How to Live as the Terminally Ill Younger Sister of the Villain - Chapter 89

“So I’m thinking of going to the theater then. This kind of petition would be better delivered in person rather than just praying a paper petition reaches His Highness, right?”

“Well, that’s true, but will it work? We can’t sneak through that tight security, and if we just sit outside waiting for him to come out, we’ll only catch the Order’s attention.”

“That’s why we need to get inside legally.”

“Legally? Don’t tell me you’re planning to buy tickets? Do you know how much those tickets cost……”

The shopkeeper’s words trailed off as he watched Angelina smile and pull another gold coin from her pocket.

“The price is what?”

“Well, I was really worrying about nothing.”

“So leave that part to me. Instead, there’s something you need to do.”

“What is it?”

“Gather people who want to join the petition at the theater.”

“Oh dear……”

Seeing him hesitate, clearly not wanting to attract more attention from the Order, Angelina slipped another gold coin into the shopkeeper’s pocket.

“I’m not asking for anything else from you. Just gather them and come to the theater. Then, one of my people you saw today will guide you.”

“Can we really reach His Highness?”

“Why do you think I brought this friend here today?”

As Angelina pointed to Blake standing behind her, the shopkeeper stroked his chin and let out a groan.

“You’re saying I can really trust this?”

“I’ll be at the front, so if anything happens, just pretend you don’t know anything and run. But nothing bad will happen. I have everything planned out.”

Angelina finished her not-so-secret conversation and straightened up first.

Then she moved closer to Blake.

This was to subtly hint to the shopkeeper that she and Blake were close, and therefore trustworthy.

“Hmm… Well, young lady, you certainly have some interesting connections?”

“Those damn bastards, interfering with others’ business, endangering the Saint, and attacking believers… Shouldn’t we at least try to report them? If this works out, we could receive a huge reward.”

Angelina took out another gold coin from her pocket and flipped it.

The shopkeeper stared at the gold coin that landed neatly in his palm, then snorted. He flipped the coin back to Angelina.

“I’ll pass on this one.”

“You won’t do it? Really? I thought you’d jump at the opportunity.”

“Sometimes, even I have motivations other than money. For the sake of the Saint, and for my shop, I can’t just sit back and take it from those rotten bastards!”

“You’re more righteous than I thought? Or is it just a thorough calculation?”

“Isn’t it obvious? Too much greed can ruin a business. Hahaha!”

The man laughed heartily and picked up a broom as he asked.

“So, young lady, what would you like to eat?”

This meant he really had no more information to share.

“I’ll have a drink like last time. And we’ll use that table over there.”

“Alright~!”

Angelina and Blake moved to the only table that wasn’t broken.

As the cheerful-looking shopkeeper disappeared into the messy kitchen, Blake lowered his voice and asked.

“Is he trustworthy?”

Angelina glanced towards the kitchen and smiled softly.

“He’s as trustworthy as the money we’ve given him.”

It meant that as much as money could keep his mouth shut, money could also make him talk.

He could betray them just as easily, so he wasn’t completely trustworthy, but ironically, this meant the information he provided would be accurate.

“Still, we can consider him on the same boat as us in terms of not being friendly to the current Order.”

However, for this incident, the distinction between allies and enemies was so clear that there seemed to be no need to worry about betrayal.

“But it’s uncertain whether he’ll gather people at the theater. It’s suspicious that he didn’t take the money……”

It seemed like he had created an escape route for himself.

“But actually, it doesn’t matter if they come or not.”

She wasn’t too concerned about it.

If they came, it would just make it a little easier to pressure the Crown Prince, but even if they didn’t come, she was planning to shake him up anyway.

At that moment, the shopkeeper came out of the kitchen carrying a tray.

“Young lady, yours is non-alcoholic again today.”

He set down four glasses of beer and a plate of skewers on the table.

“Well then, carry on.”

The shopkeeper disappeared back into the kitchen with his broom. He seemed to have tactfully withdrawn to let them talk comfortably.

