If You Are Suited for the Villain's Secretary - Chapter 90

—————

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 90
9. It Was Nothing Special
Whether fortunately or unfortunately, I had no time to dwell on my thoughts.
The moment I asked the Maid for clothes, changed, and came downstairs,
“Iliana Grecia? Please come here for a moment.”
“Secretary, I’m sorry. I didn’t even notice that Odette Crimson had disappeared—there were so many nobles clinging to me, asking to see the will….”
“Protagonist? Hey, would you talk with me for a bit?”
“Our secretary! Come here! There’s something very important I need to discuss with you!”
I was too busy being pulled in different directions.
I was summoned by the Holy Knight Order, who had grown courteous toward me, then by Scott, then by Lenox, and now Luther had called me down to the sparsely populated Underground, where I hesitated.
He grinned and winked, handing me a sandwich and juice.
“Eat while you work. You haven’t eaten anything all day because you’ve been so busy, right? I asked the maids specially.”
“Luther….”
I was moved.
But watching him eagerly bite into a sandwich that was probably twice the size of mine, I had the distinct feeling he’d asked the maids to prepare it because he wanted to eat, and just happened to get mine as well….
Still, it was kind of him to think of me. Though I wasn’t particularly hungry, I gratefully accepted the sandwich.
As I was munching away, Luther suddenly asked,
“You just saw Lenox, right? What did he say?”
“He’s going to testify.”
He’d just dropped a bombshell.
Lenox, who had called me over, hesitated briefly before speaking.
“…I’m going to serve as a witness. I’ll tell Lena too.”
I’d heard from the Holy Knight that they’d arrested not only Siphron’s Mage Tower Master but all the mages as well.
However, as Kaileb took over the tower and evidence was destroyed in the course of these events, there wasn’t much evidence remaining.
Of course, there was Sherwood, a former member of Siphron who could testify.
But since he had refused human experimentation itself and left the tower, unfortunately he didn’t know the details of the inhumane experiments conducted deep within the tower.
Therefore, they needed someone who had witnessed everything—someone who could testify that Siphron’s misdeeds had continued for a long time.
‘I had rescued Jeremy Sand, but they said he was in no condition to testify today or tomorrow….’
After hearing that, Lenox had made his decision.
“Are you sure about this?”
“Yeah. …I heard from Delilah. She said Lena might have already guessed, didn’t she?”
“Ah, that’s….”
“It’s fine. That’s what made me decide. And I realized again that my sister is clever. That clever girl… lying in bed, wondering how much she must have imagined about her brother who never came back.”
Lenox, attempting to laugh it off, added seriously.
“…Thank you. It’s thanks to you.”
Having said that, Lenox approached Lena, who stood at a distance.
Scratching the back of his neck awkwardly as he spoke carefully to her, Lena, surprisingly, smiled at him.
Then she patted his back repeatedly as she sent him off in the Holy Knight Order’s carriage. She even waved her hand.
…But the moment the carriage disappeared into the distance, I had just finished comforting Lena as she burst into sorrowful tears.
‘But should I even tell Luther about this…? Of course, he’ll find out eventually when he reads the trial records.’
I bit my lip, troubled, when Luther spoke in passing.
“You’re going to testify about the Siphron matter?”
“…You already knew?”
Surprised, I looked at him, and Luther continued while keeping his eyes on his sandwich.
“Not exactly—just a guess. When you kept insisting you’d never get involved with anything related to mages, I figured you must have some bad memories… and the only Mage Tower with such terrible management that they’d do something awful to someone like Lenox is Siphron.”
“…Why didn’t you ask me about it?”
“I don’t meddle in things I can’t solve.”
It was an unusually dry answer for someone as warm-hearted as Luther.
“And… I also thought that if a friend desperately wants to hide something, you shouldn’t pry into it.”
“…”
“The Director probably felt the same way. Though I suppose the word ‘friend’ might be debatable from his perspective.”
“…So the Director knew too. At least roughly.”
“Something like that. He’s been investigating Siphron for a long time. Even accounting for their favorable matchup, do you know why the Holy Knights were able to capture every single Siphron mage without exception?”
