The Villainess is a Millionaire Solver - Chapter 95

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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 95

The people gathered in the guest hall immediately turned around.

Seeing clouds of male and female attendants rushing over, it seemed not only the Emperor but also the Empress was coming together. Everyone bowed their heads deeply in respect.

“We greet His Majesty the Emperor and Her Majesty the Empress!”

Amidst the resounding greetings, the procession of the Emperor and Empress entered over the red carpet laid in the center of the guest hall.

When was the last audience? During tea time?

I kept my head bowed and only rolled my eyes to look.

Since today was an official occasion, both the Emperor and Empress were dressed in brilliant attire.

Wearing ceremonial robes of pearl and red silk with magnificent crowns, they displayed the majesty befitting the Empire’s supreme absolute rulers.

“Everyone raise your heads.”

The Emperor said as he sat on the throne with the Empress.

“Welcome news has arrived after a long time. There were three great demon lords in the north cleverly evading the imperial army, causing us headaches as we couldn’t deal with them properly. To think you’ve captured one of them – it’s quite refreshing. Let’s see what kind of creature it is.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The Imperial Knights brought the enormous box offered by the Rosen Ducal Family.

The surface was carved with reliefs depicting saints defeating monsters, and it was tightly bound and sealed with chains.

“Please cover your eyes with this.”

The head maid brought a fan to the Empress, but the Empress waved her hand in refusal.

“I want to see too.”

True to someone active in academic and artistic fields, her curiosity seemed piqued.

“Let’s step aside a little.”

Duke and Duchess Hyperion and Serene, who had been surrounded by people, quickly came forward again. The Emperor turned his head to look at Ruellian.

“Is it safe to open?”

“I’ll examine it first.”

Ruellian approached the box with prayer beads he had already taken out and held in his hand.

The prayer beads with counting beads looked ordinary on the outside.

But when his stigmata opened and Ruellian released his divine power, they began emitting a brilliantly blinding light.

Others might not know, but I could see it clearly.

‘Of course. He now knows that this “kind and pitiful young master of the Rosen Ducal Family” uses evil magic. Therefore, as an Agent of the Divine, he’s trying to protect these unsuspecting people.’

He seemed to have examined the box and its contents while suppressing them with powerful force just in case… Fortunately, there appeared to be no major problems.

“No problems, Your Majesty.”

As soon as Ruellian’s confirmation ended, Aldensis stepped forward as if he had been waiting. When he drew his sword and swung it, a sharp flash gleamed and all the chains were cut through at once.

Everyone held their breath momentarily at his clean yet intimidating skill. Then they flinched and stepped back as the lid opened by itself.

“Don’t be alarmed. It’s just a rebound effect.”

Zikren said this as he approached. Instead of Aldensis, who disliked touching dirty things, he lifted the contents of the box.

The demon’s head revealed itself.

In short, it was a horse’s head with massive curved demon lord horns. The flame-like mane and bulging eyes were quite a sight to behold.

“Oh…”

Exclamations mixed with fear could be heard. The Empress asked Sion.

“Did you cut it yourself?”

“We cut it together. It had already suffered fatal wounds from our family’s knights and was fleeing, but I was lucky enough to catch up and succeed in cutting its throat.”

When they were mentioned, the elders came forward and knelt on one knee in respect.

“Good. Excellent.”

The Emperor praised with a pleased expression.

“Take this head to the hall for display. And we should give rewards… Ordinary gold and silver treasures wouldn’t be novel, so is there anything you desire? Duke?”

“It is already an honor to have provided His Majesty the Emperor and Her Majesty the Empress, who are weary from state affairs, with a moment of pleasant mood. We dare not wish for anything more.”

At Duke Carnel’s words, the Emperor burst into hearty laughter.

“Then let’s give those brave knights a gold ingot each, and treat the Rosen Ducal Family to a cup of tea. Let’s move locations.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The Emperor and Empress moved to the reception room separately located inside the guest hall. Carnel, Sion, and I followed them…

“Come to think of it, I’m thirsty.”

Aldensis, Zikren, Ruellian, and even Duke and Duchess Hyperion and Serene casually followed along as if it were natural and took seats.

Didn’t he clearly say he would treat the Rosen Ducal Family to tea?

The Emperor looked at them with such a gaze, but since the table was large enough, he just let everyone sit.

When the butler brought tea, the Empress smiled and said.

“For this Imperial Tournament, I specially mixed two or three types of tea to create a new blend. How does it taste?”

“Yes, Your Majesty the Empress.”

Everyone drank the tea and praised its good taste. Thanks to the tea, the topic naturally shifted to the Imperial Tournament.

The Emperor stroked his chin and said.

“You’ve timed it perfectly, achieving merit and returning just before the festival begins. As nobles of the Empire, the Imperial Tournament is certainly worth attending without fail.”

“It’s a grand festival that forms the foundation of our Empire.”

Duke Hyperion picked up on those words.

