The Villainess is a Millionaire Solver - Chapter 79

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

Chapter 79

 

“Anyway, please understand this. The fact that I would never have entered this sacred space of my own accord….”

 

I emphasized that fact to Duke Carnel once more. He remained silent for a moment before opening his mouth.

 

“I understand. Let’s talk about it later.”

 

Phew.

 

Those words finally put me at ease.

 

Exposing the dark intentions of Eunice, who held a solid position in the Duke’s household, and successfully escaping without facing any backlash while maintaining my position.

 

It seemed I had managed to accomplish this difficult task. I had defeated the most powerful enemy within the Duke’s household.

 

‘I did it.’

 

Breathing a sigh of relief, I looked around.

 

In the spot where Eunice, the main culprit, had been dragged away, Prince Istan was still sitting collapsed, unable to regain his composure.

 

And….

 

‘Oh, right.’

 

My gaze hurriedly turned toward the curtain.

 

“….”

 

It was so quiet that I had momentarily forgotten her presence, but Serene was standing there with her eyes wide open, watching this entire scene unfold.

 

Duke Carnel, who had been glaring at Prince Istan with murderous intent, followed my gaze and discovered Serene.

 

“Ah.”

 

The Duke quickly composed his expression.

 

“Come to think of it…. Miss Serene must have pretended to play around while following my daughter to help her? I was the only fool here.”

 

“Not at all, Duke. The chief aide of the Rosen Duchy is famous for being competent, and even my parents envied that, but who would have known she harbored such ulterior motives?”

 

Serene shook her head as she spoke.

 

“To expose such an unbelievable secret, there was no other way but to catch her red-handed like this. As expected of Lady Aristina.”

 

Starting with what seemed like polite condolences for the family’s major incident, she subtly shifted to praising me.

 

Behind Serene, I could see the illusion of a puppy tail wagging vigorously again, making me smile broadly.

 

“You were amazing too, Serene. You just had to appear from behind the curtain, but you cleverly handed over the ribbon as well. Thanks to that, it was twice as satisfying. I’ll never forget Eunice’s expression at that moment! You really have excellent qualities.”

 

“You flatter me, Lady Aristina!”

 

Serene’s eyes sparkled as she stuck close to my side.

 

Even while his mind was complicated with family matters, Duke Carnel looked at the two of us with an intrigued expression for a moment.

 

How did that troublemaker manage to win over a model student from a prestigious family like Serene?

 

That look was quite obvious.

 

I cleared my throat and straightened up.

 

“Anyway, let’s head out now. The host has been away from her seat for too long. The guests must be wondering what’s going on.”

 

“Right. You’re correct. Let’s go out first.”

 

Duke Carnel immediately took the lead.

 

The waiting Holy Knights opened the door wide.

 

Sure enough, the ball guests were looking up at the central stairs and the now-empty VIP seating, murmuring among themselves.

 

“What’s going on? The first part of the ball seems to be going on forever?”

 

“The ship has arrived, so shouldn’t we start the qualification exam soon?”

 

“Why hasn’t the Duke appeared? Wasn’t he going to look for his daughter? What exactly is happening?”

 

Just as the murmuring was growing louder, a masked attendee spoke up loudly.

 

“You know what? I heard that Lady Aristina and Prince Istan disappeared into the 2nd floor secret room together earlier.”

 

“What did you say?”

 

Another masked attendee shouted.

 

“No wonder! The atmosphere between those two seemed unusual earlier!”

 

“I heard something strange too! The Prince was boasting earlier. He said Lady Aristina was so smitten with him that she would readily take off her heirloom necklace if he asked for it.”

 

“That’s right! When people who heard that laughed and said ‘Oh, come on!’, the Prince said he would prove it somehow!”

 

“What? Then could it be that all this commotion is because of that?”

 

The ballroom became noisy. Everyone stopped dancing and looked upward while chattering.

 

Then.

 

One of the several doors lined up in the corridor burst open. The hall suddenly became as quiet as a mouse.

 

“….”

 

With everyone’s attention focused on him, Duke Carnel walked out with long strides, emanating a cold aura from his entire body.

 

Following behind, the Duke’s Holy Knights supported a figure as they followed. A man with reddish-golden hair hanging low, wearing a jacket with epaulettes draped crookedly over his shoulders. It was Prince Istan.

 

The hall became as noisy as a disturbed beehive.

 

“Look at that! Something really did happen!”

 

“Good heavens! To fall for a man’s tricks and hand over such an important heirloom!”

 

“It’s over now! It’s finished!”

 

But then. From beyond the wide-open door, a black-haired young lady suddenly walked out.

 

Hm?

 

Everyone stopped talking in surprise. She was none other than Lady Serene Hyperion.

 

“What a spectacle I’ve witnessed!”

