The Dead Villainess Had A Child With The Male Lead

Chapter 69 Referrals

Onyx was right, nothing was certain yet. But when she added up all the things she’d been ignoring because they were small, they were no longer small and no longer ignorable.

“I’ll ask for it.”

“It’s been a while. Okay. Whatever.”

Onyx nodded at Veronia’s request.

“I think it’s time to get out of here, and I’d prefer somewhere far away from the capital this time.”

“Okay. One month. I’ll have everything ready for you in that time.”

“Thank you, Onyx.”

Seeing Veronia’s expression calm, a chill blew through Onyx’s chest. ‘I’ll do it,’ he thought, never expecting to hear the words again.

‘But why are you so… disappointing?’

Onyx was a little perplexed by the unpleasant feeling that had come over her.

It had been so many years since he had known her. 

Veronica and Onyx were the only two people in the world with whom she shared her biggest, most intimate secrets. And you thought that made them close, not just client and employee?

‘…You’re crazy.’

He gasped in disbelief, and then remembered one more request.

‘We need to find evidence. Proof that he knew Veronia’s identity, Killion!’

He must find hard evidence and bring it to Veronia, so she can leave this place without a single regret.

‘But how do I find it?’

It seemed almost impossible to find evidence that was bottomless and endless. But it was a puzzle that had to be solved.

He balled his fists into tight fists. It seemed like a long time. It had been a long time since he’d had a case that made his blood boil. In fact, he’d never had one.

***

While Veronia was being treated for her wounds at the clinic, Onyx visited his favorite jousting shop. This was the same shop that had made Veronia’s magic stone piercing five years ago.

Clark, a wizard and toolmaker, greeted him.

“Hello, welcome back. It’s been a while, Onyx.”

“Do you remember the piercing you made five years ago?”

Clark smirked at Onyx’s uncharacteristically straightforward manner, cutting to the chase without introductions.

“Of course I do. I will never forget a customized piece of jewelry.”

Clark tapped his head with his finger and smiled smugly.

“As always. Excellent, Clark.”

“As I recall… it was for a woman, silver hair, green eyes, and a burn scar and tattoo on her cheek.”

Clark rummaged through the ledgers lining the shelves, trying to remember what he’d seen five years ago.

“Here it is!”

Clark turned to Onyx and said, “It’s not hard to find the original order form.

“I’m supposed to do the same thing, right?”

“Yes. Please, right now.”

“Right now?”

Clark’s eyes widened. But Onyx remained impassive.

“Yes. How long do you think it will take? Half an hour, an hour?”

“This guy…”

Clark was dumbfounded. No matter how brilliant a mage he was, no matter how skilful a toolmaker he was, no matter how much of a regular he’d been with Onyx for over a decade…

“That’s a bit much right now, though…”

“I’ll give you five times the value. Right now, if you can make it in half an hour.”

“…”

Clark stared at Onyx, his mouth tightly shut. He hadn’t been this impatient in ten years, but this must be serious. Clark nodded immediately.

“Okay. I’m not doing this because you’re paying me more money, Onyx, I’m doing it because you seem desperate enough.”

“So the price is the same?”

“…No. You said five times, surely?”

“Chet.”

“Hold on.”

Clark left Onyx behind and went into the fabrication room. He had to hurry if he was going to finish the tool in the next half hour.

“Hmmm…”

Clark was too tired to sit still. Standing up, Onyx flicked through the shelves of tools and instructions to kill time.

Then, out of nowhere, a thought flashed through his mind.

‘What if…?’

As he pondered this, the door to the crafting room opened and Clarke emerged, a box of magic stone piercings in his hand.

“There you go. Here.”

“Oh, so money is good after all.”

“What? I thought you said it wasn’t.”

“Yeah. Let’s just say it is.”

“Whatever.”

Like old friends, the two exchanged off-color banter and stuttered.

“By the way.”

Onyx suddenly spoke up, looking serious.

“What is it?”

“Do you think you’ll still be able to see your true form with this power stone piercing?”

“Of course.”

