The Villainous Lady Doesn't Speak Chapter 137

Exchange of Opinions 15

Liliana sighed as she gazed out the window at the clear sky while relaxing in her mansion near the royal capital.

Since the death of Duke Ealdred, Liliana had been obsessively searching for evidence of the schemes her father, Duke Clark, had been plotting. From what she could gather from the letter the late Duke Ealdred had addressed to Lord Playstead, it seemed the duke believed that some kind of evidence had been left in the Clark estate. Ealdred must have had some level of certainty, and with that in mind, Liliana had focused her investigation mainly on searching for hidden rooms.

"I’m sure Father would have hidden the relevant documents in a secret room."

It was hard to imagine that important documents would be left in a place like the study room. If that were the case, Duke Ealdred would have already found them by now.

As Liliana came to that conclusion, she recalled the hidden room used by Philip, the butler, in the mansion of the Fortia region. That room had been packed with materials on magic and Curses. Remembering this, Liliana had been trying to find a chance to sneak into that room several times, but Philip had been constantly lingering in the study room where the entrance to the hidden room was located, so her investigation had not progressed. As a result, she prioritized searching the duke's mansion where she was currently living, just outside the royal capital. However, the mansion grounds were vast, and her efforts had yet to bear fruit.

It was clear that the late Duke Ealdred had been aware of her father’s schemes, but Liliana still had no idea what he entailed. If she at least knew what her father was plotting, she might be able to figure out what evidence to look for. She had released some informants and even asked Obsidian to investigate, but it seemed that even Lord Playstead was in the dark. Most likely, Duke Ealdred had avoided being too explicit due to the lack of concrete evidence. However, the duke had been in a rush, certain that time was running out. He must have been so convinced of the urgency that he was prepared to push forward even at the cost of his life.

"I’m running out of time... and I still don’t even know what Father is thinking."

Continuing an investigation without knowing what to look for was deeply frustrating.

It was possible that her father had been secretly dealing with the Yunitian Empire, but given that he had been pushing for Princess Edith to be engaged to Riley, it was also likely that he wanted to prevent an invasion from the empire. So far, there didn’t seem to be any sign that Duke Clark was trying to put someone other than Riley on the throne. In the end, Clark’s true motives remained a mystery.

Still, there was no time to waste. Liliana was starting to feel a sense of urgency, something quite unlike her usual demeanor.

In just a few days, Liliana would be turning ten. The matter of her engagement to Riley was still up in the air. Even after Duke Ealdred’s death, the nobles remained hesitant about the engagement with a foreign princess. Despite this, Duke Clark remained calm and composed, likely because once Liliana turned ten, he would be able to use a secret agreement with the king to remove her from the list of engagement candidates. Moreover, the king’s condition had worsened significantly in recent days. It was as if his previous state of consciousness had been a lie, as he had now fallen into a coma. As a result, even the nobles who opposed marrying the crown prince to a foreign princess were becoming anxious. Duke Clark would surely take advantage of the king’s unconscious state and proceed with his plans, ignoring the king’s desire to make Liliana Riley’s fiancée.

Of course, Liliana didn’t mind being removed from the list of candidates for Riley’s fiancée. In fact, ever since she regained her memories of her previous life at the age of six, she had been working to ensure that she wouldn’t become his fiancée. However, if she were no longer a candidate, she would lose her reason for staying by Riley’s side. If that happened, she wouldn’t be able to fulfill the promise she had made to Duke Ealdred to protect Riley. That was her only real concern.

"This is quite troublesome."

If she only thought of herself, she could simply turn a blind eye to everything. After all, protecting Crown Prince Riley was the job of his guards and knights, not hers. However, Liliana had made a promise to Duke Ealdred. Since then, she hadn’t spoken to the duke again, meaning that protecting Riley was the final wish he had entrusted to her. The letter he had written to Lord Playstead also made it clear that the duke had been thinking about the future of the kingdom, centered around Riley.

"Surprisingly, I do have a heart after all."

