A Strange But Effective Villainess Life - Chapter 174

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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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Side Story Episode 13
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“Hmm.”
Edmund furrowed his brow as he reviewed the report I’d received from the Spy Maid.
“What’s wrong?”
I asked cautiously, feeling a pang of guilt myself.
“You seemed to be doing quite well today, actually.”
Of course, Edmund and I couldn’t be attached at the hip twenty-four hours a day—we each had our own duties and families. And since Edmund didn’t trust my chaotic lifestyle habits, he’d openly instructed the Spy Maid to spy on my daily routine. So the Spy Maid had become Edmund’s spy, reporting on my meals and exercise regimen.
“Your exercise seems insufficient. You didn’t step foot outside your room at all.”
And Edmund had an uncanny ability to pinpoint exactly where I was lacking.
“I’ll do more tomorrow…”
I smiled sheepishly and shrugged my shoulders.
“One day off should be fine. My stamina has actually improved quite a bit.”
“Really?”
“Of course.”
“Hmm.”
Edmund lifted me up effortlessly. Then, raising his eyebrows playfully, he said:
“Shall we test that?”
After that, I didn’t leave the bed for quite some time.
Only after I grew exhausted and went limp did Edmund chuckle softly while running his fingers through my hair.
“You’re definitely better than before. Still insufficient though, so make sure to exercise tomorrow. If it’s difficult, I’ll accompany you.”
“…Insufficient?”
“Of course. I’m still holding back, after all.”
He truly had no conscience. When I glared at Edmund reproachfully, he laughed softly and buried his lips against my neck.
“You need to become stronger before we marry, Kiana.”
Though the Duke’s household didn’t know yet, Edmund was diligently researching his “strategy for the fastest possible marriage” every single day.
“Then I’ll be able to keep you with me much longer. I might not let you take a single step outside.”
“Well, I’m already not stepping outside the house anyway.”
As I answered absently, something suddenly occurred to me, and I bit my lower lip.
“Even if it’s not an heir’s duties, you should think carefully about social obligations. There’s no way nothing will happen to you. If that were truly the case… it would actually be far more sinister and frightening.”
Social obligations… Would I really lose my freedom in society if I married Edmund? Could there be malicious schemes being plotted against me behind the scenes right now?
I was currently focused on magical engineering research and establishing the Academy. I didn’t have the leisure to concern myself with social matters or engagements. Well, these were things I could manage with effort, but right now I couldn’t even exert effort as I wished.
“Ed, what do you think about me reducing my sleep?”
“Absolutely not.”
Edmund immediately objected, his eyes wide.
“Why are you suddenly thinking of reducing your sleep?”
“Well… Father worries a lot. Is it really acceptable for the future Crown Princess to spend money only on Academy projects?”
“What’s new about that? Her Majesty the Empress was only spending funds on the Kingdom of Sola.”
“…But that can’t be the entirety of what the Empress does, can it?”
“Well, there are miscellaneous duties to handle behind the scenes… but the Second Imperial Consort handles those matters, and she does the work cleanly and transparently.”
The Second Imperial Consort? Come to think of it, I knew nothing about the Imperial family. When I tilted my head in confusion, Edmund began explaining slowly.
“She’s someone trustworthy enough to entrust internal affairs to. She’s from the Kingdom of Terians, which has fallen, so she has nowhere to return to and no power base within the Empire.”
In other words, she was someone with nowhere else to go. I could detect a subtle fondness in Edmund’s words.
“Is that so? She sounds like a decent person.”
“Actually… lately I’ve been thinking it would have been nice if the Second Imperial Consort had been my biological mother. I didn’t think that way before because it seemed wrong.”
Edmund laughed quietly.
Now that I thought about it, the Empress was the complete opposite of the Second Imperial Consort. She didn’t work, was swayed too easily by external pressures, and lacked caution. Perhaps if I truly wanted to become a proper Empress of the Empire, I would need to learn from the Second Imperial Consort later about what kind of work needed to be quietly handled behind the scenes.
“But no matter how cautious she is, she’s lived in the Empire for so long—how can she handle affairs so well yet still not have built any power base?”
“Well, that’s… the Second Imperial Consort has a slight problem…”
“A problem?”
“It hasn’t been made public, but since Kiana is now a member of the Imperial family, I suppose it’s alright for you to know.”
Hmm? If the Imperial family is keeping it secret, it must be quite a serious matter. Edmund hesitated slightly before smiling wryly.
