The Villain Who Will Kill Me Is Too Handsome, It's Troublesome - Chapter 110

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 110.
My instincts were screaming at me. Even when things were right in front of my eyes, I could never shake the unease of not knowing what might unfold next.
Leave him? When I don’t even know how many followers of the Southern Kingdom are hiding in this place?
“I can’t.”
“But if you don’t go there, Artiela…”
It would be a violation of the Conscription Order.
Which meant Treason.
“It’s an invasion war, isn’t it? We have grounds to refuse.”
The monster attacks in the southern borderlands hadn’t actually begun in earnest yet. Ever since the first sightings were reported, things had been suspiciously quiet.
And yet Piter was forcing the issue anyway.
Using the monster attack in the Imperial Capital itself—specifically at Kirien’s home—as his pretext. But that had nothing to do with the Southern Kingdom whatsoever.
The Southern Kingdom isn’t moving right now.
Which probably means…
“The Source of Evil isn’t acting according to Piter’s wishes.”
The Source of Evil must be the one controlling the Southern Kingdom now. And it was that creature that thwarted Piter’s plans to orchestrate the monster attacks in the borderlands.
“Why is it staying still?”
“Because internal strife is the best way to destabilize an empire.”
Yes, there was no other reason that made sense. Civil War was always far more devastating than external conflict.
And if civil war weakened us, an external attack would be all the more catastrophic.
Which meant we couldn’t afford to blow this situation out of proportion.
If a genuine Civil War erupted over the succession struggle, people’s despair would deepen—and on that foundation of despair, the Source of Evil would regain its terrible power.
“Since it can’t extract negativity from Kirien anymore, it’ll start tormenting other people instead.”
Artiela leaned back against the headboard, her brow furrowing.
She received the Communication Device from Kirien and reached out to Ushiel.
—I agree with you.
Ushiel shared Artiela’s thoughts exactly.
—There’s no sweeter meal than human suffering.
Kirien felt a weight of responsibility settle on him. After all, it was his other half committing these atrocities.
“So here’s the thing—I think we need to replace the Emperor sooner rather than later.”
The Emperor himself.
And conveniently, he’d even provided the justification.
—I’ll convey your intentions to the Princess. But what will you do?
At Ushiel’s question, Artiela tilted her head. What do you mean, what will I do?
“Tell them I was badly wounded here and won’t be able to move around for a while.”
I’m not leaving Kirien’s side.
No matter how I looked at it, the timing of harassing Kirien’s Territory now had to be a scheme to separate us.
Lovers shouldn’t be separated.
Who knows what might happen if they were.
It’s absolutely not because I have separation anxiety or anything.
—……
Through the Communication Device, she seemed to hear Ushiel’s long, weary sigh.
—You think anyone will believe you were injured?
Fair point. The Empire’s strongest knight couldn’t possibly be wounded, right?
—And you’re just going to abandon winning over the Imperial military?
That had been Artiela’s role. It was also the crux of their entire plan.
Without controlling the military, the throne would be nothing but a puppet.
“But… I mean…”
—Your Grace, come up with me.
At Ushiel’s firm command, Kirien responded reflexively.
“Yes, Your Holiness.”
“But the Lufel Duchy is my future Territory!”
—You’re not married yet, Lord Commander.
At her sister’s pointed jab about titles, Artiela raised her hands in surrender. She had a point.
—It’s a plague caused by Curses, they say. The priests can handle that easily enough. And there are plenty of volunteers.
The priests who had envied the party at the ducal mansion. They’d gotten their own ideas after hearing what a wonderful time the Holy Knights had at House Lufel.
Of course, it was also out of affection for a good and virtuous young Holy Knight.
Either way, House Lufel remained Edelion’s top benefactor.
—Just in case more problems arise, I’ll ask Mother to get the mages involved too. That lord from the Mage Tower district—remember him? He’s offered his help. His wife finally finished her Purification and has regained her full mind.
Good deeds really do come back around, I thought.
Some souls probably can’t be redeemed, but there are still people who can overcome anything through the power of love.
“Yes, Saint.”
Artiela relented.
Though her cold hadn’t quite cleared, they had to return to the teleportation scroll that very night.
His Majesty, anxious over what mischief the two might get up to in the darkness, sat sleepless and waiting, ready to seize on any excuse.
* * *
“You’re back.”
Late at night, she encountered Piter at the teleportation scroll’s landing site near Edelion.
In another time, she would have moved to soothe Kirien first.
“What brings you here, sir?”
This time, Kirien stepped forward. She had no intention of stopping him. Even if he grew jealous and angry, such a negative emotion was now mere small change to the source of evil—the animosity of one passing soul.
“You are…….”
Piter’s eyes narrowed.
“I hear extraordinary events unfolded in the Lufel Duchy in a single day.”
His tone was barbed.
“Yes, but the Lady Artiela prevented them all.”
“……I’m relieved, at least. So she hasn’t acquired that old reputation for inviting calamity.”
His memory seemed to have returned somewhat, or perhaps he’d read a report on Kirien.
“I understand you’ve issued a Conscription Order.”
Artiela asked boldly.
“Yes—the demon assault on the Lufel estate some time ago, the border incident, this catastrophe in the duchy itself… it all seems connected to the Southern Kingdom, so I thought best to act.”
It was the answer she’d expected.
And she replied as prepared.
“I’m sorry, but the grounds are insufficient. As it stands, we cannot conscript the Holy Knights of Edelion into the Imperial Army.”
Piter seemed to have anticipated this as well.
“Then if evidence were presented, that would suffice?”
“Yes, if you have evidence.”
“Very well. I’ll convene a nobles’ assembly tomorrow and invite all of Edelion’s people to present the evidence publicly.”
Piter turned to leave. Yet for some reason, he appeared supremely confident.
What was this unease?
‘It seems he’s prepared something else.’
Artiela’s heart quickened with an ominous foreboding.
* * *
That night, Artiela examined Kirien’s condition again using Bardo. After all, there was reason for excitement.
“Oh, your soul at last!”
“What?”
“Just now, when you saw His Majesty—you cursed under your breath, didn’t you?”
And in thoroughly vulgar terms at that.
“How did you…….”
Kirien’s face flushed crimson. It was only a thought in his own heart.
He’d never imagined it would be discovered.
Artiela pointed with her finger near his lips.
“See here—a tiny blister’s formed.”
Despair washed over Kirien’s face.
He was terrified by how quickly even sins of the heart left their mark.
“You don’t… find it repulsive?”
Above all, he feared it made him ugly. That Artiela would be disappointed.
“No, it’s barely visible. Though it seems you really did want to kill him.”
“I did…….”
Truly so. Every time he saw Piter, murderous intent rose in him.
Only now did he grasp how magnificent the source of evil truly was.
How clean his soul had become, thanks to that being consuming all those countless negative impulses that had flowed through him.
The thought brought fresh guilt.
The other bore all sin, yet he alone seemed happy. Watching the twin sisters made it worse.
Not siblings by blood, yet he felt bound to them as he might to siblings.
“Ah, it’s fading, fading.”
“What?”
“Did you just think something admirable?”
As Artiela poured her Aura into the Bardo, Kirien’s eyes widened.
“I felt… compassion for the source of evil.”
“Compassion? For that?”
Disliked? After all that torment he caused me?
He made me lose even my mother, and all the misfortunes I’ve endured came from him—all of them—and yet?
“Perhaps he only wanted to be loved too.”
Kirien suddenly wrapped his arms around his own chest.
Then the tears came, silent and unbidden—though his expression betrayed confusion, as if he couldn’t understand why.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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