The Villainess is a Millionaire Solver - Chapter 109

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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 109

In truth, Sion’s life was pitiful if you really thought about it.

Especially now that I had glimpsed his memories, I couldn’t deny that fact even more.

For a young child to be sold into slavery and suffer such abuse. I too would curse the world and harbor resentment.

But…

What if that blade was pointed directly at me?

Then feeling sorry would be nothing but a luxury.

The ones who killed his father and pushed the mother and child’s lives into ruin were the competing factions within the Rosen Duchy at that time.

They had tormented Duke Carnel and his wife terribly too, so the Duke, Aristina, and Sion were more like fellow victims.

But why should Aristina have to be sacrificed to complete Sion’s revenge?

Moreover, to resort to evil magic just to gain power.

‘Regardless of how pitiful his life was, Sion must receive punishment fitting his crimes.’

That was my thinking.

Therefore, I could only earnestly hope that Sion would soon reveal his weaknesses and expose his secrets…

And now seemed to be exactly that moment.

‘What is it? What is it?’

I couldn’t concentrate any harder than this. I stared so intently with such force in my eyes that I could practically devour him, and something did catch my attention.

‘His hands look somewhat unnatural…?’

Sion seemed to be holding the dragon scale in a rather unnatural way. As if trying to minimize the area of contact with his skin.

Ruellian approached such a Sion and naturally joined the conversation.

“I thought you only knew about northern monsters well, but you have considerable knowledge about ancient dragons too? Is that how you immediately identified the owner of that scale earlier?”

“You flatter me, Your Highness. I merely used a small trick of observing how light reflects off the scale to determine its history. It’s knowledge I learned from northern hunters.”

“Really? This is the first I’ve heard of it. Could you teach me as well?”

“Please observe. Crown Prince, please look as well. If you change the angle and observe like this…”

Sion held the dragon scale up high and explained. I watched Sion intently, and Zikren followed my lead, staring in that direction as well.

“What’s wrong, Aristina?”

“Nothing.”

That’s strange. Earlier he definitely seemed to be holding it awkwardly. But looking now, it appears quite natural?

“I couldn’t immediately recall the legend associated with this sword like my sister did, so I couldn’t figure it out as easily, but I was able to guess the correct answer through these patterns appearing on the surface and the characteristics of the scale’s edges.”

Saying this, Sion drew the scale back into his hand. It was a movement that felt completely natural, without any awkwardness.

Ruellian nodded toward him.

“That was a good explanation.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Sion answered respectfully and then looked at Aldensis.

“Then please call for me after you’ve finished your preparations. I’ll rush over immediately and do my best to find the sword.”

After speaking with a confident attitude, he bowed to all of us and withdrew.

I hurriedly sent a look to Ruellian.

‘What? What happened?’

I was extremely curious, but I couldn’t bring myself to ask out loud. We hadn’t obtained evidence that Sion used evil magic yet.

Whatever we said would all amount to false accusations or informing. Especially in front of the Crown Prince and Second Prince.

‘We need to leave for now.’

Aldensis and Zikren must have thought the same, as they turned around without anyone taking the lead. The four of us quickly moved our steps and escaped from that place.

When we left the graveyard and reached the training grounds, people who had been searching for the Crown Prince and Second Prince came rushing over.

“Our vacation is already over.”

Aldensis said with a light sigh.

“In any case, understood. As the Young Lady said, I’ll contact you again soon after carefully completing preparations.”

“I won’t forget the inventory check either.”

Zikren added.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

I bowed my head to show respect to them.

Now it was finally time to discuss Sion’s evil crimes.

But the Imperial Palace has many eyes and ears.

Ruellian and I, as if by agreement, separated and headed toward the Main Greenhouse.

For having a private conversation that could potentially constitute false accusation, there was no place better than there.

‘Is no one around?’

After confirming several times that no one had witnessed us, we secretly entered the secret garden hidden in the greenhouse.

As soon as we stepped inside, the door behind us spun around and closed.

Ruellian first opened his mouth with a dignified attitude.

“I’m well aware that Prince Zikren is quite an attractive prospect for young ladies like the Young Lady, but since this is a matter of life and death for both of us, I’d appreciate it if you could focus a bit more on work.”

“…?”

“I carefully chose the right moment to test your cousin, but you almost missed it, didn’t you? Of course, I wouldn’t have let that happen, but still, I’d like you to be a bit more careful.”

Ah.

I understood what he meant.

He was disappointed because while he was ambitiously waiting for an opportunity to catch Sion’s weakness, I was obliviously chatting with Zikren.

I understood, but…

In my head, only the words ‘I’m well aware that Prince Zikren is quite an attractive prospect for young ladies like the Young Lady…’ kept echoing repeatedly.

“Excuse me, there’s a serious misunderstanding here. I’m not infatuated with Zikren…”

“Then that’s fortunate.”

He replied indifferently.

“As I said, in a situation where both our lives hang in the balance, such emotions would only be an unnecessary hindrance.”

“That’s exactly my life motto. Work is what’s important. I’m too busy trying to survive.”

What part of our conversation made him mistakenly think I was completely smitten with Zikren?

Feeling such doubt, I quickly got to the main point.

“Anyway, you said you tested Sion?”

“I’ve been waiting for a moment when that guy’s attention would be distracted.”

Ruellian answered.

