The Villainess is a Millionaire Solver - Chapter 76

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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 76

 

Countess Peres had prepared a mask and entered wearing it.

 

Her long, curly, voluminous brown hair covered almost her entire face, making her look lovely and cute.

 

With her head slightly bowed and her quiet demeanor, she seemed to have a shy and gentle personality.

 

“Come, this way.”

 

Zikren immediately escorted her to the opposite corner. People’s eyes widened at this sight.

 

“Your Highness the Second Prince?”

 

“My goodness! What’s this about?”

 

Regardless of what people were chattering about around them, Zikren paid no attention and engaged in intimate conversation with Countess Peres.

 

“Hahaha! There are already people enjoying this ball!”

 

The Head Butler’s cheerful voice rang out.

 

“Now, everyone! As you all know, the merchant ship ‘Habarion,’ left by the founding lord of House Rosen, will soon arrive at that lakeside. Then Young Lady Aristina’s successor qualification test will begin. Until then, you may enjoy this special ball prepared by House Rosen!”

 

The resounding orchestral music followed. To my ears, it sounded like the bang of a starting signal for a race.

 

Now, let’s make this quick!

 

“Young Lady.”

 

“Young Lady Aristina.”

 

People called out to me from here and there, trying to offer ceremonial greetings.

 

To avoid such annoyances, I first picked up a mask and put it on my face, then looked around for Prince Istan.

 

In the distance, I saw a masked face looking around like me in front of a column.

 

There he is!

 

As I pushed through the crowd toward him, someone suddenly blocked my path. It was another masked face.

 

‘Hmm? Was this the prince?’

 

I looked, but it wasn’t. He had black hair and different clothing.

 

“Who are you?”

 

Just then.

 

“Young Lady Aristina!”

 

People who recognized me approached. The masked man quickly extended his hand toward me.

 

“Would you dance with me?”

 

Within his impeccably polite manner, I glimpsed a certain earnestness. He didn’t seem harmful.

 

‘What’s this?’

 

When I extended my hand, he hesitated slightly before firmly grasping it. From the sensation felt through the gloves, I somehow felt an intense sense of déjà vu. I had definitely been held by these large hands in this way before.

 

The memory came flooding back.

 

‘That exhibition hall back then!’

 

When I had suddenly appeared in the middle of the magic circle activated by the curse.

 

The moment when Ruellian, who knew nothing, tried to protect me by wrapping me in his cloak.

 

These were definitely those hands from that time.

 

‘Huh?’

 

I was startled. I lowered my voice and asked the masked man who was pulling my hand along.

 

“What are you doing here?”

 

“Hmph.”

 

Ruellian replied curtly.

 

“You drew such a confident line saying the prince wasn’t your type, but haven’t you actually been charmed? I did well to come here despite the risk.”

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

“I came to tell you something important, but you were rushing toward the prince with your eyes shining too brightly. You looked far too happy. Anyone could see you looked like you were in love.”

 

“Of course I’m excited and happy since it’s hunting time! Pretending to be smitten is naturally an act.”

 

“It didn’t look like acting to me.”

 

People around us were staring. We must look strange.

 

“Excuse me for a moment.”

 

Ruellian pulled my hand in time with the dance music. His tone was polite, but somehow his grip seemed stronger than before.

 

“Just go along with it for now. Even if you don’t like it, we need to talk.”

 

Well, it’s not that I dislike it…

 

As the memory surfaced, my body naturally spun around. The hem of my dress spread wide like flower petals, scattering sparkling light.

 

Dancing a familiar dance after so long, I could feel my body rejoicing. It was happy to have a good partner.

 

Before I got too absorbed, I quickly asked.

 

“What’s this important fact you want to tell me?”

 

“I’ll only say this once, so listen carefully.”

 

Ruellian naturally drew my shoulder close in time with the music and spoke quickly near my ear.

