Chapter 56

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 56

Chapter Title: Desperation and Secret Meetings

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Lately, Evangeline had been in a foul mood.

The reason was simple.

'What else could it be but that wench!'

Every time she thought of that idiot Hilia brazenly occupying the Crown Princess's seat, rage boiled up inside her, impossible to contain.

Of course, there was no way Hilia would ever be recognized as the Crown Princess.

'The banquet's never going to go off without a hitch!'

She had narrowly escaped the humiliation that girl had tried to inflict on her not long ago.

Society's opinions had wobbled a bit at first but soon settled back into calm.

It was all thanks to her hard work over time.

But an unprecedented anxiety was now surging within her.

Every time she recalled Hilia, beautifully dressed and boldly standing by Arpad's side...

Evangeline sought the source of her unease elsewhere.

'It's that Viscountess Filern, the Empress—nobody but me can get anything done right!'

Yes, that was it. She was the only competent one, which was why everything felt so grueling and uncertain.

'I absolutely cannot feel even a shred of threat from some worthless girl like her! Never!'

No way.

It couldn't be.

She was the one destined to surpass idiots like Hilia and become the true protagonist.

Psyching herself up like that, Evangeline entered the Ruth Marquis's residence and ran into someone unpleasant.

"Eva! Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting?"

It was Ludwig, showing up looking like a beggar.

'He reeks of booze!'

As he drew closer, the nauseating stench of alcohol hit her.

And it wasn't just that he'd been drowning in drink—he looked like he hadn't bothered to wash or groom himself properly either.

His shirt was wrinkled, his hair matted and disheveled.

He was the picture of a total wreck.

'Just two weeks ago, I couldn't have imagined him like this.'

Back then, Ludwig had been confident and charismatic.

Even though he'd fallen for Arpad, Evangeline had been somewhat satisfied with having him in her grasp.

At least back then, he could be called a male lead.

'Of course, even then it was hard to understand why Ludwig was the male lead instead of Arpad.'

But Ludwig's current state was horrifying.

It didn't suit his noble position as Grand Duke.

Much less as a "male lead."

No wonder not a single kind word came to mind.

"What is it all of a sudden?"

But Ludwig seemed oblivious to Evangeline's icy demeanor.

He held up a crumpled document and shouted.

"Help me out here, Eva!"

"Be precise. What exactly do you want me to do?"

Evangeline couldn't hold back her irritation.

"And if you're asking me to clean up your reputation, that's impossible. You've caused way too much of a mess."

Of course, a big part of it was Ludwig's public disgrace.

But the decisive factor was that Evangeline had thrown him under the bus to save her own skin.

She kept that hidden, and Ludwig had no idea.

Ludwig cried out desperately.

"The Delphin Duke's family has formally accused me!"

"I already knew that..."

While sorting out Delphin Manor in a single night, Hilia had shrewdly filed charges for embezzlement and unauthorized land title changes over the years.

She'd even secured evidence and witnesses. The Kielern Grand Duke's retainers and servants from Delphin Manor had been hauled off en masse.

Somehow, they'd already given their testimonies.

The outcome was a foregone conclusion.

Evangeline had known this already.

But what Ludwig said next was something even she hadn't anticipated.

"That crazy bitch! She's applied to confiscate my estate and mansion!"

"...What?"

Ludwig's explanation was straightforward.

As compensation for the damage Ludwig had inflicted on the Delphin Duke's family, Hilia was going after Kielern Grand Duke's residence and his territories.

"She's trying to take my entire fortune!"

That must have been what finally dragged him out of his alcohol-soaked stupor.

"I'm the victim here! Why me?"

Clinging to Evangeline was apparently all he could manage.

Ludwig pleaded desperately.

"Help me, Eva. You love me, don't you? Not like that lunatic—you really love me, right?"

Now he was gazing up at her with a servile expression.

An expression that only deepened the viewer's contempt and disgust, but Ludwig was clueless.

Evangeline was his last remaining hope.

Evangeline looked down at him, suppressing her urge to vomit.

The contrast hit her anew.

Arpad's beautiful, majestic figure versus this worm-like Ludwig now.

'He's a bastard-born cousin, but how can they be so different?'

It suddenly felt absurd that she'd nearly married this man.

If Hilia had smoothly married Ludwig, then she herself would have ended up...

Then, a sudden thought flashed through her mind.

'Wait, originally, Ludwig was supposed to end up with Hilia, right?'

That was the fate in the original story too. That's why he was the male lead.

She had wanted Ludwig because he was the male lead.

Of course, this pathetic version of Ludwig was utterly unsuitable for her now.

'Yeah, a fallen man like this suits someone like Hilia.'

The spot next to Arpad—that position Hilia was occupying so far beyond her station—naturally suited her much better.

Maybe Ludwig, whom she'd thought was done with, still had some use left.

'If a scandal with her ex-fiancé blows up, her already shaky position will crumble even more, right?'

Above all, she was dying to know how Arpad would react.

'Yes. Arpad's been deceived, unaware of that woman's true colors. Once he learns the truth...'

He'd surely discard a woman so unfit for him.

"Don't worry, Ludwig. I'll help you."

"Really? You mean it, Eva?"

"Not just keeping you from losing everything... I'll make sure you get it all back."

Evangeline's lips curled up in a sly grin.

Delve Street, where townhouses of low-ranking nobles and wealthy commoners clustered.

In one dingy old mansion at the edge stood one of Arpad's safe houses.

Disguised to avoid prying eyes and arriving in a rundown carriage, Hilia met the mercenary.

"News from the dump."

Hilia's eyes lit up.

The dump was one of the code words she and the Black Mercenary Corps had set.

'Spies I left at Ludwig's mansion?'

Yes. The dump referred to Ludwig's residence, Kielern Grand Duke's manor.

While cleaning up Delphin Manor last time, Hilia had sent Ludwig's subordinates packing to the security forces or straight out.

Among those who slunk back to the Grand Duke's manor were some she'd bought off.

To survive, they'd diligently fed her info on Ludwig.

And the Black Mercenary Corps served as the middlemen.

'Temporary, of course.'

With her own people still in short supply, Hilia had no choice.

Still, it was effective. She was getting intel on Ludwig—and bonus info on Evangeline.

The conclusion from this was simple.

"Looks like Ludwig's still clinging to some stupid hope."

Evangeline had probably egged him on.

There were plenty of ways to counter it.

'But right now, there's a more pressing issue, so focus.'

Pocketing the note, Hilia took a few more steps inside, where someone in disguise emerged to greet her.

"Isephin."

"Welcome."

Isephin Solenu.

The Solenu Marquis's daughter was indoors yet still wary of onlookers.

"Don't worry. No one's tailing us."

Even with Hilia's assurance, Isephin couldn't shake her tension.

"As you know... this is someone who took a huge risk to come here."

"I know."

Hilia smiled brightly.

"And I appreciate everything you've done to make this happen. Your kindness won't be betrayed, so relax."

With that, Hilia stepped forward.

Isephin hesitated, as if wanting to say more.

But she didn't steal any more of Hilia's time and opened the door.

Inside sat an elderly noblewoman, flanked by two or three maids of similar age.

Hilia scrutinized every face in the room, her eyes gleaming.

'Oh?'

Then Isephin introduced her.

"My great-aunt... no, Her Highness Archduchess Axion."

At Hilia's request, Isephin had successfully moved a figure who practically ruled the entire west.