A Mastermind? No, I'm just the Live-In Son-in-Law-Chapter 150: The Truth
“I don’t care about anything else. Wealth? Fame? Power? I’ve never been interested in those things.”
“......”
“I just want Whitney Ringaarden. That’s it. Please?”
Ember stood right in front of me, eyes sparkling like a puppy begging for a treat. And I couldn’t help but let out a faint laugh.
If she knew that the ‘Whitney Ringaarden’ she was so obsessed with was me... what kind of face would she make?
Still, it’s too early to be sure.
Her earlier slip-up made it almost certain, but it was too soon to draw conclusions. There were still questions left unanswered.
In the original story, I died before the prologue. How is she calling me her “favorite”?
I wanted to ask ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) her outright, but now wasn’t the time to make her suspicious. So, I opted to test the waters.
“What exactly do you see in Whitney Ringaarden?”
“Hmm?”
“Not to speak ill, but isn’t he a rather... shady-looking fellow?”
At that, Ember’s eyes rounded in disbelief before she frowned slightly and responded.
“You don’t get it... that’s exactly the charm!”
“......”
“I’ve always loved those characters in stories—schemers. Not some two-bit thug, but those with charisma and shadowy plans.”
Should I be happy or horrified by that?
One thing was clear: Ember, whatever her real name was, had some very twisted preferences.
“But even so... isn’t Whitney Ringaarden acting more like a traditional hero lately?”
“...Are you testing me right now?”
I kept pushing, curious about how deep her knowledge went. Her expression grew more annoyed.
“Of all people, you—the Great Shadow—should’ve realized it was all misdirection, no?”
“...Misdirection?”
“Ugh, listen closely.”
What she said next startled even me—a rare chance to hear how the world viewed me from an outside perspective.
“Yes, Whitney did abduct the Saintess. But no one knows he’s keeping her imprisoned and brainwashing her every night.”
“......”
“And did you know? The Ringaarden estate has a restricted area you can’t even enter using bugs. It’s completely sealed off.”
“...Haha.”
“And think about it. The failing heir of a disgraced noble house suddenly gets engaged to the Empire’s only duchess—the infamous villainess. Overnight. That make any sense to you?”
...Is that really how everyone sees me?
“Taking all that into account, Whitney Ringaarden is clearly a true puppetmaster. A dangerous one. Isn’t that why you chose to work with him?”
“...And how do you know all this?”
Her bold assertions almost made me depressed, but I stayed focused and pressed further.
“I told you when we first met. Several times, actually. You forgot, didn’t you?”
“...Or maybe you never listened to me at all, hmm?”
And then came the words I expected.
“I’ve already played through this world. A game... or simulation, whatever. I know everything about it. Everything—except Whitney Ringaarden.”
“......”
“He was added after the DLC. Even with the new content, his backstory remained hidden.”
Then came the real kicker.
“Technically, he first appeared in the DLC itself. Who’d have thought? A nobody who died to Meredia before the prologue would turn out to be the DLC’s main villain.”
So she wasn’t just a reincarnator or transmigrator like me—she had played Blacktail Fantasy 3: DLC version. And I... was the main antagonist.
And somehow, my in-game actions were perfectly mirroring what I was doing in this world.
That’s... a little too on the nose to be coincidence.
“Hah, see? I knew you wouldn’t get it.”
“......”
“But I do believe you understand how valuable I am to you.”
I blinked. For the first time in a while, I was genuinely confused.
Then, she added, voice pleading again:
“You said you don’t know this world well, right?”
“...Right?”
“I was rank one in the DLC, you know? Classic version? Sure, I was only rank two there—because some freak with no life just played 24/7.”
“...Hmm.”
“That bastard quit when the DLC came out! Probably afraid I’d catch up!”
...I’m fairly sure she’s talking about me.
Fair enough. I did spend most of my final days gaming in a hospital room.
Wait, so she’s that rank 1 player? The one always using profane usernames?
If she was who I thought she was... Then she was the one who kept getting forced to change her nickname and used to send me dozens of profanity-laced DMs.
I had to block her, eventually.
Honestly, I want to stay far away...
But if she knew more about the DLC—and therefore had more information than I did—there was one thing I had to ask.
“Let me ask you something.”
“...You? Asking me? Is this a test?”
She suddenly tensed, now wary.
“Is there a way to cure Meredia Embergreen’s terminal curse?”
