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

“Lord Byers, I have the materials you requested.”

The man set down a thick filing cabinet. Once the door to his office was closed, Vileon opened the papers.

The man had brought him a list of the names of the staff of the Ministry of Finance. Vileon’s long fingers traced the name of his third aide slowly.

Marienne Didi.

Born November 11, 244 Imperial Calendar.

‘Her birthday is still a long way off.’

No siblings. Raised by her aunt and uncle since age 12 due to the death of her parents. Aunt and uncle run a general store in the capital’s Kestania district.

‘Ah…….’

Vileon couldn’t take his eyes off the second sentence for a moment.

He already knew that Marienne didn’t talk about her family, including her parents. He could only assume she had her reasons.

But he hadn’t realized it was because her parents had died when she was young.

‘You’re right, I should speak up. It’s not that I didn’t know, I just didn’t remember.’

It’s mandatory to submit a criminal record for anyone who is going to be a member of the Ministry of Finance. There are no exceptions, even if their future job is cleaning.

Based on the submitted records, the internal investigation within the Ministry begins with the first round conducted by Vileon’s investigators, followed by a second round to confirm the facts.

Only the contents that pass the final stage make their way onto Vileon’s desk. Therefore, it is likely that he had read about Marienne’s family background.

This would have taken place a few months ago from the present time.

And Vileon had a pretty good memory. He can recall things from years ago, let alone months ago.

There’s a catch. Something has to be important enough for him to remember.

Vileon felt guilty about this. At the time, he hadn’t realized how much he wanted to know about Marienne.

‘If it’s in the Kestania District, it overlaps with my route.’

It’s the old town’s shopping district, a densely packed collection of antique, doll, scented candle, and candy shops and used bookstores.

If you’re lucky, you might pick up an antique music box or a stunning pendant at a bargain price.

It’s fun to look through the windows, and there are always people wandering the streets even if they’re not buying anything.

Vileon’s gaze shifted to the next row.

Marienne’s final education was at the Imperial Academy, Literature Department. She graduated 110th in her class of one hundred and thirty-eight.

At first glance, one might wonder if she wasn’t good enough for a position in the Ministry of Finance.

However, it’s important to note that admission to the Imperial Academy is highly competitive. Many children from noble families fail to enter. Graduating from there without any failures in a timely manner is already an impressive accomplishment.

With no other awards or work experience, Marienne’s academic credentials as a graduate of the Imperial Academy are probably the only reason she was able to get into the Ministry of Finance.

Vileon glanced at the bottom row of civil service entrance exams.

61 out of 100.

For reference, a score of 60 or lower would be rejected. The average score for the Ministry of Finance is in the mid-90s.

‘After all, a good educational background matters…….’

That’s it.

Phil, the aide who recommended Marienne, also emphasized that she was from the Imperial Academy.

“Wait a minute. She went to school with me for a year.”

Vileon tried to recall the scene of his entrance ceremony. He’d been class president his entire time at the academy, and student council president in his final year, so he must have given a welcome speech in front of the younger students.

Did any of the students lined up under the podium have pink hair like a spring flower?

I don’t remember.

It’s such an unusual hair color that I’m sure I would have bumped into her at least once on campus, and if I did, I would have remembered them.

Perhaps I could ask a classmate? Trent, who is known for being well-connected, might remember the new student with pink hair.

‘No.’

Vileon immediately dismissed the idea. Trent was known for his connections, but he was also known for his constant flings.

The type of girl he couldn’t get enough of was the petite, bubbly one.

Although some time has passed since graduation, people’s preferences don’t change so easily.

If he went looking for Trent, he might end up letting him catch the current Marienne.

‘No way.’

Marienne was that cute now, but she must have been amazing when she was fourteen.

Maybe Trent had already had his eye on her then. Maybe she was too young to approach her at the time and missed his chance.

But what if her name came out of the mouth of an old friend who came by chance?

‘I went a little crazy.’

Vileon vowed that he wouldn’t go looking for Trent even if the sky fell. Then he looked up.

‘Fate is a strange thing. Eight years ago, I was in and out of the manor where Odette was locked up.’

I saw Odette every week, even though she lived far away from the Academy and the Count Byers’ residence, but I never saw Marienne, who had been at school with me for a year, even by chance.

‘I wonder if Aide Didi…… remembers me from back then.’

Maybe I’m being selfish. It seem to be like that.

But I also know that if I hear Marienne talk about ‘that senior on the podium,’ a smile will spread across my face.

‘I’ll have to ask her someday.’

Not today.

I glance over and see that Marienne has been busy since Monday morning. I don’t know what’s going on, but it’s clear she doesn’t want to tell her boss.

She was talking to someone else, and when her eyes locked with Vileon’s, she suddenly shut up.

‘I’d be lying if I said it didn’t bother me.’

Such questions that cannot be immediately addressed tend to pile up.

What is it about me that you find so appealing?

I’m not really that different from anyone else. I’m not that special. There are so many people here in the palace alone who are better than me.

Do you have a first love too? Can I ask who it is? What kind of person were they?

