I Cured the Mastermind and Failed to Run Away - Chapter 2

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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 2

Currently, the highest Grade Purifier in the Empire is Grade 2.
And there are only two of them.
In the original story, the female lead becomes the third Grade 2 Purifier.
Sophia, a commoner, comes to the Capital for leisure when she’s swept up in a Contaminated Zone by chance, purifies it, and awakens as a Grade 2 Purifier—and that’s where the original story begins.
Sophia becomes entangled with the male leads through various incidents, and by the middle-to-late chapters, she’s kidnapped and imprisoned by Chadwin, who is on the verge of Mental Collapse, and forced to treat him.
But Sophia fails to purify Chadwin.
Corrupted by Magi, Chadwin’s mind ultimately collapses, and Beastification progresses as he creates a Contaminated Zone within the Empire.
Chadwin had been an Empire’s hero, always leading the charge to eliminate Contaminated Zones, so no one suspected he could have been corrupted.
And the first to catch on to it was none other than—
Our good-hearted brother! Arent!
Arent tried desperately to save Chadwin alone after his mental collapse, throwing himself toward him as he was exposed to the Contaminated Zone.
But in the end, exposed to thick Magi, he goes unpurified and dies.
After that, it’s revealed to everyone that Chadwin too was creating a Contaminated Zone, and he also perishes.
‘Sweet potato! Stubborn idiot! Fool! You should have run first like everyone else!’
After remembering the original story, Levelin had done everything she could to change her brother.

—Brother, let me pose you a problem. There’s this person who does incredible good deeds, but he contracts a disease related to that work. It’s contagious too, so everyone’s terrified and runs away. What would you do……?
—If everyone runs away, does that mean no one helps? If he got sick doing good work, I’ll help him recover.
—No! You’re wrong! The answer is ‘run away fast first!’ You have to be selfish and ignore it!
—Levelin, everyone lives within the goodwill of others. You can’t take that for granted…….
—Ugh! Just run, I’m telling you! Hopeless sweet potato brother! Your throat must be parched!
—Levelin, here’s some water. Drink it. Your throat will feel better.
—But what if I’d be sad if you helped that person? Would you still do it?
—I always want to be someone you can be proud of, Levelin.

But it all failed.
Arent, who aimed to become a Sword Master, had a high sense of chivalry. She tried to change his mindset by any means necessary, but he wouldn’t budge an inch.

—Father, couldn’t you send brother abroad for a few years?
—My dear Ruby, what’s the matter? Did you argue with Arent again? But you can’t throw out your brother like that.
—That’s not it. Sigh, brother says he’d save someone else even if he’s in danger. So if we send him abroad on a study trip so he never finds himself in such a situation, wouldn’t that work? He’d listen if it came from Father.
—My dear Ruby. You and Arent are both my children, but I respect your opinions. I’m your parent, not someone who controls you as I please. You’re both adults—how could I act on my own……?
—Ugh! Just send him away! What happens if brother goes wrong, Father? You think you’ll be fine?! You’ll just cry! I know! I know it all! Hopeless sweet potato father!
—My Ruby, taking a stroll by the Lake when you’re frustrated is quite nice. How about going on a date with me for once?
—If Father won’t send brother abroad, I’m just going to keep crying from today on. Understand?
—My precious Ruby, please don’t forget how much I love you both and always remember it.

She’d even tried using her father to send Arent far away, beyond the reach of the hidden villain’s grasp, but that too had failed.
Of course—where else would brother’s stubborn and obstinate nature come from? From father himself!
But Levelin didn’t give up. When it came to protecting and saving family, surrender was not a word she could afford.
‘If I had some incredible power, I could secretly get rid of Chadwin and keep brother from ever dying in the first place!’
She’d hoped a Grade 1 Purifier capable of purifying her brother would appear, but unfortunately, no Grade 1 Purifier emerges in the Empire by the time the original story ends.
So Levelin had to find another way.

