The Villainess is a Millionaire Solver - Chapter 5

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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 5

“Stealing? You’re making quite an accusation. I’m just a poor maid passing by.”

For now, I raised both empty hands high and slowly emerged from behind the tree. While doing so, I observed his appearance more carefully.

A hooded cloak. Worn shirt and leather pants. A longsword and daggers hanging from his belt.

Clearly a mercenary. Judging by how all his equipment was worn and frayed at the edges, he seemed like a hardworking commoner.

‘I’m also a commoner like you.’

I conveyed that with my whole body as I stepped forward.

“Continue your business. I’ll just pass through. I was just heading to that chapel to pray.”

“Ah.”

The mercenary replied indifferently.

“It’s not evening prayer time right now, is it?”

“I deliberately came at a quiet hour. Since I’m in such a pitiful situation right now, I was hoping God would listen to my voice better.”

“Smart thinking. But I came to the chapel first. I’m the one in a pitiful situation who needs a special meeting with God, so you should come back tomorrow.”

“What?”

I was dumbfounded.

“Listen, I don’t have a tomorrow. I’m a woman who lives only for today. That’s exactly who I am. As you can see, I’m such a poor maid…”

“How enviable. I’d love to become a maid too and work indoors without facing wind and rain.”

“Besides, my father is currently weak and ailing.”

“How enviable to have a weak father. I’m an orphan. My parents were murdered.”

“That’s unfortunate, but our house is currently on the verge of ruin. Both my father and I are about to be thrown onto the streets.”

“How truly enviable to have a house that’s about to collapse. I’ve never owned a house in my entire life. People say my face is unlucky and won’t hire me. Yesterday, a homeless person saw me, clicked his tongue, and gave me 10 silver to buy some rough bread.”

“…”

The sob story competition ended in my defeat. If only I could have mentioned that there’s currently a public petition to kill the villainess, and an unidentified murderer is targeting me, I would have turned it around immediately.

“How about it? Nothing to say? Now, go back.”

The mercenary stood before me like an iron wall. I didn’t know why he was acting this way, but it seemed impossible to get through.

“Fine. I’ll leave. I just need to go, right?”

I turned around and trudged away. Then, in the thick darkness, I quietly changed direction and circled back through another path.

My secret technique: ‘Pretending to leave but not actually leaving.’

When I returned with silent footsteps, the mercenary had already gone inside to pray.

As I crept forward, I saw something glinting where he had been standing. I approached and looked closely.

It was a small fragment that had broken off from some silver ornament. I was amazed.

‘No wonder! I wondered why he was so eager to chase me away. He was the thief all along!’

Pure white silver material emitting a brilliant glow. Though it had broken and become metallic trash, it clearly looked expensive.

‘The owner would be grateful if I returned it later. If I survive, that is.’

I tucked it deep into my pocket and walked forward.

The deeper I went into the forest, the more quiet and mystical the atmosphere became.

Massive trees towered high into the night sky. Small firefly-like creatures floated in groups between them.

Wandering through such a forest while wearing an old robe pulled over my head, I felt like Little Red Riding Hood from a fairy tale.

“The Amaranthine Flower Garden is supposed to be in the center of the forest…”

Though the path was winding, I walked straight in one direction.

Beyond the dim trees and strange swarms of fireflies, I finally saw something whitish. A flower garden gently rippling in the wind.

Amaranthine.

These flowers looked somewhat similar to evening primroses. The petals were translucent like ice, turning pure white wherever moonlight touched them.

‘Wow, they were this beautiful…’

My eyes widened without realizing it. No wonder people wanted to pick these flowers. And right now, I had absolutely no need to suppress such impulses.

<Unauthorized picking is sacrilege>.

I passed the garish red sign that ruined the scenery and positioned myself in front of the flower garden. I boldly reached out toward a large flower cluster right in front of me…

‘…?’

Suddenly, I saw someone walking from across the flower garden.

It was that mercenary from before.

Gasp.

Both he and I were startled.

“Oh… Oh my! The flower is about to fall over!”

I frantically pretended to support the flower. But his reaction was nothing but cold.

“I thought I’d circle around this way just in case. As expected, you don’t disappoint.”

The mercenary said bluntly.

“You know what happens if you pick that flower, right? I should report you to the Holy Order immediately and collect the reward.”

This was the worst-case scenario. I urgently shouted.

“Wait!”

“Wait for what? If you were afraid of punishment, you shouldn’t have tried to commit wrongdoing.”

