The Puppet Villainess’s Splendid Rebellion - Chapter 65

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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 65

How exactly should I react to words like these?

It didn’t seem like something I particularly needed to apologize for, but seeing such an openly displeased reaction made me feel like I should offer an apology. Of course, even if I did apologize, Sion probably wouldn’t show a particularly pleased reaction.

After thinking for a moment, my conclusion was simple.

I should change the subject.

“Oh… right, Sion, how long are you staying here?”

“Why? Do you hate having me around?”

“Of course not.”

I waved my hands dismissively.

I don’t know why talking to a mage who’s hundreds of years old gives me the illusion of talking to an annoying girl my own age.

“It just seems like you’ve been here longer than expected. Don’t you have a lot of work to do at the Mage Tower?”

“Actually, that’s what I came to talk about.”

Just then, Sion, who had finished the treatment, looked up.

“I think I need to go soon.”

“…To the Mage Tower?”

“Yeah. The Grand Duke has improved a lot too. Like you said, I have a lot of work to do at the Mage Tower.”

Sion put down my now-clean arm and gently stroked it.

“Research on purification stones. I want to finish it quickly.”

“You’ve been doing research all this time too?”

“Yeah, I’ve been going back and forth to the Mage Tower constantly. It’s because of the purification stone research.”

“Sion…”

As a wave of emotion washed over me and I called Sion’s name with a touched voice, the boy smiled brightly and patted my head.

“I hate seeing your arm hurt.”

“Is this also for research efficiency?”

“Mm, no. This is just… I like Lorea.”

Sion smiled with an innocent face.

“You can endure it even if you miss me, right?”

“I’m not some little child… mm. Yes.”

I was about to reflexively argue back when I somehow felt something was strange and quietly nodded my head.

In front of an Archmage who’s hundreds of years old, I am a child.

“What will Lorea do while I’m gone? Just keep training?”

“No. I’m thinking about what I need to do now too.”

As soon as I recovered, I floundered briefly in the wave of training that rushed in, but now it was time for me to start moving too. I really had a mountain of things to do.

Sion lightly patted the top of my head as if he understood without me having to say anything.

“The purification stone research won’t take long. I’ll bring you results soon.”

“Thank you, Sion.”

“If you’re grateful, get hurt a little less. It makes me feel bad.”

“I’ll try.”

“Liar.”

Sion narrowed his eyes.

I’m being honest. Except for the amount I give to Carlos, there’s no need to waste it unnecessarily anymore.

However, somehow there didn’t seem to be even a bit of trust in Sion’s eyes as he looked at me.

The boy who had been staring at me for a while opened his mouth as if something had occurred to him.

“Hey, Lorea. The Emperor is also researching purification stones, right?”

“That’s right. He needs to find a raw material to replace my blood.”

He’s probably even more desperate about purification stone research by now. He failed to get me back, and now, months after my running away, the purification stones must really be running out.

‘Come to think of it, I think I heard that the amount of purification stones being released to the market is gradually decreasing.’

Lost in thought, I asked.

“But why do you ask?”

“Mm…”

Sion made a subtle expression and hummed thoughtfully. It was a face lost in some shallow contemplation.

What is it?

A strangely chilling sensation crept up from my toes.

Forgetting that I had been lying limply on the bed, I half-raised my body and asked.

“…What is it? Is there really something?”

Sion stared at me intently, then slowly shook his head.

“No. I’ll win anyway.”

Instead, he began stroking my head again. Slowly. For a long, long time.

“Lorea has nothing to worry about. So work hard on what you want to do.”

The same innocent smile as always returned.

“Don’t tell me the Emperor has created a substitute or something.”

“It’s not that.”

Sion shook his head firmly.

“Not yet.”

“…Not yet?”

My eyes widened.

“So you mean soon? That the Emperor might be able to create a substitute for purification stones?”

Sion pressed both hands firmly against my cheeks. My plump cheeks squished in his palms. He looked at my face, now resembling a fish with pursed lips, and chuckled as if finding it amusing before speaking.

“It’ll still take quite a while longer. Lorea, trust me. I’m capable.”

Sion’s purple eyes looked directly at me. It was a serious gaze without any playfulness.

“Yes, I understand.”

Sion smiled broadly again.

“Good girl.”

Then he began stroking my head again. Gently. For a long, long time.

It was a warm touch. I felt drowsy. My eyes slowly closed.

“I’ll be back soon.”

In my fading consciousness, I heard his gentle voice.

* * *

After Sion left, I found myself lost in thought.

I sat on the bed, gazing out the window. Autumn sunlight was pouring into the room.

‘The Emperor is also researching purification stones.’

Before my regression, even until the moment I died, the Emperor hadn’t found a substitute. That’s why he remained obsessed with my blood until the very end.

But now it’s different.

‘Now that I’ve completely left the Imperial Palace, his level of desperation must be different.’

The Emperor before my regression was leisurely because I was by his side. He could draw my blood anytime. But now the supply of purification stones has been completely cut off.

‘It might produce different results.’

Of course, even if he succeeds, it wouldn’t compare to my high-purity purification stones. But if they make the first move before Sion finishes his research, it could become troublesome.

‘Most importantly, our side lacks power.’

Yes, that was the biggest problem.

The fact that the House of the Duke was thoroughly isolated.

When we took any action, there were no means to support it or spread it to the capital.

House of Carter, Duke was one of the most prestigious families in the Empire.

That is, it used to be in the past.

Now it was different. Due to pressure from the Imperial Court, they had been demonized among the people, and their standing among the nobles was virtually nonexistent. The House of the Duke exiled to the Eastern Region. A family tainted by dark magic. A cursed bloodline. All sorts of bad rumors followed them. “Duke in name only” was a perfectly fitting description.

To confront the Imperial Court in any way, it was important to solidify the House of the Duke’s position. For that, we needed power, and to gain power, we had to win over the nobles.

With the current state of the House of the Duke, it was an impossible task.

What should we do?

‘First, we need to approach the nobles.’

But by what method?

My worries deepened.

A runaway princess, a duke in name only. With Sion’s research on purification stone replication showing no significant results yet, the cards we could play were quite limited.

We needed something else.

‘We need information.’

The nobles’ movements. The Imperial Court’s actions. Who harbored dissatisfaction, who was looking for opportunities. Which noble houses had fallen out with the Imperial Court. Who we should approach and who we should avoid.

In the past, when I was a princess, the nobles were all busy bowing their heads before me. Even if they had complaints against the Imperial Court, they couldn’t fully reveal them, and they were careful with every word and action.

‘I should have learned something back then…’

Just as useless regret was washing over me.

‘Wait.’

I suddenly bolted upright from where I was sitting.

I jumped down from my spot and rummaged through the drawer. Soon, my fingertips touched something.

It was a card with the seal of the Moonlight Trading Post clearly engraved on it.

It was what Hella’s subordinate who had visited the Duke’s Mansion had left behind.

‘She said to contact them anytime if I needed anything.’

Moonlight Trading Post.

The Empire’s greatest information broker.

The corners of my mouth curved upward.

If I need information, I just need to call an information broker.

I held the card between my fingers and spun it around and around.

‘Good. Let’s start from here.’

My mind felt clear.

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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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