* * *

Once the Victory Parade ended, a magnificent Victory Banquet followed.
The atmosphere split between nobles hovering nervously, trying to forge some small connection with Chadwin at any cost, and those wary of his suddenly elevated power.
Levelin, who had no interest in socializing whatsoever, pressed herself inconspicuously against the wall.
“I’m going to greet the Emperor alongside Father, so don’t do anything strange and stay put here.”
“Am I three years old?”
“I wish you were—at least people would find that cute.”
“I’m cute even without being three!”
Arent fell silent. He seemed to be seriously considering how to respond.
I hate it even more.
“…Levelin, let’s just go greet His Majesty together. It’ll be safer that way.”
“I don’t want to.”
If Levelin stepped forward, what would follow was predictable.
“I suppose I’d feel easier keeping you where I can see you.”
“Aren’t you worried I’ll cause some disaster while I’m greeting His Majesty?”
Arent’s face drained of color as he imagined the scene, and he gripped both of Levelin’s shoulders with grave earnestness.
“Levelin, you cannot cause a disaster. This is the Grand Duke’s banquet, and His Majesty will be present.”
“I know.”
“What did I say? Repeat it back to me.”
Did my brother truly mistake my age for three years old?
Even as she bristled, Levelin complied obediently with his words.
“You said the Grand Duke is the guest of honor and His Majesty will be present, so I shouldn’t cause a disaster, and I understand perfectly!”
“You should stand like a pillar in the hall.”
“Pillars are dull. I’m confident I can stand like a jewel instead.”
Arent offered no further reply, cast Levelin a look of exasperation, and moved away.
‘Finally, he’s gone.’
Released at last from her brother’s relentless surveillance, she felt her chest expand with relief.
‘Now, shall I have a conversation with Chadwin?’
Levelin sipped her Champagne at leisure, her gaze piercing through the crowd of nobles surrounding Chadwin’s back.
If she couldn’t replace her father and brother, then she would replace him.
Levelin had no intention of avoiding an encounter with the hidden mastermind.
‘He’s probably contaminated by now.’
From the start of the original story, Chadwin had been slightly contaminated by Magi.
The problem was that he fought Beasts in Contaminated Zones yet never received periodic Purification.
His Sword Master aura suppressed the Magi, so according to the source material, Chadwin himself didn’t even know he was contaminated.
‘They said his current condition isn’t dangerous yet.’
For now it was fine, but eventually the Magi he’d kept forcing down would erupt beyond his control, and his mind would collapse in an instant.
‘If I had a Purifier stay by his side before that happens, we could prevent Mental Collapse.’
Watching from a distance without approaching the crowd around him, Levelin pondered how to attach a Purifier to his side.
“I thought you weren’t invited to the Victory Banquet because you had no presence today, Lady Levelin.”
A familiar voice sounded then.
‘I was wondering why she hadn’t shown up.’
Mila, the only daughter of Count Phaelr’s House.
“Lady Mila.”
A rare Grade 3 Purifier and one of those who nearly killed Levelin during the Academy graduation examination.
“How does a lady who isn’t a Purifier end up here? Ah, but then you’re attending as a young lady of Etheliom, not as a Purifier, of course.”
Mila scraped Levelin raw with the edge of her voice, her smile deceptively gentle.
“Nobody calls a Grade 10 Purifier a ‘Purifier,’ do they? Isn’t that right, Lady Levelin?”
“Well, yes. I suppose so.”
Of course, preoccupied as she was with saving her family, Levelin felt no sting from the remark.
‘She’s not wrong.’
Levelin was a Grade 10 Purifier.
She had taken classes at the Academy because she possessed Purification ability, but it was Grade 10—ability too weak to work as a Purifier.
A Grade 10 Purifier could barely purify a single small flower.
Her family, who had members without any Purification ability at all, consoled her by saying it was no matter, that it was actually far better since she didn’t have to venture into dangerous zones.
If her own family was fine with it, why did this unrelated woman keep scrambling to scratch out flaws?
‘This is exactly why I hated standing before His Majesty in the first place.’
But Levelin was not one to shy away from a fight her opponent had started.
Otherwise, Arent wouldn’t have begged her to cause no disasters and behave herself.
Levelin drained her Champagne in one satisfying gulp and smiled.
“That’s why I’m always grateful to you, Lady Mila, a Grade 3 Purifier.”
“Well, of course. I’m always—”
“While I idle away my time buying dresses and jewelry, you work so hard, trudging through mud for my share too. How could I not be grateful?”
Levelin gestured toward Mila’s shoes with her eyes.
“The heels look terribly high—it must be difficult to run. If you’re going to splash through muddy swamps, you’d want lower heels and a darker color, wouldn’t you? Those fancy shoes will just get so dirty you won’t even recognize them anymore.”
Mila’s face flushed crimson as she got back what she’d dished out, her mouth clamped shut.
