I Am The Villainess With A Maxed-Out Luck Stat - Chapter 138
Only Noblemtl
138. There isn’t a single comfortable male protagonist ?
As I came out according to the Empress’s order, unexpectedly, there was someone waiting for me.
“Your Highness Perwin?”
“Princess.”
Perwin waved at me calmly.
‘Come to think of it, wasn’t Perwin also seriously ill?’
Having traded his victory and health for the hunt, he should be receiving intensive treatment at a hospital by now.
But he came all the way to the Empress’s Palace and was waiting for me.
“How long have you been here?”
“After I heard the news that the princess was entering the palace.”
“No, why on earth… … .”
He answered lightly, as if he had no intention of hiding the fact that he had been waiting for me.
“Can you talk to me for a minute?”
* * *
‘I told him to talk, so he came along.’
As soon as I followed Perwin to the Crown Prince’s palace, I regretted it.
It was only a few days ago that I had rejected his confession. I had done nothing wrong, but I felt uneasy when we were alone together.
‘There isn’t a single comfortable person among the male leads.’
At some point, things got awkward with Cayenne during the day, and even with the manager…
Are my interpersonal relationships okay like this?
While I was lost in thought, Perwin spoke first.
“It’s what happened at the hunting festival.”
“!”
It’s finally here.
I think I said all sorts of things because I was intoxicated by the atmosphere at the time. What on earth did I say?
It seems like he confessed the truth about being possessed while pretending to talk about his dream…
Aaaah!
Perwin looked at me strangely, struggling with my dark history.
“Why is that?”
“No, nothing.”
“… … ?”
When I became serious, Perwin continued speaking.
“I looked into the assailant who tried to kill me, but I couldn’t find any information.”
‘Oh, that’s what it was about.’
I let out a sigh of relief inside.
As long as it’s not about confession, you’re more than welcome to do so.
“If it’s a villain… … ?”
“I’m talking about the man wearing a black mask and using magic powers. In the first place, he wasn’t even on the participant list.”
I guess so.
Cayenne did not officially participate in the hunting festival, but was a participant forced into it by the system.
“I know there are more than a few people out to take my life, but that one stands out. What happened at Garrett’s estate a while ago is also concerning.”
“Are you talking about the research center I saw back then?”
“That’s right. One of the lab’s gang might have come to the hunting festival to get revenge on me. And there’s even a monster in the audience.”
“ah.”
Is this how it continues?
Cayenne is a magician who uses powerful magical powers. There are probably only a few magicians belonging to the Magic Tower who have that level of skill.
Also, as Perwin said, the laboratory discovered in Garrett’s estate was conducting human experiments using magical powers.
Moreover, when you add in the commotion caused by the demons in the stands, it becomes difficult to dismiss it as just a coincidence.
‘Well, it’s related.’
Because Cayenne was also one of the victims of the past research lab.
But Cayenne’s involvement was purely coincidental.
Instead of bringing up the Cayenne story, I asked something I had been wondering about.
“What happened at Garrett’s estate?”
“It seems that His Majesty wants to ask about this matter.”
“yes?”
Perwin sighed.
“His Majesty has confiscated Baron Garrett’s property and sentenced him to be flogged, but given the gravity of the case, this is a relatively mild punishment.”
Large-scale human trafficking using black magic.
In an incident of this magnitude, it is common for not only Baron Garrett but also his relatives to be sentenced to extreme punishment.
But the fact that the punishment ended at this level… … .
“It felt like someone was behind me.”
“Who is it?”
“Well, there are those who are suspicious, though.”
Perwin told us the information he had researched.
They say that they have searched Baron Garrett thoroughly, but have not found any clues regarding the laboratory.
“Baron Garrett also seemed to know little about the lab. He said that up until now, his sponsor had taken care of things for him.”
“How can you believe that? Baron Garrett could be pretending not to know.”
“You don’t seem to have the presence of mind to lie since one of your fingers is gone?”
“… … .”
I don’t know who the villain is.
“Then who is the sponsor?”
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?”
“It seems that the sponsor always put his agent first. He said that he invested a large sum of money in exchange for receiving the magic stone from the research institute.”
He handed over the list.
“What is this?”
“After looking into it separately, I have roughly narrowed down the candidates.”
