I Sought Out the Tragedy's Scheming Mastermind

“Why don’t you think about it this way? Wouldn’t it be a little more comforting to believe that Michael was the one who committed the misdeed?”

“…” 

“Ah, they can decide it wasn’t a problem they could solve on their own and brush it off.”

When Gabriel finished her speech in a friendly tone, Eliana shook her head, answering,

“No, I cannot turn an arrow on my opponent just to ease my mind.”

“That’s a wise answer.” Gabriel looked pleased with Eliana’s response.

“Oh. You have guests.” Then, another voice interrupted.

At the same time, the three turned their heads in the direction of the voice.

At the end of her gaze, she could see blue hair.

Mary, who confirmed it was Kallius, welcomed him with a wave.

“Kal!” 

Kallius hesitated, then just bowed his head lightly.

Even at a glance, he seemed to want to wave his hand, but apparently, he didn’t do it just to save his face.

‘You’re a disingenuous male lead anyway.’

As Eliana stared at Kallius with sympathy, their eyes met.

Kallius looked slightly disgusted at the sight of Eliana sitting by Mary’s side.

So Eliana purposefully welcomed Kallius with a grin.

“Long time no see, Duke.”

“Every time I visit, here you are. When will you leave the palace?”

Eliana’s eyes widened.

Mary, who was next to her, also asked with a puzzled face.

“Leave the palace? Eliana, are you leaving the palace?

“Oh. Was it still a secret?”

Kallius looked embarrassed and raised his hands apologetically.

But it was already spilled water[1].

Without missing a hint of suspicion, Mary asked. “What is it? Tell me, too.”

“Miss Eliana will receive some excellent news soon.”

“Excellent news?”

“…Duke.”

When Mary perked up at the words, Eliana called out to Kallius in astonishment.

Kallius seemed rather unaffected.

When Kallius did not tell Mary, she poked at Eliana nosily.

“What is it? Can’t you just tell me a little bit?”

“It’s…” Eliana slurred at the end of her sentence.

‘Why would you show up out of the blue and drop this load of shit on me? Is this all the male lead is good for?’

Eliana gave Kallius a cruel glare.

Her engagement with Rube had already been temporarily postponed.

It was difficult to answer because neither the situation nor the issue at hand could be resolved completely.

While she struggled, Kallius skillfully managed to handle the situation.

“It truly is a matter of no importance. Count Mussieux’s birthday banquet will be held soon, so I kept quiet.”

“Ohh, if that’s the case, of course, you’ll have to leave. I’ll send you a gift, Eliana.” Mary smiled brightly.

‘Even if you’re lying, why mention Count Mussieux? …Well, very few people know that Eliana was abused.’

The count’s family was too trifling for the nobility to take interest in the first place.

No one would have noticed anything happening in the household. 

Therefore, Hera had great sources, and it was rather odd that she told Verkley about the sensitive issue.

Eliana’s face hardened when a certain greeting came to mind, and she did not want to think about it.

Come to think of it, even though Count Mussieux was quiet, he was too quiet.

She was concerned he’d try to do something, but this was a whole different move.

‘Did Hera take action ahead of time?’

“What’s wrong?” Kallius asked, staring at Eliana’s stiff expression.

“Oh, nothing. I’m just really looking forward to my father’s birthday. Hahaha.” Eliana laughed awkwardly, shaking her head.

Then, Gabriel, who had been observing from afar, clapped her hands as if she suddenly remembered something.

“I’d heard of him somewhere, but he’s that gentleman.”

“Gentleman?”

When Eliana asked again in wonder, Gabriel clarified.

“I heard that Count Mussieux will be taking charge of the ceremony. But he was Miss Eliana’s father.”

“…I’m sorry?” 

“Oh, really? That’s great!”

This was the first time she heard of anything.

Unlike Eliana, who was so stunned she practically lost her soul, Mary rejoiced as if it were her job.

Flustered, Eliana probed, “Father has taken responsibility for the ceremony? Wasn’t Her Majesty preparing it herself?”

“Ah, my mother said she’s only making personnel decisions,” Mary explained cheerfully.

“Hmm, now that I think about it, I see. Her Majesty seems to have a lot of faith in you.”

Kallius quietly confirmed the fact and admitted it as true.

“…”

Eliana could not agree that Her Majesty had faith in her.

Hera will surely try to ruin this ceremony and use Count Mussieux for it.

‘If Count Mussieux can’t make sense of the situation and pushes for expulsion, what about his daughter, Eliana? What will happen to me?’

A somewhat dizzying and unpleasant ending came to mind.

Eliana gulped down the lukewarm tea.

Before she knew it, Kallius was participating in the conversation.

