I Cured the Mastermind and Failed to Run Away - Chapter 23

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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 23

The rumor had spread in hopes that Sophia would make a grand entrance, but things had spiraled far beyond what was expected.
“Once the Purification Ceremony succeeds, a Divine Decree will come down. Aren’t you curious?”
Curious wasn’t the word—as the person who’d started the rumor, I was anxious about where this would lead!
‘What if the Divine Decree says the gods never said any such thing?’
If the Emperor discovered every word was a lie and ordered his men to find whoever started it all—
They might execute me for deceiving the realm on a matter of grave importance.
‘Should I attend the ceremony myself, so if some bizarre Divine Decree comes through, I can at least hear it in advance and prepare to flee—or prepare a counter-story?’
Being beheaded for spreading false rumors would be utterly absurd tyranny.
But this is a rated-R Reverse Harem novel! And the number-one stock character in such genres is precisely a tyrant!
Of course, the current Emperor wasn’t one, but given that the rumors involved a purification mage, I couldn’t be sure how he’d react.
‘If I’m going to be executed for spreading false rumors, then Chadwin and whoever spread those rumors about us should face the same fate!’
After all, there are plenty of scandalous romance rumors circulating about them—whispers of a hidden illegitimate child and worse.
Though I suppose spreading false romance gossip and deceiving the nation about a matter of state are different scales entirely.
“What do you think? Are you inclined to go with me now?”
Chadwin, who’d supposedly shut up troublesome priests by dumping them in a Contaminated Area, was waiting with uncharacteristic patience for Levelin’s answer.
“Before I answer, may I ask you one thing?”
“By all means.”
“Why did you specifically ask me to be your partner?”
The question seemed to catch him off guard; he tilted his head slightly.
“I didn’t realize there had to be a reason when asking someone to be your partner.”
“We’re not close enough to attend something like this together. And if it’s that kind of event, there must be plenty of high-ranking purification mages lining up to agree.”
Levelin regarded Chadwin with open suspicion.
“Is that so? I thought you were closer to Miss Ethelion than most noble ladies.”
“Us? Hardly.”
Levelin laughed dryly, as though brushing off a joke, and drew a clear line between them.
“But I’ve called you by your pet name. Haven’t I? Ruby.”
This man was something else.
“Why are you looking at me like that? I didn’t come up with it on my own—you asked me to call you that first.”
“People will misunderstand!”
“Did I lie to you?”
“That’s not the point—”
“Then it’s settled. If I’m close enough to use a pet name with you, who else would I ask to be my partner?”
Sophia’s eyes, which had been glaring at Chadwin moments before, widened. Her gaze darted frantically as she tried to piece together the nature of their relationship.
Levelin gritted her teeth and smiled.
“Sophia.”
“Yes?”
“The escort seems to be late with the carriage. Would you go check on them?”
Sophia glanced at Chadwin, then hesitated, uncertain whether she should leave.
“Sophia?”
“Yes?”
“Go.”
Levelin called her name again with a smile and nodded firmly, leaving Sophia no choice but to comply.
“I’ll drive the horses myself if need be and bring the carriage right back.”
Sophia shot Chadwin a protective glare, let out a low growl, and bolted away.
“You’ve got a loyal patroness. I noticed it before too. Do you know what you’re sponsoring?”
“What? What do you mean?”
Chadwin’s gaze lingered on Sophia’s retreating figure before turning back to Levelin.
“Where did you pick that one up?”
Pick up? As though she were an object. Levelin’s eyes narrowed.
“Speaking disrespectfully of my maidservant is the same as insulting me. You do know that, don’t you?”
“If that’s how it sounded, I apologize. I was just curious how you’re managing to tame something so untamed.”
Was he talking about Sophia?
It seemed he was referring to her earlier growl.
“She’s not tamed. She’s my person, Your Grace.”
“You’re sharp.”
I didn’t want to say this—it felt like cutting my own throat—but there was no choice now.
Chadwin had thrown the first punch, so I had to throw one back.
“And from now on, please stop using my nickname. The Grand Duke’s lover will be jealous if she finds out.”
“My lover?”
