The Villain Protects the Lady!

“Fraud?” “Yes.” 

He just had a bath.

 

Water dripping from his hair, the Grand Duke opened his robe and frowned.

 “You mean the accountant of the House of Leandro?” “Yes, that’s right.” “No, Your Highness!” 

Milton, who was being held in his hands, began to struggle pitifully again.

 “I-I have done nothing wrong!” 

‘Be quiet.’

 

Hermia put a light pressure on her grip and he shut up.

 

‘This is nice.’

 ‘…….’ 

The Grand Duke wiped his damp face.

 

He looked as if he’d seen the worst.

 

‘Was that me or him?’

 “Please come inside.” 

Grand Duke Leandro stepped aside, and we followed him into his chamber.

 “What happened?” 

The Grand Duke, sprawled on the couch, glanced alternately at her and at Milton, who was still clutching his head.

 “Tell me, please.” “Yes.” 

She nodded.

 “I recognise this man from Count Tekins.” “In Count Tekins?” “Yes. My half-brother… No, the Count of Tekins once ran a massive mining investment scam.” 

The Grand Duke’s eyes sharpened as he listened.

 “As I recall, my half-brother… No, I mean that he and his accomplices were once invited to the Countdom of Tekins.” “You mean you saw them there?” “Yes, my half-brother… Ouch. I’ll just call him a scumbag. Anyway, he’s the one who was in on the con.” 

‘I saw it, I saw it, I saw it!’

 “But I never saw or heard his face or name when I was punished.”  

As soon as the fraud was uncovered, her half-brother’s scum naturally tried to pin all the blame on her.

She was taken away, imprisoned, and released several times.

She doesn’t remember seeing Milton then.

Later, when she arrived at the mansion…

“How many minnows were there? It’s amazing. Hey, what’s up, are you comfortable in prison? Your face is bruised.” 

She was told.

  “You can see for yourself if you want.” 

Hermia held out Milton’s bag, which she was holding in her other hand. The Grand Duke took it and immediately opened it.

 

Inside were a few clothes, a few books, and a pocket with a handful of coins.

 “You have very little money on you, for a man who joined a mining investment scheme, and it doesn’t look like you have any savings.” 

After opening the pouch and checking its contents, the Grand Duke asked Hermia.

 “Do you, by any chance, Miss Tekins, know where the money is that the interest was stolen from?” 

A hard stare landed on her. This was not enough evidence.

 “I’m sure you’ll be convinced when you see this. Sorry, I looked at it earlier and forgot to put it back.” 

He kept trying to get away.

 

She tightened her grip again and Milton made a strangled sound.

 “Ick!” 

‘Ugh, where did that come from!’

 ‘…….’ 

Taking a small notebook and a few papers from

her, the Grand Duke began to read slowly. “Ha.” 

His expression didn’t last long. With each line, the Grand Duke Leandro’s face became more and more mocking.

 “Milton Vergil.” *Thud* 

The sound of a worn no

tebook closing was unusually loud.

 “And for participating in a fraud in the name of the Grand Duke of Leandro.” 

The Grand Duke sat up. Foot by foot, he began to approach.

 “I can’t believe you’re going to swindle us again with that money.” 

Yes.

 

‘How could a man who had been an accomplice in a massive fraud and escaped punishment be so poor?’

 “He’s been scammed again.” 

One taste of fraud tastes sweet.

 

Milton started running his own scam.

 

He’s screwed.

 

How badly?

 

So badly that he couldn’t fix it even if he spent all his money?

 

So he borrowed money from everywhere he could get his hands on, including the bank.

 

Of course, he tampered with the books.

 

He even dabbled in the Grand Duke Leandro’s money.

 

The pocketbook in his hand was a double-entry ledger.

 “Grand-Grand Duke!” *Thud!* 

Milton’s head immediately hit the floor.

 “I didn’t do it on purpose, sir, I didn’t do it on purpose. I was just trying to make a good living for myself, and I made a mistake. I’ll pay back the money I stole, one way or another!” 

The Grand Duke didn’t know whether to listen to his bullshit or not.

 

Rising to his feet, the Grand Duke moved toward the wall.

 “Please, if you will only let me go this once, I will remain loyal to you for the rest of my life, for the sake of my wife and children.” 

The words trailed off. Milton’s

body fe

ll limply to the side.

 

‘Huh? Wait, no. He’s not dead…, is he?’

 

The scene from before began to overlap.

 

The falling man, the huge sword covered in blood, the Grand Duke standing in front of him, the grave expression on his face.

 

At the same time, she began to feel a little short of breath, as if she were the one being strangled. Her vision became dizzy.

 

Over and over again, she saw the Grand Duke killing—

 “Miss Tekins.” 

