The Villainess is a Millionaire Solver - Chapter 145

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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 145

This was a situation I truly hadn’t expected.

Without realizing it, I stared at Ruellian with a dumbfounded expression.

‘Is this your doing?’

When I sent him a questioning look, his face stiffened slightly.

-Do you think I’m crazy enough to send a warning letter to the Empress?

That’s probably what he meant. If so, then that warning letter was fake…

“Let me see it.”

I said that and naturally emerged from behind Ruellian.

The contents of the fake warning letter were as follows.

Usually, the phantom thief’s warning letters only contained the date of the crime and the words “I shall claim your treasure.”

There had never been such verbose writing before.

But everything else was identical.

The paper, ink, and handwriting – to the naked eye, it was perfectly identical to the warning letters the phantom thief usually sent.

‘It really looks authentic.’

But I knew.

If you mobilize skilled craftsmen and invest time and money, forgery isn’t impossible.

You just need to put in that much effort.

‘Could it be that the Empress also forged a warning letter like me?’

Though such suspicion arose…

The Empress’s complexion, seen directly in front of me without candlelight shadows, was far from calm.

Though she was suppressing it as much as possible due to her position, she was clearly greatly shaken.

Ruellian asked.

“When did you discover this warning letter? Which treasure was it attached to?”

The Empress looked at him intently before speaking.

“Before I tell you, promise me one thing.”

“What promise?”

“Earlier, I was sitting alone when I happened to discover this…”

She brought a lamp close to the warning letter.

When the candlelight touched it, other letters appeared on the back of the paper.

Such warning words were clearly written there.

“Ha…”

An exasperated sigh escaped from Ruellian’s lips.

The real phantom thief never threatened people’s lives like this. He just took objects.

‘They’re ruining a character someone else worked hard to create.’

I shook my head and said.

“The Crown Prince and Second Prince are transcendents with dragon blood mixed in – how could a mere phantom thief harm them?”

“I think so too. But that person has already escaped from those children’s hands quite boldly…”

The Empress continued with a troubled expression.

“Seeing how freely they enter even the secret places within the Imperial Palace, they clearly have some mysterious ability. So we can’t completely ignore it, can we? No matter how absurd it sounds, when it’s not just anything but their children’s lives at stake. As a parent, I can’t remain detached…”

She trailed off and looked at Ruellian again.

“As God’s Representative, you’ll surely want to tell Aldensis and Zicren about this. That’s why I didn’t want to speak. You clearly said earlier you’d stay still like a statue, didn’t you? Promise me you absolutely won’t leak this to those two. Only then will I answer your questions.”

“I promise.”

When Ruellian swore, the Empress finally opened her mouth.

“I discovered this warning letter just a few hours ago. The location was on the altar in the prayer hall of the main palace. When I saw this paper placed there, I got chills as if I’d seen a ghost. That place is exactly where Empress Imelda once placed the Windfearer before it was stolen.”

“What did you say?”

Both Ruellian and I were surprised.

“Then the treasure mentioned in this warning letter is…”

“That’s right. The sword the Princess worked so hard to retrieve is facing the crisis of disappearing again after just a few days.”

The Empress sighed and said.

“However, there is one difference. Saying they’ll take it back through proper procedures – doesn’t this mean that person will appear at the scene that day, defeat all the knights, and claim the Windfearer? They plan to ruin the festival that way.”

Her voice trembled.

The anxiety she’d been desperately suppressing since discovering the warning letter seemed to burst out.

Ruellian looked at the Empress for a moment, then gestured ‘let us pray’ and led her to the altar prepared in the room.

The Empress immediately closed her eyes and began praying.

“Oh God, please watch over us…”

Watching the Empress, Ruellian slowly nodded. At some point, a faint light was emanating from his stigmata.

‘Did he examine the Empress’s soul?’

Though I felt there was no falsehood in her words and actions, this was a matter of life and death for us, so we couldn’t let our guard down.

So he seemed to have checked one more time, and indeed everything appeared to be true.

The Empress finished praying and raised her head.

Perhaps thanks to Ruellian’s divine power, she looked much calmer.

