A Strange But Effective Villainess Life - Chapter 40

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

Chapter 40
A shabby back alley that seemed separated from the bustling world—a man leaning against the wall and a woman in strange maid’s clothing resting her head on his lap. Had anyone witnessed this scene, they would never have imagined it was a marquis and a princess.
Sezare maintained the same position without moving for a long time, as if unwilling to disturb my light sleep. At some point, the clamor of the scarf sale event faded away as well.
“This was prepared for the Crown Prince.”
“We’ve gathered only the Crown Prince’s closest associates. Let’s enjoy a pleasant hunt together!”
“We’ve all adjusted our schedules for the Crown Prince.”
Another dream unrelated to me. Cheerful, bright voices of men.
“From now on, I won’t trust anyone. Everyone will be nothing but a means to me.”
A sinister voice making a vow to itself in the darkness.
“But… why… are you asking that…?”
“For the Crown Prince.”
And the words I had just spoken moments ago were jumbled together in confusion.
“So be happy, Marquis. Really.”
But that was the last of it. After that, I slept sweetly without dreaming. Sezare remained motionless for quite some time.
* * *
“It’s later than expected.”
Alice stood near the carriage, muttering anxiously.
“Will it be alright?”
Ranaq didn’t answer. Alice guessed why he wasn’t responding and quietly nodded. And she simply prayed earnestly to herself.
“Please, please let that bastard get what’s coming to him… Let the organizer of that damned scarf sale event get absolutely destroyed…”
Ranaq could only cough a few times awkwardly.
And after some time passed, Sezare and Kiana appeared among the slightly thinned crowd.
“Miss!”
Alice rushed quickly toward Kiana. Then she asked hurriedly.
“Why are you so late? Did something happen?”
“Oh, I just fell asleep for a bit, so I’m late.”
Kiana appeared perfectly fine, having sobered up completely.
“Then go on.”
She immediately sent Sezare and Ranaq off at the entrance to the alley.
Of course, Sezare and Ranaq only pretended to leave. They concealed their presence and decided to eavesdrop on the conversation between Kiana and Alice. This was because Kiana’s actions today were precisely the things Sezare needed to know. Why was she searching for sacred relics, and why had the Crown Prince been mentioned in the process?
Kiana didn’t notice that they had hidden themselves nearby. And she patted Alice’s back as she spoke.
“Thank you for waiting, my spy. Let’s hurry to the Ducal Residence. Oh, and just deliver one letter to Lord Risiniss’ Mansion.”
“Yes. I was worried because you were so late.”
“The Marquis looks fit enough, but his athletic ability is completely hopeless. So I couldn’t escape at first.”
At Kiana’s words, Alice let out a deep sigh. And she replied with a sharp tone.
“Ugh… really. That bastard is something else… Why did you even go there in the first place?”
“He came to conduct some shady business he can’t tell others about, but even that didn’t go according to plan. He even admitted to himself that he’s a bit of an idiot trash.”
“No, the more you know about that Marquis, the more of a complete mess he is?”
“My spy, there’s nothing in this world that can’t be explained logically. With that face, why would he have no lover until now? It means that aside from his appearance, he’s completely a mess—a bastard trash.”
In that instant, Ranaq barely supported Sezare, who was about to stumble. Ranaq whispered urgently.
“Is the Princess lying?”
“….”
“Aren’t you upset about this?”
“…It’s just that there’s a reason for it. To put it simply, the Princess isn’t saying anything false. That’s not her nature to begin with.”
Sezare sighed and pressed his forehead. She was a woman who consistently managed to fluster him.
Meanwhile, Kiana was calmly assessing the situation, as she always did.
Kiana had never suffered from hangovers and sobered up quickly. She simply didn’t enjoy drinking. After a single hour of sleep, her mind was perfectly clear. She remembered everything with absolute precision. So even as she rode in the carriage with Sezare, her thoughts remained tangled in complexity.
According to the Grand Cleric, the sacred relic was stored in a location no one would have imagined. And I intended to retrieve it myself and keep it safe. Of course, it was for the Crown Prince.
Unlike before my return, events related to the Crown Prince were unfolding far too quickly. Hitten might very well be thinking the same thing, and could attempt to discover the relic’s location and destroy it.
‘The reason it wasn’t kept in the Imperial Palace was to prevent misuse by the Imperial Family itself… but as Mayer told me, it’s entirely possible he could tell Hitten. I absolutely must act quickly.’
If that young man who received my item was the Crown Prince….
‘Given that he hasn’t appeared publicly, he must have used my item to change his eye color. And if he’s become a Sword Master in the meantime, he’d be even less noticeable to others.’
According to something Scari had mentioned in passing, Sword Masters could surround their faces with aura, subtly blurring their impression in people’s memories. Of course, it was extremely difficult, and I’d heard that even Scari struggled to maintain it for long periods.
In any case, it was an excellent method for hiding one’s identity from others. Hair could be dyed or covered with wigs easily enough. But simultaneously, it would make revealing his identity all the more difficult.
‘Of course, he doesn’t look like someone who’d easily shed that baby fat, so his build would still be somewhat round, wouldn’t it?’
If he’d even gone on a diet, people truly wouldn’t recognize him.
‘I still know very little. I need to prepare for many possibilities.’
When Piyak brings the next letter, I’ll be able to learn much more.
‘In any case, if the Crown Prince has altered his appearance, he absolutely needs the sacred relic to reclaim the throne. It’s the only way to definitively prove his bloodline.’
Of course, being meticulous as I am, I also considered the possibility that the Crown Prince had died and his close associate survived, seeking revenge in this manner. By that logic, the Crown Prince might have fathered a child while living in hiding. If the Crown Prince then died and only the child remained, I would need to prove that child’s bloodline and place them on the throne.
‘It would be best if the Crown Prince is alive. But if not, I’d hope he at least has a hidden child. That child would certainly have blue eyes, wouldn’t they?’
I found myself hoping that child would be a son who closely resembled the Crown Prince.
As Kiana let out a faint sigh, Alice, who was opening the carriage door, suddenly asked.
“Princess, what are you thinking about? You should board quickly.”
“Ah….”
Kiana answered honestly, her face full of contemplation.
“The Crown Prince’s hidden son.”
And with that, she boarded the carriage and departed. It was only natural that Sezare and Ranaq, left behind, froze in place.
“…W-what was that….”
In that moment, Ranaq looked at Sezare as if he were garbage.
“To put it simply, the Princess isn’t saying anything false. That’s not her nature to begin with.”
“No, it’s not. It’s not like that.”
Sezare shook his head in panic. Ranaq had never seen such a flustered expression on Sezare’s face before.
“No, w-what kind of misunderstanding is….”
Sezare’s clothes were now covered in dust—the very thing he detested—though he seemed unaware of it. Ranaq sighed, thinking anew of how formidable Alice’s curse truly was.

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