The Villainess is a Millionaire Solver - Chapter 144

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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 144

“Please hurry. Her Majesty the Empress has ordered you to come immediately.”

The palace attendant urged us.

“….”

We exchanged glances for a moment.

In the Empire, the Empress is the highest person after the Emperor.

Though she usually has a quiet personality and doesn’t flaunt her authority, the Empress’s word is as good as law.

We had to go for now.

“Fine. Just let me finish this conversation.”

Ruellian said this while reaching toward the desk drawer.

It seemed like he was trying to prepare some means just in case.

For example, like last time when he enabled us to communicate through our inner thoughts.

But….

“Her Majesty the Empress is waiting. She has said several times that this is urgent.”

The attendant didn’t give us even a few minutes.

Did he perhaps receive some instructions?

Even though I tried not to speculate since I didn’t know anything yet, I couldn’t help but feel suspicious.

“I see.”

Ruellian said while watching the attendant closely.

“Then let’s just go. Young Lady, let’s talk after we return.”

Though he appeared nonchalant, a flash of light flickered in his violet eyes. I could see his determination that he would never stand by if someone tried any underhanded schemes.

I felt the same way.

‘I doubt they’d use such obvious tactics, but you never know what might happen in this world.’

At least I’m grateful I’m not alone.

Having someone who would stand with me if things went wrong was truly reassuring.

As if we had made a promise, we both kept our mouths shut and followed the attendant out of the Lacroix Ducal Residence.

While passing through the bustling festival again on our way to the Imperial Palace, I thought about the Empress in my mind.

‘What kind of person is she?’

There wasn’t much information I could recall from memory.

After the first Empress passed away, they selected and chose a suitable Empress candidate from among the daughters of noble families.

She raised Aldensis and Zikren, gave birth to Violet, and has been living well without any particular conflicts.

‘She’s really quite ordinary, isn’t she?’

I couldn’t find any evidence anywhere to suspect that the Empress might be the mastermind.

But as if mocking my thoughts, when we arrived at the Imperial Palace, the attendant immediately acted suspiciously again.

He led us in a different direction instead of toward the main palace.

Ruellian asked the attendant.

“Isn’t Her Majesty the Empress calling us for official business? If so, shouldn’t we go to the main palace reception room?”

“Today she has ordered you to come to her private room in the pavilion.”

The attendant answered.

The pavilion? But why?

Even trying not to harbor suspicions, I kept feeling anxious. We became even more tense as we followed the attendant to the Empress’s pavilion.

The pavilion is a place the Empress only visits when she wants to have personal time. So it was very quiet. There were no other visitors besides us.

Instead, it was full of Imperial Knights who would give their lives for the Emperor or Empress.

‘How menacing.’

While looking around, my eyes met Ruellian’s. He sent me a look as if telling me not to worry.

“This way.”

The attendant stopped. We had finally arrived before the Empress.

“I have brought Your Highness and the Young Lady as ordered.”

When the attendant announced us, the door opened.

Several candles were burning brightly in the dark room.

The Empress was sitting at her desk, lost in thought. Then she slowly turned her head at the sound of us entering.

Due to the candlelight in the darkness, deep shadows were cast on her face, making her look completely different from usual.

Perhaps there had been some prior instruction, as all the maids had left without a single one remaining.

The Empress looked at us and said.

“You came well.”

It was a very meaningful-sounding statement.

Feeling a chill run down my spine, I quickly assessed the structure of this room.

‘Don’t stray far from the exit. So I can escape at any time.’

Ruellian glanced at me once more before asking.

“What business did you call us for?”

The Empress looked at us for a moment before speaking.

“First, I must say something apologetic.”

I was startled.

You need to die?

It felt like such words would follow, but….

“You submitted the list of aristocratic ladies who would take on saintess duties at this Founding Festival in advance, but with all these incidents sweeping through like a storm, we ended up losing the list.”

The Empress looked at Ruellian and spoke of something else entirely.

“The event is the day after tomorrow, but we discovered this fact too late. That’s why I had to urgently call you at this late hour. We haven’t been able to review it yet, so could you send it again?”

Ruellian answered.

“Of course I can send it again.”

“Thank you. Since this is the Imperial Court’s mistake, I had to call you secretly like this to discuss it, so I hope you’ll understand. Well then, you must be busy, so you may go now.”

Huh?

Both I and Ruellian were surprised.

He asked the Empress.

“Didn’t you have business with both of us at the same time?”

