The Villainess is a Millionaire Solver - Chapter 101

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 101

“It seems like you’ve read a few novels somewhere, but do you think everyone’s a fool?”

Editor-in-Chief Gremory frowned and looked at us as she spoke.

“When the founding Emperor passed down Windfearer to his descendants, he commanded them to preserve the sword well while engraving its meaning for generations to come. But for that sword to disappear without a trace – isn’t that a serious matter? Even the Imperial Court couldn’t deny the gravity of it.”

The editor approached my desk and picked up the file.

“We also started our coverage considering the possibility of a shoddy investigation at first, but that wasn’t the case. The Investigation Bureau, which His Majesty the Emperor personally commanded at the time, seems to have investigated thoroughly with all possibilities open. There was also His Majesty’s personal will involved, so they were quite earnest.”

I asked.

“Personal will, you say?”

“It’s true that His Majesty the Emperor loved the late Empress.”

Benjamin said.

“I remember a few article headlines too. Public opinion wasn’t bad in that regard either.”

“Well, they might have deliberately aimed for that kind of reaction.”

Editor-in-Chief Gremory replied cynically.

“Anyway, His Majesty the Emperor was seen worrying greatly several times that this incident might create critical public opinion about the Empress. I had no choice but to acknowledge it. The fact that he investigated very thoroughly while strictly controlling to prevent this news from leaking to the outside.”

And she pointed to the thick bundle of documents inside the file.

“This is all supporting evidence for that.”

Thanks for the summary.

I sent my gratitude inwardly and asked.

“But in the end, they couldn’t find any clues, right?”

As I casually flipped through the file and dropped it, Editor-in-Chief Gremory got angry.

“That’s not how you look at it!”

She snatched the file from my hands and opened it to the important part.

“Look here. When the investigation continued like this but yielded no results, His Majesty the Emperor finally placed his last hope in a certain person. Someone who was well-versed in all the swords in the world and, for personal reasons like himself, was earnestly searching for Windfearer’s whereabouts.”

“Who was that?”

“Theseus Marquis.”

It sounded familiar but also not, so I tilted my head, and the editor spoke again.

“A Sword Master and the swordsmanship instructor of His Highness the Crown Prince and His Highness the Second Prince.”

Ah.

Hearing that reminded me.

“Mother originally had someone else she exchanged hearts with. A Sword Master and our brothers’ swordsmanship instructor. He now lives in seclusion within the Imperial Palace, dedicating himself only to education.”

That’s exactly the person Zikren mentioned.

So Theseus Marquis also searched for Windfearer’s whereabouts with all his heart and soul for the Empress?

Did he manage to find out something?

I hurriedly turned to the next page of the report. But the paper was completely blank.

“Why does it end here? Did they write with invisible ink? In cases like this, they say letters appear when you hold it up to candlelight.”

When I picked up a candle, Editor-in-Chief Gremory panicked and snatched it away.

“Stop it! It ends there.”

“Why?”

“Think about it simply. Have you ever met or seen that person until now? Or have you ever heard of anyone meeting him?”

“…”

Come to think of it, I had no memory of it at all.

Even searching through all the information remaining in my mind, I could only vaguely recall that such a person existed in the Imperial Palace.

Editor-in-Chief Gremory cleared all the candles from the desk and said.

“Theseus Marquis is a recluse. He lives thoroughly hidden within the Imperial Palace, only occasionally teaching swordsmanship to young apprentice knights when he feels like it. Even the Princess of the Empire has never met him, so could journalists like us possibly find out information about him?”

And she shrugged her shoulders.

“Anyway, you just need to know this. Eleven years ago, Theseus Marquis broke the rules he set for himself, came outside, and set out to find the sword. He didn’t find it in the end, but I think he was the person who got closest to that sword’s whereabouts. If there’s a way, try meeting him once.”

Her tone suggested it wouldn’t work anyway.

This makes me want to surprise her again.

‘I must meet him by any means necessary.’

I organized the materials back into the file.

But then, I noticed another bundle of papers at the very bottom.

“What’s this?”

“Oh, that’s still an uncertain project. Our editorial department came up with a hypothesis. That the entity who stole Windfearer eleven years ago was Phantom Thief Black, and he’s been active after gaining mysterious abilities through that sword. Why? Are you interested?”

“No.”

Someone other than me would probably be very interested though.

Wouldn’t it be quite troublesome if this tenacious editor took this bait? She doesn’t seem very interested yet though.

‘I should give him a heads up.’

With that thought, I closed the file.