* * * 

Count Mussieux entered a tavern at the entrance of a secluded alley.

The tavern was a little shabby for a noble to linger around.

When the owner saw Count Mussieux’s business card, he immediately led him underground.

The basement, which should smell humid and damp, was much more pleasant than the tavern upstairs.

Splendid chandeliers lit up in flames.

Under the effects of alcohol, Count Mussieux sat in his designated seat and rubbed his flushed nose.

On the stage, the auction prizes were being advertised in full swing.

Count Mussieux waited for the desired prize to appear, recalling the information he had secretly obtained.

After a while, the auctioneer shouted in a cheerful voice.

“Now, for the final prize! A bracelet made of mermaid scales!”

Count Mussieux snorted at the auctioneer’s absurd voice.

‘An auction will take place beneath the tavern at the entrance of 2nd Avenue Alley. It’s a special auction house that only allows those who have this business card.’

‘I’ve never heard of a place like this.’

‘Because only those who know of it can go. You need a reference of some sort.’

‘Ho.’ 

‘In fact, tonight, a very special prize will be auctioned off. A bracelet made of mermaid scales.’

‘What’s so great about mermaid scales? Sounds trifling.’

‘Well, I don’t know if I can call this bracelet trifling, not even after learning its purpose.’

‘I’m curious as to what power this thing possesses that’s causing you to hesitate.’

‘You said you wanted your daughter back. With that, your daughter, who left your residence, could return swiftly… Would you like to consider it?’

‘Is that true? Go on, then. Tell me.’

The information he learned from a mysterious noble he met at a gambling house was enticing.

‘Are they actually selling a bracelet made from mermaid scales?’

He came to see the prize with interest and reasoned that it wouldn’t hurt to try.

Count Mussieux came here to win the bid for that bracelet in the first place.

On the shelf, there was a thread bracelet with a coarse shape and a subtle bluish-green color.

“What the—why’s the last prize so flimsy?”

The nobles openly expressed their disinterest.

In response, the auctioneer spoke loudly with a very wicked gleam.

“Are you disappointed by this ordinary bracelet? Don’t make me laugh! All the special guests here were born intelligent, so you must be aware of the tale, no? The song of the Siren, the king of mermaids!”

“Hmph! I find it hard to imagine that knowing just one tale qualifies as intelligence.”

Count Mussieux grunted arrogantly, tilting the glass he received from the waiter.

With the auctioneer’s jokes, nobles began to show interest in the prizes one by one.

“There are two pieces to this bracelet. If you put a bracelet on the person you want, they will eagerly obey you.”

The auctioneer cleared his throat once and then demonstrated.

“Have an uncooperative slave? Try this! From then on, they will be very obedient! Or an unfaithful spouse? Using this will make it impossible for them to look away from you!”

Certainly, the auctioneer’s advertising worked.

The nobles who were about to depart again took their seats.

With a relaxed demeanor, Count Mussieux awaited the start of the auction.

After Eliana left the estate, a green-haired man came looking for Count Mussieux.

It was a woman with red hair waiting for Count Mussieux, who had been taken away without knowing his destination.

The moment the man called her “Your Majesty,” the count knew she was the Empress Dowager.

“I-I greet the Flower of the Empire!”

Count Mussieux got down on his hands and knees as soon as he saw Hera.

Although he was a count of a nameless family, Hera’s reputation was well-known, so his legs trembled.

As Hera jerked her head with a domineering expression, the man standing next to her lifted Count Mussieux’s head.

Her fluttering red hair seemed to burn like a flame.

Hera addressed Count Mussieux, who was completely dismayed.

“Count Jack Mussieux. You have a daughter, don’t you?”

“I-I have an ungainly daughter!”

“Hand over your daughter.”

“What?” 

How can she ask for the daughter he raised without knowing whether she really existed?

Jack looked up with bewilderment in his eyes.

But Hera’s face was too serious for this to be a joke.

Since that treacherous thing froze the face of Marquis Valkyrie and fled, his relationship with the Marquis deteriorated.

Count Mussieux, who considered doing business through marriage because she solely had a pretty face, was in a rage searching for his missing daughter.

And the daughter he thought to be useless was a mage of nature!

Count Mussieux had already done the math when Eliana conjured ice before his eyes.

Whether or not Marquis Valkyrie was angry, he planned to end their marriage and enter politics using his daughter.

But regardless of how this damn girl vanished, whether she rose to the sky or plummeted beneath the earth, she made him look incredibly foolish.

As he thought this, a key was thrown in front of Count Mussieux.

As he reflexively accepted the key, Hera said…

T/N:

1. There is no use in crying over spilt milk. ↵