If You Are Suited for the Villain's Secretary - Chapter 37

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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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If the Villain’s Secretary Suits Me
Chapter 37
I knew this conversation would come up eventually, but I never expected it to be now.
‘And I certainly didn’t expect such a direct approach this time.’
My throat tightened, and I let out a dry cough.
“If you’re uncomfortable…”
Aden, who had gently pushed the teacup toward me, added quietly.
“It would still be better to speak. For your sake.”
Those words could be interpreted in many ways—most of them unfavorable.
Aden had likely already completed a thorough investigation of me.
So perhaps this was his way of offering one last chance to come clean. Given how suspicious I’d been all this time, it was his way of saying: speak now, unless you want to be “dealt with.”
But then again, perhaps just a little…
“I’ll tell you the rest another time.”
True to his nature of not wasting words, I sensed he might genuinely be willing to listen to my story.
The kind of thing someone would say—that it’s better to confess to someone than to suffer alone, that it would help me in the end.
Unable to determine which interpretation was correct, I stared at my tea and slowly opened my mouth.
“It’s my father’s debt. I’m repaying it due to certain circumstances, and the Fang you saw before is the creditor.”
“It doesn’t seem to be the sort of debt that can be reduced or forgiven through legal means.”
“That’s right. It’s a gambling debt.”
“Is there a connection between that debt and your uncle, Randolph Maurel?”
“It may have been a catalyst, but as far as I know, there’s no direct connection.”
Aden didn’t ask for excessive detail, yet he posed questions that would have been impossible without knowing the specifics.
He already understood. Though I couldn’t be certain how much he knew.
That’s why I could answer more calmly than I expected.
‘Aside from that loan consultation, this is the first time I’ve spoken about something this deeply with anyone.’
And yet, excluding the banker, the first person I’m confiding in is my guild representative and a would-be villain.
The irony of it was almost amusing—enough to make me smile slightly.
“…Luther must have mentioned it, but La Mare has an internal loan system.”
“Ah, yes. I’ve heard about it. But I’d like to save it for when things get truly desperate. Still, thank you for mentioning it.”
‘Though borrowing money from that person is… a different matter entirely.’
For some reason, Aden seemed dissatisfied with that answer.
As I averted my gaze, Aden, who had been silent for a moment, let out a low sigh.
“You’re making me ask again, Miss Iliana Grecia.”
“Yes?”
“What should I do about this?”
…What do you mean?
Confused, Aden chose his words with unusual care.
“Your uncle is forcing you to do something, isn’t he?”
How did Aden know that? He’d only seen that marriage agreement floating around once.
I’d suspected it all along, but only after meeting Randolph today did I become certain.
Indeed, the head of the Empire’s ‘Black Hand’ was simply different in every way. I found myself offering genuine admiration, and asked in return.
“Marriage?”
“…Yes.”
“Ah, that’s already been resolved.”
Aden faltered.
“Resolved, you say.”
“Yes, I told them I was already married. Since you can’t marry someone who’s already married, there shouldn’t be any further problems.”
Aden faltered once more.
“…You were already married? Iliana Grecia?”
“No! I just said it that way… Wait, just a moment, Director.”
After asking for his patience, I contacted Selby.
Fortunately, she had been waiting near my lodgings with my bag, wondering when I’d call.
After quickly thanking Selby and retrieving my bag, I activated the pen-shaped recording mana device inside it.
[Who’s your husband? How did you meet? What does he do?!]
[You wouldn’t know him even if I told you…? I’ve had plenty of men chasing after me like this.]
The recording happened to play from an embarrassing part, and I found myself unintentionally flustered, but it was sufficient to make the situation clear.
“The Debt Collector from Fang seemed to think I deliberately didn’t mention my marriage to make a fool of him. Thanks to that, the truth of my words went unquestioned.”
Just to be safe, I’d also confirmed this with Thomas.
