Chapter 2
Chapter 2
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: The Protagonist is a Villain
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How wonderful it would be if everything in the world ran on inferences and suspicions alone.
If everything unfolded exactly as I predicted and everyone moved just as I wanted, there could be nothing better. That was precisely the case with capturing Aira. I wanted her to act suspiciously as quickly as possible and hand me the evidence on a silver platter.
But the only proof that Aira was a con artist was the Status Window. Since she hadn't actually done anything yet, roasting her was still a distant dream. Even if I straight-up told her, "You're a con artist, aren't you?" she sure as hell wouldn't sweetly reply, "Yes! I am!"
If I pushed too hard and accused her without evidence, it could backfire and raise suspicions against me instead. Catching an infiltrated con artist was easy, but once they turned into a thief, they became a pain to deal with.
In the game, Aira betrayed Lucius right before the Hero's party arrived. From what I'd looked into, she was a maid who had recently started working at the mansion, and her skills were so good that she ended up handling the lord's personal affairs.
Of course. No matter how much of a pushover Lucius was, he wouldn't suddenly hand accounting duties to some unknown maid. She must have worked by the lord's side for quite some time, earning his trust.
At this point, I needed to figure out exactly where we were in the game's timeline. I had three urgent tasks ahead: crush Aira, block the NTR creep at the source, and defeat the Demon King.
These three were interconnected. The event where Sieri is forced into marriage with the NTR creep happens about a month to a week before the Hero's party arrives. The embezzlement and escape event also occurs around a week prior.
Finally, the Demon King Revival reaches about half completion when a standard four-person Hero party arrives in Lucius's territory.
Why half at the standard four-person party? Heroine Legend scaled its difficulty based on party size. Recruiting companions involved lengthy events, advancing the in-game calendar significantly.
So if the protagonist skipped all events and recruits, rushing straight to the Demon King’s castle, the revival wouldn’t even be underway—they’d just be gathering sacrifices when the protagonist bursts in and slaughters the behind-the-scenes mastermind and everyone else.
Conversely, if the protagonist gathered every companion by clearing all quests, they’d face a powered-up, berserk Demon King in a bloody showdown.
It split between defeating the Demon King with a moderate party, or dawdling until you had to grit your teeth for a real fight. From my independent research, the prophecy naming the Hero hadn’t even emerged yet. One of the heroines—the elf princess who runs away from her castle to slay the Demon King and meets the Hero—was still safely living in her forest.
So both Aira’s betrayal and the NTR creep’s full activity were still some time off. At this rate, maybe I should just take out the Demon King myself.
Because if the Hero goes solo to the shadow mastermind’s mansion without triggering any events, they’re only level 20—and the shadow mastermind is just an ambitious lord, so a single sword swing dismembers them.
At level 20. Meaning you can one-shot the final boss.
But Lucius was currently level 36, a priest specialized in Demon King slaying to boot. I’d played the game, so I knew who the behind-the-scenes mastermind was. And this mastermind’s territory was ridiculously close to Lucius’s—normally blocked by executives, but on horseback, a round trip took about a week. Not easy, but not impossible.
However, with no prophecy naming the Hero yet, there were no signs of Demon King preparations. If I barged into the shadow mastermind’s home and massacred their family, I’d just be branded a mad killer.
No matter Lucius's reputation, pulling that would turn it into, "He didn't seem like the type," as villagers gossiped in interviews— no defense for my actions. Even as a lord, casually killing another territory's people triggered territorial wars or trials. Trials meant headaches galore.
To sum up: I had to handle Aira roasting, NTR creep blocking, and Demon King slaying in time. Slaying the Demon King required a trip far out, and it was too early anyway. First, pin down evidence on the internal threat Aira and crush her.
Why not just kill her? These types come back disguised as thieves next. Better to catch solid proof, nab her in the mansion, then torment her at leisure.
She's got big tits and a pretty face. In an ero-game, what else would you do with a girl like that?
So I started plotting how to crush Aira. If she didn't show her hand, I'd force it. No time or reason to wait idly for her real con.
First, I observed her routine. The pink-haired, freckled Aira woke at 6 a.m. daily, checked on me, prepared my clothes. Then cleaned the mansion with other maids before tidying the knights' training aftermath.
For reference, the knights had been loyal since Lucius's father Sirius's time—trustworthy. In the game, they only spoke worries or loyalty for "Lord Lucius," nothing else.
