Isn’t Being A Wicked Woman Much Better? - Chapter 12

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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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Chapter 12
A week earlier, late in the evening.
It was only briefly that I’d regretted striking the ground upon hearing the Duke’s bombshell declaration that four thousand gold was pocket change. Now I was consumed with the question of what to do with the pink diamond he’d gifted me.
‘Wearing it around feels precarious, yet I can’t resell it either. It’s awkward.’
Though its intended purpose was as an accessory, I had absolutely no intention of parading around the Academy and High Society adorned with this necklace. Doing so would only provoke Philaf, the male lead’s romantic interest who’d failed to secure the jewel at auction—and I had no desire to draw the protagonist’s ire.
As a mere minor villain, I wasn’t about to invite unnecessary aggression from the main character. And entanglement with that calamity-ridden heroine of a desolate novel was something I wanted to avoid at all costs.
My honest inclination was to resell it and build a secret fund. But if I brazenly put the Empire’s sole pink diamond up for auction, word would inevitably reach the Duke’s ears.
‘The Duke’s temperament is already so prickly—that would be madness.’
Selling the jewel outright would wound his pride and make him feel his sincerity had been disrespected.
Moreover, I’d already endured a hunger strike and been confined to quarters. Immediately consigning the diamond to the Auction House would appear unbecoming of Deborah.
In the end, I concluded that until a clever way to dispose of the pink diamond presented itself, I had no choice but to wear it at family functions.
‘I’ll just have to wear it a few times in front of the Duke for appearances’ sake.’
It was originally meant to be a dramatic device highlighting the heroine’s Academy entrance, but you’ve simply chosen the wrong master.
‘Of course, having it is better than not. That’s obvious.’
I admired the delicately crafted pink gem with genuine appreciation, then opened the jewelry case to return it. Given how precious and expensive the item was, even the case design was exquisite, and the certificate of authenticity inside was equally refined.
Suddenly curious about the carat weight of this diamond, I reached for the velvet-colored envelope adorned with Art Nouveau designs.
The envelope was sealed with golden sealing wax that looked like melted gold. Reluctant to damage such an elegant envelope, I carefully scraped at the golden seal when something caught my eye—a stamp impression pressed into the wax.
“What is this?”
The seal was faintly imprinted, and upon closer inspection, it depicted a cat with its tail raised.
“Huh…?”
The moment I saw that shape, an uneasy feeling I couldn’t simply dismiss began circling through my mind like a pebble lodged in my shoe.
‘Does anyone in the novel use a seal like this?’
The people of Asteia Empire expressed their personal preferences or beliefs through their seals, or used them to showcase the individuality of guilds and families. Just as the Simour Family revealed their bloodline characteristics through the double-headed eagle.
This made me wonder if this seal might be connected to a character or organization from the novel.
‘A cat? Who on earth would use this?’
I was racking my brain when suddenly a scene from the novel flashed through my memory, and I bolted upright.
“Blanche!”
The sudden realization sent a tingling electric current through my entire body.
The cat with its tail raised was precisely the seal that Blanche Master used when he’d concluded a satisfactory transaction.
Blanche Master was peculiar in that, unlike other characters in the novel, he rotated through multiple seals to subtly reveal his emotional state.
That scene appeared in the chapters where the Crown Prince was active. Blanche Master served as the Crown Prince’s strategist. Whenever the Crown Prince encountered a problem in the novel, he’d rush to the Master with a request.
“Deborah keeps harassing Miya. I want to eliminate that vicious woman, but she’s a direct descendant of Simour, so it’s not easy. If you can find a way to remove her, I’ll give you what you’ve always wanted.”
Eager to earn points with Miya, the Crown Prince ordered Blanche Master to uncover Deborah’s weaknesses. Upon receiving this commission, Blanche Master secretly spread rumors about a method to curse those one despised, deliberately luring Deborah into contact with a sorcerer.
Deborah’s creation of a curse doll in the heroine’s likeness was ultimately the result of falling into the trap Blanche Master had laid.
“Hmm, a curse doll. How might I best exploit this dreadful thing?”
The Crown Prince, oblivious despite having been spoon-fed the answer, posed the question and promptly had his purse emptied by the Master.
“It becomes simple if we charge her with blasphemy.”
“Ah, of course! Even the mighty Simour Family are but mortals before the sanctity and authority of the Saint.”
The Crown Prince bestowed an enormous reward and land upon the Guild Master who’d brought him decisive evidence to prosecute Deborah. The cat seal with its tail raised was what Blanche Master had used when sealing the land deed he’d received from the Crown Prince.
