I Became the Female Lead Ruined by Others - Chapter 16

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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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Episode 16

When the door deep within the basement swung open, a plume of dust billowed forth, and the air carried that distinctive reek of dampness and staleness—sharp enough to sting the nostrils.
I found my brow furrowing of its own accord.
It was the most reflexive of reactions.

“…….”
“What—what on earth are you doing down here?!”

And as I stood speechless, the Butler’s reaction was equally reflexive—he practically leaped backward.
The man before us bore an expression of pure bewilderment.

“Is there a problem with me being here?”
“A problem?! This is a place even the servants aren’t permitted to enter so casually!”

Though the Butler’s voice rose sharply, the man didn’t so much as blink.
He possessed a composure so complete I doubted he’d ever known genuine alarm in his life.
He swept back his platinum-pale hair with a casual gesture and tilted his head.

“I don’t recall ever being told not to come down here.”
“That’s merely common sense, surely—!”
“Was it forbidden, Young Lady?”

With effortless indifference to the Butler’s heated protests, the man’s eyes widened—fixing not on me, but on the object in his hand.
My gaze followed to whatever he was holding.
What on earth was that.

‘A broom?’

As if sensing my rigid stare, without waiting for my answer he began sweeping carelessly at the ground beneath his feet.

“I imagine one’s lungs would rot if one lingered too long in such a fetid place.”
“That’s hardly the issue here!”

The Butler’s voice, steadily escalating, now resonated through the basement with enough force to rattle the stone.

“How did you even get in here?!”
“The mansion is so sprawling I seem to have gotten lost.”
“You ‘seem to have gotten lost’? What does that mean? How did you open the door?”
“It was already open. Curious that you’re blaming others for your own oversight.”
“Don’t lie to me!”

Where the Butler strained his voice until his veins stood out, the man remained composed—unflappable.
And I, stepping back to observe the scene, found myself in complete agreement with the Butler.

It was a lie.
To reach this place required passing through a door concealed behind the stairwell, descending the full length of stairs, and then opening yet another door.

‘There’s no way he simply lost his way and ended up here. He came deliberately—for some other purpose entirely.’

Yet what that purpose could be remained utterly beyond my grasp.
This man had personally subdued the Assassin who attacked me. What possible reason could compel him to seek out the Assassin now?

‘Could he have… done something to the Assassin?’

My gaze drifted beyond the man’s shoulder, through the sturdy iron bars of the window behind him.
The Assassin lay curled tight, limbs bound, and I could see only her back.

‘There don’t seem to be any external wounds… They said she’d woken up, so why is she like this?’

The Butler, misinterpreting my silence, cleared his throat with a soft rumble and pitched his voice lower.

“Ahem—but why are you here, or rather, what brings you down here?”

At that, the man waved the broom he held, letting it swish back and forth.

“Oh, I just remembered—I was cleaning, and before I knew it, I’d wandered down this far.”
“…….”

A silence colder than the basement’s chill settled over us.
Not long after, the Butler’s voice rose sharper than before, shattering that quiet.

“Why are you cleaning, of all people!”
“I get bored, and I dislike mess. Though I wouldn’t say I have any unusual standards about cleanliness. Nothing like obsessive tidiness, for instance.”
“No, when did I ask about that?! I’m asking why you’re cleaning at all!”
“I’ve given you a clear explanation—perhaps your comprehension needs work.”

Watching their near-vaudeville exchange was enough to drain the energy from me.

“Hand over that broom this instant!”
“But I received this from Rose?”
“That’s property of this Mansion, and everything here belongs to the Young Lady. How could such a thing fall into the hands of an outsider without my permission as steward?”
“Property.”

Then, the man’s gaze—which had been fixed on the Butler—slid smoothly toward me.

“I’m barely different from being the Young Lady’s property myself, yet the Butler treats me so harshly. It wounds my heart, Young Lady.”

And then, quite suddenly, his eyes drooped at the corners, and his voice turned plaintive.
Property. He’d called himself property.

‘……Is he mad?’

I’d known his mind wasn’t sound for some time, but this situation—

‘Finding his way here alone, performing this foolish act. What on earth is he scheming?’

No, that isn’t the priority now.
I came down here to interrogate the Assassin. But speaking freely with this unknown man present was impossible. If any of my weaknesses leaked during questioning, it would be catastrophic. First, I had to get him out of here.

For the sole witness whose neck had flushed crimson, I even forced my eyes into a smile.

Unless one were a fool, the message of “do nothing” had come through loud and clear.
The man who had made such a grand entrance, playing the part of an attendant, fell silent—unlike himself.

‘He’s rattled.’

At least, that’s what I thought—until the corners of his mouth curved into a smile, even as his eyes never stopped studying me.
Those unblinking eyes, that slow arc of a smile.

“Like a cat, you mean?”

In a heartbeat, he’d recovered his composure and answered with shameless ease.
I deliberately avoided the Butler’s gaze—now flickering with some indefinable emotion as he glanced between us—and gritted my teeth, forcing the words out.

“Cat, dog, whatever. Just go upstairs.”
“But you said last time that you preferred dogs to cats.”
“I change my mind once a second, so don’t worry about it and just get upstairs, would you?”
“Ah, I see. You’re worried your face might suffer in all this dust, aren’t you?”
“I don’t care about that either—why won’t you just go upstairs?”
“Well, Young Lady does seem to love your own face quite dearly.”

The man handed the broom in his hand to the Butler with a flick.
Now fully turned toward me, he slowly bent at the waist to meet my eyes.
His eyes sparkled like jewels, as if he were beginning some delightful game.

“I can’t have Young Lady upset with me, so I’ll be on my way.”

As he straightened, his face was painted with satisfaction.
Whether he’d noticed my patience had reached its limit, or simply decided he’d had enough fun, I couldn’t say.

“I’ve nothing to do here anyway, so I thought I’d explore downtown. You remember that house you promised to buy for me before, don’t you?”

What nonsense is this now?
Those eyes curved with such ostentatious charm—whether it was an act or genuine, I couldn’t tell. Though I’d only seen him for half a day, his face always looked that way.

‘Like some kind of patron…?’

The Butler drew a sharp breath—he was thinking the same thing.
At that sound, I managed to pull my lips into a smile.

“I’d like to go have another look at that house. Oh, and I have an appointment anyway, so I should hurry off.”
“……All right.”
“I’ll do my best to return at a reasonable hour.”

Don’t come back. Stay away forever. Really. Even as I stared at him with naked meaning in my eyes, the man laughed. He simply turned, offering nothing but a smile of uncanny beauty.
Just that, and nothing more.

“See you later, Young Lady.”

Before long, the sound of footsteps on the stairs faded, accompanied by soft humming.

“…….”
“…….”

In the basement left in the wake of that whirlwind, both the Butler and I remained silent.
I stared into empty space with glazed eyes before speaking, my voice hollow.

“Butler.”
“Y-yes, yes!”
“I think we need to tighten security.”
“O-of course, Master! I shall review all the locks at once. It seems that swallow—no, our guest—must have slipped past me. It is my failure.”

Her head, rigid as a rusted machine, creaked as it turned.
After all that shouting, her manner of speech toward the man had grown remarkably polite.

‘Was that conversation actually convincing…?’

She’d thought the talk had derailed when she’d tried to match his tone, but now it seemed she’d miscalculated.

“Furthermore, I assure you, my guest, that you needn’t worry about losing your way — when you return, I shall guide you through the Mansion!”
Her energy had flagged somewhat, but there were more pressing matters at hand.
With the hindrance gone, it was time to move forward.

“Let’s begin.”

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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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