“Anyway, I’ve looked at the materials well…”

As I got up from my seat, I glanced around at the editor and journalists.

“Then the boss will be leaving work now.”

No one answered, but I just continued speaking.

“People who want to resign will resign anyway, but I’d prefer if everyone just stayed. The reason you didn’t go to other newspaper companies or find other jobs but stuck with this failing newspaper company was… because you wanted to continue working at this 【Justice Daily】.”

“…”

“Since you’ve come under our Black Rose Trade Guild anyway, let’s do well once. Even if people complain from all sides asking why we publish such articles, there’s no worry now. I’m already in a situation where I get cursed as a villainess even when I stay still, so there’s no damage at all. Plus, Father has no friends, so there’s no chance of getting red-faced with corrupt nobles either.”

“…”

“Well, funding isn’t much of a problem either. I can invest in a small newspaper company like this just thinking of it as social work. It’s good to have at least one newspaper company like this remain in the world. Maybe you’ve met a boss who can last quite a long time this time. So think about it carefully.”

“…”

“Oh, of course, if it’s legitimate criticism, you can write articles about me too.”

After saying that, I left the place with Benjamin.

The next time I visit this newspaper company, it might be completely empty, but anyway, I felt refreshed having obtained the information as planned.

“The money was well spent. Right, Benjamin?”

“Indeed. We obtained very useful information. Although they say meeting Theseus Marquis is difficult, you must have some method, Guild Leader.”

“Well. I can’t say I have any brilliant method…”

I said as I walked toward the carriage.

“But there’s not completely no angle to work with. If he’s the instructor who taught swordsmanship to His Highness the Crown Prince and His Highness the Second Prince, couldn’t we arrange a meeting somehow by asking his cherished disciples nicely?”

“That’s right. After all, the world runs on connections.”

“Or at least I could ask them to deliver my letter to him. We have to go to the Imperial Palace shortly anyway. There’s the official theme announcement for the 【Imperial Guild Competition】. Both Highnesses are probably there now, working hard to prevent Princess and Sion’s cheating.”

At my words, Benjamin suddenly stopped walking.

“Wait…”

A very flustered expression appeared on his hamster-like face.

“No way… No, it can’t be.”

I asked puzzledly.

“What’s wrong, Benjamin?”

“I was going to tell you about this anyway.”

Benjamin said with a troubled face.

“Something strange happened at the office yesterday.”

“What happened?”

“A notice came ahead of the official announcement for the 【Imperial Guild Competition】. The theme is already known anyway, but they said to bring two bodyguards each since conflicts might break out due to mutual wariness. So I posted a recruitment notice. ‘Hourly wage 90,000 pe. Looking for someone to work as a bodyguard for 1 hour.'”

“Oh, well done.”

“But two applicants who identified themselves as ‘Andrew’ and ‘Jack’ unusually didn’t come in person but sent errand boys to submit applications. Beautifully presented on silver trays too. When I read them, only their motivation for applying was written, and the content was very strange.”

“How so?”

“‘While earnestly preventing cheating, we received complaints from her, the real power in the Imperial Palace, that a third party was interfering too much. Therefore, we think we need to use some tricks. Give us the qualification as Black Rose Trade Guild bodyguards for 1 hour. Then we can clean up the scene properly…'”

“That was written as their motivation for applying?”

“Yes. I couldn’t even understand what they meant, and their rambling was strange. No matter how I looked at it, it seemed like weird characters were clinging to you, Guild Leader…”

“So?”

“‘What is this! To become our guild’s bodyguard even for just one hour, a proper resume is essential!’ I firmly rebuked them and sent them away. Actually, there was no such regulation in the notice I posted, so I thought they’d give up on their own out of displeasure…”

“But?”

“Unexpectedly, Andrew and Jack sent resumes again a few hours later. Thinking they were really persistent fellows, I said I’d review them later and put them aside for now…”

Benjamin pulled out and unfolded the resumes with a face that suggested a very bad premonition.

I quickly looked at it together with him.

There, it was written like this:

【Resume】

*Imperial Academy valedictorian graduates (both).

*Imperial Army supreme commander/deputy commander during the Belte Region monster subjugation.

*Chairman/Vice-chairman of the National Advisory Committee.

*First deputy/Second deputy in absence of the supreme commander of the Imperial Knights….

Like this, suspiciously impressive credentials continued endlessly.

“….”

A moment of silence flowed between the two of us.

“Merchant Guild Leader, just who exactly did I act arrogantly toward?”

The hamster’s eyes looking at me were trembling.

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