If You Are Suited for the Villain's Secretary - Chapter 50

—————

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 50
‘Well, this is the normal reaction, I suppose.’
As I boarded the train, I’d harbored similar concerns to Greta’s, but Aden—having just finished a communication—mentioned it in passing.
“You don’t need to worry about the press right now. Let’s focus on other matters instead.”
When I asked why, he said he’d bought up all the newspaper space.
We weren’t the only ones who’d profited from the Kona Mine lottery advertisement. The newspaper companies had as well—sales had multiplied several times over because of the trending ad.
As a result, the newspapers had been eagerly inquiring whether we had any similar events planned.
‘The advertising format was contracted exclusively to La Marque, so it was something only we could do.’
So Aden had released that exclusivity clause and, in exchange, secured first right of refusal on newspaper space.
The moment this problem erupted, he exercised that right and purchased an entire week’s worth of newspaper space.
Upon hearing that explanation, I….
“Yes, understood.”
I agreed immediately.
I was simply grateful the Trading Company had plenty of funds, and I promptly focused on other matters as Aden had instructed.
‘Of course, the Central Region newspapers will likely still print emergency extras out of deference to Vito, but that’s far better than having La Marque’s poisoned wine story plastered across the front page nationwide.’
But seeing Greta’s reaction, I felt somewhat embarrassed.
I cleared my throat and changed the subject.
“What about Sherwood? From what I heard in the communication earlier, he should have finished all the examinations by now.”
“Ah, he’s in a private room. I’ll show you the way.”
In truth, I hadn’t immediately suspected Crimson the moment I heard the news.
Even if the incident had occurred in the Marquis Vito’s territory, which was allied with Crimson, there was still the possibility that it was La Marque’s fault.
What if the wine had genuinely deteriorated or something had gone wrong during distribution?
‘Then what’s all this talk about controlling the press? I’d have to take responsibility. I’d rush to the victims immediately, bow my head, and apologize sincerely.’
But there was a reason I’d become certain it was Crimson’s doing.
The first was that no abnormalities had been detected in the other wines that had been distributed and stored identically.
And the second was due to the results of the preliminary examination conducted by Sherwood, La Marque’s cooperative mage.
“Hello, Sherwood. I’m Iliana Grecia.”
“Good day….”
The Branch Director had reportedly rushed to the hospital where the servant who drank the wine was admitted the moment he heard the news.
Though the guards had prevented him from visiting the servant, the resourceful branch director had managed to obtain medical records and a blood sample by claiming they were necessary for calculating treatment costs and negotiating compensation.
And Sherwood, who had been examining that blood sample all this while, wiped cold sweat from his brow and nodded to me.
“The results match what I reported to you via communication earlier.”
“Then….”
“Yes. It’s a poison made from Delphinea flower extract.”
Delphinea flowers.
The name of a poisonous plant that resembled the ‘Airen flower’—a crop that had once been a nationwide craze.
Because of the explosive demand for Airen flowers, Crimson had carelessly imported Delphinea despite knowing it was poisonous, and when poisoning incidents erupted one after another, they’d dumped all responsibility on the local trading company and made their escape as if they were victims too.
It was also the plant I’d stopped from being distributed through Sirena when I’d exposed the counterfeit seeds.
“But it’s not a simple poison. It’s an extremely sophisticated magical toxin, and the poison itself is imbued with magical power.”
“So you’re saying it’s different from ordinary magical potions?”
“Yes. Typically, the magic used in potions amplifies the effects of ingredients or makes them last longer. In other words, it only acts upon the materials themselves, affecting people only indirectly. But this poison….”
“It directly affects people, then.”
I flinched at the sudden, unnervingly low voice from behind me.
Spinning around, I found Aden standing behind me—he must have returned from the Marquis’s residence. His eyes were dark.
“And in a harmful way.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Sherwood released a heavy sigh.
