The Villainess's Exclusive Maid Is Too Good at Her Job - Chapter 76
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 76
“Don’t say such things, Lishar. It’s not your fault.”
“No. It’s all my fault.”
Lishar clenched his fist tightly.
This was undoubtedly my doing. Even when Kendrick hinted that Luna was suspicious, I refused to listen.
Unease had gnawed at the corner of my heart all along, yet I chose to ignore it.
She might be the sister I’d searched so hard to find. I couldn’t bear to abandon the conviction I’d fought so desperately to obtain.
Perhaps Father, six years ago, harbored the same feelings.
“Regardless of what happened, it’s this man’s fault, Janet. So stop throwing yourself into other people’s affairs! You keep getting hurt like this—what is this supposed to mean….”
“I’m sorry, Julietta.”
“You should be sorry. Of course you should be! Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been?”
Janet gently wrapped her hand around Julietta’s, which trembled with unshed tears.
“I won’t do it again next time.”
“You promise? Swear it! Next time, you take care of yourself first.”
A sharp breath escaped her.
Julietta swallowed roughly and pressed a handkerchief firmly against her eyes before the tears could fall.
Her resolve not to let anyone see her cry was palpable.
“In my assessment, it is entirely that man’s fault. Therefore, I suggest you pursue substantial damages.”
“Damages, you say?”
Theo answered Janet’s awkward laugh with utmost seriousness.
“She fractured her ribs and cracked her arm bone. She remained unconscious for three days. What’s remarkable is that this occurred despite divine protection.”
Ah, so she’d injured her ribs and arm.
No wonder it hurt so much.
When I carefully wrapped my arms around my ribs, Lishar flinched.
“I will be your arm.”
“…Pardon?”
Lishar spoke again with firm resolve to Janet, who doubted her own ears.
“If there is any inconvenience in your daily life, I will take full responsibility. I will move in place of your arm, so entrust me with anything.”
“No. There’s no need to go that far….”
Lishar becoming my arm and moving about.
I couldn’t even imagine such a thing.
Besides, the bone wasn’t actually broken—just cracked. And it was my left arm, not my right.
It didn’t seem like it would cause much disruption to my daily life….
“Don’t refuse, Janet. If there’s anything inconvenient from now on, make this man do it all!”
“Precisely. Have Lishar do everything….”
Theo, who had been reinforcing Julietta’s words, paused briefly. Then.
“Upon further reflection, I believe that notion is inappropriate.”
“What are you talking about? Weren’t you on this side?”
“Of course I am on that side. Still, Lishar constantly staying by Janet’s side….”
As Theo’s words trailed off, Julietta’s eyes narrowed.
‘Ah, right. He likes Janet.’
Julietta clicked her tongue, having detected an emotion that Theo himself hadn’t yet recognized.
“How petty of you to get jealous.”
“What, what?”
At Theo’s rare display of confusion, Julietta’s lips curved upward in a smirk.
“Never mind. Then at least you should play the role of protecting Janet. You’re better than some strange woman hanging around with your brother acting like his sister.”
“….”
“….”
“….”
“What is it? Why are you all so quiet?”
It was something I felt occasionally—Julietta possessed a remarkable ability to grasp the core of a situation with precision.
She had a talent for finding her opponent’s weak point.
“Um, Lishar.”
“Yes.”
“Did you investigate everything I mentioned?”
“…I investigated it all.”
“Everything?”
“Everything.”
“Then what about Luna….”
“Yes. I discovered she was closely connected to the incident and was interrogating her.”
Lishar’s voice was remarkably calm as he answered.
For a moment, I felt relieved, thinking his distress wasn’t as severe as expected.
“Was interrogating her?”
Was. That was past tense.
“That woman is dead.”
“Dead?”
Janet wasn’t the only one shocked.
Julietta, who had been quietly eavesdropping on the situation, also widened her eyes in surprise.
“Luna? You mean that woman who was always hanging around with this guy?”
“…Yes.”
“Why did she suddenly die? And what do you mean she was connected to this incident?”
Whoosh, whoosh.
Julietta’s eyes sharpened as she glanced between the three of us.
“Are you excluding me right now?”
At those words, Janet shook her head vigorously.
“Of course not!”
“Then tell me the truth. I’m your friend too. I should know who hurt you.”
Julietta’s words were fair.
If I were in her position, I would want to know the identity of whoever had hurt Julietta.
