The Villainess is a Millionaire Solver - Chapter 168

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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 168

At my sharp question, cold as frost, the maids murmured among themselves for a moment.

So that’s why she specifically called us out.

They seemed to be exchanging such whispers.

One of the maids asked me as their representative.

“Why do you suddenly wish to know about that? May we dare ask what the Young Lady’s intentions are?”

I shot back immediately.

“What’s wrong with asking suddenly? Didn’t you all also keep your mouths shut for over 10 years before suddenly giving testimony?”

“We had no choice but to keep quiet.”

The maids protested.

“When the other party was the late Duke of the Lacroix Family, how could people like us dare to speak carelessly?”

“Moreover, right after that, the Duke died as if paying for his sins, so we decided to take what we witnessed that night to our graves.”

“But when Her Majesty the Empress began personally investigating Eloise’s death, even if belatedly, how could we just keep our mouths shut? We had to confess the truth.”

I asked them again.

“So, did you all really witness the late Duke Lacroix murdering that maid named Eloise?”

“Yes, we saw it.”

The maids nodded their heads.

“Even though 11 years have passed, we still remember it vividly. That night there was a ball, so the maid quarters were almost empty. We all had to work in shifts, taking turns resting.”

“When our turn came and we were about to return after a brief rest, someone was collapsed in the servant’s quarters corridor. A man was strangling her, but when we appeared, he immediately fled. It was the late Duke Lacroix.”

“Did you really see his face clearly?”

I pressed the maids.

I could see them flinch as I made eye contact with each one.

‘From this moment on, this place is lawless territory. If you fall into my hands, I’ll show you hell.’

Red eyes blazing as if saying exactly that.

Though I had come dressed in pure white for the engagement ceremony, my face looked not innocent but venomous and eerie instead.

As I kept thrusting this obviously villainous face before their eyes, even the seasoned palace maids began to waver visibly.

“Right now you’re all so caught up in the excitement this incident brings that you’re busy spreading stories. But do you really think this makes sense?”

I pressed on with momentum.

“Am I wrong? You all must have been very flustered after suddenly witnessing a murder scene, right? But how did you see the identity of the culprit who fled instantly in the darkness so accurately? You know how great a sin it is for someone working in the palace to speak carelessly, don’t you?”

“…”

The maids looked at each other’s faces.

Now they seemed to be getting scared.

The most senior-looking maid carefully opened her mouth.

“At the time, we were too flustered and only noticed that the person was a tall noble man, but we didn’t see his face very clearly.”

I raised my eyebrows.

“But you still accused him of being the late Duke Lacroix?”

“Please listen. We didn’t just accuse him randomly.”

The maid hastily explained.

“While going to report that Eloise had died, we heard one strange story. The Lacroix Couple, who were originally supposed to stay late that day, had suddenly gone home.”

“And very urgently too.”

Another maid added explanation.

“Hearing that, when we thought about it, we realized that the murderer’s appearance was quite similar to the Duke’s. We were scared and didn’t know what to do about this terrifying fact… But according to the doctor, Eloise didn’t die from suffocation but from a heart attack. In that case, even if we said we saw someone strangling her, obviously no one would believe us.”

“Moreover, soon after we heard news that the Lacroix Couple had been murdered.”

Another maid said carefully.

“When things turned out this way, we decided it was best to just keep quiet. But we had lingering doubts in a corner of our hearts…”

“It turned out there was one more crucial witness who could prove that the late Duke Lacroix was the murderer. Someone saw him unexpectedly entering the maid quarters that night when Eloise was being killed. So we gained confidence and gave testimony this time…”

The maid who spoke last saw my expression and closed her mouth with a frightened face.

I asked sharply.

“Who is that person?”

“Th-that, we don’t remember well…”

The maids stammered.

It seemed they had never once considered that the testimony might be a lie.

Since it matched perfectly with the facts they were already assuming, they must have believed it readily.

Now that they realized the seriousness of the situation, they seemed to be trying to back out, but no way.

I looked around at the maids and said bluntly.

“I heard most maids have gambling debts? Do you gamble too?”

“Well, that… Originally in the palace, everyone regardless of rank enjoys card games. It’s not uncommon to have some debt, so if you’re reproaching us for that…”

“Who said anything? I’m not interested in gambling debts. I’m interested in gambling itself.”

I snapped.

“To spread such secretive stories, you’d need to be on friendly terms, right? Not just meeting at work, but having private gatherings, right? Since gambling is so prevalent among palace maids, it’s obvious. If you want to deliberately spread certain stories to specifically chosen people, there’s no better place than a gambling den.”