“Rather than explaining in words, it would be faster to understand if you just met her once. Would you like to visit the Second Imperial Consort with me tomorrow?”
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“Uh… yes… alright.”
Hyde quickly picked up “The Princess’s Secret Visit” and gave Joshua a sly smile.
“I’ll be going now.”
“Father? You should borrow the book properly.”
“One copy should be enough. Anyway, I’m leaving. I’m very perceptive, you know.”
“You’re not perceptive at all, sir.”
Hyde whispered loudly enough for the bewildered Joshua to hear.
“So that’s why you said to choose the next successor in a different way… ufufu, there was a reason for everything. Right. I really didn’t want to marry Kiki off first.”
And with that, he walked away unsteadily and actually left the drawing room.
Left alone with Seliet, Joshua cleared his throat and offered her a seat. Then he ordered light refreshments before asking her business in a dry tone.
“So, Princess… what brings you to seek me out?”
Seliet answered just as dryly.
“Lord, you attended the Betez VVIP event a week ago, didn’t you?”
Betez was one of the brands Joshua quite liked. When Joshua nodded, Seliet spoke quickly.
“Could you tell me about the attendees? I can’t seem to obtain the guest list.”
It was a completely unexpected request. Joshua elegantly picked up his teacup and asked indifferently.
“…Why should I tell you that?”
Seliet answered expressionlessly.
“The Countess of Ekillar is currently trying to maintain the Empress system and create public opinion to keep Lady Kiana as Empress.”
Joshua spit out the tea he was drinking. Seliet continued naturally.
“Of course, Ed won’t allow it, but honestly, it’s better if this topic never comes up in the first place.”
In truth, Seliet was trying to get ahead of the situation before Kiana said, “What? Empress? If you keep bringing this up, I’ll get annoyed and just not become Empress.”
She could have secretly given the information to Edmund before things escalated, but she was saving that as a last resort because she worried it would cut into their romantic time together. Handling it quietly on her own was the best way to ensure the two of them had a smooth relationship.
But before Joshua could even notice Seliet’s true intentions, he panicked. He didn’t know about Seliet, but he was the editor-in-chief of Lorelai. How could Seliet, who lived shut away in the Imperial Palace, know information he didn’t?
“There are quiet insiders around the Countess of Ekillar who are spreading rumors. We need to deal with them first.”
Seliet spoke calmly with both hands resting on her knees.
“Right now, I have about five candidates I’m narrowing down, but one of them is a bit uncertain. It seems like she might have attended a Betez VVIP event during the time I suspect…”
“…Wait a moment, Princess.”
Joshua wiped the corner of his mouth with a handkerchief emblazoned with the Betez logo and spoke sharply.
“How do you know all of that, Princess? I’ve heard that you don’t frequent social circles much and have no friends. Who gave you such information? Are they trustworthy?”
“I figured it out on my own.”
“…Pardon?”
“I investigated and found out myself.”
That was utterly absurd. Joshua maintained an extensive network of informants. Yet she claimed to have uncovered such classified information alone?
Observing Joshua’s incredulous expression, Seliet spoke without hesitation.
“People leave far more traces of themselves than they realize. It’s simple.”
She explained methodically.
Various newsletters and attendance lists, public mailing records and visit logs, event invitation printings and delivery addresses, and so forth… Once she suspected someone, she would trace the connections through that person’s friend’s friend’s friend, unraveling the entire web of links.
‘…That’s not simple at all!’
Joshua’s jaw dropped at her remarkable investigative method. Public mailing records alone would contain at least a thousand names per person, yet she claimed to have sifted through them all by herself?
“Using that method, I also secretly sent one of those counts who kept insulting Lady Kiana. Count Lezar…”
Seliet continued with a faint smile.
“I found records from three years ago where he was dating the daughter of a criminal organization while juggling two relationships. I could deduce it from the luxury brand VVIP attendance list, the library’s book loan records nearby, the friend visit logs over the past three years, and the grocery orders of those friends at that time. So I quietly informed his father. He handled it well.”
Joshua felt a sudden chill run down his spine. He recalled what Hyde had said earlier.
“I’m worried about Kiki too. The fact that nothing has happened in high society all this time makes me even more anxious. I truly think that’s far more sinister and frightening.”
All the mysteries were solved. The truly sinister and frightening person had been quietly ensuring nothing happened behind Kiana all along.

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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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