The Abandoned Villainess Takes Everything This Time - Chapter 168

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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168.
Kuern knew he looked pathetic. Yet tears gathered in his eyes.
He had lived believing it was only natural he would become Duke Tillard.
“How is this…?”
The vassals hadn’t even considered him a candidate.
Lillian already sat in the Family Head’s seat with an odd escort, claiming it boldly.
There was no place for Kuern.
Still, he clung desperately to the hope.
“Without T-Tarandia’s approval, how could this—”
When neither the Emperor nor the Princes had given their consent!
But those around him shook their heads in dismissal.
“When His Majesty is absent, isn’t that precisely the exception? And you didn’t even know that.”
“What could we do? He lived as a minor lord his entire life—did you expect him to be sane?”
“…He even participated in foul play during the trials.”
Kuern Tillard’s chances at comeback were now completely finished.
Before the watchful eyes of the Sacred Family and several house leaders, Duke Tillard removed his crude ring.
His hand trembled with fury and betrayal.
With this, even Elrik Tillard’s dukedom came to an end.
And the moment Lillian slipped on the Family Head’s ring,
it shone more brilliantly than any Family Head had worn before.
As though announcing the station of the Sacred Family’s new master.
“Ooooh…!”
Those watching gasped in reverent awe.
A new Duke Tillard was being born.
Lillian composed herself and performed the proper bow.
“Thank you all. Then I shall now undertake the first duty of Duke Tillard.”
Everyone grew solemn.
The world’s annihilation and the resurrection of the future Emperor!
What a noble concern for the world’s future.
Not even calling her the greatest being in Perniers history would be excessive….
“I require your assistance to activate the Sanctum.”
Assistance!
Those listening straightened their posture.
But then—
“The sacred relics in the Temple will not suffice. I ask that each house donate all sacred relics and superior artifacts over five hundred years old.”
A moment of silence fell.
One courageous soul raised a hand.
“Holy…Holy One? If we donate, what will become of them?”
“I intend to extract their full power.”
“…!? …!?”
“To prevent the world’s annihilation and resurrect His Majesty the future Emperor.”
“…!”
“Surely you won’t call something precious in a crisis like this?”
The newly appointed Holy Duke declared lawful confiscation!
* * *
‘This should do it…!’
Lillian carried her carefully prepared supplies to the Sanctum within the Imperial Palace.
‘Activating the Sanctum requires tremendous power, they said.’
Even with herself as Family Head pouring infinite-grade control power into the Sanctum, she couldn’t predict what would happen.
‘I need insurance to keep it running even if something happens to me.’
And why should only I be acting when the world might end?
They should do something too—it’s not as though I’m the only one who’ll survive here.
But when she reached the Sanctum, which resembled a clearing, certainty bloomed within her.
‘This is it. This is right.’
Everything had led to this moment.
‘I can do this!’
And yet….
Lillian spoke casually to Evren.
“What will become of you?”
“You don’t need to worry about me.”
“But—”
“Lillian, you won’t lose anything more.”
…Then why do you have the eyes of someone saying goodbye?
‘But I should start with what must be done.’
Lillian laid out the ‘offerings’—or rather, the ‘donated’ sacred relics—across the clearing.
Then she added her power and prayed desperately.
“Divine One.
I beg you.
Grant me a way to fix everything.
Light began emanating from the Sanctum.
It was akin to divine power, yet far surpassed it with an overwhelming, refreshing brilliance.
And then—
“Look there!”
“A tree…?”
A semi-transparent tree appeared in the space people were pointing at.
And with it came a voice—faint and faltering, as though its strength were fading.
Lillian.
…For a moment, Lillian thought her ears had deceived her.
Lillian.
But when that voice called out again, she realized it wasn’t an illusion.
The very foundation of Perniers itself was speaking to her!
‘The Creator God really is…! But why can only I hear it?’
The others were staring at her too.
Mostly in shock, their eyes and mouths agape.
In my stead….
And so you shall gain all that you desire this time.
“…!”
The moment the voice ceased, the light rising from the Sanctum’s earth intensified tenfold.
“Ahhh…!”
