I Became the Secret Mastermind in a Romance Fantasy Novel Chapter 25

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Chapter 25: Hunting Festival (7)

“Isn’t it about time you come out?”

Turning my head, I stared at a tree unusually weighed down with snow. After a moment of silence, a man emerged from behind it.

His platinum hair, now turned white, and crimson eyes seemed eroded by the Emperor’s mark. He was Luke von Schufenheim, once the second prince and now the Emperor’s Sword, with whom I had formed a contract at the auction house.

“How is the erosion level?”

“55%. I’m barely managing to suppress interference with my memory.”

Fifty-five percent. It had progressed 5% in such a short time? Still, the fact that he had endured to this extent was impressive.

Suppressing erosion with magic was an option, but it was a last resort.

Unlike the Emperor’s Eye mark, the Emperor’s Sword mark was carved directly by the Emperor himself. If I interfered, my existence would immediately be exposed.

“As per the contract, Baron Levga has been dealt with. The things he was involved in were nothing short of grotesque.”

Luke spoke with a bitter laugh. For someone who had lived as the second prince, the acts of that man must have seemed repulsively vile.

Baron Levga.

Outwardly, he appeared to be a nouveau riche who had purchased a noble title with sudden wealth, but the truth was different.

He managed the empire’s slave market, was entangled in noble corruption, and could be described as the kingpin of the underworld.

That’s why I decided to strike him in one fell swoop—not out of some naive desire to eradicate crime, but to obtain his transaction ledger.

With that ledger, I could effectively hold the leash of nearly every noble. Most auctions under Baron Levga’s control were illegal, and nobles, protective of their reputations, would place high value on such a document.

“The ledger?”

“It’s with the information guild.”

Luke answered, then, as if suspicious, asked again.

“You could’ve dealt with Baron Levga yourself. Why involve me?”

“I simply don’t want to attract the Emperor’s attention.”

The reason Baron Levga could thrive in the underworld was, of course, the Emperor’s tacit approval. The imperial family’s reach extended further than people realized, and the Emperor’s Sword was always near.

Even in the original work, there were mentions of him. Right after Adel was enslaved under the pretense of treason against the imperial family, she fell into Baron Levga’s hands.

Baron Levga functioned as the imperial family’s undertaker, so to speak.

Naturally, it didn’t last long before he was beheaded by Luke, the secondary male lead.

My decision to ask Luke to assassinate Baron Levga stemmed primarily from that reason. To ensure the storyline unfolded as in the original, I needed events to proceed according to my design.

“As you instructed, I’ve dealt with all the necessary targets.”

Luke’s sharp gaze fixed on me. Was he expecting a fitting reward? Well, our relationship was purely transactional.

“I’ve located Luka von Asrich.”

“...What? Is that true?”

Luke’s reaction was immediate and intense, as if he might pounce. I frowned slightly.

“She’s in the innermost part of the Tower of Confinement.”

The Tower of Confinement.

An underwater prison housing only the empire’s most heinous criminals. Its depths held condemned individuals awaiting death, from fallen royals of overthrown kingdoms to rebel leaders who sought to overthrow the Emperor.

Realizing that his innocent mother was imprisoned there, Luke clenched his teeth in rage.

“Damn it.”

“Only the Emperor can access the Tower of Confinement. You know what that implies, don’t you?”

“...So, you expected me to secretly locate my mother from the start.”

The Emperor alone determined the fate of the prisoners. Royals were sold into slavery and auctioned at imperial events, while rebel leaders were executed on the spot.

The tower wasn’t so much a prison as the Emperor’s personal playground.

“It feels like being a puppet on a string.”

“Because you are.”

Crackle.

The mark on Luke’s neck glowed red. Recognizing it as the Emperor’s summons, Luke clicked his tongue.

“I’ll leave now. If you have more requests, leave them with the information guild.”

“Luke von Schufenheim.”

When I addressed him by his full name, he turned with a displeased expression. Perhaps it was natural—no one but the Emperor had ever called him by his full name.

“Don’t overstep. The Emperor is not someone to be underestimated.”

Crackle.

Luke seemed ready to retort, but the pain from the mark made him grimace. Likely a gag function embedded in the Emperor’s mark.

Was he about to reveal a secret about the Emperor? It seemed Luke knew some of the imperial family’s darker truths.

“...More than anyone, I know that. He’s the enemy of my parents.”

With those parting words, Luke departed swiftly.

‘I’d better focus on finishing the Hunting Festival first.’

I already had plans in mind, and I couldn’t wait to see Adel’s reaction when it all came together.

****

The next day of the Hunting Festival.

