The Villainess is a Millionaire Solver - Chapter 162

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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 162

I couldn’t quite understand what the Empress was saying.

Completely bewildered, I stared at the pattern on the back of my hand as if entranced.

The overall shape resembled the letter ‘A’, but it was ornate as if wrapped in tree vines. It clearly looked extraordinary.

“This is…”

“That’s the paint!”

The Empress shouted with a face unable to suppress her joy.

“The paint for the ritual to find one’s destined partner. A mysterious substance made from Amaranthia flowers as ingredients. I showed it directly to the Princess last time, didn’t I?”

“Yes, Your Majesty the Empress. But why would this appear on the back of my hand? I didn’t participate in that ritual…”

“I got it on the Princess’s hand earlier.”

Princess Violet said while being somewhat cautious.

“I didn’t do it on purpose. My hands were covered with that paint, and I was sweating from running around in a hurry, and in that state I grabbed the Princess’s hand earlier…”

That’s right. When I came out through the flames, Violet had run over and grabbed my hand tightly, shouting that it was a relief.

“Isn’t this also mysterious?”

The Empress said while stroking her somewhat dejected daughter’s head.

“It wasn’t drawn like the other young ladies, but just got on her hand, yet it reacted by forming a shape on its own like this. God must have been frustrated too. That Aldensis couldn’t recognize his destined partner even when she was right in front of him…”

The more I listened to the Empress’s words, the more puzzled I became.

This ritual allows one to look into the subject’s soul?

So I desperately avoided it, even lying. But even though my identity as a possessor was discovered, they just let it pass without incident?

No, not just let it pass, but the fact that I was determined to be that destined partner was revealed?

‘How could that be possible?’

We’re from different worlds, so how could we be determined as soul mates?

Then if I hadn’t possessed this body, would Aldensis have lived his whole life without a partner?

Isn’t something strange about this?

While I was lost in thought in a daze, Aldensis stepped forward.

“Wait, wait.”

I unconsciously looked at him and was shocked.

Now I could see that the back of his pure white ceremonial robe was torn to shreds.

Through the tears, I could glimpse bandages soaked with blood wrapped tightly around him.

Only then did I realize.

“When the giant doll broke earlier, Your Highness took all the fragments in my place, didn’t you?”

“That’s not what’s important…”

Aldensis turned his body slightly to block my gaze and said.

“Since Mother likes Princess Aristina so much, it’s natural for her to be excitedly happy. But such words might sound like coercion.”

He looked around at the people and continued.

“Just because God looks into people’s souls and designates partners doesn’t mean we must unconditionally follow it. What’s most important is the feelings of those involved. I absolutely cannot bear to see the light disappear from the Princess’s eyes.”

“…”

Everyone’s eyes widened as they looked at the Crown Prince. The Empress was so surprised she couldn’t close her mouth.

“Since when did our Crown Prince become such a character who considers others’ feelings?”

“Mother, I…”

“I know. It’s not considering others in general, but still limited only to Princess Aristina for now. But that is an excellent first step toward becoming a good leader in the future.”

She looked at me with an even more pleased and satisfied expression.

“Indeed, God’s revelation was not wrong. Aldensis has definitely changed. Through Princess Aristina, he learned how to truly care for and understand others. Actually, I’ve been noticing Aldensis’s changes for a while. So I had a feeling, and as expected, the results came out as I predicted.”

“Hmm…”

The Emperor stroked his chin and muttered.

“Royal marriages usually affect even the nation’s fortune, so unlike ordinary imperial citizens’ marriages, they are decided with God’s help. You can’t think of it like ordinary marriages. But that doesn’t mean I have any intention of forcing it as the Crown Prince said…”

Then, the Imperial Knight Commander carefully approached from behind.

He asked for a moment’s understanding, then quietly reported to the Emperor.

The Emperor raised his eyebrows.

“Both of them?”

“Yes, I’m truly sorry but…”

“Catch them somehow! Issue a massive wanted order! Search the Lacroix Ducal Residence thoroughly too!”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

It must have been a report that they lost both the mysterious figure and Ruellian. After finishing his orders, the Emperor continued speaking.

“Anyway, that’s what I think, but in the current situation, this might also be God’s arrangement. How about we use this for now?”

Then he turned his gaze to look at me again.

“As everyone saw, that strange bastard’s attitude toward the Princess earlier was very unusual.”

“That’s right.”

Sounds of agreement could be heard from here and there. Duke Carnel also nodded with a haggard face.

