The Unlikely Imprint of the Villainess and the Male Lead - Chapter 21
Chapter 21
Translator: Yonnee
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“When exactly was the research discontinued?”
“…It seems at least a century and a half have passed.”
“……!”
Though it seemed relatively recent in the grand scheme of things, 150 years was no small number.
‘But many things have changed since then.’
The empire’s magical studies had advanced tremendously, reaching a level far beyond what it had been in the past. With that as a foundation, perhaps there was some chance of success if they used the research logs stored in the ducal house as a guide.
‘Whatever the case, it’s better than trying to tackle this blindly on my own.’
Even if the outcome was uncertain, sitting idly by wasn’t an option. The duke was likely out of ideas as well.
Luciana was confident that while Richt might not immediately welcome her suggestion, he wouldn’t outright reject it either. After all, he probably wanted to rid himself of the imprint as much as she did.
“……”
Luciana recalled the faint red eyes that had gazed at her with a distant, vacant look when she woke up that morning. The lingering memory of Richt’s desolate expression still clung to her, like a shadow of guilt and vague fear.
“Duke.”
At Luciana’s resolute call, Richt’s gaze shifted toward her with clear, bright eyes.
“It might be presumptuous of me, but about that discontinued research… Would it be alright if I continued it?”
“…You want to?”
His voice held a note of skepticism.
As expected, Richt didn’t immediately accept Luciana’s proposal.
‘He doesn’t know that I’m an expert in the field.’
Luciana then explained her background and her plans to earn his trust.
“……”
She graduated from the Sylona Academy.
Richt listened silently as she spoke, his face impassive as he looked at her.
The fact that she had earned a degree meant she was qualified to work as a manufacturer immediately. Her idea of using magic to remove the imprint aligned with the same kind of research that had been conducted in the past.
“Even skilled individuals working together failed to break the imprint. I don’t think you can do it alone.”
Richt’s tone remained skeptical. It wasn’t that he doubted her abilities, but he didn’t have enough faith to readily agree.
“But there have been significant advances in the field of magic over the last one hundred and fifty years.”
“……”
Richt didn’t deny this, as it was true.
“You’re right that I’m not enough on my own, but there are also research logs from the past…”
“Are you asking me to show you documents that are as good as family secrets?”
“…Yes, that’s what I’m asking.”
Even in the face of his pressing tone, Luciana didn’t back down.
Seeing her unwavering stance, Richt began to ponder deeply.
‘With the non-disclosure agreement in place, there’s no risk of the secrets leaking.’
Moreover, there was no other brilliant solution besides trying the research again. From a rational perspective, Luciana’s proposal seemed the most realistic and promising. Perhaps, with some luck, they could succeed and undo the imprint.
‘This is the best option.’
The longer the silence stretched, the more Richt leaned toward accepting her proposal.
“…Alright. Let’s do it.”
“Truly?”
If breaking the imprint was possible, then there was nothing to lose. Instead of dwelling on the impossibility, Richt decided to focus on the potential.
“I’ll gather the relevant materials and send them to you. But for that, we’ll need a means of communication…”
Without wasting time, Richt swiftly moved things forward, his tone firm. He paused briefly, choosing his words carefully.
Meeting at large social gatherings like today could only happen once or twice, but in the long term, it was far too inefficient.
After a moment of thought, he came up with a reasonable plan.
“I own a property at 128 Rodwell Street. It seems like the perfect place for exchanging letters.”
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