“Oh, this is the first time I’ve seen you use that cat seal stamp. I thought it was merely decorative since you never touched it.”
“Heh heh. I only use this seal for particularly satisfying transactions.”
“A cat-shaped seal for such special occasions? You have surprisingly girlish tastes.”
“This is a seal depicting this creature—don’t you think it’s identical?”
The Crown Prince, alternating his gaze between the golden beast beside Master and the cat seal, laughed as if bewildered.
“So you do have a sense of humor. But what does it mean that the cat’s tail is raised so stiffly?”
“It’s normally ten gold, but since I’m in a good mood, just give me nine gold and ninety-nine silver, and I’ll explain. I’m offering Your Highness a special discount.”
“What a damned miser you are. I won’t ask again.”
Successfully recalling even their trivial banter, I clutched my racing heart—pounding so hard my ears ached—and took a deep breath.
“Stay calm. Stay calm.”
But it was difficult to compose myself when I was so excited. I’d racked my brain reviewing the novel’s contents obsessively just to meet Blanche Master.
I tore open the envelope and unfolded the gemstone certificate of authenticity with trembling hands.
‘…It’s here.’
As expected, the certificate contained the name and address of the jewelry shop that had sold the pink diamond. The thought that I might be able to contact the secret organization Blanche through this address made my chest swell with anticipation.
‘The Crown Prince’s universal cheat key. There’s no law saying I can’t use it.’
Thanks to Blanche Master’s exceptional information network and ability to orchestrate schemes, the Crown Prince achieved the most prominent accomplishments among the male leads in the novel and earned the support of countless readers.
Honestly, all the Crown Prince had done was throw money at Blanche Master while barking orders, and his only other defining trait was that… certain important area being generously proportioned—yet he consistently ranked first in popularity polls.
‘I want to make a deal with Blanche Master too.’
Deborah had lost credibility through her past misdeeds and violent conduct, leaving her unable to properly utilize the capable human resources of the Duke’s Mansion. All Duke Simour provided Deborah was a maintenance allowance, three servants to attend her, and three knights for protection.
Without trustworthy subordinates, Blanche Master was like a blessing from heaven. A capable person who could accomplish anything with enough money, paired with me who had plenty of it—it seemed like a match made in fantasy.
Moreover, if the Empire’s Crown Prince used his services so frequently, it seemed Blanche Master was also exceptionally discreet.
‘I was wondering how to find the shop Master operates…’
In the novel, the Crown Prince enters the shop run by Blanche and makes contact with an informant posing as the shop manager before uttering a password. Unfortunately, the novel never specified the exact shop name or location.
The Empire was vast, and there were countless shops. Searching through them one by one to recite a password would be recklessly foolish.
But today, I discovered a clue about Blanche’s whereabouts in the gemstone certificate of authenticity.
‘So the jewelry shop that sold the pink diamond is connected to Blanche.’
My luck had finally turned. I couldn’t believe I, who always ended up as a sucker, had won such a lottery.
Without even consuming caffeine, my hands and feet trembled so violently that I didn’t sleep a wink that entire night.
And now, standing before Blanche Master whom I’d so desperately wanted to meet, I was struggling not to reveal my excitement. If I showed any sign of desperation, he would surely look down on me.
‘I’m going to end my life as a sucker starting now.’
Of course, Deborah’s features were naturally so cold that appearing expressionless alone made her seem intimidating. I adopted the ‘frigid expression’ I’d practiced in the mirror and opened my mouth.
“If you want to know, pay ninety-nine gold. It’s normally one hundred gold, but since I have a request for you, I’ll give you a one-gold discount.”
“Puhahahaha!”
The moment I mimicked his dialogue from the novel, Master, who had been blinking with a vacant expression, suddenly burst into uncontrollable laughter.
His shoulders shook with such vigor that I was inwardly startled. I’d harbored the prejudice that someone dealing in information would be diminutive, but his upper body, concealed beneath the black robe, appeared even broader than a knight’s.
‘Has he trained? The way he moves objects without touching them suggests he can use magic too. What exactly is his identity?’
Scrutinizing him from head to toe with suspicion, our eyes suddenly met. Master opened his mouth with a smile playing at his lips.
“You are the first client to ever pique my curiosity, Lady. So I neglected my duties as an information broker. Please forgive me.”
“…”
“So what request brings you all the way here, Lady?”
I slowly recalled the request details I’d organized in my mind. Meeting his gaze with my eyes slightly narrowed, I opened my mouth.
“The first request….”
I swallowed dryly and continued speaking.

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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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