A Mastermind? No, I'm just the Live-In Son-in-Law-Chapter 138: The Interview

“......”

Just moments ago, Lord Maier Embergreen had been getting scolded by the Shadow Witch—but what happened next was something he simply couldn’t comprehend.

“...What the hell did I just see?”

To be more precise, it all started the instant the Four Archdemon Sisters—beings so fearsome that even making eye contact was overwhelming—charged at Whitney.

‘...What is that guy?’

Whitney, whom Maier had expected to freeze in fear, suddenly began radiating an aura so inhuman it sent chills down the spine.

The sisters—staring into that aura—turned deathly pale and immediately dropped to their knees before Whitney.

Then, black mages and summoned beasts came spilling out of the cave in a panic, and they too prostrated themselves behind the sisters.

“U-Um, Shadow Witch...”

“......”

“W-What exactly just happened...?”

Still unable to make sense of the unfolding chaos, Maier cautiously addressed the Shadow Witch, who had gone unusually silent.

“The rightful authority of the Lord of Darkness was exercised. That’s all.”

“Huh? B-But...”

Maier reflexively began to object, only to close his mouth again.

“Sure, when most black mages talk about the ‘Overlord,’ they’re usually referring to the Great Shadow.”

“Y-Yes, that’s what I always believed.”

“But in truth, the traditional ruler of black mages, demons, and monsters... is someone else.”

Maier’s eyes widened at that, and he turned to gaze at Whitney, still standing calmly nearby.

“That would... surely be the Demon King.”

“......”

“...Ah!”

The Shadow Witch didn’t respond, but that silence was enough. Maier immediately pieced the situation together.

He had once completely outmaneuvered Meredia with his cunning strategies, insight, and deductive skills. He hadn’t lost all of that—he had simply been overtaken after Meredia awakened her “Jeweled Eye.”

Still, he remained her greatest rival.

“To think... he can freely control the Power of Domination. I didn’t even consider that...”

‘Was that bastard... a Demon King candidate all along?’

As someone positioned where he was, Maier quickly began reassessing Whitney based on what he’d just witnessed.

‘If that’s the case... it might actually be smarter to bring him to my side. If I can secure not just one, but two Demon King candidates... removing Meredia from the game becomes very possible.’

Maier was insufferably arrogant, harboring a grotesquely inflated ego—but he could always separate public from personal interests.

Whenever his eyes gleamed with cunning like they did now, even someone like Meredia would gnash her teeth at the memories he brought back.

‘Wait a second... wasn’t that bastard supposed to be a white mage?’

And just when he’d finished recalculating everything, he stumbled upon one critical contradiction.

‘And he’s a Hero, too, isn’t he?’

In other words, Whitney’s current identity was that of a white mage and a Hero—yet he had just effortlessly subdued archdemons and commanded the obedience of black mages.

This wasn’t a twist from some dime-store novel. This was absurd.

— Step, step...

And then, that abomination of a hybrid started casually walking toward him.

“Ugh...”

Even Maier, with all his quick calculations, hadn’t expected Whitney to approach him. He couldn’t help but stiffen in surprise.

‘...Who’s the girl?’

Just then, Maier noticed a young girl clinging to Whitney’s sleeve, trailing close behind with a frightened expression.

‘...A maid? From the Ringaarden household?’

Her attire and gait—and Maier’s own background intel—told him she was likely one of the Ringaarden family’s maids. He vaguely remembered seeing her in a personnel file.

‘But why bring a maid to a place like this?’

Even setting aside the fact that she hadn’t been visible before, Maier, ruthless as he was, thought a girl like that had no business in a place so dangerous.

“Shadow Witch.”

As Maier kept stealing glances at the girl, he was jolted from his thoughts by Whitney’s low voice—he had suddenly drawn close.

“Yes?”

“...Would you mind taking care of this child for a bit?”

The fact that Whitney was speaking to the Shadow Witch in such a casual tone was already shocking—but what floored Maier even more was her response.

“That won’t be difficult.”

The Shadow Witch—who secretly looked down on everyone and destroyed anyone who even hinted at disrespect—was agreeing to Whitney’s request without hesitation.

Maier had always obeyed her commands without protest, even at the cost of pride. He knew exactly what happened to people who challenged her authority.

Until now, the only one she’d ever obeyed was the Great Shadow.

“Come, little one. I don’t know where you came from, but would you like to come with me?”

“......”

“It’s dangerous in there, you know?”

The Shadow Witch crouched to the girl’s level, even offering her a warm smile. Anyone familiar with her nature would’ve instantly recognized it as a facade—but still, for her, it was shockingly mild behavior.

“N-No, no, no!”

“......?”

“I-I want to stay with Young Master!”

