The Villainess is a Millionaire Solver - Chapter 85

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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 85

The face of the Duchess in the portrait was all too familiar. It felt like I’d been hit hard on the head.

‘…Isn’t that my mother?’

In my memories of being found as a lost child on the streets and living from orphanage to orphanage, there was a faint image of my mother’s face.

Looking at the Duchess’s face, I felt a sense of déjà vu as if I was seeing that very mother’s face.

Her features, the atmosphere she gave off—everything was so similar. It was impossible, but it really was.

‘How can this be?’

When I came to my senses from the cold feeling, tears were streaming down my cheeks.

Against my will, as if someone had turned on a faucet.

“…?”

Carnel Rosen glanced at me casually, then was shocked enough for his complexion to change.

“What a miraculous sight. To think you’d actually feel sad looking at mother’s portrait. I’m not seeing things, am I?”

He walked over and offered me a handkerchief. Then he stood beside me and gazed at the portrait for a moment.

“I’ve wanted to ask this for a while… You didn’t happen to develop a twisted personality from the ridiculous thought that ‘if I hadn’t been born, mother wouldn’t have died,’ did you?”

“I don’t think that’s it.”

“Yes, right. I asked just in case, but as expected it wasn’t that. You just had that kind of personality from the start.”

The Duke said that and closed his mouth.

Silence flowed again.

Perhaps because the Duchess felt strangely similar to my mother, the fear I had felt before seeing the portrait disappeared completely.

Rather, it seemed like the Duchess was smiling warmly at me.

After looking a bit longer, I left that place with Carnel Rosen.

Though there had been difficult times, it felt like someone had warmly patted and comforted me to bring closure.

After finishing up and lying in bed, I could see the night sky dotted with stars. As I gazed at it, something suddenly came to mind.

「In the past, we did not acknowledge you. But now we do. So don’t worry and step forward. You’ve worked hard, descendant.」

The souls of the Duke’s Family ancestors had said those words to me before the trial.

‘Of course I thought they had made some mistake…’

Could those words have actually been meant for me?

If so, what did they mean?

Looking at the night sky where stars twinkled like in the painting the Duchess had drawn, I fell into absent-minded thought.

* * *

Eunice, who had been hovering between life and death from poisoning, ultimately passed away without regaining consciousness.

Prince Istan was forcibly repatriated to his home country and faced long, hellish trials.

The employees who had cooperated with Eunice in keeping me in check were punished according to work regulations.

Some narrowly escaped punishment, but in any case, they were all driven out and could never set foot in the same industry again.

Thus, the Ducal Mansion became a clean zone for now.

I sat at my desk and said,

“Now that we’ve cleared out all the stinking things, the air seems clearer.”

“Yes, Young Lady.”

Perdel came over with a pile of mail, grinning broadly.

“The air probably did become fresher. It’s autumn now. There will be festivals, and I’m so looking forward to assisting you, Young Lady.”

On Perdel’s chest as she spoke, a ‘Mail Aide’ nameplate glinted.

I had kept my word to the Maids. Rather than being maids employed by the Ducal Mansion, I rehired them all as my personal aides and renegotiated their salaries.

Perdel seemed very proud of this fact. I could tell because every day she pondered the best position for her nameplate and kept changing where she wore it.

‘They’re all so cute.’

Thinking fondly to myself, I picked up the letter on top. Then I paused.

‘This is…?’

On an envelope with some charity organization’s name written on it, there was a seal in the shape of a two-headed snake.

‘The Two-Faced Serpentes.’

The symbol of the Secret Intelligence Guild.

When I opened the envelope, there was only a single picture inside.

It was a drawing of scales. One plate was tilted all the way to the bottom, while the other was still slightly raised.

‘They want to finish the deal?’

My gaze naturally turned to one corner.

In a cage, a crow with a metal ring around its ankle was flapping its wings.

“Oh my! Please give that to me! I’ll carry it!”

The Old Man from Belmare Port Town was startled and took the cage from my hands. Then he brought a blanket and covered it. The creature that had been flapping frantically became quiet as if by magic.

I was impressed.

“Oh, I should have done that from the start.”

“Haha. I’ll carry it for you.”

He could have asked why I brought a crow, but the Old Man just smiled and headed toward the Chapel.

As always, he inserted the key, opened the Secret Room, and we took the elevator down…

There was no one at the desk placed in front of the Stained Glass.

The Old Man was surprised.

“Oh? You came early in the morning.”

