The Villainess is a Millionaire Solver - Chapter 29

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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 29

“…What?”

I asked back in surprise, my voice loud.

I was just earnestly devising survival strategies as always.

Seeing me lost in thought with my head deeply bowed for quite a while, Duke Carnel seemed to have misunderstood.

I said urgently.

“Oh, no! Why would I be hurt? I didn’t take that scolding to heart at all. If you saw that newspaper article without knowing anything, it’s only natural you’d misunderstand! I wasn’t hurt at all!”

Generous tolerance. And empathy for the other person’s position. Isn’t this max level social skills? I praised myself.

But Duke Carnel stared at me intently and quietly frowned. He looked somewhat uncomfortable.

Wait. Did it sound like I was being sarcastic?

“I wasn’t being sarcastic. I really think that way.”

At my hastily added explanation, the Duke’s face became even more distorted.

“Enough. Rest.”

He abruptly stood up and left.

Yes. Please do leave.

“Haaa…”

Left alone, I couldn’t help but sigh.

Dealing with a sickly man is too difficult.

But I have to understand. When your body hurts, wouldn’t any words sound annoying?

‘Let’s try harder.’

I picked up the contract from the desk and stood up. Then I came out, patting my stiff shoulders, when…

I saw the back of someone standing blankly in the corridor.

It was Duke Carnel.

My feet stopped abruptly.

‘Didn’t he leave earlier?’

He had left, but it seemed he’d stopped after walking a few steps and was looking out the window.

There was nothing outside.

Only moonlight was pouring down on the empty garden.

“…”

Perhaps noticing my hesitant presence behind him, the Duke turned around. In my confusion, I blurted out.

“Um, they’re having some kind of commemoration ceremony at the Imperial Palace tomorrow. Would you like to come too, Father?”

“…”

An awkward silence flowed.

No, I didn’t mean anything else by it…

Please take a walk.

I’d be so happy if Duke Carnel would walk even 3,000 steps a day.

How wonderful it would be if his condition could rise from ‘worst’ to just ‘bad’.

Then I could worry a little less about stepping on landmines while talking with the Duke.

That was my intention in asking… But as expected, the reaction wasn’t good.

Duke Carnel looked at me with a cold face. Soon his lips parted, and blunt words came out.

“I won’t…”

“Yes, I’m sorry! I was presumptuous! Please forget I said anything…”

“I was already planning to go anyway.”

What?

I doubted my ears. While I stood bewildered, the Duke passed through the shadows of the windows cast in the corridor and disappeared into the darkness.

‘How strange. He definitely looked like he was going to refuse coldly.’

Perhaps because the tension was released by his unexpected acceptance. My already tired body felt as heavy as a blanket soaked in water.

I couldn’t endure any longer and sluggishly went upstairs.

“Young Lady, have you returned?”

“You’ve returned!”

The maids who had been waiting alertly since the carriage arrived moved hurriedly.

It was like the waiting room of a bad-tempered star actor returning from filming.

Taking the bag, fanning, preparing tea to wet the throat, bringing fluffy rabbit fur slippers…

Worried they might throw another tantrum if their movements were slow, it was complete chaos.

“Whatever. I’m going to lie down first.”

I just went straight through the maids and threw myself on the bed. The soft bedding swayed and caught me.

‘I need to think about this now.’

Even after lying face down on the bed, the afterimage of what had just happened in the corridor downstairs still wouldn’t leave my mind.

‘He said he was already planning to go anyway. It’s surprising he readily agreed, but why give such a long answer? That’s not like Duke Carnel.’

Is he trying to change even a little?

“Did you perhaps… get hurt by what just happened?”

This too.

If I interpret it in the best possible way, doesn’t it ultimately mean ‘I’m concerned that I might have hurt you’?

Of course, considering the Duke’s cold face at that time, it could also be ‘Oh? You dare to be hurt?’

Either way, the very fact that he bothered to voice such words is surprising.

Compared to the first day when he emanated killing intent as soon as he saw me, the situation seemed to have improved very slightly.

At least he seemed to have decided to refrain from showing contempt and disgust.

‘But I absolutely must not let my guard down.’

I rolled over.

I could see the maids gathered together whispering.

“Shouldn’t we remove her hairpins? If they get caught on something, there’ll be trouble!”

“I don’t know! She lay down so suddenly that I missed the timing to ask!”

“You go ask her!”

“No! You go ask her!”

It’s like putting a bell on a cat’s neck.

The maids who had been passing the buck to each other finally discovered. The fact that I had already turned over and was watching them.

“Gasp!”

Someone bit their tongue. I pretended not to notice and sat up drowsily.

“Could you remove the pins?”

