The Villainess is a Millionaire Solver - Chapter 61

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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 61

It was a portrait of Duke Carnel and his wife.

It seemed to have been painted early in their marriage. The duchess was sitting in a chair, and the duke was standing with his arm resting on the back of the chair as if embracing it.

The duke’s face turned toward this direction had a gentle smile. It was the first time I’d seen such an expression.

And the duchess’s face was…

I couldn’t see it.

Someone had completely cut out the face from the portrait. So that part was just completely hollowed out.

It was an incredibly grotesque sight.

‘What kind of thing is this.’

I flipped over the remaining picture in my hand.

It was…

A portrait of Eunice sitting in a chair. The same pose as the duchess. The same size. The same position.

‘No way…’

When I overlapped the two portraits, they fit together perfectly.

Eunice’s face filled the space where the duchess’s face had been cut out. As if the duke and Eunice had posed together for a couple’s portrait.

‘Good heavens.’

Goosebumps rose on both my arms.

‘She deliberately commissioned her own portrait separately to do this.’

That wasn’t all. There was some paper sticking out from a book on the desk, so when I unfolded it, that was also quite a sight.

Eunice Rosen, Duchess.

There were clear traces of practicing that signature over and over again.

‘Wow…’

The back of my head throbbed. All the things I’d felt were off and strangely unsettling were solidifying into reality at this moment.

Oh my goodness. While the foolish daughter was running around causing trouble, she planned to kick out the daughter and firmly claim the duchess position in this house. There was a daylight robber in the family and I didn’t know it.

Looking at the usual appearance of the proper and polite elite head aide, who would have imagined such inner thoughts.

‘Ha, really.’

I let out an exasperated breath and put the paper back.

‘So what’s this book then?’

When I flipped it over to see the cover, there was a grand rose pattern with the title “Code of Conduct” prominently displayed.

Isn’t this the Rosen Duchy’s code of conduct? Why is she reading it when she’s not even family?

That paper from earlier seemed to be serving as a bookmark, so I was reading through that page…

“Young Lady! Young Lady!”

Perdel whispered through the door crack.

I quickly checked the page number.

‘Pages 12-13’.

I memorized that well and put the code of conduct back in its place. After closing and locking the desk lid, I gathered up the mail again and slipped outside.

“…No, I definitely dropped my silk stockings here. I must find them. They belong to Young Lady…”

Hanna, holding a laundry basket, was blocking the butler’s path and making a fuss.

In the meantime, I entered the aide’s office across the corridor. There I casually put the letters into the mailbox…

‘That went very well.’

I gave the maids a thumbs up and safely returned to my room. I’m starting to get used to this kind of thing.

“Please give me the clothes.”

“Please sit down. I’ll clean it off completely.”

While taking off the maid outfit and removing the makeup from my face and dye from my hair, I organized the facts I’d just discovered.

‘So, she’s setting up the stage for me to get heir qualification certification…’

Since she can’t do anything about the pregnancy, she plans to make me violate a very fatal family rule related to heir qualification. So she can get rid of me completely.

I couldn’t figure out more than that.

But Ruellian said he was also working hard to find out.

‘Let me finally benefit from a group project for the first time in my life.’

It’s nice to have someone reliable to count on.

The problem is communication. To receive Ruellian’s contact without Eunice knowing, it would be safer to be outside. It would be easier to contact me if I’m visible.

‘So it’s back to the social scene again.’

After a few days, I visited the Imperial Palace again.

Princess Aristina appeared arrogantly, her blonde hair swaying and dress fluttering.

People nudged each other when they saw her.

“Look over there. Who’s that supposed to be?”

“Didn’t she say she was going into hiding for a while?”

It was a bit awkward to overturn my dramatic disappearance declaration after just a few days and appear again.

Why doesn’t this world have cell phones? Do you really have to come outside like this to meet people?

‘Hmph. Stop staring.’

Still, it was worth coming outside. As I leaned against the palace corridor window with the feeling of shunning the entire world by myself, fluttering my fan, someone approached me.

“Young Lady, how do you do?”

I turned around. A boy in apprentice holy knight attire with the sun and cross emblem on his chest was standing there.

“What is it?”

“I came to return this to you. When you visited the Order last time to request purification of a holy relic, you seem to have dropped one of your belongings.”

The item the boy politely offered was my pouch.

The very item Ruellian had slyly taken from my bag during the Guild Leaders’ Assembly. Evidence that he had betrayed me.

‘He’s going through the trouble of returning this like this.’

I smiled bitterly inwardly and took the pouch.

“Thank you.”

When I held it, something rustled inside. There seemed to be paper inside. I went to a quiet corner of the Imperial Palace Garden where no one was around and took it out to unfold it.

Found out.

Be careful of the man.

That’s all that was written on the note.

“…?”

What’s this supposed to mean? I’m already being careful of men, aren’t I? And if we’re talking about that, you’re also a man I should be careful of.

‘How can you send just this?’

Just as I was frowning while holding the note.

Thud!

With that sound, someone landed with a thump right in front of me. In a leopard-like pose with both hands on the ground.

“…!”

I was so startled that I aimed my fan at him…

“Hello, Aristina.”

The other person greeted me cheerfully.

Red hair. Golden eyes. Slightly tanned skin. A prince with broad shoulders wearing a top that barely covered his chest, with gold bracelets dangling from his wrists.

It was Zikren.

I remember telling him not to appear like that?

“Can’t you please just walk around normally?”

“I was walking around normally. In the trees.”

Zikren replied confidently.

“Then I saw you so I came right down. You said you wouldn’t go near the social scene for a while. How come you appeared again so soon?”

“Ah…”

I shrugged slightly.

“It was more boring than I thought. Everything was tedious.”

“Really?”

Zikren sauntered closer to me and casually said.

“Is that something interesting?”

“That?”

“That note. What note were you reading so preciously?”

“Oh.”

I folded the note sharply and shoved it into my pocket.

“It’s nothing special.”

The pupils in Zikren’s golden eyes narrowed vertically.

‘I guess he wants to see this note?’

Did he sense something suspicious? But not a chance. I don’t know what would happen to me if this got discovered.

No matter how curious he is, a prince can’t openly search through a lady’s pockets, right?

“….”

Just as we were engaged in an intense battle of wits.

“Your Highness!”

An official came running over, calling out loudly to Zikren.

“There you are! I’ve been looking everywhere for you!”

“I’m currently having a conversation with the Young Lady.”

“But there’s something you absolutely must know.”

The official leaned close to Zikren’s ear and secretly made some kind of report.

Taking advantage of that moment, I tore up the note in my pocket into pieces. So thoroughly that even the most expert document restoration specialist wouldn’t be able to piece it back together. Then I looked back at Zikren again….

His expression had changed.

“What? Who’s coming?”

Who’s coming? Where? To the Imperial Palace?

Judging by Zikren’s reaction, it must be some important figure. I suddenly became interested.

“Is it by any chance a man?”

“Pardon?”

The official was flustered by my question. Zikren also looked at me with a “huh?” expression. I spoke again.

“I’m just curious. Whether that person is a man.”

The official became even more flustered.

“Excuse me, Young Lady. But is that really so important to you?”

Of course it is. Ruellian just warned me to be careful of men.

“It’s extremely important.”

“….”

Zikren, who had been listening from the side, had a strangely changed expression.

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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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