Reincarnated as a Villainous Aristocrat in an Otome Game, So I Bought the Main Heroine with Money - Chapter 60: Discussing Kiru’s Situation

Chapter 60: Discussing Kiru’s Situation

After leaving Clarice behind safely, I slipped out of the ducal estate unnoticed.

From there, I made my way to the designated meeting spot, where Emma and Kanon were already waiting.

“You both did well.”

“Seriously, that was a pain.”

“Yeah, this one was tougher than usual.”

Both of them looked exhausted, slumped against their seats.

There were no signs of their subordinates, meaning they must have been stationed elsewhere.

“Any casualties?”

“None.”

“I had everyone spread out. If we all gathered in one place, the duke’s security would have caught on.”

“Smart move. You two will be well compensated.”

“Now that’s what I like to hear.”

“Make sure my knights get their share, too.”

As I acknowledged their efforts, it was time to discuss our next steps.

The first priority—Kiru’s whereabouts.

But before I could bring it up, Kanon handed me a letter.

“Lord Cerios, an urgent message just arrived from Faina.”

“From Faina?”

I unfolded the letter and scanned its contents—my breath hitched.

“Liese is missing?”

First Kiru disappeared after meeting Liese, and now Liese was gone too.

I felt a creeping sense of urgency.

Yet, deep down…

I had a feeling something like this might happen.

“Emma.”

“I know. The dark guild’s reputation is on the line here. I won’t let Kiru get away with this. From what we’ve gathered, he’s hiding somewhere in the ducal territory.”

“Hiding here, huh…?”

I repeated her words, organizing the information in my mind.

Kiru’s disappearance. Liese going missing.

It was obvious—this wasn’t a coincidence.

If Kiru had chosen Duke Everett’s territory as his hiding place, it was likely because of its tight security. It was a place where we couldn’t simply march in with soldiers and search for him.

“If Liese was the last person Kiru met, could she be with him now?”

“Most likely. Kiru has never acted like this before. But the moment he met Liese, he changed. This isn’t random.”

If Liese was truly the main heroine, then her actions must have had an effect on Kiru.

Somewhere along the way, she moved his heart.

Emma’s anger was clear.

She wasn’t just mad that Kiru had disappeared—she could sense he had a goal.

“I can’t forgive anyone who stains my reputation.”

Emma’s gaze sharpened, her expression dark with determination.

I turned to Kanon.

“Kanon, gather the knights. Send half of them back to the territory to investigate exactly how Liese disappeared. I want every detail from the scene. The other half will serve as my guard.”

“Understood. Leave it to me, Lord Cerios.”

Kanon stood up, her sharp gaze locking onto mine.

In moments like this, her reliability was invaluable.

“Lord Cerios, if this were just a simple kidnapping, it would be easy to handle. But something tells me that’s not the case. I can’t believe Kiru, a dark guild assassin, would do something like this without a deeper reason.”

She added her thoughts, and she was right.

If this wasn’t just a coincidence or an impulsive act—if it was planned—then we needed to act fast.

“…Yeah. I feel the same. This isn’t random. Something is happening within the duke’s territory.”

I clenched my fist.

I still had Clarice to worry about.

But right now, I needed to do everything in my power to protect Liese.

“Emma, once I’m ready to move, I’ll contact you again. In the meantime, find Kiru’s exact location.”

“Who do you think you’re talking to? I’ll have the info ready before you even ask.”

Emma smirked and stood up.

I turned to Kanon.

“Kanon, let Faina know—I’ll be moving out soon.”

“Understood.”

Kanon nodded without hesitation, already preparing to carry out my orders.

The situation was far more tangled than I had anticipated.

Somewhere within this web of conspiracy, Liese was trapped, and Kiru’s true intentions remained unknown.

I had to untangle it—before it was too late.

♢

《Kiru’s Side》

The silence of the forest was strangely comforting.

The rhythmic sound of my footsteps on fallen leaves echoed in the still night as I left the hideout behind.

That place was no longer mine.

Now, Liese’s face kept flashing through my mind—over and over again.

(That smile… what was it…?)

For the first time, I had seen a pure, untainted smile.

Someone who wanted to help another without being ordered to—such a person existed.

And now, I was beginning to realize how unsettling that was.

I had spent my life killing my emotions.

Because without doing so, I wouldn’t have survived in this world.

I killed people. I killed my own heart.

But when Liese’s hands gently wrapped around my wounds, something inside me shifted—just a little.

(That warmth… I want to feel it again…)

But even as that thought took hold, I knew I could never go back to her.

Emma’s words echoed in my mind.

“I’ll help you get your heart back.”

But… did I really need something like that?

Emotions were nothing more than a weakness.

If I accepted them—I would no longer be a tool.

And if I wasn’t a tool, then what was I worth?

As I hurried down the road leading to the royal capital, that question kept growing inside me.

(Am I the one who can protect Liese’s smile…?)

I stopped walking and looked up.

The night sky stretched endlessly above me, filled with countless stars.

For a brief moment, it felt as if they were watching over me—and the unease in my chest eased just a little.

The thought that I was moving for her sake made me feel… just a little more human.

The bustling noise of the royal capital felt strangely familiar—a bitter irony.

Weaving through the crowds, I searched for leads, keeping my ears open for any useful information.

Emma’s orders had been clear.

“Find out what’s happening between the Duke and the Margrave behind the scenes. That’s where the next big fortune lies.”

Money meant nothing to me.

But to protect Liese, I needed a reason to act.

And for now, Emma’s orders were that reason.

In a shady tavern on the outskirts of the capital, I met with a familiar informant.

Keeping my voice low, I got straight to the point.

“What’s going on between Duke Everett and Cerios von Egrid?”

The informant smirked.

That grin alone was enough to tell me—whatever he was about to say carried weight.

“The Duke is doing everything he can to maintain his influence over the royal family. But that’s not enough for him anymore—he’s looking beyond the kingdom. Word is, he’s starting to negotiate with foreign nations.”

“With foreign nations?”

I frowned.

Sensing my interest, the informant leaned in, lowering his voice as he continued.

“Duke Everett isn’t just clinging to his position within the kingdom. If the royal family tries to cut him off, he’s ready to ally with foreign nations to keep his power intact. And as for that Cerios von Egrid in the frontier—there are rumors that he’s nothing more than a corrupt noble who imposes heavy taxes and buys women with his wealth.”

The moment I heard those words, an alarm rang in my mind.

(Deals with foreign nations… What does that mean? And Cerios von Egrid—he’s the worst kind of noble?)

The thought that Liese, who was in the frontier, could get caught up in this made my chest tighten.

I didn’t fully understand what the Duke was after, but there was one thing I knew for certain.

(I have to move—for Liese’s sake.)

Leaving the capital, I returned to the forest.

The cold night air brushed against my skin, but it did nothing to cool the storm of thoughts racing through my head.

Liese. Cerios. Duke Everett.

Their fates were intertwined, tangled in a web too complex to unravel at a glance.

I didn’t even know where to start.

And then—her voice echoed in my mind.

“Take care, Kiru. If we ever meet again, I’d be happy.”

Those words struck deep.

Her kindness was blinding—far too warm for someone like me.

But even so…

If protecting her was the only thing I could do—then that was enough.

(I have to protect Liese. No matter what.)

Repeating that vow to myself, I kept moving forward.

I didn’t know what awaited me at the end of this path.

But if it led to a future where Liese could smile freely—then I had no choice but to walk it.