 

“I’ve been continuing to track Eunice’s side since that day. But it seems they’ve prepared something additional to further provoke the Duke’s anger.”

 

My body spun around again, moving away and then close again.

 

“What is it?”

 

“I don’t know that much. Anyway, don’t let your guard down just because you have the real arrowhead, and be careful until the very end.”

 

Just then, someone called me from behind.

 

“Young Lady!”

 

It was Aldensis’s voice. Our dance came to an abrupt halt.

 

“Remember what I said.”

 

Ruellian squeezed my hand once as if telling me to stay alert, then let go.

 

“Well then, it was delightful.”

 

Glancing gently at his partner’s face, even acting as if regretting the single dance.

 

He displayed the perfect manners of a ball partner that anyone would admire, then disappeared like the wind among the people.

 

“…”

 

I looked down at my empty hands.

 

‘Come to think of it…’

 

It had all happened so quickly like a storm that I hadn’t thought about it, but reflecting on it, it was somewhat strange.

 

For someone like Ruellian to dance at a social event was impossible.

 

As the Holy Knights’ commander, he might perform sword dances. But holding hands with a partner and making physical contact while dancing ballroom dances like this would be absolutely unacceptable to him.

 

‘Is this really okay?’

 

I wondered how urgent it must have been for him to do that.

 

Come to think of it, that was my first experience with ballroom dancing too, wasn’t it?

 

While I was lost in such scattered thoughts.

 

“Young Lady!”

 

Aldensis, who had finally succeeded in pushing through the crowd, strode up beside me.

 

He looked slightly frowning at the spot where Ruellian had disappeared.

 

“Who was that?”

 

“Well? I don’t know who it was either.”

 

Only after answering did I finally realize.

 

Everyone was looking in our direction.

 

It was natural for Aristina to dance well. And although Ruellian had lived a life disconnected from balls, as the heir to a ducal house, he had learned enough to do more than the basics.

 

So that brief dance must have drawn more attention than necessary. Aldensis had naturally watched everything from beginning to end too.

 

Excessive attention before a major event was troublesome.

 

I hastily changed the atmosphere.

 

“Your Highness, are the young ladies bothering you too much? Should I let my hair down and run wild to chase them away?”

 

I spoke arrogantly and turned around, but Aldensis wasn’t there.

 

Where did he go… He was quickly following in the direction where Ruellian had disappeared.

 

‘Don’t tell me he caught some suspicious scent? Like sensing the presence of the curse he cast?’

 

It seemed I needed to hurry even more.

 

“Young Lady.”

 

While declining all the people trying to offer ceremonial greetings to the ball’s host, I searched for Serene with my eyes.

 

I could see Zikren still deeply absorbed in whispered conversation with Countess Peres.

 

And beyond that…

 

‘There she is.’

 

I was able to find her quickly.

 

Serene had been watching this way with eagle eyes.

 

When I gestured, she immediately put on a mask and followed, shaking off people.

 

We weaved through the crowd like that, and finally arrived at the column I had spotted earlier. A masked man who had been looking around nearby immediately approached me.

 

“Young Lady?”

 

“Your Highness!”

 

“I knew it was you. I’ve been looking for you for quite a while.”

 

“People kept holding me up. Come, let’s quickly go to the balcony before Father notices. I want to be alone with you.”

 

“Alright. Just follow me.”

 

There were already quite a few men and women heading to the balcony for intimate conversations.

 

Prince Istan naturally blended in with them and went up to the 2nd floor.

 

Following behind him, I thought about what Ruellian had said.

 

What exactly had Eunice prepared additionally to further provoke Duke Carnel’s anger?

 

No matter how thoroughly I examined Prince Istan’s appearance, there was nothing particularly noticeable compared to last time.

 

“This way.”

 

The prince walked through the quiet space on the 2nd floor and opened a door. It was a small study. But when the prince moved aside a landscape painting hanging on the wall, something like a large clockwork handle appeared.

 

I asked in confusion.

 

“What is this?”