“He must have stepped out for a moment.”

“I suppose so.”

The Old Man carefully set down the cage on the desk and bowed his head.

“I can’t stay here long, so I’ll take my leave now. I’m sorry, but please ask for the Young Lady’s understanding.”

“Ah, alright.”

The Old Man immediately went outside. I was left alone.

“…”

The silence felt awkward.

‘To think I’d be alone in this place.’

My gaze moved past the desk to the Stained Glass in front.

Actually, I was very curious about that thing.

But I couldn’t openly snoop around just because the Owner wasn’t here, right?

I should take a subtle peek.

So that it wouldn’t be embarrassing if Ruellian suddenly came in, I sat properly and observed here and there, moving only my eyes.

But…

While I was diligently doing eye exercises, I suddenly saw mysterious aurora-colored haze shimmering before my eyes.

‘Hm? What’s that?’

Looking carefully, there wasn’t just one or two. Haze was rising from all directions and seeping into the Stained Glass.

‘Where is it coming from?’

I soon found out. The haze was coming from boxes placed in the corners.

What? They just looked like boxes with miscellaneous items carelessly thrown in? While thinking that and looking closely, I was startled.

‘This can’t be…’

Those weren’t miscellaneous items. Silver crosses, jeweled daggers, golden carved lilies. They were all extraordinary treasures.

‘Why are these expensive things stored like garbage!’

Seeing the golden lily reminded me of something.

Phantom Thief Infiltration at Briar’s Trading Company

I had read such content in a pamphlet during the Guild Leaders’ Assembly.

They said the thief didn’t touch any cash at all, only taking the famous ‘Golden Lily.’

‘So those are all stolen goods.’

Things stolen by the Phantom Thief. Treasures whose whereabouts people couldn’t figure out no matter how much they speculated. Those stolen goods were hidden right here in the basement of this Chapel.

When I craned my neck a bit more to look, each treasure had some kind of tag attached. One of them was sticking out of the box.

‘What does it say?’

I stood up, pretending to adjust the blanket over the cage.

When I focused my eyes and drew out my maximum vision, I could faintly make out these letters.

‘St. Cavalliens Monastery?’

Are they sending them to the monastery, or what?

Anyway, I was finally able to figure out one thing.

‘The reason Ruellian steals treasures is because he can gain power from them.’

Just as I was thinking that to myself, I suddenly heard footsteps behind me.

Gasp.

I hurriedly pretended to be adjusting the blanket again, but…

“Are you done looking, Young Lady?”

He strode over and stood across from me as he spoke.

‘I’ve been caught.’

He probably didn’t come in right away and had been watching me from behind for a while.

“No, I wasn’t trying to look on purpose, but I couldn’t help seeing it. What was I supposed to do?”

“I know.”

He replied.

“Since you’ve seen everything anyway, I’ll just tell you. I gain power in exchange for returning those objects to where they originally belong.”

I tilted my head for a moment, half understanding…

Suddenly Ruellian’s face came close to mine.

“The existence of someone who can see stigmata is quite troublesome in every way.”

His violet eyes looked straight into mine.

A familiar scent suddenly brushed past my nose. The smell of old books and fragrant oil. Memories of the ball suddenly came flooding back.

When I danced with him that day, I had unknowingly caught that scent, which is why it felt familiar.

Along with the scent, the body warmth transmitted through his hands and the strength of his hand pulling my waist came vividly to mind.

‘Oh no, I shouldn’t be thinking such thoughts.’

My heart was pounding. His eyes held such a deep light that seemed to pierce through one’s very soul, I was afraid he might discover my thoughts.

Or perhaps an even more important secret hidden in an even deeper place.

Why am I suddenly acting like this? Why is he staring at me so intently?

‘Could it be…’

He couldn’t have noticed that my soul is different from the other people in this place, could he?

Those violet eyes filled with mysterious light truly seemed to see through even that secret.

‘When it comes to matters related to souls, he’s an expert.’

I wanted to avoid his gaze. But as if under some spell, my head wouldn’t move.

“Since I told you one of my secrets, you should tell me one of yours too.”

His voice, which seemed to carry some strange power, burrowed into my ears.

Ah, so he really did notice?

My heart felt like it was being squeezed.

“What do you…”

“There’s no use hiding it.”

His eyes were gleaming like a predator unwilling to let go of its prey.

I’ve been caught. I’ve been found out.

Just as my vision went dark, his voice reached my ears.

“Who did you go to after abandoning me at the ball that day?”

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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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