I’m a Villain, but I Want to Live a Long Life - Chapter 98

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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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“Is this right? Seriously?”

Rosette asked worriedly as she followed behind me, passing through the trees.

“A-are you sure, Selene? What if we encounter dangerous beasts in the forest? I don’t think this is a good idea.”

I stopped walking and turned around to look at Rosette and Estelin.

“Didn’t you see on the way here?”

Both their eyes widened.

“See what?”

“The ground was covered with rocks and caves everywhere.”

Estelin, who had been staring at me blankly, widened her eyes.

“I saw them!”

“There’s no space to block the wind over there, so it would actually be harder to stay. The temperature will drop sharply at night—do you think you could sleep among all those students?”

Estelin shook her head. I smiled and added,

“And also. Within the Academy jurisdiction, the forest would actually be safer.”

Rosette tilted her head and asked back,

“The forest is safer?”

“The Academy’s surrounding jurisdiction is always patrolled. There won’t be any dangerous creatures or monsters. Plus, with such tight security, there’s no chance of outside intruders, so in some ways it might be the safest place in the entire Empire.”

Rosette’s eyes grew wider and wider. She nodded with a dazed expression.

“Now that you mention it, that’s true. Even carriages can’t enter the Academy jurisdiction freely. And we didn’t see a single rabbit or deer on the way here.”

“Right. That means there’s no food chain. And look over there.”

When I gestured toward the direction we came from, Rosette and Estelin turned their heads following my fingertip.

Between the Creda trees.

In the front yard of the central building, now visible in the distance, a visibly chaotic situation was unfolding.

“Move! Our group already claimed this spot!”

“Anyone would think you own this garden. If you take up so much space, what are other people supposed to do?!”

“Really now. Then you should have claimed a spot faster. You probably won’t even pass the exam anyway… Why don’t you just go home?”

“What did you say? Who are you to say I’ll fail the exam! Is your ability that amazing?!”

From students fighting to claim larger areas,

Bang bang bang—

“The door won’t open! They must have locked it from inside.”

“Keep knocking. I’ve never slept outside once in my entire life!”

Bang bang—!

“Please open the door! We need to talk. There was no prior notice about camping before the exam!”

“That’s right! This is unfair. If you don’t explain properly, our noble house will formally file a petition!”

“At least let us get our luggage! Dean. Yes, we need to speak with the Dean! Hey, please open the door!”

To students boldly pounding on the central building’s door.

But the more shocking thing was something else.

“It would be best not to cross this line.”

In the very center of the garden where the grass was most lush, Hanod and Anita with her group members had set up camp.

“What kind of nonsense is that? Just six people taking up this huge space—what are the other two hundred supposed to do?!”

One student shouted in an displeased voice and approached her without hesitation.

“This is way too much! So move right now… Ugh, urgh—!”

But the student who had stepped into the area Anita had marked soon staggered back, vomiting bitter liquid.

“Cough—! Ugh! Urgh—!!”

“Loren! Are you okay?!”

Students gathered around the collapsed student with pale faces.

“I told you not to come closer.”

Anita said with a frown. Joseph, who was beside her, cleared his throat with a strange expression.

Hanod looked at Joseph with a grin.

“Your ability is quite enviable. Being able to surround the area with poison. It’ll be useful in the future.”

The students’ faces hardened.

“P-poison? You used poison on a fellow prospective student?!”

“Before being prospective students, we’re competitors. Why doesn’t everyone understand? Eliminating even one competitor here is more advantageous later.”

The students’ faces turned pale upon hearing Anita’s answer.

Then the collapsed male student gasped for breath again and covered his mouth.

“Loren! B-blood is…!”

“What should we do? We need someone who can use healing abilities!”

“I-I know how to use them!”

The garden had become a complete chaos within just a few minutes.

Hanod was watching the scene with interest while Anita sighed as if finding it pathetic.

“How could this be…”

Estelin swayed where she stood. I said in a serious voice,

“…We absolutely can’t survive over there. Frankly speaking, it wouldn’t be strange to be attacked while sleeping.”

“R-right. Once one person starts using abilities, everyone will start using abilities and the situation will become serious. If the fighting escalates…”

Rosette shuddered as if she didn’t want to imagine it. I started walking again and said,

“That’s why I said the forest would be much safer. There’s bound to be a place suitable for the three of us to stay.”

