victory.

‘No wonder Tigris’s military prowess became famous even overseas.’

I nodded inwardly and asked Father.

“So did you fight the barbarians on Ruden Island?”

Father shook his head.

“No. We just stormed into their center and took out only the sacred relics.”

“…Is that possible?”

“It wasn’t difficult at all.”

I stared blankly at Father speaking so matter-of-factly, then turned my gaze toward the cargo compartment of the carriages behind him.

The cargo compartment was filled with ancient books that looked old at first glance.

“Could those be…?”

“Right. Those are the ancient books they were carefully enshrining as sacred relics. I didn’t know exactly which ones were the sacred relics, so I swept them all up.”

“All of them…”

I trailed off with a surprised expression.

Father chuckled and gently patted my head.

“Unlike you, I don’t have the ability to recognize sacred relics.”

Just then, servants who came out of the manor swarmed over and began carrying the ancient books from the carriages inside.

I watched this scene and tilted my head.

‘The pendant glowed and made sounds though.’

Among the numerous books, there didn’t seem to be any ancient book that gave off a particularly special aura.

‘Could it be that none of these are it?’

I pondered with a serious expression, then soon shrugged my shoulders.

Whether there were sacred relics among those or not, I planned to have a meal first and then slowly investigate.

Just then, Anna appeared at the entrance of the manor.

“Miss! Master! The meal is ready!”

Since it was the day the knight order returned, the kitchen had been busy since morning. It seemed lunch was already prepared.

“Let’s go quickly, Father.”

When I said with a smile, Father nodded.

We walked side by side toward the dining hall.

When we entered the dining hall, all kinds of delicacies were already laid out on the table.

I naturally sat right next to Father and said.

“Oh, the Academy entrance exam notification came.”

Father stopped lifting his fork and looked at me.

“A notification?”

“Yes. It’s scheduled to be held in winter. The location is… the Tower of Wisdom in the Academy jurisdiction, I think?”

Father nodded.

“I see. The entrance exams are usually held there.”

As Father said, it was common for Rision Academy’s entrance exams to be held in winter.

Students who passed the exam would be assigned dormitories and could enroll in spring.

The educational program lasted a total of three years, but early graduation was possible for students with excellent grades.

“I’m not sure if I’ll be able to do well.”

I muttered while taking a bite of soft bread spread with butter.

“Estelin is already so famous, and Rosette has already developed her ability. Compared to them, my ability is…”

Although it was a supposedly useful protection-type ability, it wasn’t really mine, and I had no proper information about the exam.

“Besides, I heard the difficulty is extremely hard…”

I glanced at Father.

From what I had gathered so far, the high nobles here took Academy admission for granted.

That meant if someone failed to enter the Academy, they would be treated almost like an incompetent person.

‘If I fail, there will definitely be talk about how I brought shame to the name of the Four Ducal Houses, or how all my previous achievements were just a bubble.’

I didn’t want to destroy the reputation I had worked so hard to build.

When I sighed with eyes full of worry, Father laughed softly and said.

“You’ll do well. Even if the results aren’t good, it doesn’t matter.”

“Still, I don’t want to bring shame to the family name.”

“Seleneae.”

I, who had been answering weakly, looked up at the sound of Father calling me.

Father was looking at me with a gentle smile.

“You’re already a hero of Tigris.”

“Pardon?”

“Whatever you do, it won’t bring shame to the family name.”

As I froze, not understanding, Father smiled and said.

“The Emperor granted us the rights to develop trade routes connecting the Kingdom of Tassen and Erbia.”

At those words, my eyes widened.

“Is, is that really true?”

“Yes. The King of Tassen also agreed. He said he thought well of you at the last thanksgiving festival.”

The Kingdom of Tassen was a country bordering Erbia, very rich in resources.

However, the reason there had been no trade route until now was because Tassen’s previous king had been hostile toward Erbia all this time.

But a few years ago, a young current king ascended to the throne, and unlike his predecessor, he treated Erbia favorably.

Thanks to this, Erbia’s nobles were constantly watching for opportunities to create and monopolize trade routes with Tassen.

Duke Belmart was a prime example.

“There were many people eyeing it, weren’t there?! They were all big shots! But how did you manage to…”

“The King of Tassen wanted exclusive rights to the ability enhancement potion you developed.”

At those words, my mouth slowly fell open.

“Th-that’s not a bad deal, is it?”

“Not bad at all. Rather, it’s an extremely advantageous deal. While you were sick, we’ve already begun the pioneering business.”

I recalled Walter, who had been wandering around the manor with dark circles under his eyes lately.

‘I wondered why he looked so tired even though the thanksgiving festival was over!’

I put down my fork and shouted with an extremely excited face.

“That’s really great! Did you receive the contract money too?”

“Yes. They said they’d pay our family a total of 200,000 gerum.”

My mouth fell wide open as I frantically worked the calculator in my head.

One gerum here had a value similar to 50,000 won in Korea.

So 200,000 gerum would be…

As a bright smile spread across my face, Father spoke in a gentle voice.

“I’ve deposited it all in the Imperial Bank under your name.”

I jumped up in surprise at the unexpected words.

“Ten billion… no, 200,000 gerum under my name?”

“Yes. It’s money you earned with your own strength.”

Frozen in place, I calculated in my head several times. My face soon turned comically distorted.

Ten billion.

‘I earned ten billion? Really ten billion?’

For some reason, my throat felt dry and my nose tingled.

I remembered the past days when I had stayed up all night running around busily.

‘Studying the world setting, monitoring the temple’s movements – how hard it’s been. The overwork paid off more than in my previous life, didn’t it?’

As I sat there with my mouth agape, moved to tears, Father tilted his head.

“You seem very proud. It’s only 200,000 gerum.”

I, who had been tearing up, froze.

Did he just say ‘only’?

Calling ten billion ‘only’?

As I stiffened with a face that showed I couldn’t understand, Father picked up his knife again and said.

“Well, it is your first time holding that much cash rather than land or buildings.”

I couldn’t take my eyes off Father, who had calmly resumed his meal.

Land or buildings. Father had definitely just said ‘land or buildings.’

I asked in a trembling voice.

“…Do, do I have buildings under my name?”

Father, who had stopped eating and raised his head, narrowed his eyes.

“What are you talking about? The entire main street in the estate’s commercial district belongs to you.”

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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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