This Villain Is Mine Now - Chapter 131

The Marquis’s shocking confession threw the court into such turmoil that the trial could not proceed.

Ultimately, the trial was postponed. When it resumed weeks later, dozens of new charges had been added to House Redwood.

Treason against the state, insult to the Emperor—people said the Marquis of Redwood would never survive this and that, if anything, a merciful death would be the best he could hope for. As they predicted, the Marquis did not die—at least, not for some time.

He was subjected to severe torture to extract a confession about how he had brainwashed the late Archduke ten years ago. The methods were so cruel that even those previously curious turned pale and vomited upon hearing the details.

The Young Marquis ransacked the house like a madman, hoping to find even the slightest clue among his father’s belongings. It was the only way he might survive. But his father had been meticulous, and nothing remained from ten years ago—not a single record.

***

“I greet the Sun of the Empire.”

There was a summons to the Imperial Palace early in the morning. Lyle entered in formal uniform. This time, it was not the Emperor’s private quarters—he was summoned to the audience chamber.

“I didn’t expect to retract my words so quickly.”

The Emperor wore no trace of a smile. It was a stark contrast from the day he had summoned Lyle to apologize. Lyle offered a silent bow and waited for what came next.

“I’ll be blunt.”

Seated high on the throne, the Emperor looked down at Lyle and asked in a stern voice, “Did you already know?”

“What are you referring to?”

“I believe I just said not to speak in circles. The matter of the Marquis.”

The Emperor raised his voice, visibly displeased.

“According to the guards’ statements, the Marquis’s condition deteriorated drastically after your visit. He refused to sleep, mumbled about curses, screamed while staring at empty air like he was seeing hallucinations.”

The Emperor’s eyes narrowed.

“I’m asking whether the events in prison are related to what the Marquis did ten years ago.”

Lyle remained silent for a moment, then nodded. “They are related.”

The Emperor’s face hardened. “Related?”

“I already submitted evidence during the trial. There are entries in my grandfather’s journal describing recurring dreams in which Your Majesty suffered misfortunes.”

Lyle calmly explained. The increasingly erratic handwriting, the growing paranoia and isolation of the former Archduke.

“That’s why I suspected the Marquis had done something to him.”

“Very well. Then tell me—did you use the same method the Marquis used?”

“I did not. I merely instilled fear. The Marquis was trapped by the nightmares he created himself.”

Lyle’s response held no hesitation. The Emperor stared at him for a while, as if trying to see through him, then nodded. An attendant stepped forward and placed a golden cup filled with liquid before Lyle.

“Drink. It’s a truth serum used in the military. You’ve served on the battlefield—you should know how potent it is.”

The Emperor watched Lyle closely, not blinking once. But Lyle drank the contents of the golden cup in one gulp. Not a single drop was left. The Emperor was momentarily struck speechless by Lyle’s boldness.

Lyle Grant. Grandson of the Archduke who had once been the Emperor’s dearest friend. If the trial’s revelations were true, then the Emperor owed a debt to House Grant. He hadn’t wanted to resort to such harsh measures. But the Emperor knew this was the most direct and effective way to dispel his doubts.

One lesson the Emperor had learned in all his years on the throne was that baseless suspicion, when left unchecked, only grew—and eventually led to worse outcomes.

“Did you use the method the Marquis did?”

When the attendant, timing the effects of the drug, gave a signal, the Emperor posed the question again. Lyle answered a moment later.

“I did not.”

A soft sigh of relief escaped the attendant’s lips. He quickly approached Lyle with the antidote. But the Emperor raised a hand and stopped him.

“One more question.”

“…Please, go ahead.”

“Do you know what method the Marquis used?”

The Emperor’s eyes gleamed like a drawn blade. But Lyle shook his head.

“I do not. I only know that he used some method to brainwash my grandfather.”

