The Puppet Villainess’s Splendid Rebellion - Chapter 93

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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 93

I stared up at Carlos in a daze.

What did he mean?

I couldn’t understand right away.

He said he wanted to protect precious things, but told me to protect myself?

After wandering my gaze for a while, I finally understood belatedly.

So, it might be a misunderstanding, but it sounded like I was at least within Carlos’s protective circle.

“That means… uh…”

I opened my mouth then stopped. My voice trembled strangely. The words wouldn’t come out properly. My head felt all tangled up.

Carlos looked at me. His face was still expressionless. His calm voice continued.

“The princess is my ward. I’d prefer you not make me an incompetent guardian.”

I stood there in a daze for a while before finally opening my mouth.

“…Were you really worried about me?”

Carlos’s brow furrowed deeply.

“Is there anyone who wouldn’t be concerned seeing you in that state?”

“Ah.”

Something welled up inside me.

One side of my chest felt full. My eyes grew hot. Why was this happening? Why were tears trying to come? There was no reason to cry. It was just him saying he was worried.

But strangely, my nose tingled. I actually knew why. It was because it was Carlos, not someone else, who said this to me.

“Yes!”

My voice got loud without me realizing it.

“I won’t make you worry!”

Carlos made a flustered expression. It was the first time I’d seen such an expression. He looked at me nodding my head vigorously with a bewildered face, then sighed and pressed one hand to his forehead.

“…You don’t need to raise your voice unnecessarily. I can hear you.”

After a moment of silence, he asked.

“How’s your body?”

“Super, super healthy!”

I deliberately answered energetically and hopped in place. Then I strode around the room to show him. I knew it was excessive, but I wanted to show him I was okay.

At that moment, it seemed like the corners of Carlos’s mouth lifted slightly.

‘Huh?’

Did he smile? That was a smile just now, right?

I turned my head to confirm, but Carlos already had his serious face back on. There was no trace of what I saw earlier. Was it my imagination? I don’t think so.

“That’s enough, now go out.”

“Grand Duke, just now…”

“Go out.”

“…Yes!”

Whether he smiled or not, what did it matter? What was important was that Carlos had let me into his protective circle.

I smiled brightly and headed toward the door.

“Then Grand Duke, see you later!”

I waved my hand as I opened the door and went out. While smiling brightly. I don’t know what Carlos answered. It was drowned out by the sound of the door closing.

I walked down the corridor with quick steps, thinking.

‘He said he was worried.’

Those words kept circling in my mind. That Carlos was worried about me. That person who I thought was only cold to me.

My chest felt warm. I felt strangely good.

* * *

“Well then, shall we begin?”

A few days later, I was sitting in one corner of the garden with Sion. It was the first lesson of purification training. The sky was clear and the breeze was cool – perfect weather for training.

“I’ll start by explaining the theory.”

Sion sat in front of me and held up his finger.

“The power of purification flows throughout Lorea’s entire body. Like blood vessels, no, even more densely than that. In every corner of your body.”

“Yes.”

I nodded and listened. I had to concentrate.

“Until now, Lorea has drawn blood to bring that power outside, right? That’s like pricking with a needle to drain water. You can do it, but it’s inefficient and puts a lot of strain on your body.”

Sion took my hand. It was warm.

“What you’ll learn from now on is a different method. Without drawing blood, you’ll draw up the power itself. Gathering the power from inside your body and sending it outside.”

“How?”

“First, close your eyes. And concentrate.”

I closed my eyes as instructed. The surrounding sounds became clearer. The sound of wind, birds chirping, Sion’s breathing.

“Breathe deeply and feel inside your body. There should be a feeling of something warm flowing.”

I concentrated. I took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. I tried to feel inside my body.

…I couldn’t feel anything.

“I’m not sure.”

“It’s okay, everyone’s like that at first.”

Sion gently squeezed the hand he was holding.

“I’ll give you a little stimulation. Then you’ll be able to feel it.”

Suddenly, a warm energy was transmitted from his palm. It seemed to be Sion’s magic power. A soft and cozy feeling. That energy traveled up through my hand.

At that moment, something inside my body reacted.

Something different from Sion’s magic power, something warmer and softer. A faint pulsing sensation in the center of my chest. It was beating with a different rhythm from my heartbeat.

“I can feel it.”

When I unconsciously widened my eyes, Sion was smiling right in front of me.

“That’s the power of purification. It was originally inside Lorea all along.”

So this is the power of purification.

It felt unfamiliar and fascinating.

Both the fact that something like this existed inside me, and the fact that I hadn’t known about it until now.

“Now try to draw it up to your fingertips. Slowly, little by little.”

Sion spoke calmly in a gentle voice.

Listening carefully to his voice, I concentrated on the power within me. I tried to send that warmth I felt in my chest to my fingertips. But it wasn’t easy. Far from moving the power, even gathering it in one place felt difficult.

“…It’s not working.”

“Just take it slowly. There’s no rush.”

Unlike my impatient self, Sion had a face that was calm to the point of being serene.

I nodded and tried again. Unfortunately, no matter how many times I attempted it, the power just stayed in my chest and wouldn’t move. It didn’t budge at all, as if it were asleep.

“It’s not working well…”

I became increasingly impatient.

I can definitely feel it, so why won’t it move?

“Don’t try to push the power out, just let it flow. Like water flowing from high places to low places.”

Sion patted my shoulder soothingly to calm me down.

“…Yes.”

Don’t push it out, just let it flow. From my chest to my fingertips. Naturally.

‘I can do this.’

How much time passed like that?

“Huh?”

Suddenly my fingertips became warm. When I opened my eyes, a faint red light was seeping out from my fingertips. It was a very weak and dim light, but it was definitely shining. A small light about the size of a firefly.

“I did it!”

The moment I jumped up and shouted, the power disappeared as if it were a lie.

“Oh…”

“You did well, it’s because it’s your first time.”

Sion smiled brightly.

“See, you can do it if you try.”

The boy ruffled my hair gently and his eyes sparkled.

“I knew my Lorea had talent. I have an accurate eye for people.”

With all the praise pouring down, I had an ominous feeling. Sion’s eyes were sparkling. Whenever he made that expression, things always turned out badly for me.

“Then let’s move on to applications now. This.”

Sion pulled out a small stone from somewhere. It was a stone with a dark aura. It seemed to be infused with demonic energy. When I placed it on my palm, I could feel its heavy weight.

“…This?”

“Yeah. Like before, draw up your power and let it touch this stone. Then the demonic energy will be purified.”

“Right now?”

“Yeah. Can’t you do it?”

“How am I supposed to do this?”

I just barely managed to create one light at my fingertips! And it took me a long time to barely succeed at that! You saw it disappear as soon as I screamed!

However, even with my bewildered reaction, Sion didn’t budge.

“If you finish all of this, you can have snacks, Lorea.”

A bright smile spread across his round cheeks. His purple eyes curved gently like a crescent moon.

Somehow that smile felt annoying.

‘I have a long way to go…’

It was an afternoon when the title of Purifiers felt too heavy.

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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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