The Villainess is a Millionaire Solver - Chapter 185
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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 185
Father Duke Carnel scolded me, saying that whatever he taught me went in one ear and out the other.
Actually, I thought so too.
But when a truly necessary situation arose, all that cramming education finally paid off.
Knowledge of our family that even I had forgotten came flooding back in a jumbled mess.
Just as Serene’s Hyperion Duchy specializes in spirit magic, our House of Rosen also has special powers passed down through generations.
The so-called ‘Blessings of the Ancestors.’
The foundation of the Rosen Duchy is commerce.
Business is a field that places great importance on luck. They believe in superstitions and pray a lot.
That’s why our family has devotedly served the spirits of our ancestors for generations.
Even a single stone would become special if served with devotion, let alone human souls. Especially in this world where magic exists.
The ancestral spirits of the House of Rosen gained powerful strength thanks to their descendants.
Of course, the most powerful authority has always been held by the family head or heir, while other family members receive relatively weak blessings.
Moreover, depending on how fondly an ancestor views their descendant, the magnitude of power varies greatly.
So what about me?
What’s the point of saying it.
Even though I was the only legitimate eldest son at the time, I was so out of favor with the ancestors that I failed the heir qualification test.
Therefore, I had almost no power. I guess you could say I was at the level of a bug?
But in this case, that fact actually became a golden opportunity.
It’s a unique energy completely different from magic, spirit arts, or divine power, and it’s even weak enough to sufficiently conceal its own existence.
‘If I do well, I might be able to prove that Tesseud met with me that night, similar to forensic investigation. Like detecting bloodstains that are difficult to identify with the naked eye using luminol solution at a crime scene.’
Thinking that way, my mind became crystal clear.
‘Well done. That kind of life attitude is indeed important. I absolutely won’t die alone.’
What shapes a person’s life is choice. Because I chose to save Grace, I was able to recover an important piece of memory.
‘I must use this!’
My eyes snapped open.
I was so focused on recovering lost memories that I didn’t realize my body had collapsed on the floor.
It seems I held Grace and tumbled down, then lost myself and fell into reminiscence.
“Aristina, are you okay?”
Ruellian was looking down at me with worry, supporting my head. When I grinned at him, he was startled.
“You’re not okay.”
He must think something’s wrong with my head.
I quickly corrected his misunderstanding.
“No, I’m fine. Very fine. I’m smiling because I’m in a good mood. I think I found decisive evidence to implicate the culprit.”
Then I got up, brushing myself off.
I saw the Great Spirit over there, sighing and dusting off his hands.
“Phew, almost finished.”
I first expressed my gratitude to him.
“Great Spirit, thank you so much for saving us.”
“Don’t mention it.”
He made an awkward expression while smoothing down his hair that was sticking out in all directions.
“I still have no idea what’s going on, but anyway, it seems like a very interesting situation is unfolding? Wait. I’ll quickly get into proper form and come back.”
The Great Spirit’s figure disappeared.
His saying he’d come back was welcome news. It seemed he would serve as an excellent witness in the upcoming revelation battle.
Of course, the most important witness was someone else.
“…”
My gaze turned toward one place.
Grace was standing there blankly. Perhaps her heart hadn’t calmed down yet from what just happened, as she looked dazed.
I quietly opened my mouth toward her.
“I remember now. We met before, didn’t we? In the Palace Corridor that night when the incident happened.”
“…”
“You were definitely suspicious of me then. But you still brought up the ghost story to give me a way to escape, because I was too young. Even though I was a princess pointed at as a little villainess, you pitied me for being accidentally caught up in the incident. I didn’t know it then, but I know now.”
I continued speaking to Grace, who kept her mouth tightly shut.
“Everyone hates dying. They want to live. Grace, you also said you’d die with us without any regrets, but when you were actually being dragged into the darkness, weren’t you a little scared? That’s what death is like.”
“…”
“But how many more people have to die because of that incident?”
Grace’s expression changed.
She was thinking the same thing. Because she hated more deaths, she chose to damage her own tongue.
