The Villainess is a Millionaire Solver - Chapter 182
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 182
* * *
At that moment.
Security Bureau investigators stormed into the Ancient Literature Research Foundation, which had recently been turned upside down after ‘suspicious financial flows’ were detected.
“We’re here for a search and seizure!”
The employees’ eyes widened as they stood up.
“Search and seizure? But you already did that.”
“Excuse me?”
“You came earlier and took all our materials away in boxes.”
“What are you talking about? When did we do that?”
The Security Bureau investigators looked at each other in bewilderment.
The faces of those who belatedly grasped the situation turned pale.
An hour’s distance from there stood a small, hastily constructed building.
It was a poultry farm that had once supplied eggs and chicken meat to the people of the capital city, but had gone bankrupt due to an avian epidemic.
In that place where only chicken feathers fluttered in empty coops, two people in investigator uniforms were secretly hiding and doing something.
One was a middle-aged woman with graying hair and a monocle. The other was a young man with a round, hamster-like appearance.
Amid the pungent smell of chicken droppings, they frantically searched through the materials they had brought in boxes.
Both moved so quickly that it almost created the optical illusion of white afterimages of their hands in the air.
After searching with all their might for quite some time, they finally found what they were looking for.
“Editor-in-Chief, this is it, right?”
“Oh! Yes! That’s it! Take good care of that. I’ll take care of this.”
Evidence suggesting that the Ancient Literature Research Foundation had deep connections with a certain individual.
Melissa Gremory, Editor-in-Chief of 【Justice Daily】, and Benjamin Edwards, the sole employee of the Black Rose Trading Company, carefully tucked that precious material into their clothes.
“The rest are all useless materials, so let’s get out of here quickly. I think my sense of smell has disappeared.”
“Right. I feel like I’ve become a chicken.”
Editor-in-Chief Gremory rubbed her nose and glanced at Benjamin.
“By the way, you’re quite good. I’ve never seen a trading company employee act as an investigator so well in my life.”
“You flatter me. You were the very embodiment of an investigator, Editor-in-Chief. I almost got fooled and hid under the desk.”
“No, I’m being serious. Benjamin, have you ever thought about becoming a journalist?”
“Don’t tempt me. I’m a trading company employee forever.”
“Hmph, fine.”
Editor-in-Chief Gremory and Benjamin quickly took off their uniforms, buried them among the straw mixed with chicken droppings, and came outside.
Though they had checked several times before entering, there was still no one watching them. You could say they gained security in exchange for the pungent smell of chicken droppings.
“Good.”
The Editor-in-Chief said, touching the materials hidden deep in her chest once more.
“We must deliver this. Even if it means risking our lives.”
“Of course.”
A solemn determination appeared on the faces of the two people looking at each other.
The next moment.
Without anyone taking the lead, both began running at full speed toward the Imperial Palace.
Let’s save the President.
Let’s save the Master.
The figures of the two people united under the same goal disappeared beyond the street in an instant.
* * *
At that moment, in the drawing room of the Holy Palace.
A thud echoed through the white mist spreading everywhere.
Duke Dillen had his head buried on the table. The attendants and maids who had been serving tea also collapsed unsteadily as their legs gave out.
“What in the world is this…”
The attendant who had entered last was startled and tried to run outside.
But before he could open the door, someone blocked his way.
It was a man with half his face covered by a silver mask.
He looked straight down at the attendant’s face and interrogated him in a chilling and terrifying voice that echoed as if from a tomb.
“Answer me. Where is Maid Grace, who was transferred here a few days ago?”
The situation was already one where consciousness-stealing mist was spreading everywhere.
Hearing such a powerful command imbued with divine power on top of that, the attendant couldn’t possibly resist.
“Th-that old maid named Grace… She’s in charge of managing the plant room on the 2nd floor.”
After answering thus, the attendant collapsed with a thud.
“The plant room on the 2nd floor…”
Ruellian immediately turned around.
“Please go quickly. I’ll stay here and handle the aftermath.”
Serene pushed my back.
Holding the small divine artifact that Ruellian had given me to prevent losing consciousness from the mist, Serene’s brave and steadfast declaration made her look like a great general guarding the rear.
