I Cured the Mastermind and Failed to Run Away - Chapter 6

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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 6

Levelin hadn’t left the Mansion for some time. Whenever she tried to move, her father and brother would cling to her ankles like a carpet laid across the floor, insisting she must rest at once.
Instead, she spent her days in the Mansion’s Library, searching for books about Purifiers.
Unsurprisingly, not a single volume contained any mention of raising a Purifier’s Rank.
‘As expected, this is something only I can do.’
After that, she checked with her Magical Tool several times, but her Rank remained at 5.
The reason eluded her, but she had no intention of letting this opportunity slip away.
So then, what were the conditions for raising her Rank?
Levelin formed several hypotheses. Based on the circumstances, the most likely candidate was the act of Purification itself.
‘The more I Purify, the more my Rank rises—that seems most plausible.’
After all, her Rank had risen after she Purified Chedwin. But if that were true, why hadn’t it risen when she’d Purified that flower bud back at the Academy?
Perhaps contact with Chedwin had been the catalyst. But to verify this hypothesis, she would need to perform Purification again.
Now that she was a 5-Rank Purifier, the act of Purifying wasn’t difficult.
The problem, however, was this:
‘What on earth am I supposed to Purify?’
There was nothing to Purify!
Whenever a Contamination Zone emerged, the Knight Order or Mercenaries were deployed first to eliminate the Magical Beasts. Only after the Beasts were dealt with would the Purifiers enter from outside.
In the past, Purifiers had sometimes been sent in first for various reasons, but after they were torn apart and killed by Magical Beasts during Purification, their numbers dwindled so severely that the procedure was changed.
Naturally, civilian access was strictly forbidden throughout this process.
It was impossible to slip past the vigilant knights and enter a Contamination Zone undetected.
So she’d even considered purchasing a false identity to match her Rank.
Some of the byproducts from Magical Beasts in Contamination Zones were used as healing medicine or materials for Magical Tools, so certain commoner Purifiers would rent out their identities to “Contamination Poachers” for substantial sums.
‘Because people never hesitate to spend money if they can maintain their youth or live longer.’
She’d considered concealing her identity and borrowing someone’s credentials to enter a Contamination Zone, but she quickly abandoned the idea—there was no way to hide her face when entering such a zone, and besides, Levelin’s face was already far too well-known.
“Hmm.”
Of course, that didn’t mean she had no options at all.
She could use the information about the Contamination Zones that appeared in the Original Work.
Since the female lead and male leads kept getting caught up in contamination for the sake of plausibility in that adult novel, all she had to do was hover nearby and get caught up in it alongside them!
“The Contamination Zone that occurs this time is the place where the original story begins, after the female lead becomes known as a 2-Rank Purifier. Um, let me think…”
It bothered her to steal the heroine’s role and disrupt the original narrative, but she didn’t deliberate long.
She could just share a bit of the contamination! A very small portion!
“Besides, there’s no way I could Purify an entire Contamination Zone alone anyway, and I have no intention of trying!”
The danger level of a Contamination Zone varied according to the concentration of Miasma, and based on that danger level, the Rank and number of Purifiers to be dispatched were determined.
The Contamination Zone occurring for the female lead’s spectacular entrance in the Original Work was something Levelin, currently only a 5-Rank, could not Purify alone.
It would require multiple 5-Rank Purifiers working together to manage.
Of course, countless minor Contamination Zones would emerge afterward, but there wouldn’t be another so dense and dangerous for some time.
‘I’ll just pretend to stumble into the Contamination Zone by chance, and while the female lead is Purifying, I’ll secretly Purify just a tiny bit myself to confirm my hypothesis!’
She’d leave the glory to the female lead.
After all, this incident was the beginning of the Original Work—the moment the female lead would be spectacularly revealed as a 2-Rank Purifier.
Stepping in slightly wouldn’t change much overall.
‘Should I just block the original story from starting altogether?’
No. She couldn’t ruin someone else’s future just to save her brother. This was the moment the commoner heroine finally found happiness!
Levelin recalled the beginning of the Original Work.
‘The female lead came to the Capital City for a visit, stopped by a small Workshop, and that’s where the Contamination Zone occurred. And if I remember right, that happened on the fifteenth day after Chedwin’s victory ceremony ended?’
After finishing her date calculations, Levelin nodded and stood up.
Good.
Original heroine, I’m sorry, but let’s share some of this contamination!

