When A Villain Meets A Villain - Chapter 77

77. Tasks that require removing, killing and hacking.

The grand duchess and the Argo executives met for tea once a week in the name of regular meetings. It was called a meeting, but it was also a time for them to report about matters and have a jovial chat.

Of course, Atalante liked this time a lot.

When it was already their seventh session, Atalante quickly noticed the lesser number of participants.

“What about Yuffie and Devon?”

Mia and Jenna smiled awkwardly at her question.

“Erm, they left for the northernmost end yesterday.”

“What? So suddenly?”

“I heard that they’re constructing a waterway in preparation for winter. We thought that this was it and sent them off.”

Just as Atalante was about to ask why the two of them in particular were sent, she nodded with a look of enlightenment.

It would be for the best to send Yuffie to a faraway place for the time being. Otherwise, Yuffie, who she thought of as a younger brother, might lose his life at Lionel’s hands.

Although she’d expected it to a certain extent, Yuffie couldn’t put up with Lionel’s presence.

It wasn’t to an unacceptable degree, it would be more appropriate to say that he was jealous and wary.

In the first place, Yuffie had the habit of clinging to Atalante, but this became rather severe in front of the grand duke.

He hugged Atalante as hard as he could while in Lionel’s sight, and sometimes he’d nuzzle her cheek.

Not only that, Yuffie had even glared at Lionel with the words, ‘She’s mine’ written all over his face, like he wasn’t afraid of the stiffened Lionel.

Of course, Atalante couldn’t indulge Yuffie like she usually did.

If she were to show any hint of affection for Yuffie, it would really… it’d become a big disaster.

‘No matter how strong Yuffie is, he can’t win against a man that is able to come back to life.’

As such, this was  a good thing, on the contrary. Although she missed Yuffie, she would rather that he remain alive over seeing him often.

It was also understandable that Devon, who disliked troublesome matters and wasn’t strong, went along with Yuffie. Because…

“Argo’s deputy leader, Yuffie. Why does he keep provoking me when he already has a lover? He’d even asked me to return my wife back to him.” 

“Is that… so?”

“Yes, I’m quite upset because it seems like he cares deeply about you. In fact, it’s to the point where a worry has formed in my mind, about whether the one Yuffie likes isn’t Devon but my wife.” 

Jenna and Mia sacrificed Devon as a means to end the Grand Duke’s worries. Atalante observed a moment of silence at their wise judgement and Devon’s sublime sacrifice.

“After he has safely returned from the construction site, I’ll introduce the prettiest woman I know to him.”

So Devon wasn’t sacrificed, but baited.

Atalante nodded at Jenna’s words and asked the question she was most curious about.

“Putting aside Devon, how did you manage to convince Yuffie?”

At her question, Jenna and Mia both made troubled expressions at the same time.

“About that, he said that when he returned, he’d take Atalante away from the Grand Duke.”

“What?”

“But it can’t be helped. Who can win against Yuffie’s stubbornness? He’s usually a kid that’s all smiles, but his eyes would light up the moment you’re present.”

“No matter what, how can you make a ridiculous promise?”

Atalante forgot the etiquette that she’d learnt and crossed her legs habitually while looking at Jenna with an absurd expression.

“…Let’s think about it when that time comes. When he returns, Boss should play with Yuffie to his heart’s content for a day or so.”

Those words weren’t a countermeasure, but it could be enough to tide over the urgent crisis for now, so Atalante sighed instead of rebuking her.

Given the recent increase in Lionel’s attention to taking care of his weapon, there was a high possibility that Yuffie would suffer a huge disaster in the near future.

“More than that, Mia, how’s the clinic going?”

Once the clinic was mentioned, the worried-looking Mia immediately brightened up.

“Yes! Thanks to the grand duke’s full support and the assistance from the grand duchy’s servants! The building’s construction is almost finished, and I think it can be opened within the next month or so after we’ve finished recruiting physicians!”

It was the first time that Mia, who’d always spoken her mind softly, made such a loud noise.

When the astonished Atalante and Jenna didn’t reply, a look of embarrassment covered Mia’s face as she bowed her head.

“I’m sorry, was my voice too loud? I must have been so excited because it has always been a dream of mine to build a private clinic.”

“What’s there to be sorry about? I’m glad to see you happy, Mia.”

“Boss….”

“You can’t call me that anymore…… Haah, enough of that. It doesn’t matter, since it’s just us here.”

Atalante placed her chin in her palm and revealed an easygoing smile. Whether they were in a dark hideout or a beautifully decorated garden, her pleasant mood remained the same.

Rather than the location, the more important thing was the people she was sitting with.

However, Atalante’s faint smile turned stiff at Mia’s following words.

“I’m also very glad! The boss looks really blissful after marrying the Grand Duke.”

“…Blissful?”

“Yes! Boss, you smile so happily whenever you’re with the grand duke. I was worried at first, but I’m glad that Boss married the Grand Duke.”

Atalante hid her frigid expression while pretending to take a sip of tea, and let out a deep breath slowly.

Happiness, this word didn’t match with her. Throughout Atalante’s short life, she’d taken the lives of countless people, kept doing bad things, and was a person that shouldn’t know happiness.

“You’d already said before that you’ll never know what’ll happen to you. Who would’ve known that such a dress would look good on the villain Atalante.”

Atalante’s eyes were filled with a strange gleam when she heard Jenna’s words, which she’d offered heedlessly.