The brightness was blinding—
‘But is this truly the end?’
Can I save him?
“Ren…?”
Yet when her eyes opened—
“Caught you!”
Someone seized Lillian’s arm with a vicious grip.
And it hurt terribly.
What?
“A Controller!”
“We found another Controller here! Drag them out!”
What is this?
* * *
‘Where did the Sanctum and the Imperial Palace go?’
Lillian was being dragged through a forest by unfamiliar knights who held both her arms.
But in a world of Ability Users, losing focus meant death.
As she was dragged along, Lillian quickly surveyed her surroundings.
‘What is this?’
I’m not the only one being dragged out from hiding in the forest.
Screams continued echoing from all directions.
“Let go of me!”
“Ahhh!”
“Please, I’m not a Controller!”
Countless people—regardless of gender or age—were being dragged out by the knights.
‘Knights in the Sacred Family’s uniform are doing this?’
More than that…why wasn’t Divine Punishment being levied?
In a situation like this, at least one person should be reduced to blackened coal.
‘Surely not…. It can’t be….’
Then one knight lifted Lillian’s chin with the hilt of his sword.
“Hmm. This offering is quite promising?”
“….”
“Want to live? Then beg a little—Ugh!?”
She didn’t know what he wanted her to beg for.
Lillian had driven her control power like an awl straight through the man’s crown.
‘My control power came back anyway.’
Those days when her offensive power had bottomed out were over, and as for compatibility ratings?
‘I can make it work across the board now!’
Lillian brought her control power crashing down around the knights.
The area descended into chaos at once, and the captured people began fleeing in panic.
“What is—!”
“It’s her! Seize that woman!”
Damn, they’re quick.
There are too many of them—I need to assess the situation better!
‘Where do I run? Back into the forest?’
But before she could dash into the dark woodland,
“Ugh!”
The knights struck her back with their abilities.
“Caught—!”
But what they would say next could never be known.
One by one, they collapsed with half their bodies simply…gone.
“Hm.”
Lillian bit her lip at the gruesome sight.
The earth beneath her feet was turning white with blood….
“Your Highness.”
Evren was here too.
Before she could feel relief, her spine went rigid with cold.
He moved toward the knights, who still had breath trembling through their bodies.
But this wasn’t a clean death by Annihilation.
He was wielding his ability with cruel precision, like someone methodically plucking the limbs from an insect.
“Aaaaah!”
“P-please…save me…!”
Lillian’s breath caught at the horrific spectacle.
“Your Highness, Your Highness. Wait. Stop!”
Lillian grabbed the man with desperate strength.
“Step back, Lillian. Step back.”
His breathing was ragged with agitation, and though a mask hid his face, his eyes burned crimson.
He spoke in fitful bursts.
“If I don’t protect you here…”
“You’ll lose control!”
“Ha…!”
“Calm yourself. It’s all right.”
Lillian pulled him closer, holding him tight.
His body felt ready to burst with heat.
He seemed to be trembling too.
“…Really, it’s fine. It’s different from when I nearly died at the hands of heretics.”
“….”
“I’m alive, see? No burn marks.”
Lillian cradled his face in both hands.
“You just saved me.”
“….”
“I’m not dead.”
Only then did he slowly regulate his breathing.
“…Right. You…you’re not dead.”
Lillian patted his back in silence.
He does horrible things and frightening things often, yet somehow he wounds her heart in the strangest ways.
“…But Your Highness. When you activate the Sanctum, does it always work this way?”
Honestly, she’d thought that simply running it would restore Ren’s body and fix the distorted world in one go.
He frowned, seeming equally surprised.
“The Creator God seems to want something from you.”
“From me…?”
“It appears it can only grant its power once you fulfill that request.”
“….”
Actually, I did have a strange premonition about something like this….
First, Lillian examined the uniforms of the fallen.
Perniers’ clothing style doesn’t change much in general.
But—
‘These are all decorations from an era far older.’
More than that, seeing how Ability Users show no fear of touching Controllers casually….
“We seem to have fallen back one thousand years.”
To the most savage age in all of Perniers’ history.

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