The Villainess Who Accidentally Stole Their Hearts - Chapter 8

Chapter 4.2

It was probably because this was the first time I’d approached him like this. I always pulled away, embarrassed, whenever he got even a little too close.

“Nike?”

“You had something on you.”

As I lifted the corner of my mouth in a slight smile, Cleas awkwardly touched his cheek and ear.

The areas I touched had turned red.

“You could’ve just told me.”

“You don’t like it?”

“No, it’s not that I don’t…”

Cleas, uncharacteristically, fumbled with his words.

Even though he found it repulsively unpleasant, he had never once shown it, always treating me with practiced ease. Well, I guess it would be surprising when the seasoning that’s usually sprinkled gradually suddenly gets dumped all at once.

‘Judging by Mikarin’s expression, I seem to be an even spicier seasoning than I thought.’

Mikarin was forcing a smile, but I could tell.

She was absolutely furious.

“Well then, I’ll be going.”

Satisfied with having ruined their mood, I turned around, feeling quite refreshed. Not only did I not want to deal with this trash any longer, but I had another reason for being at the party.

At that moment, a large hand caught my wrist.

“Where are you going?”

It was Cleas.

I looked at him, feeling a bit taken aback.

The unwanted nuisance that made his skin crawl was voluntarily leaving. Shouldn’t he be happy about that?

“Do I have to tell you?”

“Huh…?”

“There’s no need for me to tell you.”

“What are you saying? I’m your fiancé.”

A small laugh escaped me.

“You came to the party with Mikarin today too, didn’t you? Without telling me.”

“…I was only paying attention because she’s your cousin. I was thinking about you, so I took care of her for your sake.”

“You don’t need to explain it to me. I don’t care.”

Smack.

I brushed off Cleas’s arm and turned around again.

I could feel his gaze burning into the back of my head until I finally left the hall.

̊ · : * ✧ * : · ̊

‘She doesn’t care?’

Cleas stared at Nikaearsha’s retreating figure, feeling utterly bewildered. She wasn’t whining about why he was spending time with Mikarin instead of her.

‘She really looked like she didn’t care.’

Those indifferent eyes that looked at him.

That dry… almost annoyed expression.

‘Why…?’

Nikaearsha was a woman whose emotions were always transparent. Just meeting her eyes would make her face turn red, and her gaze was always filled with endless affection when she looked at him.

‘But why now…?’

The hand that had been struck throbbed.

…It was the first time.

It was the first time Nikaearsha had pushed him away like this. And it was the first time he felt…

“Didn’t like it?”

The faintly whispered voice. The fingertips that brushed against his cheek and touched his ear. In addition, those long eyelashes that blinked slowly and that enigmatic smile that was somewhere between a smile and not, drawing people in and filled with a hint of melancholy.

“….”

Cleas raised his hand and touched his cheek.

The spot where Nikaearsha’s fingertips had brushed against felt strangely sensitive.

“Cleas.”

The hand that gripped his arm firmly jolted him out of his thoughts.

Mikarin was looking up at him.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing.”

“You didn’t fall for my sister, did you?”

Cleas smiled at Mikarin’s cute, jealous expression.

“Of course not. It’s just… she suddenly seemed different.”

“Different?”

“…I was only worried that it might mess up our plans.”

Hearing his words, Mikarin let out a small “hmph” and leaned into his arms. The curtains scattered around the hall hid their secret moment together.

̊ · : * ✧ * : · ̊

As soon as I left the hall, I headed straight to the back garden.

‘I’m sure I saw him head this way…’

In the past, I didn’t just die.

I was murdered by the adultery five.

As much as I hate to admit it, the power of the adultery five was truly formidable. If things continued like this, I might be killed again.

‘I need someone with powers on my side too.’

Someone with overwhelming strength, powerful enough to stand against the adultery five. There was only one person I knew with that kind of power.

As I turned the corner, thinking about this…

‘Ah…’

I saw a man standing between the garden trees, illuminated by the moonlight. He had a tall stature and broad shoulders, and his attire was neatly pressed and perfectly tailored.

His hair, darkened by the night, gleamed with a mysterious glow.

“Grand Duke Akelos.”

His broad back moved gracefully. Even in the darkness, his eyes stared at me clearly.

I swallowed hard and called upon the Detective Agency.

Would you like to use a ♥ to request an investigation from the 〈 Detective Agency 〉?

‘Yes.’

He frowned slightly, looking puzzled as he gazed at me.

“Lady Delosif?”

“You know who I am? We haven’t been formally introduced.”

“How could I not recognize the most beautiful woman in the empire?”

I let out a smirk.

It had been a long time since I’d heard that. The delinquent of Delosif, the witch, the fake Awakener, the fraud… those were the only titles thrown my way lately.

“No wonder. I always felt your gaze whenever we crossed paths at parties.”

“Oh dear. You caught me.”

He laughed, not looking the slightest bit troubled.

I smiled back and asked.

“Then do you happen to know this as well?”

“….?”

“That impersonating a noble carries the death penalty as the highest sentence. I hear there’s even a reward for informants.”

“I didn’t expect the Lady to be interested in reward money.”

“How much do you think I’d get for exposing someone pretending to be the Grand Duke?”

“Well, I’d say it would start at least ten million gold.”

“So… how much are you willing to pay me?”

He looked at me, still wearing that relaxed, confident smile.

I wondered if that composure would really last until the end.

“You’ll have to offer me more than ten million gold, don’t you think?”

I slowly and deliberately pronounced his name.

“Yusril.”

“….!”

The relaxed expression he had maintained up until now shifted instantly as wariness, suspicion, and even hostility painted on his face.

For just a moment, I caught a glimpse of unease.

I couldn’t help but grin.

Love Hunt Target: Yusril

The target 〈 Yusril 〉 has a rank that is too high to investigate.

See?

This counts as valuable information, too, doesn’t it?

“Ha, this is quite something.”

After a brief moment of contemplation, Yusril let out a deep sigh.

“…The fact that you know my name means you’ve probably figured out almost everything.”

No, I actually only know three things… one of them being his name, which I just learned. The second was that the ‘Grand Duke Akelos’ would appear later.

And the last…

‘No one has ever figured out his true identity.’

Including his name, of course.

I crossed my arms confidently.

“Now, I’d like to meet the real Grand Duke Akelos, Mr. Ten Million Gold.”

̊ · : * ✧ * : · ̊

After Nikaearsha left.

Yusril stood alone in the garden, letting out a deep sigh.

“…They say rumors aren’t to be trusted. She’s not a troublemaker at all. If anything… she’s the spitting image of the Duke of Delosif.”

“Is that so?”

A voice drifted out from the seemingly deserted thicket. It was as mellow and soft as the night breeze yet carried a hidden ferocity that could turn into a gale at any moment.

“She seemed like quite the troublemaker to me.”

“Yes…?”

Eusril turned around with a puzzled expression.

There stood a man, half-immersed by the night, like a shadow blending seamlessly into the surrounding darkness.

“An absolute troublemaker, at that.”

A slanted smile rested on the man’s face like a painted image as he murmured those words.