She had always thought of herself as someone calm, detached, and devoid of emotion. She believed she lacked passion and attachment to anything. Yet here she was, trying her best to honor the promise she had made to Duke Ealdred, surprising even herself. It seemed that his words had left a much deeper impression on her heart than she had realized, Liliana thought, her expression growing complicated.

"Milady."

The air stirred. Having already sensed the faint presence, Liliana calmly acknowledged the intruder with a single word.

"Sid, how unusual for you to appear in the daytime. And with such a cheerful expression, no less."

"I finally caught their tail."

"Oh?"

Liliana noticed that the normally nonchalant and unreadable Obsidian seemed in a strangely good mood. As expected, Obsidian readily confirmed her suspicions.

"Whose tail, I wonder? It’s not my father’s, is it?"

"Well, I’ve only managed to glimpse the shadow of his tail, so to speak."

Though Liliana had mixed feelings of hope and resignation, Obsidian’s response made her eyes widen in surprise. Obsidian, amused, grinned at her reaction.

"It’s rare to see you look so surprised, milady. It almost makes all the effort worth it just to see that face."

"Oh my, I’m quite pleased with how competent you’ve proven to be. At this rate, I think I can continue asking you for various favors."

"Ugh."

Obsidian slumped his shoulders as if regretting his words, but he didn’t seem truly upset. If he were genuinely unhappy about it, he would have disappeared from Liliana’s surroundings without a trace. Knowing this, Liliana smiled wryly and prompted him, "So, what is it?"

Without needing any further prompting, Obsidian casually took a seat on the sofa opposite her. Then, putting on a slightly more serious air, he revealed the tail he had caught.

"I found out who the Director of the Ministry of Magic’s been dealing with."

Nicholas Bergson—the very man who had ousted Ben Draco from his position as Deputy Director and placed him on suspension. From the conversations in the advisory council and the subsequent movements, it had become clear that Bergson had been attempting to manipulate the knight order under someone’s influence. His methods were crude, but it seemed he had been trying in his own way.

Liliana quietly met Obsidian’s gaze, his pitch-black eyes gleaming.

"Duke Abram Clark."

Liliana gasped. However, her logical mind accepted the fact with surprising calm. While she had neither confirmation nor evidence, perhaps part of her had already suspected this on some subconscious level. Memories of her father and the Director of the Ministry of Magic resurfaced in her mind.

When Clyde had his debut at the Fortia estate at the age of six, Nicholas Bergson had been in attendance. In hindsight, it didn’t make sense that a man without a noble title, even if he was the Director of the Ministry of Magic, would be present at the debut of the eldest son of one of the three great ducal houses. At the time, Liliana hadn’t noticed this because, despite regaining her past-life memories, she had still been only six years old and unfamiliar with the norms of this hierarchical society.

But the fact that Bergson had been acting under Duke Clark’s orders meant that it was the duke who had orchestrated the suspension of Ben Draco and the attempted removal of both the commander and the second division captain from the Royal Knights. While Bergson’s actions towards Ben could have been personal, it wasn’t far-fetched to assume that Duke Clark had been pulling the strings when it came to the knights.

As Liliana silently stared at him, Obsidian continued in a calm tone.

"It seems their relationship weakened after the monster stampede two years ago, but before that, they were as thick as thieves."

Liliana tilted her head in thought. The fact that Obsidian mentioned a specific time suggested that something had changed in their relationship, or at least in their behavior, before and after that event.

"So, their relationship changed around the time of the monster stampede. Does that mean my father no longer needed Bergson’s influence?"

"It’s more like Bergson was cast aside."

"Cast aside?”

Liliana furrowed her brow at the unexpected word. Obsidian nodded, confirming her thoughts.

“The Director’s efforts didn’t live up to the duke’s expectations. He was whining about it in a tavern, so there’s no doubt.”

Though his pride made him reluctant to admit it, it seemed the Director had failed in the task entrusted to him. Apparently, the task was so unreasonable that success was nearly impossible, or so the Director thought. Regardless, Duke Clarke had deemed him “useless,” 

“Because of that, he’s fallen on hard times. When he was in good graces with your father, the money flowed freely, but now he’s in debt. At this rate, he’ll be neck-deep before long.” Obsidian explained.

