The Villainess Hid Her Identity, and Now Everyone is Misunderstanding - Chapter 8

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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 8

Without thinking, my gaze drifted toward the drawer.
Upon discovering the lower right drawer, I wore a subtle expression.
With my lips pressed firmly shut, I ran my fingers along the underside of the drawer and felt an oddly affixed panel. Protruding from its edge was a thin handle.
A secret drawer.
I crouched down on the floor and carefully placed my hand on that handle.
Inside the drawer, which opened with slight resistance, lay a suspicious envelope and a worn memo.

“Conrat Mine Third-Phase Sealed Bid Contract Details – For Review”

Suspicious. Highly suspicious.
I examined the memo affixed above it.

“Handler: L. Gerber.
Name coordination with Fabian complete. Mine documents to be transferred this month. Report after accounting line adjustment.”

…Fabian.
I pressed my forehead with my palm.
It was unmistakable.
Fabian was the one managing Ludwig’s financial channels. This was conclusive evidence that Jonas had been colluding with the Crown Prince’s faction all along.
At that moment, another system window materialized.

[Quest Clue Obtained!]

How on earth am I supposed to tell the Duke about this?
If Jonas is Ludwig’s spy, how many outsiders have infiltrated the estate beneath him?
As a financial advisor, influencing personnel management would be child’s play. Everyone placed their connections through nepotism, and people turned a blind eye to it to a certain extent.
Moreover, in the previous loop, he had even succeeded in rising to the position of chief administrator of the Rosenthal Estate.
Only then did I realize why Ludwig Bernhardt had failed to elevate Prince Rakiel to Emperor in every single loop.
Ludwig had already completed all his machinations before the Duke and Prince Rakiel could even join hands.
And perhaps that was because of me.
Could it be that Ludwig deliberately became engaged to me for this reason?
My expression hardened.
It was a truth I could never uncover, no matter how many times I repeated the ninety-nine loops.
‘Evelyn, you….’
It was the price I paid for chasing only Ludwig while abandoning the burning house. It was like pouring oil on a fire.
A truth I would never have discovered if I hadn’t gained freedom in the hundredth regression.
Thud, thud.
I instinctively shrank back. Faint footsteps echoed from the end of the corridor.
Damn it, who’s coming…?
I shoved the documents and notes I was holding into my bosom and hid my body beneath the desk. I made sure to carefully close the secret drawer I had left open.
As the footsteps drew closer, whispered conversation could be heard as well.
“…The documents over there were properly organized, correct?”
…Jonas?
“Yes, Advisor. There are no irregularities in the list. However, one of the newly added personnel comes from the place that caused problems last time….”
It was an unfamiliar voice. Probably someone from the finance department.
“I was told all problems have been resolved. If approval came from your side, don’t raise any further objections.”
“…Understood.”
Click, creak.
The door opened with the sound of a lock being undone.
Oh no, they’re coming in.
I held my breath beneath the desk and waited.
Jonas remained silent for a while. It was strangely quiet.
“…The Grand Duke hasn’t shown any particular reaction?”
Suddenly, her low whisper reached my ears.
Who is she talking to? Didn’t she come in alone?
“…Yes. Then let’s proceed. However, I will personally review next week’s list.”
…A communication stone.
The fact that she possessed something so difficult to obtain unless one was a member of the imperial family only deepened my conviction.
I held my breath.
“The Conrat Mine will be processed soon on paper. The price is about one-third of the original value. The Duke still doesn’t suspect anything.”
Time was running out.
I had to act before the Duke sold off the Conrat Mine through Jonas’s scheme.
“…Yes, the Duke intends to make contact with Prince Rakiel. It shouldn’t be a major issue, but as you know, the Prince’s temperament is unpredictable….”
“….”
“…I understand. I’ll feed false information to the Duke’s side. That should buy us some time before joining hands with Prince Rakiel.”
A light click sounded as a drawer closed.
Quiet footsteps faded into the distance. I, who had been listening carefully, exhaled with caution.
‘…Did he leave?’
Once the office fell silent, I slowly rose to my feet. Jonas must have gone out again.
I verified once more that the documents in my possession were intact, then carefully slipped out of Jonas’s office.

