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

Chapter 018

The more I attacked Dedrick, the more his favor increased, so the Duchess chose to stay quiet.
‘This feels so satisfying.’
I smirked at her, but then her gaze shifted to somewhere else.
Following Delani, I turned my head and saw a maid nodding before leaving her seat.
‘She must be waiting for this moment.’
Just like in the novel.
And just as expected, another servant approached Dedrick.
“Young Master, it’s reading time.”
I quickly spoke.
“Didi, don’t answer, just get up! We’re leaving right now!”
I’ve seen this in the novel!
At this moment, when Dedrick would say “Reading time?” and be confused, the servant would act terrified.
“B-but, Young Master always reads at this time… if we don’t, we’ll be punished…”
The servant pretended to hesitate as if it was hard to continue.
Naturally, it was just the Duchess’s ridiculous trick.
I felt exhilarated watching Dedrick, who knew nothing, struggle because of this low-level scheme.
‘Just to show you that this is enough to keep you under control.’
Dedrick, hearing my words, quietly stood up. He politely bowed.
“I’m sorry, I usually read at this time… May I leave now?”
The Duchess of the Duke gave him a strange look, but her lips curled into a soft smile.
“Go ahead. Hurry up.”
“Your Highness, the Second Prince, I beg your understanding.”
“Hmm, reading time.”
Perez smiled and stood up.
“I was getting bored, may I join you?”
For a moment, Somerset’s face scrunched up.
At the same time, my face brightened.
Just looking at Somerset’s crumpled face made me feel like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.
“I’ll go ahead and check, you take your time and come along.”
“Ah…”
Dedrick almost reached out to stop me but hesitated.
“Why is that?”
“Didi can do it.”
“…No.”
I waved my hand encouragingly and hurried toward Dedrick’s room.
As expected, someone from Delani’s side was already in the room.
In fact, it was someone I knew well.
‘Isn’t that him?’
A small villain who would frequently trip Dedrick, causing him to fall!
In the novel, this guy runs errands for Delani, doing bad things, and was eventually abandoned and killed by Delani.
In other words, he gets what he deserves.
“You’ve met your match.”

You want to fall on your knees just like him, right?

 It seemed like he had just finished his scheme to frame Dedrick as a thief. I swallowed my rising anger and glared at the bookshelf.
There, the second prince’s belongings were displayed proudly.

But…

‘They’re not here?’

“This isn’t the story I know.”

I felt confused as things took a different turn.

 In the story, Perez searches for his stolen valuables all around the estate.
The Duchess then suggests searching Dedrick’s room, subtly hinting that Dedrick might have a habit of stealing.
And of course, they find the stolen valuables in his room.
Dedrick would be too shocked to speak…
And naturally, his first meeting with Perez would be disastrous.
‘That’s how it was supposed to go…’
While I was confused by the different development, the servant looked at his watch and approached the door, listening intently.
“Is it not time yet?”
It seemed like he was waiting for someone.
If he had finished his task, he should have left without anyone noticing. What was he planning to do if he ran into someone?
“…Ah!”
A sudden realization struck me.
This servant was waiting for Didi and Perez. Didi had ordered him to steal and get caught!
In other words, Dedrick was showing Perez that he was a bad kid who had his servant steal!
“This is getting ridiculous!”
I quickly examined the servant. His pants pocket was bulging.
Soon, the sound of footsteps was heard. The servant’s heart was racing in sync with the footsteps.
The servant started moving, taking something from his pocket and quickly placing it into Dedrick’s desk drawer before heading to the door.
He again pressed his ear to the door, listening to the sounds outside.
‘I’ll have to frame him as a thief.’
I could have framed Axel or Somerset as thieves, but that would have been too hasty.
It wasn’t good to make it too obvious in front of the Duchess. A little disturbance was just right.
If the Second Prince’s belongings were in Dedrick’s room, it would seem like Dedrick had someone helping him, or that Didi had such abilities.
That would make the monitoring even more intense.
So, this time, it had to look like the servant ruined everything by being blinded by greed.
‘I’ll take this chance to get revenge on that bastard.’
The scar on Dedrick’s knee was all his doing.
I looked around and grabbed a jewel from the box of Dedrick’s mother’s keepsakes.
“…”
He was focused on the outside, unaware of what was happening in this room.
“Did you read all of that?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“My mother would be amazed if I told her! That book is so thick and difficult.”
“I read it multiple times.”
I could hear the two talking.
At the same time, the servant creaked open the door.
‘Now’s my chance!’
I quickly slipped the small brooch into his pocket.
I rushed out the door, and the servant didn’t notice.
‘Honestly, I didn’t want to touch the keepsakes… but Didi doesn’t have any jewels.’
Instead of focusing on the outside, I hurried to open the drawer.
“Look at all this, you wicked thing!”
The drawer was filled with the Second Prince’s valuables.
I quickly took out the items and grabbed a few more keepsakes, then hid them in the wardrobe and closed the door.
“Let’s go!”
Straight to the servant’s room!
I came out of the wardrobe, quickly stuffing everything under his bed.
‘This way, suspicion will be avoided.’
Once I was done, I immediately returned to Dedrick’s room.
Outside the door, the Duchess was already there with knights, pressing Dedrick.
“It was all Young Master’s orders! I don’t know anything!”
“I told you today, Dedrick, not to make any trouble.”
I could hear the Duchess’s voice, her lips curling into a smile behind her fan.
“Dedrick.”
Perez was asking Dedrick about the situation first, not the Duchess.
‘This is a good sign.’
It meant that Perez was going to listen to Dedrick and then make a judgment.
Since he knew the Duchess’s trap, Dedrick couldn’t answer hastily.
I rushed to him.
“It’s okay, Didi! I’ve solved it. It’s all the servant’s fault. And… I’m sorry. I had to put your mother’s brooch in his pocket to frame him as a thief. I also hid other keepsakes in his room… He’ll be punished later.”
Dedrick, who was surprised with wide eyes, looked at me softly as I rambled on.
I shook my head.
“Don’t look at me. I know everything about that servant tripping you. He’s the one who caused the scar on your knee. Let’s take revenge now.”
More than anything, if I left that servant alone, he would cause more trouble.
Anyone who bullies a child is beyond redemption.
“Dedrick.”
When Perez called again, Dedrick answered politely.

“I don’t know anything about this, Your Highness.”
As if on cue, the servant began to act pitiful, feigning innocence.
“How could you pretend not to know, young master! I… I am your…!”
While watching the servant’s dramatic performance, I held back my anger, but Dedrick rolled up his pants to reveal his knee.
There were small scars visible.
“These scars, you caused them.”
Dedrick spoke calmly.
“These are from the times you tripped me. There’s no way I’d make you do such things when you treat me like that.”
As Dedrick calmly countered, it was the servant who became flustered.
“T-T-That’s…!”
“Dedrick, do you have any proof that this servant did that to you?”
The Delani sided with the servant, who eagerly nodded in agreement.
“That’s right! I never did such a thing!”
“Should I step on your foot? You’re making me so mad.”
I grumbled.
“There’s no proof you didn’t do it.”
Perez continued to support Dedrick’s side.