“Your Majesty, it seems that bastard is trying to harm my daughter somehow. I intend to do my best to defend her, staking the honor of the Rosen family, but…”

“But didn’t that bastard already try to harm the Princess once before?”

The Emperor looked around at various people and asked.

“How did Count Reno know about such a fact?”

The man who had accused the fake thief of being the late Duke Lacroix bowed and answered.

“That’s because I’ve been tracking Duke Lacroix’s movements all this time. He secretly infiltrated and tried to kill the Princess when she was framed for poisoning and confined to her residence.”

“Ah…”

The color drained completely from Duke Carnel’s face.

“Come to think of it, there was a time when everyone came running saying my daughter had been murdered and caused a big commotion. The maids checked and said she definitely wasn’t breathing. That child also just thought she had briefly fainted…”

“This is definitely no ordinary matter. For now, that bastard will be busy avoiding pursuit, but we don’t know when he’ll start moving again. If even the heavily guarded Rosen Duchy can’t be considered safe, we have no choice but to bring her into the Imperial Palace for protection.”

The Emperor clicked his tongue and said.

“Since the Princess has been confirmed as the ‘Dragon’s Companion’, we can proceed with her engagement to Aldensis. Duke, for now, let your daughter be protected within the Imperial Palace as the Crown Prince’s fiancée. After overcoming the immediate danger to her safety, we can think about it again, can’t we?”

“Thank you, Your Majesty. This child is the only heir of our Rosen Duchy. We absolutely cannot take any risks, so I’ll proceed immediately as you suggest. Your Highness the Crown Prince, please take good care of her.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll stake everything I have and do my utmost to protect your daughter 24 hours a day. Princess, as soon as that bastard is caught, we can break off the engagement immediately, so let’s do it this way for now. That’s wise.”

“…”

The discussion was proceeding smoothly.

Well, that made sense.

Even from my perspective, following their opinion was right for survival.

Aldensis was someone who could really protect me 24 hours a day without letting his guard down.

But I just remained in a daze.

‘This is too strange. If they looked into my soul, they couldn’t possibly not know that I’m a possessor who took over someone else’s body.’

With my gaze fixed on the pattern on the back of my hand, only that puzzle filled my mind completely.

It seemed like I was missing something very important right now.

Very important information for survival.

‘Could it be that God just decided to let it pass too? This isn’t the first or second time. Although I did threaten them, the family spirits also just let it pass. When I saw the Duchess’s portrait, it also felt like they just let it pass favorably…’

What if they didn’t just let it pass?

What if it was because there really was no problem?

…Could it be that I wasn’t actually a possessor?

My mind became completely filled with this suddenly arising thought.

‘But is that really possible?’

In my dazed and blurred vision, I saw Zikren walking over.

He had received rough first aid and was returning this way with Windfearer.

“Oh, Zigfriedren!”

The Emperor was delighted.

“Well done. So you’re the winner of today’s 【Imperial Knight Tournament】 after all. Now, to whom will you dedicate that sword?”

“I should return it to Aristina.”

He came in front of me and held out the sword. His face, with his back to the people, was rigidly hardened.

“Congratulations on your engagement.”

I was still in a dazed state as I reached out to receive Windfearer.

People began to clap one by one. That sound soon turned into applause and cheers that seemed to shake the venue.

The tournament had been quite chaotic in various ways. But thanks to the unexpected appearance of the Crown Prince’s companion at the end, it seemed to have ended well on a celebratory note.

“How about we hold the engagement ceremony right here and now?”

At the Emperor’s words, Duke Carnel glanced at me. Seeing my dazed state, he shook his head slightly.

“My daughter seems quite shocked, so it would be best for her to go home and rest first. I’ll take good care of her tonight, so how about we proceed tomorrow instead?”

“That sounds good.”

The Empress answered with a bright expression.

“Aristina seems like she’s lost her soul right now? Is it just me who thinks that?”

As I heard Serene’s worried voice, Duke Carnel and I were just turning to leave when.

“Wait!”

Someone pushed through the crowd and approached me.

Salt-and-pepper hair. A monocle. A coat with an upturned collar.

It was Melissa Gremory, the Editor-in-Chief of my newspaper company, 【Justice Daily】.

“Wow! So now our newspaper company will be directly managed by Her Highness the Crown Princess? That’s amazing! We’re practically civil servants now, right? Do we get pensions?”

Editor-in-Chief Gremory spoke loudly with playful cheekiness while secretly pulling my hand and pressing something into it.

It was a small note.

‘Ah.’

I finally snapped back to my senses.

‘This isn’t the time to be spacing out like this!’

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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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