The Villainess Hid Her Identity, and Now Everyone is Misunderstanding - Chapter 105

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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 Villainess Hides Her Identity, and Everyone Misunderstands
Chapter 105

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Shortly after, they emerged from the Dungeon and gathered once more in the Drawing Room.
“I cannot believe it. Do you truly think such a person would speak the truth merely for the sake of family?”
As Killian erupted with a shout, Evelyn scrunched her face and covered her ears. Rakiel, catching a glimpse of her distress, sighed and interjected.
“Duke, I understand your concerns, but please compose yourself and sit. We can hear you perfectly well without the shouting.”
“But Your Highness…!”
“I am well aware of what troubles you.”
When Rakiel fixed him with a steady gaze, he finally returned to his seat with a disgruntled expression. Noticing Evelyn’s face relax somewhat, Rakiel turned his attention toward the Duke.
Noticing that Evelyn’s face had relaxed a bit, he turned his head to look at the Duke.
“What are your thoughts on this matter, Duke?”
The Duke, who had remained silent until now, slowly opened his mouth upon being addressed.
“For now, I find myself in agreement with Killian.”
“Precisely, Father? This man served beneath the Crown Prince for years. How could we expect him to speak truthfully to us? He must have some ulterior motive.”
Well… Killian’s reasoning held merit.
Even Rakiel himself found the current situation somewhat difficult to comprehend.
“In the first place, how could they trust us enough to speak so freely? They must surely understand that revealing such information would make it nearly impossible to preserve their lives.”
His argument was entirely reasonable.
‘This is troublesome.’
Rakiel furrowed his brow in quiet contemplation.
The crucial point was that Evelyn had done something. Though he couldn’t be certain of the details, he had sensed a peculiar stirring of magical power during her interrogation—faint, but unmistakable.
It seemed only he had noticed, making it impossible to speak freely about it. Above all else.
‘She seems reluctant to reveal it.’
Of course, he had no intention of pressing her on the matter. Had he ever suffered harm from her actions even once?
Never. He firmly believed she had her reasons for this as well.
Yet what troubled him was…
‘That she could pity even such wretches.’
When he first learned of her deception, doubt had certainly crossed his mind. Perhaps the version of her he had known as Eve was nothing but a lie—merely an elaborate performance.
Was that not why he had lost sleep that night, consumed by confusion?
But the truth was different.
‘I alone was mistaken.’
She remained Eve—the same Eve who could pity even those steeped in wickedness and draw them toward her. A woman possessed of beauty and goodness beyond compare.
He gazed quietly at her, seated beside Killian, her eyelids lowered in thought, her lips sealed in silence.
Each time her long eyelashes fluttered, her eyes sparkled like jewels. Beneath them lay large, deep blue eyes of unfathomable depth, as though they held an abyss within.
Perhaps sensing the persistent gaze fixed upon her, she startled and lifted her head. The moment our eyes met, Rakiel felt a peculiar sense of calm wash over him.
Just as it had been when I encountered her on the Emperor’s birthday.
As the two of us regarded each other in silence, the Duke exhaled a long sigh.
“Precisely. If such persuasion had worked, he would have done so long ago. I cannot fathom why he conducts himself so docilely toward Evelyn, but one thing is certain—his intentions are far from benign.”
“Well….”
Rakiel trailed off, as though conceding the point to some degree.
“It is not an unreasonable argument, but….”
“Is there something that troubles you?”
The Duke furrowed his brow as he asked.
The information Eve had extracted through her persuasion proved far more valuable than anticipated.

-…A Diplomatic Delegation?
-Yes… *cough*! I heard they were to make contact with those Valter Empire dogs at the Diplomatic Delegation celebration banquet. The time and place were specified precisely.

