The Villainess Hid Her Identity, and Now Everyone is Misunderstanding - Chapter 63

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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 63

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Ow, my eye!
My eye, pierced by her finger, was screaming at me to close immediately, but I endured through superhuman willpower.
My eyelid fluttered in protest, tears threatening to spill, so I stumbled forward a step or two to blink them away. In that moment, I caught a glimpse of Duke Cashen’s expression.
‘Oh, perfect.’
His eyes were wide open, his lips parted slightly.
Was this really something to be so shocked about?
But I soon nodded to myself in understanding.
‘If Evelyn Rosenthal did something like this, I’d be shocked too.’
After what felt like enough time had passed, I opened my mouth again, voice trembling.
“I’m so sorry. I’ll go tell everyone right now… that I’m actually Evelyn Rosenthal, and apologize for deceiving you…!”
I trembled as if I were about to turn and leave. But he simply stared at me, his expression unreadable.
‘Huh? Why isn’t the system responding?’
By his expression, he’d clearly fallen for it, yet the system window remained silent.
Damn.
Growing slightly anxious, I watched his face carefully before finally having no choice but to actually turn away.
“I’ll go tell the people right now—.”
Snap!
“Wait just a moment, Evelyn.”
As I turned my head, he grabbed my arm with an urgent expression.
“Your Highness…?”
I called out to him, my voice trembling.
Duke Cashen hesitated for a moment as if troubled, then slowly opened his mouth.
“I’m sorry… I apologize. I wasn’t trying to corner you, Evelyn.”
“…!”
Ding!

[Suspicion level has entered the completely safe zone.]
[Suspicion level: 12%]

A gasp.
I barely managed to stifle the cry that nearly escaped my lips.
‘Goodness, this is insane!’
It exceeded my expectations. Once Duke Cashen’s walls began to crumble, they collapsed in an instant.
I bit my lip hard to suppress the laughter threatening to burst forth, then continued speaking in a deliberately subdued voice, feigning composure.
“Your Highness, why are you apologizing…?”
I deliberately tilted my hood back slightly and made my eyes flutter as much as possible. There should be a pristine teardrop clinging to the tip of my eyelashes.
And Duke Cashen would never miss that.
‘There’s no way he could just leave me like this, right?’
Sure enough, he squeezed his eyes shut before opening them again, then hastily spoke.
“Did I startle you? I apologize. Please, calm yourself first.”
“Oh, no! I was simply startled on my own.”
It was quite amusing to see his face grow rigid like that. After all, I had never witnessed such an expression from him before.
‘Hmm, so this is what he looks like when he lowers his guard somewhat.’
I watched with interest as the flustered Duke Cashen repeatedly raised and lowered his hand as if to comfort me. The image of him I had maintained until now shattered completely.
I had never heard such a gentle tone from him before.
But ultimately, this too was merely basic courtesy—the demeanor a noble man ought to display toward a woman.
In previous iterations, he had despised me so thoroughly that I had never witnessed it.
‘…How little he must have regarded me as a person all this time.’
I found it pathetic that I was moved by something so trivial.
While clicking my tongue inwardly, I quickly responded to him.
“I’m not blaming Your Highness. There’s no need for an apology. It’s simply that deceiving people is wrong…!”
“That’s not so.”
He shook his head.
“How could that be called deception? Evelyn merely refrained from speaking. People cannot know what they are unaware of simply because something was left unsaid.”
“…?”
Duke Cashen, we literally agreed to call that deception.
As I remained silent with my eyelids lowered, he continued.
“You are not at fault. Rather, I believe it was a wise choice.”
“…Really?”
“Yes, you did it to become closer to people, did you not? Since everyone, not just you, gained only benefits from the situation, there is no need to reveal it.”
Well, well, so that’s how it is.
How convenient that he thinks that way on his own. Even if he didn’t, my suspicion level had already dropped so much that it wouldn’t easily rise again.
“Is that truly so? Then will Your Highness the Grand Duke also forget about it?”
“Forgetting may be difficult, but I will not speak of it to anyone. So that Evelyn may continue helping others as you do now.”
I was so startled that my eyes grew wider and wider, and by the time Duke Cashen finished speaking, I found myself smiling broadly without even realizing it.
‘Caught him! I’ve landed quite the prize!’
Unable to help expressing this emotion, I pulled my hood back slightly and met his gaze. Duke Cashen’s green eyes no longer appeared frightening to me.
Because he was already thoroughly hooked on my line.
I smiled radiantly, my lips moving with joy and gratitude.
“Thank you, Your Grace!”
“…!”
His pupils dilated.
The sharp edge that had always lingered in his eyes softened, and his lips parted slightly. He stared at me without so much as blinking.
What’s wrong with him?
It was the first time I’d seen Duke Cashen’s rigid expression melt away like this, so I smiled brightly before tilting my head in confusion.
“…Your Grace?”
He didn’t seem to hear me, standing motionless with his lips pressed tight. His expression was oddly vacant.
‘…What is this?’
Just as I reached out to grab his arm, concerned by his strange state—
“Your—”
“…!”
He startled violently and withdrew his arm.
He stepped back several paces as if he’d encountered something contagious.
“Are you alright?”
“Ah, no… I’m fine.”
“You don’t seem well….”
“I’m fine, Evelyn. Thank you for your… concern.”
Duke Cashen stammering like this was a sight I’d never witnessed before.
Strangely, he couldn’t even meet my eyes, and whenever I tried to approach, he’d startle and retreat another step.
“Are you really sure you’re alright? You don’t seem it….”
Did he suddenly contract some fatal illness?
I couldn’t let this slide, not when I was already playing the saint.
I deliberately feigned concern and examined his face carefully.
“Your face is flushed! You should see a Physician—”
“No! I’m truly fine, Evelyn.”
Duke Cashen flinched and kept dodging my hand, then suddenly glanced around as if remembering some urgent matter. He gave me a hasty bow.
“I must take my leave, Evelyn. I have pressing business….”
“What? Ah, yes… of course.”
“Then I shall go….”
“See you next time!”
I called out and waved, but he was already gone from the alley before I could finish.
‘What on earth was that about?’
Regardless, that wasn’t what mattered. The greatest victory today was that I’d nearly completely escaped the threat of death.

