The Villainess’ Beloved Plan: The Struggles to Avoid a Doomed End

“Gassour didn’t have a history of being employed as a gatekeeper at the castle.”

　Arena said as soon as she arrived.

“Gassour moved to the capital about a year and three months ago. Until then, he was working in a small town on the edge of the Duchy territory of Duke Levord, digging for hot springs. He was famous for being a bum and a drunkard, and after the man who employed Gassour fired him, he was living off his debts. It seems that he moved to the capital to find work and to get away from the debt collectors.”

　Sophia was surprised.

“How did you manage to find out so much about him?”

“It was easy. Even if there are no employment records, people remember more than you might think. Just to be sure, there was an elderly man still working at the castle who had been the gatekeeper since Sophia’s mother worked there as a chambermaid. It seems that only three gatekeepers have been replaced in the last 20 years or so, and all three quit when they got old, and none of them left when they were young, as Gassour said. He said being the gatekeeper of the castle is a good deal. He said no one wants to quit. But here’s the thing he said…….”

　Arena’s voice trailed off, causing Sophia and the others to straighten up nervously.

　In Sophia’s room, there were also Orion and Isolte, who were very eager to join them in the discussion. As a maid of honor(handmaiden), Isolte could not allow anyone to threaten her beloved Mistress

“Just recently, before Gassour appeared before Sophia, a suspicious person came to visit him. The person was wearing a hooded cloak, as if he didn’t want anyone to see him. You see? Obviously suspicious, right?”

“Yes, it is suspicious.”

“I don’t know if it has anything to do with this case yet, but it’s worth looking into, isn’t it?”

“Right……It is said that they had a secret talk at a bar called “Mikadukitei”.

“Mikadukitei”

　Sophia rolled her eyes. Mikadukitei is a bar run by Theo’s father. Theo also said that Gassour was a regular customer and that he had heard Sophia’s story there.”

　Sophia told Arena about her childhood friend Theo’s visit the other day. Then Arena’s face lit up with a sparkle.

“Oh, my God, that’s beautiful! Well, luck is on our side. Right? Gassour probably thinks Sophia will visit him soon. But Sophia has never visited him. if the suspicious person wearing that hood is also involved in this case, it’s about time he got impatient.”

“Maybe the suspicious person may come to Gassour for Sophia?”

“You guessed it right.”

　Orion takes the lead, and Arena winks at her.

“Mikadukitei is run by Sophia’s childhood friend’s father, right? I can’t help but think we could use this.”

　Sophia let out a small breath as she had a bad feeling about what was going to happen.

“….. Is Sophia doing something strange?”
　Randall asked back to the squire who had come to report from the duke’s house with a mild sense of déjà vu.

” Huh…..”
He was at a loss for words…….
　The squire scratched his thinning head in anxiety.

“I hope you’re not trying to say that she’s playing in the water again?”

“No, it’s not that, it’s ……. She went out dressed like a commoner girl.”

“And who went with her?”

‘Orion, Isolte, and Lady Legato were with her, so perhaps she was simply going shopping on the side,…….by stealth

That can’t be true, she doesn’t have to go out of her way to disguise herself as a commoner girl.

“So, where are Sophia and her friends going?”

“Uhhm……., they went on foot down East Main Street.”

“They walked? They didn’t use a carriage?”

“Yes, …….”

This is finally strange.

“So, after Sophia and the others, of course you have someone following them, right?”

“Yes, of course. One of our best men, just in case.”

　Randall thought for a moment and stood up. Even if there is someone following Sophia, that man will probably come back to report after everything is over. The squire said that he is a man of skill, and her escort, Orion, is with her, so Randall can wait for Sophia and the others to come back and question her – but he will not.

‘…… I’m curious.’

　If it’s just Sophia and Orion, it’s still tricky that Lady Legato is with them. Arena Legato apparently befriended Sophia at the previous castle dance party and has been a frequent visitor to the duke’s house. Randall was a little uncomfortable with Arena because when they made eye contact, she would look at him as if she was trying to figure him out.

“You said East Main Street.”

“Yes”

　”Proceeding along the East Main Street towards the ramparts, there is a district where a man named Gassour, who claims to be Sophia’s father, lives. I don’t think it’s true, but maybe she went to see the man?”

‘I bet he won’t do anything on his own. ……!’

　Of course, it was not yet decided, but Randall could not stay put and ran out of the room with his squire.