I Reincarnated As A Villainess, But Why Did I Become A Cat Butler Instead? - Chapter 145

Chapter 73.1

The knights he had taken with him arrived at the ducal residence a little later than Coco, who had turned into a cat and taken a shortcut, along with the accountant, the owner of the secret ledger.

Dimitri, who first imprisoned the accountant in the dungeon, called Viscount Villefranc after dinner and gave him his orders.

“Hyle, convene the council of elders.”

“…Do you mean now?”

It was too late to hold the meeting.

“Tell them it’s an emergency meeting. If you catch Count Bilbao and tie him up outside the front door, they’ll hear the rumor and come running on their own.”

When I heard that, I was taken aback.

“Tying up Count Bilbao?”

“You’ve got to lay out the bait, Rowaine, so that they can smell it and flock to it.”

At those words, Viscount Villefranc asked Dimitri.

“What shall we do with those who insist on not coming?”

“Could they endure it when they’re being pricked like that? I regard it as meaning that they’re in league with Count Bilbao and…”

Dimitri suddenly glanced at me before lowering his voice to whisper something to the Viscount. Seeing that, I narrowed my eyes and glared at him.

“Why are you two talking about this in private after all the confidential information I’ve given you?”

He shrugged.

“It’s not really a secret.”

Viscount Villefranc alternately glanced back and forth between me and Dimitri before he confessed.

“Those with heavy buttocks* are dead. Since the Duchess is frail, it would be better to deal with it secretly.”
[ T/N: To ‘have a heavy buttock’ means ‘To tend to stay in one place for a long time without thinking about leaving the place at all.’ ]

After finishing his words as if they were pouring out of his mouth, he took a big step back at Dimitri’s threatening gaze.

“Well, you’ll know when it happens anyway.”

I gently tugged on Dimitri’s arm so that Viscount Villefranc could escape.

“He’s right. I would’ve known the next day.”

“If you’re thinking of stopping me…”

“Me? Why?”

Dimitri gazed at me strangely when I replied.

“Doesn’t Rowaine value life?”

I waved my hand in the air.

“Innocent animals and shapeshifters are being taken advantage of by bad masters. Humans who aren’t my people are out of my range of defense. They need to take care of themselves, you know?”

Upon hearing my words, he looked a little confused.

“Isn’t it usually the other way around?”

“That’s my standard. I’m sure Dimitri has his own reasons for doing that, so I’m not going to be bothersome by saying that you’re being cruel.”

It was probably a coincidence that Dimitri and Viscount Villefranc looked away at the same time when I said my last words.

“I don’t intend to be oppressive, so please don’t leave me out at critical moments to be overprotective.”

I was the one who gave them the information about the secret ledger, but it made me feel bad not knowing the handling of the case related to it. Saying it was for my mental health was overprotective, which I didn’t want.

‘I have to know how the situation is going so I can make smart moves when needed.’

As he pondered something for a moment, Dimitri made a suggestion.

“Then, I’m going to go catch some slave traders now. Would you like to come with me? You might see some rough sights.”

“Of course! Oh, my God. You weren’t going to take me?”

Needless to say, I wanted to see with my own two eyes what kind of consequences my actions would bring. In addition, I also wanted to help get the shapeshifters out from the slave traders.

“Give me three minutes. I’ll come back after I change my clothes.”

After finishing my words, I quickly ran to my room to change into my riding clothes before heading back down. By then, the knights were already lined up at the front door, and the servants were bringing out Dimitri’s and my horses from the stables.

I steeled myself and mounted my horse.

I had resolved that no matter how brutal it would be to witness the slave traders being captured, I wouldn’t let it shake me. Just then, someone came running out of the front door, hand raised in the air, shouting.

“Me too! May I come with you?”

“Miss Avila?”

“The Duchess’s offer, if it still stands, I’d like to go with you.”

I smiled broadly, wanting to scream, ‘Yes!’

Even though I didn’t know why she suddenly changed her mind, on my end, whatever the reason was, it was a welcome change. I then quickly put Avila into the carriage before she changed her mind. It was a carriage for transporting shapeshifters from slave traders.

“That turned out really well, didn’t it?”

I followed the departing procession and gave it a thumbs up, but Dimitri gave me a strange look.

“Is she such a reliable person? You seem to have an unusual amount of faith in her, even though you don’t seem to have known her very long.”

He must’ve thought it was strange. Still, I’d seen her inner thoughts throughout the novel. Anyone could see how loyal she was and how loyal she was to anyone she chose to follow.

I smiled confidently.

“It’s perspective.”

Suddenly, Dimitri burst out laughing.

“You don’t look like you have an inkling, but you do have an eye.

Please consider sending some love either through the translator’s Ko-fi or by leaving a rating/review for this series on novel updates~!

For update pings, novel discussions and/or to send mistake reports, join our discord server~