It was so deep I worried his already diminutive frame might sink into the floor itself.
“There is only one Mage Tower in the Empire capable of crafting such an intricate magical poison. …It’s Siphron in the Northern Region.”
“The Mage Tower that Crimson recently acquired.”
“Yes.”
Sherwood shuddered as though the mere thought repulsed him.
It seemed Sherwood knew exactly what kind of Mage Tower Siphron was. Had he perhaps worked with them in the past?
Naturally, another person who knew of that place came to mind.
Lenox—who had said he would rather suffer eternal torment than return there.
‘A poison made in such a place.’
Whatever it was, it had to be horrifying.
‘And Crimson put that abomination in wine. To frame us.’
My composure finally cracked.
My brow was deeply furrowed while Aden asked with his usual expressionless face.
“Is there no way to determine the exact effects of this poison? Any elements that could serve as evidence that Siphron created it?”
“With only this blood sample, it’s difficult. If I could at least examine the wine that contained the poison, I might get somewhere, but Marquis Vito’s residence refuses to hand over any evidence. For now, this is the best I can do.”
“I see. Thank you for your efforts.”
Aden gestured to me with his eyes.
“Let’s go.”
“It was a pleasure seeing you again, Sherwood.”
Sherwood accepted the farewell with a deflated expression before collapsing into his chair.
He was a character who appeared in the original work—quite a capable mage and alchemist.
He was also the one who had given Aden the recipe for the mana suppression potion.
‘It didn’t seem to be described as an ordinary potion in the original. I should try to find out exactly what the mana suppression potion is when I get the chance.’
With that thought, I left the private room.
***
I boarded the train departing from Branch 11 a few hours later.
‘I’m relieved the detained employees have returned. Though we failed to secure the poisoned wine—the decisive evidence.’
The situation hadn’t been entirely resolved.
Other branches that learned of the incident belatedly were flooding my communication device with inquiries, nearly setting it ablaze.
By the time I’d finished recounting the same story for the tenth time, my throat raw and aching—
“….”
I noticed Aden across from me, holding his communication device in silence.
Beep— beep—
It seemed whoever he was trying to reach wasn’t answering. Aden ended the call, his eyes narrowing sharply as only the intermittent signal tone faded away.
Though he merely frowned, I could sense his mood had plummeted considerably.
Even more so than when he’d received the report about the incident at Branch 11.
‘There was actually someone whose failure to answer a call could dampen Aden’s spirits this much?’
To my surprise, that someone was Luther.
But why…?
In any case, I had no desire to witness the Director’s mana roiling over a colleague who simply wasn’t answering, so I ventured carefully, “Shall I try contacting him instead…?”
“Never mind.”
Aden cut me off immediately, then studied me for a moment.
Then he added quietly,
“Get some rest for now.”
What was going on?
Sleep was the last thing I could manage. My mind raced through countless possibilities, and I bit my lip softly.
‘Why won’t he share what’s troubling him with me? Even if he doesn’t trust me…’
If Aden were truly as flawless as he appeared on the surface, he wouldn’t have been defeated by the protagonist’s faction in the original story.
He had as many flaws as things he disliked.
Beyond his greatest weakness—’mana runaway’—his next most critical flaw was that he thought far too much in solitude.
‘Look at what just happened. He couldn’t have come up with the idea of buying out all the newspaper’s pages on the spot. He must have agonized over it all night at the Merchant Guild.’
Aden calculated every risk while seemingly excluding from his calculations the toll his own efforts exacted.
That worried me, just a little.
Not solely because his mana couldn’t twist before obtaining Sungsu.
‘Of course, I’m also worried he might suddenly say “use any means necessary” again!’
It was simply that his pallid complexion bothered me.
I think this concern began the moment we passed through the Blight Duchy.
“I’d appreciate that.”
As if drawing a single curtain was worth such gratitude.
From that moment onward—when he’d uttered his first words of thanks.
From the moment he said thank you for the very first time.

—————

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

—————