The Villain Who Will Kill Me Is Too Handsome, It's Troublesome - Chapter 84

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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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Chapter 84.
The Imperial Academy, where my mother serves as dean, boasts a long and storied history.
Founded by the testament of the first emperor, renowned as a sage-king, it has enjoyed continuous patronage from the royal house. Naturally, its facilities and scale are second to none.
Especially the dormitories. Yes, perfect for hiding someone away.
“Is it possible that this research facility…?”
“Yes, exactly as you suspected. It’s the Black Mage Tracking and Extermination Society. Every professor of magical studies working at the Academy is a member.”
That’s staggering.
So the one breeding Black Mages is mixed in with them too?
“Hmm, my mother has nothing to do with this?”
I believed she wouldn’t, of course, but asked anyway.
“The Countess of Soltis surely knows nothing of it, does she not? She, after all, is the pioneer who despised Black Magic so deeply that she even founded that research facility. She is also the hero who stopped the Black Mages from gathering and conspiring in the Magic Tower.”
“You’re saying they hid it right under my mother’s nose?”
“W-well, yes, that’s the case.”
Just what kind of person could deceive a hero who had exterminated Black Mages so thoroughly? Lillian might be shocked when she found out.
After all, her friend’s son had nearly been wrongly accused.
“I’ll need to ask my mother for her cooperation.”
But wait—what about all the mages who’d worked with the Temple to hunt down Black Mages or stood against the Source of Evil?
A chill crawled up Artiela’s spine.
She could have walked alongside those villains. Perhaps she should count herself fortunate that she hadn’t been stabbed in the back.
“Will you go in person?”
“I think I should. This feels like something I need to see through myself.”
Yes, she had that feeling.
It was because of the sacred tree. The delicate flower buds that had bloomed so prettily opened in full thanks entirely to Kirien’s hand.
Artiela’s own contribution had been infinitesimally small.
Which is why she felt certain—this time, she would be the one to bear fruit.
Looking back, despite performing a good deed to save people then, her Sacred Power had barely increased. It wasn’t that her heart lacked the will to protect them, so she should have gained a surge of Sacred Power and awakened to its true meaning in that incident.
‘Because I didn’t save everyone, perhaps it wasn’t recognized as virtue.’
She’d thought it was merely the smallness of her vessel.
So if she saved everyone this time, wouldn’t that fill in all the Sacred Power she’d failed to accumulate then?
“All right, I should go and see for myself.”
“I’ll send an official dispatch under the Temple’s name requesting cooperation.”
Frail moved to go, but Artiela stopped him.
“No—for now, it’s just a daughter visiting her mother privately.”
If word got out that it was an official visit, wouldn’t they suspect something and flee?
“Understood. I’ll relay the message discreetly.”
Frail moved into action.
Artiela turned to the remaining holy knights and asked briskly.
“Who wants to come along?”
“Me!”
“Me too, Commander!”
They all raised their hands at once. Always eager for field work, these ones.
Artiela selected an appropriate number. But not Kirien.
“I’d like to go as well, Artiela.”
“Don’t you think Kirien should rest a bit longer?”
She wanted to leave him behind if possible.
On the day Kirien’s hand had dealt with the Source of Evil, just before he lost consciousness, that thing had said something.
“Hehehehe, yes, keep struggling like that—the taste of swallowing you is that much sweeter.”
It had shown a clear intention to actively target Kirien.
So wouldn’t it be better to bring Edelion, who could maintain a calm mind? Without her, there would be no reason for Peter to appear. And then Kirien wouldn’t have reason to grow agitated.
“I’ve already recovered fully. And you’ve witnessed my Sacred Power yourself, haven’t you? I will definitely be of use.”
Kirien cast plaintive eyes toward his companions.
Pleading silently for their help.
“That’s right, Commander. The youngest needs to gain lots of real combat experience.”
Those fools, enchanted by the look in Kirien’s eyes.
Though Artiela herself was wavering too, if she was honest.
“And being separated is more unsettling.”
Kirien whispered so only Artiela could hear.
Separation anxiety was dangerous in its own way. There had been times before when Kirien, worn down from waiting, had actually lent his strength to the Source of Evil out of that very unease.