‘That’s how I’ll repay the debt.’
I understood well enough why she was curious about the full circumstances of the incident.
“That is….”
“Wait. Janet’s a patient, so let me explain.”
Theo cut in before Janet could finish, her words trailing off hesitantly.
He flashed a gentle smile at Janet, who sent him a grateful look, then outlined the general sequence of events—omitting only the truth regarding Genia.
“That lunatic?!”
Julietta Ludwig stamped her feet in fury after hearing the entire account.
“Where did she bury her? She’s already buried her?!”
“Why are you asking that…?”
“Why?! Because a clean death isn’t nearly satisfying enough!”
A clean death…?
I tried to soothe the indignant Julietta Ludwig while turning over Theo’s explanation in my mind.
As for what happened after I collapsed, I was hearing the details for the first time myself.
After I’d collapsed, having left instructions to investigate the water and the necklace.
Lishar and Theo recovered the items according to my directions and submitted them for examination.
Luna had handed Lishar the tea while he was grooming the horse.
Since she’d passed it to him in a spot cleverly concealed by the horse’s mane, Theo and I hadn’t seen it.
Shane happened to strike up a conversation with him at just that moment.
Fortunately, they discovered an abandoned waterskin and secured the remaining contents for analysis, and they also collected and examined the object that had agitated the horse.
“It was perfume?”
“To be precise, perfume enchanted with magical formulas.”
They’d let the horse catch the scent while grooming to awaken it, then scattered the fragrance once more after training began to lure the animal.
“And that necklace was indeed a magical artifact.”
“I suspected as much.”
“Yes. It was enchanted with magic to alter appearance. The real Luna had red hair and brown eyes. Her identity, her family—all of it was fabricated.”
Which meant she’d infiltrated the Academy from the very beginning for the purpose of deceiving Lishar.
“But why did she suddenly die?”
“There was a poisoned pill in her mouth. It’s a common method used by spies and assassins.”
A spy….
Theo and I exchanged a quiet glance.
‘Could she have been from Hyperion?’
Theo gave a small nod, reading the question in my eyes.
***
“Oh, Janet!”
“Marquis of Byeon.”
“Tsk. I’ve told you, you can just call me sir.”
Liam approached with a whimpering sound, circling around Janet like an anxious puppy beside its master.
“You’ve suffered needlessly because of my son.”
“I chose to help him, so there’s nothing to apologize for.”
“Still, next time just leave him be. If someone’s arm has to break, it’s better that it’s him than you! Yes, absolutely!”
Yet despite his words, the Marquis of Byeon’s eyes trembled slightly whenever Lishar was mentioned.
After circling around Janet for some time to check on her condition, Liam finally sat down upon hearing Theo’s remark from behind: “You’re being restless. Please, have a seat.”
“Ahem. Theo told me. That you’ve come to know of our family’s circumstances.”
“Ah, well…”
Janet glanced sideways at Theo.
She worried that he might be scolded for revealing secrets to her.
When their eyes met, Theo widened his gaze gently, as if to reassure her.
“I happened to learn of it due to the circumstances. If it made you uncomfortable, I sincerely apologize.”
“No, it’s fine! Thanks to that, weren’t we able to separate that impostor from Lishar? I’m simply grateful to you.”
“I will absolutely keep the secret.”
“Yes. I’m grateful for that as well.”
The Marquis of Byeon, who had smiled warmly, suddenly glared at Theo.
“You! If you were going to involve the girl, you should have protected her properly! Or at least informed me immediately!”
“I deeply regret both failures.”
Failing to properly protect Janet by his side, and failing to inform the Marquis of Byeon of the truth.
“If you do this even once more, I’ll shave both your and Lishar’s heads clean!”
“Understood. I’m prepared to have my head shaved, so please lower your voice in front of the patient.”
“Oh, my.”
The Marquis of Byeon, having regained his composure, spoke in a voice barely above a whisper.
“I’m sorry, Janet.”
“Not at all. I feel more energized, and that’s a good thing.”
“See? Did you see, Ken— Theo? How can there be such a kind girl?”
Janet let out a small laugh at the sight of the Marquis of Byeon chuckling.
But it was short-lived.
“Um, Liam.”
Janet, wiping the smile from her face, called out to Liam carefully.
“Hmm? Why are you calling me, Janet?”
“You mentioned that you participated in the Ashleyde War, didn’t you?”
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————