I Became the Female Lead Ruined by Others - Chapter 32

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

Episode 32

Click.
The moment the Reception Room door closed behind me, I let out the breath I’d been holding.

“Sigh…….”

My shoulders, rigid with tension, sagged loose and heavy.
As all the strength drained from my body, I sank into the plush sofa.

‘I still don’t have a clue what any of this means.’

Baron had left, but the weight of his parting words still circled in my ears.
What did that Possessor intend, and what did it mean that Baron had guided me himself?

‘It’s been a week since the Possession, and nothing makes sense yet.’

Information gathering—the first survival rule for a Possessor—was already proving difficult, and the saying about climbing mountain after mountain fit perfectly.
The curtain was drawn only after the sound of several heavy footsteps faded into the distance.

“You did well, young lady.”

For someone who had been hiding in silence, he looked remarkably composed.
The man unfastened the cuff buttons of his shirt and moved toward me with unhurried steps.
Rolling up his sleeves, he dropped into the seat across from me—the one Baron had just vacated.
It was the first time his smooth smile and clear, bright eyes didn’t feel ominous.

“You as well.”
“Was that a compliment?”
“……I suppose so.”
“Then could you manage a slightly brighter expression?”

The man laughed at my lukewarm face as if amused.
Now that my tension had eased, and given that he’d played along with my scheme, he wasn’t quite as infuriating as usual.
After laughing for a while, the man swept his hair back and spoke.

“You must have been quite close to the dead Princess.”

Every citizen of the Empire knew all about the transcendent friendship between Princess of Bardentia and the young lady of Baron Mesh’s household.

‘It’s not information that outsiders struggle to find.’

Which meant that Possessor had never mentioned the Princess to this man to flaunt her influence.
I’d never even wondered what gave a mere young lady of a Marquess’s house the confidence to propose a vault robbery.

‘No matter how advanced the information she possessed was. Is this man an idiot?’

I nodded lightly and responded flatly.

“Yes, we were.”
“You don’t seem like someone with a strong social nature…….”
“……What do you mean by that?”
“Ah, I was actually worried because you suddenly decorated the Mansion so gloomily. But now it makes sense—it was grief over losing a friend. Your only friend, then?”
“Don’t twist my words. And what’s that supposed to mean?”

Just then, the ease of his smile—maintained even while throwing relentless jabs—wavered ever so slightly.

“You must be in considerable pain. I heard it was a sudden death.”

My eyes widened as I stared at him, my expression souring.

“How did you know?”
“That’s what people are saying.”

The man replied dryly, as if discussing something trivial, and gave a slight shrug. A fragment of the conversation I’d had with Baron by the window before his visit flickered through my mind.

His blue irises gleamed.
He stared at me for a moment, then burst into laughter.

“I suppose. The Duke’s House seems to be keeping quiet about it too.”
“Trying to imagine the final moments of someone close to you must be quite painful.”

No matter how much I racked my memory, that night held no premonitions, no unusual signs.
But I couldn’t say as much to him, so this time it was I who shrugged.
The man, observing my reaction, leaned forward slightly and whispered.

“Well…… yes, I suppose so.”
“He might know something. You could have asked him just now, couldn’t you?”

If that were the case, the Duke or Leonardo might well have shared even the smallest clue with him.

Though the image of his clenched fist lingered like an afterimage…….
As I fell into thought, the man pressed on.

Baron would speak of things I didn’t know, and this man would overhear their conversation.

Though they’d shared a meaningful exchange, Baron had apologized first.
I averted my gaze awkwardly and tried to deflect.
I could instinctively sense that if the man took more interest in this, things would only get more tedious for me.

“Does it matter?”
“Since it’s already failed, it’s as though it never happened.”

Yet my firm reply only deepened the smile at the man’s lips.
I braced myself, wondering what nonsense he’d spout next.
The man, who had been leaning forward, straightened and then reclined, sinking back into the cushions of the sofa.
Just like me, right now.

“Still, you know how the world rarely bends to one’s will—but you might be the exception.”

Then he said something that made no sense at all.

“If you make up your mind, everything will go exactly as you wish.”

There was an odd certainty woven through those words of encouragement.
It would have sounded more natural coming from Ted.

‘Is he flattering me?’

Then again, this man needed me right now—or rather, the Possessor’s plan needed me.
Perhaps he was saying this to ensure I wouldn’t lose heart after speaking with Baron.

‘I can’t tell if that’s kindness or calculation.’

It was absurd, yet trapped as I was in this maze with all exits sealed, his words felt almost like solace.
So I laughed quietly, still sunken into the sofa.

“…I wish that were true.”

The man across from me, equally buried in his own sofa, smiled with genuine warmth.

“It will be.”

* * *

The worn carpets lining the lobby and Reception Room, the curtains drawn over the windows—if I had my way, I’d strip it all out and start fresh.
But doing it the moment Baron left would only draw unwanted suspicion, so I held off.
Besides, there was something else I needed to attend to.

“There’s no need to do a thorough cleaning. Just think of it as a simple tidy-up.”

A Lock hung across the entrance to the staircase leading up to the spacious attic on the third floor.
Finding that suspicious, I’d instructed Ted to have all the servants clean the third floor, and right now they were diligently sweeping away the dust.

‘Whether it’s the Ledger or the funds, I have a feeling they’re up there.’

Judging by Ted’s bewildered expression at my sudden order to clean the third floor, it seemed the Possessor hadn’t openly frequented it.
But something that important would more likely be hidden inside the Mansion than anywhere outside it.

“If you find anything while cleaning, bring it straight to me.”

On reflection, there was no reason I had to be the first to discover the Ledger.
After all, the other servants couldn’t read the Possessor’s handwriting anyway.
If the servants checked first and then I verified myself, the risk of missing something would be minimal.
These people were so devoted that they wouldn’t dream of pocketing anything they found.

“But, Master…”

Ted suddenly hesitated and drew closer to me.
I turned my head toward the object of his wavering gaze.
There, crouched beside Mary, was a man sweeping beneath a display cabinet with a broom.

“I’ve seen countless handsome actors at the theater, but I must say, you’re truly something special! Oh, speaking of theaters — it brings back such fond memories! Would you like to hear me sing?”
“Ah, I’m afraid I’m quite penniless at the moment. I couldn’t ask you to strain your voice without so much as a ticket fee. Perhaps another time?”
“My goodness! You’re actually concerned about my vocal cords? The master’s already treated them for me, but still — how thoughtful! All right then, I’ll save my voice until you’ve made your fortune!”

Her hair, which fell to the nape of her neck, was gathered neatly into a ponytail.
Ted withdrew his gaze and muttered something under his breath.

“Flower keeps staring at you, sir.”
“……Just let it be.”

In the end, I too averted my eyes and let out a low murmur.

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