The Male Lead Is the Villain, and I'm the Only One Who Knows - Chapter 14

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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 Is the Hidden Mastermind, But Only I Know — Episode 14
After confirming the area had been thoroughly cleaned up, I turned to leave when I felt something stirring beneath the dense brush nearby.
Too faint for a Magical Beast, yet too light in presence for an ordinary animal—the sensation carried an unsettling strangeness.
“Rene, step back.”
Before I could even voice my suspicion, Evan, who’d already sensed it, drew his sword and leveled it at the underbrush.
The moment Evan seized my wrist and pulled me swiftly behind him, something burst through the rustling branches.
“…What?”
How was I supposed to explain this exactly?
A lumpy body covered in fluffy, downy fur, crowned with two gleaming black eyes.
A creature that looked like a clump of dust popped out and stared directly at me.
“What is that? I mean, it’s definitely not an ordinary animal.”
Peering out from behind Evan’s back, I studied the mass cautiously. Apparently frightened, it puffed out all its fur and trembled.
“It’s waste matter that failed to become a Magical Beast. Mages call it a ‘Remnant.'”
Evan kept his blade unsheathed, radiating a killing intent as though he might slice the Remnant down at any moment.
Wait. If it failed to become a Magical Beast, that meant it wasn’t a Magical Beast, right?
“It’s a fairly weak specimen—left alone, it’ll die as is. It can’t harm humans; it’s too insignificant. It belongs more to the Demon Creature category than a true Magical Beast. It’s a byproduct that falls outside the ordinary laws of creation.”
Banel, watching from the side, studied the Remnant with interest, adding that the worst mischief they typically managed was sticking something tacky to a human’s rear end.
‘More malicious than it looks, apparently.’
The moment Banel stepped forward, the Remnant flinched and scurried backward—though the distance gained was negligible.
“When Magical Beasts die, they sometimes attract scavengers like this, but seeing one this close… it’s been several centuries for me. They’re rare these days.”
Banel flashed a gentle smile, remarking that the Human Realm must be getting harder to live in.
Wait—he just casually revealed he’s several hundred years old….
“Regardless, anything from the Demon Realm without permission has cause enough for execution.”
“Wait, just a moment!”
Grabbing Evan’s sword arm as he moved to strike was almost pure impulse.
It didn’t look dangerous, and besides, Banel himself said it couldn’t harm humans….
“I’ll take it with me!”
Could I keep it as a pet?
“Take it? That?”
Evan looked between me and the Remnant with disbelief, his gaze piercing as he wordlessly asked why I’d want such a thing.
Ignoring his doubtful stare, I approached the Remnant huddled beneath the brush, its eyes glistening with tears, and slowly extended my hand.
“Will you come? It’s all right.”
After a moment’s hesitation, the creature inched its round body forward with agonizing slowness and climbed onto my palm.
“Can you understand what I’m saying?”
Judging by the way it whimpered in response to our conversation, it seemed to.
Sure enough, its round body folded briefly, then opened—it appeared to nod.
It was so adorable I almost wanted to put it in my mouth, but I supposed that wouldn’t do.
“A speck of dust that understands words? That’s absolutely precious!”
“Ah, yes. With proper care, it could become excellent research material. A wise choice for a mage, indeed.”
Banel smiled warmly, seemingly impressed by my decision.
He apparently believed I was taking the Remnant for research purposes.
That wasn’t it at all—I just wanted to keep it because it was cute….
“A trifle like that could die anytime without cause for concern.”
Evan spoke with ominous weight, his sharp gaze fixed on the Remnant as I petted it.
Sensing the murderous intent, the Remnant squeezed its eyes shut and trembled, clutching one of my fingers tightly.
“Evan, it’s frightened. Stop glaring at it.”
“Frightened? That thing’s probably fifty years older than you.”
Whether or not he cared, Evan shook his head in exasperation as I carefully placed the Remnant on my shoulder.
There were minor skirmishes afterward, but I successfully protected the Remnant all the way to Evan’s palace.
“By the way, what does it eat? I can’t exactly procure Magical Beast carcasses.”
“I don’t know.”
Evan dismissed my question with an indifferent face, though it seemed more like willful ignorance.
He’d worn a dissatisfied expression the entire journey to Ruby Palace, and had apparently taken offense. Such a spoiled demon.
“Remnants are omnivorous. They’ll eat almost anything, so feed it whatever. Though Magical Beast carcasses are their preferred diet.”
“Well, that’s a relief. Our options are limited here.”
In place of the pouting master, Banel offered a kind answer. On impulse, I offered a Cookie from the table, and the Remnant’s cavernous black mouth yawned wide as it swallowed the Cookie whole.
