The Villainess's Daughter Is Getting an Obsession

Of course, it was natural. Shale’s first impression of her was that she was a thief then a crazy beauty. She looked mesmerizing at first glance, but her behavior was so absurd and fearless. She dared to steal something from Iskar, and even when he caught her, she wasn’t all frightened.

 

A rather rowdy encounter indeed took place because the people of Bei were protecting her, but he wanted her to be scared as the price of stealing his stuff. That way, she won’t do such a fearless thing again. But it was a mistake.

 

“You even talked informally now…?”

 

“Same age.”

 

“What?”

 

“You and I are the same age. So you don’t have to talk formally to me either.”

 

How ridiculous was it when he was wondering what she was talking about.

 

“Who are you?”

 

“First of all, I’m sorry I stole the key. I don’t know how to reach you because I don’t have a connection with you.”

 

It wasn’t the only one. Each word that came out of her red lips, like a cherry, was a gem.

 

“So you stole the key to see me?”

 

“Yes, and I’m sorry for other things.”

 

“What?”

 

“Do you have any clothes for me to wear? I will pay for it.”

 

She was playing on the top of his head. At first, he started that for fun, but he got angry. Getting rid of her seems to be a direct way to start a war with Bei, so he is just trying to scare her away.

 

“You, aren’t you looking for your mother’s belongings?”

 

“What?”

 

The woman hit him in the back of his head again. She knew exactly what he was looking for. She knows his mother’s memento, which he cannot reach by a single strand of hair. She knew exactly why he was looking for her mother’s traces even until he became the head. How can she know about it?

 

If he was openly trying to bother him, he would have done it through Bei, but she didn’t do that. The woman waited for him and finally made a deal. If he doesn’t believe her, will she try to kill him?

 

What’s wrong with that woman? Why did she do that?

 

After Shale left the building, he couldn’t come to his senses like a madman. He even wondered if the person he met was a real person.

 

Then as time passed, his mind became clearer. He wondered how the woman knew about it if her words were true and why he did such a vain thing if her words were false.

 

What was more problematic was after that day, his mind couldn’t forget about that crazy woman’s face.

 

This is crazy.

 

It had been a few days since he had set foot in the auction house, trying to fool himself like that.

 

“No information has been received yet. Shall we take a look at the auction items from three months ago?”

 

“Look all over. And wait for it to come out.”

 

“Yes, I understand.”

 

Fortunately, on the second day after infiltrating the auction house, he got information that his mother’s pocket watch was getting ready to be auctioned. What that woman said was true.

 

“Bring that thing in front of me.”

 

It took less than half of the time he lost his sense to catch everything from the owner who had the thing to the other people involved in the bloody battle.

 

Only when Shale held his mother’s belongings in his hand did his anger subside. His mother, whose existence was erased without a trace, was a bruise on his chest that could never be erased. The pocket watch, which his mother cherished during her life until the time of her passing, was like a symbol of its owner.

 

“What the hell is it? This is real?”

 

When it turned out what she said was true, he couldn’t help but wonder. How could she know that?

 

When he investigated her, he found out that she was borrowing the identity of Blake Ariandel.  He couldn’t get the information about her real name somehow. It must have been the work of Shubart Rivacher. If he digs in more details, there’s nothing he can’t find out, but it wouldn’t be a bad idea to hear it directly from her.

 

“Choose a smart kid and give it to her. I have to keep the promise.”

 

“Wouldn’t it be dangerous? We indeed got help, but it was from Bei’s people.”

 

“Then, should I take my words back?”

 

Toma took a step closer. Shale showed his palm and shrugged his shoulders.

 

“The first branch and the headquarters were already in a mess, but what if we touch her again? I don’t think there will be any problem if we do something that is not bothersome anyway.

 

“Do you think I’m such a jerk?”

 

When the harsh words came out, his subordinate, Toma, was shocked and lowered his head.

 

“I’m sorry!”

 

“And it’s fun.”