“However, young people these days focus too much on the romantic elements of the Imperial Tournament, like the love story between the First Emperor and Empress…”

“Why is that something to criticize? Thanks to that, sales of related businesses all soar during this time.”

When Duke Carnel retorted, Serene’s father shook his head saying “Oh my…”

“That’s understandable. They say all couples who get together during this time work out well, right?”

When Sion said this with a laugh, Zikren corrected him.

“Not all of them, just one pair.”

“I see. I grew up in the border regions, so I haven’t attended the Imperial Tournament many times yet. When I first came to the capital and saw the Imperial Tournament, I was so excited I couldn’t even sleep. My sister held my hand tightly and told me the legends of the Imperial Tournament.”

‘You’? ‘That guy’? Such glances flew from all directions.

According to my memory, it was true.

Due to father’s strict orders, Aristina reluctantly held Sion’s hand and showed him around the festival. This was still before Sion had revealed his true nature.

“How great a hero the First Emperor was. How strong and wonderful the ‘Mother of All Dragons’ who was the Empress was. How passionately the two fell in love despite being different species. All the stories my sister told me were fantastic.”

There was such a time.

At first she was sulking, but seeing Sion with sparkling eyes holding her hand tightly and following her around, Aristina also began to think ‘Is he kind of cute?’…

But why is he suddenly bringing up this story? Just as I was looking at him puzzled.

Sion suddenly said.

“Ah, that’s right! My sister definitely told me back then but I forgot. ‘The pair united through the sacred sword at that year’s Imperial Tournament must be fulfilled, or one of them will die.’ Is that true?”

At that moment, everyone froze. The harmonious atmosphere suddenly disappeared, and suffocating silence descended.

Serene almost dropped her tea stirring stick and hastily caught it. The sound of metal hitting porcelain echoed loudly in the silence.

‘What?’

I didn’t understand what was happening, but I knew it was serious. Those were words that should never be spoken in front of the Emperor and Empress.

But I couldn’t deny it. It was definitely something Aristina had said in front of others before.

What should I do? Pretend to faint? Pretend to be dead?

Breaking the silence, Aldensis spoke calmly.

“That’s a story I told the Princess. When the Princess said she wanted to be paired with me at the Imperial Tournament, I told her the famous legend of Lord Vienbar and Princess Delamorte as a warning. I meant that if you offer your sword to someone without true love, it won’t end well.”

While making up such a lie, he silently glared at Sion. His gaze, which had been close to favorable until now, had somehow turned cold.

“Ah! I remember. I was there too. Brother spoke so frighteningly that I even had nightmares.”

Zikren immediately chimed in while also glaring at Sion.

“That summer, the palace theater happened to reenact that legend, so the story was quite the topic among us children.”

Ruellian also spoke.

He seemed to be calmly drinking tea and casually joining the conversation, but he too was sending Sion a deadly warning look.

Sion received their gazes with an innocent expression. His face said ‘I just wanted to brag about my sister, what’s the problem?’

“Aha. So that’s why my sister told me such stories. She was really eager to teach me everything.”

“I ordered her to do so.”

Duke Carnel glanced at Sion and said.

Why is this kid making slip-ups when he usually doesn’t? The Duke was also sending him such a displeased look.

Even knowing that he could lose points with everyone, Sion took the risk of bringing up such words.

‘That story must have greatly offended the Emperor and Empress. To the point where even mentioning it was unacceptable.’

But we managed to get through it well for now. I quickly brought up something else.

“Your Majesty the Empress, the tea is very fragrant – may I have another cup? If possible, after this Imperial Tournament ends, I’d like to start selling it at our department store, advertising it as ‘Her Majesty the Empress’s Special Recommended Tea.'”

“That’s a good idea as well.”

The Empress burst into light laughter. The tense atmosphere smoothly dissolved.

The Emperor looked at me and spoke.

“Like father, like daughter. Whenever something happens, all you think about is connecting it to making money.”

“Thank you for the compliment, Your Majesty. For your reference, my eyes are burning even brighter now. Our family has just started a succession competition to determine the next head of the family.”

“Oh?”

At those words, a gleam appeared in everyone’s eyes. Serene quickly asked.

“Duke, how do you plan to decide the successor?”

“We’ll evaluate comprehensively, but the most important thing will probably be the results of this 【Empire Guild Competition】…”

Duke Carnel looked at the Empress.

“I was actually planning to ask what the competition’s challenge will be. Who is the one setting the tasks and judging this time?”

At that moment, both Aldensis and Zikren’s expressions changed strangely at the same time.

What? Who could it be?

“They should be coming here right now.”

The Empress answered.

Somehow I had a bad feeling about this.

Wait. Wasn’t it said that one of the royal women would be in charge of the competition?

First, it’s not Her Majesty the Empress, and the Queen Aunt has retired, so that means…

Suddenly my spine turned cold.

‘No way? It can’t be?’

At that moment, the reception room door burst open.

Seeing the person who strode boldly inside, I was horrified.

‘This has to be a lie!’

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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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