The Puppet Villainess’s Splendid Rebellion - Chapter 27

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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 27

 

In the morning, the two of us headed toward the main street. To be precise, it was a picture of me trailing behind Demian as he wandered around the market. He went around the shops and bought a small amount of food for five days. A few pieces of jerky, but mostly dried fruit.

 

‘…?’

 

Dried fruit?

 

That was unexpected.

 

Was that guy the type who liked sweet things?

 

“Do you like dried fruit too, Your Grace?”

 

“It’s not for me to eat.”

 

“…Hm? Then?”

 

He looked at me with strange eyes.

 

It was an expression that said I was asking something obvious.

 

“Who else has a mouth here besides you?”

 

“…Ah, it’s for me?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Wait.

 

“How did you know I like fruit?”

 

Without even asking me.

 

This time, Demian looked me over as if truly dumbfounded.

 

“Is there an Imperial citizen who doesn’t know the preferences of Her Imperial Highness, who sweeps up fruit from across the entire continent every season?”

 

“…Aha.”

 

An exclamation escaped me.

 

‘Right, I was famous for that sort of thing.’

 

Of course, it wasn’t something I had intended.

 

Because I loved fruit so much, every season the Emperor would sweep up the most delicious and sweetest fruit from across the entire continent and gift it to me.

 

Since I couldn’t even eat it all and ended up throwing away most of it, it was really nothing more than a means to show off his affection.

 

‘Back then I thought that was love.’

 

It was bitter.

 

“If we leave now, there won’t be anywhere to rest along the way.”

 

My thoughts were interrupted by Demian’s voice.

 

“Let’s go diligently.”

 

“Yes, don’t worry.”

 

I thought he was going to pour out nagging again.

 

But this time there were no particular words.

 

Demian lifted me onto the horse first as usual, then took the reins from behind and began to ride.

 

‘…Huh?’

 

Unlike before, he was holding me firmly with both arms and legs wrapped around me.

 

It wasn’t a big deal, but somehow it felt strange.

 

‘Is he being considerate?’

 

Somehow my stomach felt ticklish.

 

Fortunately, no pursuit followed us the entire way to the West. Thanks to that, we could ride without rest.

 

While chewing on the dried fruit Demian handed me from time to time.

 

‘…It’s delicious.’

 

It wasn’t as good as fresh fruit, but it wasn’t bad.

 

It wasn’t as fresh and sweet as what I ate at the Imperial Palace, but strangely it seemed more delicious.

 

As the sun began to tilt westward, a vast plain began to spread out before our eyes. Before long, I could see small floating islands swimming in the sky above. In the distance, even a rainbow visible beyond the horizon.

 

Finally, the moment I saw the silver-gray tower rising high in the center.

 

‘…Wow.’

 

Without realizing it, my breath stopped.

 

It was a breathtakingly beautiful sight.

 

As I stared blankly at that scene, Demian lifted me down to the ground.

 

The moment my feet touched the earth, I finally came to my senses as if waking from a dream.

 

“We’ve arrived. The Mage’s Land.”

 

Unlike the capital, the West where the Mage Tower was located was cleanly protected from magic energy.

 

Come to think of it, as we got closer to the western part of the continent, I had strangely felt like I could breathe easier.

 

Seeing this scenery, everything made sense.

 

“So clear….”

 

An exclamation escaped me without realizing it.

 

How long had it been since I saw such a clear sky?

 

The capital didn’t have bad weather either, but such a clear sky was hard to find even twice a year.

 

So the sky becomes this clear when there’s no magic energy.

 

Even though it was an obvious fact, it felt refreshing.

 

Demian tied the horse to a nearby tree and slowly approached my side.

 

“What should we do now? Didn’t you say you had someone to meet? Let’s quickly take care of business and go.”

 

“…Yes.”

 

The Mage’s Land was truly a land of freedom with no borders or guards.

 

At the same time, it was also the only region on this vast continent where the Empire’s influence didn’t reach. Although there was a Mage Tower in the center of the land, unless you were a Mage Tower mage affiliated with it, most had individualistic tendencies.

 

So when you came here, there was no need to worry about the Imperial Court’s attention.

 

Of course, there are other dangers in exchange for that.

 

“Fortunately, it’s a bit away from the Mage Tower.”

 

“That’s right.”

 

“I hope it’s a mage who lives in this area. Well, mages aren’t particularly favorable toward capital nobles, but as long as they’re not Mage Tower mages, there’s an atmosphere of turning a blind eye to some extent.”

 

Demian looked around with worried eyes. His face showed no great impression even from this beautiful scenery of the Western Plains. Rather, he seemed tense if anything.

 

Recognizing that no presence could be felt in the surroundings, he spoke in a low voice.

 

“As you know, I’m one thing, but if Your Highness the Princess encounters even a Mage Tower mage, things will become troublesome.”

 

He looked particularly tense.

 

It seemed he was thinking that mages could pop out anywhere, anytime in this vast land.

 

“In that case, I alone would be overwhelmed. There’s no telling how mages might react.”

 

“Yes, I know.”

 

And the person I need to meet is.

 

“In that tower, the person I need to meet.”

 

“…What?”

 

In an instant, a dumbfounded question burst from Demian’s mouth. He seemed unable to understand my words immediately, blankly alternating between looking at my face and the silver Mage Tower my fingertip was pointing at.

 

Soon, after a few seconds, his face became terribly distorted.

 

“Are you in your right mind?”

 

“Unfortunately, I am.”

 

“You’re going to enter that place?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Wow…”

 

Demian let out a hollow laugh.

 

“Really, I had my suspicions, but this is truly maddening.”

 

The way he roughly ran his hands through his hair looked genuinely bewildered.

 

Well, I understood.

 

The Mage Tower that holds the center of the western continent.

 

The master of the Mage Tower didn’t welcome Imperial Family members. It wasn’t to the extent of being hostile, but he certainly disliked them.

 

Especially from the point when the Emperor began monopolizing the distribution of purification stones using me, he completely cut off exchanges and never showed himself outside the western continental borders even once.

 

For him now, the Imperial Family was nothing short of a thorn in his side.

 

That’s why even the greedy and cunning Emperor didn’t bother to touch this place. There was no guarantee he could survive an all-out war with the Mage Tower’s mages.

 

‘One of the few existences the Emperor fears.’

 

A princess visiting such a place?

 

From Demian’s perspective, it could only seem like madness.

 

Demian, who had been frantically messing up his hair, took a deep breath as if trying to stay calm.

 

“Still, it’s fortunate that Your Highness knows a mage there. Contact them now, and meet at a place as far from the Mage Tower as possible…”

 

“…”

 

“You do know them, right?”

 

I smiled with the most harmless expression I could muster.

 

“I’m planning to get to know them from now on.”

 

“Shit.”

 

“Oh, you cursed.”

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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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