The Male Lead Is the Villain, and I'm the Only One Who Knows - Chapter 65

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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’s True Identity is the Mastermind, and Only I Know — Episode 65
“I told you before. I need to stop by the Magic Tower once to check on the progress of the equipment construction. Today’s the day.”
Iban then slowly continued, asking when was the last time I’d seen Lion, and offering to take me to him if I wanted.
Under normal circumstances, I would have refused outright, but…
‘I was going to ask Lion how to handle Dust more skillfully anyway. This works out perfectly.’
Besides, no matter how busy Lion was, he always made time to come home and see me, showing just how strongly he was attached to me.
Yet the fact that he’d been holed up in the Magic Tower for more than two months without a single word suggested that whatever project he’d undertaken was no trivial matter.
‘I’m curious what he’s doing that’s causing team members to desert in the middle of the night.’
It seemed like a good idea to visit his research lab, pilfer some materials I needed, and be back before anyone knew.
“All right then. Let’s go together.”
“Good choice. I would’ve been lonely going alone.”
“…?”
Lonely? Who. You?
I shot him a look that said I’d heard something I shouldn’t have, and Iban, with an utterly serene expression, gently swept my hair back.
“Right, I can only go to the Magic Tower if there are no Magic Society members there. If we happened to run into them, they’d definitely start prying into my research progress.”
“Don’t worry about that. I’ve already banned all outside access to the Magic Tower.”
Only the mages currently affiliated with it, Iban himself, and those he permitted could enter the Magic Tower, he said, lightly tapping my shoulder.
‘He remembered that condition I set for cooperating—that we wouldn’t run into the Magic Society.’
Shortly after, an elegant carriage with a deep forest-green body adorned with gold leaf pulled up to Bashart No. 8 with the brilliant clatter of hooves.
Passing through the branching street lined with various apothecary shops, the carriage came to a halt in the alley before Joshua’s Herb Shop.
Though the carriage bore no crest, its alien atmosphere made it clear that someone of noble station—or perhaps higher—was aboard.
Passersby kept stealing glances our way because of it.
Noticing their stares, Iban firmly placed one of the thick robes that lay neatly in the carriage over my head.
“It’s the same as yesterday. As long as you don’t take it off yourself, your face won’t show.”
Iban donned an identical robe himself, and as Banel opened the door, he stepped out first and extended his hand to me.
“Come, Rene.”
“…Grandfather will be there, won’t he?”
“Who knows. We’ll find out when we get there.”
As I took Iban’s hand and descended from the carriage, the distinctive sharp, herbaceous scent of medicinal plants stimulated my senses even before I’d entered the shop.
I walked straight up to Joshua’s Herb Shop and knocked on the door.
“Grandfather! It’s me, Rene. Are you inside?”
The door was locked, probably because of the lunch hour, but fortunately a dark silhouette moved behind the frosted glass, and the door soon opened.
Joshua, whose hair seemed a bit whiter than yesterday, adjusted his sliding glasses and looked at me.
In his silver-gray eyes was both relief that I was unharmed and confusion at the sudden visit.
“Rene? Yes, your voice is certainly Rene’s, but… Come in first. And who’s this?”
“Ah, well—”
Joshua regarded Iban standing beside me with suspicion and tilted his head. Just as I was about to make some vague excuse, Iban suddenly grasped my hand and shook it deliberately before Joshua’s eyes.
“We’re this kind of close.”
“…Heh heh, come in.”
Pleased with Iban’s straightforward way of proving their relationship, Joshua chuckled heartily and stepped aside to let us enter.
Joshua showed us to a chair before the table in the center, and while I removed my robe, he quickly brought out tea and handed it to us.
“Grandfather, can you explain more about the cult? Yesterday you said you definitely saw Sa-ha kidnapping a child.”
“Hmm? Did I say that…? It’s strange—I can’t quite remember what happened over those two weeks. After I left that place yesterday, my memories just keep getting hazier.”
Joshua continued with a troubled expression, saying that all he could clearly remember now was that I had helped him escape and that he’d lost consciousness in front of Dayad, a palace knight.
“Iban, does this make sense? He was there for two weeks and forgets it all in a single day…”
“There’s nothing impossible about it. The enemy is a high-ranking demon, and they’re far more capable than most mages. Memory management afterward is basic for them.”
When I, flustered, leaned toward Iban—who was still wearing his robe—and whispered the question, he answered matter-of-factly as if it were nothing much.
“But rather… your friend’s memory doesn’t seem to be the real problem right now.”
“…Pardon?”
“Look carefully, Rene. Don’t you see something about that old man’s body?”
At Iban’s words, I looked at Joshua again and noticed a dark, faintly unsettling aura subtly undulating around him as he sipped his tea.
A pitch-black thing that I had missed while asking Joshua those urgent questions now wavered faintly behind him like an aura.
“That’s…!”
“I think you’d be capable of handling it in your current state. What do you say?”
A humanoid demonic beast in the process of parasitizing a human body—not yet completely consumed by the demonic beast, so the host’s consciousness still clung to life.
In other words, it was exactly the right moment for me to cleanse it.
This much I could certainly do.
“Rene, what’s wrong?”
As I stared intently at Joshua and furrowed my brow in concentration, he met my gaze with eyes asking if something was the matter.
“Grandfather, let me touch your hand for a moment. It won’t hurt, so don’t worry.”
“Huh…?”
I rose from my seat and walked toward Joshua, who sat across from me. Then, without hesitation, I brought my palm down hard against his forehead—*smack*—with a sharp sound.
“Rene? What are you doing all of a sudde—” Joshua’s protest cut short into a grunt.
Struck suddenly on the forehead, Joshua stared at me in bewilderment for barely an instant before his eyes rolled back and he collapsed forward onto the table with a dull thud.
In the next moment, the black aura that had clung to Joshua’s back convulsed wildly, then scattered into the air with a desolate whisper and vanished from sight.
“Hm.”
At that, Iban let out a short murmur of appreciation, his voice languid.
Whether it had been expelled or merely hidden was impossible to say, but it was unmistakable that the darkness had lifted from Joshua’s body.
“Filth’s power has grown considerably stronger than before. Strong enough to drive it out with just a brief touch,” Iban said, waving his hand to confirm that Joshua had lost consciousness entirely, his eyes narrowing with an expression that suggested I was worth acknowledging.

