The Villainess Hid Her Identity, and Now Everyone is Misunderstanding - Chapter 95

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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 95

“Evelyn… as a Saint?”
“Yes.”
Duke Cashen’s matter-of-fact reply followed.
“Evelyn is destined to become a Saint.”
While Evelyn had been tirelessly working to resolve the plague crisis, Duke Cashen hadn’t simply wasted his time either. Remarkably, he too had been moving about with considerable purpose.
“The number of Followers devoted to Evelyn has already exceeded five hundred. There are many who follow her without becoming official Followers, and she wields considerable influence throughout the Capital City. It makes no sense that she hasn’t yet received official recognition.”
“Surely… you’re saying the Duke is managing those Followers?”
“Yes, I’ve heard that Your Majesty has also joined.”
….
That’s right—he was in the midst of laying the groundwork to make Evelyn a Saint!
The moment when the secret behind the suddenly appearing Followers and their rapidly growing numbers would be revealed.
“Of course, I did join….”
And that wasn’t all. Rakiel belonged to the most devoted and active Followers.
He purchased premium portraits released by the congregation—though admittedly, all of them had her face obscured—and regularly accompanied Evelyn on volunteer activities.
But ever since discovering that ‘Eve’ was actually ‘Evelyn’, he had no choice but to suspend his activities. His mind and heart had become so thoroughly confused that he couldn’t maintain any semblance of reason when it came to anything related to her.
“Your Majesty should understand this as well. The title of ‘Saint’ cannot be bestowed simply because people call someone by that name.”
“I know. That’s precisely why I’m racking my brains over this right now.”
Even while handling the backlog of duties from his trip to the Northern Region, thoughts of Eve—no, Evelyn—refused to leave his mind.
He had only recently realized just how much his feelings for her had grown.
It was that very day. The moment he’d nearly lost her.
….
The hooded figure who exuded that enigmatic aura, and the radiant beauty that was the lady Evelyn. The two images overlapped and separated repeatedly in his mind.
His intellect understood they were the same person, but acceptance was another matter entirely.
Duke Cashen tilted his head, observing his hesitation.
“Why the deliberation? I fail to understand.”
“Then do you believe I should use the lady Evelyn of Rosenthal?”
Using her to become Emperor. That was separate from his feelings.
If he did that, how would he differ from the Crown Prince who had pressured her to become a Saint? What value would there be in seizing the throne by exploiting her reputation?
“No, Your Majesty.”
Yet Duke Cashen shook his head.
“It is Evelyn who will be using you.”
….
This seemed to be a serious case indeed….
Rakiel rolled his eyes reluctantly.
As always, Duke Cashen’s face bore no particular expression, but this one thing was unmistakable—he was utterly captivated by Evelyn.
What on earth had she done to enchant such a stone-faced man?
‘…No, perhaps it’s possible after all.’
Rakiel recalled Evelyn’s appearance at the banquet from several months ago. And Eve’s presence throughout that evening as well.
Her composure as she spoke, unbecoming of a noblewoman’s daughter, and those eyes that gleamed far sharper and more brilliant than expected—he couldn’t help but acknowledge it.
She was trustworthy.
Had Evelyn truly set her resolve and confronted Duke Cashen directly, swaying his heart would have been far from difficult.
Yet in that moment, he felt an inexplicable discomfort settling in his chest. The thought of Evelyn conversing with Duke Cashen without hiding anything left him strangely displeased.
He furrowed his brow and quickly cast the thought aside.
“I’m uncertain what Your Grace intends with such words, but I harbor no designs of treason.”
“Is that so?”
Duke Cashen’s expressionless eyes fixed upon him. There was no trace of belief in them.
Yet Rakiel pressed on steadfastly.
“It’s simply that to achieve my ambitions, I would not shy away from any path. However, should that path demand someone’s sacrifice, the matter becomes different.”
“To reiterate, if there must be one to sacrifice, it would be His Majesty. For Evelyn to become a Saint—”
“Whether the sacrifice is Evelyn or myself.”
Rakiel cut off Duke Cashen’s words and continued.
“If anyone must be sacrificed, I will abandon this path. I have no desire to achieve my ambitions at such a cost.”
“….”
“Therefore, I leave that matter entirely to Evelyn’s discretion. Should she wish it, I will proceed; should she refuse, I will desist. Even if Evelyn need not become a Saint and a political sacrifice—”
He paused for a moment.
“There will be another way. Somehow.”

