The Villainess is a Millionaire Solver - Chapter 186

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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 186

Your key witness Grace is suddenly acting unpredictably, so you must be flustered, right?

‘Yes, be confused.’

I glared at Tesseud while lowering my voice to whisper to Ruellian.

“From now on is very important.”

“I suppose so.”

Ruellian also spoke without taking his eyes off Tesseud.

“If I didn’t mishear, you clearly said earlier that you obtained decisive evidence to implicate the culprit, right?”

“Right.”

I nodded slightly.

“But I don’t know who will listen to what we say. Won’t we just be dragged away and finished like this? We need to somehow create a situation where we can present that evidence in front of people.”

“There is one method, but it comes with the risk of having to stake our lives.”

“Our lives are already hanging by a thread anyway, so what. If we just stay still here, we’ll really die, right?”

“I knew Aristina would say that.”

Ruellian chuckled even in this situation and asked.

“What is this evidence you’re talking about?”

“You said Tesseud killed me once…”

I quickly told him about the incident that happened when I was confined in the annex, summarizing only the key points.

Ruellian’s expression changed several times as he listened to the story. He seemed to have a lot to say, but we didn’t have time to share sentiments.

“At that time, I was determined not to die alone and left a dying message on Tesseud’s body. I trust myself. With that resentment and that obsession, I definitely would have accomplished something. The problem is how to reveal that trace, which isn’t easily visible, in front of people…”

“We could use the witch hunt for that.”

Ruellian said immediately.

“If we pretend to secretly scheme using the House of Rosen’s unique blessing, they’ll rush to verify it by any means necessary. During past witch hunts, they used mirrors to examine and confiscate the special powers passed down through the maternal line. The Royal Knights also favored this method.”

I remembered when I went to receive the engagement gift, Tesseud had tried to discover my identity using a basin.

To think we’d use that method in reverse to attack him.

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. I liked it.

“Good! We need to expose that first and deal him a blow.”

“Then I’ll prepare the stage.”

Just as Ruellian said that.

The already noisy scene became even more bustling.

“Aristina!”

Having heard the news, Father and the Duke’s family members were rushing over. Serene and Sion followed behind them.

As more people gathered, Tesseud, who had momentarily stepped back to assess the situation due to Grace, immediately regained his cold composure.

“The wanted criminals have taken a Palace Maid hostage. Quickly extract and protect that maid first.”

“Yes!”

The Imperial Knights immediately stepped forward.

“Wait.”

Ruellian blocked Grace’s path.

“No one can take this maid away.”

“Ruellian.”

Tesseud spoke to his former disciple.

“If you’ve committed a crime, you must pay the price.”

“I have never committed a crime.”

Ruellian looked straight at Tesseud and replied.

His attitude seemed as confident and composed as usual, but being right next to him, I could tell. His eyes were bloodshot and his fists were trembling.

It was a natural reaction.

Considering what Tesseud had done to his parents, it was remarkable that he wasn’t rushing at him right now.

He seemed to be desperately holding back because he still had to hide his true feelings to clear his name.

Ruellian gritted his teeth and spoke again.

“No one can take this maid away. She’s a key witness.”

“A witness?”

Tesseud asked incredulously.

“Do you think you’ll get a trial? It’ll be summary execution.”

“No.”

Ruellian spoke to the people gathered at the scene.

“If the day comes when I must explain my actions, I have something prepared to reveal the truth. It’s called ‘Soul Trial.’ It’s a higher system than the Sacred Tribunal, and I’ve already gone through the review process and officially registered it long ago. I just haven’t announced it.”

I see.

It seemed Ruellian had planned to reveal that he had been active as a thief after catching the real culprit who murdered his parents. He had prepared this system for that time, but unexpectedly ended up using it first for a different purpose.

Amid the bustling noise, he declared.

“This is a system that gives someone the opportunity to be tried once in their lifetime, staking their soul before God’s authority. If even one word is a lie, they immediately incur God’s wrath and die on the spot. Aristina and I want to request a Soul Trial here and now to prove our innocence.”

Then he looked around at the people.

“What do you say, everyone?”

“Good!”

“Let’s do that!”

Voices of agreement erupted from here and there. People had become interested in what Ruellian had said.

As everyone voiced their agreement in unison, echoing loudly, a mysterious phenomenon soon occurred.

Aurora-like light descended from the sky and encircled the ruined garden where we were standing.

A miracle sent by God.

It was a phenomenon that anyone from the Empire couldn’t help but recognize.

A sanctuary created by light formed around the two of us. It was proof that God was with us.

“Aristina!”

Father, Sion, Serene, and the Duke’s family members quickly came forward and took their positions. Though worried, their faces showed they trusted me.