I spoke with all sincerity.
“Thank you, Serene.”
“Thank you, Princess.”
Ruellian also expressed his gratitude.
“I hope we can meet in court next time…”
When he, a Holy Judge, said to meet in court, it usually had an ominous meaning, but this time we all knew it wasn’t that kind of meaning. He meant to meet proudly after clearing our names.
“Yes. I’ll pray for you. Go quickly. Time is of the essence.”
Serene spoke resolutely.
We left the aftermath to Serene and quickly exited the drawing room.
When only the two guests came out and closed the door again, the guards standing in the corridor looked at us strangely, saying “Hm?”
But they had no time to make any judgment or take action. A black shadow flashed once, and they all collapsed.
‘Let’s go.’
Ruellian sent me that look and took the lead.
We stuck close together and stealthily went up to the 2nd floor.
Since the Crown Prince and Second Prince were bedridden, there were far more guards than on the 1st floor. The atmosphere was clearly tense.
But who was Ruellian?
Thanks to the second profession he had secretly engaged in, he was well-versed in such matters.
Even the Holy Knights who had been on high alert to catch thieves were helpless when the phantom thief appeared.
How much more so for guards who were just standing there without any mental preparation?
Each time the shadow flashed, the guards collapsed without knowing anything.
He handled it so skillfully and quietly that even if people were dying instead of fainting nearby, you wouldn’t notice.
‘It’s fortunate that his side job is paying off, but…’
When passing in front of a large room where guards were particularly clustered, I felt somewhat troubled.
Aldensis and Zikren had been innocently dragged into this affair and suffered damage. If I failed to expose all of Tesseud’s crimes and was defeated, the truth of this matter would also be buried in darkness.
‘I must make sure they all face judgment.’
Resolving this once more, I quickly moved forward through the collapsing guards.
Looking into the various rooms lining the corridor one by one, I finally discovered a room full of plants.
An old maid with a shawl draped over her shoulders was watering flowerpots with her back turned toward us.
Ruellian looked at me. He seemed to be asking if that maid was indeed Grace.
‘That’s right.’
When I nodded to convey that meaning, he immediately went inside.
Since Ruellian’s movements were so fast and quiet, even the men outside didn’t notice anything until just before he made his move.
How much more so for an elderly maid?
Even though Ruellian had approached right behind her, Grace continued watering the flowerpots, unaware of anything.
“Grace.”
When Ruellian called out in a low voice, she finally turned around in surprise.
“…!”
Discovering us who had entered the room without any presence, Grace was shocked.
She opened her mouth wide to scream, but before she could, Ruellian’s hand gently covered her mouth.
“Excuse me. This is all to save your life as well…”
A flash of divine power gleamed from his hand, and Grace’s body went limp.
She had lost consciousness.
‘Perfect.’
I turned my head to look toward the corridor.
The guards who had collapsed earlier were still asleep. Even straining my ears toward the far end of the corridor, there was no sign of anyone noticing something amiss and rushing over.
‘Good.’
I gestured to Ruellian that everything was clear.
He lifted Grace’s limp body into his arms. Then he handed me the child’s cloak he had been carrying rolled up.
I unfolded it and draped it over Grace’s body.
Since Ruellian was tall, he could easily lift women of average build. Anyone would look relatively small compared to him, let alone a scrawny old woman like this. Carried this way, she looked exactly like a child.
A couple hurrying home with a child who had suddenly fallen asleep.
Creating exactly that kind of scene, we calmly walked out of the greenhouse.
Instead of using the stairs we had climbed up, we used the stairs on the opposite side and slipped out through the side door on the 1st floor.
It took less than 30 minutes from entering the scene to safely getting Grace out.
While actually doing the job, I felt nothing, but as soon as we left the Sanctum Palace, my heart started pounding like crazy.
‘I finally got my hands on a key witness!’
She had destroyed her own tongue, but there’s always something called miracles in human life.
And the only person among humans who could perform miracles was right here, eyes blazing with determination.
I began to wonder what words her restored tongue would pour out.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————