“All right then. Let’s go get Butonié first.”
It would be better for peace of mind to have it. Kirien had been questioning his own condition constantly as well.
The Mirror of Truth exists, but we can’t confirm anything unless we deliberately take it out to look. If we hang it in place, we can notice and respond to changes right away.
But there was a problem.
“Really? It still hasn’t been fixed?”
A priest they met in front of the Sacred Artifact Repository bowed deeply to Artiela.
“I’m sorry. It seems my abilities aren’t sufficient.”
No, that wasn’t it. Yushiel had said so—the curse kept reviving itself.
“Didn’t we decide to just remove the pearl and have it re-set differently?”
That seemed to be why they’d made this decision.
“Well, we’ve exhausted the budget.”
It was the karma of the stubborn clergy. They’d poured all their funds into searching for the missing sacred artifact. Finding it had cost money, and since some of the decorative work had been damaged, it needed to be re-crafted.
“If that’s all it is, there’s no need to worry.”
Artiela gave Kirien a subtle nudge in the ribs.
“How much would it be? The Rupel Duchy will cover whatever shortfall the budget has this year.”
Even living as a cleric, it was good to have plenty of money.
* * *
With Kirien mounted behind her, Artiela headed toward the academy on prime real estate in the outskirts of the Imperial Capital.
Since they’d made considerable progress with Horsemanship Training, Kirien was now capable of riding this distance alone.
‘This is pure selfishness on my part.’
Artiela chuckled wickedly to herself.
“Hold on tight.”
“Yes, understood.”
“Good grief, if you stay that tense and rigid, you’ll get hurt if something unexpected happens.”
The nagging was thrown in as a bonus.
From far back, she could almost hear the faint chuckling of her subordinates following secretly. Well, what could she do about it?
‘If you’re jealous, go date someone too!’
Artiela glanced slightly back and mouthed the words.
‘Boo!’
There was a mild protest.
“This is the Imperial Academy.”
Soon, Artiela stood before the gates of a building that rivaled the imperial palace in scale.
The wall was tall enough that you couldn’t see over it. Within the expansive grounds, several grand buildings came into view. Rows of similarly designed structures were visible.
“Those are the dormitories.”
“Ah, I see.”
“And that’s the main building over there.”
Where her mother worked.
“I’ve been here once before, actually.”
“Really? When?”
Someone who rarely went out.
“My late sister enrolled here. At the time, she asked me to pick her up during the break. She said I needed to show her off.”
“That makes sense. A handsome face like yours needs to be known far and wide.”
Kirien had thought he’d grown up without love, but that wasn’t true. The period had simply been too short.
In noble families, bastards weren’t treated well. No matter how handsome, they might not be something to boast about and display.
Looking at how they overcame that prejudice and called for him, they were already family.
“You two were close.”
“More reserved than the brother and sister of the Soltis Earldom.”
Leading her horse along the wall, Artiela met the gatekeeper who stood guard at the main entrance.
“May I ask your purpose for visiting?”
“Lillian Soltis, the headmaster. I’m her daughter.”
“Ah, the Holy Knight Order Commander?”
The gatekeeper straightened and bowed respectfully.
“And the person behind you is…….”
“The Duke of Rupel.”
“Ah! Yes, please go right in.”
He didn’t ask Kirien’s purpose separately. Since they were riding the horse together, he assumed they were lovers. Apparently, she was introducing her fiancé-to-be.
“Thank you.”
Artiela gave the horse’s side a light kick.
“It’s farther than it looks.”
And while she was at it, she could take a stroll.
A Black Mage reconnaissance stroll.
Kirien pulled the mirror from his pocket. Then he began to observe every corner of the academy.
If a Black Mage were conducting operations in secret here, there would certainly be traces left behind.
“Over there—the dormitory, and that’s the student Dining Hall, let’s see, that one’s the knights’ training grounds.”
While gesturing around as though introducing a prospective son-in-law to her workplace, Artiela pointed to their final destination.
“And that’s the Black Mage Tracking and Extermination Society research facility.”
Kirien’s brow furrowed as he took in the sight.
“It seems far too clean, somehow.”
Ah—we must have barked up the wrong tree.

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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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