Ruellian called a Holy Knight standing among the spectators and gave him an order.

“Hayden, go to the manor at this address and deliver my message to the butler.”

It was finally time for Count Reno, who was being protected by the Dark Guild, to do his part.

“It’ll be useless.”

Tesseud frowned.

“If that’s what you want, then we, the Royal Knights who serve His Majesty the Emperor, will preside over the trial and pass judgment on the two criminals. I don’t know what tricks you’re trying to pull, but you won’t be able to fool my eyes.”

You want to be the judge?

Oh my. Do you think we can’t accuse you if you’re the judge?

The truth will soon be revealed.

‘Honorable Judge, you are the culprit.’

I sent that thought mentally while looking around.

Seeing this space that had taken on the appearance of a mystical courtroom through God’s light, I felt strange as it reminded me of the Sacred Tribunal I had received in the past.

So it starts with a trial and ends with a trial?

While I was thinking that.

Suddenly, a small, transparent ball of light slipped out of my body. Then the same thing popped out of Ruellian’s body.

The two balls of light transformed into translucent cards and floated in the air in the center of the courtroom. Immediately, flames blazed up and surrounded the two cards. At the same time, I felt a burning sensation touch my body.

“What? It’s hot.”

“These are the rules of the Soul Trial.”

Ruellian said. He was calm when looking at his own card, but I could feel him tense up when his gaze turned toward my card.

“If you make even one false claim, you’ll immediately incur God’s wrath and your whole body will burn. You’ll be engulfed in flames that can’t be extinguished by any means, and meet a very painful death.”

“…”

My mouth fell open.

I heard that you’d die if you lied, but this was that kind of death?

No wonder Ruellian was nervous looking at the cards.

To think that even a slip of the tongue would result in immediate burning at the stake. And very painfully at that.

Just imagining it made me terrified.

But to gamble my life against the final boss, it would have to be this serious, right?

I took a deep breath and calmed my mind.

“Good. I understand.”

Tesseud was looking at us with a cold expression. Now he was probably planning to corner us both in his capacity as judge, induce lies from us, and have us burned at the stake.

That’s not a bad idea, actually.

Well, that would be the case if we hadn’t prepared anything.

“Then I will now proceed with the soul trial. Any questions?”

At Tesseud’s customary addition, I quickly spoke up.

“Yes, I have a question, Your Honor.”

“What is it?”

“Where were you and what were you doing around 7 PM on July 13th?”

“…?”

Tesseud’s face stiffened slightly at the unexpected question.

Why does this feel like an interrogation rather than a question?

Everyone looked at me with bewildered expressions at my words that seemed to interrogate the judge.

“Oh, I’m just asking everyone this question once. It’s a very important matter to me.”

I said shamelessly.

“You’re all curious, aren’t you? Why the villainess Aristina Bianca Rosen, who had finally achieved her long-held dream of becoming the Crown Princess, suddenly kicked it all away and fled after taking down both the Crown Prince and Second Prince. I’m about to tell that story now.”

The courtroom, which had been filled with murmuring noise, fell silent.

Under the gazes pouring from all directions, I looked straight at Tesseud.

“Your Honor, who lives in seclusion in the Palace away from worldly affairs, might not know well, but last summer I was framed for something. I was accused of trying to poison Princess Serene Hyperion, who has now become a dear friend. I was immediately confined to the annex of my residence that very day.”

That annex you know very well.

Adding that silently to myself, I continued speaking.

“But one night, a murderer visited me. I resisted, but that person ruthlessly stabbed me in the chest. Then they escaped without leaving any evidence. No, to be precise, I thought they had escaped without leaving any evidence.”

I leisurely raised my gaze and glared at Tesseud.

“But that was a mistake. In fact, there was one piece of evidence left that could identify who the murderer was.”

“….”

Tesseud glared back at me.

Only the two of us in this world knew the truth of that night.

He had moved like a ghost. He seemed so careful that it felt like he hadn’t dropped any evidence, not even a trace of breath.

Tesseud knew this fact better than anyone, so he didn’t believe my words.

“Is that true? If so, can you present that evidence?”

“Of course. I can present it right now in front of all these people.”

I answered confidently.

Tesseud briefly turned his gaze to look at the soul card that had emerged from my body. He seemed puzzled that nothing was happening even though I was telling blatant lies.

‘Now’s the time.’

I prayed earnestly.

‘Ancestors, please help me! Send your power to save this descendant!’

At that moment, red energy flashed brilliantly from my body.

“It’s the protection of House Rosen!”

The Imperial Knights who had been watching me reacted immediately.

“No doubt about it! The villainess is using that to pull some kind of trick right now!”

That’s right.

I smiled triumphantly to myself.

They took the bait!

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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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