The Fate of the Perennial Sub Male Lead is in My Hands

No vases.

Marienne looked around Odette’s private common room, which was much nicer than the ladies’ room. No matter how many times she closed and opened her eyes, the situation didn’t change.

“What is this?”

Marienne crawled impatiently across the common room floor.

If the furniture was still attached to the floor, she could at least lean on it instead of the vase. Every piece of furniture that looked like it might have some weight had legs.

It is also new when the plot development is different from the original.

Even if the culprit has the earrings, the vase that the attendant left behind shouldn’t be there.

“At this rate, I’ll have no choice but to strip him again.”

The northerner’s brazen face flashed through my mind, and I felt my temper flare at the thought of the missing earrings being his doing, and not just Vileon’s.

“Let the men do the hard work. How many men do you have now. You’re going to take Odette’s credit for this?”

A sudden realisation flashed through her mind.

‘So that’s why the book introduction had the keyword ‘schemer’! Odette uses her brains all the time, while the northern guy relies only on his strength. So why did it say that the man is a man of schemes?’

Marienne lamented in retrospect. At the same time, she was furious.

‘It’s not enough for you to scheme to protect your mistress, eh? You push her into a pit and then you save her?’

You’re a schemer, and you’re wrong by definition.

In Marienne Didi’s world, that’s called a villain.

“He’s a speedy little bastard…”

Marienne pushed open the door to the break room. They say tigers come when you say so, and if you call the devil by his name, he’ll appear.

I’d just chewed on a northerner by myself, and he was standing in the doorway, smirking.

“Crazy rabbit, can we talk?”

◇ ◆ ◇

Cain seems to have deliberately followed her. The reason Marienne guessed so was the expression on his face when the door opened.

Cain Blackwood was bored. Like a human being who had grown tired of waiting for the person inside to open the door and come out.

“You are aware that this is the Fourth Princess’ private foyer, courtesy of the Opera House.”

Cain took a step, then another. Marienne didn’t back down. He was close enough for her nose to touch his chest.

Then she smelled him, that cold north wind, the smell of snow and broken branches.

‘Th-this… such a cliché! How could I possibly know the smell of snow? I’ve never even smelled it once in my life. But why do I recognize it as the smell of snow?’

Marienne glared at him, her eyes full of frustration, and he stumbled backwards.

No wonder. He’s a monster who can block a wagon with his bare hands. He could turn Marienne Didi’s tiny body around on his little finger.

“You know my fiancée is still in the box seats, and I’d like to know why the Chancellor’s third aide is coming out of the Princess’ empty common room.”

Cain slammed the door behind his back. I heard it lock with a click.

“Searching for the earring, of course.”

Instead of taking another step back, Marienne tilted her head to look up at him.

“Weren’t we all searching for the earring, Duke of Blackwood?”

“You’re showing proper respect. What winds have been blowing this morning.”

“There’s been a south-easterly breeze since this morning.”

Marienne pulled away from him abruptly and unfurled her fan. Instead of fluttering gracefully as Chloise had done, she was poised to blow him away.

“I’ve answered your question, and now it’s my turn to ask. Why did you, a duke with a fiancée, block my way and lock the door?”

Marienne tilted her head.

“This is a situation where the more searchers we have, the better.”

“…Did the Byers family manufacture a pill to make you smarter?”

Cain twisted his mouth.

“You sound like my fiancée all of a sudden.”

“How dare I compare to Her Highness, the noble and intelligent Princess.”

“It is none of your business.”

Cain cut her off.

“Odette Rose is ten thousand times more intelligent than you, mad rabbit.”

That’s a bit harsh. Ten thousand times, not just ten. What am I, a trilobite1an extinct marine arthropod that occurred abundantly during the Paleozoic era?

Marienne pursed her lips. She had to hold back her embarrassment.

“I’m sure you have questions, so let’s cut to the chase.”

Cain told Marienne to get back on track, adding that she should ask a question first. He wants to hear Marienne’s questions before he speaks.

It was annoying, but he was right.

He stalked off, and Marienne wanted to clarify the whereabouts of the earrings first.

“You hid the earrings, didn’t you?”

“…”

“Your turn.”

“…”

“Did your mouth get stuck?”

“… Do you know the secret of my hair?”

The exchange of questions is over. Marienne said, ‘This time, you answer first.’ Cain snapped back.

“No, you first.”

He was a bastard.

“You want to get rid of me, but you didn’t reveal my secret to Priest Anais on the day of our engagement. Why?”

Cain kept his voice low.

“And how do you know my secret?”

He knew about her encounter with the Priest Anais. Marienne’s fanning turned nervous. He had already been briefed on my movements since then.

Irritation flared.

Odette is the original heroine, she has good reason for her judgements, and she is the love of Vileon.

So it was okay for Marienne to let herself be swayed by Odette. After all, the entire empire is Odette’s chess board.

But it’s a different story when she’s the one playing into Cain’s hands.

“It’s not you I want to get rid of, it’s your hair.”