“Yes, Young Lady!”

The maids quickly ran over to remove the pins from my hair, and while they were at it, they also removed my accessories and tactfully changed me into indoor clothes. Keeping their mouths shut and even holding their breath.

‘Could these girls change too?’

Even when I said I’d live kindly from now on, they didn’t believe me and were even more terrified, so I just left them alone for now…

‘Maybe I could somehow work on this side too?’

That thought occurred to me.

“Young Lady, the bath water will be ready soon. It’ll be ready very quickly.”

“Really? That’s very good.”

“We’re sorry! Please forgive us!”

Having our usual mismatched conversation, I entrusted my hair to the maids.

Hands as precise as a surgeon’s.

The hair-styling maids here were at a level that would make first-class hair designers cry, and the maids who served tea and desserts rivaled 7-star hotel staff.

The styling staff were also, of course, well-versed in current fashion trends and various color and item combinations. Working as maids for a bad-tempered villainess meant every day was special training itself.

Those who would run away had already run away long ago, and only those who would endure just for the salary Duke Carnel provided remained.

‘Right. I should find out their stories.’

After reaching that conclusion, I leaned back comfortably in the chair. Perhaps because someone else was brushing my hair, drowsiness began to pour over me.

‘This amazing day ends with this too.’

I closed my eyes.

Until then, I thought there wouldn’t be anything as surprising as Duke Carnel readily accepting my proposal for a while.

But I was wrong. Something surprising happened again right away.

The next afternoon.

Carnel and I went to the Imperial Palace to attend the Imperial Business Partner Selection Ceremony.

The venue was the outdoor event venue in front of the Main Palace. Nobles from high society had already gathered there in droves, chattering loudly.

“So the business that the Crown Prince and Second Prince were secretly searching for contractors for was this?”

“That’s what they say. Quite unexpected, isn’t it?”

“Indeed. Turns out those two were just decoys, and it was actually the Queen Aunt who was in charge of selecting the business partners.”

“I should have applied too!”

“Who couldn’t say that now?”

Everyone was looking up at the banner and chattering excitedly.

【Imperial Partnership Department Store Business】.

It seemed to be such a hot topic that I almost regretted making it up as a lie.

When the Rosen Duchy’s carriage arrived at the scene, everyone’s attention poured down like arrows.

“You’ve finally arrived!”

The Great Spirit, disguised as a trading ship owner, approached with a beaming smile.

“Carnel! How long has it been? It feels like yesterday when we last met!”

Ah. So they knew each other.

“It’s been a while.”

Duke Carnel exchanged warm greetings with the Great Spirit.

“I heard the gist of this morning’s story. Who would have thought this business the Imperial Palace was recruiting for would be related to the World Tree.”

“That’s how it turned out.”

This matter was so top secret that even the Duke didn’t know everything.

A medicinal herb business for transcendents disguised as a department store business. He only knew that much.

“It would be nice if we could find herbs for people like you too. Are you still feeling so sickly?”

“I’m always like that. You look very healthy, Great Spirit.”

“Actually, I couldn’t sleep last night. But when I was taking a morning walk and discovered this, my mood suddenly soared!”

The Great Spirit pulled out a crumpled paper from his vest and showed it. It was a piece torn from a newspaper.

【Internal division over large donation… Elven Faith decides to disband】.

My eyes widened.

The Elven Faith disbanded?

Wow, this turned into such a happy ending too?

They said it was such a headache because there were no regulations to punish them. In the end, I solved a social problem with 100 million.

‘Are you watching, people?’

I straightened my neck and looked around.

The Great Spirit and Duke Carnel had already moved on to another topic and were whispering to each other. It seemed I would have to wait longer.

‘Let’s see. How about over there.’

Beyond the people who were glancing at me and murmuring, I could see the ceremony venue.

Zikren was standing there.

Even on a day like today, he stubbornly wore clothes that revealed his upper body.

“It’s really surprising that a 94th-ranked F-class guild won the Imperial Partnership Department Store business, isn’t it?”

“Considering who the selected business partner is, there seems to have been no favoritism at all… If anything, they would have given penalty points.”

“What kind of circumstances were there?”

Among the people bombarding him with such questions, Zikren had a deadpan expression as if to say ‘it just happened that way.’

“I’ll go to the event venue first.”

After saying that to the Great Spirit and the Duke, I stepped forward.

But then, something white appeared at the edge of my vision and stopped in front of me.

It was a hand wearing white gloves.

“…?”

The moment I looked up at the owner of that hand, extended properly as if to escort me.

I was startled beyond belief.

A handsome blonde man in pure white formal wear was standing there. His blue eyes quietly directed toward me.

‘…Aldensis?’

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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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