If You Are Suited for the Villain's Secretary - Chapter 41

—————

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

—————

If the Villain’s Secretary Suits Me
Chapter 41
Randolph’s anguish, which had weighed upon him with the burden of defeat and rage, did not linger long.
He nodded vigorously.
“Very well.”
Someone draped in a robe, standing at a distance, approached at those words.
I learned that he was a mage only after pressing my blood seal upon the paper that glowed crimson.
“This is an unbreakable contract. In other words, everything written in this agreement must be fulfilled by both parties without exception.”
Even as Randolph rubbed his aching shoulder, he found himself quite satisfied with Norbert’s words.
Once this affair concluded, he would obtain a title from the Viscountess and a magnificent estate from Crimson. He had verified the contract’s ‘conditions’ multiple times—it was certain.
[1. Randolph Maurel shall not disclose the existence of this contract or its detailed execution plan to anyone except Norbert Galley, the full representative of Crimson.]
The confidentiality clause was far more stringent than typical contracts, which troubled him somewhat, but before he could dwell on it further, Norbert had already taken all the contract pages with him.
“But what of this plan you mentioned?”
“Simple. Before the ten billion gold is deposited into Julius Noel’s account—that is, before La Mar receives the land transfer agreement from Julius.”
Since I had asked after he’d already written the contract, having missed the ‘detailed execution plan’ entirely.
Norbert answered in a tone distinctly colder than before the contract was signed.
“Should Julius, who has no blood relatives, perish, the rights to that land would be exercised by the current head of the Noel Family, the Viscountess.”
“…I beg your pardon?”
“So our task is singular.”
Norbert slid an old piece of paper toward me.
It was a blueprint of the sewage system running beneath a cliff near the house where Julius Noel resided.
A photograph was tucked into the blueprint.
“Julius Noel, Victor Noel who follows him, the contract, La Mar’s project—we bury it all at once.”
It was standard construction explosives.
La Mar, which was preparing the harbor construction, would have them as well.
“Everything. Cleanly. In one stroke.”
Norbert smiled wickedly.
***
I ultimately couldn’t fall back asleep.
But perhaps because I’d managed to rest for a moment, my body felt reasonably well. The fever had completely subsided.
‘The fever reducer the Doctor gave me seems incredibly effective. I can’t believe I’m feeling better this quickly.’
Yesterday I’d felt a vague chill, but by dawn, a headache and fever had tormented me.
I was normally quite robust with good stamina. Before joining La Mar, I’d never taken a single day off.
Yet here I was, taking sick leave for my ankle, and then suddenly running a fever, which meant I’d completed all the work only to miss the presentation.
‘I was supposed to showcase my ideas and appeal to everyone at that meeting, but I lost that opportunity….’
While I had regrets on multiple fronts, I supposed stress was a reasonable explanation.
I’d pulled two consecutive all-nighters, and my stomach had twisted itself into knots trying to suppress curses every time I saw Randolph’s face.
On top of that, yesterday Aden had suddenly grabbed me and dragged me away, which kept me anxious the entire time.
What surprised me a little more, though, was….
“Do you happen to have any allergies to apples or honey?”
“Pardon? No, I don’t. But why are you asking…?”
“Then that’s fine.
It was when I realized the meaning behind Aden’s casual question as I woke up.
It seemed the tea he’d given me yesterday had been apple-honey tea.
I found it touching that he’d been concerned about whether my illness was caused by the tea he’d offered, and I felt somewhat grateful.
‘He even called Selby over for me.’
Aden was a ‘good representative.’ That much was certain.
And for him to continue being a ‘good representative’ to everyone,
‘The landslide.’
There was still work to be done.
Fortunately, I’d managed to prevent him from starting with blasting just to draw Julius out.
But the thought kept circling in my mind that I was missing something in the landslide cause analysis report.
However, contrary to my concerns, Branch 3 was bustling with activity. Selby waved at me from the garden.
“Iliana! How are you feeling? Are you alright?”
“Thanks to you. But what’s all this?”
“What do you mean, we’re preparing for tonight’s dinner party. Now that the project is finally breaking ground, we should celebrate, shouldn’t we?”
According to the schedule, Aden and I would be leaving Cassis tomorrow morning to return to the Capital City.