“You saw that, didn’t you? So take me with you from now on. Don’t go alone.”
At my words, Iban’s head tilted at an angle—a gaze trying to measure my intent.
“Real Demonic Beasts can’t be purified this easily. The actual fights will be far more difficult than this.”
“I know. Still, I have to practice over and over if I want to improve. If you’re going to have me sit beside you to help, then use me. Don’t just keep me locked away.”
“…I said it was protection, not imprisonment.”
“I don’t need protection right now anyway. Not after receiving Mana Infusion.”
Iban listened to my steady rebuttal with calm composure, then let out a breath weighted with concern. It was the look of someone weighing whether to take me to the field.
Tap-tap-tap—Iban’s fingertips drummed evenly against the table. After a moment of silence, he turned to regard me slowly and gave a slight nod.
“Very well. If that’s what you wish, I’ll take you with me until the next Mana Infusion day arrives. Of course, if you fail to purify them, I’ll kill them without hesitation.”
“That won’t happen.”
My firm answer made Iban give an indifferent shrug of his shoulders, as if to say it made no difference to him.
“One more thing. If you purify a Demonic Beast, you’ll become their target immediately. Filth’s existence is the most fatal threat to the Rebellion Forces.”
“That’s for you to handle. My role ends with purification.”
At my nonchalant deflection of responsibility, the corner of Iban’s mouth curved up with amusement.
“Right. That’s true. Taking responsibility for you—that’s my work.”

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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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