“And the perfect moment came. After being trapped in the maze, having nightmares, and being in a mentally unstable state, he seemed to have received some additional blow through the dragon scale.”

“Ah, so I didn’t see it wrong. Sion seemed unable to properly grip that scale in his hand. But he couldn’t let go of it either.”

“Right. You saw correctly.”

Ruellian nodded.

“I took advantage of that moment to examine Sion’s soul. When someone uses evil magic, commonly called ‘black magic,’ their soul cannot remain intact. Unlike regular magic, it allows you to wield powerful force in a short period without training… but you must sacrifice your own life force as the price.”

Undisguisable contempt and disgust showed on his face as he spoke.

“Such acts are absolutely intolerable to the Holy Order. Therefore, various methods for verifying souls have been developed.”

“So he got caught by one of them?”

“No.”

Ruellian replied.

“He didn’t get caught by any. I deliberately engaged him in conversation and tried every method, but he showed no reaction to any of them.”

“Then was it a failure?”

“No.”

Ruellian’s eyes flashed.

“It wasn’t a failure. Through this, I obtained one crucial clue. A normal person’s soul cannot be perfectly clean, so when verification is attempted, at least some darkness should be revealed. But what does it mean when there was no reaction at all?”

“He deliberately erased it clean? In an unnatural way?”

“Exactly. Sion is definitely using some powerful purification item to cleanse his soul. But the problem is…”

Ruellian took out a small necklace with a blue gem from his pocket and showed it while speaking.

“The fact that no such items can be found on his body.”

“Right.”

I nodded.

“Sion doesn’t even wear small accessories. He doesn’t carry anything in his pockets either.”

“Actually, carrying around soul-purifying items isn’t a very wise idea. Possessing such objects is like advertising that the person’s soul needs purification. Sion probably thought the same and used a different method…”

Ruellian looked at me and asked.

“Is there anything that comes to mind? Like some powerful purification item in the house. If Sion is regularly absorbing that energy every day, it would have the same effect as carrying a purification item on his body.”

“A purification item?”

“Think carefully. Considering the power of the magic he uses, it would have to be quite large.”

I recalled my knowledge of the various treasures in the house. But I had never heard anything related to purification.

The Ice Crown of Saint Agneta did come to mind… But that wasn’t something that provided purification, it was a treasure that needed to receive it.

That was all there was.

“When it comes to treasures, I know much more than Sion, but there doesn’t seem to be anything like that in the house. It’s definitely not the Ice Crown…”

As I muttered that.

Perhaps because I thought of the crown, suddenly some idea flashed through my mind.

What if it wasn’t something in the house, but something Sion brought from outside?

By creating a very natural reason so no one would think it strange to keep it in the house?

There was one such thing. Something worn on the head like a crown.

I asked Ruellian.

“Does the horn of a White Griffin have purification abilities?”

Ruellian looked at me with a surprised face.

“How did the Princess know that?”

“This was it!”

I shouted. It felt like puzzle pieces fitting together perfectly.

“When Sion returned, he brought a helmet decorated with White Griffin horns! How thoroughly planned! Pretending it was a souvenir from the northern expedition, he placed it in the house so naturally!”

Caught red-handed.

My heart started racing. I spoke quickly.

“This is it. You saw that confident face earlier, right? Sion must have planned to pass this heir competition by skillfully using black magic. But if the White Griffin horn that comfortably and safely purifies his soul in the house suddenly disappears? He’d have no choice but to panic.”

He wouldn’t be able to immediately obtain an item with such powerful abilities. Ultimately, it would interfere with his task performance.

While Sion flounders, I’ll succeed through fair and square methods, claim the heir position, and cleanly send him away.

It was such a perfect plan.

“Good. Now we’re set.”

I nodded with satisfaction.

“The problem is how to secretly steal that large object…”

“That’s not a problem at all.”

Ruellian said. His face was shining more arrogantly and confidently than usual.

Only then did I remember.

‘Right! Come to think of it, why did I forget that important fact?’

The person right in front of me was the most skilled thief in the Empire.

All my worries disappeared at once.

“That’s right!”

I said with delight.

“If you tell me the time, I’ll unlock the study door in advance, so you can comfortably take it out. I’ll make up a good excuse for Father.”

“Hm?”

Suddenly, puzzlement crossed Ruellian’s face.

“Does that item happen to belong to the Duke?”

“Yes. Sion lied about wishing for longevity or something and presented it to Father.”

“…”

Ruellian seemed at a loss for words.

The arrogant and confident attitude he had just moments ago, as if he could steal anything in the world, suddenly vanished without a trace.

He frowned slightly and said.

“If it’s the Duke’s personal item, it would be difficult to go in and steal it. That would be too great a discourtesy to him.”

“Hm?”

I was a bit flustered by the sense of incongruity in his tone.

“Since when have you been so courteous to my father? Two years ago when I was caught picking amaranchia flowers by you, even when my father asked you to overlook it, you refused and boldly stood your ground. Did my father get some kind of leverage over you in the meantime?”

“Leverage? I simply don’t want to commit a wrong that he could never forgive…”

Ruellian trailed off uncharacteristically.

Huh? Looking closely, his ears were turning red.

Why is he acting like this? Suspiciously.

‘Could it be…?’

He couldn’t have unknowingly fallen for Duke Carnel’s wildcat-like charm, could he?

I looked at him with a dubious expression.

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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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