Seeing him gesture as if shuffling through documents, it appeared Aden had handed over information about Siphron as well.
“Anyway… the fact that he only told you suggests you helped with something, doesn’t it?”
Luther sniffled softly and patted my shoulder.
It seemed to mean I didn’t need to answer specifically.
“Thank you, Secretary.”
I nodded quietly.
My heart felt oddly full… until a different thought suddenly crossed my mind.
‘Those people who investigated my background with the intensity of shaking dust off on a rainy day…’
But I was quick to accept things.
There’s no helping that I’m treated differently from founding members like Lenox.
Besides, I haven’t exactly been desperate to hide things either. If anything, I’ve made quite good use of family affairs in various ways.
With those thoughts, I ate a sandwich with Luther and headed back upstairs.
“Ah, Miss Grecia. Could we have a word?”
This time, Basil was waiting for me. His face was pale, but his eyes held a vitality I hadn’t seen before.
He had already drunk the antidote long ago, and with the cough-inducing syrup that Sherwood had made, he added red dye to deceive Kaileb into thinking he was coughing up blood.
Having thus escaped the mansion undetected while avoiding Kaileb’s eyes, Basil met with journalists nearby alongside Scott.
‘Thanks to the mining advertisement, they were naturally favorable toward La Mare.’
In truth, there wasn’t much Basil could testify to.
That cursed ‘blood contract’ had essentially gagged him.
But the reason he met with the journalists anyway was to expose to the outside world the very image of him collapsing whenever he tried to speak.
Sometimes silence is more effective than a hundred testimonies.
Under the Empire’s strict nobility laws, the sight of a ‘Count’ restricting even the language of a ‘Viscount’ through harm was enough to rouse even nobles unrelated to the case.
Tomorrow’s newspapers would probably sell like hotcakes.
‘And as a bonus, mages who might try to abuse blood contracts in the future will think twice.’
After all, the method and symptoms were now exposed.
“You’ve worked hard. It must have been very difficult?”
For the record, it was Scott’s idea.
Though I had my doubts about it.
‘I understood it was a good way to draw attention, but I wasn’t sure if Basil would accept it.’
After all, he was a nobleman, and his pride would surely suffer at being pitied, not to mention the pain would be almost unbearable.
“No, I’m grateful I can help in any way at all.”
But Basil accepted without hesitation.
He seemed genuinely relieved to have something he could do.
Since he’d heard the truth about his parents’ wrongdoings, his anger likely played a part as well.
“You’ve done well.”
Odette, who had been standing outside the door and inadvertently overheard the news, proposed divorce once more.
Basil ultimately accepted the divorce.
Odette must be thinking it was the end.
“For helping me… and for saving Odette.”
But watching Basil’s expression as he spoke her name, I found myself thinking something different.
‘Once the search of Siphron is complete, all the “Blood Contract” documents will be returned to their respective contractors.’
Basil extended his hand, emphasizing the part about saving Odette more than helping himself.
“Thank you all. Sincerely.”
I’m hearing a lot of thanks today.
If I’m being honest, I never had any grand cause—my goal was simply “keep Aden out of prison”—so it felt a bit awkward.
But still… it felt fulfilling.
I accepted Basil’s formal handshake and spoke lightly.
“Then could you review the official development contract for Plebiae County a bit more quickly?”
He nodded with a smile.
Fortunately, Basil didn’t take issue with Scott’s and my impersonation.
As Scott said, we’d saved his title and his life, so it would be petty to hold the impersonation against us, and besides, we’d decided to formally establish a covenant between La Mare and Plebiae County.
“Of course. Since we’re on the subject, there’s something I’d like to ask. Would you join me for tea?”
“Oh, I appreciate the offer, but could we postpone it for next time?”
“Ah, of course. Yes, you should rest too, Iliana Grecia.”
“No, it’s not rest I’m after.”
After being dragged around here and there, there’s still work left?
To Basil, who was looking at me with such pitying eyes, I spoke with grim determination.
“I’m going to meet the leader of Fang. There’s a personal debt I owe him—or rather, a debt I need to repay.”
“Ah…!”
At the word “debt,” Basil’s expression grew grave as well.
He spoke seriously.
“Good luck.”
“Yes.”
At last, it was time to meet Vargas.

—————

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

—————