“That’s not it. Don’t report me now—wait a little longer until after I pick the flower, then report me.”

“…?”

The mercenary seemed momentarily bewildered by my unexpected response.

“Are you stupid? If you get caught now, it’s just a misdemeanor and you’ll be released with a warning, but if you get caught after picking the flower, it’s definitely severe punishment.”

“That’s what I want. Severe punishment! I want to incur the Order’s wrath and receive the harshest punishment!”

I couldn’t let this plan fail. There was definitely some hidden manipulation behind Serene’s poisoning incident.

Someone had secretly arranged for it to look like poisoning from the reconciliation drink. That fact needed to be revealed for me to clear my name.

I spoke earnestly with such desperation, but the mercenary seemed to interpret it completely wrong.

“…”

He silently stepped back. His attitude was like looking at some filthy pile of garbage.

“There’s only one type of person who desperately begs for punishment like that. So you’re a pervert? I definitely need to call someone.”

“Fine. Call whoever you want.”

While breaking out in cold sweat inside, I spoke calmly with a poker face.

“But know this. First, I’m not a pervert. Second, you just lost 28 years of your lifespan with those words.”

The mercenary tried to ignore me, but since I spoke so confidently, he seemed a bit concerned.

“What’s that supposed to mean? Why did I lose 28 years?”

Good. He took the bait.

“Listen carefully, mercenary.”

I continued speaking.

“Actually, my purpose for coming here isn’t this flower nonsense. My real target is the leader of the Holy Order, His Excellency Ruellian Lacroix.”

“Hmm?”

The mercenary’s dark eyes under his hood gleamed strangely. I seemed to have succeeded in piquing his curiosity.

“Why? Don’t tell me you’re planning an assassination?”

“What nonsense.”

I shook my head.

“Don’t say such unlucky things. That person absolutely must live long. At least until he judges me, he must stay alive.”

“A trial, you mean…?”

“That’s right. A Sacred Tribunal.”

At my words, the mercenary seemed to flinch slightly.

“Listen, Young Lady. Do you know what you’re saying right now?”

“I know very well.”

“It doesn’t seem like you do at all.”

He spoke mockingly.

“Haven’t you heard what people say? Receiving a Sacred Tribunal from His Excellency is suicide. He’s antisocial, arrogant, stubborn, and merciless.”

“That’s true, but… put differently, doesn’t that mean he’s not intimidated by absolute power, can’t be bought with money, and has clear convictions?”

I shared my unique character interpretation with the mercenary, different from others.

“Unlike nobles who only cower and grovel, he speaks his mind even before the Emperor, right? I heard he’s helped people with grievances several times by uncovering the truth regardless of cases involving the Imperial family. I also have such a grievance…”

I sighed softly.

“That’s why I really want to meet him. But the problem is, it’s very difficult for a poor maid like me to meet such a high-ranking person.”

“So you’re deliberately going to pick flowers and get arrested?”

“Exactly! Once I meet him, I guarantee he’ll be interested in my story. It’s practically a story that the entire nation would find fascinating. So you need to use your calculator wisely.”

I looked straight at the Mercenary.

“How much does the Order give for bounties anyway?”

“One million pe.”

He answered immediately.

Various item prices floated through my mind. It seemed like roughly equivalent to about one million won. Of course, it wasn’t a small amount of money, but…

“Don’t sell me out for that money—invest in me instead.”

The Mercenary questioned my words.

“Invest?”

“If I get caught now, my plan fails and I’ll probably just die. That’s the end of it. But what if it goes to trial? That’s a jackpot. You make a bombshell announcement then. Say you witnessed that woman right before she committed that insane act at the Sanctuary. What do you think will happen?”

I kindly explained.

“Obviously reporters will swarm like bees. Think about it. If you sell your eyewitness account to them for big money, wouldn’t that be much more profitable? If you just let it slide now, you’ll be rewarded with a jackpot later.”

“So you want me to pretend I didn’t see anything?”

“Exactly! If you make money that way to get a house, treat your injuries, and eat proper meals? Your lifespan will increase by 28 years. From what I can see, you have a healthy body and good fortune in your later years, so you’d live to 92, but now you’d reach 120. Now do you understand what I’m saying?”

“…”

The Mercenary’s bandage-covered face made that dumbfounded expression again… then he let out a light chuckle. As if he found it absurd himself, he muttered.

“Well I’ll be. I can’t remember the last time I laughed like this. It’s been a very long time since anyone made me laugh.”

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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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