After training cleanup, lunch. Aira ate with the maids, then assisted the lord's duties. The territory was small—no big businesses or expenses—so my work was light.
Aira standing beside me during work seemed more exhausted. She stayed by my side the whole time, fetching whatever I needed.
"Could you fetch some water?"
"Yes."
From surveilling her during my work hours, Aira worked brutally hard. After duties ended, dinner, then evening cleaning. At night, servants and maids patrolled in shifts.
Back to 6 a.m. wake-up and repeat. Starting at 6 a.m. with night watches—a madhouse job.
The lord's mansion paid well, but the conditions were grueling regardless. Maybe Aira wasn't always a con artist—perhaps the harsh labor drove her to escape?
"Aira. Isn't the work tough?"
"Pardon?"
When I probed, she widened her eyes, stared, then frantically shook her head. Fatigue lined her eyes, but she hid it. Her startled acting and desperate denial were so convincing it was uncanny.
And her breasts jiggling with each shake—mind-blowing. Her pink hair, tied like Anne of Green Gables, swayed too, giving her a pure country girl vibe.
"No! It's fine, my lord. I should work harder to help you more, but I'm lacking..."
Of course, her god-tier acting slipped with that excessive flattery. In these conditions, only a bullet-brained idiot or someone with an agenda says that. She should've stopped at "It's fine. Not tough at all." Overkill sycophancy bred suspicion.
That evening, I began digging into Aira properly.
I assigned it to Knight Captain Robin, whom I favored and who was utterly loyal to Lucius in the game. Too much for the captain? With only ten knights in this tiny territory, he was bored stiff.
Maids and servants just shrugged, "Robin's being Robin again," when he wandered. Not ideal for a captain, but he worked hard when needed, so I left it.
A week after tasking Robin with Aira surveillance, his report landed on my desk. Slyly noting Aira nearby, he called it a "Knight Order Routine Patrol Report" as he handed it over. I casually glanced at Aira and said,
"Could you fetch some water?"
Her longest task— no purifier here, so kitchen on floor 1 to my office on 3.
Once Aira left, I told Robin,
"Report."
"Yes. Maid Aira has been steadily spreading word of her accounting skills. She periodically tells the head maid how her talents could aid you, my lord."
Within expectations. She couldn't grab the ledgers yet, but persistent appeals plus diligence would have even the strict head maid suggest it casually.
Once handling accounts, she'd touch bigger sums, gradually taking control until fleeing with a fortune. I wasn't waiting that long.
"And... she meets Guard Karl periodically."
"Oh?"
This could make for a fun plan. I didn't care if Aira was a virgin. A root con artist like her must've whored around.
"Robin. I have a plan."
"Speak, my lord."
I felt my lips curl.
Lately, Aira thought Peta Lucius was acting weird. He'd always been odd, but even more so now. If the old Lucius was abnormally weird, the current one was oddly normal.
The Lucius she knew was like a saint plucked straight from heaven. No material desires—his days were prayer, mass, and territory work.
Having worked with him the last two months, she knew best. Too pure for a human. Easy pickings, though.
But lately, his behavior was off. Never disheveled before, now crooked clothes or messy hair during work—frequently spotted.
And asking after her well-being, something he'd never done? She wondered if the lord had finally lost it. Or regained sanity.
"Isn't the work tough?"
"No! It's fine, my lord. I should work harder to help you more, but I'm lacking..."
Something was wrong. Her 20 years of scamming screamed it. Her perky ears, clear eyes, pale skin—all unchanged, but Lucius felt off. His scanning gaze, spacing out mid-task—suspicious.
"What's weird? He's just into you."
Guard Karl dismissed her worries. From what he'd seen, Lucius was the ultimate pushover—would stay that way. Brazen, despite the lord bailing out his debt-ridden self.
"No, it really feels off. He hasn't caught on?"
"Nah, no way. Have you ever asked him for accounting duties?"
"Only the head maid. Said I was confident, not requested it."
"See? If suspicious, he'd assign elsewhere. Why keep you?"
"Maybe."
Aira nodded, buying Karl's optimism. Soldier Karl—corrupt gambler with 2 gold in debts, suggesting selling out the lord. He'd proposed eloping, but Aira planned to fleece the lord solo and bolt. Gamblers were less trustworthy than con artists, especially with 10 silver salary and 2 gold debts.
"Where for our honeymoon? Capital, big spender?"
"Sounds good."