The Male Lead Is the Villain, and I'm the Only One Who Knows - Chapter 55

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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, and Only I Know It — Episode 55
In that instant, every sound ceased. The cacophony that had filled my ears sank away in one breath, as if drowning in water.
“……What?”
…Wait. Does this man, Iban, know he’s a demon?
‘Ah, so that’s why he’s been so obsessed with Iban all this time?’
I’d suspected as much when he’d behaved with such relentless persistence toward Iban at the temple last time — ‘Could he have actually caught on to his identity?’ — but to think it was real.
Now, one by one, Karahan’s strange remarks and actions all began to make sense.
‘And on top of that, Iban is really a Grand Demon? I’d only been guessing he was some upper-tier demon because I had no certainty until now…!’
The knowledge that Karahan knew Iban’s identity, and the fact that Iban was a Grand Demon of all things — the very thing he’d hoped against — crashed down on me all at once, and my vision blurred.
By nature, Grand Demons were apex predators leading vast armies of fiends, creatures known to be ruthlessly callous—hiding their savage instincts beneath a veneer of elegant reason before dragging their prey to ruin.
‘In other words, they’re on an entirely different level of danger from ordinary demons.’
And yet that thing is my fiancé. I’m really going to lose it.
There was even a running joke among the common folk that if one of them so much as lifted a finger, an entire kingdom would vanish.
‘If a Grand Demon came all the way here in person to handle things, the matter must be bigger than I thought. There’s probably far more I don’t know.’
More than that, what have I been doing this whole time facing down such a monster…… Oh, suddenly I’m hit with reality……
“Miss Astel.”
Suddenly his low voice calling my name descended upon my ear, and the noise of the world rushed back in.
As the chatter around us continued endlessly, I finally came to my senses and quickly lifted my head to look at Karahan.
“Duke. How many other people know about this?”
I seized his collar desperately and asked, while Karahan slowly bent forward, calmly taking in my wary expression beneath the hood of the robe.
“…You already knew, didn’t you? That’s why you didn’t come to the Barat Duke’s Residence.”
Now I understood—when he’d given me the Holy Water at the temple and suddenly invited me to the Duke’s Residence, it must have been to protect me, standing as I was beside a Grand Demon.
‘I’d wondered what that was all about then….’
Now that I’d glimpsed Karahan’s true intentions, I let out a small chuckle and gave a subtle shrug.
“……I’m grateful for the kindness, but there’s really been no danger. So there was no need to go.”
“Can you guarantee that will continue to be the case?”
“I’m no prophet, so of course not. I just keep my distance appropriately, trust appropriately, and conduct myself well enough.”
As I deflected his question simply, Karahan fell silent again. His eyes left mine and fixed themselves intently on the platform above.
…What is he staring at so intently?
Just as I was about to turn my head toward where his gaze fell, Karahan slowly cupped my chin beneath the robe.
My vision was forced to settle on him instead. His moon-pale, pale yellow eyes were fixed entirely upon me.
“You bit your tongue the moment you heard my words. That’s hardly the response of someone maintaining an appropriate distance.”
“…….”
The point struck home, but as someone working with Iban, I had no choice in the matter.
For now…… I had to act composed so as not to appear complicit or suspicious.
“But how did you know? I’ve never met anyone else who knows this ‘secret.'”
“…….”
Instead of answering, Karahan released my chin and turned his gaze upward once more. Like someone enchanted, I slowly lifted my head as well.
‘What? Since when has he been watching?’
On the platform above, Iban wore his characteristic perfect smile, but his eyes—those dark green eyes—pierced through the seething crowd like a compass needle pointing directly at me.
Those unreadable jade eyes scoured me without mercy.
“We should return now. Once the Prayer Ceremony begins in earnest, the crowd will surge toward the platform and it will become dangerous.”
Karahan took my hand and turned, beginning to thread deftly through the crowd as before.
I followed behind him, clutching the hood of my robe tight so it wouldn’t blow away in the increasingly fierce wind—but my grip slipped and I lost hold of the robe entirely.
“Oh…!”
I flailed desperately to grab it again, but the thin robe fluttered wildly in the powerful gust, making it nearly impossible.
I ended up just waving my arms uselessly through the air. Damn.
“Miss Astel!”
As I released my grip trying to catch the robe, Karahan’s distant voice rang out urgently, separated from me now.
Simultaneously, countless sharp gazes turned toward me like honed blades, piercing my entire body.
