The Villainess Who Accidentally Stole Their Hearts - Chapter 15
Chapter 8.1
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Leonard’s expression, now cold and rigid, made him seem like a completely different person than before. In an instant, he had concealed the wounds of betrayal.
The young key figure of Periwel, known as the Empire’s ‘Second Merchant Guild.’
The negotiator at the table.
His true nature had come to light.
“Are you going to explain how Emma approached me, pretending it was a coincidence, while hiding the fact that she’s married?”
“Lord Leonard, I—”
“Don’t claim you had no ulterior motives. You planned to use this to gain favor with the Grand Duke’s family, didn’t you? You promised to protect Emma if I supported the lady!”
“….!”
The conference room erupted in murmurs at Leonard’s revelation.
“Furthermore, Emma is the Lady of Delosif’s personal maid and closest confidante. How could you place someone like her so close to a member of the direct line?”
Leonard’s words didn’t stop there.
“You not only deceived me intentionally, but you also planted a spy in the main family!”
“….!”
“….!!”
The mention of a spy within the main family shifted the gravity of the situation entirely. As Mikarin hastily glanced around, she noticed the retainers were as expressionless as ice statues.
And then…
Thump!
The moment her gaze met Zerno’s, her heart began to race uncontrollably.
Mikarin quickly spoke up.
“A spy? I would never, ever do something like that. Please believe me.”
But as the cold atmosphere remained unchanged, she suddenly exclaimed, “Ah!”
“There has to be paperwork! The documents Emma submitted when she applied to be a maid.”
At her words, the quick-witted butler promptly retrieved Emma’s application documents.
Mikarin exclaimed with a flushed face.
“Look! It clearly states ‘from Havelock’ on the identification certificate. If Emma were from my jurisdiction, she wouldn’t have even been able to apply to be my sister’s maid.”
Zerno asked expressionlessly.
“What about the possibility of a counterfeit?”
“These documents have been verified. The seal on the identification certificate is indeed Lady Nikaearsha’s.”
Upon hearing the butler’s confirmation, Mikarin confidently puffed out her chest. No matter how closely it was inspected, the document would undoubtedly be proven genuine.
‘Because I stamped it myself with my sister’s seal!’
Mikarin seized the moment, appealing for her innocence with a wronged expression.
“If you still can’t trust me… you’re welcome to investigate all the documents from my jurisdiction.”
Not only had she already taken care of all the paperwork related to Emma, but she even fabricated new documents for Emma’s husband, so there was no trace left that Emma was originally from Elwood.
‘It would actually work to my advantage if they investigate—then they’ll see that Nikaearsha is wrong!’
Mikarin glanced at Nikaearsha and discreetly raised the corners of her mouth in a smirk.
‘You’re being too hasty, Sister.’
Nikaearsha, who had always lived honestly and never resorted to deception, naturally couldn’t compete with her.
‘If it were me, I would’ve secretly rummaged through the documents in my jurisdiction before stirring things up recklessly.’
Documents like Emma’s birth certificate or identification papers.
‘At the very least, I would’ve forged Emma’s application documents and swapped them out.’
Then, when the butler presented the paperwork, she could have shifted the blame.
Look, here’s evidence that my seal was forged! This proves that Emma isn’t a citizen of my jurisdiction!
—she thought.
‘I really like you, sister. You’re just so naive.’
Mikarin, putting on a hurt expression, turned to Nikaearsha and spoke.
“Sister… with such ‘concrete evidence,’ why did you claim Emma is from my jurisdiction?”
“…It doesn’t matter where Emma comes from. Even if she’s from your jurisdiction, she’s still loyal to me. I wanted to discuss permission for her marriage from the start.”
‘Is she really that foolish?’
Mikarin nearly lost her composure for a moment.
Leonard had just made a big deal about her supposedly ‘planting a spy in the main family.’ And yet, she was just going to let it slide like this? But then again, thinking back, Nikaearsha had only ever talked about marriage and divorce from the very beginning.
‘I guess that’s just the extent of my sister’s capabilities. How sad.’
“Mikarin, you made a mistake too. How could you introduce a married woman?”
As expected, she was still fixated on the fact that Emma was married. The retainers also looked at Nikaearsha with expressions of pity.
‘Ah, how disappointed Brother Zerno must be.’
Her heart ached so much.
‘But since she’s helping me like this, I should happily go along with it.’
Mikarin let out a deep sigh and spoke with a troubled expression.
“I didn’t realize Emma was married either.”
At that moment, Nikaearsha’s expression shifted.
Mikarin furrowed her brows, thinking, ‘What’s going on?’
“Ah~ So, you’re confirming that Emma is indeed a married woman?”
“Yes…?”
“You should have said, ‘Emma isn’t married’ in that situation, Mikarin.”
Nikaearsha smiled sweetly and pointed to Emma’s identification certificate.
“This document, which you insisted is ‘concrete evidence,’ clearly states that Emma is unmarried. Did you get your facts mixed up?”
“….!”
‘How could you make such a simple mistake?’
She had let her guard down for just a moment. After being questioned about the spy in front of Zerno and the retainers, she had been under intense pressure, and once that pressure lifted, all her tension melted away.
No, no, even more than that—
‘Nikaearsha is actually thinking things through?’
She had never considered it might be a trap. To her, Nikaearsha’s head had always been just a pretty ornament… and now, that pretty ornament was smiling brightly.
“Seeing you so confused, it seems this ‘concrete evidence’ might be a bit different from what you know?”
“T-That’s….”
Just then, Zerno, who had been silent until now, finally spoke.
“I don’t believe it.”
Mikarin looked at Zerno with a shocked expression.
‘Is he really siding with Nikaearsha here…?’
Zerno’s words were tantamount to a death sentence given against the ‘concrete evidence.’
Nikaearsha ordered.
“Bring Emma here.”
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At the summons to the office, Emma strode in with a triumphant expression.
Her lover, Leonard, had made a significant contribution to Delosif. Mikarin, as his benefactor, would surely be sharing in that success.
‘Lady Nikaearsha must be getting another scolding from the young lord.’
Leonard had surely gotten his revenge for her.
‘Hmph, she should’ve treated me better. Why did she suddenly scold me earlier?’
Emma entered the office with her chin held high.
“Lady Nikaearsha, what’s going on?”
However, the atmosphere felt off.
Nikaearsha wore her usual haughty expression, and Mikarin looked visibly displeased.
‘Why is Leonard…?’
Before Emma could finish her thought, Nikaearsha dropped a bombshell.
“Oh, about your husband, Emma.”
“…Pardon?”
Emma’s heart plummeted in an instant.
She forced a laugh.
“Haha, my lady. I’m not even married yet.”
“That’s just a cover to stay by my side as a spy. I’m talking about your actual husband back in Elwood.”
“W-What do you mean, a spy? My lady, it’s me, Emma. Your loyal subordinate.”
Emma quickly dropped to her knees.
“I’ve done everything you asked of me, so why are you suddenly doing this?”
“….”
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