The drug inflicted immense pain on anyone attempting to lie. But even under its effects, Lyle’s demeanor did not change. Only then did the Emperor’s expression finally soften.

“…I see. Let the Archduke take the antidote.”

After receiving and drinking the antidote, Lyle once again faced the Emperor, who now wore his usual friendly expression.

“I’ve kept a busy man for far too long. You may go now.”

“As Your Majesty commands.”

“I hope you don’t take this as excessive. It’s better to clear any doubt than to let it fester and damage trust.”

Lyle gave a respectful bow and withdrew. The Emperor, watching him go, wore a complicated expression.

“What’s troubling you? Everything you were concerned about has been resolved.”

“Hmm. I just can’t shake the feeling that something doesn’t sit right.”

“…Pardon? In what way…”

Using a truth serum—originally developed for use on enemies—on the Archduke. That alone was extreme. So it was natural for the attendant to be puzzled by the Emperor’s lingering suspicion.

“The Archduke drank the serum without hesitation, and his answers showed no signs of deception.”

The Emperor did not voice what troubled him most. He too only had a faint sense of unease and couldn’t clearly say why Lyle’s behavior unsettled him so deeply.

“You’re probably right.”

Suppressing the discomfort that remained in his heart, the Emperor issued the long-delayed order for the disposition of the House of Redwood.

***

Elaina kept checking the clock. It had already been over two hours since Lyle had entered the Imperial Palace.

“Madam, please try to stay calm.”

“But…”

Elaina bit her lip hard. No matter how composed she tried to appear, she couldn’t suppress her anxiety.

The Marquis’s confession had thrown the entire capital into chaos like a stirred beehive. The Imperial Family was even more agitated. The lengths they went to in torturing the Marquis for information had been nothing short of obsessive.

Naturally, they had reason to be wary—this was power capable of manipulating even the Emperor at will.

“You already knew the ring had been returned to Lord Kyst, and that His Majesty would use a truth serum. He took the antidote in advance, and Lord Kyst even cast purification magic, so he’ll come back without a problem.”

Sarah spoke reassuringly. A few days earlier, Leo had quietly tipped them off. No information had come from the Marquis, and the Emperor was growing increasingly desperate.

The ring had been returned to Kyst before the trial began.

With tensions high, sending someone to Mabel could arouse suspicion. So Elaina had asked Kyst to come to the capital again.

Kyst, after receiving the ring, had continued visiting the capital. “Occasionally” was an understatement—it was nearly every day.

It had been Elaina who asked Kyst to cast magic for Lyle’s protection. Kyst hadn’t been too willing, but eventually, he cast similar spells on Lyle as he had on Elaina. And then, just days later, the Emperor’s summons arrived.

Lyle had even taken the neutralizer Nathan prepared, just in case. So nothing should go wrong, but Elaina’s heart was still uneasy.

“Oh, come on, madam. Stop worrying and sit down.”

At that moment, they heard the sound of a carriage. Elaina ran outside. Seeing Lyle step down from the carriage, she felt relief wash over her and collapsed to the ground.

“Elaina?”

Startled, Lyle rushed to her.

“What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

Even when heading to the palace, Lyle hadn’t shown a hint of tension. Seeing him panic now, just because she had collapsed, made Elaina laugh faintly.

“Was the audience with His Majesty successful?”

“Yes. Nothing happened.”

“See? I told you everything would be fine. Really, madam.”

Sarah shook her head and scolded her gently. Lyle’s eyes softened as he realized what had happened.

“You were worried about me?”

“…Of course I was worried. How could I not be?”

Lyle smiled at Elaina’s slightly sulky response.

“It’s cold out. Let’s go inside.”

He politely helped his wife to her feet and draped his coat—warmed by his body heat—over her shoulders. Elaina took his arm and began to chatter about how worried she’d been over the past two hours.

Just listening to that sweet rambling was enough to clear the lingering darkness from Lyle’s heart, allowing the sunlight to shine through once more.