There was no need to talk with them further.

I asked the attendant maids who had followed us earlier.

“There must be one maid who often hangs out with these maids to gamble, who is it? The maid who was conspicuously absent from the testimony.”

“Ah…”

The attendant maids seemed flustered, but didn’t defy my words and answered immediately.

“It’s an old senior maid named Grace.”

“Bring her right away. No, I’ll go myself.”

I took all the attendants with me and followed the maids.

They said the maid named Grace was old and had been doing only simple chores in the kitchen attached to the main hall for the past few years.

But…

When we reached the kitchen corridor, cooks and kitchen servants were gathered in confusion.

An attendant maid asked with a hardened face.

“What are you all doing? Where is Grace?”

People were startled to see me and stepped aside left and right.

As my view cleared, I could see an old woman collapsed on the floor. Next to her was a bottle with its lid open.

I was shocked.

“Is this maid Grace? What on earth happened here!”

The servants answered while putting the unconscious old woman on a stretcher.

“Even though the doctor said no, she kept looking for alcohol, and it seems she ended up drinking something wrong. Suddenly she started foaming at the mouth and can’t speak. The doctor says some part of her brain is damaged and she has permanent aphasia.”

What?

I was speechless.

Could this be called a coincidence?

Even though I hurried here looking for clues, it seems I was one step too late.

While I stood there dazed for a moment…

“Young Lady! Young Lady!”

Another group of attendants and maids appeared in a rush. Seeing the flowers on their chests, they seemed to be those assigned to conduct the engagement ceremony.

“What are you doing here? You must go to His Highness the Crown Prince quickly. His Majesty the Emperor is also waiting.”

“I understand.”

Just as I was turning to follow them.

As the doctor picked up the bottle, the smell of its contents spread through the air.

When that smell brushed past my nose, suddenly some intense memory came to mind.

“I didn’t see anything!”

I had once shouted like that.

But that was a lie. While denying it outwardly, inwardly I was recalling the scene I had witnessed.

As the maids said earlier, a tall noble man.

That figure holding the limp body of a maid, jumping silently from a high window and disappearing into the darkness…

‘…!’

I was startled and returned to reality.

“Let’s go quickly.”

Following the group of maids and attendants, I quickly organized my thoughts.

‘Someone moved the corpse from the crime scene to another location. First, as I suspected, it’s definitely not the late Duke Lacroix. The perpetrator was more slender and agile than the father I glimpsed through Ruellian’s memories.’

And it wasn’t black magic either.

I suppose watching the Imperial Knight Tournament diligently paid off. My eye for detail has improved somewhat.

The body movements of whoever concealed the corpse were exactly identical to the Black Knight’s movements when he defeated his competitors in the knight tournament.

“Some mysterious martial art that combines physical techniques and swordsmanship?”

I recalled Aldensis analyzing it that way.

That was physical technique.

When you move your body using magic or spirit arts, it’s somewhat stiff like actors doing wire work, whereas physical technique was natural like a first-class circus acrobat.

Reaching that level would require tremendous training.

That’s not all.

The Imperial Palace is very complex, yet that person knew the structure well enough to move the corpse in a short time and manipulate the circumstances flawlessly.

Amazing physical ability and knowledge of the Imperial Palace.

Who could possibly have both of those qualities? Isn’t there no such person?

As I pondered deeply, it suddenly occurred to me.

‘No, there is someone.’

A chill ran down my spine and I snapped to attention.

I stopped walking.

At the same time, green trees came into view.

‘Hm?’

We were now standing before a quaint courtyard arranged between the Imperial Palace buildings.

“Why are we here…?”

“You must first receive one ceremonial gift needed for the engagement ceremony before leaving. According to Imperial protocol, a distinguished person respected by the Imperial Court presents a golden flower to the Crown Prince or Prince’s engagement partner.”

Suddenly I had an ominous premonition.

“Who is that?”

“It’s Theseus Marquis, His Highness the Crown Prince’s mentor. He’s waiting right over there.”

Goosebumps broke out all over me.

How could this be happening?

The prime suspect I had just been thinking about.

The only person who possessed both amazing physical ability and knowledge of the Imperial Palace. That was none other than Theseus Marquis…

Before I could even organize my thoughts, the very person in question appeared before my eyes.

As if he had read my mind.

I heard the attendant’s announcement.

“Theseus Marquis, Rosen Noble has arrived.”

From among the well-manicured trees, a tall man with long white hair came forward as if he had been waiting.

He smiled and spoke to me.

“Congratulations, Noble.”

My heart began beating frantically.

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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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