It seemed that even with a decrease in income, the Director hadn’t been able to lower his standard of living. As the Director of the Ministry of Magic, he should have a substantial salary. While it wasn’t on the same level as a ducal household’s budget, he could earn more in one year than the average citizen did in several. And yet, for him to be struggling with money suggested a lifestyle far beyond his means. Having heard Obsidian’s report, Liliana couldn’t help but chuckle.

“That was quite a detailed report. I wonder where you manage to gather such information.”

This kind of news would never be found within the Ministry of Magic or the royal palace. From his mention of the tavern, she could guess that his information sources came from such places. Obsidian let out a small laugh.

“A seedy tavern you’d never want to step foot in, milady. Nobles never go to places like that, so it’s the perfect spot for people to vent their frustrations anonymously.”

“And yet the Director of the Ministry of Magic frequents such places?”

It was a far cry from the lavish image she had of him. Seeing Liliana’s skeptical expression, Obsidian shrugged and replied, “There’s a reason for it.”

“He doesn’t go just to drink or complain. Guys like Bergson, who are full of their own privilege, usually look down on those kinds of places. But some conversations can only happen in places like that.”

The way he worded it made Liliana realize the truth. Though Bergson didn’t have a noble title, he was still part of the privileged class. When people like him went to places where their peers wouldn’t be found, it was usually to discuss something private.

Seeing that Liliana had figured it out on her own, Obsidian’s lips curled into a slight smile.

“Exactly. The Director’s probably looking for his next host and found someone willing to talk.”

“From the way you’re phrasing it, does that mean you know who he’s dealing with?”

“Of course.”

Obsidian’s face showed that he considered it obvious.

Disguised as a common boy, Obsidian had blended into a tavern, keeping company with rough men while observing them. There, Nicholas Bergson had met with a young man dressed like a vagrant. Despite his shabby appearance, Obsidian had noticed the man’s socks—a detail that stood out. Common folk didn’t wear socks. While his mannerisms weren’t those of a noble, the condition of his hands and neck suggested that he worked in a noble household.

Obsidian had followed the young man after he left the tavern. Sure enough, the man passed through the commoner district of the capital, even beyond the neighborhood of wealthy merchants, and finally entered the area where the nobles resided.

“He's a servant of the Mellars family,” Obsidian said.

“The one who serves as the facilitator for the advisory council? I thought he was a serious man.”

Liliana tilted her head slightly, wondering if her initial impression had been wrong. Of course, people’s personalities and beliefs are rarely one-dimensional. Just because someone seems serious doesn’t mean they are particularly righteous, and someone who appears carefree can turn out to be honest and sincere. She didn’t know what motivated Mellars’ servant to approach Bergson, but it was something to keep in mind for now.

“And what about the ‘shadow of the tail’ you mentioned concerning my father?”

It seemed Obsidian had finished sharing everything about Nicholas Bergson. Liliana pressed him for the other report. Obsidian opened his mouth to speak.

“You told me to find proof of his secret dealings with the neighboring country, right?”

“Yes.”

Liliana nodded, already suspecting that Obsidian had been unable to bring back solid evidence. If he had, he wouldn’t have referred to it as the “shadow of the tail.” As expected, Obsidian hesitated a little before prefacing his statement with, “This is just hearsay, but—”

“It seems Duke Clark and Elmer Hagen of the Yunatien Empire have been exchanging secret letters.”

That was certainly unexpected. Liliana’s eyes widened.

General Hagen, who had been assassinated, had advocated for a policy of non-aggression and cooperation with neighboring countries. However, now that she thought about it, both the general and Duke Clark had shared the goal of making Princess Edith the fiancée of Crown Prince Riley. If the two had been secretly collaborating, it wasn’t such a far-fetched idea.

Some of the information now in her possession was still unconfirmed, but no matter how strange it seemed, facts could be found when all the pieces aligned into a coherent picture.

