If You Are Suited for the Villain's Secretary - Chapter 52

—————

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 52
***
Some time later, I emerged from the Investigation Bureau and found myself gazing up at the star-studded night sky.
In the end, I didn’t get my communication device back. Apparently, I was a “person of interest.”
‘Because I’m The Director’s closest confidant, naturally.’
To think I’d end up being treated as Aden’s closest associate in this manner—the world truly reveals its surprises to those who live long enough.
Had I made any mistakes during the interrogation?
As I pondered this, I adjusted my glasses.
It was because of something Aden had said on the way to the Investigation Bureau.
“Iliana Grecia.”
Targeted investigation and surveillance, they called it.
No matter how innocent one might be, as an ordinary citizen, it was impossible not to be startled and flustered by such a thing.
Especially after witnessing the office reduced to chaos and the silver-armored Holy Knights swarming about.
So despite my efforts to hide my anxiety, Aden spoke to me in a voice too low for others to hear.
“Remember. I will take full responsibility. So Iliana Grecia, just conduct yourself as you normally would.”
“As I normally would?”
“Yes. As you normally would.”
And then he added:
“Honestly and boldly.”
Those words from Aden sounded as though he truly trusted me.
Not that he trusted I would keep silent for his sake, but that he believed I could do well without losing my nerve.
So I thought, to hell with it, and spoke my mind freely even before Ezekiel. For someone usually reserved, I certainly let my tongue loose.
‘Though I could be confident precisely because I knew Ezekiel wasn’t the sort to resort to the despicable tactics those Crimson people would use.’
It was true that Aden’s words about taking all responsibility upon himself felt somewhat reassuring. Yet I still wondered if it would truly be all right.
Standing in the center of the Plaza, I gazed at the Lorelei Fountain for a moment, then shrugged my shoulders.
‘Sleep probably won’t come anyway, and since the office was a complete disaster, I might as well tidy it up a bit.’
Whenever my mind grew cluttered, cleaning was always the best remedy.
As I headed toward La Mar, I rummaged through my bag and turned over the business card. It was Ezekiel’s.
Ezekiel had handed me his card as the interrogation concluded, saying, “Contact me if you remember anything.”
That was probably his way of saying, “Contact me if you have anything to report.”
‘I never expected to encounter a major character from the original work in a place like this.’
Ezekiel himself was a supporting character, but one with significant presence.
His younger sister, Muriel Lask, was the female protagonist of the original work.
‘The woman I desperately had to prevent from meeting Aden….’
That was necessary to prevent Aden’s rampage, but it was also for Muriel’s sake.
How obsessively had Aden clung to her under the guise of love—the young lady of the Marquis Lask Family, destined to become the Crown Princess and the Empire’s only Saint.
Her lovely and graceful face was described as being left with nothing but fear and despair, and Aden had truly stopped at nothing to keep her by his side. And all of it was for the worse.
‘Though it wasn’t entirely of Aden’s own volition—he was half out of his mind due to magical runaway.’
Just before the runaway occurred, right as the effects of the mana suppressant were wearing off.
Aden encountered Muriel Lask as if by fate, and in that moment, the magical power churning in his heart found sudden stability.
It was because of the holy power latent within her body.
It did not take long for Aden to conclude that he could not lead a normal life without Muriel Lask.
‘The Marquis Lask Family possessed an extraordinarily pure holy power passed down through generations. …As someone who despised the Temple, Aden wanted to monopolize Muriel Lask in secret before she manifested as a Saint.’
It was the beginning of all tragedy.
I tucked the business card back into my pocket and bit my lip firmly.
‘Still, once the investigation concludes, I won’t have to face Ezekiel again. Surely he wouldn’t bring his precious younger sister to the interrogation room where Aden is.’
Ezekiel was an utterly devoted brother.
Muriel Lask being a kind and affectionate sister certainly contributed to this, but true to his knightly nature, he had possessed since childhood an inability to abandon anything small or weak.
It was precisely this temperament that had made Ezekiel and Aden close.