 

“I discovered it by chance while wandering around.”

 

The prince smiled and turned the device. With a small sound, the wall split and began moving to both sides.

 

“There’s a secret garden here. A garden arranged on a balcony.”

 

Hmm?

 

According to my knowledge, it wasn’t particularly surprising for noble residences to have secret gardens. Rather, it was considered essential architectural refinement.

 

But since I had already raised my guard to the maximum after hearing Ruellian’s words, the prince’s words didn’t sound ordinary.

 

‘Could there be some conspiracy here?’

 

My gaze turned to the frame the prince had just moved aside.

 

It was just an ordinary painting of a starry night sky.

 

But…

 

There was a signature at the bottom of the painting.

 

-Annerieze.

 

The moment I recognized that name, my heart sank.

 

‘No!’

 

Warning bells flashed first, followed by the memory of that name’s owner.

 

Annerieze Rosen, Duchess.

 

Duke Carnel’s deceased former wife and Aristina’s mother.

 

This secret garden must be a space deeply related to that Duchess Annerieze Rosen. That’s why Eunice had set this place as the stage. As if it were Aristina’s idea.

 

‘This is insane. She’s planning to make me a complete unfilial daughter?’

 

Duke Carnel loved his deceased former wife so much that he never looked at another woman his entire life.

 

But…

 

Just because I wanted to secretly meet someone Father opposed, I would bring a man into Mother’s secret space?

 

I couldn’t even imagine how furious the Duke would be.

 

I had worked so hard to make him just a little softer, and now I would destroy it with my own hands.

 

‘The Duke aside, this really isn’t right. It’s insulting the deceased. I absolutely cannot set foot in that secret garden.’

 

It would be very simple to create an atmosphere on the balcony and then secretly make the prince my captive using the arrowhead. But given this situation, I needed to change plans.

 

There might be some commotion, but fortunately I had a very good means to quietly subdue someone.

 

‘I never thought I’d use this in such a way.’

 

I fingered the fan I had placed deep in my pocket.

 

The prince was chattering away, oblivious to everything.

 

“There must surely be a very beautiful garden hidden there. It would be the perfect place to confess my true feelings to you.”

 

Finally, the door opened wide.

 

“Come, follow me.”

 

The prince flashed a seductive smile at me and stepped inside first.

 

At that moment.

 

I pulled out the fan.

 

‘Fire!’

 

With the activation word, a transparent magic bullet flew from the fan’s handle. It hit the prince’s head directly.

 

Thunk!

 

With a crisp impact sound, the prince’s body collapsed to the floor. He seemed to have lost consciousness momentarily.

 

I was satisfied.

 

‘Indeed. Everything you prepare finds its use.’

 

There was no time, so I had to hurry. First, I quickly turned the clockwork device in reverse.

 

It was so stiff and heavy that I had to grit my teeth and use all my strength to barely move it.

 

The door began closing again.

 

As I approached the prince collapsed on the floor, I suddenly heard footsteps from the quiet corridor outside.

 

I said loudly.

 

“Oh my, you’ve had too much to drink!”

 

“It’s me.”

 

A small voice was heard. It was Serene.

 

“It’s fine. There’s no one here.”

 

“Ah…”

 

I quickly opened the door and let Serene in. Seeing Prince Istan collapsed on the floor, Serene was startled.

 

“What?”

 

“The plan changed a bit.”

 

I spoke quickly.

 

“But it’s nothing major. We just need to proceed as planned.”

 

“Understood.”

 

We looked around the study.

 

We saw magnificent curtains that reached the floor. Hidden behind them, only a silhouette would be visible, making it difficult to distinguish whether it was a man or woman.

 

“That spot looks good.”

 

“Yes!”

 

Serene quickly went there and hid.

 

Then.

 

“Mmm…”

 

Prince Istan began stirring. I approached him, gripping the heart-shaped arrowhead in my pocket.

 

“Your Highness…!”

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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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