The Villainess Duke Lady Hides Her Identity - Chapter 75

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

Chapter 75

After finishing their tour of the Night Market, Reponya returned to Craitan Estate.
Rudeuum insisted on escorting her all the way, climbing into the carriage alongside her.
Havelian and Fellens, standing guard, rode their horses at a distance without boarding the carriage, keeping watch over their surroundings.
“Rudeuum, I had so much fun today because of you.”
“That’s what I should be saying to you. I got to eat delicious food, and being with you today, I managed to escape the threat of assassins. Today was truly enjoyable. It’s a day I won’t forget.”
Ah.
Now that she thought about it, because Havelian and Fellens had been by his side as escorts all day, no assassins had come for Rudeuum at all.
‘For others it’s just an ordinary day, but for Rudeuum, even the everyday is something to be grateful for.’
The food they’d eaten today wasn’t anything special, yet he called it delicious, spoke of it as a day he wouldn’t forget.
“Rudeuum.”
Rudeuum looked up at the sound of Reponya’s voice.
“Let’s play together again next time.”
……
“Next time, let’s just play with each other — without Havelian and Fellens.”
Reponya extended her pinky finger.
“It’s a promise. You said you’d only play with me, so I’ll only play with you. Rudeuum.”
“…Are you going to make a promise?”
Rudeuum stared intently at her extended finger. After all, Reponya’s only friend was Rudeuum.
“Yes. Promise.”
Reponya nodded and held out her pinky again. After a moment’s hesitation, Rudeuum extended his own pinky and linked it with hers.
“…You made the promise first, Reponya.”
The fact that he didn’t refuse suggested he was pleased with the idea of playing together alone.
‘He probably felt like he was being watched when we played with the teachers.’
Havelian and Fellens were his teachers, after all.
Reponya waggled their linked pinkies up and down playfully.
“Yes. Promise.”
Looking at her this way, she seemed like any ordinary nine-year-old. Not the Duke of Billemen who, according to rumors, had pioneered new trade routes and amassed vast fortunes.
“But earlier, during the procession.”
“Yes?”
“The Emperor spoke to you, didn’t he?”
“Oh. Yes. He did. Did you see that? It was my first time seeing the Emperor in person, so I was startled.”
“What did the Emperor say to you?”
“Hmm?”
What had he said? At Rudeuum’s question, Reponya recalled her conversation with the Emperor.
“Nothing of great importance. The Emperor just said that when he’s ill and bedridden, the Crown Prince and the princess express their affection in different ways… and that Duke Craitan has been so busy boasting about me lately.”
“That’s all?”
“Well…”
Reponya tilted her head slightly.
Ah. There was one more thing.
“He invited me to visit the Imperial Palace, told me to get close to the princes. But Duke Craitan flatly refused, saying there’s no reason for me to be betrothed to a prince right now.”
“…As I thought.”
“Hmm?”
Rudeuum spoke with a serious expression.
“The Emperor has long sought to forge ties of marriage with House of Craitan.”
“Ties of… marriage?”
“The Emperor has proposed betrothals between the princess and both the eldest and second sons of the Craitan Family.”
“What?”
Betrothals? So her two brothers had nearly married the princess?
Reponya tried to picture Havelian and Fellens married. …Actually, she tried to imagine it but failed.
She couldn’t even conjure the image in her mind.
Those two acting so carelessly? She almost felt sorry for the princess.
“By forming ties with House of Craitan, which is known as the Protector of the Empire, imperial authority would be strengthened. That’s the reason.”
Reponya swallowed the words: ‘Weren’t you also trying to use a betrothal for political advantage before?’ — but she said nothing.
“But both the eldest son and the second son are people far removed from marriage, so it came to nothing. Yet now you’ve appeared, Reponya.”
“Me?”
“Right. They’re probably thinking of tying her down with a betrothal while she’s still young.”
“Even if I am young, I won’t be easy to handle, will I?”
She’s not actually five years old who would follow along with a smile at the promise of candy.
Reponya watched Rudeuum’s grave expression and gave his shoulder a reassuring pat.
“Don’t worry. I have no intention of betrothing myself to anyone!”
One day she might cease to be a Craitan Daughter altogether—she couldn’t possibly enter a betrothal under such circumstances.
Despite Reponya’s confident words, Rudeuum’s face remained clouded.
“Even if you refuse, the Emperor might still—”
“If the Duke and His Majesty really do try to force a betrothal—”
……
“Then I’ll betroth myself to you right away.”
Better to become betrothed to Rudeuum and then dissolve it than to marry some unknown prince.
“Me? You and me?”
The answer seemed to catch Rudeuum completely off guard, his eyes widening.
“Yes. A betrothal to you and a dissolution is far preferable to one with His Highness the Crown Prince.”
“What?”
“Why look so shocked? You said friends help each other, didn’t you?”
Reponya repeated Rudeuum’s own words back to him with a smile.
“…Right. That’s true.”
Rudeuum sat quietly for a moment, turning it over in his mind. Then he nodded again.
“If it comes to that, I’ll absolutely help you. We’re friends, after all.”
He spoke with utter resolve.
Just as she thought…
‘Friends!’
Reponya laughed.

