The Puppet Villainess’s Splendid Rebellion - Chapter 24

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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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Chapter 24

“The holy sword of Prachatia…”

Hella tilted her head with a mysterious expression, mulling over my request. Her long navy blue nails, sparkling like the night sky, tapped against her chin.

Soon she smiled slyly, showing her dimples.

“That’s quite bold for a first transaction from a little customer who showed up out of nowhere. We do business based on trust, you see.”

“I know. But if it were something I could easily obtain, I wouldn’t have come all this way here by myself.”

Hella burst out laughing.

“Mm, that’s true too. You’re quite clever.”

I’m thirteen years old, but what’s inside is twenty.

Of course, in front of Hella who has lived for hundreds of years, that age is probably all the same.

Hella rested her chin on her hand and slowly looked me up and down with her pale moon-like eyes.

It was a probing gaze.

What exactly was this kid in front of her, where did they come from, were they worth using.

“A holy sword… You don’t look like you’d wield it yourself.”

Of course not.

‘What could I possibly do with these thin arms.’

At this point, I had never lifted anything heavier than a teaspoon. The situation had changed a bit after ten days of training, but could a body that had lived comfortably for 11 years really change that drastically?

“And most importantly…”

Her languid face suddenly turned cold in an instant.

“Little customer, you’re not a mage, are you?”

A flat, sharp voice.

My shoulders stiffened.

‘I expected this, but she figured it out right away.’

I might not know about others, but I thought Hella would notice the moment she faced me. She’s a mage who has lived for hundreds of years. She would naturally have that kind of insight.

Still, if there was one fortunate thing.

Hella at this time doesn’t know the face of ‘Princess Lorea’.

The Emperor’s efforts to keep my existence hidden from the outside worked as unexpected luck.

If she had known I was the princess?

This mage would have torn me into thousands of pieces without a second thought.

That’s when it happened.

Whooom-

With a faint vibration, goosebumps spread across the back of my neck.

I could tell without bothering to look back.

Sinister and threatening magic power was aimed at my neck.

‘…’

My heart pounded.

It would be a lie to say I wasn’t scared. But if I showed fear here, it would be over.

“Will you answer me?”

Hella was smiling sweetly as if she hadn’t just turned cold and hardened her face.

But I knew.

That this magic could tear me apart in an instant if I made one wrong move – it was an instant death spell.

“This is a place that cannot be entered unless you’re a mage. Little customer, you seem to know that too, so how were you able to come all the way here?”

If I don’t answer properly, I’ll die.

Just how many times has my life been threatened in a single month?

Carlos threatened me, Vincent threatened me, and now even Hella.

‘I suppose this is karma too, if it is karma.’

Having such subtle thoughts, I steadied my breathing.

I couldn’t let her hear my voice trembling.

“That’s exactly the ‘price’ I’ll offer you.”

I spoke as calmly as possible.

“There’s exactly one flaw in the perfect trading post you created.”

Hella’s trading method was simple.

If you want something, you give an equivalent price for it.

Whether it’s information, objects, or people.

Of course, the most effective would be purification stones that control magic power, but that was my last resort weapon, so I couldn’t use it carelessly here.

‘Excluding purification stones, there’s no more certain price than this.’

Nothing was reflected in Hella’s pale white eyes.

So I couldn’t gauge at all what she was thinking.

Whether she was feeling interested, or if she was just going to kill me.

A tense silence flowed for a while.

One second felt like one minute.

Eventually, Hella leaned back against the sofa.

At the same time, I felt the overwhelming magic power that had been aimed at my neck being withdrawn.

‘…Phew.’

I survived.

A sigh of relief almost escaped, but I held it back.

“Good. Our little customer is cleverer than I thought.”

Her violet hair flowed smoothly between my fingers.

“Payment is upfront. You know that, right?”

“Of course.”

I took out the pendant necklace from inside my robe and removed it.

As I did, I felt Carlos’s magic power that had been spread throughout my body withdraw, and my hair and eyes returned to their original colors.

“…Hmm?”

For the first time, puzzlement appeared on Hella’s face.

And rightfully so, since changing one’s appearance with artifacts was magic so common it was everywhere. There was no way such a simple disguise magic could hide one’s presence from Demian or allow recognition of an entrance protected by Hella’s high-level magic.

But the magic within the artifact Carlos had given me wasn’t just disguise magic.

I placed the pendant on the table and spoke.

“This is an artifact made using a special method.”

Hella’s eyes fixed on the pendant.

“The caster’s magic power is heavily condensed, so when worn, the magic seeps into the body’s interior. It can spread the caster’s magic throughout the wearer’s body to simultaneously provide disguise and protection.”

Even as I explained it, I found it fascinating.

I had learned of this magic’s existence before my regression, just before completely destroying Carlos.

He had used the exact same method to hide Demian’s presence and send him to Hella.

I had demolished this Moonlight Trading Post to chase after him.

‘…I didn’t expect Carlos to use this magic for me too.’

His unusually tired-looking face came to mind.

His pale complexion. How he never showed any sign of being tormented by dark magic. His back as he sent me off without saying a word.

Somehow, my chest felt heavy.

‘I’ll definitely repay you someday.’

Hella picked up the artifact I had offered and examined it with an interested gaze. She turned it this way and that, sent magic power through it.

A few seconds later, she nodded as if she completely understood.

“There shouldn’t be any gaps in my magic. This is an unexpected loophole.”

She looked at me.

“I don’t know who made this artifact, but they must have considerable skill.”

‘Carlos Carter.’

Of course, I didn’t say that out loud.

Hella placed the artifact back down.

“Alright, this is sufficient payment. I’ll accept the deal.”

Yes…!

Unable to contain my joy, I almost wiggled my hips and let out a cheer.

That was close.

I barely held back.

“How cute.”

…But Hella was smiling knowingly.

Did she catch all of that?

I hurriedly pressed my lips tightly together.

‘How embarrassing…’

Hella tapped the armrest of the sofa.

Her attitude was more relaxed than before. It was hard to believe this was the same person who had seemed ready to kill me just moments ago.

“As our clever little customer probably already knows, Prachatia’s holy sword isn’t something even I can obtain immediately.”

She said.

“You do know what a ‘holy sword’ is, don’t you, our customer?”

“I wouldn’t have come looking for it without knowing.”

That’s exactly why I came.

I put the necklace back on and answered calmly.

The holy sword of the First Sword Master, passed down only in legends.

A sacred relic with its own consciousness that, upon recognizing its master, synchronizes with their soul to draw out maximum power.

At the same time.

Before my regression, it was also the weapon that Demian had obtained at the cost of one of his eyes, after enduring the Emperor’s persistent sabotage.

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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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