The Abandoned Villainess Takes Everything This Time - Chapter 95

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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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95.

Did I hear that wrong?

Lillian frowned as she watched the back of the woman being dragged away by the Holy Knights.

‘She’s changed?’

‘What’s changed? Me?’

From that pathetic appearance when I was kicked out of the temple before?

…I have changed since then.

But Lillian whispered to the Shadow who had accompanied her today.

“Sir Jeanne.”

“Yes, Miss?”

“Go down to the prison with the Holy Knights and stay there.”

“…! Yes, understood.”

Normally, external soldiers couldn’t freely roam the Temple Prison.

But since this was a situation where she had almost been framed by a priest, no one would stop Lillian from sending surveillance.

‘That’s settled then.’

Lillian turned to look at the other members of her party.

Iris, who had been confident when entering the temple…

Had a face that looked like she was about to burst with frustration.

Lillian pointed to the case containing the real ‘Crystal of Purification.’

“Yes, the real holy relic was here.”

“H-how do you know this…”

“Well, I was once part of Tillard too? Where a priest who receives money from my family hides things and such.”

“That’s a lie…!”

Well, yes. But it’s true that my family did give him money.

‘I made the real Crystal of Purification from a different gem.’

Lillian caressed the jewel.

The gem part, which had originally glowed with a subtle green light, now shone even brighter.

“Ah…!”

“As expected…”

“Dark magic, indeed it’s nonsense before the title bestowed by the Creator God.”

Sounds of relief and hushed gasps of admiration could be heard from around them.

Lillian held out the case to Iris.

“Here, check it.”

“…!”

Iris touched the Crystal of Purification with trembling hands.

It didn’t turn red.

But the sound of priests deliberately clearing their throats could be heard from around them.

“How fortunate that it’s green.”

“However, the light…”

“Ahem…”

It was a less bright green than when Lillian had touched it.

A sign that her soul was less pure.

Wouldn’t it feel similar to being caught wearing dirty underwear?

The Villain took Lillian’s hand and led her away.

“Lily. Let’s go now. We didn’t originally come here to waste time on such pointless matters.”

“Yes. But wait a moment.”

Lillian turned around.

During the last Grand Cleric selection, I just glanced once and left.

But this time, I want to say something.

“Iris. Come to your senses now.”

“What?”

“Stop with the shallow scheming.”

Lillian looked directly at Iris.

She didn’t know how much she had once envied that cousin.

Pure without a speck of dust, loved by everyone, praised by all…

But the appearance of a human who was loved only for the ‘grade’ given to them without achieving anything themselves.

‘She doesn’t know what real despair is.’

So she keeps playing tricks endlessly.

She would keep repeating the act of thoughtlessly relying on others and acting without thinking.

While believing that ‘someone will help’ or ‘somehow if she tries hard enough’ it will be resolved.

‘She’s already grown to this age, so internal growth is impossible.’

But her inability to grow was her own problem.

“You’ve been using me to live comfortably all this time.”

“…!”

“Think of it as paying the price for that now, and just stop.”

Iris’s face reddened at Lillian’s direct provocation.

Because the priests and Holy Knights were watching this scene with great interest…

“Wh-when did I! Sister, no matter how upset you are, such words-.”

“I have nothing more to say to you.”

Lillian easily ignored her and looked at Kuern.

“Young Duke. Now that your business is finished, shall we go greet the Duke and your younger sibling?”

“…”

Kuern slowly nodded his head.

Lillian thought he somehow resembled the pitiful appearance of a defeated person.

But she decided not to care.

* * *

The Grand Cleric’s new quarters.

In front of Lillian, the Grand Cleric rubbed his face.

In the room were only the two of them, the Villain, and Noah guarding the door.

“Phew… It seems I commit discourtesy every time we meet, Lady Lillian.”

“Oh my. Not at all, Grand Cleric.”

Originally, after just taking office, it’s difficult to manage the old-timers in various ways.

‘Above all, it’s better for the future to have debts owed.’

And now the real topic for coming to this temple had emerged.

“‘Wings of Infinity’ was a secret remaining in the oldest manuscript of the scriptures.”