‘When did I let go of Karahan’s hand?’
The realization that I’d made a terrible mistake crashed down hard upon my mind.
‘I… I need to use Movement Magic. I have to leave here right now.’
But while my reason screamed that I could escape with magic, my body—seized by some inexplicable trauma—couldn’t move a single finger.
They say that when a person truly panics, they don’t even make a sound, and it’s true.
‘No, not like this…!’
Just as my robe was about to slip away entirely and expose my face, the roaring noise of the square suddenly fell into absolute silence.
It was in that moment I thought I might actually collapse here.
“You really are quite a handful, aren’t you?”
The fluttering robe closed around my vision once more, and the familiar, chilling scent of winter forest enveloped me. I caught my breath sharply and lifted my head.
Deep green eyes that betrayed nothing gazed down at me with perfect calm.
“Look at me, Rene.”
“……Iban.”
“That’s right. It’s alright now.”
His low voice, whispering that no one else would see, gently stilled the wild thrashing of my heart.
“Come here. Breathe slowly.”
I steadied my ragged breathing and collapsed against Iban, surrendering to his hold. The murmur of the crowd reached my ears in waves, but nothing mattered just then.
I could feel, sharp and vivid against my tender skin, that everyone in the Square was watching—especially me.
If I lifted my head now, I’d faint in one second flat. Someone save me…!
“Your Highness, let us escort you inside!”
“Clear the way, everyone!”
Banel and the guards rushed forward, guiding Iban—with me still in his arms—quickly into the back of the Platform. They seemed rather startled that Iban had suddenly descended from the Platform mid-speech.
“Everyone! At the coming Lantern Festival, they say your wishes will come true if you set your lanterns afloat. If you have the chance, please do try it.”
Shana, whose own expression had gone equally bewildered as she watched Iban and me, soon smiled gently and skillfully redirected the crowd’s attention back to the Platform.
“All of you, leave. I’ll look after Rene.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
A simple waiting room had been prepared in the back of the Platform, and Iban settled me deep into the central sofa.
He removed his gloves and pressed his bare hand to my forehead, taking my temperature.
“No fever.”
“My robe suddenly came undone and I panicked. I didn’t actually hurt myself—I’m fine.”
I drew his hand from my forehead and exhaled deeply. The sensation of my body freezing moments ago, unable to move a single finger, had been terrifying enough that I was still trembling.
“For someone who’s ‘fine,’ your complexion looks rather poor.”
“……I feel terrible about unintentionally disrupting the speech everyone was expecting.”
“Don’t. It’s not an event that can be ruined by something like this. Stop worrying about pointless things.”
At Iban’s cold words, I gave him a sidelong glance.
“Is that why you didn’t tell me about it—because it was pointless?”
“Exactly. That’s why I didn’t mention it. But you went out of your way to come here anyway. So I assume you’re prepared?”
Prepared? Prepared for what?
Uncertain what he meant, I watched him quietly as he sat down beside me. Then he leaned closer.
“Now that you seem lucid, answer my question. What business did you have with the Duke? Didn’t we agree not to create scandals—for the sake of Dignity Maintenance?”
His words brought back that time long ago when we’d discussed our Contract Engagement. Now that I thought about it….
‘I’d prefer there be no scandals during the engagement—for the sake of Dignity Maintenance. And that goes for both men and women.’
‘Don’t worry. Staying quiet is my specialty.’
Yes, we’d had that conversation. I let out a hollow laugh and gave him a sideways look.
“That’s what I should be asking you. You two looked absolutely radiant together—completely blissful.”
“……You saw?”
“Of course I saw. I do have eyes, you know.”
When I glared at him, demanding to know who was interrogating whom, Iban let out a soft laugh.
Wait, he’s… laughing?!
“My situation was work-related, Rene. But yours with the Duke was personal, so I can hardly put them on the same footing. So—your answer?”
“……It was work-related for me too. The Duke helped me purchase materials.”
It was partly true, but if I admitted here that Karahan had revealed his identity to me….
‘No, I really don’t want to think about that…….’
Convinced that nothing good would come of it, I gave him a plausible excuse instead.
But before my words had even finished, Iban’s long, cold finger tapped lightly against the bridge of my nose.
Then his thumb, sliding down with dense precision, pressed firmly against my lower lip.
Where his low body temperature touched me, I felt a sharp, icy sting.
“Lies. I saw everything.”

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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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