So it seemed they’d arranged for everyone to dine together tonight.
From the way they were setting up barbecue grills and tables in the outdoor garden, it was quite an elaborate gathering.
“But I don’t think the representative will be pleased about this.”
“Everyone thinks that. He clearly looks like someone who dislikes noise. But when else would we all gather together like this to eat meat and build camaraderie? We made this occasion because something good happened.”
Of course, Selby was right that Aden looked like someone who disliked noise. In the original story, he actually did.
But my concern was directed at a slightly different point.
Wasn’t it premature to raise a toast when the work wasn’t even completely resolved yet?
“Isn’t it too early to raise a toast? The contract won’t be completed until early tomorrow morning at the earliest.”
I was startled.
Spinning around in alarm, I found Aden standing there, having spoken the exact words I’d been thinking. His brow was subtly furrowed.
When the branch manager who’d apparently orchestrated this gathering hurried over to explain the purpose to him, Selby, sensing the moment, quietly pulled me away.
When I approached the entrance of the Merchant Guild, Laklan was standing alone. He said he’d come out because it got noisy while he was resting, his tone equally unenthusiastic.
“The stage is already set, but it looks like rain is coming.”
As I watched him mutter, Selby whispered to me.
“By the way, Iliana, what kind of food does the Director like? Neither the Branch Manager nor the Vice Branch Manager know.”
“I’m not sure. I don’t know either.”
“Really?”
I truly didn’t know.
Surprisingly, Aden and I had never once shared a meal together.
Even in the original work, there was never a scene of him eating anything. The only thing that ever touched Aden’s lips was one thing.
‘The mana suppressant in his hip flask.’
For now, it should be fine timing-wise, but soon the moment would come when the suppressant’s effects would wear off.
Fortunately, I knew of a substitute for the mana suppressant.
‘It’s certainly difficult to obtain, but I should be able to get my hands on it somehow. …The real problem is how to get Aden to consume it. How on earth would I manage that.’
I couldn’t force it down his throat with a funnel, and—
As I carefully reviewed the original work once more, I suddenly glanced at the silent communicator and asked Laklan.
“Branch Manager, has there been any movement from the Noel side? Any attempt to contact Julius Noel?”
“Randolph stopped by this morning and got thoroughly cursed out before being chased away, and a few hours later Victor Noel stopped by, got thoroughly cursed out, and went inside the house. It’s been quiet since then.”
This matched what I’d heard while gathering information after waking up.
The news that Victor Noel had sided with Julius Noel was unexpected.
I wondered if he was plotting something, but Scott, who had been waiting to draft the contract, dismissed it, saying ‘Victor doesn’t have the brains for that.’
“But even if we set aside Victor Noel, it’s strange that Uncle is staying quiet.”
“Why?”
“Given his personality, it’s obvious he’d come to vent his resentment at me. ‘It’s all your fault! If you’d just not recorded it!’ Something like that, and I expected him to come grab me by the hair, but after a few communications this morning, he hasn’t done anything….”
“Whether that’s fortunate or unfortunate, I’m not sure.”
Laklan gestured with his eyes.
“It looks like he’s coming to do it to you right now.”
In the distance, a carriage from the Maurel Family was approaching.
The carriage, which had rushed over hastily, came to a stop right in front of the entrance. The person who descended from it with a screech was—
“Hey!”
Tessa Maurel.
“What did you do, you little wretch!”
She rushed sharply toward me, who happened to be standing near the entrance, ready to grab my hair at any moment.
“Because of you, my husband…wait.”
But Tessa’s hand froze in midair.
Dozens of gazes—from the burly branch employees setting up the barbecue grill to the workers moving tables—all turned toward her at once.
Thwack!
One employee brought a cleaver down onto the meat.
Crack!
Beside me, Selby cracked her knuckles as if she’d been waiting for this moment.
Tessa’s face drained of color in an instant, and soon a long shadow fell across her features.
“….”
It was Aden.
His gaze pierced through her with a coldness and dread that made my first encounter with him seem mild by comparison.
I shrugged at Tessa, whose complexion had turned ashen, and replied.
“Please, continue. I’m listening.”

—————

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

—————