The Villainess is a Millionaire Solver - Chapter 12

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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 12

“Jewelry, new products, parties… Are those the only things the Princess is interested in?”

“Why? Is that a problem? As long as I’m not harming anyone, isn’t that fine?”

Just as I was brazenly feigning ignorance, noisy sounds came from outside the door along with a priest’s voice.

“No. You can just open the door and enter. You don’t have any weapons, right?”

“Of course not.”

The chapel door opened and someone strode in. It was Duke Carnel.

Having been quite tense, the stiffness in my shoulders relaxed slightly.

“Sorry if I’m interrupting. There’s someone waiting for Aristina outside, but no matter how long they waited, she wouldn’t come out, so I wondered if she had caused some problem again…”

“Not at all.”

Ruellian pointed to the restraints that had already been removed.

“Ah, so it ended safely?”

So his daughter hadn’t caused trouble after all. The Duke looked at Ruellian with a relieved expression.

“I don’t know how to thank you for this matter. To proceed with the investigation without hesitation as soon as you discovered the loophole, and immediately expose such vicious criminal acts. The Rosen Family owes Your Eminence a great debt.”

“I merely fulfilled my duty.”

“How difficult that is though. Since I couldn’t do that, I’m truly ashamed as the family head. To fail to properly screen a single servant and let such a criminal into the household.”

“Those bastards deliberately infiltrated and even fooled the Imperial Palace, so don’t blame yourself too much.”

Ruellian said while glancing at Duke Carnel’s pale face.

“Your Grace’s health isn’t good to begin with, yet you’ve managed to lead such a great noble house this far all alone without any help. That’s remarkable. You look pale, so please get some rest.”

“Ah, I’m fine. I’m fine.”

Duke Carnel shook his head.

“I feel like I could fly now that the family’s disgrace has been cleared. It’s just that I was so tense throughout the trial that I became temporarily pale. Plus, I had a long conversation with the Imperial Court about this matter.”

“Speaking of which, it seemed like advisors from the Imperial Court came…”

“That’s right. Originally, the Second Prince was supposed to observe, but he suddenly sent a representative, so I looked into what happened.”

The Duke lowered his voice.

“It turns out the Second Prince was injured.”

“Injured?”

“Yes. On the very night of July 13th when my daughter ran away and picked flowers. The Second Prince apparently experienced some kind of armed conflict. I suspect he had a duel.”

“Again?”

Ruellian spoke as if exasperated.

“Good grief. No wonder…”

“What do you mean?”

“He sent someone to request medicinal herbs from our Order. Said a subordinate knight was injured during training.”

“He was probably too embarrassed to tell even Your Eminence. That’s understandable.”

“In any case, if that’s the situation, I should deliver the medicine personally and take the opportunity to discuss this matter. No matter how well the advisors convey things, they can’t explain it as well as I can.”

“Oh! If you would do that, then I have nothing to worry about. Aristina, hurry and bow your head to express your gratitude to His Eminence.”

My father turned around, but I wasn’t there.

I was already standing by the door.

While listening carefully to their conversation, I had secretly taken one step, then two steps backward, and had somehow reached the exit.

Duke Carnel was bewildered.

“When did you get all the way over there?”

“You said someone was waiting for me, so I was in a hurry.”

I stood at a distance and bowed to Ruellian.

“Thank you for your consideration, Your Eminence.”

“Think nothing of it. Well then, enjoy your shopping. We’ll meet again soon, Princess.”

He said with a slight smile. It sounded like a ceremonial greeting, but it definitely didn’t feel that way to my ears.

“Your Eminence. I have something to report.”

Just then, a Holy Knight entered, his clothes covered in dirt as if he had been on a business trip, drawing Ruellian’s attention.

But that was only momentary. While listening to the Holy Knight’s report, his gaze turned to me again.

He stared at me persistently, then pointed at me while asking the Holy Knight various questions.

‘Could he be gathering information about me?’

A chill ran down my spine.

For someone who has no interest in others whatsoever to go this far. It must mean the secret he revealed to me is that important, right?

What on earth does he do at night?

What could someone who can have anything with just a word, need to do secretly while even disguising himself? It definitely can’t be anything honorable…

Having thought that far, I shuddered.

‘Could it be murder?’

Speculation was forbidden, but that was the only thing that came to mind.

A high-ranking figure who transforms into a serial killer every night. Aren’t such stories common?

‘Come to think of it, Ruellian doesn’t have an alibi for that night either. Since he was secretly wandering around.’

My mind was becoming confused.

“Father… Is it okay for God’s Representative to just kill people freely? Wouldn’t God be angry?”

“What kind of novel nonsense is that after finishing things well?”

Duke Carnel, who had been walking ahead, turned around with an exasperated expression.

“Don’t tell me you can’t distinguish between murder and execution? What you almost faced was execution. Execution. That’s different from murder, so even sending 100 people to the gallows wouldn’t affect one’s divine power at all.”

This story means that committing murder would indeed affect one’s divine power.

That makes sense. If Ruellian really were a serial killer, God would have stripped him of his qualifications long ago.

But even so, I had to keep all possibilities open.

‘Ruellian Lacroix: Top suspect candidate.’

I stamped that firmly in my mind. Since he would be watching me for a while, I needed to pretend I knew nothing and avoid him well.

