She is the Daughter of the Villainess in a Ridiculous Novel - Chapter 125

“It’s been a long time. I didn’t expect to see you here either, Lord Dante.”

“I’ve come on behalf of my father. Marquis Grant is an important figure to the House of Knightley, after all.”

“Ah, of course.”

The Grant Marquisate was famous for its abundant resources. Naturally, this was an achievement built by the current Marquis himself…

‘Hmm, thinking about it again, I can see why those three successor candidates fought like dogs.’

A battle for inheritance in a wealthy family is a classic soap opera cliché.

At any rate, for the House of Knightley, which guards the empire’s borders, they had no choice but to pay close attention to the Marquis’s sudden misfortune.

Thinking calmly, Idel tilted her head back to look at Dante.

With golden hair that looked as if it were spun from actual gold, flawless skin, and a sculpted face, he was the quintessential male lead.

‘Well, the original story’s starting point is long overdue, so even Gianna looks dazzling every time I see her.’

Idel was momentarily preoccupied with thoughts of Gianna’s high, curly brown ponytail and her bright, beaming smile. Dante, noticing her gaze, tilted his head slightly, tightened his grip on her shoulder, and turned his attention back to the crowd.

“Do you have any more important business to discuss with the Lady?”

“Oh… excuse me?”

“If there are no urgent matters left, I would like to borrow Lady Clementine.”

As Dante spoke, he cast a brief glance toward Marquis Grant and the Marchioness. It was a silent message that he needed to speak with the hosts of the funeral and required Idel to facilitate it.

“Ah…”

The people following the young duke’s gaze noticed the unapproachable atmosphere surrounding the couple and trailed off.

Conflict flickered in the eyes of the nobles. Between the recent rumors and their lingering questions, they wanted to keep her there, but they had no valid pretext to stop her. At the same time, the relationship between these two was quite intriguing.

Dante didn’t miss that brief opening and immediately offered a greeting to the nobles.

“Thank you for your consideration. Idel, I shall escort you.”

“Yes, thank you. It was a pleasure talking to you all. I’ll try to arrange a gathering next time.”

“Arranging a gathering… does that mean you intend to be active in social circles from now on?”

At the question from the side, Idel turned to look at the speaker. She wondered who had bitten so quickly at the bait she had subtly laid out… it was the same young lady who had asked about the “Ghost Commotion” moments ago.

‘I didn’t notice because of her question earlier, but looking at her again, I know who she is.’

Pale pink hair, blue eyes, and a distinct mole on the tip of her nose. It was Lady Evelyn Harrington, famous in the social world for her keen interest in rumors.

Recognizing her opponent, Idel answered with a light smile playing on her lips.

“Of course, Lady Harrington. If there is a good occasion, please feel free to invite me anytime.”

“You knew who I was—! Gasp!”

“Oh, I just made eye contact with the Marchioness. I must be going. Until next time.”

Catching the Marchioness’s eye at just the right moment, Idel gave a natural nod and turned away. Naturally, she was accompanied by Dante, who had offered his arm.

Leaving the staring eyes behind, Idel approached the Marquis and Marchioness of Grant. She gave them a slight tilt of her head and spoke.

“I’m not sure if you’ve obtained what you wanted.”

She was, of course, referring to the matter regarding Cordelia. The Marchioness took Idel’s hand, a smile of complex emotions flickering on her face.

“Thank you, My Lady. Thanks to your help, I was able to get a chance to be with Cordelia. The path to resolving the succession issue has opened as well.”

“It will take quite some time to sort all that out, though.”

“That is true.”

It was the Marquis, who had been lying in the coffin, who answered Idel.

“I have to individually compensate the nobles who were dragged into this farce, and I must properly dispose of those three damned fools. I also need to further persuade Cordelia regarding her entry into the House of Grant……”

“Um, my lord, that is truly more than I deserve…”

“You see? Persuasion is going to take longer than I thought.”

“I see.”

Noticing Cordelia’s flustered state, Idel gave a calm nod. The Marquis looked Idel in the eye with his piercing gaze and spoke seriously.