Suddenly, her vision brightened.

 “Breathe.” 

She suddenly realized she wasn’t breathing.

 “Ha.” “Slowly.” 

She caught her breath as she clung to the Grand Duke’s hand. Grand Duke Leandro waited until she was on her feet again.

 “He only fainted.” 

Milton looked different now. He was frothing at the mouth and his eyes were glazed over.

 “He’s not dead.” “Ah…” 

Hermia staggered to her feet, barely. She quickly tidied up her messy hair.

 “He scared me, I thought he was dead.” “I know how to cover myself, too.” 

The Grand Duke, who had been holding her hand, squeezed it lightly, then released it and rang the bell on the table.

 “Or.” 

Lowering the bell, the Grand Duke stared at me.

 “In Miss Tekins’ mind, I am a man who kills people with a sword at any given moment. You said you didn’t believe in rumors.” 

He looked at her as if to ask if he was a murderer in her head.

 “It doesn’t matter either way.” 

He said, as if it really didn’t matter what she thought of him. But she gaped.

 “Oh.” 

‘No, that wasn’t me. It’s just something I’ve seen before that keeps coming back to me.’

 

She thought to say that, but then she shut her mouth.

 

He wouldn’t believe her.

 “I was a little surprised, I thought you’d pulled out your sword.” 

It was the scabbard on the shelf against the wall that the Grand Duke had used to strike Milton.

 “I’m sorry I surprised you.” 

Leandro apologized briefly as he put the scabbard back down.

 “It was the best I could do, because if I’d hit him with my hand, I’d have killed him.” “……?” 

‘Does he mean his bare hand is stronger than the scabbard?’

 “Besides, somehow I think I already had a hunch about the accountant.” 

Otherwise, it would be impossible for him to take her side, the outsider, over Milton, the one he was working for.

 

Moreover, the person in front of her was Grand Duke Leandro.

 

“The”

Grand Duke Leandro.

 

Hermia looked at him suspiciously, but he remained calm.

 “Your hands are red. What happened to them?” 

In an instant, the Grand Duke’s face hardened. He took her hand gingerly.

 “You’ve been scalded.” “What? I did?” “Yes, Miss Tekins.” 

Only after the Grand Duke’s words did her fingers come into focus.

 

Her fingertips were covered in white, opaque blisters.

 

She dipped her hand in to check the temperature of the water, and it had festered.

 “That’s right, Belloa is hurt!” 

But that wasn’t what mattered now.

 “The maid brought very hot water, and she burned her hand badly. I’ve asked Madame Doyle to take her to the doctor.” “If you’ve gone to Annette, it won’t be a problem; she’s a good one.” 

The Grand Duke said, releasing my hand.

 “But why don’t you take care of your fingers instead, they’re disfigured.” “They’re just fingertips, after all.” 

Even if they were disfigured, they were still fingertips. She would be able to see them, but people wouldn’t be able to see them.

 “More than that, Your Excellency.” 

She squeezed Grand Duke Leandro’s hand.

 “What are you going to do with him?” 

If Belloa didn’t mind, her next concern wasn’t her fingertips, but Milton, who was still spouting bubbles.

 “Once we find out what’s going on, we’ll deal with him according to the law.” “No, no.” 

She shook her head.

 “You don’t think he would dare tamper with the accounts of the Grand Duke of Leandro on his own, do you?” 

She exclaimed, squeezing his hand.

 “He’s got to have a backer, you’ve got to have some idea.” “…….” 

The Grand Duke, frowning, replied with a sigh.

 “I’m looking into it.” 

See, he’s already done some digging.

 “I think I know who it is.” 

She smiled, one corner of her mouth lifting. Actually, not vaguely, but definitely. She had a pretty good idea of where this case was headed after the original story.

 “So, you’re a former con artist, embezzler. You know better than anyone, so I’ll take your advice.” 

Hermia glared at the Grand Duke, but his face was as impassive as ever.

 “And who do you think it is, Miss Tekins?” “I don’t know…”

she replied, feigning deliberate indecision.

 “Usually it’s a relative, someone who is more or less intimate with His Highness the Grand Duke. Or someone who recommended him for a position as an accountant?” 

Hmmm, she rolled her eyes as she put her fingers to her chin in thought, then locked eyes with the Grand Duke.

 “Most suspicious of all would be the one whose fortune has noticeably increased since the scam!” 

She smirked at the Archduke.

 “Do you happen to know of anyone who fits all of these descriptions?” “…….” 

The Grand Duke’s eyes narrowed. It wasn’t that he didn’t know, but that he was uncomfortable with her reasoning.

 

But his defiance was short-lived. Soon he spoke.

 “Uncle Preston.” 

Bingo!