The Villainess’ Son is Innocent - Chapter 25

This series is NOT dropped. Chapters 1-31 will be undergoing heavy editing.

Chapter 13.1

Immersed for quite some time, Marquis Raymon herself appeared engrossed, comfortably settled in one spot.

‘Come to think of it, where’s Hildred?’

At some point, I noticed he was gone and started to wander around in search of him.

‘Could he have gone outside?’

Well, maybe he was bored. Books were not Hildred Raymon’s forte; rather, they served as tools to expand his knowledge.

While my appreciation for books aligned with his, I still found solace in the stability that comes with reading.

We weren’t particularly close, and I initially considered letting him be wherever he was, but he seemed to be avoiding me. So, I decided to go find him.

“Hildred?”

The first floor was empty, except for the marquis and I. I climbed the spiral iron staircase leading to the second floor.

“It’s pretty high up here.”

Upon reaching the second floor, I saw the marquis absorbed in her reading below. The view from above offered an impressive sight of the first floor.

‘While I’m up here… I might as well check for relevant books in other sections.’

I examined the signs, getting a grasp of how each section was organized.

‘Why does the assortment up here overlap with the first floor?’

On the right side of the first floor, history books were neatly arranged. On the second floor, in the same location on the right, I discovered that there were also history books organized in a similar manner.

‘What could these books be about? Does the third floor follow the same arrangement?’

One by one, I ran my fingers across the spines of the books on the shelves.

‘Ah, now I understand why.’

On each floor of this library… highly-protected books were arranged in reverse order.

“Just by looking at the titles, there are many controversial topics here that could cause a stir if revealed to the public.”

Although I only ascended one floor, the fact that I hadn’t obtained permission from the marquis made my heart pound.

Nervously, I peered below the railing, where she appeared deeply engrossed, her focus captured by something that had seized her mind. Unfurling a book before her, she studied its contents intently. Satisfied that her attention was elsewhere, I pulled out a book of my own.

The title sounded deep, and without a second thought, I opened it to a random page.

‘The madness of the demi-god engulfed the world… The entire continent was deeply soaked in human blood… and all life on earth let out wails of anguish…’

The mention of a demi-god in this book implied that this mythological figure was the recognized ancestor of the Asilesque royal family.

‘Is this a real history book, or a story revolving around the continent’s myth?’

If the second floor housed a myth detailing the ancient path, what other books awaited on the third floor? My gaze shifted back to the first floor. Should I explore the third floor instead?

My hesitation was fleeting, and my decision was swift. I pushed the book back into place, determined to seize my only opportunity.

Yet, had I not noticed a title peeking out behind another book on the shelf I just passed, I might have gone up to the third floor.

Instinctively, I pulled out the book. The author…

“What are you doing here?”

Shutting the book to avoid being caught, I engraved the last name written on the front page in my thoughts: Rostad.

Whoosh! Whirling around, I found Hildred holding an awful lot of books, seeking my help.

“Can you hold a few? My arm hurts.”

Wiggle, wiggle. Discreetly, I slid the book I had been reading back into place. He narrowed his eyes.

“You didn’t…”

“Oh, um… I didn’t see you, so I came to look for you.”

“Who knew you’d be so skilled at lying?”

“What are you talking about? Don’t make misleading comments. You asked me to help, didn’t you?”

I took three to four books from his arms. Even though he seemed suspicious, my composed response quickly eased him.

“Mother mentioned it earlier. Don’t come up here next time.”

“You say that as if there will be a next time.”

“I thought you said you wanted to come?”

Well, that was unexpected.

‘Was he really going to allow me access at any time?’

Returning to the first floor, my arms started to ache. I placed the books I had carried next to the ones Hildred had set down.

“Why did you bring these?”

“To repair them.”

Ah, I had heard that repairing books with fallen pages or mold was crucial to prevent further damage.

“You’re going to do it yourself?”

“These books are too precious to just leave in someone else’s hands.”

Hildred was pretty skilled at sorting out books damaged by moisture, missing pages, mold, and so on.

Emil possessed a graceful and beautiful appearance, but it was quite entertaining to watch this bright and kind handsome young boy concentrate on his work.

To prevent the paper from yellowing, Hildred positioned himself in front of the sunlight pouring in through the opaque glass. The light transformed his normally brownish hair and eyelashes into a sparkling gold.

‘That face of his is one of a kind.’

I reluctantly acknowledged it, even though it felt awkward to know that the marquis had been observing us for some time.

“I think I know why Hil invited you, Miss Vel.”

Her words carried an ominous undertone. Quickly, I waved my hands, shutting down any assumptions.

“It’s nothing like that.”

“Oh dear, no need to try and hide it.”

“Enough, Mother.”

Hildred snapped the book shut, his troubled expression making him seem more like a child his age.

* * *

Nevertheless, thanks to my deal with Hildred and my visit, I finally caught a lead.

‘Rostad, Rostad…’

After a couple more trips to the Raymon residence, the marquis finally mentioned the name I’d been looking for.

“Professor Rostad?”

“Do you know him?”

“He’s an expert in alchemy and apothecary. He’s originally from a small kingdom, but he’s in exile and is being sponsored by the Croscentine imperial family.”

I didn’t need to ask to know which small kingdom she was referring to.

‘I’m sure of it now. He was born in Asilesque.’

After a sip of her tea, the marquis expressed her doubt.

“He’s currently employed at Rilford Academy. Miss Vel, were you also interested in alchemy?”

It seems I will be from now on, is how I wanted to answer, but I covered it up with a laugh.

“It’s more for a simple reason than interest.”

An excuse, as simple as it was, came to mind.

“Alchemists and apothecaries can earn a great amount of money.”

I was about to feel embarrassed, but the marquis surprisingly agreed.

“That field of research also offers plenty of excitement.”

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