The Male Lead Is the Villain, and I'm the Only One Who Knows - Chapter 88

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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 Actually the Hidden Mastermind, and Only I Know It — Chapter 88
“What exactly did you see?”
Why. What.
I dropped the act and answered his question with casual indifference, which only deepened the intensity in Ibhan’s gaze.
“You were staring with your wits completely scattered. Is that shell your type?”
Strange. His tone was as soft as always, yet something about it felt oddly sharp….
‘My type? I’ve only ever had one type — you.’
My favorite’s face hadn’t changed, so how could my heart possibly change….
If I’d said this out loud, I could already see Ibhan making sport of me for it.
‘But if I keep letting him misunderstand like this, maybe it’s better to just tell him.’
Even if I did tell him honestly, he’d probably tease me for a moment and then dismiss it as obvious, laughing it off.
After a brief moment of consideration, I met those emerald eyes of his and opened my mouth softly.
“You’re my type, Your Highness.”
I added lightly that it had only ever been you from the start.
“…What?”
Ibhan’s reaction was unexpected. None of my anticipated responses had come to pass.
His green eyes, confused as they gazed at me, wavered faintly for a moment.
“As you can see, Dust was modeled after you. The height, the body—ahem, the body too. Even the face is somewhat similar. So it’s only natural my eyes would drift that way. Because he resembles you.”
I meant that since he was my type, it was natural for my gaze to fall on Dust because of their resemblance.
…….
Understanding the meaning, Ibhan suddenly turned his head away without a word.
With his hand pressed against his mouth, he swiftly turned his back to me and disappeared in the opposite direction, muttering something about checking if any Demonic Beasts remained.
……Just now, weren’t his ears and neck a bit red?
As I tilted my head, wondering if I’d misread it, Dust returned with Barrel, having changed his clothes.
“Rene!”
Appearing in the neat Practical Outfit that had been prepared as Ibhan’s spare, Dust now looked like a reasonably normal person, quite unlike the filthy wreck from before.
“Well, not bad. It suits you.”
Because his build was similar to Ibhan’s, the clothes fit Dust well enough.
“The moment we return to the palace, I shall change him out of this. It is unconscionable that a Beast should wear the garments of Your Highness.”
Barrel exhaled heavily, making it clear this was purely circumstantial, and yet continued to meticulously adjust Dust’s clothing to keep everything in place.
“But Dust, why did you take human form in the first place? There are plenty of ways to manifest besides the human shape, aren’t there?”
I’d been watching intently and decided to voice the peculiar doubt I’d been harboring.
While Barrel’s explanation had made sense, I wanted to hear the real reason directly from Dust himself.
“Ah, I was curious about this as well. According to old scholarly texts, Beasts typically manifest in a form resembling their master, but this one is—”
“Ibhan.”
“…Yes. He does resemble His Highness.”
Barrel, apparently harboring the same bewilderment as I did, readily voiced his agreement with my unspoken question.
Faced with our puzzled stares, Dust blinked his dark eyes slowly for a moment before opening his mouth casually, as though it were nothing.
“Well? It’s because… Rene likes… Ibhan.”
“…Huh?”
Wait, hold on…! What are you saying. That’s not it, absolutely not—.
“If I look like Ibhan, then maybe Rene will like me too.”
“……Good heavens.”
Good heavens, good heavens, good heavens…….
What on earth is this troublesome Beast saying. I’m grateful Ibhan isn’t nearby.
If that demon had heard this, it would’ve been real trouble.
“Hmm. So that’s how it happened.”
“Eek!”
I flinched and trembled at the voice that suddenly rang out from right beside me.
Ibhan had returned at some point and now stood at my side, his eyes fixed on Dust with a peculiar gleam.
“Ibhan. I don’t know what you’re thinking, but it’s not what you think, so don’t misunderstand.”
“How do you know what I’m thinking?”
Ibhan’s lips curved up slowly as he moved closer, studying me quietly. Anyway, it’s not that.