“Since I’m a useless Grade 10 Purifier as you say, that’s the only advice I can offer. Still, every time I enjoy a delicious dessert in the Capital, I’ll think of you and cheer you on.”
Levelin even clenched a small fist in encouragement. Mila, who had started the provocation, ground her teeth with an irritated expression.
“Do you realize what state the Empire is in, and you have the audacity to happily buy dresses and jewelry? How can your thoughts be so……!”
“With Contaminated Zones appearing so frequently these days, I hear you’re all quite busy. Lady Mila, you’ve purchased a new Dress, but the color combination is dreadfully out of fashion.”
Mila’s words caught in her throat as indignation flared through her. She was vain about her reputation, and clearly mortified—she began comparing her Dress to those of the other women around her. Color rose to Mila’s cheeks.
‘I really am grateful to the Purifiers who work so hard.’
Despite being a rare Grade-3 Purifier, Mila had overheard the others complaining that she always lagged behind and failed to pull her weight.
Neither woman had any right to speak of the Empire’s circumstances.
“As a Purifier, you show absolutely no sense of responsibility, Lady Levelin. How could you say such a thing?”
“Didn’t you say that Grade-10 Purifiers aren’t called Purifiers?”
“That’s—”
“Every time I see you, you say that, so I thought you meant for me to set aside my responsibility as a Purifier and enjoy my freedom. But I suppose I was mistaken.”
Mila’s hands trembled with fury. With shaking fingers, she drained the Champagne glass beside her, then made an effort to set it down with grace.
“I’m ashamed to be called a Purifier alongside you. You are a disgrace to the profession, Lady Levelin.”
“That needn’t concern you, Lady Mila.”
Levelin smiled as she tidied away the Champagne glass Mila had set down.
“After all, there won’t be anyone calling us Purifiers of the same rank.”
At this glib retort, Mila’s voice caught. She glared at Levelin with barely contained rage.
And as always, finding no further words, she spun sharply on her heel and left.
Levelin had triumphed once again, and she raised a fresh Champagne glass to her lips.
‘Brother absolutely told me not to cause any trouble and to stand like a stone pillar.’
Once the quarrel had ended and her mind cleared, she became aware of the heated gazes upon her from the crowd.
‘This won’t do.’
Levelin slowly began to edge toward the shadows, withdrawing step by step.
By the time the attention of the crowd had faded, she had quietly slipped into a Balcony tucked into a corridor’s corner.
It was a secluded Balcony so remote that one could not discern who came and went unless one paid particular attention.
“Phew.”
Only once she had escaped the crowd’s gaze could she truly breathe.
A cool breeze swept across the Balcony where she had been standing for some time.
The faint melody that drifted through the air and the floral fragrance carried on the wind held a certain romance.
The Champagne in her hand was delicious, and the sight of a young man and woman meeting for the first time, shyly exchanging tokens of affection, was endearing.
Then she heard the sensation of the Balcony door opening behind her.
At a banquet, when a curtain is drawn or a door is locked, it signifies that someone is inside—it was common knowledge not to open it.
‘I didn’t lock the door.’
Click. The door was locked, followed by the urgent sound of footsteps rushing in.
‘Oh no.’
Before the awkwardness could deepen between them, Levelin spun around hastily to let the person know someone was there.
“Someone’s here… huh?”
But before she could finish speaking, she saw who had entered, and shock seized her. It was someone entirely unexpected.
“……”
The person who had entered the Balcony was none other than tonight’s guest of honor.
It was Chadwin Belharck.
Those cold blue eyes fixed upon Levelin with a piercing, penetrating gaze.
She was frozen, as if caught in a trap.
‘This is an opportunity.’
Levelin tensed the muscles in her unmoving fingertips. She bit the inside of her lip with sudden determination.
A few glasses of Champagne had emboldened her.
‘If I can’t change my brother, then I’ll change Chadwin!’
After all, changing just one of them would be enough, wouldn’t it?
‘I’ll convince him to receive regular Purification before his mind collapses.’
Then Mental Collapse from contamination would be delayed, and the original story would be altered, at least somewhat.
If there was even the smallest possibility, she would seize it and hold fast. She could do anything for her family.
“Your Grace. It is an honor to meet you.”
Levelin opened her lips to speak.
“If you wouldn’t mind, would you care to… wait? Wait?”
Before Levelin could finish her sentence, Chadwin’s breathing suddenly became ragged. He clutched his chest and collapsed forward in an instant.
What?
This wasn’t how it was supposed to go.
Levelin, startled, hurled her Champagne glass backward.
Instinctively, she stretched out both her arms.

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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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