The Male Lead Is the Villain, and I'm the Only One Who Knows - Chapter 62

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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 mastermind, and only I know it—Episode 62

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“Your Highness, your orders.”
The carriage carrying Rene vanished from sight in an instant. When Sis emerged from the darkness and approached Ibanez, he spoke with spare efficiency.
“Follow her.”
Ibanez gestured silently once more, then only after confirming that Sis had disappeared with Kahn did he turn quietly and walk away.
Banel followed in silence, his mouth opening to deliver the backlog of reports he hadn’t been able to brief his lord on while Ibanez had spent the afternoon with Rene.
“Your Highness, a few days ago we confirmed that a high priest was quietly executed inside the Grand Temple under the pretext that an ‘important’ object had been stolen.”
“How conveniently they escaped accountability.”
The important object—it referred to the Short Dagger mixed with Ibanez’s blood that Rene currently possessed.
The very dagger Ibanez had retrieved with his own hands from the deepest recesses of the Temple, which he had obtained from Cardinal Dante during that previous visit to the Grand Temple.
At the time, Dante had begged him to return it, saying the Pope frequently requested it, but unfortunately Ibanez had never set foot in the Temple again.
Dante had surely known that Ibanez would never return it.
He’d been curious how they would respond, but they chose the tedious route—sacrificing an innocent priest.
Everyone knew that a treasure the Temple guarded so carefully could never have been smuggled out by some ordinary priest, yet they had maintained their silence from within.
“Only the innocent priest suffered miserably.”
“Well, they’re all much the same.”
At Ibanez’s toneless voice, Banel fell silent for a moment. Soon his voice emerged, stripped of artifice, tinged with question.
“…Does Miss Rene know about the Short Dagger?”
At the careful inquiry, Ibanez’s gaze flickered toward Banel for an instant, then faded. His dry voice soon uttered a brief answer.
“Only half.”
Rene knew only that his blood was mixed into the jewel set in the hilt; she had no idea what the Short Dagger’s true purpose was.
She didn’t know at all why such a small thing posed such a great threat to other demons.
She likely believed Ibanez’s words at face value—that it was dangerous because his blood was mixed into it.
Ibanez had no intention of telling Rene about the Short Dagger willingly.
Not that its blade was forged from his own ribs, nor that he had been run through the heart by it long ago, nor that it was the only weapon on this land capable of killing him.
Because it was no ordinary dagger—capable of wounding even a Greater Demon—most demons trembled merely at having it brought near them.
Though it was a tale famous enough that most demons knew of it, he felt no particular concern since no one but himself would dare speak of such a threatening secret first.
‘There’s no need to tell her that she’s holding my leash.’
It was rather interesting to watch Rene wielding that dangerous treasure for self-defense, knowing nothing of what it truly was.
Seeing that she’d even drawn the blade before Saha showed she was quite bold in defending herself—admirably so, in fact.
“I told her to find out for herself.”
As his calm voice sounded again, Banel’s blue eyes, which had been fixed on the ground, rose toward his lord.
Rene would assume that Ibanez first learned of the Cult through the Scrying Stone, but that assumption was wrong.
What Ibanez had said in the waiting room behind the stage just now—that he already knew ‘everything’—was not pettiness but the truth. There was no way Rene could have known that.
“The investigation has just been completed. I shall report it to you now.”
Banel drew a thin sheaf of documents from his breast and handed it to Ibanez. Papers detailing the collusive relationship between a particular cult and anonymous patrons came into view.
When Dayad and Rene had disappeared behind the Tent, Ibanez had confirmed the connection through the Short Dagger severed and immediately instructed Banel to pinpoint the coordinates and investigate the cult.
Not merely the superficial, lower-level intelligence, but to dig into its intimate core.
The shadows Banel commanded existed everywhere, making them perfect for gathering intelligence.
Now it was time to report the fruits of that labor.
“First, as instructed, after Miss Rene escaped the Concealment Barrier, I immediately checked the area behind the Tent, but all traces had already been meticulously erased. It appears an internal mage disrupted the path.”
If it had been a mere gathering of amateur mages, they would have left some sign, but the clean result suggested that the involvement of the Southern Mages—known to be extinct—was certain.
“Additionally, the lifeline of the Lataniel Cult, the anonymous patron, has been identified as Dante Shanon. From the circumstances, it appears they traffic in children in exchange for patronage, but… this was not part of our ‘arrangement’ with them.”
Ibanez, listening wordlessly to Banel’s methodical report, gazed indifferently across the expanse of stars brightening the sky with an expressionless face.
The colorful glimmers of light that had seemed quite beautiful even when he and Rene had set the lanterns aloft just moments ago now appeared merely as annoying sparks.
That fact irritated him greatly. That his judgment had become so unstable, so trifling, because of a single human.
Soon a voice, darkened several shades deeper, settled heavily upon Banel’s ears as he waited for orders.
“Handle everything during the Foundation Festival. For now… I suppose I should clean up some trash. The streets are filthy.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
One day remained until the Foundation Festival. Rather than return to the palace, Ibanez stretched his feet into the pitch-black darkness.

* * *
“Miss, you’re awake…?”
The moment I opened my eyes groggily to the morning sunlight pouring through the curtains, I saw Hannah’s face thrust very close to mine.
“…! My, my lifespan just shortened….”
I let out a silent scream and reflexively opened my eyes slowly again.
Hannah’s characteristic clear chocolate-colored eyes were shining brightly. Those eyes… they certainly had that ominous look of newfound interest. Could it be.
“Has His Highness already arrived?”
“No, miss. If anything, I’ve been washing you spotlessly while you slept!”
“…Just make sure you do.”
The thought of Hannah and the servants scrubbing me down with those gleaming eyes while I slept sent a chill crawling across my skin.
“Well, the Manor’s in absolute chaos because His Highness said he’d arrive around lunchtime. Everyone’s been rushing about since dawn for a proper deep cleaning.”
“Can’t they just tidy up when I’m actually here? I haven’t been home in ages either.”
“Oh, come on~”
Hannah’s mischievous eyes fixed on me with a playful glint, her lips curving into a teasing smile. Still, she’d been rude every three seconds before—this was quite the improvement.
“Oh, that’s right, miss. Have a look at this. That article about the Slaughterer’s gone quiet for a while, but it’s back!”
“Back?”
I hauled myself up slowly, leaning my back against the headboard, and Hannah promptly fetched the newspaper from the nightstand.
“The Slaughterer, miss! I thought it was finally over since things had been quiet these past weeks, but apparently he struck again last night.”
[“The Slaughterer’s Grim Return… Four Lives Claimed in a Single Night”]
[“The Anguished Cries of the Survivors, Bereaved Families Confronted with Corpses, Wave After Wave of Collapse in Grief”]
[“The Imperial Police Lost at Sea, Still ‘Deafening Silence’… Torrents of Recrimination Over Endless Bloodshed”]
The moment the rustling silver-gray paper settled in my hands, my breath caught.
Ibanez had begun his work again.

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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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