“Whatever it is, it’s not that.”
“So… you dislike me?”
His voice, cast out carelessly, was remarkably plain, yet his expression suggested something incomprehensible might unfold if I admitted I found him displeasing.
‘Is this what they call leading the witness…? The answer’s already predetermined, isn’t it.’
My body stiffened instinctively, sensing the approaching storm.
“……I shall check if there are any Demonic Beasts in that direction. Dust, come along.”
“Huh? No way, I’m staying next to Rene—”
“I wasn’t asking.”
Barrel glanced between Ibhan and me as if gauging the mood, then abruptly seized Dust by the scruff of the neck and strode quickly in the opposite direction from where Ibhan had disappeared.
The sound of Dust whimpering and being dragged faded lightly into the dust clouds that rose in their wake.
Wait—that’s the direction Ibhan just came from. If he was going to give us space, he could have at least gone somewhere less obvious.
“Is there really something to worry about here?”
Ibhan seemed ready to keep staring at me until I answered. Ugh, raising a demon is exhausting.
“I didn’t say I disliked it.”
“You certainly looked disgusted about it.”
“…I like it. I do like it.”
Your face.
I’d added it quietly at the end, though I wasn’t sure if he’d heard.
“That’s better.”
He lifted the corner of his mouth as if that was the obvious answer, and only then did he look away from me.
The man who’d bristled at my confession of taste moments ago had vanished without a trace.
What on earth had that been about?
“Let’s head back. We’ve achieved complete annihilation of the Demonic Beasts in this sector.”
Having dealt with even the remaining traces from earlier, Ibhan took my hand and led me toward the carriage.
“When is the next patrol?”
“Barrel’s shadows conduct preliminary patrols, and they report back when they sense anything. Usually four-day intervals, so keep that in mind.”
Starting from the Capital and moving throughout various regions of the Empire, he said as he lightly helped me into the carriage. I’d better prepare myself.
“Rene!”
As we boarded, Dust came lumbering up and squeezed his massive frame into the carriage, settling beside me.
Ibhan’s eyes narrowed sharply from where he sat across from us, but Dust paid it no mind whatsoever.
Since the Demon merely wore a human form, Dust possessed none of the basic sense or social awareness that humans carried.
“Hm. This carriage is remarkably narrow, isn’t it…”
When Barrel settled in beside Ibhan as well, the interior felt cramped despite the carriage being quite large.
As the carriage began to move, Dust drooped against my shoulder and started rubbing his face against my arm enthusiastically.
“Dust, return to your original form.”
“No.”
Dust shook his head firmly and clung to my arm even tighter.
The moment Ibhan’s brow furrowed dangerously, I hurriedly opened my mouth to change the subject.
“Can you actually shift back to your original form?”
“Yes. Want me to show you?”
At my question, Dust lifted his head at once to look at me, his face bright with the joy of being asked to demonstrate something.
Then came a cute little *pop* sound, and Dust transformed back into a small ball of fur.
His response was starkly different from when Ibhan had ordered him to change—then he hadn’t even cracked a smile.
Ibhan and Barrel both looked down at Dust in his restored form with expressions of disbelief.
“Oh, so you can shift freely like that—quite a useful ability.”
– In this state, I can… speak too.
Struggling with anything longer than a few words, Dust answered hesitantly and with difficulty.
“How impressive. Stay like this until we return to the palace.”
– Mm-hmm.
Dust clambered sluggishly onto my head and closed his eyes.
“You have quite the master there.”
As Ibhan clicked his tongue, Barrel’s blue eyes shimmered with an unusual gleam.
“Miss Rene, might I borrow Dust for a moment? I promise to handle him with the utmost care.”
With utmost care? I immediately doubted whether Barrel even understood what those words meant.
“What for? You’re not thinking of… experimenting on him, are you?”
“Indeed. Just a light dissection, and I’ll return him to you.”
Light how, exactly…

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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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