And just like that, the girl’s face turned pale and she darted behind Whitney, trembling in fear. The Shadow Witch’s expression froze.

“Haha. Seems she doesn’t want to go.”

“...Well, it can’t be helped, then.”

Whitney chuckled, and the Shadow Witch returned his smile. But Maier’s sharp instincts noticed something more: they were having a silent conversation.

‘Even the Shadow Witch can’t see through the Great Shadow’s disguise?’

‘...That girl’s suspicious as hell. This place is off-limits to anyone not invited.’

One was a terrifying presence that could crush you with a single look. The other—narrow-eyed and smiling—looked no less dangerous in his own way.

Watching those two silently communicate was agonizing.

“Well, then I’ll just bring the child along. I assume that’s not a problem?”

“...If that’s what you wish.”

“Then you should head inside and brief the officers on the situation.”

As Whitney and the Shadow Witch resumed speaking aloud, Maier instinctively sighed—then immediately clamped a hand over his mouth.

“That means...”

“Well, someone has to announce the start of the Gathering.”

“...Ah. Right. Understood.”

Thankfully, Whitney and the Shadow Witch seemed too focused on each other to notice his little slip.

“...Oh, and Lord Maier.”

“......!”

Just as he began wiping the cold sweat from his brow, Whitney turned and stared directly at him—causing Maier to freeze.

“The cave seems pretty long. Care to walk with me for a bit?”

“Ah, I—well...”

Sure, Maier had just decided he needed to win Whitney over. But to suddenly be in a private audience with him—this quickly, with no preparation?

“...S-Sure.”

“Haha, thank you. It’d be dull walking alone.”

Refusing would be far too risky, and Maier knew it. So, with a trembling hand, he accepted Whitney’s offered handshake.

Just hours ago, he’d wanted to grab this bastard by the throat—and now they were walking together as comrades.

‘...At least it’s not completely one-on-one.’

He glanced toward the girl still hiding behind Whitney and tried to console himself.

“Hahaha...”

“......”

But even that hollow comfort vanished as soon as he saw Whitney smile again—that same chillingly suspicious smile.

‘...Should I ask the Shadow Witch for help?’

As the dread mounted, Maier considered turning to the Shadow Witch—whom he already fancied himself a protégé of—for backup.

“......”

But she was gone.

In truth, she’d already taken off into the cave on her broom to summon the Gathering’s officers while Whitney was talking to Maier.

“...How long do you plan to keep shaking hands?”

“......”

“I’m not particularly fond of holding hands with men, you know.”

And so, Maier—unable to even wipe the sweat from his brow—followed Whitney into the cave, nerves shot and options dwindling.

***

“...Ah, I see. That makes sense.”

“Haha, yeah. That guy was obsessed with gems as a kid.”

Inside the cave, Maier soon realized that maybe his luck wasn’t so bad after all.

“I’m not so sure. Lady Meredia told me she doesn’t like jewels.”

To his surprise, Whitney was being quite friendly—something Maier quickly understood as a strategy to extract information about Meredia.

“That’s a common lie women tell to impress a man.”

“Is that so?”

“Of course. What woman doesn’t love jewels?”

Maier, for all his twisted personality, had the looks to rival his sister and an even greater gift for conversation. He could make friends with anyone—if he wanted to.

Sure, anyone who learned his true nature stayed far away. But now that he’d mastered the art of hiding it, those situations were rare.

“...You certainly have a way with words, Lord Maier.”

“H-Haha...”

Still, Whitney’s occasional cold smile made Maier’s skin crawl.

‘What the hell does he see in that crazy woman?’

Try as he might, Maier couldn’t understand how Whitney could truly love his sister.

“Y-Yeah. There was a time I snuck into my mother’s jewelry box...”

“Hm...”

It wasn’t until he changed the subject and Whitney nodded along that Maier could finally breathe again.

“It wasn’t a great memory—for me or my sister.”

“...Ah. I think I understand what you mean.”

“Thanks. You know, I think we actually get along quite well.”

The shift toward talk about their mother, the brief chill that would inevitably follow, and Maier’s plan to defuse it all by sounding magnanimous—it all went exactly as he had calculated.

“Haha. I’ve always wanted to be friends with you, Lord Maier.”

When Whitney finally said those words, Maier practically cheered inside.

“If only you hadn’t threatened to kill me so openly.”

“...What?”

But then came the next line—and Maier’s face froze.

“Lord Maier, you really shouldn’t toy with women like that.”

“Ah, well...”

Now he stood before Whitney Ringaarden—smiling sweetly yet radiating a cold, murderous aura—and realized he had no choice but to gamble everything.

‘...Shit, which one is it?’

Because he had seduced and toyed with far too many women... to know which one had come back to haunt him.