The Villainess is a Millionaire Solver - Chapter 93

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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 93

Coming to a corner of the empty corridor, I said to Perdel.

“You did very well just now.”

Perdel asked in confusion.

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“About the letter. It’s actually a bit troublesome, but it’s not such a big deal that it warrants making a fuss.”

“Then why did you look so troubled earlier?”

Instead of answering, I looked meaningfully toward the hall we had just left.

“…?”

Perdel was puzzled for a moment. But somehow he seemed to roughly catch on that this matter was related to the succession competition.

“Yes, I’ll just play along appropriately.”

“Good. That’s the right attitude.”

I smiled at Perdel.

“Anyway, thanks to you thoughtfully coming over to talk to me just now, things became a bit more interesting. Thank you so much. You’re really a good kid, Perdel. This is a small gift from me. Buy yourself something delicious.”

I took off the gold bracelet that had been bothering me and pressed it into Perdel’s hand, but the child’s face darkened slightly.

“Is one a bit lonely?”

“No, that’s not it….”

Perdel waved his hands in surprise.

“Thanks to the improved working conditions, I’m buying and reading expensive books well, and eating snacks well too. These days I don’t really lack anything. Just saying ‘Thank you so much, Perdel. You’re really a good kid’ is enough for me. That makes me happier than receiving a gold bracelet.”

“Perdel…!”

I was moved and grabbed Perdel’s hands.

“You’re really good at social skills, aren’t you? That line just now was absolutely perfect! That’s right. If you’re my person, you should have that level of flattery ability. I guarantee it, you’ll definitely make it big in any organization!”

There, I’m in a good mood. I also unfastened another bracelet with emeralds embedded in it and pressed it firmly into Perdel’s hand.

“…Thank you.”

Perdel looked down at the two bracelets for a moment, then quietly bowed and withdrew.

Really, they’re all such lucky charms.

I was looking fondly at the spot where my postal aide had disappeared….

Just then, someone suddenly appeared from the opposite direction.

It was the Head Butler of the ducal mansion. He was holding a bundle of papers in his hands. He saw me and stopped briefly to bow.

“Are you returning to your room?”

“Oh, yes. What about you, Head Butler?”

“I have something simple to check. Then please go in.”

He bowed to me once more, then walked toward the hall where the banquet had been held earlier.

What’s going on?

Since the succession competition was in progress, I couldn’t just let even small matters pass by.

I quietly followed him. Through the door that was half-closed and half-open, I could hear the Head Butler speaking.

“Since there’s no time to prepare new formal wear, you’ll have to borrow the formal clothes from the main house for now. If you wear your own cloaks over them, it will look very stylish. I’ll give you each a sheet of paper, so please write down your name, measurements, and other details.”

“Oh, I don’t need formal wear. I’ll be staying in the back.”

“Oh my, Oliver! You’ve been all the way to the Northern Region and you’re still like this? Duke Hyperion doesn’t seem to mind at all….”

Hmm? Duke Hyperion?

My ears perked up.

‘That’s Serene’s father, isn’t it?’

According to my memory, Oliver was the youngest among the elders, a brown-haired knight in his mid-to-late forties.

Is there some story there?

I was curious, but I left the spot for fear that Sion might catch me if I eavesdropped too long.

I waited in the corridor, and soon the Head Butler appeared again. He was surprised to see me.

“Hmm? You haven’t left yet?”

“I happened to overhear the conversation.”

I took the Head Butler to a corner and questioned him.

“Is Oliver deliberately avoiding Duke Hyperion? What’s going on?”

“…?”

Perhaps finding it strange that I was interested in such matters, the Head Butler looked puzzled for a moment. But his mouth seemed to be itching to talk.

“I’m not sure if I should gossip about their affairs, but anyway, people who witnessed that incident at the time just don’t talk about it, but everyone remembers it.”

He began his story with that preface.

“As you know, Young Lady, the 【Imperial Knight Tournament】 used to be held during the Imperial Tournament, didn’t it? Now we haven’t been able to hold it for almost 10 years because we lost the First Emperor’s sword, but it was a competition to determine the strongest among the imperial knights.”

I vaguely remembered such a name from my memories.

“Right. I think I heard stories when I was young about the Empress losing the sword or something. The First Empress who was the mother of Aldensis and Zikren.”

“Yes, that’s right. Anyway, this happened when that tournament was being held properly. Oliver committed a great discourtesy to Duke Hyperion, who was in charge of organizing the event. The Duke tried to eject him on charges of violating the regulation against drinking alcohol in the arena.”

