The Young Male Protagonist Who is Destined for Ruin Fell for Me - Chapter 44

The emperor’s face turned a mottled red and purple, shifting so rapidly it was almost alarming. I found myself wondering if a human complexion could change so drastically without consequence.

Then again, how could he not be furious? The man he trusted most, Count Gargoyle, had failed him spectacularly, triggering a chain of events that now threatened both the emperor’s life and the royal family itself.

Of course, it wasn’t entirely the count’s fault. The emperor and Gargoyle had been partners in this disaster—a perfect storm of poor decisions.

The root of the problem lay in the emperor’s treatment of the Harmonia Necklace. This priceless symbol of goodwill between the Hail Empire and the Celtmani had been given away and reclaimed repeatedly, treated as little more than a token of affection for women he spent fleeting nights with.

Entrusting this precious artifact to Count Gargoyle—a man equally consumed by drink and debauchery—had only made matters worse.

By now, the necklace was likely circulating on the black market. Everyone in the empire knew its worth, and the odds of recovering it were slim.

The emperor, consumed by rage at the missing necklace, turned on Gargoyle.

“Count Gargoyle! Why are you only telling me this now?”

“Your Majesty, I—”

“If Lady Diane hadn’t uncovered this, were you planning to keep quiet forever?”

The emperor’s fury knew no bounds as he hurled accusations, even in front of Kyle and me. He seemed utterly incapable of recognizing his own role in the fiasco.

Though we hadn’t yet found the necklace, my presence at Kyle’s audience with the emperor had been valuable. First, it was now clear that the Harmonia Necklace issue was unrelated to Lady Grechel, Lady Reina, or me. Second, I had successfully driven a wedge into the relationship between the emperor and Count Gargoyle, his most loyal supporter.

The nobility and parliament of the Hail Empire were firmly under Chaield’s control. Gargoyle’s unwavering loyalty to the emperor had been an anomaly, one that might have posed a threat to Chaield’s influence if their bond had remained strong.

But watching the emperor now, hurling insults at his trusted ally, I realized my concerns had been misplaced.

“Gargoyle! I trusted you! This is why no one in your family respects you!”

Count Gargoyle, silent under the verbal assault, lowered his head. His face was unreadable, but the atmosphere around him grew colder with each passing moment.

Finally, the emperor stopped. Whether from exhaustion or satisfaction, he ceased his tirade and turned to us with an uneasy smile.

“Duke Chaield, I apologize for this shameful display in your presence. I will hold Count Gargoyle accountable for this mess. It’s truly regrettable that your fiancée was dragged into this.”

“…”

Kyle offered only a perfunctory smile, clearly unwilling to waste words on the emperor. I felt the same.

In a desperate bid to save himself, the emperor had cut ties with Count Gargoyle, abandoning the man who had been his most loyal servant. Like a lizard severing its tail to escape danger, the emperor had made a short-sighted move.

But a lizard can survive without its tail—not without its legs. And Gargoyle had been more than a tail; he had been a critical support. By discarding him, the emperor had crippled his own escape route.

One Week Later

I was finally free. Thanks to swift action from the royal household, I was no longer required to appear at the palace’s investigation chambers. The ordeal was over.

Though my release came first, I heard that Lady Grechel and Lady Reina would also be freed soon. Both sent letters of gratitude. Lady Reina’s letter was so tear-streaked that the ink had bled, making it nearly unreadable.

“For someone who spoke so sharply, she’s surprisingly tenderhearted,” I mused.

Now that the responsibility for the necklace had shifted to the imperial family and Count Gargoyle, I had the luxury of enjoying a quiet afternoon tea with Claire.

She pushed a plate of strawberry cake toward me, her expression warm.

“Amel, it’s nice to have you back at the estate, isn’t it?”
“Sister… of course! The estate is the best—because you’re here.”
Tea time with my favorite person was always delightful. Claire, as graceful and composed as ever, sipped her tea with an elegance that was almost hypnotic. Her flowing black hair caught the light, and I couldn’t help but admire her beauty.

But then, her gaze turned icy, and she looked toward someone seated nearby.

“Amel… This maid of yours—her name is Vanessa, right?”
“She’s not a maid. She’s a bodyguard. And yes, her name is Vanessa Maybrante.”

Vanessa, blissfully unaware of Claire’s disdain, sat nearby, happily munching on pastries. As a protagonist blessed with the magical ability to never gain weight, Vanessa seemed determined to eat as much as possible.

Claire, who had invited Vanessa to tea out of politeness, now seemed to regret it deeply. Her dislike for Vanessa was palpable.

I observed the tension between them with mild amusement. Having two stunningly beautiful women in one place was a treat for the eyes, but it was also a recipe for conflict.

Both women were breathtaking, and both had left destruction in their wake. Claire had eliminated Chaield’s siblings, while Vanessa, under Kyle’s orders, had brought an entire continent to ruin. Vanessa’s combat prowess, in particular, was legendary.
“The strongest in the novel, without a doubt,” I thought, suppressing a nervous laugh.

Claire, her expression frosty, addressed Vanessa. “Do you even know how to fight? Or are you just here to eat?”

“Of course, I can fight! Oh, Lady Claire, may I have this macaron?”

“No,” Claire snapped, swatting Vanessa’s hand away. “That’s Amel’s. You’re her bodyguard, not a guest. Show me your credentials by the end of the day. I don’t trust you.”

“Uh…”

“If you don’t, consider yourself fired.”

Vanessa turned to me, her eyes pleading. “Lady Amel, won’t you stand up for me?”

I sighed. Vanessa, once a fearsome character, now relied entirely on me. Still, I couldn’t deny that Claire’s disdain for her was extreme.

“Why did Amel bring this woman here? Doesn’t she know I’m enough?”

Just as the tension reached its peak, Vanessa picked up a fork. Before I could stop her, she flung it past Claire with startling precision.

Thwack!

The fork embedded itself in the wall, pinning a moth that had blended almost perfectly with the wallpaper.

Claire and I stared at the fork, then at Vanessa, dumbfounded.
“Well, I guess I don’t like incompetent people either,” Vanessa said with a sweet smile, biting into a macaron.