This Villain Is Mine Now

Chapter 114

The conference room was instantly thrown into an uproar as people recognized Lyle.

“No, Y-Your Grace the Archduke!”

“How could you possibly be here…”

Everyone exchanged glances, each with a look that said they had much to say. Realizing that the rampant rumors had been completely false, their gazes naturally turned toward the Marquis.

The Marquis, seated at the chairman’s seat, had a face twisted beyond recognition.

‘That maid wench…!’

The Marquis ground his teeth audibly. How dare a mere maid lie to him.

“Apologies for the delay. There were a few things I needed to prepare before attending the meeting.”

“N-no! You’re not late at all. The meeting hasn’t even started yet. More importantly, how is your condition…”

One of the nobles mustered the courage to speak to Lyle. His curiosity overcame him, hoping Lyle would explain the recent situation.

Lyle looked at him silently before offering a faint smile. “I heard quite an entertaining rumor had spread through the capital regarding my health. Seems quite a few believed it.”

“B-but there was no confirmation from the Grants about the truth of the matter, so…”

“It was such nonsense that I didn’t bother addressing it. I didn’t see the need to refute every baseless rumor.”

At Lyle’s words, everyone once again turned their eyes toward Marquis Redwood. In their memory, the origin of the rumor surrounding Lyle Grant had been none other than the Marquis himself.

Everyone in the council knew that the relationship between Lyle and the Marquis wasn’t exactly amicable. But even so, hadn’t the rumor been too malicious?

“Then are you saying the rumors were completely false?”

“If the rumor in question is about my wife going mad and setting a fire that endangered my life—surely you all know better than anyone that the Archduchess isn’t the kind of person to do something like that.”

A stir spread among the nobles.

He was right. Elaina had always been intelligent and wise. The idea that such a person would suddenly commit arson was highly implausible. Moreover, on further thought, Elaina had no clear motive for such an act.

The murmuring around Lyle grew louder. Standing among the crowd, Lyle stared straight at the Marquis. Sparks seemed to fly between the two men’s eyes.

“I think answering your questions after the meeting won’t be too late, so let’s begin for now.”

Lyle waved the documents in his hand, stopping the nobles from asking further questions.

“What I have to say during this meeting will be very interesting as well.”

His gaze never once strayed from the Marquis.

***

The council meeting began. The Marquis calmly proceeded with the agenda, not showing any sign of inner turmoil. After resolving various pending issues, the meeting moved to the final segment: the open floor for free speech.

Normally, this time passed without much significance. But today was different. Everyone turned their attention to Lyle, who had said he had something to share.

Lyle rose from his seat and took a document from the envelope in his hand.

What on earth was he planning to say with such a grim expression? Curiosity mounted among the gathered nobles as Lyle finally opened his mouth.

“I believe everyone here has heard the rumors circulating in the capital lately. However, the reason House Grant didn’t address those rumors wasn’t merely because they were baseless.”

Lyle held up the document in his hand.

“This is something written in my grandfather’s journal.”

“Your grandfather… Do you mean the late Archduke Grant?”

Someone responded in surprise. For House Grant, the late Archduke represented a shameful past and history. Their downfall had come from his foolish rebellion.

No one seemed to have resented his grandfather more than Lyle himself. That’s why it was so surprising to hear him bring up his grandfather now.

“Before that incident occurred, my grandfather had written in his journal that he had been having the same dream for a long time. This document is a handwriting analysis report that proves the contents of the journal were indeed written by him.”

Lyle slowly read through his grandfather’s journal. The nobles were greatly astonished by the journal entries of the late Archduke, who expressed loyalty to the Emperor even while doubting his own sanity.

However, that alone wasn’t enough to understand what Lyle wanted to convey. What could possibly change by bringing up something that had already happened ten years ago?

Even if the Archduke’s journal revealed his loyalty to the Emperor, he was ultimately nothing more than a traitor who had defied the Emperor and raised an army toward the capital.

“I know what you all are thinking. I’m not here to make excuses for my grandfather.”

Lyle set the document down on the table and looked around at the nobles.

“The reason I attended this meeting is to give you a warning.”

A warning? What kind of warning? Those who didn’t understand Lyle’s words frowned.

“A few days ago, my wife began experiencing similar symptoms.”

“Similar symptoms, you say…”

“Just like with my grandfather, she started having dreams she couldn’t distinguish from reality.”

A deathly silence fell over the chamber. The eyes of those in shock widened.

“My wife said she dreamed the same thing every night. A dream in which she sets fire to the villa and dies with me. According to her, the blaze that melts flesh and bone is so vivid she still feels pain on her skin even after waking.”

“That’s absurd…! How could such a thing be possible!”

“Well. The one who could answer that…”

Lyle turned his gaze toward Marquis Redwood.

“There’s only one person who would know.”

He didn’t say a name, but everyone had already understood what Lyle meant.

The incident ten years ago, and what was happening to the Archduchess now.

At the very least, Archduke Grant believed these incidents had been deliberately caused by someone, and he suspected that someone was Marquis Redwood.

The Marquis sprang up from his seat in outrage. “This is ridiculous! Are you accusing me of such nonsense?!”

“I didn’t expect to hear you admit that there was no reason.”

“Yes! I truly don’t know! The late Archduke was the lord I served. I held a critical position in his knight order. Even a loyal dog doesn’t bite its master. Why would I ever…!”

“Because you were worse than a dog.”

Lyle looked at the Marquis with a cold gaze.

“As you said, even a dog doesn’t bite its master. But Marquis Redwood, you were the first to raise your hand against my grandfather ten years ago. Look at yourself now.”

A bitter smile tugged at Lyle’s lips.

“If not for that incident, would someone from a humble northern house like yours have ever become the chairman of the council?”

“That’s absurd…!”

“And who was it that came to possess all the assets of House Grant? It was you, Marquis Redwood.”

The crowd held its breath and strained to hear the exchange. Just as Lyle said, most of the Archducal family’s vast fortune had ended up with the Marquis’s household. Even private assets and territories.

“And it’s not like your relationship with the Archduchess is particularly good.”

Whispers began to spread among the nobles. Even the Marquis could hear the murmuring.

He clenched his teeth. “Do you have proof?”

“Proof? That’s an amusing question. You sound very sure there wouldn’t be any.”

At Lyle’s remark, the Marquis’s gaze faltered. While he had assumed there was none, a part of him was uneasy.

“Unfortunately, there is no proof. All I have is the journal of my grandfather and my wife’s testimony—just circumstantial evidence.”

Relief flashed across the Marquis’s face for a moment. But his expression twisted again at Lyle’s following words.

“As I said, I came here today to issue a warning, not to make an accusation. Just as the Marquis said, I have no proof yet.”

“A warning, you say…”

“If someone really does possess such power, don’t you realize that my wife may not be the only possible target?”

Only then did the faces of the nobles gathered in the chamber turn pale. They widened their eyes, unable to hide their alarm.

“Among us gathered here today are those capable of using that power—and those who could be controlled through dreams at any moment.”

Seeing their reaction, Lyle twisted one corner of his mouth into a crooked smile.

“I came to deliver a warning to both parties.”