The Villain is Being Suspiciously Kind - Chapter 95

Chapter 95

Meanwhile, Elaina was detained at the imperial palace for her involvement in Genfiros’ death.
With a dazed look on her face, she began to come back to reality.
So…
That’s right, Genfiros was dead.
Elaina had found out about it shortly after being taken into custody.
She remembered wrapping her hands around Citrina’s throat. The thrilling sensation came back to her bit by bit.
“So why didn’t you die then?”
It was because of the spirits, the otherwordly beings that Genfiros had warned her about.
The corners of Elaina’s mouth twisted up in a cynical smile.
Finally, Elaina knew what Genfiros had felt.
“Elaina-nim, are you alright?”

Oh my,
There was a man in front of her now who had entered the country in the name of a fact-finding mission for the Holy Kingdom of Caisairan.
His name was Sen. He was a fellow paladin.
“Sen”
Elaina scanned Sen’s gentle face and his priestly robes. He was a man who had been forced to return to the empire to deal with this situation.
Like most of the investigation team, Sen had a crush on Elaina.
“So, I’m here to investigate. Then…what happened with Genfiros-nim?”
His eyes sparkled with wonder above rosy cheeks. Sen was a man who hadn’t yet shed his boyishness.
“What has the investigation uncovered?”
“Genfiros-nim’s bad behavior has been revealed in many ways.”
Sen’s voice trailed off.
Looking at Sen, Elaina chewed on her bloody lips.
“You say that Genfiros-nim’s bad behavior has been revealed?”
“Yes…”
Sen whispered carefully, looking embarrassed.
“And do you believe it, Sen?”
Longing seeped from his eyes as he gazed at Elaina. Elaina smiled beautifully at him, making Sen blush as he looked at her.
A lovely smile dotted the corners of Elaina’s mouth.
“Ahh… Elaina-nim.”
At last, the words Elaina had been waiting for spilled from Sen’s mouth.
“Absolutely not! I don’t believe you and Genfiros-nim are trying to bring chaos to the world. Never!”
Sen had to make Elaina believe him because he was loyal to her.
Watching him struggle to prove his loyalty, Elaina smirked.
“Alright, Sen.”
This was good enough to suit her needs.
Elaina grinned, unaware that her smile resembled Genfiros.

“Listen to me, Sen.”
“…Yes?”
“Genfiros-nim was murdered.”
“M, murdered? It wasn’t a suicide?”
A dark look of horror appeared in the innocent priest’s eyes. Elaina paused, seeing the horror.
“Yes, murdered.”
“How could that be…”
His gentle, boyish voice echoed through the room.
Elaina bit her lip. She was certain. If they investigated, it would lead back to Citrina and her supporter, Duke Pietro.
There were not many cards that Elaina could rely on and control in that situation. Elaina looked at the shocked Sen and clenched her fists.
“Right…so what rumors are spreading around?”
Elaina remembered all those admiring eyes when they viewed her as a paladin.
Surely that admiration had not disappeared entirely?

“Uhh…I’ve heard people speaking poorly about you, Elaina-nim.”
Elaina smiled grimly. Genfiros, who was only good to her, was dead. And her reputation, which she valued more than life, was suffering.
Surely, these malicious rumors would come back to haunt her. Elaina bit down hard on her nails.
Sen looked at the unstable Elaina with wistful eyes.
“Elaina…nim?”
“Sen.”
“Yes, go ahead.”

Elaina grinned at the innocence in the boy’s eyes.
“…I have no choice but to die if this continues.”
The innocent, eager paladin looked at Elaina.
Sen was naive. His divine power was more pure than anyone else’s and as beautiful as a jewel.
She needed it to keep Genfiros alive, and to fulfill her revenge.
It also meant this was the perfect hand for her to exploit.
“How come…”
“How come? Because a paladin involved in a scandal will be expelled.”
Elaina stared silently at the letter Genfiros had left with her. The letter contained something along the lines of Genfiros’ last will and testament
Genfiros hadn’t expected to die, but these were his wishes.
The blood froze in her body because, at this moment, she felt like the villain of this world.

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“There is a person who caused Genfiros’s death.”
“Caused his death…”
Sen’s face clouded over. Elaina stared at him like an ice statue. The expression on her dry, parched face was bizarre at a glance.
But to Sen, it only seemed sacred.
Elaina whispered.
“…So I need you to do one last thing for Genfiros-nim.”
“You, well…what do you need?”
Elaina was silent. Somehow, she seemed anxious.
“I, uh, whatever it is, I’ll do it, Elaina-nim.”
Sen took the bait perfectly.
Elaina slowly brought her lips to his ear. Her damp breath touched Sen’s ear.
Slowly but surely, Elaina was resembling Genfiros.