Did Marienne ever receive a confession while attending school? I feel a bit uneasy even before hearing the answer, as if there might be many.

“Why are there so many things I’m curious about…”

Vileon rubbed the corners of his eyes. It reminded him of his own family, who would go a little berserk whenever he mentioned anything of interest to them.

Maybe he was one of them, after all.

Suddenly, he remembered last Saturday. Marienne had blatantly ignored Priest Anais. But she’d stared at his robes, at the way they revealed his body.

Buttocks.

Vileon unconsciously glanced down at his own lower body.

“I do spend a lot of time sitting.”

Then Vileon realized he’d been thinking about his eager rabbit of an aide all week.

◇ ◆ ◇

The Sun of the Empire.

A light in its own right.

Vileon’s birthday was one day away.

Marianne is the overall responsible person for tomorrow’s surprise event. There is no aspect that Marianne is not involved in, from decorating the birthday cake, choosing the decorations, sweetness level, plates, to coordinating the movements of the staff involved.

Everything is ready to go.

Phil, the first aide, repeatedly praises ‘our Mari,’ saying that her eyes are not wrong.

But the truth is, Marianne was on edge. As she left the office, she still had a question she couldn’t answer.

“What more can I do to help here?”

According to the original story, Vileon would remember his twenty-sixth birthday as his saddest.

The feeling of being overwhelmed by the surprise party prepared by the staff was dampened by a rainy pond.

Odette’s locket necklace, abandoned.

He thought to himself as he looked at the necklace, covered in mud and discarded, that it somehow resembled his own situation.

He can’t bear to leave it on the muddy ground, so he picks it up, but on his way back upstairs, he hears the chatter of the maids.

The Fourth Princess and the Duke of Blackwood are really in love.

He thought it was a ruse, but it must be real.

They’re in such a hurry to kiss that they’ve gone into a random room.

Odette won’t send a birthday message to Vileon until midnight tomorrow.

Actually, it’s that damned Cain that’s preventing her from delivering it, but there’s no way Vileon can know that.

The next day, Odette wears a gorgeous necklace with dozens of smaller diamonds closely surrounding a 50-carat blue diamond.

A family heirloom from the Duke of Blackwood.

Vileon compliments her on the beautiful necklace, trying not to notice the trace of a kiss on the nape of his master’s white neck.

Since it has already happened.

Odette chose not to try to console his sorrow.

Vileon’s heart tingled as it touched the locket necklace inside the conqueror’s pocket.

“This is such a clichéd and unnecessary sad subplot for a supporting character.”

Marienne let out a long sigh.

“Where the hell am I supposed to fit in?”

Can we stop the showers that have been falling since late afternoon? Impossible. The weather is not something a lowly possessor can do anything about.

So what if you can’t get Vileon to the pond in question?

If he doesn’t go to the pond, he won’t have to face the abandoned locket necklace. Or maybe she could just keep him upstairs, away from the gossip of the maids?

For a moment, Marienne thought of a taboo, diabolical idea.

“What if Lord Byers’ share of the cake was laced with laxatives…….”

Of course not. Say something that makes sense, you crazy Marienne Didi. Since mixing cold medicine in lemon tea worked last time, I suppose we should try something similar this time too.

“Let’s not expose our own incompetence in this way.”

And it’s even worse when you put it in perspective. No one wants to be locked in the bathroom at work on their birthday with an upset stomach.

It sounded almost as miserable as a broken heart.

Marienne shook her head. There had to be another way, besides something as drastic as laxatives.

“Am I eventually left with no choice but to confront Odette and ask for a favour? We could simply ask to keep the locket necklace in our possession for just one day. Perhaps if I mention Lord Byers’ name, it might be possible.”

But even here there was a fatal problem.

Marienne doesn’t have the confidence to outsmart Odette in their conversation. While unconventional methods might work against northerners or false priests, they may not be effective against Odette.

She was a powerhouse in a world where grudges were notoriously long-lived, where grudges were never forgotten, where grace was repaid tenfold and vengeance a hundredfold.

“My goodness…”

Marienne groped for her neck, which didn’t have a single common silver necklace around it, let alone a fifty-carat blue diamond.

No jewelry is needed. As long as this neck stays attached to the body.

“With all of that out of the way, why does this always end up being a one-on-one match with the northerner?”

If it wasn’t for the upcoming D-Day that would humble the northerner, I would have preferred to avoid any direct confrontation with Cain Blackwood now.

There’s a high probability that you’ll suffer physically if you get involved with him. He’s a nasty little bastard.

I wonder what new ways he’ll find to torment me tomorrow if I get in his way. My head aches just thinking about it.

Ah, yes. I must always keep in mind how far Odette will go.

This is out.

That’s out.

“Aide Didi, what are you thinking?”

Vileon’s voice suddenly sounded too close. Marienne jumped out of her chair, startled.

“Ah, ah, I apologize. Lord Byers, what can I do for you?”

“We should be heading home.”

He gave a gentle smile.

“Stop working. The chef mentioned that tonight’s dinner is prepared with Aide Didi, in mind. Aren’t you curious about what dish will be served?”