“No, I have separate business with each of you. Both matters are urgent, so I just called you both at the same time. Well then, you may go.”

What? What?

My head was filled with question marks.

Even trying to think calmly, the atmosphere kept becoming more suspicious.

‘Could this be a scheme? If she only called me, I’d be too scared to come, so she called Ruellian too to get me into the tiger’s den first. Then she’s planning to keep only me behind.’

If that’s the case, I can’t just go along with it.

As I was about to respond, Ruellian stepped forward first.

“Since I was in the middle of a conversation with the Young Lady, I’ll wait and return together with her.”

The Empress asked back.

“Must you?”

“Isn’t it just official business anyway?”

A cold chill briefly passed through his violet eyes.

“I am an Agent of the Divine. If this is a conversation that would be difficult for me to hear…. It would be a conversation that should never happen anywhere anyway.”

This time I felt chilled for a different reason.

Though he was hiding his true intention cleverly within his businesslike attitude.

Interpreted a certain way, it was as if he had asked this:

-Are you perhaps planning to do something against your conscience?

It was a precarious statement that seemed to cross the line when addressing the august Empress.

‘To go that far?’

Looking at Ruellian’s eyes, this was just the beginning.

I could see his resolve that even if things got worse than this, he would absolutely not leave here alone.

‘He really does have loyalty.’

I held my breath and watched them.

“I’ll just remain still like a sacred statue. After all, no one can cover the eyes of the divine, can they?”

Ruellian’s words could sound very strange depending on how you heard them.

But the Empress remained composed.

“It’s not that I intend to cover the eyes of God…”

At that moment, the Empress’s gaze turned to the small nightstand right beside her.

It was a very brief moment, but since I was concentrating on the Empress’s every reaction, I didn’t miss that fact.

Ruellian warned me with his eyes.

-There seems to be something over there.

That must be what he meant.

There really seemed to be something inside the bedside table drawer.

Perhaps it might even be a weapon…

As I was thinking that, suddenly a voice reached my ears.

“The rumors about the Princess have become even more bustling lately.”

I was startled.

The Empress was looking at me and speaking before I knew it.

“Everyone is talking about the Princess. Saying she’s the greatest problem solver, that even when there are difficult problems, she doesn’t spare any expense and invests to solve them all. How remarkable. Truly remarkable.”

No matter how I heard it, it only sounded like sarcasm. I bowed my head.

“You wouldn’t have urgently summoned me at this late hour just to give me such excessive praise. I’m too foolish to understand Your Majesty the Empress’s profound intentions.”

“You speak so prettily too.”

The Empress said with a hardened expression.

“Yes. Let’s get to the point. That Windfarer that the Princess found. God was so angered by black magic that He guided the Princess and placed that sword in her hands? What a fascinating story. The Princess must surely be loved by God.”

The shadows created by candlelight flickered across her face.

I thought I roughly understood the Empress’s intentions.

Until now she had pretended to be calm in front of the Emperor, but after all, the constant talk about her husband’s first love and true love had been extremely bothersome.

‘And I’m the one who stirred that up.’

Moreover, perhaps that wasn’t all there was to it. Suddenly one disastrous scenario flashed through my mind.

‘Could it be that the current Empress drove the first Empress to her death in order to marry the Emperor?’

My heart sank.

Without realizing it, my gaze turned toward Ruellian again.

He was looking back at me too.

Though there were no words, in that moment I felt a certain conviction.

Whether the opponent was the Empress, the Emperor, or someone even more terrifying, he would never just turn his back and leave me behind.

“So then…”

The Empress’s voice came again.

“Would you come closer?”

Then, without any warning, she suddenly opened the nightstand drawer.

‘It might be a weapon!’

Already extremely tense due to this atmosphere and flow of conversation, I was overcome with terror at the Empress’s sudden action. So I seemed to have lost my reason for a moment.

When I came to my senses, my body had already moved on its own.

But…

Instead of the exit I had been keeping an eye on, I saw Ruellian’s back.

‘Huh? Why am I hiding here?’

That was bewildering, but the scene visible beyond his back was even more bewildering.

“…?”

What the Empress was taking out of the drawer was not a weapon.

It was a piece of paper.

“Look at what I received.”

I was shocked to see the paper she showed us.

I could feel that Ruellian, who had been standing firm like a rock in front of me, was also flustered.

Through the shadows created by the candlelight, such letters were visible.

What the Empress had shown us was none other than a thief’s crime notice.

I became completely bewildered.

‘What? Why did Her Majesty the Empress receive that?’

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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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