* * *

A few days passed, and at last the day arrived.
Today, Levelin visited a small general store and Workshop frequented by commoners.
She’d lied to her servants and knights, telling them she was preparing a surprise gift for her family and forbade any gossip—then stationed them at a distance.
Fortunately, they all protected her privacy.
Levelin’s gaze met that of the shop owner as she pulled her robe over her head.
“I, I beg your pardon, miss.”
The old man, leaning on a walking stick bound together with rope where it had snapped, glanced at Levelin once, then at the money pouch she’d set on the counter.
“You mean to say you’ll give me all this money if I close the shop for just today?”
“Yes.”
“But I doubt you’d find anything here you’d want, miss. Everything in this shop is either secondhand goods someone used and discarded, or things I’ve made myself.”
She knew that already. She hadn’t come here to buy anything in the first place!
‘But it would seem odd if I said I’d wandered into a commoner’s shop for no reason at all, wouldn’t it?’
As Levelin pondered, a pocket watch came into view.
“I collect antiques as a hobby. I happened to pass by and noticed this pocket watch in the display case caught my eye. Since you run a workshop alongside the shop, you must have repaired it yourself? I’d like to browse alone, if you don’t mind.”
The old man’s eyes widened in surprise. After a long silence, as though he couldn’t find an adequate response, he finally spoke, his voice thick with emotion.
“I’m honored and grateful that my humble work would please you, miss.”
What was that about? Had no one ever told him his work was good before? Why did he look so moved?
Levelin glanced away, cleared her throat, and quickly redirected the conversation by gesturing toward the money pouch.
“In any case, please check the money. I’ve prepared a day’s earnings based on the shop with the highest daily sales in the Capital City.”
The small workshop was thick with cobwebs in every corner, and every piece of furniture and object looked as though it bore some defect.
“But each shop has its own standards, of course. If it’s not enough, I can prepare more. After all, it was I who asked you to clear out.”
Noticing Levelin’s casual insistence, the old man shook his head hurriedly.
“No, no indeed. If you see my shop, you’ll understand—I hardly have any customers. The money you’ve just given me is more than I could earn in several months of work.”
“I see. Well, that’s fortunate. Congratulations.”
“It’s far too much for merely closing the shop for one day.”
Levelin shook her head firmly.
“You’ve lost a day’s business because of me. It’s only fair compensation.”
“But—”
“It’s all right. Now, could you clear out for me, please?”
Faced with her repeated, gentle insistence, the old man had no choice but to clutch the money pouch to his chest.
He mentioned that he’d already taken the important things, told her she was welcome to do whatever she pleased, and left.
“That money still won’t be enough.”
Levelin sat in one of the few undamaged chairs, watching the old man’s retreating figure.
A Contamination Zone would appear in this very place today.
And the workshop would collapse.
In the original work, the old man dies, but today will be different.
“Use it to help repair the shop.”
The sequence differs slightly from the source material’s beginning, but the shop owner isn’t crucial to the plot anyway, so it doesn’t matter.
She sat quietly amid the drifting dust.
A bell chimed.
The workshop door opened.
“Um, hello there…”
She’d arrived.
Levelin knew from the voice alone. She’d know from a single strand of hair.
“The displayed items are so beautiful. Did you make all of these yourself? Your craftsmanship is truly remarkable. Would it be all right if I looked around?”
Sophia, the original work’s protagonist, peeked her head through the doorway and stepped inside. Her golden hair, having absorbed the sunlight, shimmered brilliantly as it caught the breeze.
“Of course.”
At Levelin’s permission, Sophia entered hesitantly. Looking around as if searching for something, she asked carefully.
“Are you… the shop owner?”
Levelin, who had become the shop’s owner for the day, nodded lightly.
So my brother falls head over heels for this woman?
‘Sophia is so much… too precious?’
Now Levelin understood what her brother had said in the original work about being willing to give his life.
‘Just his life? He should give everything.’
Levelin rested her chin in her hand, watching Sophia as she browsed the shop’s wares.
But something was odd.
“Wow. It’s so pretty. This is beautiful too.”
It wasn’t just Levelin who was watching—Sophia was watching Levelin too.
As Sophia admired the items and offered praise, she was stealing glances at Levelin.
‘Why is she acting like that?’
The puzzle didn’t remain unsolved for long. The opening of the original work suddenly came to mind—when a Contamination Zone had appeared as Sophia and the shop owner were conversing while browsing.
Levelin nodded to herself.
‘Ah. She wants to talk to me!’
She had no desire to become entangled with the original work’s protagonists, but Sophia was cute and beautiful!
Surely a brief conversation wouldn’t hurt?
Levelin, who possessed not a shred of social grace, racked her brain.
What on earth should they talk about? She’d start with the weather, and then—
“That was quite the tour! Well then, goodbye!”
Ting.
She’d gotten no further than “start with the weather” when Sophia vanished. She hadn’t even finished saying hello before it was over.
“……Excuse me?”
No one was there.
“……?”
There was no chance to stop her. Sophia had taken a cursory glance around the entrance and fled the moment she’d finished her greeting.
“……Did she just… run away?”
Left alone in the shop, Levelin’s eyes darted back and forth.
No, this wasn’t how it was supposed to go.

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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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