Participants began returning with their quarry, ranging from rabbit-sized creatures with horns to deer as large as carriages—and even a lion that seemed to have devoured several people.

Some were bloodied from their hunts, while others whistled nonchalantly as they strolled in.

The festival was a chance for men to present their game to the ladies they admired, proving their worth. Noblewomen, in turn, gauged their own value through the size and rarity of the gifts, smiling in satisfaction.

Adele sat quietly inside the carriage amidst the lively chaos outside.

“What kind of prey do you think the Duke will bring back?”

Lily asked excitedly, her voice filled with anticipation as she looked at me.

“Well, as long as it’s nothing too conspicuous, that would be fine.”

To be honest, the way he fought off that monster earlier had already drawn plenty of attention. I didn’t want any more eyes on me. Introverts don’t particularly enjoy being the center of attention.

“Oh, but I think the Duke has different ideas,” Lily teased.

‘And that’s exactly why I’m worried.’

I swallowed the words before they escaped my lips. I was already thankful enough that he had saved me from that monster. If he brought anything more, it would only feel burdensome.

“...Evan, are you all right?”

“Ah, I’m perfectly fine, My Lady,” Evan replied with his usual cheerful grin.

Though a bit of a scatterbrain, Evan was undoubtedly strong as a knight. I’d seen him single-handedly fend off a fortress-sized monster, after all.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen the Duke this angry. Haha, it’s enough to make my knees shake.”

“Has it happened before?”

“Well, it was quite some time ago…”

Evan hesitated for a moment, as if debating whether to say more, then sighed and continued.

“There was a time when one of the children the Duke took in was hurt. That’s when I saw him like this.”

“...I see.”

Took in children, huh? The more I learned about Abel, the more facets of his character revealed themselves.

I couldn’t help but feel a bit confused. Was the title of the Iron-Blooded Duke, or his role as the shadowy antagonist in the original work, even accurate?

After all, I’d only heard a few settings and plot points from a friend—I hadn’t actually read the original novel myself.

“Well, I was one of those children. Even now, I still remember it clearly.”

“Come to think of it, Evan, you don’t seem to have an accent.”

“Oh, that’s because it only slips out when I’m nervous or trying to pump myself up.”

Evan scratched his cheek sheepishly as he explained.

“Ah, I see…”

The conversation dwindled into an awkward silence, broken only by the noise of a commotion outside.

When I opened the window, I saw a man floating in midair, effortlessly holding a massive creature resembling an elephant with one hand.

With his silver hair, crimson eyes, and sharp gaze that seemed to cut like a blade, it was none other than Rev, one of the male leads and the Lord of the Magic Tower. Though he didn’t have a family name due to his commoner origins, he was considered one of the top contenders in terms of sheer power.

While I was still mulling over my thoughts, Rev approached Estelle and gently placed his prey beside her.

“As promised, I brought the largest one for you, My Lady.”

“Thank you, Rev.”

“It’s nothing. A promise is a promise.”

“Haha, talking about promises without including me?”

The Crown Prince appeared, dragging an equally massive monster. A competitive tension seemed to spark between the two as Estelle scratched her cheek and smiled awkwardly.

Watching from a distance, Lily clapped her hands in pure admiration.

“Wow… The Magic Tower Lord and the Crown Prince really are on another level.”

“It seems so,” I replied casually.

As the Hunting Festival approached its climax, I stepped out of the carriage. Evan offered his hand to help me down. My eyes wandered toward the ongoing standoff between the Crown Prince and the Magic Tower Lord over their monstrous prey.

“Jealous, are we?”

“Eek?!”

A sudden voice whispered in my ear, sending shivers down my spine. I turned around immediately to see Abel standing there with a mischievous grin, his earlier serious demeanor completely gone.

“...If you’re here, you should at least announce yourself.”

“Hmph. I tapped your shoulder several times, but you didn’t notice.”

“Did you?”

Did he? There’s no way I wouldn’t have noticed something like that. Abel paused in thought for a moment before smirking and snapping his fingers.

A large, glowing magic circle appeared in the air, and a monster dropped to the ground with a thud.

It had the body of a lion, the head and wings of an eagle—a griffon.

As I inspected it, I felt my hands start to tremble.

“This… Don’t tell me this is a griffon.”

“You seemed to want one, so I caught it for you myself.”

For a moment, I couldn’t comprehend what he was saying. Then I recalled the handkerchief I’d given him, embroidered with a fierce eagle.

I’d chosen the design simply because I thought it looked cool. Watching me laugh in disbelief, Abel added in a teasing tone:

“So, is it not more than you expected?”