* * *

Around the same time.
Rakiel picked up his spoon, then set it back down.
Clink.
The sound of the spoon touching the dinnerware echoed through the air—a clear, crystalline sound that belied a far darker reality.
The silver dish that had held the soup had already turned black with discoloration, and the spoon resting upon it was beginning to show a sickly greenish tint.
Poison.
“…Sigh.”
He exhaled a weary breath.
“I-I sincerely apologize, Your Highness. Despite my warnings to be careful….”
A servant bowed hastily, his face flushed with panic.
Rakiel pressed his fingers against his throbbing temples. He had long since grown accustomed to these incidents, which occurred with such regularity.
“It’s fine. This isn’t the first or second time….”
“My apologies! I’ll have this cleaned up at once!”
These incidents had been occurring for years now, so there was little point in assigning blame anew. Besides, it was nearly impossible to identify the perpetrator responsible for such acts.
‘…To be precise, it would be more accurate to say I’m not looking.’
That wasn’t to say they were hiding particularly well.
Whenever I did find the culprit, they were already dead, or if I happened to capture them alive, they would die shortly thereafter without fail.
And most importantly, I already knew who was orchestrating these attempts.
Rakiel, who had been nibbling at the remaining dishes while avoiding the poisoned soup, eventually rose from his seat. He had completely lost his appetite.
‘Does it never grow tiresome?’
Knowing full well that I wouldn’t fall for such a crude method, yet poisoning my meals every single day was undoubtedly a form of warning.
This would likely only end when one of the two who held claim to the throne was dead. Otherwise, he would never leave me in peace.
Well, that aside. More than such trivial matters….
‘…It’s quieter than I expected.’
I had anticipated the palace would be in an uproar once word spread that the aftereffects of the war had yet to be fully treated.
‘What is he scheming?’

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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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