* * *

“I found exactly what I needed.”
Back in my room, as I reviewed the documents I’d brought, the corners of my mouth lifted.
For something I’d found in such haste, it was an incredible catch.
The documents I’d secured weren’t forged—they were the ‘real thing.’ In other words, they were mining sale contracts drawn up based on an actual A+ grade rating.
I carefully turned through each page and read them thoroughly.
My memory hadn’t failed me after all.
“Wait, public disclosure was only possible when Freedom reached Level 3 or higher, wasn’t it?”
So all I had to do was show this to the Duke!
Could it really be this easy?
Clutching the precious documents to my chest, I fell asleep with a happy heart. The next day arrived.
“My lady…! Thank you so much. I’ve been searching for this recipe for years…!”
“You paid for my sibling’s tuition…How did you even know about that…!”
I stood there dumbfounded, my mouth gaping open.

[Quest “Count Maren’s Wish” reward reduced by 50% due to unmet conditions.]
[Quest “Chef Fern’s Recipe Search” reward reduced by 50% due to unmet conditions.]
….
[【Freedom】 stat has decreased and been adjusted to Lv. 2.]

Have I lost my mind?
How did I even end up wearing this?
I, who had been fuming, suddenly convulsed and yanked the ring from my finger.
“Ahhhhh! Have I completely lost it!”
I hurled the ring carelessly into the corner of the room.
I’d been wearing it so naturally that I’d forgotten—that was Evelyn’s most treasured ring. And everyone in the Manor knew it!
If you asked why everyone knew, it was because Evelyn had thrown an absolute fit the one time she’d lost it.
Eventually, the story of how the ring was discovered under Evelyn’s bed had been passed down like a legend.
“Gasp….”
I frantically patted myself down from head to toe.
Damn it, I need to strip away everything that screams Evelyn! Whatever it takes!
Only after hunting down every last piece of jewelry from my hair to my feet did the situation finally calm down.
Sitting alone and catching my ragged breath, a system notification chimed in a beat too late.
Ding!

[Cumulative reward for 10 acts of righteousness! You have acquired the special title 【Righteous Undercover Agent (Growth-type)】.]
[As a title reward, when disguised, equipped items automatically gain the ‘Recognition Reduction Effect’.]
[However, the effect is nullified if your face is completely exposed.]

“…Why are you giving me this now!”
Everything’s already been exposed!
It was unfair, but what was done was done. At least I’d acquired it now, so I supposed I should count my blessings….
In any case, public exposure was now off the table, leaving only anonymous reporting. But spreading half-baked rumors that Jonas was a spy would obviously backfire.
“…By now, they should have noticed the documents are missing.”
My eyes gleamed as I picked up the documents again.
Direct action was impossible, but planting seeds of suspicion within the Ducal Mansion was absurdly easy.

* * *

If Jonas Kramer, the financial advisor to the Rosenthal Duchy, took pride in anything, it was that I had clawed my way up from the very bottom to seize this position.
“Advisor! Looking at the income and expenditure reports from all this time, we need a budget of this scale!”
“Tch, didn’t I say no!”
“But…!”
Jonas firmly pushed the documents my subordinate had offered to the side. It was a gesture that conveyed my unwavering resolve not to approve them.
The man, whose lips had been moving soundlessly several times, soon turned away in disappointment.
He knew that Jonas was not someone who could be persuaded once I had made a decision.
Alone in the office, I hummed to myself while reading through documents. After stamping approval on a few more items, I suddenly remembered something and reached my hand downward.
There, hidden away, was my secret drawer.
Fumbling, I found the handle and pulled.
As I inserted my hand inside, my fingertips should have grasped paper….
“…Huh?”
The paper should have been in my grasp….
“…What?”
In that instant, as my heart seemed to plummet, Jonas hurriedly bent forward. My head went white and cold sweat poured down my face.
Tap, tap.
I thrust my hand in frantically and groped about, but there was nothing.
Literally, an empty drawer.
“What, it’s gone?”
My face drained of all color. My heart pounded like I was on a rollercoaster, and soon my vision flickered black.
Just once.
I had been meticulously destroying evidence all this time, but when I heard that once the Conrat Mine matter was settled, I’d receive a portion of the mine sale funds as a reward, my spirits had soared.
That was all it was.
Just one day. I had planned to dispose of it immediately after savoring this moment a little longer.
Jonas gnawed at my fingernails as my mind raced.
Who? Who on earth took it? But how did they know? Is there someone who knows I’m a spy?
“Damn it….”
It had been a full ten years. Ten years!
I had started at the very bottom of the Rosenthal Duchy under orders from the Crown Prince. How much effort had it taken to climb this far!
I had deceived myself into becoming a true retainer of the Rosenthal Duchy, and now was finally the moment to shine…!
‘This can’t happen…. Absolutely not. Not after how far I’ve come.’
I had to find them. Whoever it was, the culprit….

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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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