I Became The Villain’s Master - Chapter 2.9

I considered the possible options.

One, reveal that I’m the Hauser young lady and request a private audience with Marquis Crumble.

This would be useful in case of danger, but there’s a high chance I’d be sent home alone without rescuing Rory.

Two, appeal to the researchers’ sympathy to stay by Rory’s side and plan an escape.

Even if we escaped, we’d likely starve to death without food, and if we encountered wild animals or human traffickers, it would be over.

I had made some preparations for unforeseen circumstances, but we’d still need a map to reach our destination.

Three, request a deal with Marquis Crumble.

The reason Marquis Crumble was conducting illegal human experiments was to develop a cure for his wife’s incurable disease.

After giving birth to their daughter and visiting her parents’ home for recovery, she rapidly weakened to the point of being bedridden.

I knew the treatment method.

It was surprisingly simple.

However, the Marquis was unlikely to believe me.

“My bwother knows home.”

I could always choose after confirming Rory’s safety.

“Oh my! Little one!”

An old man bringing food came rushing up the stairs, his face pale.

The woman holding me tilted her head quizzically and asked the old man.

“I wondered who brought the child, so it was you, Director? Where did you pick this one up?”

“It was standing at the door saying it was hungry, so I just wanted to feed it and send it away.”

“If the Marquis finds out, you’ll be in big trouble.”

“Pl-please keep this a secret.”

“Oh my. Just like that?”

“…”

The woman handed me over to the old man and made a circle with her thumb and index finger.

Facing the woman who was grinning, the old man nodded with a face full of unspoken words.

Seeing his trembling arms, I felt sorry for him, as if he was being extorted by a thug.

It seemed this wasn’t the first time such a thing had happened.

The woman went inside without a second thought, and the old man tried to carry me down the stairs.

“Child, why were you out here? Let’s go inside quickly.”

“No! I want to stay with my bwother!”

“Brother?”

“Yes! Shiny silver hair. He’s five years old.”

I innocently held up my fingers, spreading them wide.

I didn’t forget to show the sensibility of only spreading four fingers.

The old man’s pupils darted back and forth.

***

House of Count Hauser.

“What! Merchen has disappeared?! Why are you only telling me this now!”

“I apologize. We’ve searched thoroughly, but she’s nowhere to be found. The young masters say they’ve checked all the fox dens too, but she wasn’t there. None of the estate residents have seen the young lady either. I’m afraid she might have secretly gone to the Crumble household…”

The Count’s face, filled with anger, flushed red and blue.

Phillip, the assistant, trembled like an aspen leaf but resolutely relayed all the necessary information.

“How could a three-year-old go anywhere alone without a carriage!”

“Given how quick-witted she is, she might have hitched a ride on the carriage transporting the slaves. Otherwise, there’s no way she could have vanished so completely.”

“Hah… Who was the knight who moved the slaves to the carriage?”

“It was the youngest knight, Collie Brew. He said no one came near the back gate, but when the young lady is in her fox form, she’s very small, so there’s a high chance he might have missed her. For now, perhaps we should send word to the Crumble household…”

“Prepare the horses immediately.”

“Pardon?”

The Count glared at Phillip, who was looking back with a dumb expression, as he swiftly donned a thin coat.

His dark eyes glinted ominously behind his monocle.

“I’ll go and bring her back myself.”

Bang!

The office door burst open urgently.

“I’ll go too.”

It was Sugar Hauser, with a haggard complexion.

Behind his face full of brotherly concern, anxiety and impatience were etched.

Last evening, Sugar had told his father the most wretched lie of his life.

If the fairy tale about noses growing longer with each lie were true, that single lie from yesterday would have given him a nose as long as a giraffe’s neck.

[I saw that slave trying to strike sleeping Merchen with the goddess statue from the side table. I thought my heart would stop, Father. So I gave him a stern lesson, but Merchen was already thoroughly bewitched by him and wouldn’t believe me. Even at this moment, that fellow is constantly looking for opportunities.]

Unaware that it was a blatant lie, the enraged Count immediately ordered Rory’s execution.

Sugar, who had only intended to have him banished and hadn’t thought about killing a child younger than himself, was startled and frantically suggested sending him to Marquis Crumble’s household instead.

[I hear the Crumble household is buying slaves indiscriminately, without even negotiating prices. Why don’t we hand over the slave and use this as an opportunity to approach them about investing in your new hotel business?]

Honey Hauser was a capitalist who didn’t particularly need investment, but he thought it wouldn’t be bad to establish a connection with the Crumble family on this occasion.

For the Count, who was both gullible and greedy, there was no reason not to listen to his son’s suggestion.

The Count ordered that once Merchen was asleep and it was late at night, the slave should be put in a carriage and sent to the Crumble household.

Sugar smiled with satisfaction.

He planned to tell Merchen that the slave had stolen jewels and run away.

Then Merchen would feel betrayed by the slave and stop looking for him.

Everything was supposed to be perfect.

But…

Merchen, who had been sleeping soundly, suddenly woke up and disappeared while trying to escape, throwing everything into chaos.

Worry for his sister.

Fear that his lie might be discovered.

His heart raced with an uneasy premonition that even bigger troubles were yet to come.

‘What if Merchen isn’t at the Crumble household either? What if we never find her?’

The blood drained from his face.