 

Serene chattered with an innocent face, grabbing the arm of another person following behind and pulling them along.

 

“Hurry up!”

 

Aristina appeared before the wide-eyed crowd.

 

As always, between her brilliantly flowing golden hair, red light reflected the chandelier’s glow and mercilessly pierced people’s eyes.

 

It was the ‘Heart of the Rose’ that everyone had seen earlier.

 

Serene linked arms with Aristina in front of everyone and spoke loudly.

 

“I was really shocked! I had asked Aristina to show me around the villa, and we were briefly touring together when that Prince Istan rudely intruded!”

 

Hm?

 

People became confused.

 

If that was true, then what was that rumor about Aristina entering the secret room alone with Prince Istan?

 

The ruby of the necklace said to be inhabited by spirits was still shining brilliantly as if nothing untoward had happened, wasn’t it?

 

‘It was complete nonsense!’

 

The bewildered people looked at Serene again.

 

“What an shameless scoundrel!”

 

Serene, who had suffered mentally from the recent poisoning attempt and then broke up with the Crown Prince, had barely managed to appear in high society again. That pitiful Serene was trembling with anger.

 

“Lady Aristina was just being kind to that prince because he said he had connections with the family’s employee! But he mistook that for romantic interest!”

 

Serene hid behind Aristina and chattered her criticism.

 

“I tried to reason with him nicely that this wasn’t proper, but he stubbornly insisted on having a private conversation with Lady Aristina! When I became frightened, Lady Aristina finally gave him a blow and knocked him down. I’m going to write an official letter to the King and Queen of Neyplisia about this incident!”

 

People began frowning one by one.

 

“That’s crossing the line. It’s not something that can be excused as a cultural difference.”

 

“Something about his eyes seemed off from the first time I saw him!”

 

“So it wasn’t just me? He’s just a typical playboy, so I wondered why everyone liked him so much!”

 

People’s gazes turned toward Prince Istan.

 

Having heard the sound of people whispering his name, the prince, who had been walking in a dazed state while being supported, suddenly raised his head.

 

“What kind of humiliation is this after coming all the way to the Empire?”

 

Seeing people pointing fingers at him, he was startled.

 

“…No.”

 

A muttering sound was heard, and the next moment he broke free and ran away.

 

“Catch him!”

 

I gathered up my dress and ran.

 

Prince Istan found an escape route like a ghost in this complex ballroom.

 

Through the front windows that had been deliberately left wide open to give a sense of openness, he instantly escaped to the garden.

 

“He’s not a novice at running away.”

 

Duke Carnel said coldly.

 

“But it’s a foolish move. This is the venue for our Rosen Family’s heir qualification exam. The family’s power protects this place. Once you enter the ballroom, no one can leave without my permission.”

 

Ah, so he made it so that no one could go home in the middle and everyone had to watch compulsorily.

 

But can really no one leave?

 

‘Then what about Ruellian who escaped earlier?’

 

Just as I was thinking that.

 

Beyond the knights searching in all directions, a large tree suddenly fell with a loud thud.

 

“Huh?”

 

Everyone was startled and looked in that direction.

 

Through the rustling falling leaves, someone lightly leaped out.

 

A blonde young man holding a brilliantly shining white sword. It was Aldensis.

 

Everyone’s eyes widened in surprise.

 

“Your Highness the Crown Prince?”

 

“I apologize, Duke.”

 

He pointed at the tree and apologized.

 

“I was pursuing someone suspicious.”

 

“Prince Istan, you mean? The one who just caused a commotion at the ball and fled?”

 

“So it was that bastard after all! How cunning of him to even wear a wig to try to fool my eyes! I’ve been watching him from the beginning, but when did he cause such a commotion?”

 

“So Your Highness the Crown Prince was keeping watch? No wonder we couldn’t see you anywhere in the ballroom.”

 

Wait a minute.

 

I was confused.

 

The conversation between Duke Carnel and Aldensis seemed to flow naturally on the surface, but they were actually talking about completely different things.

 

Because the person Aldensis had been pursuing all along was Ruellian.

 

‘Has he been chasing him continuously since we encountered each other earlier? Mistaking Ruellian for Prince Istan? Completely abandoning the ball?’

 

Just then.

 

“What’s going on? What happened?”

 

Zikren appeared with a loud voice. Countess Peres was standing beside him.

 

‘At least Zikren was enjoying the ball properly.’

 

I was thinking that as I looked over…

 

“Prince Istan was rude to Young Lady Aristina, got caught by the Duke’s knights, and then escaped.”

 

The moment someone reported that.

 

“I knew it!”

 

Countess Peres shouted that and suddenly threw off her mask along with her long brown hair.

 

“…?”

 

I was shocked when I saw that young lady’s face.

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