He said Randolph’s calls came in regularly to Jack’s communication device, which I’d left behind for investigation purposes. Of course, Thomas never answered.
It was more than enough for an increasingly anxious Randolph to redirect his suspicions toward Jack.
As for what exactly happened to Jack—well, I didn’t ask. There was no need to add something that would disturb my sleep.
“Ah, and… my meeting with Randolph Maurel wasn’t solely to resolve a personal matter.”
Click.
Randolph’s voice flowed from the recording device.
[If I had 10 billion gold, I would’ve bought off the elders long ago and made Victor Noel a viscount! Did you naively believe that old man’s words, and now you’re doing the same?]
“It seems Julius firmly believed Randolph Maurel’s promise of 10 billion gold. He denies it himself, but he was indeed a fool who trusted a verbal contract. If I let Julius hear this confession, his trust will shatter….”
I cleared my throat and spoke with emphasis.
“I believe I can negotiate directly with Julius. Without needing to join hands with Victor Noel.”
This was my true objective.
To hand over the land before the negotiation deadline without using explosives, while preventing Randolph from succeeding.
‘There’s no other way but to negotiate directly with Julius.’
To do that, I had to convince Aden as well.
The original Aden would have ended up making a deal with Victor Noel.
‘If Noel had insisted the explosives were a threat and made a fuss, it would have taken longer, but the fact that he obtained the land smoothly meant…’
Victor Noel’s side must have tacitly approved of the method La Mare attempted to drive Julius out.
But I know this. Aden doesn’t just hate nobility—he wants to take revenge on noble society itself.
‘Calix Arden Blight’.
One reason he was miserably abandoned by the Blight Family was because of those nobles’ power struggles.
‘So if I present him with the choice of not taking a noble’s hand, he might change his mind!’
I waited for Aden’s answer, somewhat tense.
Aden, who had been listening quietly to me, lifted his eyelids and fixed his gaze upon me. His eyes lingered on mine.
“I have one question.”
“Yes.”
“Why are you presenting this method to me now? Is it because it’s efficient, or is there personal sentiment involved?”
“Of course it’s personal resentment.”
Damn.
My words tumbled out faster than intended, driven by my animosity toward Randolph Maurel.
“…It’s efficient as well. The conclusion is that it’s both.”
But since I couldn’t deny that personal sentiment was intertwined with it, I decided to simply answer honestly.
Preparing for contingencies was of course the highest priority, but I also desperately wanted to strike Randolph Maurel from behind. Absolutely, without fail!
Aden, who had been alternating his gaze between my clenched fist and my face, ….
“Ha.”
He laughed.
And quite refreshingly at that.
The low, resonant laughter gently rippled through the air.
His eyes, which had always been cool, curved with a pleasant light as they turned toward me.
“I appreciate your honesty. I like it.”
As far as I could remember, Aden had never praised me like this before.
“You’ve worked hard,” “You grasped the situation well”—those were the extent of his praise, and even those were rare.
Yet here was Aden, saying that my opinion was good and that he liked it.
Something felt strange about it. Peculiar, even gratifying, and… truthfully, I was rather pleased. Enough so that I found myself smiling in response to him without realizing it.
‘It must be a sense of duty…, right?’
Of course, unlike me, the smile quickly faded from Aden’s face, but its afterimage lingered at the corners of his mouth.
“By the way, negotiations with Victor Noel have already been put on hold. But with this information that Iliana Grecia brought, our options have expanded. Thank you for your work.”
For a moment, I doubted my ears.
He’d put it on hold before even hearing my proposal?
But at that time, shaking hands with Victor Noel would have been the most efficient choice by Aden’s standards….
So I asked back in a voice that sounded rather obtuse.
“Um, why did you put it on hold?”
“I wonder.”
The corners of Aden’s eyes narrowed slightly before opening again. He seemed to be reconsidering his own choice anew.
After quite some time had passed, he spoke in a languid tone.
“Let’s just say I also had a touch of personal sentiment.”

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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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