A Strange But Effective Villainess Life - Chapter 25

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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 25
Avian Risineus. A virtuous and righteous man suddenly entangled in this affair.
We’d exchanged cursory greetings in childhood, but we’d never shared any particularly deep connection. He and I had no real ties. I’d never been interested in others to begin with, and I rarely attended social gatherings anyway.
However, Avian appeared quite frequently in the original story. Under normal circumstances, about six months from now, he would lose his heart to Melissa.
As a guard captain who could never marry, he couldn’t properly express his feelings to her. Yet he quietly and sincerely helped Melissa at every turn from the shadows. Melissa in turn trusted and relied on him greatly. Among the countless mediocre men entangled with Melissa, he was the only one truly worth his salt.
‘But in this life, that’s all changed. Melissa entered the Convent before the two of them could become seriously involved.’
In any case, Melissa’s entry into the Convent had also resolved the future anguish of one man. I clicked my tongue inwardly, then shook my head while meeting Avian’s gaze again.
“No, I’m fine. Go ahead and interrogate that criminal right away.”
It would take time to properly escort a lady through this chaos.
‘I can’t have Hiton scheming something in the meantime.’
So I shook my head firmly.
“But….”
“I need to wait here for someone.”
“Who?”
“My spy… no, my maid. She needs to exchange the money.”
At my words, Avian’s expression became slightly bewildered. But how much money was that anyway.
I continued with a composed face.
“I earned it fairly without any tricks. Of course it’s dirty money, but money is money, right? I’ll make sure to collect my share before those staff members hastily embezzle it.”
“But… how did you do it without tricks….”
“I didn’t use tricks, but I did use my head.”
I began explaining calmly.
“Other gambling games won’t work. But blackjack does. The deck isn’t reshuffled until all cards are depleted. You just need to memorize the cards that have come out and calculate quickly.”
Avian’s eyes wavered slightly. His expression suggested he had no idea what I was talking about.
“Blackjack isn’t like roulette or other games where previous rounds don’t affect the next one. In other words, you can accumulate data and predict the next card.”
“….”
“This is called card counting, which is why gambling halls around Riloni Academy reset the deck with each hand in blackjack.”
“….”
“Well, you don’t need to understand probability or mathematics. I’d like to explain more, but usually when I continue talking like this, people tend to run away.”
So I needed to have this conversation in a closed space where the other person couldn’t escape. Somewhere they couldn’t say things like “Ah, well, I’ve suddenly got urgent business” and leave.
‘For example… in a lecture hall with graduate students?’
Remembering those days—wretched as my past was—still gave me a thrilling sensation.
Avian scratched the back of his head awkwardly in response to my words.
“…Yes. To be honest, I realized mathematics wasn’t my path when functions first appeared in general education math.”
“Many people give up there. I know.”
I nodded understandingly. Not understanding functions well didn’t prevent someone from being an excellent guard captain.
“Anyway, I calculated everything fairly… and the owner bastard, that is, Alin Keirif, wasn’t being generous out of compassion.”
“Then….”
“Simply put, people like me—the lucky ones—are necessary so that others flock to the gambling tables like moths to a flame.”
I spoke quietly, surveying the Club House that had become absolute chaos.
“Even beginners think they could be that lucky person. That’s what gambling halls do—they sell the hope of intangible luck that doesn’t really exist, right?”
“….”
Amidst the chaos, Avian gazed at me quietly. I felt bashful under his gaze and spoke.
“Why are you looking at me like that? Your eyes seem so admiring—almost enchanted. It’s rather embarrassing.”
“It’s just….”
Avian scratched his chin as he spoke.
“I feel as though I never truly knew you, Lady Kiana. I apologize.”
He hesitated briefly before adding quietly.
“In my childhood, I only saw you as a withdrawn, unsociable person who bullied a powerless cousin.”
“That’s accurate, though?”
“And among our peers, you only ever showed interest in Lord Rodrigo.”
“That’s also true, isn’t it?”
Had Avian called me rude and uncultured, a villainess, I would have corrected him. But unfortunately, he spoke only facts. Since I valued honesty, I decided to acknowledge what I had done in the past and move forward.
“Well, you’ve read people quite well.”
With that, I answered calmly and bowed my head slightly, signaling for him to leave.
“In any case, Captain of the Guard, you should hurry and investigate the conspirators. That’s how you can ensure my efforts aren’t wasted.”
When I spoke firmly, Avian hesitated before responding.
“But I cannot leave you alone in such a place. The quality of this location is far too poor….”
“The Prelai Knights are outside. I’ll call for them once my maid returns.”
“This place is simply of poor quality. I’m troubled by the thought of you witnessing such unsightly scenes.”
“That’s a matter of my own eyesight. Don’t concern yourself with it.”
Why won’t he leave? I had just resolved that if Avian lingered any longer before me, I would resort to discussing mathematics with him.
Someone interjected into our conversation smoothly.
“Captain of the Guard, do withdraw your concern from the Lady’s precious eyesight.”
What is this beautiful voice! I turned in surprise to look beside me.
“Please proceed with your duties as the Lady has instructed.”
A slender yet solidly built young man, unmasked, had appeared at my side.
‘Huh? This man is….’
He was the strikingly handsome man I’d encountered once at the General Store. His appearance was so overwhelming that I’d never had a proper conversation with him, yet I could remember him clearly.
“I shall ensure the Lady’s safety.”
Avian stepped back in surprise. It was rare for the Captain of the Guard and a high-ranking nobleman to show such alarm. But it was understandable—the owner of that voice was far too handsome.
“This is our first meeting, Captain.”
Both Avian and I stood momentarily stunned and frozen. Meanwhile, the man introduced himself with impeccable courtesy.
“I am Sezare Levin.”
His manners were courteous and flawless. Yet his gaze was sharp as a honed blade, and his voice carried authority. Even amidst this pandemonium, he seemed utterly unperturbed, radiating composure.
I stared at him in astonishment.
‘This person… is Sezare Levin?’
The very person I had been about to seek out had come to me of his own accord!
Yet his pure, refined features seemed remarkably suited to this decadent place. Unlike Avian, whose very presence felt incongruous here, he seemed different entirely. In such a setting, his golden eyes seemed to shimmer with a subtle, dangerous allure. He exuded an atmosphere of complete mastery over any space he occupied.
As I gazed at him in a daze, Avian regained his composure first. He blinked and extended his hand for a handshake.
“Ah, so you are Marquis Levin. I’ve heard much of your reputation. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Avian Risineus.”
Sezare grasped his hand lightly with a smile.
Avian was clearly more muscular. Yet strangely, Sezare emanated a more oppressive presence. Sezare spoke in an unhurried voice, his gaze fixed intently upon Avian.
“I have the pleasure of acquaintance with Lady Kiana. So please, Captain of the Guard, do not concern yourself—simply take the criminal into custody.”
His tone was impeccably gentle, impossible to fault. Yet there was something subtly arrogant about it. His courtesy was so perfectly refined that it seemed to conceal something far colder and crueler beneath. There was an undeniable air of formidable power about him—playful in a way that kept everything at a distance, making him decidedly not to be trifled with.
“Is that so?”
Avian finally turned to me, asking cautiously.
In truth, we had no prior acquaintance. Yet it didn’t matter. He was precisely the sort of person I wanted to become acquainted with. That was something we could arrange now. I nodded immediately.
“Yes, it’s true. So please, go ahead and thoroughly expose every detail of that damned impostor’s backing.”

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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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