* * *

After escorting Reponya to the Estate and watching the two brothers accompany her inside as her guards, Rudeuum turned to leave.
Instead of boarding the carriage, he turned to address the steward.
“Is Duke Craitan at the Estate?”
His voice was utterly transformed from moments before when he’d been with Reponya—sharp and flat, stripped of all warmth.
The steward bowed his head.
“Yes, sir. He is in residence.”
“Then tell him I wish to see him. It won’t take long.”
“Very well. Shall I show you to the Reception Room?”
Rudeuum nodded, and the steward gestured to a servant. The servant led Rudeuum to the Reception Room.
After waiting briefly, Duke Craitan entered.
The Duke looked considerably exhausted, no doubt from escorting the royal procession earlier that day.
“Lord Billemen. I hear you and Reponya had quite the time together. Did you have something to tell me?”
“It probably won’t come to this, but I thought it best to be clear—if you’re thinking of betrothing Reponya to the Crown Prince, abandon the idea.”
“Ha.”
Duke Craitan let out a derisive laugh and collapsed onto the sofa opposite.
“I don’t recall ever asking Lord Billemen for advice on my daughter’s betrothal.”
“Have you still not come to your senses after your eldest son’s foolish blunder not long ago, Duke Craitan?”
The “foolish blunder” clearly referred to Havelian sending Reponya to the orphanage.
Duke Craitan’s retort died on his lips, his brow furrowing.
“Just because Reponya is kind enough to accept and forgive him, don’t let that lull you into false security. Was that something worthy of forgiveness?”
……
“Even if you spent a lifetime atoning to that child, it wouldn’t be enough. And now you mean to arrange a betrothal on top of it all? Surely you don’t think Reponya is nothing but a doll who knows nothing of the world simply because she’s five years old?”
Rudeuum’s sharp words left Duke Craitan unable to mount any defense.
Because everything he said was true.
The gentle demeanor Rudeuum showed before Reponya was nothing but pretense; now he was menacing.
“If you slip up once, you should learn from it. How many more mistakes do you intend to repeat?”
Rudeuum spoke through gritted teeth, then swept the room with a sharp gaze.
“What I’m about to tell you—I’d prefer it didn’t leave this room.”
At Rudeuum’s words, Duke Craitan hesitated, then quickly ordered all the servants out of the Reception Room.
“There. Everyone’s gone. If you have something to say, then—”
“Before the New Year Festival ends, the Crown Prince will be dead.”
Duke Craitan froze. The color drained from his face in an instant.
A chill had settled over his voice.
“Do you understand what you’re saying right now, Duke Billemen?”
“And before a new successor is even named, the New Year Festival will pass, and then the Emperor will be dead.”
“Anyone who speaks carelessly of the death of imperial blood commits treason. Surely you know that.”
“The Imperial Palace will become a sea of blood, and the princes and princesses won’t hesitate to kill one another to become master of this empire.”
……
“Even if you tried to save the Crown Prince, it’s already too late. I confirmed his condition when I went to the palace to file a Personal Security Request.”
“What?”
Duke Craitan studied Rudeuum’s face.
“…Duke Billemen, are you saying your Personal Security Request was merely a pretext to enter the palace and assess the Crown Prince’s current state?”
Filing a Personal Security Request requires the Imperial Palace to convene a nobles’ council.
Since one must carry a sword at parties and official functions, the Emperor and the nobility’s consent is necessary.
“Among other reasons. The Crown Prince has been exposed to poison for a long time, and there is no antidote. If you doubt my words, go find the Crown Prince yourself and verify it. He’s been absent from public appearances for quite some time now, hasn’t he?”
Duke Craitan’s brow furrowed. Today alone, the Emperor had appeared in the imperial procession, but the Crown Prince had not.
“…Speaking of something that hasn’t yet happened as though it were already fact is the same as confessing to me that you are the culprit, Duke Billemen. Are you committing treason?”
“If I were the culprit, I’d have taken the Crown Prince’s head before sitting around here talking about it. Why would I have needed to inform you, the Emperor’s longtime friend, at all?”
……
“Don’t look at me like that. I learned this by chance, and I don’t know who the culprit is either. But judging by how long the Crown Prince has been exposed to the poison, the perpetrator must be someone from within.”
“Duke Billemen. If you’re not the culprit, why are you telling me all this?”
Rudeuum fell silent.
“Are you perhaps asking that we join forces before this unfolds and apprehend the culprit together?”
At Duke Craitan’s question, Rudeuum let out a short, bitter laugh.
“Duke Craitan. There seems to be a misunderstanding—I don’t care who the culprit is.”
“What?”
“The reason I brought this up is simple.”
Rudeuum fixed Duke Craitan with a gaze utterly devoid of emotion.
“If you have any thought of betrothing Reponya to one of the princes, abandon it now. I have no intention of sending her into a bloodbath like that.”
Whether anyone died, and no matter who it might be, Rudeuum spoke as though only Reponya’s safety mattered.
“Whether you investigate this matter and stop it or not is none of my concern—do as you see fit. Whether you catch the culprit or prevent the Emperor’s death and change the future, I don’t care about any of that.”
Looking at the nine-year-old young Duke, somehow profoundly twisted, Duke Craitan’s eyes narrowed.
“Don’t send Reponya to the Imperial Palace. Don’t introduce her to the imperial family. All I need is for Reponya to be safe.”
With those words, Rudeuum rose from his seat. Then, without a shred of hesitation, he left the Reception Room.

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