I said to her.

“So Your Majesty wanted to inform me of this fact quickly. Since I’ll be holding the Windfearer that day.”

“That’s right. I wanted to warn you to be careful, as the phantom thief might secretly use underhanded tactics against you. And on the other hand, I had some expectations.”

“Expectations?”

“As I mentioned earlier, you’ve been solving difficult problems that people around you face. Moreover, that chilling phantom thief has already failed twice against your family. First, they failed to steal the Ice Crown, and second, though they stole Duke Carnel’s helmet, they had to return it to the Order.”

The Empress said this while looking at me.

“So isn’t it natural that I’d want to place some expectations on you? I wondered if you might know some information about that phantom thief that others don’t…”

You saw correctly.

The problem is that what appeared this time is a fake phantom thief. What I know is about the real one.

‘Who on earth could it be?’

Currently, this is all we can know.

Someone with the skill and ability to secretly infiltrate the Imperial Palace prayer room has revealed their plan to attack the Founding Festival while disguised as the phantom thief.

Given how ominous things were turning out, there was a strong possibility it was the mysterious figure we’d been pursuing.

‘Then this is a golden opportunity.’

I glanced at the Empress.

The person before me is the Empire’s second-in-command. Since she’s asked for my help like this, she’ll provide maximum support within her capabilities.

If I can use this opportunity, it’s like putting wings on my back.

‘But it won’t be easy.’

Anxiety still remained on the Empress’s face.

Regarding me too, she’d only heard rumors and hadn’t received direct help, so she didn’t seem to have genuine confidence yet.

‘First, I need to make the Empress truly trust me.’

While thinking deeply, something suddenly occurred to me.

The mysterious figure’s existence was still threatening, but we hadn’t been without results either. We’d been steadily tracking and discovering information piece by piece.

Especially the information we’d shared just before coming here was very important.

The very information that had made us misunderstand the Empress.

The fact that the mysterious figure researches amaranthia flowers.

‘The Empress also collected amaranthia flowers, but from what I can see, she’s not the mastermind. Then I think I know where the mysterious figure got those top-grade amaranthias. They have the ability to infiltrate the Imperial Palace.’

I organized my thoughts and asked the Empress.

“You once collected a lot of amaranthia flowers, didn’t you?”

Hearing this, Ruellian seemed to immediately understand what I was trying to do.

Though he kept his mouth shut as promised to the Empress, his eyes sparkled.

“Amaranthia?”

The Empress asked back with a somewhat puzzled expression.

“Yes. As you well know, I did obtain those flowers.”

“What did you do with them?”

“First, I used them for my planned purpose, then as I told people, I lavishly decorated the late Emperor’s coffin with them.”

“Did you check afterward? Whether all the flowers were still there properly?”

Hmm?

The Empress looked at me with a bewildered expression. I said to her.

“How about we go and check it out? It’s an important matter, so I’d really like you to look into it.”

We were talking about the thief, and suddenly amaranthia?

That expression was clearly written on the Empress’s face.

But when I spoke firmly, she got swept up in the atmosphere and picked up a lantern to go out.

‘My thinking must be right. This is the only way to easily obtain the highest grade amaranthia flowers without stealing from the Order.’

I was convinced of that. And that thought turned out to be exactly right.

When we arrived at the mourning hall where the late Emperor’s coffin was placed and looked around once, I could confirm it right away.

“Look here.”

I pointed to the lower part that wasn’t easily noticeable.

Some of the amaranthia flowers decorating the coffin were missing. So the bottom edge was completely empty.

“Good heavens!”

The Empress was shocked.

“How could this happen! Who would dare lay hands on His Late Majesty’s coffin?”

“That person.”

I answered.

“The one who sent the warning letter. He also stole the amaranthia flowers. Long ago already, selecting only the finest ones brought from the Holy Order. Your Majesty is right. I do know more about that person than others. I showed you this to prove that fact.”

Then I firmly grasped the Empress’s trembling hands and said.

“If you want to safely get through this crisis, you must trust me completely from now on. Do you understand?”

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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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