“What? Of course?”

Onyx’s mouth dropped open in disbelief at Clark’s blunt response.

“Why don’t you use a spell that allows you to see your original form when it’s magically transformed?”

“Oh…?”

Clark smirked and explained.

“Don’t we wizards get together once in a while and talk about our experiences, like, “I’ve had this commission, I’ve done that, I’ve made this, I’ve made that, I’ve made that,” and we usually have this kind of boring dialogue.”

“…”

Onyx, who had been listening, frowned. It was his cue to get to the point.

‘Ugh, he’s such a cranky little thing.’

Clark clicked his tongue and frowned. But he got straight to the point.

“It was about the time you ordered this piercing,” he said, “that one of the guys told me. He said he had a commission to make one that would let you see the original, not the magically altered version.”

“…”

“We were all stunned. We’d heard of spells to create tools to help people change their appearance, but this was unusual. That’s why it’s still so vivid in my memory.”

Onyx’s eyes flickered as he listened to Clark story. Meanwhile, Clark continued.

“And that’s what everyone in the room said. “One of those shapeshifting tricks we made, we’re going to get caught.”

“Where’s that toolmaker’s shop?”

“Why is that… You can’t be… Is it you? Did my magic tools get found out?”

“Just tell me, where is it?”

“…”

Clark’s face became pensive. It was deeply humiliating to have one of his tools fail, no matter the reason.

“I can go there, but I won’t reveal the client’s information, that’s the rule.”

“Is there anything in this world that money can’t buy?”

“…”

Right. Clark gave up trying to argue and handed the address to Onyx.

“All right, then.”

“…”

Onyx took the address and scurried away. Left alone, Clark slumped helplessly into his chair. 

He remembered the giggles and jokes they’d exchanged five years ago. They’d bet on which one of them would get caught.

“Did I… lose?”

He felt so embarrassed and ashamed that he just wanted to disappear.

“Hahhhhh…”

He let out a deep sigh of frustration.

***

“Your coronation in two days, how time flies, Emperor.”

“Yes, it does, mum. I’m grateful that the preparations for the coronation are going well, thanks to your hard work.”

With the coronation so close, Jonathan and Sandra have a lot on their plates, but they take time out for a quick tea break.

Just when things seemed to be going smoothly, Jonathan’s aide bursts in.

“I have a report, Your Majesty.”

“What’s the matter? I’m having tea with my mother. Couldn’t you have waited a moment?”

“Well, it’s… something to do with His Highness, Prince Caspian.”

The smile instantly vanished from Sandra’s face at the aide’s words. Instead of Jonathan, Sandra demanded.

“Why Caspian? Tell me, now.”

“They say he caught a pickpocket in the festival square and killed him.”

“He…”

The aide’s report left Sandra and Jonathan speechless. After a moment of silence, the aide continued.

“Chancellor Drea and Princess Espin were also present at the scene.”

“Oh my god…”

Sandra’s face grew pale and thoughtful. Then Jonathan snapped, clicking his tongue.

“Why does Caspian’s violence seem to get worse with age, not better, and I’m very concerned.”

“How can you speak of violence, Emperor, when all you did was execute a criminal?”

Sandra snapped, offended by Jonathan’s disparaging remarks about Caspian.

“A pickpocket isn’t exactly a capital offense, is it? Besides, it happened in the square during the festivities, and I’m sure many people would have seen it as such.”

“…”

Sandra chewed her lower lip and balled her fists tightly. She looked pissed off.

“Emperor, I must be going, I must see Caspian and ask him the details of what has happened.”

“Yes, please do, I hope it’s not too much trouble.”

“What’s the harm in killing a pickpocket, I suppose?”

“Keep an eye out. I won’t go far, mum.”

Jonathan grunted as he watched Sandra’s back as she hurried out the door. He had a feeling something interesting was in store. He ordered his aide.

“Get me a detailed account of exactly what happened and how it happened, from beginning to end.”

“Your orders, Your Majesty.”

When the aide left, Jonathan, now alone, laughed out loud and heartily.