****

After the picnic, Citrina didn’t return to her mansion since Desian said he was only making a quick stop at the palace.
Since she had only just received her title, the last thing she needed was to get involved with Caisairan’s fact-finding mission.
Citrina arrived at Duke Pietro’s residence.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying some free time.”
“I agree. The weather is also nice today.”
The duke’s butler, Harold added briefly. Citrina nodded lightly in agreement.
Desian had left, but the weather was good.
The only problem was the feeling she had that Genfiros’ plotting was not yet over, and she assumed Elaina’s vendetta hadn’t faded away.
For the time being, this was a perfectly happy day for Citrina.
“Citrina-nim, please allow me to escort you to the office.”
Wait, rather than taking her to a reception room, or a living room, she was going to his office?
“His Grace has something to discuss with you once he returns from the imperial palace.” Ouch! Citrina had bit her lip.
All bets were not off the table just yet.
Citrina also had an idea about Elaina’s wrath. She replied to Harold.
“Yes, let’s do that.”
She shaded her eyes with her hand to block out the sunlight streaming into the duke’s garden.

Citrina and Gemma arrived at the office.
Naturally, the office was empty.
Citrina plopped down on the sofa in the middle of the room.
-That’s not how a lady behaves, Citrina.
-I’m a businesswoman, not a lady.
At Citrina’s words, Gemma shook her head fiercely, but she didn’t retort.
Citrina decided to rest here for a while until Desian came.
Citrina was relaxing, enjoying her hibiscus tea and the finger foods a maid had brought in.

Suddenly, Gemma’s voice buzzed near her ear.
-Citrina, Citrina!
-Yeah?
-I saw something interesting here the other day.
Citrina studied Gemma’s face closely. It looked as if she was bragging.
-What is it, Gemma?
Gemma seemed to be ten times more capable when Desian was not around. This wasn’t the same Gemma as the one who stayed inside the pendant and watched Desian’s every move.
She was a fox in her den with no tigers around.
Still, she was cute, so Citrina would cut her some slack.

Anyhow, Gemma was very excited.
Gemma began flying and sniffing around the office.
-Why? Why do you keep snorting, Gemma?
-No, no. It’s a secret.
Gemma’s wings drooped after saying that.
It looked like she was being blackmailed into silence.
-Tell me. I’m curious.
Citrina set her teacup down.
-I have your permission? Right?
-Yeah, you have my permission.

Gemma spread her wings again and started fluttering around.
To say she was happy about it would be an understatement.
Citrina slowly leaned back on the sofa and crossed her arms. However, in contrast to Citrina’s laid-back demeanor, Gemma looked slightly frustrated.
It was as if she really wanted to say something.
-No, on the desk!
Gemma blurted out, staring at the neatly arranged parchment and quill pens on Desian’s mahogany desk.

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-What is it with this desk?
-It’s, it’s amazing? Right?
It was just a regular desk, so what could be so interesting about it?
-Gemma, you can’t play on Desian’s desk.
Citrina sternly cautioned her. Though Gemma didn’t seem to mind. Gemma pursed her lips, lost in thought.
-Why are you talking like that? This is serious! I’m looking for it now!
-What are you looking for?
It was the first time she’d heard Gemma say she was doing serious work.
Gemma sat still on the desk after finishing her speech. She didn’t do anything like rummage through the drawers, so Citrina decided to leave it alone.

‘I wonder if Desian put a sleeve garter in this desk.’ [T.L. Note: I have no idea why Citrina is wondering if Desian has a sleeve garter in his desk. I even looked up images of “??? ??” to see if that really is what she is thinking about. It is.]

The next thing she knew, Gemma was pounding her cottonball-like fist on the desk.
Jewel powder flew onto the desk. And then out of nowhere, something appeared…
“Oh? That looks familiar.”
Instead of talking to Gemma through her thoughts like normal, her voice slipped out.
As soon as the words came out, Citrina shook her head.
She’d made this at Oslo’s atelier. It was something she’d worked hard to create.
The green peridot sparkled and gleamed.

Citrina made her way to Desian’s desk and slowly picked up the peridot necklace.
Looking at it now, the stone was cut roughly with microscopic cracks.
Plus, the green peridot lay on a platinum band.
The color combination was a mess.
“It’s that peridot necklace, right?”
She wondered why this necklace had found its way here.
She wiped her face dry as emotions stirred from the pit of her stomach.

Desian likes her.
She’d known that, but now on top of that was the concept that Desian had liked her for a very long time.
In his absence, Citrina had discovered two secrets.
One was a scary secret she’d already known but had been able to confirm. [T.L. Citrina is talking about Desian not really reforming.] The other was a cute secret she had just become aware of.
Ah, seeing the peridot necklace was so unexpected.
Citrina rubbed the corners of her eyes slowly. As if on cue, she heard the door open.

Citrina looked in the direction of the door. His expressionless face seemed to blossom.
Looking at his jet-black hair and eyes, Citrina felt her heart flutter.
‘Should I run up and hug him?’
Citrina didn’t worry about it too much. She pushed herself off the couch and quickly moved towards him.

“Del!”
“Rina.”
Citrina swept him into a hug. There was no hesitation in his touch as he pulled her to face him.
-Ci, Citrina, what am I supposed to do?
-Just stay still, Gemma.
Citrina replied to Gemma as she pulled away from Desian’s embrace.
Gemma, who had been frozen on the desk, came to stand next to Citrina. Whether Gemma approached or not, Desian’s gaze remained fixed on Citrina.
Gemma, who was still frozen like ice, seeped back into the pendant.