“When you say oldest-.”

“A thousand years ago, that is, it existed before the ‘White Night’ incident…”

“…!”

That long ago?

To bring up stories heard in history class now.

‘That was called the complete age of barbarism.’

There were quite a few problems between Ability Users and Controllers.

Since ‘contact’ was the medium of their relationship.

I’ll skip the detailed explanation.

What’s important is that eventually God punished the Ability Users to that extent.

“The night when the Creator God sent down lightning bolts across the entire Empire, turning the night sky white.”

“….”

“The Central Temple could not avoid those lightning bolts either. The scriptures everyone recites now were newly compiled by scholars after that incident.”

“And my grade was omitted from the new scriptures because it hadn’t appeared once in a thousand years.”

“Correct. It would be hard to believe, wouldn’t it.”

The Grand Cleric’s eyes gleamed.

So brightly….

“One who can control all ability users…! Truly a being who reigns above all others.”

“….”

The Holy Knight Commander’s fervent gaze poured forth.

I could naturally feel the villain sitting beside me becoming very tense.

‘…This is burdensome….’

My life of seeking exile and self-realization through design seemed to pale in comparison.

‘But did that boy who killed my parents also know my grade?’

I felt confident that was highly likely.

“Grand Cleric. Do you happen to know about an ability that completely erases people’s memories?”

“…Completely?”

“Yes. Not just erasing, but perfectly filling in the before and after circumstances—.”

That ability that made me not question the premise that my parents, who were from one of the Five Ducal Houses, were ‘killed by mere bandits’….

And not just targeting me alone, but all of the Five Great Families at that time….

“Lily.”

“….”

“Lily, what’s wrong.”

“…Wait.”

Lillian suddenly felt a sense of déjà vu.

Had she missed something?

Among all the people she had met so far.

It seemed like there was someone she had passed by without suspicion to a strange degree…?

But then a signal burst from the emergency communication artifact the villain carried.

– Your Highness! Miss!

“…!”

It was contact from Sir Jeanne.

And before the knight’s report could continue further.

Everyone already present sprang to their feet.

* * *

Iris’s cheeks burned hot and she couldn’t bear it.

Since the Tillard family had made enormous donations to the temple, they didn’t stop her from going to the prison.

But she couldn’t help but notice that the Holy Knights’ gazes were different from before….

‘It’s all because of Lillian.’

How could she expose private matters like that?

Family affairs, so casually!

‘Now when we leave, I’m the only one who’ll get blamed?’

But on the way there, Kuern suddenly stopped.

And he signaled to the guards to keep a certain distance.

“Brother? Why are you sending people away?”

“Just why did you do such a thing.”

“Pardon?”

“Why on earth did you.”

Veins bulged on Kuern’s clenched fist.

“Why didn’t you tell me first that Priest Belliel was planning to use such a holy relic?”

“…!”

“How dare you insult my parents? The parents of a young duke—!”

“It was unavoidable if we wanted to find out what was suspicious about Lillian!”

“You—!”

“It’s not like Lillian could become your sister at this point anyway!”

“…!”

Kuern looked as if he had been struck.

“Grandfather personally drove Lillian out, and you didn’t even try to stop it.”

“Ugh….”

“So now, does it look like you have any choice other than me?”

No, of course not.

Iris headed toward the prison, thoroughly annoyed.

‘I won’t let this slide, Belliel!’

I trusted him. A trustworthy good person in this cruel world! But how could he…!

‘At least it’s fortunate that he said this incident wasn’t connected to me!’

Still, she would give him a piece of her mind about handling things so carelessly.

But as she got closer to the underground prison, Iris felt something was off.

“…?”

Creeeeeeak….

Why was there a sound that shouldn’t be heard from the temple’s depths….

The floor that had been white just moments ago began to be stained with sticky black tar.

It was part of a demon’s body seeping through the door cracks.

Iris hastily stepped back.

“Gasp…!”

In an instant, the underground prison door burst open.

A writhing mass of rotting purple flesh squirmed before her eyes.

But the demon spoke into her mind.

Hmm? I see her here.

Wasn’t she a saint last time?

But why does she look so miserable now?

“…!?”

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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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