Translator: Nox

While Others Became Female Leads In Romantic Fantasy Novels, I Became A Closet Monster

Chapter 19

As expected, it was a good idea to build a favorable first impression.

In the novel, Perez eventually cleared up any misunderstandings with Dedrick, acknowledged him, and became a reliable ally. Even now, he was sharp enough to discern from a brief conversation that Dedrick wasn’t the type of person to commit such an act.

“Then how about we check Dedrick’s room, Your Highness?”

Somerset stepped forward, squaring his shoulders. Seeing the way one corner of his mouth curled up as he looked at Dedrick, it was clear he placed absolute trust in his mother.

Perez spoke, sounding troubled.

“That is….”

“That’s right, Dedrick. Clearing up the misunderstanding is good for you too, isn’t it?”

Axel added spitefully.

However, Axel happened to cut Perez off right in the middle of his sentence. Perez’s expression hardened. The Grand Duchess called out to Axel coldly.

“Axel.”

Startled, Axel flinched and hunched his shoulders.

“I-I’m sorry, Mother….”

Axel backed away, warily watching the Grand Duchess’s reaction.

You should be apologizing to Perez, not your mother.

Sure enough, Perez’s discomfort was plain to see.

“Hmph.”

When the Grand Duchess signaled Axel with a look, he winced and bowed his head.

“My apologies, Your Highness.”

The Grand Duchess skillfully smiled and shifted the subject back to Dedrick.

“If Dedrick refuses, we cannot force him.”

She said that, but she knew that if Dedrick continued to refuse to show his room, Perez would become suspicious. The Grand Duchess spoke that way precisely because she knew Dedrick wouldn’t be able to refuse.

“No. If it can clear up the misunderstanding, you may look as much as you like.”

Perez said it wasn’t necessary to go that far, but Dedrick politely shook his head.

“This is the only way Your Highness can put your suspicions to rest.”

It would be strange not to be suspicious since they had only met today. And Perez seemed even more pleased by Dedrick’s display of integrity.

“Thank you. I shall offer a formal apology once we have checked.”

“It is nothing.”

We all headed toward Dedrick’s room.

The reason the Grand Duchess had no qualms about showing the room was that Dedrick’s quarters weren’t actually that bad.

No, they were good.

At least this one room was. Thanks to the Grand Duke’s instructions, he was able to use a spacious room in the main building.

Once everyone was inside, Dedrick gave an order to the servant.

“Go to the place where I told you to hide it.”

Dedrick gestured with his chin toward the servant.

Displeased by his attitude, the servant frowned and boldly opened the desk drawer.

“It is right here! The space where the youngest young master instructed me to hide it!”

The servant, who had shouted with such confidence, suddenly froze.

There was nothing there.

“Wh-what…?”

Realizing something was wrong, the servant began to frantically pull out drawers and rummage through them.

“I-it was definitely here…! Right here!”

As Perez’s brow furrowed while watching the servant empty the drawers and make a mess of the room, the Grand Duchess realized something had gone awry and stopped him.

“Enough.”

“G-Grand Duchess! It was definitely here…! Just as you commanded…!”

As the panicked servant tried to rush toward the Grand Duchess, Somerset discreetly tripped him so he couldn’t finish his sentence.

However, Perez and Dedrick must have seen it clearly. They both had sharp eyes.

That’s enough. Perez will now believe the Grand Duchess orchestrated this whole incident.

“Agh!”

As the servant tumbled forward, the brooch I had tucked away slipped right out of his pocket.

Clatter!

Everyone’s eyes landed on the brooch.

I hurried to coach Dedrick.

“Don’t just stand there, say something like, ‘My mother’s brooch….’ Go on! Hurry!”

That was the only way to make it look like the servant had stolen his things!

Still looking a bit awkward, Dedrick fidgeted with his fingers and quietly murmured.

“My mother’s brooch….”

Though it was a small voice, it reached Perez’s ears clearly, and he let out a low breath.

“Wh-why is this….”

“So you didn’t steal it on Dedrick’s orders; you stole Dedrick’s property yourself.”

