The Villainess is a Millionaire Solver - Chapter 160

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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 160

In a hurry, I picked up Windfearer that had fallen at my feet.

This sword was said to be picky about choosing its owner. Therefore, I, who am not even a knight, wouldn’t be able to demonstrate any mysterious abilities.

But even so, I could still use it as a club, right?

‘I’ll try to handle this somehow for now.’

Wouldn’t it be better to avoid turning everything you’ve worked for until now into nothing in one fell swoop?

Even if you reveal your identity someday, this method would truly be the worst.

While earnestly conveying that meaning through my gaze, I swung the sword.

But…

“…”

Ruellian seemed to have already made his decision. His violet eyes held a resolute and determined light.

I panicked once again.

‘No, wait. This isn’t right!’

Before I could say anything to stop him, a brilliant radiance burst forth from the sacred mark on his chest.

“Sigh…”

A small sigh escaped from my lips.

Well, fine.

Coldly speaking, it’s true that there’s no other viable method. And it’s also true that we can’t drag this out any longer.

‘But I really wanted to avoid this kind of situation.’

When black mist suddenly burst forth from Ruellian’s body, people looked on in surprise.

The mist spread in all directions, enveloping his body.

Then it began to flutter in a form similar to the bright red flames that were currently blazing fiercely.

“Huh?”

Cries of amazement erupted from here and there. The noisy chatter about rescuing me or whatever suddenly fell silent.

Everyone felt a strong sense of déjà vu from Ruellian’s appearance.

The real one had appeared.

If the fake thief were alone, people might mistake him for the real one, but I thought everyone would quickly distinguish between them when placed side by side with the real one.

I never expected that to actually happen.

Despite wearing white ceremonial robes different from usual, there was a distinctive atmosphere that could only be felt from the real one.

So everyone went “Huh?” and became dazed.

‘Did that guy plan even this? Is that why he deliberately disguised himself as a fake thief?’

While I was lost in thought in a daze.

Ruellian broke through the flames and entered inside. Then he spread his dark cloak wide, wrapped me in it, and rescued me outside.

The escape was successful for now.

“Ah! Duke! She’s out!”

First, I saw Duke Carnel, whose complexion had turned pale.

Seeing me safely escape, he finally seemed to relax and staggered.

Helmut and the Elders beside him hurriedly supported him.

“Princess!”

“Aristina!”

Aldensis and Zikren, finally released from their paralyzed state, hurriedly approached this way.

“Are you okay?”

“Are you all right?”

I emerged from Ruellian’s cloak, straightened my back, and answered.

“I’m fine.”

Perhaps because I had escaped and the focal point had disappeared.

The flames that had been burning so terrifyingly died down in an instant.

But now no one was interested in that place.

After confirming my safety, the gazes of everyone gathered here turned toward Ruellian.

No one rashly spoke up.

But everyone clearly saw it.

The High Priest of the Holy Order transforming into an appearance identical to that famous phantom thief of the night.

I could feel all sorts of complex emotions—shock, astonishment, suspicion, and so on—in people’s gazes. Then they began to murmur quietly.

‘What should I do?’

When I looked at him, Ruellian nodded once as if to say it was okay.

Even though the situation had reached this point, I thought he was surprisingly calm…

“Princess!”

Violet ran over and grabbed my hand.

“I’m glad you’re safe. You should know it’s all thanks to me.”

“Pardon?”

“I taught His Highness.”

Violet pointed at Ruellian and said proudly.

“He begged me to tell only him how I secretly entered the maze that my brothers were guarding. When I taught him, he learned it right on the spot? Thanks to that, he was able to save you today.”

Ah, I see.

When Ruellian took Violet to investigate, he must have laid the groundwork just in case.

‘Phew…’

Only then could I breathe a sigh of relief.

“Really? The Princess taught him that?”

“Come to think of it, it is quite similar to the Princess’s skill.”

The Emperor and Empress, who had been looking at Ruellian with serious expressions, relaxed their faces and whispered to each other.

