The Male Lead Has Gone Mad Over the Troublesome Villainess - Chapter 34

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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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The Male Lead Has Gone Mad for the Villainess Chapter 034
Now that I’d extracted all the Essence, it was time to incinerate the eggs—before those terrible calamities could be reborn from them.
I poured Oil and set it ablaze; the flames spread in a long ribbon along the water’s edge. A sickening stench filled the air as the gelatinous masses shriveled and burned away.
As the fire began to die down, I spotted figures descending from the hillside above. Within the village proper, perched at the highest point, stood an ancient stone building—the Lord’s Castle, or so I’d heard. The Lord had spent the entire night outside, busy collecting the wounded townsfolk. Meanwhile, the Lord’s Castle where Mirel stayed had remained sealed tight, its windows dark throughout the night.
But now that door stood wide open.
A woman walked at the center of the descending group.
Bright chestnut hair fell in neat waves around her shoulders, and not a speck of mud clung to her garments. She seemed to be the only person in this entire village dressed in clothes that were still crisp and dry.
We’d spent the same night in the same village, yet the difference in our appearances was stark. She must be the Lord’s daughter. Everything about her reeked of noble upbringing.
I watched as she approached the Lord. His expression as he turned to face her was glacial. Their relationship didn’t seem particularly warm, either.
“Father, is it true that the Crown Prince is here?”
Her clear, resonant voice carried all the way to the water’s edge.
“Mirel.”
“Father, why didn’t you tell me?”
Mirel didn’t wait for him to respond further. She swept past the Lord and walked directly toward Kael, who was issuing instructions near the water. She gathered her skirt and lowered herself in a graceful curtsy—exactly like the noble ladies I’d seen in the Capital’s high society. A flower grown in a hothouse, through and through.
I checked Seraphine’s position. It looked like something unwanted had wedged itself between Seraphine and Kael.
This was a problem.
I scratched my head. This character hadn’t appeared in the Original Work.
“I am Mirel, daughter of the Lord who governs Salt Veil. I never imagined meeting Your Highness in a place like this. It is truly an honor.”
I caught Kael glancing at Mirel. In that instant, my eyes flew wide. What if Mirel stirred up trouble between Kael and Seraphine? What if she derailed the entire narrative? What if she ruined my happy ending? No. Absolutely not.
I took a small step toward Kael and Mirel, straining to hear their conversation.
“A pleasure to meet you.”
After Kael’s brief response, I saw him move away, with Mirel trailing after him.
“I didn’t sleep a wink all night. Terrible sounds came from outside my window. I was so frightened—but it turns out Your Highness came to my rescue.”
“My lady.”
Vanessa jabbed me in the ribs with her elbow.
“Who is that?”
“Apparently, the Lord’s daughter.”
“…Wow. Just now getting herself outside? And she’s the Lord’s daughter?”
The accusation was sharp—she’d done nothing until now. Vanessa gave the woman a thorough once-over, from toe to crown.
“Looks like she’d collapse after ten minutes of walking.”
Vanessa spoke while leaning on one hip.
“That dress looks terribly inconvenient too. Goodness, how much are all those jewels worth?”
Vanessa prattled on, as if she’d never been the tadpole who hadn’t yet grown legs. Her face held no trace of who she used to be.
* * *
The Lord had urged Kael once more to lodge at the Lord’s Castle, but he’d declined. His current accommodations were adequate, and it was more practical to conduct operations from here rather than from the castle.
Kael was now consulting with Register about the most pressing logistical concerns.
“We may be able to purchase up to ten sacks of Flour. Beyond that, the village needs to reserve stores for the winter months.”
“Is there nothing left in the Lord’s granaries?”
“It appears they’ve already been emptied.”
Kael exhaled heavily. So the Lord was more compassionate toward his people than I’d initially thought—he’d held nothing back for himself and had opened his granaries completely.
“What about Oil?”
“Two barrels. He offered those without asking for payment. We’ve also secured three bolts of canvas—enough to patch the torn sections.”
Kael’s eyes moved down the ledger. Every single item on the list was urgent, and none of it came cheap.
“So how much are we short?”
Register took a moment, collecting his breath.
“…If we purchase everything, we’ll need three times our current budget.”
Three times.
The budget had already been stretched to its limit since Willow. The shortfall had come from Kael’s personal coffers. The Imperial Court had sent no aid, and none would come. Even if I knew which pockets the confiscated relief funds had lined, there was nothing I could do about it now.
“What do we have that we can sell?”
“The Black Market opens tonight. We have roughly forty Carapaces remaining, and disposing of all of them should pose no problem.”
Millers finally spoke up carefully.
“Your Highness. The Expedition holds a Conscription Right. This is a mission upon which the fate of the Empire rests. Regrettably, there is no time to consider the circumstances of a single village.”
It meant he could seize every possession this place had without legal consequence. I understood that if Salt Veil and the Empire were balanced on opposite sides of a scale, the weight would tip decisively. That burden was immense.
But Salt Veil was part of that very Empire, wasn’t it? These people were also Kael’s responsibility, also his weight to bear.
Always weighing. Always choosing. And always carrying the weight of responsibility that came with those choices. As the Empire’s Crown Prince, as one of noble blood. He was shouldering things his own father had turned away from.
Kael’s grip tightened on the table’s edge.
Last night, his men had stood in the breach to defend the Lord and this village. Four lay severely wounded from that battle. But if they couldn’t even secure winter provisions for those men, what meaning did their spilled blood hold?
“There will be no forced conscription.”
Kael closed the ledger.
“That discussion ends here.”
“……Yes, Your Highness.”
“Buy all ten sacks of flour. Price the oil fairly and purchase three bolts of cloth.”
Register’s face clouded with difficulty.
“Your Highness, if we do that, the remaining military funds alone won’t…….”
“I’m aware.”
Kael cut him short.
“I’ll make up the shortfall from my personal funds.”
“But you’ve already spent a considerable sum on the Expedition, sir.”
“There’s still enough left.”
Register fell silent at the matter-of-fact reply.
“Purchase all the necessary supplies. After that, we’ll discuss further expenditures once I’ve disposed of the Carapace on the black market.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Kael dismissed all his retainers save Millers, then issued him a covert order—an instruction to acquire a mine.
* * *
Meanwhile, I was making my way around the village.
As I walked, I began to notice something odd about the place.
There were so many empty houses, yet scattered among them stood warehouses—all of them large and sturdy. It looked strange: a sound warehouse standing beside a house with a collapsed roof.
I stopped in front of one warehouse with a half-open door and peered inside.
“……What is this?”
Sacks were piled mountain-high, reaching all the way to the ceiling.
I pulled one open. White crystals spilled out. I touched my tongue to the edge and immediately knew what it was.
Salt.
I opened the sack beside it, and a sharp, pungent aroma rose up at once. Dried spices. The entire warehouse was filled with salt and spices.
“What are you doing there?”
I spun around in surprise. An old man stood before me, a bundle of keys hanging from his belt.
“I apologize for entering without permission. My name is Rosana. I’m with the Expedition. I was taking a walk and saw the door was open. But why are all these goods stacked up like this?”
“……There’s nowhere to sell them.”
The Warehouse Manager sighed and stepped inside, his weathered hand tapping the sacks with a touch heavy with regret.

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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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