“Haley.”

However, Angelina gave Haley a signal with her eyes.

“Yes.”

A moment later, an invisible barrier formed around them.

Understanding the meaning of the eye signal immediately, Haley had cast a sound-blocking spell.

“Since that man is as full of curiosity as he is of information…”

Angelina briefly explained why she had set up the sound barrier now, though it might seem strange to do so after having such intense conversations until now.

“Did you bring me here to let me hear what he just said?”

Blake asked. It was a question implying he didn’t understand why this place was chosen for conversation if the man wasn’t completely trustworthy.

“You and I, Your Grace, attract attention wherever we go. In that sense, I thought this place would be the most free from unnecessary eyes and ears, except for that man.”

He nodded in understanding at her explanation.

“Then will you explain now? Why does that man treat Miss Flaubert like a friend?”

“I thought you’d ask about the Saint first. Is that what interests you the most?”

When she asked with a puzzled expression, he cleared his throat.

“Ahem, there’s so much I want to know, I just randomly picked one……”

He explained awkwardly while rubbing his reddening neck.

Of all the questions, why did that one come out first? His face flushed with embarrassment.

Unaware of his embarrassment, Angelina spoke calmly.

“Well. To answer that first, the shopkeeper doesn’t know who I am. He just thinks I’m some wealthy young lady. And it’s better to let him keep that misunderstanding for now. After all, the information might change if he thinks he’s dealing with nobility.”

“I see. Then what was that about the Saint he mentioned earlier? And the Order is looking for them – has a Saint really appeared?”

“It’s not a Saint. It’s Catherine.”

“The woman we rescued?”

“Yes, that child.”

At Blake’s confused look, Angelina rested her chin on her hand with a somewhat playful smile.

“I told you, didn’t I? That I would have quite a lot to tell Your Grace.”

With these refreshingly direct words, Angelina’s long story began.

***

Angelina delivered a large amount of information as concisely and quickly as possible.

Although their conversation was occasionally interrupted by the shopkeeper coming out of the kitchen to serve food, it took less than an hour to tell everything she needed to say.

“Whew……”

But because the content was far from simple, Blake let out a long sigh when the story ended.

He looked at his beer, which he hadn’t taken a single sip of while focusing on the story.

The forced fake Saint project. The hidden intention to divide the Order and the Saint.

The full story behind the monster attack in the capital.

Investigation of the remaining sacred objects’ locations.

It felt like it would take more than a day just to organize everything in his head.

However, after carefully synthesizing all the information, he suppressed his cluttered thoughts and spoke.

“May I ask just one thing?”

Though he still had many questions, there was one thing that bothered him the most.

“Ask anything.”

“You’ve been mentioning a ‘collaborator’ throughout… could that person possibly be……”

He held back his words. If his guess was wrong, it would sound completely insane.

However, the collaborator in her story couldn’t be explained unless it was that person.

The ability to strategically place and withdraw monsters in perfect timing with ‘Saint’ Catherine.

Someone who has a close relationship with Angelina Flaubert and can be completely trusted.

Someone who harbors enough ill feelings toward the Sun God’s Order to willingly participate in such a plan.

There was only one person who came to mind.

“……is it the Magic Tower Master?”

It was quite a careful question reached after combining all the information.

Nevertheless, Blake felt tense, not knowing what answer would come from her.

However, Angelina’s lips didn’t open. Instead, a faint smile began to spread across her face.

The deep smile she suddenly gave while resting her chin on her hand momentarily stole Blake’s heart. So much so that he briefly forgot what question he had asked.

“You’ve asked the one question I cannot answer.”

Though she said she couldn’t give an answer verbally, the fact that she couldn’t firmly say “no” was already answer enough.

Blake felt his mood inexplicably sink.

“It seems Miss Flaubert and the Magic Tower Master are… much closer than I thought.”

Why did that fact bother him so much?

“Why do you think that?”