“N-no, that’s not it!”

The servant screamed, his face turning pale, but Perez spoke coldly to the Grand Duchess.

“Grand Duchess, since my missing items were not found here, we must search this servant’s room. He is highly suspicious.”

Delaney hesitated, unable to answer immediately, but she would have no choice but to follow Perez’s lead. After all, the Prince’s belongings had to be found.

As the situation reversed in an instant, Delaney’s eyebrows twitched slightly. She quickly regained her composure and replied graciously.

“Of course, Your Highness. Search this servant’s room at once.”

“Yes, my Lady.”

“West, follow them, monitor the situation, and report directly to me.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Perez gave the order to the attendant who had accompanied him, and the man followed behind Gemma. It was essentially a move to block the Grand Duchess from trying to clean up the mess.

Her face contorted unsightly, but she hid it behind her fan.

The pale-faced servant cried out his grievance to Perez.

“W-wait! Y-Your Highness, th-this is all a frame-up by the youngest young master…!”

“Dedrick was with me, so how could it be a frame-up? The timing doesn’t match. And besides, what would he have to gain from framing a mere servant?”

If one analyzed it step-by-step as he said, it was obvious that the servant’s behavior was incredibly suspicious. And the Grand Duchess knew that better than anyone.

Snap!

The Grand Duchess snapped her fan shut and pointed it at the servant, speaking coldly.

“How dare you try to frame your master.”

The servant looked at the Grand Duchess in disbelief, but she was faster.

“And as if that weren’t enough, you stole Dedrick’s belongings too? Take him away and lock him up immediately!”

The knights waiting outside entered and seized the servant.

“Wait, my Lady…!”

“Drag him out at once.”

“My Lady! How could you do this to me…!”

At that moment, a knight muffled the servant’s mouth.

“Mmph! Mmmph…!”

“It seems he has something to say.”

“Your Highness.”

The Grand Duchess offered Perez a pleasant smile.

“This happened within our Grand Duke’s Castle. I am terribly sorry for disturbing your peace with such an unpleasant matter, but I will handle this personally. It would be best for Your Highness to verify if your belongings have truly disappeared. We shall speak again after that.”

No matter how high-ranking a member of the imperial family was, they could not carelessly interfere in the internal affairs of the Blackwood family. As long as it hadn’t been proven that Perez’s items were stolen, this was a matter for the Grand Duchess to handle.

The Grand Duchess gave a polite bow and left, with Somerset and Axel following behind her. Before leaving, Somerset didn’t forget to shoot Dedrick a murderous glare.

Perez watched them for a moment before commanding his knight.

“Sir, go to West and check if my items have been found. If they have, tell the Grand Duchess that I will take responsibility for that man’s punishment. If she tries to stop you, tell her that as the victim of this incident, I have every right.”

Thus, only Dedrick, Perez, and I remained in the room.

Perez picked up the brooch that had fallen to the floor and handed it to Dedrick.

“Is this a memento from Lady Amelia?”

Dedrick’s eyes widened as he took the brooch.

“……Do you know my mother?”

“I remember seeing her briefly a long time ago. She once came to the Imperial Palace with the Grand Duke.”

She went to the Imperial Palace? And with Dedrick’s mother? Even though she wasn’t the legal wife, but a concubine?

I really don’t understand.

The more information that came out, the less I could understand the Grand Duke. It was surprising enough that he went to the Imperial Palace with a concubine rather than his wife… but the 2nd Prince seemed to remember it quite fondly rather than finding it offensive.

Fiddling with the brooch in his hand, Dedrick let out a faint smile. He must have been thinking of his mother.

But that’s not what’s important right now.

Pushing my curiosity aside, I stepped into the Wardrobe. Dedrick instinctively reached out to grab me.

“What is it?”

I waved my hand at Dedrick, telling him it was fine.

“I’m going to see how things are playing out. You stay here and play at building a friendship with the Prince.”

A flash of reluctance crossed his face, but he soon approached the Wardrobe as if he understood.

“Come back quickly.”

I smiled at him as he whispered softly.

“Yeah, I’ll be back!”