The Villainess is a Millionaire Solver - Chapter 21

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 21

Whether people stared with their mouths agape or not, Ruellian approached me with a bright smile.

“I naturally thought you’d be in the ballroom, so I went there first. I searched for quite a while, Princess.”

“You were looking for me? Why?”

“Are you pretending not to know, or do you really not know? What reason would a man have for seeking out a woman, Princess? It’s because he’s interested, of course.”

A sly smile bloomed on his face as he arrogantly raised his violet eyes. Warning sirens went off in my head.

‘Right. So this is the strategy you’re going with, is it?’

In a way, it was a natural choice. When faced with one of the few obstacles in his life, he would probably act this way.

Just by showing that smile and pretending to show a little interest, he had probably never failed to get what he wanted.

But to me, who had no intention of falling for his charm, his gaze was clearly visible.

Unlike the words coming from his mouth, his eyes were only cold as ice.

‘Not a chance.’

Well then, shall I try deploying a strategy of my own?

“For Your Highness to show interest in someone as lowly as me. I should buy a lottery ticket today. Though I’m not sure if I have cash…”

I spoke nonchalantly while opening my bag to take out my wallet with money. The pouch I had deliberately layered got caught and fell with a thud.

To draw attention, I deliberately cried out.

“Oh!”

Ruellian reached out to pick it up and asked.

“Something precious?”

“No.”

I snatched the pouch faster than him and put it in my bag.

“Just some small silver piece I picked up on the street, but it looked expensive so I thought I’d get it appraised.”

Without even looking at his face, I tossed it off as if it really was nothing special.

“But you really pay attention to even such trivial things?”

“I thought it might be a gift from a rival. Never mind if not.”

Ruellian replied.

‘So this woman really did pick that up and keep it?’ For someone who just realized that, his tone was far too calm. But then again, he’s quite the fox.

I looked at the pouch strap peeking out from the gap in my handbag.

‘Whatever. If he’s going to take the bait, he will. If not, he won’t. Either way, I have nothing to lose.’

While casually adjusting my clothes…

I heard a thudding sound.

‘…?’

My mind froze.

Ruellian had naturally sat down next to me.

“…!”

The people who had been glancing this way were also startled.

It was very rare for him to close the distance with others to this extent.

And who was his target? Wasn’t it that finger-pointed villainess?

Gazes poured in from all directions. But when Ruellian glanced around, everyone couldn’t even open their mouths and turned their heads away. They had faces that said they saw nothing.

‘He can shut the mouths of such people, so he’s boldly making his move without worry.’

Still, it was surprising. According to the information I had gathered while organizing my suspect list, this kind of behavior from him might risk crossing a line.

Unlike me, who the preliminary suspects were drawing numbers and waiting for, he was someone the aristocratic ladies drew numbers hoping to get a chance to speak with him even once…

According to doctrine, God’s Representative shouldn’t even cast glances carelessly unless it’s toward a companion or someone who would become a companion.

So this person absolutely cannot engage in light flirting.

‘It seems he’s willing to risk crossing the line to try seducing me once, but what to do? I’m not someone who’ll be swayed by such things.’

I still pretended to know nothing and said.

“You even sit on such benches. You’re unexpectedly down-to-earth?”

“Since this is a private setting, I wanted to sit and talk. Princess, I’ll speak casually from now on. You should speak casually to me too.”

Right next to me. His voice came from above my head.

“I see you’re fretting because you’re short on shopping money, but you don’t need to worry. Because…”

He moved his hand at a dangerously close distance, took out a paper, and thrust it before my eyes.

I had planned to react indifferently to whatever he showed me, but my eyes widened without realizing it.

It was an investment certificate made out to our ‘Black Rose Trading Company.’

“Were you the one who invested in our trading company, Your Highness? Is it allowed for God’s Representative to invest in worldly business?”

“Of course I used a different identity for such affairs. And I told you it’s fine to speak casually.”

“No, I couldn’t. How could I do that? It makes me very uncomfortable.”

I spoke as if I didn’t understand his intentions.

“Oh my, whoever leaked the information really scammed you properly. Our trading company ranks 94th. And we’re currently receiving acquisition inquiries too.”

“You’re being too honest?”

Ruellian chuckled and said.

“But that doesn’t matter anyway. My purpose for investing was the Princess herself. More precisely, this time I can spend talking with the Princess. Honestly, I kept thinking about the Princess since that day. You were the first criminal to slip away from my hands like that.”

“I’m honored to have made such a strong impression. But what should I do? I’ve been failing so badly at business that I’m about to be kicked out of my house, so I can’t really hear what Your Highness is saying. I need to get to work quickly.”

I stood up abruptly.

I might be mistaken, but Ruellian seemed somewhat flustered. This kind of reaction would be a first for him.