I continued speaking.
“Ruellian next to me lost his parents overnight because of that incident. And I also… already died once.”
“…?”
Ruellian, who had been quietly listening beside me, was shocked.
“Aristina, what do you mean? You died once?”
“It’s exactly as I said.”
I answered calmly.
“It’s not an exaggeration or a lie. That Person killed me. If it weren’t for Mother’s great love and the miracle given by the Mother of All Dragons, I wouldn’t be standing here like this now. I would be lying in a cold grave like Ruellian’s parents. I might have even been framed for murder after death and had my honor tarnished.”
“…”
“Isn’t it too harsh a price for just accidentally witnessing one scene? This is madness. It’s insane.”
Toward Grace, who still kept her mouth tightly shut, I clasped my hands together like praying and spoke earnestly.
“The two people who suffered the greatest misfortune because of that incident are here in front of you. I’ll appeal to you like this. Please, let’s end it now. Everything depends on you, Grace.”
Then I looked at Ruellian.
He was very surprised by my words, so his violet eyes had grown somewhat larger.
But he empathized with my earnest heart, and thinking of his parents who died miserably, he must have felt grief.
So he clasped his hands together beside me.
“Now I understand. Even fabricating testimony to frame my parents wasn’t truly what you wanted. Grace, let’s end it now. Please.”
“…”
Silence flowed.
All kinds of emotions seemed to cross Grace’s wrinkled face.
After a long silence, she finally opened her mouth.
“Alright.”
Hah…
My legs almost gave out and I nearly collapsed.
I finally succeeded in moving the key witness’s heart. It felt like I had overcome one major hurdle.
Perhaps because I felt somewhat relieved by that fact.
Only then did the surrounding scenery finally come into view.
As the aftermath left by the curse completely cleared, the space that had been strange for a while returned to normal.
No, to be precise, it wasn’t back to normal.
Perhaps because we made such a commotion breaking the curse, the Small Secret Garden was completely destroyed. The walls surrounding it were blown open, making the outside clearly visible.
People had gathered due to this commotion.
They all approached noisily at first, but upon discovering us, they all looked dumbfounded as if by agreement.
‘Oh right, come to think of it…’
Only then did I realize.
Because Ruellian had concentrated all his divine power on breaking the curse earlier, our disguises had all worn off.
Aristina Rosen and Ruellian Lacroix.
The two worst wanted criminals who had turned the Empire upside down suddenly appeared, destroying the Imperial Palace. It was natural for people to stare with their mouths agape.
“Everyone…”
Just as I was about to open my mouth toward them.
One section of the surrounding crowd opened wide and some people appeared.
The one walking in front was a tall knight.
Snow-white long hair and a fluttering red cloak. A uniform with perfect angles without a single gap.
Tesseud.
The Empire’s only Sword Master and mentor to the Crown Prince and Second Prince had appeared leading the Imperial Knights.
‘So he finally came in person.’
I raised my head to look directly at him, but suddenly my vision was blocked.
Ruellian had stepped in front of me.
He pulled my hand and gripped it tightly while staring straight ahead at our opponent.
At his former master whom he once respected, the Empire’s greatest knight.
“….”
Tense silence flowed between them.
Tesseud’s gaze turned toward Ruellian, then shifted to me standing behind him. His eyes were sharp as piercing blades.
‘Right. He must be exasperated.’
This time I really should have died from that ancient curse without any warning. Yet I’m still not dead.
From his perspective, I must be truly insufferable.
‘But he probably thinks this is finally the end, right?’
Being surrounded like this in the middle of the Imperial Palace where there’s nowhere to run. He must think the time has finally come to send this persistent me who won’t die no matter how many times he kills me to the execution ground.
But there was one thing even that meticulous murderer hadn’t noticed.
I turned my head to look behind me.
“Grace.”
The old maid who had been standing quietly in the back, unnoticed by anyone, slowly walked forward and stood beside me.
“…!”
Tesseud’s expression changed.
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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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