“...Why are you asking that all of a sudden? That’s suspicious.”
Her reaction wasn’t promising—neither submissive nor loyal, clearly.
“I thought the Great Shadow would know that better than anyone.”
It was clear now. Our relationship was just a temporary alliance.
“Haha, no need to be so defensive, Ember.”
“...?”
“You’ll get what you want. In fact, you already have.”
“...Huh?”
I watched her eyes narrow in confusion.
“What’s that supposed to mean—?”
“Watch closely.”
I snapped my fingers.
— Crackle...
The perception-dampening magic that concealed my identity slowly lifted.
I’d been stockpiling white mana since earlier, and it had finally built up enough to undo Alfred’s absurdly strong spell.
Or maybe I’m just weaker than I thought.
Hard to believe I became a final boss in the DLC...
“Eh? Eh? EHHHHHH?!”
Ember stared at me, dumbfounded, as the magic peeled away.
“Wh-Wh-Whitney Ringaarden?!”
“......”
“Wh—why? Why are you here?!”
She stumbled over her words for what felt like forever before I calmly responded.
“Ember. I thought you’d understand immediately.”
“......!”
“Was I wrong?”
The way I said it—vague and ominous—made the Shadow Witch’s comment about my tone being suspiciously cryptic seem oddly accurate.
“So the true power behind the black mages... is Whitney Ringaarden?!”
“...Hah.”
“SEE?! I knew it! My theory was right all along! Everyone downvoted it, but I knew it was true!!!”
The way she stared at me now—wild-eyed and manic—was... honestly kind of terrifying.
“Oh, excuse me. Hehe... H-hi there!”
“...I-I’m a fan. Eheh. Ehehet.”
I now knew I could never let her find out I was the former rank one.
“Now then. Your turn to answer.”
“Aye, sir!! What was the question again?!”
“...A way to remove Meredia Embergreen’s terminal curse.”
With the magic gone and the truth revealed, I asked her again. But—
“Uh, um... well.”
“......?”
“I-I don’t think I can say...”
“...Why not?”
“H-haha. I wish I could take a picture of your face right now...”
“...The reason, please.”
I didn’t need to raise my voice. A cold tone was enough.
Her laughter died instantly as she glanced at me and finally spoke.
“...It’s simple.”
I was prepared for anything. Even if it meant blood on my hands.
“To cure her terminal curse... you have to die.”
“...What?”
Ember’s voice was soft, almost apologetic—but the weight of her words left me stunned.
“To save Meredia Embergreen... Whitney Ringaarden has to die.”
And in that moment, the grand hall, now empty save for the two of us, fell into absolute silence.
***
At that very moment, in the Shadow Corridor—a magical transport path known only to the black mages, connecting every hidden location and exit—
“You’re really going to just wait here? Everyone else has already gone home.”
Leaning against the corridor wall, the Death Knight remained unmoved. The Shadow Witch smirked at him.
“Haha, I’m here too, you know?”
“...Ah. Hello, Jester.”
“And the Puppet Master’s still around as well, right?”
From behind the Shadow Witch, the Jester piped up. Her smile widened.
“Why are all the executives still here, I wonder?”
No one answered.
“If you’re waiting for Whitney Ringaarden—let me warn you now. It’ll be pointless.”
“Haha! Much obliged!”
“...Well then, I’m off. Busy, you know.”
And with that, the Shadow Witch vanished into the darkness.
“......”
The corridor went quiet.
And then—
— Creeeeeeak...
A door that had never officially opened in the history of the Shadow Corridor slowly creaked open.
“We greet the true form of the Great Shadow.”
“...It’s been years, hasn’t it?”
“Oh, hello.”
As someone stepped through, the remaining three executives dropped to their knees.
“Bring the remnants of the previous cycle.”
The one who spoke scanned the kneeling figures with cold, lifeless eyes.
And the body they wore—was impossible.
“...It’s time for the real meeting to begin.”
It wasn’t the timid, lovestruck duchess of House Embergreen panicking at her fiancé’s disappearance.
It was the final boss—the one who had already once destroyed the world.
The true Meredia.
“I obey.”
“Whew! I can finally switch my speech patterns again?”
“C-can I start acting normal now too?”
The others removed their masks.
The Emperor’s former knight. The rampaging thief who lost her child. A fallen maid from the doomed Ringaarden house who should have died as a slave.
None of them should have existed here.
And yet—here they stood. Ready to begin the true story.
