The Unlikely Imprint of the Villainess and the Male Lead - Chapter 54
Chapter 54
Translator: Yonnee
—
“What am I even thinking?!”
Richt immediately denied the thoughts swirling in his head.
He told himself he didn’t care in the slightest what that woman wore.
Yet, no matter how much he tried to convince himself, one thing was certain: until he either cracked open his skull and extracted his brain or acquired the pink diamond, he wouldn’t regain his mental freedom from her.
“Damn it. I suppose I won’t be sleeping until I get my hands on it.”
The thought of personally buying the jewel filled him with a strange sense of defeat.
“If I could, I’d force myself to drink sleeping pills.”
If not for the side effects, he would have summoned a doctor and gotten a prescription immediately.
Haaa. There was no avoiding it.
Kicking his blankets away in frustration, Richt ruffled his hair and got out of bed.
“At first light, I’ll visit the marketplace.”
To think he’d been reduced to this over a mere rock.
Glancing at the clock pointing to just 5 a.m., Richt rubbed his tired eyes and headed to the bathroom.
* * *
As the darkness lifted and the pale winter sky emerged, Richt left his bedroom.
“Your Grace? Are you heading out this early?”
“I have a brief errand to attend to.”
“…In that outfit, sir?”
While leaving the mansion early was one thing, his attire—a black robe draped over him like he was sneaking into an illegal black market—was utterly baffling.
“What? Is there a problem?”
“N-No, of course not…”
Godwin quickly bowed his head. Whatever his master intended to do, it wasn’t his place to interfere.
“Are you skipping breakfast as well, then?”
“I’ll return within an hour. Prepare it accordingly.”
“Yes, Your Grace. I’ll inform the chef.”
Ending the short exchange, Richt mounted his horse and rode straight to the jeweler. The cold weather had kept the streets empty, allowing him to arrive earlier than expected.
“……!”
Before entering, he glanced at the display case to confirm something, only to flinch and hastily step inside.
Ding.
“Welcome.”
“Are you Jean Ferté?”
“Y-Yes… sir.”
Who is this man?
Jean instinctively felt overwhelmed by the presence of the hooded figure before him.
Though his face was mostly obscured, the man’s voice carried a distinct air of authority, the kind one only encountered among high-ranking nobles.
“Is there something you’re looking for?”
“The pink diamond that was displayed out front. It’s not there today.”
“Ah… Are you referring to the new piece from the seasonal collection, Rosephine’s Spring?”
“Yes.”
Rosephine’s Spring, Summer— Whatever. It didn’t matter.
‘This is purely for the sake of getting some sleep.’
Richt dismissed his hurried morning trip as a necessity, convincing himself he had no other choice.
“Unfortunately… it’s already been purchased by another client.”
“What?!”
Jean winced, terrified by the ominous aura radiating from Richt.
Although the hood obscured most of his face, the oppressive energy swirling around the man was palpable, much like the black robe that enveloped him.
‘Damn it.’
As expected, Richt’s expression hardened as though he had slammed into an invisible wall.
―What did I tell you? I told you to buy it yesterday! You fool! Now what? What are you going to do?!
The voice gnawed relentlessly at his nerves, like a pack of unleashed dogs.
Despite racing straight to the shop without a wink of sleep, someone else had already taken the item.
Seemingly dissatisfied, Richt tapped the glass display case with his finger, his expression unreadable.
‘No. What is there to regret?’
While the name Cassio might have allowed him to pull some strings, reclaiming something already sold was nearly impossible.
‘In fact, this might be for the best.’
Even if he had bought it, the follow-up would have been a headache. Now that the trouble had been avoided, wasn’t this a blessing in disguise?
‘I feel absolutely nothing.’
As he maintained this detached facade, Richt turned to leave without hesitation.
At least, that was his intention.
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