 

“Ye— Pardon?”

 

When Toma made a stupid sound, Shale grinned.

 

“It’s fun. Do you think I got this for free?”

 

“No. That doesn’t seem to be the case.”

 

“That’s right. It’s fascinating. How did she know?”

 

Shale’s eyes were on the pocket watch again. His fingers carefully traced the engraved saint diamond.

 

Shale’s eyes were on the watch again. The finger was carefully painted on the carved St. Diamond.

 

“What are you doing? Should I be the one who is moving?”

 

Shale’s eyes went up sharply whenever he was stroking it dearly.

 

“N-No! I will pick the kid right away!”

 

Toma murmured that his boss was so fickle and hurriedly went out.

 

* * *

After some time, the information provided by Nina came in.

 

“Looking for the child all over the capital and the East?”

 

“That’s what she said.”

 

“…Why suddenly a child?”

 

“She didn’t tell me the reason. The child is a boy with heterochromia.”

 

“It’s not difficult. It’s up to us how to figure it out.”

 

“Yes, and it’s back again.”

 

The small box that Toma had delivered was placed on the desk. Shale’s eyes narrowed when he saw the box. He sent it himself, so there’s no way he didn’t recognize it.

 

“She didn’t like it?”

 

He picked the biggest one out of all he saw, but is it still lacking? He thought that its glamorous appearance would look good on her, but he never thought it was lacking for her. What he sent was the second-highest quality jewelry after saint diamond.

 

“No. It’s not like that. There’s a note on it asking you to keep it for a while. If possible, please exchange it for money…”

 

“No, it’s not. It says to keep it for a while. I’m asking you to exchange it for money.”

 

“…What?”

 

“It was like that.”

 

“Huh, she wants me to exchange this for money?”

 

“Yes. It says to keep it or just exchange it for money.”

 

Toma handed the note to Shale. Shale accepted it shakily. He thought that she would be surprised by the gift, but there was no reaction at all. She’s really an interesting woman. Shale pulled the box aside with a sullen look.

 

“So when we found the child, she wanted us to keep him for a while.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“…It’s not her child, isn’t it?”

 

Even though it was ridiculous, it was also questionable that they had to search those only to find a boy. Strangely, he doesn’t know why he’s so interested in her.

 

“If that were the case, of course Shubart Rivaho would have known.”

 

“Right?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Shale sighed in relief and shoved the box into his pocket. What could he do if she wanted him to keep it?”

 

“All right, go ahead. Bring him to me as soon as you find him.”

 

“Yes. I will report it as soon as I find him.”

 

Toma went out.

 

After hearing the news, Shale thought they might have a chance to meet and talk properly this time. Even if they had no interest in each other, for him, it would be okay even to have crazy conversations like back then.

 

“It’s fun no matter how much I think about it.”

 

* * *

It’s been a month.

 

In the meantime, I only went out twice. They were all outing with Sir Shubart. When I said I felt stuffy, he said to get some air and went out with me.

 

It feels like spending time in a cafe with a guardian next to you. But I’m not a child anymore. After going out like that twice in a row, I didn’t bring up the idea of going out.

 

It was almost to the point of making me sick due to the overprotection, but even though I was locked up in the mansion, I gained something quite a bit.

 

“Milady, may I come in?” Nina said, knocking on the door.

 

“Uh, wait a minute.”

 

Among them, there were the two largest gains. The first one was a letter from Juri del Chartero. And the other was the news that Duke Rudbihi had become quiet again after that day. Whether my threats worked or Sir Shubart went a little further, I didn’t hear of the story behind it, but it worked either way.

 

The right thing for him to do is to save himself because he didn’t do the right thing, and he got hit in the back. However, he’s not a man who will only sit still, but I want him to be quiet for the time being. After all, he was also on the list of Lucellai Rudbihi’s revenge. Even if the death of another person is prevented, I’m not going to intervene with his death.

 

Nina, who was waiting outside, was quiet.

 

“Come in.”