If You Are Suited for the Villain's Secretary - Chapter 44

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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 44
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After removing my rain-soaked clothes and finishing my shower.
I entered my room at the Residence, drying my hair as my thoughts churned.
There was a reason the landslide report had left me unsettled.
‘If that catastrophe were real, it would be a massive weakness for Aden.’
In other words, it was far too perfect a card to bring Aden down.
But why hadn’t that report been made public in the original story until the Protagonist’s group discovered it?
As I carefully retraced the original narrative, understanding dawned on me.
‘It wasn’t that they didn’t release it. …They couldn’t release it. Aden caught them red-handed before they could use it. Then it must be Crimson.’
In the original story, Crimson appeared only in flashbacks.
Meaning they had already been destroyed by Aden’s hand during the narrative. And quite thoroughly at that.
Around this time, Aden had mercilessly crushed Crimson. That must have been quite a burden for La Mar as well.
Even if he wasn’t a ‘good person,’ Aden at this point was a ‘good director’—so why had he taken such risks to destroy the Rival Company?
Thinking about it in reverse, the answer became clear.
‘…Crimson must have crossed a line so egregious that Aden couldn’t let them slide.’
So the landslide was Crimson’s doing after all. Aden had found evidence of their involvement in the accident and sought revenge.
Because he moved so swiftly, Crimson had written up their report but never got to use it.
‘But if Aden had known about the report’s existence, he would have destroyed it. Yet it remained. Which means.’
Aden hadn’t known the report existed. Either his reach hadn’t extended far enough, or they’d hidden it somewhere distant from the main base from the start.
‘The report was fabricated. The Protagonist’s group saw that falsified report and believed it was all Aden’s doing.’
Since the story progressed from the Protagonist’s perspective, they never touched the truth of the matter.
There was also another reason I’d developed fundamental doubts about the accident’s cause listed in the report.
It was Laklan’s existence.
‘He was a mine worker and former safety manager.’
As I heard stories about the Kona Mine, I also learned about Laklan’s background.
Remarkably, not a single accident had occurred at the mines where he’d worked. That’s apparently why he was scouted.
So the idea that someone like him, as the person in charge, would conduct ‘reckless blasting’ seemed absurd.
I’d even asked him indirectly about it.
“If you were to proceed with the road construction first, how would you, um, plan to use explosives?”
“Only when opening the access route.”
“Oh, not for the entire construction project?”
“That would be a disaster. The upper layer of that land is clay and the lower layer is sedimentary rock, plus there are sewers, so if you recklessly detonated explosives, the entire Mountain would slide. There’s a technique called vibration-free crushing, and there’s a new magical tool drill that just came out….”
Of course, I understood only about half of the technology he explained, but the mention of ‘sewers’ stuck with me.
And the moment I heard Tessa’s account, certainty struck me.
The fact that Lenox had already escaped before, yet still desperately pulled in Randolph using a ‘blood contract’….
‘He must have thought today was the right moment. If the Cliff collapsed before the contract was finalized, he could destroy Julius, Victor Noel, and La Mar’s entire project all at once.’
What was remarkable was Aden’s reaction the moment he heard my theory.
I couldn’t just blurt out that there might be an explosive terrorist attack, so I first explained the suspicious circumstances surrounding Randolph.
“So you intend to use your Uncle to nullify the contract itself.”
“Oh, yes! I thought the same thing….”
“If Julius Noel dies before the contract is finalized, the rights to the land naturally revert to the Viscountess. Anticipating this, I stationed guards, but with Victor Noel present as well, she’ll likely attempt to eliminate them all at once.”
“The sewers. There are sewers beneath the Cliff. If we detonate explosives there, we can collapse the Cliff in one strike. If she chooses the easiest and fastest route, those sewers are her best option.”
Thanks to Laklan’s interjection from beside me, there was no need for further explanation.
It seemed Aden had been considering the possibility of Crimson’s threat all along. He’d even said it wasn’t time to celebrate yet.
In many ways, I was fortunate. Especially that I’d prevented a catastrophe.
“…Sigh.”
Yet my mood felt strangely off. I’d expected to feel nothing but satisfaction.
After scratching my eyebrows a few times, I grabbed some chocolates. I thought a bit of fresh air and a snack might lift my spirits.
But when I opened the door, Aden was leaning against the wall across from my room. When our eyes met, he gestured with his chin.
“Let’s go.”
Where at this hour…?
‘Besides, Aden must have showered too, so why is he just wearing a shirt? Could that actually be his sleepwear?’
