Disguise

The man claiming to be the head of a merchant company from a neighboring country who had come to visit Mythia.

Vincent Velvet, who went out to receive him, saw through at a glance that the man was telling some kind of lie.

(His mannerisms are far too refined.)

The keen eye he had sharpened while working as a legendary agent.

(That he holds no title is an obvious lie. He was raised from childhood with strict instruction in etiquette.)

As a butler, he respectfully guided the man to the reception room while observing his behavior.

(Judging by the way he walks, the attendant is highly skilled. In an emergency, he would be entrusted with the role of bodyguard. The very fact that he is accompanied by such an excellent guard means he is no ordinary person.)

Most likely, he was someone who lived in an environment where he had to be on guard at all times.

(He changed his hairstyle with a wig. There is no prescription in those glasses. Those hollow cheeks were created with makeup. Sophisticated technique. A clever disguise.)

He continued observing without letting it show.

He realized the man’s true identity immediately after showing him into the reception room.

(The shape of those ears… surely not.)

A lingering fragment of memory flashed through his mind.

Part of the information drilled into him as an intelligence operative.

(Kyle von Elmia, the Second Prince…)

He caught his breath.

Why would the Second Prince come to visit Lady Mythia?

There was no doubt he was trying to investigate her movements.

However, it was far too quick.

And his purpose was unknown.

(If he is connected to the Council of Three Hundred—)

One wrong step could even bring about an irreversible situation.

(I must inform Lady Mythia.)

He sent a meaningful glance to his master, seated on the sofa opposite him.

However, Mythia’s reaction was something Vincent had never anticipated.

A calm expression and a small nod, as though she had seen through everything.

(She knows…! Before even I did…!)

He could not suppress his excitement.

She truly was no ordinary person.

Even though she was still only ten years old, she possessed a terrifying power of observation.

(If it is Lady Mythia, I can leave this to her without worry.)

Vincent narrowed his eyes as he watched his master begin speaking with composed movements.

With my outstanding intellect, I had seen through the fact that this person was no ordinary man the moment he entered the room.

Fine, expensive-looking clothes and splendid ornaments.

And the capable-looking attendant who had come with him.

There was no mistake.

(This man is insanely rich!)

He claimed to be the head of a merchant company from a neighboring country, but that surely meant he was running a very large firm.

However, having a great deal of money also meant that he was a person with that much influence.

(There’s a high chance he might be a dangerous person connected to corrupt nobles.)

I absolutely could not let him see through my ambitions.

Paying the utmost attention, I answered his questions.

What I was playing was an earnest, innocent child lord.

I naturally presented the image of an incompetent figure whom corrupt nobles would see no need to be wary of.

“I think history and tradition are incredibly important. The older generations worked very hard to create the present, so I think this country should continue to prosper under its current system.”

The merchant company head looked at me as though probing me.

Then he asked me several questions.

“Why did you save the townspeople suffering from illness?”

“If there are no townspeople, tax revenue cannot be increased. As one lord serving the magical kingdom, I believed that was what I ought to do.”

“Why did you lower the tax rates?”

“It is a temporary measure. I do understand that I ought to keep the taxes high in line with the surrounding regions, but the townspeople were in distress because of the infectious disease.”

“Why are you putting effort into agriculture?”

“It is in order to increase production and raise long-term tax revenue, so that I may fulfill my duty as a member of the great and wonderful magical kingdom!”

I gave plausible-sounding answers and avoided deeper pursuit.

What stood out most was the question the merchant company head asked after that.

“Almost all of the people of this land are inferior breeds without magical aptitude. Why is there any need to save them? I find it very strange.”

(There it is…! That dangerous discriminatory thinking so common among nobles…!)

It was the sort of thinking that had been taken for granted around House Lumiore and its surroundings.

My father must have said that sort of thing about a million times.

That was exactly why I felt a hot thrill deep in my chest.

(How vile and spineless! A half-baked corrupt noble with no convictions, drunk on the pleasure of looking down on others! You’re just begging to get punched…!)

I reminded myself.

These people from noble society were exactly the kind of opponents I, a true villainess, most wanted to crush.

(Calm down. Stay cool, so he doesn’t notice.)

After taking a sip of tea, I said,

“Because they can contribute to the magical kingdom as a source of tax revenue. I believe they are worth saving.”

While voicing the official line, I clenched my fist in my heart.

(You arrogant, overbearing, discriminatory nobles…! I’m absolutely going to smash you and beat you to a pulp!)

Making that resolve in secret, I continued my performance as an ordinary child lord so that I would not be viewed with suspicion.

After the meeting, in the carriage returning to the royal capital, Kyle von Elmia took off his hat and removed his wig.

The ten-year-old lord who had saved the land of Lineage.

The image of her, thoroughly maintaining model answers befitting the magical kingdom’s noble society, remained vividly burned into Kyle’s mind.

“How did it strike you?”

At the words of the guard knight attending him, Kyle let out a weary breath.

“It was impressive. She did not say a single true thing.”

Kyle said,

“She controlled herself calmly. If it had not been me, they likely would not even have noticed that it was all lies.”

“And why do you say she was lying?”

“I can tell. I was raised surrounded by liars all my life.”

He sank deeper into the carriage seat and continued.

“What interested me most was her reaction when I called the people of Lineage inferior breeds. For a moment, she lost her composure. A genuine emotion—anger—glimpsed through there.”

“I was startled for a moment myself. I thought that you too, Lord Kyle, had finally become that sort of person.”

“Her performance left too little of an opening, so that was the only way I had to shake her. I do regret it, because it was not the right method.”

Kyle said that with a sigh.

“But that reaction let me be certain. That girl is quite the schemer. While skillfully hiding her true feelings, she understands better than anyone that this country is mad. And she is gathering power, intending to change this country somehow.”

He raised the corner of his mouth and continued.

“Report her every move to me. This is an order from the Second Prince.”