“However, I must offer my own thanks to you as well, My Lady. It was thanks to you that we could plant seeds of suspicion in those three, and because of that, this farce played out and exposed their true natures. I am truly grateful that you stepped forward for Cordelia’s sake.”

“I didn’t directly lend a hand in Miss Cordelia’s affairs, but… if you say so, I will accept your thanks.”

“You’ve been well-educated. It is wise not to reveal one’s inner thoughts easily. On the other hand, those stupid bastards… to show their true colors over nothing but some pre-planted suspicion and a will.”

The Marquis, still seething with rage, clenched his fist. He then noticed Dante standing beside Idel.

“Hm? If it isn’t Young Duke Dante Knightley.”

“It has been a long time, Marquis Grant.”

“The last time I saw you, you barely reached my shoulder. To think you’ve already grown enough to represent the Duke at my funeral…”

“My father wished to come in person. However, His Majesty the Emperor called for him urgently… regarding the matter of ‘Those with Tangled Memories.’”

“Ah.”

The Marquis let out a short exclamation and lowered his voice, his eyes briefly scanning the surroundings.

“The trouble occurring in the accident zones. Cases have been popping up in the Grant territory as well, so we’ve been keeping watch. Has the matter grown large enough for His Majesty to intervene?”

“It is because that problem has become intertwined with the ‘Ghost Commotion’ at the Temple. Specifically, it involves His Highness Sigmund.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Idel, who had been too preoccupied with the Grant family’s affairs to keep up with recent news, looked at Dante in surprise.

“Ah, so you didn’t know either, Idel. It’s… someone allegedly heard the ghost of the former Crown Prince—Prince Ulan—lament. He reportedly said, ‘If I were still the Crown Prince, this would never have happened.’”

“What? Someone heard a ghost speak? And people believed it?”

“Not everyone heard the same thing, but it seems the number of witnesses isn’t small enough to ignore. Furthermore, with the recent cases of ‘Those with Tangled Memories’ falling into a labyrinth of mystery, people have begun to link the two events.”

“Ah, don’t tell me.”

The New Mystery: The Tangled Memories & The Ghost

The story has shifted from a political succession drama to a supernatural conspiracy that threatens the current regime.

Dante nodded lightly at Idel’s remark and continued with a grim expression.

“Suspicions are mounting that there might be some connection between these incidents occurring across the Empire and His Highness the Crown Prince. Especially since His Highness is capable of using magic. Of course, for now, it’s mostly just whispers…”

“In other words, anxiety creates rumors, and rumors will eventually eat away at reason,” the Marquis added.

Hearing the Marquis’s supplement, Idel furrowed her brows.

This followed a context quite similar to how the three successors ended up making a mess of the Marquis’s funeral. The reason they had exposed their true, ugly natures—ignoring the eyes of others after having waited for their chance in the shadows—was that their “anxiety” over potentially losing everything had been stoked to its limit.

‘The matter of “Those with Tangled Memories” was definitely Nox’s doing. Patrick’s token is proof of that. But now Sigmund is being named as the cause?’

Staring into space for a moment, Idel bit the inside of her cheek.

‘Is this Noox’s intended move?’

Was I wrong to assume they were plotting something specific to the Grant territory?

‘But what does Nox gain by touching Sigmund right now?’

The behavioral pattern of pinning their own crimes on someone else was very familiar and very “Nox-like.” It was the exact same method Melisa had used against Idel herself.

‘But the situation for Sigmund is different from mine back when I was just a mere tool. If he were a piece to be used and discarded, they wouldn’t have bothered brainwashing him.’

If they just stayed quiet, their “brainwashed puppet” would eventually inherit the throne, allowing them to use him as they pleased. Why on earth would they go out of their way to poke a hornet’s nest?

Just as Idel’s brow furrowed deeper at the feeling of gears spinning out of alignment, a voice broke her thoughts.

“Um, my lady. I’m sorry to interrupt, but perhaps you should sit down and catch your breath for a moment?”

Cordelia, who had been quiet until now, suddenly spoke up. She was looking at Idel with eyes filled with concern.