And here I am in pajamas with clouds printed all over them!
But as someone in no position to refuse, I followed him out without even putting down the towel I’d been using to dry my hair.
Walking behind Aden with my head tilted in confusion, I suddenly caught a whiff of something. A delicious smell?
That’s when it happened.
“Iliana! Come quick! Let’s eat meat!”
The gathering I thought had been cancelled was taking place in the Garden.
Beneath an enormous tent they’d set up from somewhere, people were grilling meat and pouring champagne as they welcomed us.
Seeing everyone wave their hands at me with smiles on their faces….
Somehow, my heart felt a little flutter.
“Secretary, you really pulled off something today! Well done.”
“Ah, this sausage is the best, but those guys took them all. I hid this one, so I’m giving it to you secretly. If anyone asks, just say we’re all out.”
“Cheers! This is rosé champagne, you know? We girls are drinking this among ourselves. It’s the sweetest! And it’s expensive!”
Everyone must have heard what happened at the Cliff, yet they refrained from asking.
They didn’t rush to offer hollow comfort either. Instead, sausages, champagne, and simple encouragement and praise were placed into my hands.
Someone who’d been eating barbecue spotted me and approached with delight.
“Secretary!”
It was the mage Delilah.
Of course, I hadn’t relied solely on the rather uncertain method of beating down Randolph and disarming the bomb when I went with Tessa with nothing but my bare hands.
Delilah had pre-cast impact absorption magic in the sewers beforehand. Just in case things went wrong, to ensure we wouldn’t be in danger.
She, who happened to be working on a project at banker Walton’s exhibition hall, gladly came all the way to Cassis at my request.
By the way, Luther, who should be shaking down Randolph right about now, was summoned by Aden.
“Thank you so much for coming, Delilah.”
“Thank me? I should be thanking you! You keep bringing me work like this. Actually, these people were asking if my magic could be applied to transport containers too?”
“That’s possible?”
“Of course! Who do you think I am!”
I asked even though I already knew the answer.
After all, I had drawn her into the Mage Tower as a collaborator because I believed her magic could be applied to the Trading Company’s operations as well.
Delilah whispered, her eyes twinkling as she smiled silently.
“This place is really nice, isn’t it?”
Watching her scurry off toward the meat with a pitter-patter of footsteps, I couldn’t help but agree with Delilah’s words.
I loved La Mare.
I wanted to work with these people for a long, long time.
And the greatest obstacle to that goal, or perhaps….
“Should I offer The Director some champagne?”
“Nah, what for? Don’t you see he’s only drinking from that hip flask? He’s clearly a spirits man.”
The man who held the key came into view.
I walked toward him slowly.
Standing at the boundary of the shade, Aden rejected all the employees’ food offerings while remaining in place, holding only his flask, and he alternated his gaze between my plate and me.
“You’ve taken quite a lot.”
“Call it a kindness. Would you like some?”
“No, thank you.”
It was delicious though.
I put a grilled vegetable in my mouth and stood beside him.
Aden seemed to have expected me to stop by out of courtesy and then leave. He raised one eyebrow.
“Go attend to work.”
I laughed at those words.
“My apologies, but this is a company gathering, Director. You’re telling me to work?”
“Since it’s a gathering as I said, you’re free to mingle with whoever you’re comfortable with.”
“I’m comfortable here.”
His violet eyes, visible beneath slightly less dry black hair, narrowed faintly.
“Of course, it’s not entirely comfortable, but ahem, the truth is I’ve known you longer than anyone else here except Sister Selby.”
“Is that so.”
Somehow that “is that so” sounded like “suit yourself” or “do as you please.”
At least it wasn’t a dismissal.
I smiled softly and, standing beside Aden, turned my gaze to the rain he was watching.
The boisterous laughter and crackling of the bonfire were distant from this place. Only the space between the two of us seemed to exist in a vacuum of silence.
It was quiet, but… it wasn’t uncomfortable after all.
“Thank you. For the matter concerning my Uncle.”
I felt Aden turn his head from the corner of my eye. I kept my gaze on the rain.
Aden, who had been staring at me intently, spoke in a slightly lower voice.
“There’s no reason for you to thank me for doing your job well.”
“No matter how well I did my job, I could never have found Uncle’s forged seal certificate.”
….
“Thank you for helping. I really wanted to see that bastard ruined. I’m so glad he’s completely destroyed, never to recover again. I should replay the recording I made for the record every single day.”
Aden, who had been tilting his hip flask, coughed.

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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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