The Male Lead Is the Villain, and I'm the Only One Who Knows - Chapter 74

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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 Identity is the Mastermind, But Only I Know It — Episode 74
“Is there nothing else you remember? Perhaps other hostages who were being held besides you?”
Before my account could even finish, Ibban and Banel exchanged a wordless glance. After a moment, Ibban posed a question, his eyes searching as if to confirm something.
“Well… when I was dragged up onto the stage, I think I heard children crying faintly from somewhere behind me. But I didn’t see them directly, so I can’t be certain.”
“You mentioned that underground area was like an auction house, didn’t you? And all the ‘spectators’ were wearing masks.”
I nodded quietly at Banel’s words, and his blue pupils sank into an expressionless gaze. He seemed to be inferring something, though I couldn’t quite tell what.
“…So, what did you tell Lion Astel in the end?”
“Oh, that was…”
At Ibban’s sudden question, I couldn’t answer right away and let out a strained groan instead. Wait, that’s strange—why can’t I remember just that part?
I’d been trying to recall it from the beginning, but bizarrely, that one moment simply refused to surface.
“Never mind. You don’t need to force it.”
As I bit my lower lip in thought, Ibban told me to drop it and gently pressed my lip down with his finger.
The soft, cool sensation against my sensitive skin sent a chill rippling down my spine.
“Whether that was a dream or a fragment of a forgotten past, couldn’t you simply ask Lion to clarify?”
Banel suggested a plausible solution—if such an incident had truly occurred, Lion would certainly remember it.
“That’s… true. But my brother has never once brought it up in all these years.”
“What madman would bring up something like that, Rene?”
Ibban let out a hollow laugh at the obviousness of it, and Banel nodded in agreement, his jaw relaxing slightly.
“I’ll contact Lion separately about that matter. Besides, if you were seven at the time, that would have been thirteen years ago—I’ll investigate the crime records from that period as well.”
Muttering to himself and recounting his tasks ahead, Banel lowered his head and promptly left the bedroom. It seemed he was heading off to contact Lion right away.
“By the way, Ibban, what happened with the Foundation Festival address? I didn’t mess it up by collapsing suddenly, did I?”
Just two days ago, I’d ruined the Origin Festival address by collapsing, and now of all times…
‘Could I possibly have a curse with festival addresses? Why does every celebration ceremony turn into chaos the moment I show up?’
I asked somewhat tentatively, feeling wronged and melancholy, and Ibban, who had been watching me intently, touched my forehead as if to tell me not to worry.
“You know it yourself—it was a stage already finished, so there was nothing left to ruin. Both you and I were merely spectacles left out of place on the highest dais.”
“I know that, of course…”
“…I caught you before you fell. Everyone will remember it as the Crown Prince, smitten with love, embracing his fiancée and descending the dais. Don’t worry.”
Ibban, who had been regarding my anxious expression with displeasure, finally relented and revealed what had happened on the dais, exhaling softly.
“That’s a relief.”
“A relief? Is that really what you should be saying right now?”
Ibban laughed quietly in disbelief, his gaze fixed on me. His green eyes held a deep complexity of emotions—exasperation among them.
But naturally I’m worried, given that wherever I go, some kind of commotion seems to break out…
Still, this demon doesn’t seem to mind much about other matters, only my safety… so I should just keep quiet.
“Rene. You heard what Banel said—don’t leave my side during the Foundation Festival period or anytime soon after. These people seem to have lost all sense of restraint right now.”
Ibban clicked his tongue irritably, noting that those who normally wouldn’t dare approach because of his presence seemed to genuinely fear the threat I now posed.
“What are you planning to do?”
“What do you think? I’ll handle them within a reasonable timeframe. So bear with the frustration until then.”
“Let me help. You know I’m not as weak as I used to be. If they’re threatening me this desperately, it’s because I’ve become just as much of a threat to them.”
It was less a suggestion and more a statement. I’d made it deliberately firm, fearing he’d refuse again for my safety, but Ibban surprisingly just nodded easily.
“Fine. We’ll need to move together for a while anyway. With the Humanoid Demon Beast Detection Equipment, Purification shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Wow, that’s unexpected. I thought you’d absolutely refuse.”
“Knowing how to deploy one’s cards wisely is also a virtue of the Crown Prince.”
My eyes widened in surprise, and he smiled softly, his voice drowsy as he whispered the words.
In that instant, an awkward sound escaped—”smack”—and a soft sensation pressed against my forehead before vanishing. He had leaned over from where he sat on the bed and kissed my forehead.
So, on my forehead…
My forehead…
“Huh? I…?”
What did you just do?
So sudden and natural was the kiss that I only realized what had happened moments later, my lips parting dumbly in confusion.
Seeing my quite foolish expression as I rubbed my forehead, Ibban’s mouth curved upward in satisfaction.
He grasped my shoulders as I leaned back, then slowly lowered me onto the bed and considerately pulled the thick blanket up to my neck.
“Rest a while. You’ll need it if you’re going for a walk with your faithful companion this afternoon.”
Faithful companion, he says. Well, Chahil isn’t a dog…
“I’m not even sleepy at all?”
…No sooner had I said it than my eyelids suddenly grew impossibly heavy.
‘Wait, hold on. Why am I suddenly so drowsy?’
My eyes are just falling shut on their own? That’s strange—just a moment ago my mind was sharp and clear!
“Why…?”
“Why? You brought it on yourself. This is what you get for offering your forehead so carelessly.”
Are you serious? You just kissed me out of nowhere!
But my indignant protest was swallowed by the tide of exhaustion, and the words never made it past my lips.
“Sleep well, my still-noisy fiancée.”
With Ibban’s satisfied chuckle, I fell into darkness.

* * *
Ibban rose slowly from where he’d been sitting on the bed, watching Rene sink into deep sleep—a slumber too profound for dreams to penetrate.
He blew out the candle, then with a flick of his hand drew the curtains, cutting off the sunlight that had been streaming into the bedroom.
In the quiet darkness that settled over his chamber, the only light came from Rene’s peaceful breathing.
Banel appeared soundlessly at Ibban’s back as the steady breathing continued, bowing his head.
“Your Majesty.”
“Speak here. I’ve put her into a deep sleep—she won’t wake for some time.”
As Ibban fixed his gaze on Rene, who slept without the slightest movement, he gave his assent, and Banel immediately handed over the stack of documents he’d been holding.
“This is the transaction list from thirteen years ago. As it turns out, Dante Shannon was involved in this one as well. Not only the Former Cardinal, who is now deceased, but those above him as well…… It appears to be a rather old cooperative relationship.”
“Hm.”
Ibban gave a faint scoff, taking the yellowed papers from Banel and scanning them with an expressionless face.
“So the conclusion is, this isn’t something that’ll be settled overnight.”
“We’ve confirmed that the majority of successive Cardinals engaged in these transactions. We cannot rule out the possibility that one of the Greater Demons is involved.”
An age-old deadlock between demons and fallen men—this wasn’t something that would end with simply capturing Parmer, the core of the Rebel Forces.
“I said I’d handle it within a set timeframe, but it looks like we’ve got ourselves a real problem.”
Despite the words, Ibban’s expression was far from troubled—instead, it was utterly languid, and his slow fingers came to rest gently on Rene’s soft cheek as she slept peacefully.
“What shall I do, Rene? It seems we’ll need to spend more time together.”

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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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