Rakiel glanced once more at Evelyn, who remained silent, then opened his mouth.
“I believe it is not unreasonable to trust Eve… or rather, the young lady.”
“Your Highness, it is not that I do not trust my daughter. It is simply that this situation…—and since when have you been using such familiar terms?”
The Duke regarded Rakiel with a bewildered expression, but he merely shrugged.
“Well, I understand the Crown Prince’s methods better than anyone. He likely has a real family as well. He has always built his people in such a manner.”
“…Yet it seems unreasonable to trust us so readily on that basis alone.”
“Precisely.”
He laughed lightly.
“But the young lady possesses something that captivates people. So how could he resist being enchanted?”
“….”
Evelyn’s mouth fell open in utter disbelief.
Rakiel gazed at her with narrowed eyes, his expression radiating such confidence as if to cry out, “Trust only me!”
“I have been enchanted by her more than a few times myself, so I understand perfectly well how he must feel.”
Yes, she possessed something indefinable. That must be why such vermin kept swarming around her.
‘….’
His brow furrowed ever so slightly, a movement he himself scarcely noticed.
“Evelyn….”
The Duke exhaled as if exasperated, then trailed off.
“That is certainly true.”
“Indeed….”
The Duke and Killian nodded in unison.
Rakiel chuckled softly, as though it were obvious. It seemed they all shared the same sentiment.
All except one.
“If you would rather not believe it—”
“Then you may as well trust it.”
Rakiel hastily cut off her words, stepping in as if to block her.
“Evelyn must have her reasons, surely? Am I wrong?”
At his question, delivered with a slight curl of his lips, Evelyn swallowed back what she had been about to say. There was no way she could tell him not to believe her in this situation.
Instead, she broached a different subject.
“…I think I know where their families are.”
“As expected.”
He chuckled softly.

* * *

Outside, darkness had already settled in, casting everything in shadow.
I had urged Rakiel to spend the night at the Manor if possible, but he declined, citing pressing matters. So we had come outside to see him off.
‘What a long day this has been….’
How many things had happened today, anyway?
“You’re lost in thought again.”
“Pardon?”
As I shifted my gaze from where I had been staring blankly, I caught sight of crimson eyes gleaming in the darkness. Only then did he smile, as if satisfied.
“Your little mind is always so full of thoughts—I wonder if there’s any room left for me.”
“…Your Highness, what would you be doing inside my head?”
“Well….”
He offered a cryptic smile.
I glanced briefly at the Duke and Killian, who stood some distance away, then offered him a proper bow. After all, I had come out to see him off.
“…In any case, thank you for your help today. Without Your Highness, I would have been completely at the Crown Prince’s mercy….”
No, that wasn’t quite right. I had no intention of surrendering meekly either.
“…I would have had to defend myself far more desperately.”
“That rudeness—I apologize for it once more. It should never have happened.”
He clicked his tongue, then his expression hardened as he looked at me.
“But that aside, I sensed something strange earlier.”
“…You noticed, then.”
“Magic?”
I checked on the Duke and Killian, who were still watching us. I lowered my voice so they wouldn’t hear.
“Please keep it secret. It’s just a simple spell—a minor suggestion.”
“And where did you get that….”
He trailed off and sighed.
“The Black Market again? You have a real talent for picking the most dangerous things.”
The difference between the “Token of Trust” I had used this time and the Indomitable Hood was that I had used an item.
‘I’ll need to be more careful with items going forward.’
I was fortunate he didn’t ask about its origin. He showed no inclination to press further, neither inquiring nor expressing curiosity about it.
The Black Market was serving as a convenient shield, but there was no telling how long that would last. In any case, I was grateful I no longer needed to convince the Duke and Killian.
‘Only someone like Rakiel or Duke Cashen would notice something like this so easily.’
Since the Duke didn’t seem to know about it, it appeared that nothing short of considerable skill would suffice. Besides, the Duke had been retired for quite some time.
“In any case, thank you for keeping it hidden. If Father found out, I can’t imagine what kind of lecture I’d receive….”
Goosebumps erupted across my entire body, and I brushed my arms.
“It seems you listen to the Duke’s words quite well, more than expected.”
“He’s family, after all.”
I shrugged my shoulders.
“And about that place you mentioned earlier, where their families might be….”
“I’ll look into it. If I ask Yan, we’ll have results in no time.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
He chuckled softly, gazing down at me. Though darkness lay thick around us, his distinct features shone clearly even within it.
Above his subtly elegant neckline, his lips curved in a smile.
“But why do you still call me ‘Your Highness’?”
“…Pardon?”
What was he saying now?
“I call Your Highness ‘Your Highness’—what else would I call you?”
“…You promised to call me by my name back then.”
Ah, I let out a small exclamation.
“That was because we needed to act that way then. There’s no need for it now, is there?”
“….”
Rakiel froze with an odd expression on his face.
‘What is it? What did I miss?’
While I was racking my brain, he exhaled a deep sigh. As if resigned, he pressed his temples repeatedly.
“I didn’t expect much, but….”
“Expect what?”
“Nothing at all.”
With that, he naturally extended his hand. I glanced at him briefly, then placed my hand over his with a tilted head.
The atmosphere felt as though it demanded exactly this.
“Why….”
Just as I was about to ask what he intended, he gently pulled my hand toward him….
A soft kiss.
“…!”

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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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