The Puppet Villainess’s Splendid Rebellion - Chapter 81

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 81

‘What?’

I tried to read Hella’s expression, but it wasn’t easy.

Was she displeased? Because I was holding hands with Sion?

No, it seemed like a more complex emotion than that. Too calm to be jealousy, too resigned to be wariness.

‘…I don’t know.’

But that was only momentary. Before the sense of unease could deepen, Hella erased her expression and walked across the room.

Soon she sat on the sofa by the window and lightly waved her hand. A teapot floated up onto the table, and tea was poured into three teacups. Steam rose gently. It was magic.

“What are you doing, not sitting down.”

She looked at us with a languid smile.

I glanced at Sion. Unlike me with my complicated feelings, Sion seemed to have no thoughts at all. He led me along and sat across from Hella. His attitude was as comfortable as if he were in his own home. I sat beside him in an uncomfortable posture with my hands clasped together.

Hella picked up her teacup and took a sip.

“I knew you two had met without my knowledge. You’ve become quite close, haven’t you?”

“Yeah, we’re close.”

It wasn’t me who answered. Sion gently shook our clasped hands. It was similar to the attitude he had shown Carlos before.

Hella gazed at it with her pale white eyes, then muttered as she set her teacup down on the table.

“Right, what’s meant to happen will happen…”

…What did she just say?

It was definitely incomprehensible words, but they were too quiet to hear properly.

“So then.”

She smiled. The strange atmosphere from just before had completely disappeared.

“What brings you here? Our little princess even went to the trouble of disguising herself.”

“Ah.”

I pulled out a pouch from inside my robe.

“I made something like this.”

When I opened the pouch, crimson crystals came pouring out. About five or six of them rolled across the table and stopped in front of Hella.

Hella’s eyes widened slightly.

“Purification stones?”

“Yes, Sion researched them for me.”

Hella picked up one of the purification stones and held it up to the light. She had an admiring expression.

“You already made these… That was fast.”

‘Already?’

I wondered to myself.

Did she know we were making them? Did she hear it from Sion? Or through the Moonlight Trading Post’s information network?

Well, it’s Hella. It would be strange if she didn’t know.

But now wasn’t the time to ask about that.

“I’m going to spread these throughout the Empire. Starting with the nobles. So I’d like to borrow the Moonlight Trading Post’s network.”

“Hmm.”

Hella rolled the purification stone with her finger. She examined it from various angles, holding it up to the light.

“It certainly wouldn’t fall short compared to the Imperial Family’s purification stones. With this quality, even our mages would covet them. Purification stones are incredibly expensive these days.”

“Sion put his heart and soul into them.”

“I’m sure he did.”

Hella glanced at Sion. Sion was just drinking his tea without saying anything.

“What’s your specific plan?”

“At first, I’ll start mainly with provincial nobles who have no connections to the Capital and are relatively desperate, then increase production once word spreads. I plan to officially reveal them at the upcoming hunting festival.”

“Hunting festival?”

“Yes. The Ducal Palace is planning to hold a hunting festival. Since it’s an occasion where nobles from surrounding domains will gather, I plan to directly demonstrate the purification stones’ effects then.”

Hella stroked her chin with her hand. Her eyes showed interest.

“Well, I understand the plan. It seems you’ve thought about it quite a bit. But you know there has to be a proper price if you want to commission me, right?”

“Yes.”

I nodded. I hadn’t come to ask for a favor for free.

“I’ll give you 30% of the produced purification stones as commission.”

Hella’s eyebrows rose.

“In return, you’ll have to take responsibility for the entire distribution network. Including spreading rumors among the nobles. Think of it as initial market development costs.”

Hella set the purification stone down on the table. It made a clear tapping sound.

“You want to use the purification stones themselves as payment rather than currency?”

“Aren’t the ‘vagrants’ also struggling for purification stones just as much as the nobles with magical power? I thought it was actually a good condition.”

“Right, our princess is very clever. 30% is quite a large amount too.”

“This isn’t the time to be stingy. Right now, securing the network is more important.”

Hella nodded.

“Good. I like it. It’s a deal, little princess.”

* * *

After discussing various details, quite a bit of time had passed.

When to deliver the first batch, which nobles to approach first, what price range to set. There were more things to decide than expected. Hella was more meticulous than I thought. She checked everything thoroughly without missing a single detail.

When the negotiations were somewhat concluded, Sion excused himself saying he had something to bring. In the meantime, I organized the scattered documents and prepared to leave. I packed the purification stone pouch, put on my cloak again, and pulled up the hood.

“Princess.”

Hella called me.

When I turned around, she had risen from the sofa and was looking at me. Her eyes were different from before.

That is, if I had to compare, they were similar to when she first faced me in this room…

“Are you confident?”

“…Pardon?”

It was a sudden question.

Hella slowly approached. One step, two steps. She stood in front of me.

“I’m asking if you’re confident you won’t fail.”

Hella’s pale eyes stared at me. Her whitish pupils gleamed strangely in the light.

I couldn’t tell exactly what Hella was trying to ask me. Whether it was about the purification stone distribution, or something beyond that bigger picture. However, even so, the answer I would give was already decided.

“I’m confident.”

I didn’t back down and stared straight at her.

“This is something I started. I’ll see it through to the end.”

“…Hmm.”

Hella tapped her chin. It was a gesture as if she was thinking about something. A heavy silence flowed for a moment. Eventually, she looked at me and narrowed her eyes.

“Good. Don’t forget that answer.”

It was a meaningful statement. It seemed like both a warning and encouragement.

Just as I was about to ask her something more, the door opened.

“I brought everything.”

It was Sion. Thick books were stacked like a tower in his arms.

“What were you two talking about?”

Hella quickly stepped back from me.

“Nothing.”

Her voice was calm. The heavy atmosphere from just moments ago had disappeared as if it were a lie.

Then she looked at the books in Sion’s arms and narrowed her eyes.

“But aren’t those my books?”

“Yeah.”

“You’re taking all of them like that?”

“Yeah. They said they need them at the Mage Tower.”

“…You’re completely cleaning out the storehouse, you thief cat.”

“I’m not a thief. I’m borrowing them.”

“When will you return them?”

“Someday.”

“That’s stealing.”

Despite Hella’s sigh, Sion just grinned without showing any sign of remorse.

Eventually, after shoving all the books into subspace, Sion reached out his hand toward me.

“Lorea, let’s go.”

“Yes.”

As I grasped Sion’s hand, I heard Hella’s voice again from behind me.

“…Well then, see you again, little princess.”

“Yes. Thank you for today.”

Hella smiled brightly. Her serious expression from earlier had completely disappeared, and her relaxed smile had returned.

‘What was that just now.’

The question about whether I was confident I wouldn’t fail. The words telling me not to forget that answer. It definitely didn’t seem like it was just about simple negotiations.

Without time to think, Sion put strength into our clasped hands. The world turned upside down with blinding light.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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