How to Live as the Terminally Ill Younger Sister of the Villain - Chapter 83
“That’s enough.”
Ante stopped Laura from continuing.
He knew well what she was trying to guess. Because he was thinking the same thing.
The time allowed to me.
When I have to leave.
Beautiful things in the world besides me.
Don’t suffer alone.
Alone.
“Gasp!”
Haley, who understood everything a beat late, covered her mouth in shock.
“C-Could it be that the young lady is thinking of s-sacrificing herself while fighting against the Order?”
She kept talking as if she wouldn’t be there in the future. As if she didn’t have much time left.
“No way, s-su… su…!”
“Haley.”
Laura cut off Haley’s words as she trembled, unable to speak the terrible word ‘suicide’.
However, they were all already thinking the same thing, and as a result, Ante’s eyes had grown colder than ever before.
“Nonsense.”
He muttered while grinding his teeth.
“Do you think I would lose Lina?”
Even if it was Lina herself, he wouldn’t allow that.
An indescribable frustration and helplessness pulled down his body. Barely breaking free from this, he suppressed his emotions and spoke again.
“…It can’t be, Lina wouldn’t think like that.”
He desperately tried to maintain his rationality.
“There must be other factors at play. If we can find out that source… the method through which she’s receiving information, we can find whoever is forcing her to do this.”
She wouldn’t leave him alone.
Taking her own life – she wasn’t the type to think of such things. No matter how much she hated the Order.
“Find out, by whatever means necessary.”
“Yes, understood.”
“Yes, Lord Marquis.”
With the special order given, Laura and Haley hurriedly left the place.
Not long after, his room began to corrode as dense magical power pressed down on the space.
Nothing was as vicious as magical power filled with rage.
***
Time flowed cruelly fast.
Angelina said she had rested enough and headed toward the capital, leaving the villa.
When Haley asked why she wasn’t going straight to the Marquis’s residence, she made the excuse that it had been a while since she’d seen the capital.
She said she would stop by on the way to see how the preparations for His Majesty the Emperor’s birthday celebration festival were going, and to look at what styles were currently in fashion.
Though it was a stretch to call it ‘on the way’ given the geography, no one was going to question her reasons.
However, upon arriving at the capital’s walls, Angelina encountered an unexpected obstacle.
“What do you mean, beast pets aren’t allowed in?”
“It’s a safety measure. No matter how well-trained they are, if they break free from control, the damage would be uncontrollable.”
The guard watching the wall bowed apologetically as he explained. Throughout his explanation, he kept glancing at Angelina and blushing.
This was a common reaction from those seeing her for the first time. Few people could remain unaffected by her appearance.
“Since when has this rule been in place?”
“It’s existed for a long time. Though it used to be applied more flexibly, it’s become stricter recently due to an incident where a monster broke in.”
Whether because of her appearance or the family crest on the carriage, he was extremely polite.
Angelina found the disparity ridiculous, having just seen him yelling at other visitors without any particular reason.
“A monster break-in? How did that happen in the capital?”
However, since there was some information she wanted to hear from him, she pretended to be ignorant and surprised as she asked.
“We believe it entered in reverse through the canals and rivers. Please don’t worry too much as there weren’t any serious injuries.”
“Oh my, so was the monster caught?”
“Well, about that…”
As the guard was struggling with Angelina’s question, another guard approached.
“Why are you rambling on about unnecessary things? Miss, please ignore this fellow. He tends to talk too much about needless things, haha.”
He appeared to be his superior.
The newly arrived guard smiled warmly and handed Angelina a small leash.
“Since it was raised in the Flaubert Marquis household, we believe it must be well-trained. However, to ease the citizens’ concerns, we ask that you please use this leash.”
“What is this now?”
“Ah, it’s a simple magical power control device. It prevents beasts from fully utilizing their powers.”
“Hmm…”
“Don’t worry. It won’t affect their health at all.”
As he said this with a bright smile, Angelina sighed resignedly and accepted the leash.
“Alright. If this will put everyone’s minds at ease, we should do it.”
Then she showed the leash to Pudding.
Pudding sniffed it, gnawed on it a bit with his teeth, and then stretched out his neck.
With an expression that seemed to say, ‘Whatever, let’s just do it.’
Finding it cute, Angelina smiled and put the leash on him.
After shaking his body to adjust the leash comfortably, Pudding flopped back into Angelina’s arms.
No one noticed that holy power was still flowing freely from his small body, completely enveloping Angelina.
While magical power detection and control devices were everywhere, there were no devices for detecting holy power anywhere.
“Well then, keep up the good work, everyone.”
“Yes, miss. Please travel safely.”
“I hope you catch that monster.”
“…!”
The two guards’ eyes wavered intensely at her casually added comment.
Once the carriage door closed and she felt it start moving, Angelina let out the laugh she’d been holding back.
“Miss, how did you know the monster hadn’t been caught?”
Haley, sitting across from her, asked.
“You can tell by their expressions.”
“Ah. If it concerns you, shall I catch it? Though it might be troublesome with all the magical power control devices in the capital, I could still track and hunt it down within a day.”
“No.”
Angelina shook her head with a faint smile.
She leaned her head comfortably against the backrest and looked out the window. The capital’s splendor welcomed her.
“Everything is part of the plan.”
“…?”
“Don’t worry. It won’t harm people.”
At Angelina’s words, Laura and Haley looked at each other. Haley tilted her head in confusion, but Angelina didn’t say anything more.
She just maintained her faint smile.
***
Upon arriving at the lodgings, Angelina didn’t waste any time. The first thing she did was change into inconspicuous clothes.
She dressed to look like ‘just someone with some money’ among commoners. The places she wanted to go weren’t suitable for nobles after all.
And before leaving the lodgings, she called for Jake.
“Sir Jake, I have a separate request for you.”
“Please command me.”
“Please find out this month’s black market location and exact date.”
“The black market, you say?”
“If you disguise yourself as a mercenary and share a few drinks with them, it shouldn’t be too difficult to find out.”
“Yes, understood.”
“Ah, make sure to get next month’s information too. This month’s might have already passed.”
“Yes.”
After giving Jake his mission, Angelina called for Haley next.
“Haley, starting tomorrow, could you get me a library pass for the Central Grand Library for the next week?”
“For a week?”
“Yes, one that allows access to all sections.”
“Yes, I’ll be right back.”
Haley quickly left to carry out her mission.
Finally, she turned to Laura. Laura was looking at Angelina with her usual expressionless face.
However, there was a small expectation visible in her eyes, wondering what task she would be given.
Angelina gestured toward the outside with her chin and said quietly.
“Laura, let’s go get a drink.”
And Angelina got to see Laura’s rarely seen surprised expression.
***
The place the two found was a tavern in a street that could be considered somewhere between the central area and the outskirts.
While it was a place that also served food, since drinking was the main focus, it was quite noisy.
“So this is what ostrich meat tastes like.”
Though Angelina seemed more focused on eating.
“Miss, why did you come here?”
Laura asked in a lowered voice.
She was on edge, vigilantly watching their surroundings.
“To drink.”
“For that purpose, what you’re drinking now is non-alcoholic, isn’t it?”
“I’m just creating the atmosphere. It would be troublesome if I actually got drunk.”
Angelina tapped the table while putting another piece of well-grilled seasoned ostrich meat in her mouth.