It contained a list of nobles with close ties to the Garrett Baron family, tycoons who had previously invested in the magicite vein, and investors who had shown interest in developing the Garrett Estate.
‘Here’s a list of people with money who might be in league with Baron Garrett.’
While I was carefully looking over the list, my eyes stopped at one name.
“Marquis Balton?”
Why is this guy here again?
Among those who invested in the magic stone mine was the Marquis of Balton.
There were also several other people whose identities were unclear or who seemed suspicious.
But perhaps because of recent events, his name particularly caught my eye.
“The princess is suspicious of the Marquis as well. I heard that he was involved in this hunting festival and I was suspicious.”
“I see.”
… … I didn’t know that.
“I wish the Marquis was just flaunting his influence here and there, but something smells fishy about him.”
I nodded at Perwin’s words.
* * *
After Roselia left the palace.
The empress looked out the window in silence.
“… … .”
All the decisions and choices he made were solely to protect the crown prince.
She believed that swinging her sword to strike down her enemies and pave the way to the throne was the greatest legacy she could leave behind as a mother.
So I never once doubted the path I had walked.
‘One, if my mistake holds the Crown Prince back… … .’
Even the sun that once burned so brightly that it seemed as if it would dye the entire world could only set in vain under the natural flow of time.
The Empress looked sadly at the sun disappearing beyond the mountains, leaving behind only a red shadow.
“It is an honor to see you after such a long time, Your Majesty the Empress.”
At that time, Marquis Balton, who had come to the Empress’s palace, greeted her elegantly.
“You came.”
The empress looked at him with eyes like frost.
Unlike the cold-hearted empress, Margrave Balton had to suppress his laughter.
‘The once iron-willed empress is now just waiting for the day of her death.’
Looking at her withered appearance, like a dry tree branch, the corners of my mouth kept going up.
Then the empress spoke in a stern tone.
“Marquis, let me be frank.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Count Blaine has appeared in the capital.”
“What, what did you say?”
The face of Marquis Balton, who had been smiling brightly, suddenly hardened.
“Is that true? Why did Viscount Blaine suddenly show up? He must be dead… … .”
“I would like to ask, why is he still alive and well?”
A few hours ago, when I had a private meeting with Roselia.
The Empress was annoyed that she was bringing up old matters.
So the Empress immediately sent someone to investigate the House of Blaine.
She obtained testimony that a strange man had been coming and going from Count Blaine’s residence.
There is also talk that the man is believed to be Viscount Blaine.
“That’s ridiculous. There’s no way he’s alive. We haven’t seen his nose in over ten years!”
For the past ten years, Count Blaine has not been seen once.
Even as his family, burdened with astronomical amounts of compensation, began to decline.
Even when my wife was bedridden from shock.
Even when her innocent daughter was being harassed and threatened by loan sharks.
“Since you are so shameless, you can appear so calm and composed.”
The Empress’s eyes became as cold as ice.
“His Majesty the Emperor’s illegitimate child is a disgrace to the Imperial Family by its very existence. What happened that day must never come to light. Didn’t you already promise me?”
“We made a promise. Your Majesty and I are on the same boat.”
Marquis Balton nodded with a stern expression.
When Cayenne was first born, the Marquis of Balton was one of the high-ranking officials of the imperial court.
He assisted the empress in abducting the child.
No, if I was going to do it, I would take the child somewhere unknown and keep him captive.
The child was the Emperor’s sore spot, the Empress’s weakness, and would one day become the Crown Prince’s political enemy.
“Someone asked about Your Majesty’s illegitimate child.”
“… … !”
The Empress asked in a sharp tone.
“Is that child really dead?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. The child died the day the orphanage burned down in a fire.”
Not dead.
The child was still alive on the day that the Marquis of Balton deliberately set fire to the orphanage.
The Marquis rescued the child and escaped the orphanage before the fire spread.
He faked the child’s death and took the child to a place unknown to either the Emperor or the Empress.
The child was the best card to control the board. The Marquis kept him hidden and tried to bring him out at the right time.
If only the unexpected variables hadn’t arisen.
‘I guess I’m curious about the seed I saw back then.’
If the child were to survive as Marquis Balton had wished, it would be the most useful thing he could do.
He licked his lips and bowed his head politely.
“Don’t worry, Your Majesty, I will take care of Viscount Blaine.”