‘Just like this time.’

I nodded and walked on.

“By the way, Father, who is this person waiting for me?”

“There they are.”

Duke Carnel replied.

“Now, we need to wrap this up properly.”

I wondered who could be important enough for him to personally come looking for me…

It was indeed someone worthy of that.

“Lady Aristina.”

A black-haired noble lady in a white dress, gracefully bowing under a parasol held by attendants.

I was surprised by the sight.

“Serene?”

“Yes. I told everyone else they couldn’t come since yesterday’s attendance was sufficient, but I was too curious about the results so I insisted on coming.”

Serene slowly walked over and stood before me. Then she hesitantly opened her mouth.

“So, that means Lady Aristina wasn’t trying to poison me, right? That reconciliation tea party itself was your sincere intention, right?”

“That’s what I’ve been saying.”

I replied.

“Of course, you probably don’t want to believe it…”

“Thank goodness!”

Tears welled up in Serene’s blue eyes. Then, as if startled by her own reaction, she quickly composed her expression.

“In that case, I would also like to reciprocate for the tea party Lady Aristina graciously hosted.”

Serene handed me a white envelope that her butler passed to her, then turned around.

Money envelope?

That was my automatic thought, but that couldn’t be right. When I opened it, there was a pretty and elegant card with ‘Serenity’ written on it.

The onlookers became excited.

“Isn’t that a Serenity Salon admission ticket?”

From what I heard, it was a free admission ticket to the highest-class tea salon that Serene managed. Apparently, you couldn’t buy one even for a considerable sum?

‘I got this for clearing up the protagonist’s misunderstanding.’

I happily tucked away the free admission ticket.

And so, I succeeded in wrapping things up well with Serene while the Duke watched with eagle eyes.

“Princess! Princess Aristina!”

“Please say a word!”

The aftermath of the trial was still far from settling down. I’d received plenty of attention, gotten a taste of the spotlight, but now I didn’t need any of that. My interest was focused on only one thing.

I hurriedly followed Duke Carnel as he walked toward his carriage and asked.

“Father, wait a moment.”

The Duke turned around.

“You dream big. You’ve cleared yourself of murder charges, and now suddenly you want to ride in the same carriage as me?”

“Pardon?”

I was momentarily dumbfounded before opening my mouth.

“No. I don’t have even the slightest desire to ride in the same carriage as you, Father. I just wanted to confirm whether my confinement order had been revoked and my status restored…”

The Duke’s brow twitched. He spoke coldly.

“The confinement order has been revoked. This matter ends here.”

Ah, thank goodness.

With this, I had completely regained my status as a princess. I had succeeded in raising my rock-bottom survival probability, even if just a little.

Well then, farewell, everyone!

I cheerfully tossed my blonde hair and climbed into the carriage waiting outside the chapel.

* * *

The House of Rosen’s enormous wealth comes from various sources.

The ducal family owns profitable businesses and precious metal mines throughout the Empire.

Moreover, blessed by their ancestors’ fortune, they had early on claimed prime real estate in the capital city, and I heard the profits from that were also tremendous.

As if flaunting such wealth, the Main Building of the Ducal Mansion was magnificence itself.

“Princess.”

Beyond the employees lined up and bowing their heads.

Even though nothing was particularly covered in gold or jewels, everything gleamed luxuriously. Not only that, but I could feel some powerful force.

‘The power of capital?’

Of course that was part of it, but that wasn’t everything. I looked around sharply with keen eyes.

Strange patterns carved at regular intervals on the ceiling caught my eye.

Though slightly faded, they were reflecting rainbow-like brilliance in the light.

“What is that?”

“Pardon?”

At my question, the butlers hesitated for a moment before answering.

“The founding lord had them drawn when he built the Main Building.”

“Only the Main Building? Not the annexes?”

“Yes. The annexes were built later.”

Could that be why the Annex’s defenses were breached? I should definitely avoid setting foot in that cursed place even more.

“Return this to its original place.”

After returning the angel’s rags that the Holy Order had wrapped in a bundle, I grabbed my dress hem and went up to my quarters on the 4th Floor.

The maids who had served me in the Annex followed behind in a line.

“You’ve arrived!”

All the employees of the Main Building came out to the 4th Floor entrance and bowed their heads. It was like welcoming a boss returning from prison.

“As you can see, we’ve been managing everything perfectly without any shortcomings during the Princess’s absence.”

“What would you like to do first? Cleaning inspection? Work log review?”

“I’m hungry.”

I cut through everything and answered. I hadn’t eaten anything since the bread and water the priests gave me this morning.

“Ah, understood, Princess!”

As soon as I sat down in the Private Dining Room on the 4th Floor, hot dishes were placed before me as if competing with each other. I first put a piece of bread that looked similar to French toast in my mouth.

‘Delicious!’

Bread soaked in egg and cooked to tender perfection, paired exquisitely with golden syrup. White cheese sprinkled with honey and fresh ham. All of it felt like sweet reward.

‘I’m happy.’

Come to think of it, it was similar. When I worked part-time jobs and had particularly tough days, I would use my saved money to buy something delicious and catch my breath. And I would always say this.

‘Good job, me.’

Because I needed that to endure.

That was my survival strategy.

“…”

While eating the delicious food to my heart’s content, I murmured quietly.

“Good job, me.”

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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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