The young ‘Calix Arden Blight’ had been smaller, frail, and quiet compared to his peers, and when Ezekiel saw that boy reading alone, he was reminded of his own sister who frequently fell ill and could not venture outside.
It was an image that bore no resemblance whatsoever to the current Aden, who, according to Thomas, seemed capable of tearing down city walls with his bare hands.
‘And there’s one more thing that’s changed about Aden now compared to then….’
As I thought this and opened the door to La Mare, I paused.
“The Director?”
Aden was there.
That wasn’t all. The office, which had been cluttered with scattered documents and overturned cabinets, was now spotlessly clean.
“Did you clean this up, Director?”
“I did not do it alone.”
Aden approached with long, purposeful strides and gazed at me intently.
As I tilted my head in confusion at that inscrutable gaze, Aden, after staring at me for a long moment, turned off the office lights.
“Let’s go.”
Go where…?
More than that, the fact that he left the office the moment I arrived suggested he had been waiting for me.
I nodded in realization. He must have wanted to hear the interrogation report directly.
After all, Aden would have submitted his communication device as well.
“Director, the interrogation went well. As for the questions the Holy Knight Commander asked….”
“Let’s discuss that later.”
But that apparently wasn’t it.
Bewildered, I followed Aden for now. He gestured when the Lorelei Fountain came into view.
“The Company Residence. Can you see it?”
“Yes. …Oh, did I forget to turn off the lights?”
The lights were on.
I was retracing my hazy memories from that morning when Aden spoke in a slightly strained voice.
“The Company Residence is also under search. It’s Trading Company assets, after all.”
“What?”
No, my beautiful nest with a good view and no spiders!
And I didn’t even do the dishes this morning!
As I reacted with alarm for various reasons, Aden spoke again.
“Do you have a place to stay?”
“Well, no… But there are inns around the Plaza, and if worst comes to worst, I could always ask the Landlady Grandmother from my old place if she’d let me stay just one night for a fee.”
“Your old place?”
“Yes, that house you visited before—the one with the broken door. It’s on the Mountain Slope.”
“You’re suggesting we climb that mountain in the middle of the night.”
Aden, who had been watching me, swallowed a short sigh.
Then…
“It’ll be uncomfortable, but just bear with it for tonight. Get some rest and we’ll talk tomorrow.”
He wrote an address on the back of his business card, then handed it to me along with a key.
He turned to leave, but I grabbed his arm without thinking.
“What is this?”
“A key.”
“I can see that. But a key to what? And what about this address?”
His answer was completely unexpected.
“The address of my residence, and the key to my residence.”
…So he was telling me to sleep at his place?
Half-dazed, I blurted out a question.
“Then where will you sleep, Director? If you give me the key, cough, where will you rest?”
“You don’t need to worry about that.”
“That’s exactly why I’m worried!”
“Didn’t you say there are inns around the Plaza…?”
Aden added impassively.
“Or you could ask your old landlady to let you stay one night.”
I couldn’t tell if he was joking or serious.
“How could I possibly sleep well after kicking the homeowner out of their own house?! I’m not that inconsiderate. I’ll just rest in the Trading Company’s Break Room—just open the office door for me.”
“Iliana Grecia didn’t kick me out; I’m leaving of my own accord. And having an employee who’s lost their lodging due to company matters rest in the Break Room isn’t exactly proper either. So…”
Aden lowered his gaze.
Only then did I realize I’d been holding onto his forearm the entire time.
He spoke slowly, his voice so low it was almost a whisper.
“Will you let go, Iliana Grecia?”
I was about to release my grip, but instead I gripped his firm arm even tighter.
“Just one room! Let me rent just one room.”
“…”
“Think of it as a business trip. Like when we stayed at the same Residence in Cassis but used separate rooms.”
Aden hesitated.
He clearly hadn’t expected me to say something like that.
“If you act like this, Director, it really makes me uncomfortable… Besides, you arranged the Company Residence for me in the first place, so you don’t need to feel that responsible, do you? Right?”
A rare expression crossed Aden’s pale face.
Whether it was bewilderment, surprise, or exasperation at my audacity, I couldn’t tell.
Sensing my moment, I drove the point home.
“Ugh, are you really going to make me this clingy?!”
***
And so, in the end, I
“Let’s go inside.”
“…Yes, I’ll be intruding then.”
came to his house with Aden.

—————

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

—————