The Unlikely Imprint of the Villainess and the Male Lead - Chapter 28

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Chapter 28

Translator: Yonnee

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The Tristan Guild, which Logan had approached, had services known for being difficult to access and extremely costly to use, but it also had a reputation for providing highly accurate information.

The fact that they couldn’t uncover the group associated with the badge suggested that the organization operated in a small, covert manner, or possibly even as a private, unofficial organization under the control of a noble.

‘I’ll need to investigate the second possibility further before I can be certain.’

If that turned out to be true, it would be a serious headache…

‘I’ll have to select a few members from the knights and order them to investigate the back alleys.’

This kind of deviation was within the range of what he had anticipated, but it seemed like things would become more troublesome than expected.

‘Closing in on the target is just a matter of using whatever means necessary.’

Though it was inevitable that he felt some impatience, given that it was the only clue he had, Richt decided to wait patiently for the right moment to strike.

“…Was the item delivered safely?”

“Oh! I actually ran into Lik on the way here. He said it was completed without any issues.”

“That’s good, but…”

Was it because the topic had shifted?

Clear voice. A slight dimple. Bright, golden eyes.

Richt’s mind was suddenly filled with the image of Luciana, the face he had been trying so hard to ignore.

“Are you all right? You don’t look well.”

“!”

Damn it. Did I show my thoughts without realizing it?

“…I’m just tired, so there’s no need to worry.”

“…Is that so?”

It didn’t seem like that at all.

Logan subtly observed Richt, who was struggling to control his expression.

‘For someone who doesn’t flinch at most things, whatever group that badge represents seems to have rattled him quite a bit.’

Since the secrets of the ducal household were known only to the family of butlers that had served the Cassio family since its founding—currently Godwin—Logan assumed it must be some foolish upstart daring to challenge Richt.

‘Whatever happens to those idiots, they’ll regret it deeply.’

Logan silently wished for mercy on their doomed souls, whoever they were, for having poked the wrong bear.

“Then, I’ll take my leave now.”

“Understood.”

With that, he placed the pile of documents he had brought onto the desk and exited the office.

“…Hah.”

As soon as Richt was left alone, he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to dispel the figure haunting his thoughts.

“Clear everything I pointed at out of my sight.”

“Pardon…? E-Everything?”

For the past two days, Richt had removed anything that reminded him of Luciana, regardless of what it was.

That included colors associated with her. As a result, any artwork in the corridors of the duke’s mansion containing pink or yellow, no matter its value, had been stashed away in storage.

Even though he longed for his mate deep down, this foolish tantrum persisted.

Anyone who saw him would surely mock him for it.

“……”

Richt was well aware of it. This ridiculous behavior, no matter how it seemed to ease his mind temporarily, was ultimately pointless.

But it was the best he could do. If he didn’t cling to this, he feared that his primal instincts, lying in wait to overpower him, would consume him entirely.

Being reduced to a beast, blindly obeying his mate’s every command, disgusted him. It was something he neither wanted nor could tolerate imagining.

“…Ironically, it seems that woman is the only one I can rely on now.”

Richt closed his eyes, weary, as he struggled to erase her from his mind.

The only escape from the trap he felt trapped in was Luciana’s research.

Even though it had been conducted long ago, the chance of completing something no one else had achieved in such a short time was slim.

But Richt had no choice but to pour everything into that faint glimmer of hope, for his own sake. He had sent her everything that could possibly aid her research.

The full onset of mating season had yet to arrive, but once it did, who knew how things would change?

Would he still be able to maintain his sanity by then?

“…It must succeed.”

Before he was forced to surrender to the imprint.

So that he wouldn’t repeat the long-buried mistakes of the past.