Up until now, Liliana had suspected her father of planning a rebellion. When she considered the possibility of him conspiring with a foreign nation, she naturally imagined a scenario where the kingdom would fall under the control of the Yunatian Empire. However, when she put the available information together, that conclusion felt oddly out of place.

“My father... could he be planning a coup d'état?”

If that were the case, everything made sense. He would want to weaken the faction supporting the king and crown prince, but he also needed to prevent an invasion from the empire until the domestic situation had stabilized. If that was his line of thinking, it explained why he would have partnered with General Elmer Hagen.

Then there was the reason her father was trying to remove Liliana from consideration as Riley’s fiancée and marry him to Princess Edith instead. If he falsely accused the princess for colluding with the enemy, they could both be imprisoned. He could even assassinate Riley and blame it on the princess, executing her as a traitor. There were many ways her father could legitimately usurp the throne. As for Liliana herself, she could either be handed over to the empire or married off to the next king.

If Duke Ealdred had figured this out, it would explain why he was willing to act so quickly, even at the risk of his own life.

“That would... be a very dangerous situation,” Liliana muttered.

In her previous life’s otome game, Duke Clark’s scheme hadn’t succeeded. The plan might have progressed to a certain point, but he had died midway through the story.

However, that didn’t mean things would unfold the same way in reality. No matter how far things deviated from the game’s plot, Liliana knew she would have to take action at some point. She bit her lip in determination.

*****

One late night, long past midnight, Belinda Clark awoke in the Fortia estate to find an unexpected light on in a room where no one should have been.

“Who’s there?”

Her husband, Abram, and their son, Clyde, were both in the capital, residing at the Duke’s mansion. Her mother-in-law, Barbara, suffered from insomnia, but she had taken her medicine and wouldn’t be up at this hour. Her daughter, Liliana, seldom left the estate on the outskirts of the capital, so it had to be one of the servants moving around in the middle of the night.

Abram had personally selected the servants working at the estate, and their loyalty was unmatched. There was no way any of them were involved in criminal activity like theft, but still, something about the situation made Belinda uneasy.

She approached the room as quietly as she could, taking care to muffle her footsteps. The sound seemed to be coming from the study adjacent to Abram’s private quarters. Belinda peeked through the gap in the door, but she could only make out a figure inside, not who it was. However, she could hear a muffled voice. The person was clearly using magic or some kind of sorcery to communicate with someone at a distance.

“Master Clyde is an ordinary young man, but given his blood relation to the master, success is inevitable. However, we must proceed carefully, so as not to arouse suspicion. The necessary potion is already arranged, so rest assured—”

Belinda’s face froze. She gasped, quickly covering her mouth with both hands. Her heart was pounding so loudly she was afraid it would give her away. Fortunately, the person inside hadn’t noticed she was eavesdropping. Pale-faced and shaken, Belinda hurried away. She locked herself in her room, her entire body trembling.

“No... it can’t be—could it really be? But—”

Her eyes were filled with a mix of fear and fury. She was far too agitated to sleep.

“What should I do? Oh, what am I supposed to do?”

She paced around the room, biting her nails. Her mind was in chaos, preventing her from thinking clearly. It was hardly the behavior of a proper lady, but Belinda had no presence of mind to care about that now.

“No, I have to stop this somehow. Clyde... my dear boy... he’s my precious child—”

Belinda rarely left the Fortia estate. In fact, the number of times she had set foot in the Duke’s mansion in the capital could be counted on one hand. But the next morning, with an unusually grim expression, she summoned her maid.

“Madam, do you require something?”

“I am going to the capital. Prepare my things.”

“As you wish.”

The maid’s surprise showed for just a moment before she quickly composed herself and rushed to make the necessary preparations. Belinda rarely fulfilled her role as the lady of the house, seldom hosting tea parties or other such gatherings. As a result, her sudden departure for the capital caused no inconvenience to anyone.

With a speed unbecoming of a noblewoman, she had her things packed and boarded the Duke’s carriage, heading for the capital. This was about a week before Liliana’s tenth birthday.

—-

ToC

Chapter 138