‘Yes, I am a villain. I’m not happy, but just acting as I please. I’ll use the Grand Duke, in order to get what I want. I’m just deceiving everyone.’

It would be a lie if she said she wasn’t afraid to pay the price for her sins, such as all these lies and deceit.

But right now, she was just doing as she pleased. Just as Lionel had mentioned.

“Yes, I am happy.”

Atalante, who spat out an announcement of her happiness, gave them a smile.

As she thought that that smile appeared somewhat bitter, Mia stared blankly at the grand duchess’s hands, which were covered in scars.

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A dark shadow cast over Lionel’s countenance as he handled the paperwork with a bored face.

“Did you enjoy the regular meeting?”

Lionel paused what he was doing, and looked up at the grand duchess, who’d paid him a visit without any prior notice. Of course, a radiant smile was on his face.

“When are you going to return my weapon to me?”

“As per your promise with Agnes. I’ll return it to you when you’ve made tangible results as the grand duchess.”

“Can you explain in detail what are considered tangible results?”

Atalante pressed her hands on the desk and leaned menacingly towards him, like she didn’t have the slightest intention of obediently backing down today.

But instead of feeling threatened by her actions, Lionel was rather satisfied at the fact that she’d narrowed their distance.

“Although I was labelled as a common-born grand duchess, the citizens of the grand duchy seem to recognize me in their own way, and Argo is naturally gaining their foothold while pretending to be a legitimate organisation.”

“Mmhm.”

“Not only have I grasped the Grand Duchy’s history, I have also familiarised myself with the Blanc family’s history, the current status of the vassals, and I’m currently proceeding bit by bit on the affairs of the grand duchess.”

In addition, Atalante listed her achievements one after another in an attempt to demand that he ‘return her weapon’.

“I’m so proud of you, my wife.”

Lionel gave her a compliment amiably like she was a child, and immediately raised his upper body to plant a kiss on Atalante’s cheek.

After the light kiss, Lionel tried to make eye contact with her and smiled as he stared at her mysterious purple-coloured eyes.

“Haha, you’re blushing again today. Why are you so pretty……”

But he was unable to speak.

It was because he felt a soft warmth touch his left cheek, along with a cute sound, Muah.

Atalante kissed his cheek again like she was proving that she’d kissed it properly, raised his head with a triumphant expression.

Her eyes curved enchantingly as she gazed at the frozen Lionel with satisfaction.

“Uh……”

The flustered Lionel could only flap his lips soundlessly, unable to continue his words.

After 57 days, Atalante, who’d continuously searched for a gap in his defences, succeeded in fulfilling the ‘custom’ without hesitation.

From some point onwards, the originally romantic act turned into a blitzkrieg war, but Atalante, who didn’t have any experience in relationships, didn’t notice the subtle difference.

“But it seems like the grand duke’s the one that’s blushing, and not me.”

She didn’t forget to add a line that’s similar to the words that the Grand Duke had been saying.

After succeeding in teasing him for the first time, the corners of Atalante’s mouth curved in delight.

It would’ve been perfect if she’d continued with this atmosphere, which had even become ‘customary’, and asked for the return of her weapon.

But for some reason, she was rendered speechless upon seeing Lionel’s face turned a bright red.

“Wait a minute, why are you really turning red…?”

Lionel’s following answer was absurd.

“Because you’d suddenly kissed me……”

It didn’t seem like Lionel was just saying it, as his mouth was covered with a hand and his blush extended to his earlobes. He also happened to be avoiding her gaze with a mortified expression.

“We’ve already done worse things, so why on earth……?”

“It’s because you didn’t give me time… to prepare my mind…”

Would you give each person you’re trying to kill time for mental preparation?

The more she thought about it, the more ridiculous it became. If she’d given him time for mental preparation, he’d just avoid it, wouldn’t he!

It seemed that there wouldn’t be an end to it if she’d continued pressing, so Atalante straightened her upper body with a deep sigh.

The more she knew about Lionel Blanc, the more mysterious he became.

“Anyways, I’ve succeeded. You can’t say anything since I’d even done it twice, right?”

“…It’s unfortunate, but that seems to be the case.”

Lionel rubbed his cheek slowly and looked up at Atalante with an odd glint in his gaze.

“Return my weapons back to me, please.”

“Very well, but please promise me one thing.”

Lionel, who rose up to his feet, took a familiar gun out and said.

That gun, which bore Devon’s initials and Argo’s design, was definitely the pistol that she’d always carried around with her.

That smooth body, along with its black and glossy surface!

How long has it been since she’d last seen it? With a thrilled gaze, Atalante looked at the black gun, which made a distinct contrast with Lionel’s pale hand.

“Before you use this weapon, please remember my presence first.”

“What?”

“What I mean is that you’ll never dirty your hands unless it’s a situation where you have no choice. Let me take on the tasks that require removing, killing and hacking.”

My dearest Atalante.

He’d always added those words, but it sounded even deeper today.

“If you promise me this, I’ll return your weapons to you.”

Lionel spoke firmly before turning the gun’s muzzle towards him.

As he blocked the gun’s muzzle, Lionel extended the black coloured weapon towards Atalante and looked at her with an earnest gaze.

She seemed to know what he wanted to say, and didn’t want to know at the same time.

“I promi…”

“Your Highness, I think you must come and take a look right now!”

Before Atalante could answer, the door of the office opened hastily. The frantic Paul exclaimed without having the time to care about the grand duke’s frowning expression.

“Her Highness Diana……!”

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