Banel watched the Remnant chew with the Cookie with affection, then smiled softly and continued.
“It’s small now and won’t eat much, but if you raise it well, eventually it might be capable of consuming people.”
He delivered something so terrifying with such naturalness that I nearly lost my composure….
“I’ve sent word to the Temple of our visit. We depart tomorrow morning.”
While Remnant ate cookies, Evan and I went over tomorrow’s schedule at the Temple in brief.
I would meet with Shana Perita, the Holy Maiden, and once Evan finished his private matters with the Cardinal, we’d also complete the postponed official Engagement Document.
“Originally we should have drawn up the Engagement Document first, then held the party, but somehow it ended up like this.”
“At least now it can’t be undone—all the better for it.”
The Emperor’s early return from the front had forced the engagement announcement to come first. So I decided to visit the Temple to seek counsel on purification, and while there, complete the belated Engagement Document.
The next morning, from the newspaper Sys brought me at dawn, I learned the aftermath of last night’s incident.
The damage was worse than I’d expected.
[A Shadow of Darkness Over Imperial Glory! Magical Beast Attacks Imperial Palace, Three Dead….]
[Imperial Security Breached Before Foundation Festival, Three Nobles Dead in Magical Beast Assault.]
[A Night Where Glory and Tragedy Crossed, Three Lives Lost to Magical Beast Attack. Where Was the Knight Order?]
[Questioning Gazes Rain Down on Imperial Celebration. Magical Beast Attack at Palace Before Foundation Festival, Accountability Unavoidable.]
“I saw it coming, but it’s really become a mess.”
“With the Palace security breached and lives lost, the chaos will likely continue for some time.”
Now that I thought about it, Kan and Sys had been at the scene yesterday too, hadn’t they?
According to Evan, they’d both been stationed not far away, guarding me—which meant they knew Evan’s true identity as well.
“How did Sys and Kan come to follow Evan?”
The Billoze Family had served the Imperial House for generations, but knowing Evan’s true identity was another matter entirely, so I was curious about the details.
“Long ago, my brother and I, as members of the Billoze bloodline, were conscripted to a battlefield where we owed our lives to His Highness’s Magic. To pledge lifelong loyalty to one’s savior is only natural for a knight.”
Sys, speaking of this old story in an even tone, offered a melancholic smile, as if expressing genuine gratitude.
“That’s surprising. I never thought Evan would go around saving people on a battlefield.”
“Back then, thanks to such considerate remarks as ‘What’s this useless lot doing here?’ and ‘Get out of the way, you’re in the way,’ we were able to grow to be what we are today!”
“…No, that’s just him cursing them out.”
He simply shoved an obstacle out of his way, and somehow it became an act of rescue…….
Looking back at the newspaper, I noticed a few more articles that caught my eye.
[Death’s Artist, “Slaughter” Creates a New Masterpiece. Female Corpse Found Decapitated in Front of Home, No Clues Leave Police in Panic….]
[Terror That Dominates the Imperial Night! “Slaughter” Strikes Again. Corpse Delivered to Family’s Doorstep. Imperial Citizens’ Anxiety Intensifies Over Horrific Murder Method.]
“……Could it be.”
“Ah, seems they went to the outskirts this time. He always thoughtfully sends the corpses to places near the bereaved family so they can be discovered quickly.”
It appeared that the maid Banel had sent last night had been found near her home.
But could this really be called thoughtfulness… could it?

* * *
Shortly after, when I met Evan to depart for the Temple, I carefully posed the question that had been troubling me all along.
“Why do you leave the corpses of humans killed by Magical Beasts behind? If they were erased, there’d be no reason to call him ‘Slaughter.'”
“Because the living would rather clutch a corpse than face the uncertainty of disappearance without a trace.”
Evan answered without hesitation, his tone flat and colorless, yet his expression utterly expressionless—and yet I felt something heavy and unspoken beneath his words.
Had Evan once had a family?
‘……Ah, I shouldn’t be curious about things like this.’
After all, every tragic ending begins when one grows curious about another’s circumstances.
But Evan was not the sort of demon who would answer kindly just because one was curious.
“Why do you have that expression?”
“What sort of expression do I have?”
“The face of someone wanting to pry.”
“…Would you answer if I asked?”
As I took his hand and boarded the carriage, settling into my seat, Evan propped his chin on his hand and offered the warmest smile.
“Of course, Rene.”

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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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