“That’s unavoidable. Holding a sword after drinking is too dangerous.”

“But Oliver himself insisted it wasn’t true. He protested loudly, claiming he never even touched alcohol, turning the arena upside down. ‘Isn’t the Hyperion family nitpicking because they’re afraid they can’t beat the Rosen family? How cowardly….’ But we found out later that he was actually drunk due to a strange cause he himself didn’t know about.”

“What cause?”

“He was excited about participating in the Imperial Tournament for the first time, so he went around making many friends, and got a bunch of some special fruit from a knight who came from a distant region. Those fruits had fermented too long in the leather pouch and had taken on the properties of alcohol. So he was indeed drunk in the end. Since he had never drunk alcohol before, he didn’t even know that something was strange.”

“Good heavens… And then?”

“That’s just it. Duke Hyperion quietly covered it up out of respect for our Duke, but he refused Oliver’s apology. He’s wanted to apologize ever since, but couldn’t even approach him to talk. He’s such a scary and stubborn person.”

So that’s the story.

I fell into thought for a moment.

‘Serene’s father is indeed a scary person….’

But there was one fact that everyone didn’t know. Recently, through Serene, I had heard about his new circumstances.

I heard that he realized that living by whipping himself so strictly wasn’t very happy?

‘It seems his personality changed a bit while raising his child. If he tried again now, couldn’t he be forgiven surprisingly easily?’

I feel a bit sorry for Oliver too. He suffered so much in the Northern Region and came back.

Because of a mistake from over 20 years ago, he feels so ashamed that he’s even trying to avoid the glorious position of receiving the Emperor’s commendation.

‘Should I try to build a good bridge?’

I remembered what I heard from Serene before the successor qualification exam.

“My parents are grateful that Aristina is being friendly with me, and they really want to meet you once.”

Then it wouldn’t be too difficult to break the ice in conversation, would it?

Among those elders who seemed like an impenetrable steel wall, I thought I could see a small gap.

‘Good.’

I smiled slightly.

* * *

The next day.

A messenger from the Duke’s family rode to the Imperial Palace, waving flags. It was to deliver the news that the Holy Knights of House of Rosen who had departed for the Northern Region had returned with the head of the monster leader.

Following that, the carriage carrying the ducal family also departed. Behind the carriage, the elders who had participated in this northern expedition were following on their respective horses.

When we arrived at the Guest Hall, the place for the imperial audience, the news had spread and people were swarming. The Butler came out to greet us.

“You’ve arrived? The Emperor and Empress, the Crown Prince and Second Prince will also be coming soon.”

“We should enter before then.”

Duke Carnel looked at both of us.

“Once you officially become the family’s successor, you’ll often attend public occasions as a representative. Let’s see each of you make a stylish entrance.”

“Yes.”

As soon as Sion answered, he immediately stepped forward.

“Butler, please introduce me.”

“Yes.”

The Butler cleared his throat and shouted loudly.

“The heir of House of Rosen who has achieved merit in the Northern Territories and returned, Sion Michael!”

People who were already glancing this way all turned their heads to look at once.

“It’s been a while, everyone.”

Sion confidently greeted them as he walked on the red carpet.

As if announcing the fact that he had just come from the north, his cloak with beast fur fluttered majestically. The formal wear with ornate gold embroidery emphasized his physique even more.

This wasn’t the beautiful boy Sion that people remembered, but a distinctly masculine appearance that anyone could see.

Thanks to the thorough education he received from the Duke’s family, his demeanor was elegant. Moreover, the eyepatch covering one eye, far from being bothersome, emphasized the beauty he inherited from his mother even more.

People held their breath in admiration.

“It seems the new figure who will heat up this season’s social circles has already been decided? He’s really grown up well.”

“His appearance aside, he’s a strong candidate for heir to the Rosen Duchy. Everyone will already be trying to get in line with him.”

At the praise pouring in from all directions, Sion looked at me with a satisfied expression.

“Wait a moment.”

I spun around and walked toward the back.

People murmured. Sion asked with a puzzled look.

“Sister? You’re not making your exit, are you?”

“Not at all.”

A man standing inconspicuously in a corner at the back. I stopped in front of him and looked at him.

“Oliver, I heard that today you plan to stay back instead of stepping forward before His Majesty? Of course, I know there are reasons for that, but…”

I spun around again and spoke while looking at Duke Carnel.

“Today, this place is meant to commemorate the achievements of our House of Rosen’s knights who fought against monsters in the Northern Region for the past two years. Therefore, wouldn’t the most magnificent entrance be one where we all enter together, with not a single person missing?”

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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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