“Is that…”

“If Cain Blackwood dies, who’s going to protect the North? Besides, Leslie Anais is a member of the Second Prince’s entourage. Why would I spill your secrets to him? It’s not like they’re giving Odette a weakness.”

Cain’s expression grew strange. This must be the first time in his life he’s ever been confused.

If I’m not mistaken, that’s what a northerner with a heart of ice looks like. Marienne unintentionally widened her stance.

“In other words, you support my fiancée.”

“I’m glad you got that.”

“If I shave my head right now, does that also mean you’ll stop bothering me?”

“Yes.”

“You’re… what in the world.”

Cain muttered a little too loudly for his own good.

“Did you pass the civil service exam with flying colours?”

Why did the conversation jump there. Marienne frowned.

“Tell me my secret again, properly.”

“The source of Cain Blackwood’s power is his long, dark hair. The shorter it is, the less power you have. Is that right?”

“You really do know. Am I going to keep you alive…”

“Enough.”

Marienne raised her fan and slapped Cain across the mouth. He was too busy reciting his lines to block it.

“You have no conscience. You’re going to take the information for yourself. Now answer my questions.”

Marienne glared at Cain.

“The earring of the Fourth Princess, you hid it, didn’t you?”

Cain turned to face Marienne with a glare.

“Why do you even know that?”

“Ha.”

Gotcha, dude.

Marienne did her best to hide her weariness.

“Lady Byers knows the truth too. If I don’t come back in time, the lady will come with Byers’ report. Hand it over before the agents search your body.”

“And then?”

“And then, what?”

“What’s the point?”

Her head spun at the thought of him being a schemer. Marienne gave him a look that said he was asking for the obvious.

“Of course, you have to return it to the rightful owner.”

“Then why don’t I give it to the Princess myself, without having to go through your hands?”

“No.”

Marienne cut in.

“The Fourth Princess owes a debt of the heart, and the play was staged to repay it. But you, deliver it to the Princess directly? That’s supposed to be your choice.”

“I’ll admit it’s a stunt.”

“But no! No matter what. Give it to me. Or…”

Cain tilted his head as if to hear what she would say next.

“Or give it to Lord Byers.”

Cain stared at Marienne wordlessly. Then, suddenly, he laughed strangely.

“Mad rabbit, this is all you do to please… Lord Byers. You like your boss, and your boss likes my fiancée.”

“Whatever. All you have to do is give me the earring.”

“I can’t believe you’re giving your boss all the credit for standing up to me. Does Byers know you’re doing this?”

Don’t give this guy a break. Look at this. He’s sneakily asking another question when it’s his turn to answer.

“What’s so great about Byers?”

“You’re bald. I can’t believe I’m arguing with you.”

Marienne folded her fan with a loud crack.

“Give me the earring.”

“I don’t have them.”

“Bullshit.”

“Even if I call the attendant and search my body, they won’t be able to find it.”

Marienne was about to tell him to cut the crap, but stopped herself. If Cain knew everything, he’d be prepared for a search.

“Where did you hide it…?”

Cain laughed.

“You look like you’d jump into the fires of hell.”

He continued.

“I put the earrings in a pink envelope, go find it. I left them in the darkest, scariest, dirtiest place in the building.”

◇ ◆ ◇

“So, what do you think is the darkest, scariest, dirtiest place in this building?”

Marienne asked the janitor with her hands clasped together in prayer. Next to Marienne stood Chloise.

In fact, before they came to the cleaning lady, their opinions were divided.

Chloise had taken the culprit’s hint and insisted on going to the theatre owner first. The theatre owner’s office would have a map of the opera house, and he would have the authority to call the staff together.

Marienne wiggled her index finger. It doesn’t say anything about how scary and messy it is.

And this is something I’ve learnt from being a low-level civil servant, it’s hard for an employee to feel comfortable talking in front of their employer.

The moment you mention the darkest, dirtiest place, you’re likely to be told why you didn’t clean it up.

The conclusion?

As you can see, Marienne had won. Chloise looked a little embarrassed, saying that she hadn’t thought of the other person’s position.

Anyway, when the janitor heard Marienne’s question, she didn’t think twice before answering.

“The darkest, scariest, dirtiest place is the basement.”

Wow, how can I hear just four words and know the condition of that place? Marienne swallowed a sigh.

A 250-year-old opera house that had been renovated and repaired repeatedly. A basement beneath it.

“It must be a dust pit.”

“Oh, miss. It’s not just the dust. Someone has been in there recently… five years ago?”

The older cleaner spoke up.

“Five years ago, the guy who went in there was a runner, and he said he made a bet with his mates – a test of courage, so to speak – and he came out in less than thirty minutes, gibbering, and he ran to a priest and begged for his life.”

“He begged for his life?”

“Yes, miss. Haven’t you heard? They say the basement is cursed, and that anyone who enters sees visions of their worst fears.”

Having said this, the cleaner’s tone suddenly became cautious.

“But miss, you can’t possibly go in there… will you?”