“I heard rumors that you enjoyed a secret meeting on the Victory Banquet Balcony. There’s even talk of a child.”
Levelin, the very subject of that absurd rumor, feigned ignorance and pressed the attack against Chadwin.
‘It’s pathetic that I’m the one bringing up my own rumors, but I need to shut that mouth first!’
“Ah. So rumors like that exist.”
Chadwin accepted it without surprise, his expression unmoved, nodding calmly.
“Rumors don’t always point to truth.”
“But I heard you never once denied it, Your Highness.”
Why didn’t he go around denying these ridiculous rumors before they spread any further?
The thought kindled a fury in me. For so long I’d heard those strange rumors propagate while standing alone, helpless—I could only glare into the void. The injustice of it all burned.
“Is that so?”
Look at that composed face!
“Then the rumor was false?”
“Of course. If I had a lover, I wouldn’t be looking for a partner.”
“Then shouldn’t you go out of your way to clarify such false rumors?”
“Why?”
His casual reply left me speechless.
I’d never understood, until this moment, why he simply let those outrageous rumors fester without a word.
Levelin couldn’t deny the rumors because she couldn’t reveal her true identity.
But if Chadwin had only told people to stop spreading such nonsense, it would never have spiraled this far.
I wondered why someone with his influence would simply let it be.
But now I understood.
“Why bother responding to every baseless rumor?”
This man simply didn’t think at all!
‘Right—he’s the Sword Master, so he couldn’t even be bothered to undergo proper Purification and ended up with a fractured psyche.’
For a moment I’d forgotten what kind of person Chadwin was!
“If rumors spread that you have a lover, no marriage proposals will reach the Grand Duke!”
“Troublesome things won’t bother me now.”
“Just think about it! The rumor of a hidden child gnaws away at the Grand Duke’s honor.”
“Anyone with sense would know it’s false. I have no legitimate wife, so why would I hide a child? If I truly had one, I’d raise him as an heir.”
Levelin’s lips trembled with suppressed emotion.
All the grievance she’d quietly swallowed while hearing those rumors came bursting out at once.
“But you should consider the woman who’s been rumored to have shared that secret meeting at the Victory Banquet!”
That’s me. Me!
“How shocked would she be to hear such an outrageous rumor?”
“Why?”
“Because there are strange rumors about secret meetings on the Balcony and forbidden love and all sorts of things! And if, as you say, that rumor isn’t completely true—”
“I see.”
“Yes! For her sake too, you should deny it and say it’s not true!”
As Levelin spoke, the sorrow she’d been bottling up all this time crashed down on her, and she began to tremble with barely suppressed tears.
“I’m convinced.”
“Pardon?”
Chadwin’s eyes gleamed sharply as he stroked his chin with one long finger.
“That I was indeed with someone on that Balcony that night.”
Levelin blinked her wide eyes.
“If it were me, I’d think the entire rumor about being with someone on the Balcony was false. But you’re only saying the part about being lovers is false—”
In that instant, her words dried up. Her heated mind froze in a heartbeat, turning cold and numb.
“Young Miss, anyone who heard you would think you’d seen it yourself.”
He spoke in a flat, level tone.
“Or did you really see something on that Balcony?”
But his gaze was entirely different. It was the eyes of a predator watching wounded prey cornered in a cage.
Since when had he been looking at me like this?
‘He wasn’t searching for me at all?’
A man who wasn’t searching wouldn’t have eyes like that. No—those were the persistent eyes of a hunter who’d laid a trap and waited for the prey to approach.
A chill ran down Levelin’s spine.
The problem was the careless words that had tumbled out without thought—all the grievance she’d been swallowing alone finally detonated.
Any hesitation in her answer would give everything away.
‘Whether Chadwin is looking for me or not, I’d better brazen my way out of here.’
Levelin forced down her trembling breath, opening her eyes wide as if she were the wronged party.
“But it’s true that you were on the Balcony with some young lady that day, Your Grace, isn’t it? I’m simply telling the truth.”
“What?”
“You’re not trying to pretend it never happened, are you? I saw everything that day!”
A perfect counter-attack.

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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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