He had even personally sat next to me, yet who would dare to stand up first?

His eyes, receiving the light from the garden lamps, turned an even deeper shade. Filled with the persistence that he absolutely couldn’t let this slip away.

He suddenly asked.

“Do you know what the top-secret business the Second Prince is talking about is?”

“I’m not interested in that side of things…”

“I know. Why, didn’t they say Zikren was injured?”

My foot, which was about to move, stopped dead.

Ruellian didn’t miss my reaction. His eyes said he had caught me.

“If the Princess wants to obtain information, I can share it. But there’s a condition.”

“What is it?”

“A date.”

This is getting more and more troublesome.

I looked at him and opened my mouth.

“Ah… I understand.”

“Are you accepting?”

“No. I understand why Your Highness is acting this way. You lost a bet with the Holy Knights, right? ‘The loser has to ask the villainess on a date.’ I’m sorry to say, but I’m not a betting partner.”

I turned around with a huff, pretending to be offended. Perhaps because it was so absurd, Ruellian was speechless for several seconds.

“Was my date invitation that unappealing? My pride is hurt.”

Of all the things he had said today, only that seemed to not be a lie. I could tell from the sharpness that entered his eyes.

Regardless.

I just planned to go my own way.

“The General Assembly will start soon. Well then, I’ll be going.”

Ruellian looked at me with a slightly furrowed brow.

“Fine. It seems you don’t yet realize how significant this business is. In that case, I’ll tell you just one more thing.”

He offered one more piece of information that he would have normally revealed gradually while watching my reaction.

“The identity of the top-secret business is the supply of stabilizers to treat the curse of the Crown Prince brothers.”

“…?”

At first I was puzzled…

Perhaps because it was information related to the Crown Prince, knowledge stored in my mind almost at encyclopedia level came flooding back.

‘The Curse of Balance.’

When too powerful an existence remains on earth, the balance breaks, so strong restrictions are placed on them to prevent this.

Namely, those with manifested dragon bloodline suffer from soul instability.

‘So it’s a stabilizer that prevents that.’

If I connect this with the bait Ruellian had thrown out at the very beginning…

Was Zikren injured because of that?

“There must be some problem with the stabilizer supply? This bag was once out of stock due to supply issues too. So you’re secretly looking for a new trading company head?”

“Accurate.”

To think I’d discover this kind of information just from going to check on a wound. He’s like a spy agent.

So he went that far just to get conversation material that could catch my interest?

Sure enough.

Ruellian made a proposal.

“Based on the information I’ve gathered, I’ll devise a plan to effectively approach the Second Prince and secure the business deal.”

“And in exchange, you want to go on a date?”

“If you don’t like that, we could just sit side by side and talk like this. How about it? Isn’t that a pretty good proposal?”

For this man to have to say such things, it must be humiliating. With that thought, I replied.

“It doesn’t seem bad.”

Though he didn’t show it, a brief flash of triumph seemed to cross Ruellian’s eyes, like a predator who had caught his prey.

“Anyway, Your Highness, we really need to go now. The General Assembly has already started, hasn’t it?”

“Right.”

Ruellian took out a mask that covered his eyes and put it on. Whether it was enchanted with divine magic, his hair and eyes quickly changed to brown.

I led the way back to the Assembly Hall.

Fortunately, we weren’t too late.

“The enthusiasm is really heating up today! Alright! Alright! As you’ve requested, we’ll first arrange a meeting to discuss business opportunities!”

It seemed the commotion that had started around Zikren earlier was still continuing. Everyone would be desperate to participate in the Crown Prince brothers’ top-secret business venture.

Almost all the guild leaders had lined up over there, waiting to hand over their business cards. When I returned to the Event Hall, they nudged each other and exchanged glances.

“She’s here! She’s back!”

“Hurry up! We need to finish before our turn!”

“Don’t get pushed out! Tell them absolutely no cutting in line!”

The advisors from the House of Rosen who had been standing in the Second Prince’s line also grew tense.

They needed to secure this business deal to earn praise from the Duke, and they looked displeased, worried I might ruin everything.

In the atmosphere that was already starting to get heated, I walked steadily toward them.

And then…

“Go to the back of the line! Even if you’re a Princess, absolutely no cutting in line!”

I smoothly passed by those shouting angrily and stood in a different line on the opposite side.

“What?”

The Event Organizer, other participants, and the Duke’s advisors were all dumbfounded. Ruellian, mixed in among the crowd, was the same.

Under everyone’s bewildered gazes, I opened my mouth.

“Investor, I only evaluated your proposal as not seeming bad, but I never said I would accept that proposal. Though it pains me to repeat myself, I have absolutely no interest whatsoever in His Highness the Crown Prince’s confidential contract, and I don’t want to get involved with them anymore.”

I said with my nose held high.

“I just want to make money.”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————