The people who had been murmuring also looked at each other and chattered.

Everyone knew that Princess Violet didn’t lie.

The fact that she used sacred power to hide and sneak into the maze was also widely rumored.

If things went well, it seemed like we could gloss over and move past this situation.

‘That’s settled…’

I turned my head to look toward the mysterious figure.

He was still completely surrounded by the Imperial Knights’ swords, not moving a single step.

‘Your carefully prepared gamble has failed.’

The plan had failed and there was no escape route.

Now it was time to punish the villain and reveal the truth.

Ruellian walked toward him step by step.

“What exactly is your identity?”

He interrogated in a menacing tone, but the mysterious figure still gave no answer and just stood there quietly. He didn’t even seem to try to escape.

Had he become frustrated because everything had failed?

Or could there possibly be something else remaining?

“Now, show your face.”

Ruellian reached his hand toward the black helmet the figure was wearing.

At that moment.

The mysterious figure extended his hand wearing iron gauntlets and grabbed his helmet. It seemed like he absolutely refused to show his face.

“It won’t be of any use, will it?”

Ruellian skillfully twisted the figure’s arm behind his back.

But then.

Some object inside the mysterious figure’s black armor made a clanging metallic sound.

When Ruellian pressed on the figure’s shoulder to remove his helmet, the object fell through a gap in the armor.

It was a round medal.

After glancing at that object, Ruellian froze in place.

“This is…?”

One of the Imperial Knights surrounding the mysterious figure bent down and picked up the medal.

“Isn’t this the cross emblem of the Lacroix Family?”

“Hmm?”

The Imperial Knights commander approached and was shocked when he saw the medal.

“That’s right! This is the House of Lacroix’s medal! I remember! It was something the late Duke cherished greatly! He used to boast about how he went through great trouble to find a craftsman who inherited elven techniques, and had emeralds carved into platinum to make it…”

Doubt appeared on the commander’s face.

“Wasn’t this medal buried underground while hanging around his neck? I clearly saw it myself.”

Silence fell.

Ruellian’s face turned pale, then immediately flushed red with anger.

He grabbed the mysterious figure’s neck as if he might snap it.

“What the hell are you?”

“I am the Late Duke Lacroix himself!”

Someone shouted loudly.

In the spectator seats surrounding the circular arena, a middle-aged nobleman stood up alone.

He continued shouting.

“I knew it! I knew the Late Duke Lacroix wasn’t dead! I’ve been saying it all along, but no one believed me! Now, does anyone here know the name ‘Serpentus’?”

“Isn’t that what they call dragons that have gone mad and fallen to corruption?”

Someone answered.

“That’s right.”

The middle-aged man nodded.

“They say there are still a few evil languages left in this world that Serpentus spoke before his tongue was cut out. Everyone knows the Late Duke Lacroix was a wealthy collector, don’t they?”

The man continued with a somewhat trembling voice.

“The Duke happened to pay a fortune to a foreign merchant for magic written in Serpentus’s language, and learned it out of pure curiosity. That magic contains very powerful force, but in return, anyone who learns it falls into madness and loses their sanity. The Duke eventually succumbed to that madness and killed someone. Eleven years ago, in the Imperial Palace!”

What?

Everyone stared at him in stunned silence at this shocking story.

“When his sanity returned, the Duke hurried back home. Then he killed his wife and staged his own death to make it look like he was also murdered, before fleeing. From that day on, the Duke hid his true appearance and operated under various identities. Whenever someone appeared who might recognize his true identity, he would immediately kill them. Who knows how many people he’s murdered over these eleven years.”

Then he pointed his finger at me.

“He even tried to kill Princess Aristina over there! Though he failed.”

What?

Ruellian was too shocked to say anything.

I was the same.

‘The mysterious figure’s identity was Ruellian’s father?’

At this shocking story I couldn’t even imagine, my head spun dizzy.

I collapsed with a thud.

‘No! That can’t be!’

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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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