* * *

The next day.
I rushed out of the Manor that morning in a flurry of preparation, dragging along two men who had been languishing uselessly inside all this while.
It was a rare, peaceful weekend that had finally arrived.
‘Is this what it feels like to be a celebrity…?’
People didn’t swarm around me like a hive of bees. They weren’t exactly obstructing my path either.
They simply kept glancing at me sideways and whispering amongst themselves endlessly.
“E-Evelyn, I think it might be better if we just headed back to the Manor….”
Killian spoke with an anxious gaze sweeping across our surroundings. Then, as if he’d spotted something, he cried out in alarm.
“Eek! M-Maren! Over there!”
“Yes? He’s just a passerby. Should I chase him away?”
“Chase him away?! Did you rent out this entire street?!”
I snapped at my pathetic older brother’s ridiculous behavior.
“Rent out…?”
Maren tilted his head in confusion, muttering to himself.
“Ugh, never mind that—come on, both of you! Father too!”
I pulled along the Duke, who was just as stiff as Killian. He was rigid from head to toe, like dragging a statue, but once I linked my arm through his and started pulling, he finally began taking a step or two.
‘This is killing me.’
Why were these men so fearful?
This was our first outing together as three since I possessed this body, and I was completely bewildered by this absurd situation.
I’d thought our freedom would be fully restored by now, that family relations would have improved, and that we could have a more meaningful conversation….
Besides, I’d made a reservation at a restaurant for today!
With a man on each side, I strode forward purposefully toward my destination—an extraordinarily expensive Restaurant.
The very same Restaurant where I’d first dined with Rakiel.
“Hmm, you made a reservation here? This place is expensive but doesn’t have much flavor to it. I’ve been here before, and it was just mediocre.”
At Killian’s words, I raised my eyebrows.
‘Hah, that’s exactly what someone who doesn’t know anything would say.’
That was an assessment only someone who hadn’t tasted the Restaurant’s food multiple times would make. Did he really think I, who had lived a hundred lifetimes, hadn’t visited this Restaurant numerous times?
Once he tasted my ‘special ordering method,’ he’d never forget it for the rest of his life.
“Stop talking and follow me.”
I led the Duke and Killian up to the Second Floor, and the moment we were seated, I called over the Waiter. There was no need to hear their opinions.
‘Let me show you the skills I’ve honed through custom orders at that coffee shop!’
The moment the Waiter who’d spotted us approached respectfully, I unleashed my order.
“First, for the appetizer, smoked salmon salad please. But skip the balsamic dressing and substitute it with lemon oil instead. And double the capers.”
“…Yes?”
The Waiter’s expression showed momentary confusion, but I paid it no mind.
“For the main course, filet mignon medium-rare, and replace the mushroom sauce with truffle cream sauce. Add rosemary to the potato purée. Oh, and for the vegetable side, steamed instead of roasted.”
“Ah, yes….”
“For dessert, chocolate mousse cake with berry compote on the side, and the espresso—double shot with no milk foam.”
While the Waiter diligently took notes, the Duke and Killian stared at me with blank expressions.
“Then, what about the other two gentlemen….”
“The same for everyone, please.”
“…Yes.”
He nodded and withdrew.
Killian seemed flustered, glancing at the waiter before muttering to himself.
“Even so, changing the entire menu like this….”
“But it’s expensive, isn’t it? Look at the prices here. Even someone with no sense of money would have to do it at these rates, wouldn’t they?”
How many zeros were attached to the food prices.
As I always felt, this place was a world where the living standards of commoners and nobility were completely different.
Killian closed his mouth with a sullen expression.
The food didn’t take long to arrive. Killian, who had taken a few bites with a dissatisfied expression, widened his eyes in surprise.
“Hm?”
He kept putting the food into his mouth as if he couldn’t believe it. His cheeks flushed red as he eagerly savored each bite.
Even the taciturn Duke, who hadn’t said a word until now, was cutting his steak with slightly hurried hands, looking astonished. I gazed at them both with a satisfied expression.
“See? I told you, didn’t I?”
The basic menu was delicious enough, but you couldn’t experience this place’s food 100% with it. Only someone refined by years of experience could discover the perfect recipe combination.
When I came here with Rakiel before, I didn’t want to stand out, so I just ate normally, but even then it was delicious—though I was so disappointed by what I was missing.
‘In that sense, this Chef seems to lack talent in creating recipes. Though they make the food exquisitely.’
Perhaps no one is truly perfect after all.
I savored the aroma of the steak in my mouth and nodded contentedly.
It was at that moment, turning my head absently, that I saw someone ascending the stairs and being guided to a table.
It was a familiar face with faded, deep wheat-colored hair.
I couldn’t hide my bewildered expression as I murmured.
“…Duke Cashen?”
At my call, both Killian and the Duke turned their heads simultaneously.

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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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