Rosette nodded and quickly followed behind me.

Estelin also reluctantly started walking, glancing back worriedly.

Bang bang bang—

Sadina frowned deeply at the noise echoing through the building.

“May. Check every single face of those bastards. I’ll accidentally blow them up!”

The middle-aged woman who had been dozing in the break room’s armchair suddenly lifted her head.

“Huh? What did you just say?”

“Those things pounding on the door demanding the Dean come out. Write down all their names.”

“Ah— I’ll do that.”

May smiled brightly and approached the window.

After looking down for a few seconds, she returned to sit in the armchair.

“Did you memorize them?”

“Yes. But aside from the students knocking on the door, there are more interesting students.”

Sadina, who had been flipping through thick application documents, looked up.

“Interesting students?”

“Three of them left the garden. They were heading north.”

Sadina shot up from her seat.

“Really?!”

“Yes. Just as you said, Professor.”

Sadina slammed the book shut with a brightened face.

“I told you! There are occasionally students like that! My goodness, how long has it been! 20 years?”

“Exactly 23 years. It’s been a while since students thought of going to the forest.”

Sadina’s eyes sparkled as she suddenly turned to May and asked,

“But where did you say they went earlier? North?”

“Yes. They were heading straight north, about 5 degrees toward the west. They seem to have remembered seeing caves in that direction on the way here.”

Sadina struck her knee with a regretful sigh.

“Oh no. They chose the direction slightly wrong. I don’t have any gifts prepared over there. Though it is nearby.”

“The gifts you prepared, Professor… Don’t tell me you leaked and hid exam questions again this year?”

Sadina nodded with a pleased expression.

“Of course! Life is an adventure. Students who endure adventures should have special rewards, shouldn’t they?”

May laughed as if she couldn’t stop her.

“What if the Dean finds out?”

“He doesn’t even come to classes anyway, so what does it matter? That Old Man is also a big problem. How does a person become less fun as time goes by?”

“Why? It seems like he doesn’t just stay cooped up in the manor like before these days.”

Sadina tilted her head.

“That old hag is wandering around outside the house?”

May answered with a bright smile.

“She seems to have gotten into plants recently. She’s absorbed in making an illustrated guide.”

“What? An illustrated guide? A plant guide at that?! Ha, hahaha—!!”

Sadina burst into laughter, clutching her stomach. After laughing for a while, she wiped the tears from her eyes and said.

“That makes sense, this area is overflowing with weeds! Meanwhile, the animals have all dried up.”

May nodded and stood up from her seat.

“She’s someone who likes to be absorbed in things, so I think she’ll finish it quickly. I’m worried about what to do if she says she wants to make an animal guide afterward.”

“What’s there to worry about? Just use this opportunity to chase her far away.”

May laughed and shook her head at the cheerful voice. Gazing out the window with a pleased expression, she casually asked.

“Do you think the students who went to the forest will find your hint?”

“Probably? When they see the hint, they’ll definitely be thrilled to death. The problem will feel as easy as chewing gum.”

“What will you do if no one except those three passes the exam?”

“Even those who don’t pass will be selected in order of highest scores, so it doesn’t matter. I’d like to fail them all if I could, but they’re telling me to fill the admission quota, so what can I do.”

May nodded.

“Still, you’re most excited about those three who escaped the garden, right?”

Sadina’s face brightened.

“Of course I’m excited! It’s been decades since kids with such guts and brains appeared. It brings back old memories.”

A bitter feeling briefly crossed Sadina’s eyes as she said this. She soon let out a sneer and opened her mouth.

“The world really has no answer. The ones you wish would hurry up and die live stubbornly, while all the decent ones die young. They were really smart kids.”

May quietly poured tea from the side table and brought it to Sadina.

Sadina, receiving the tea, shrugged her shoulders.

“Don’t worry about it. I’m just talking.”

May shook her head and spoke carefully.

“Professor, that’s not what I meant.”

Sadina looked at May as if asking what she meant. May smiled gently and gestured toward the window.

“The students who went to the forest… it’s actually Seleneae Tigris and Estelin Laurence.”

Sadina’s eyes, which had frozen for a moment, trembled slightly. She gripped her teacup tighter and asked back.

“What did you say?”

“The daughters of Hemera Tigris and Kione Laurence have come.”

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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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