A Mastermind? No, I'm just the Live-In Son-in-Law-Chapter 18: Uninvited Guest

She snapped defiantly and then clamped her mouth shut again. I almost clapped my hands like some second-rate villain in praise of her spirit—but no, it was finally time to clear up this massive misunderstanding.

“I’m a white mage.”

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“...What?”

“Here, look.”

To prove I wasn’t a black mage, I held out my hand and quietly gathered my white mana.

“I-It’s a little different from the white mana I’ve seen before...”

As expected, my murky, grayish white mana looked suspicious to someone with the talent of a Saintess.

White mana so dark even she could mistake it—at this rate, I might have my license revoked.

“But still, it’s not black mana, right?”

“I-It doesn’t look like it...”

Fortunately, after observing it for a while, Hestia seemed to accept that I wasn’t a black mage.

“By the way... do you still hear that voice in your head?”

“H-How do you know about that?”

“My white magic is currently suppressing the curse. It’s only temporary, though.”

Since I’d come this far, I decided to lay it all out and whispered in a calm voice.

“The truth is, I’m trying to save you.”

“...Save me?”

“I know that black mages are after you. And I know the only way you can survive.”

Her eyes widened again, this time visibly shaken.

“I apologize for the rough methods—I had no other choice. But I have a request.”

“......”

“Could you stay here for a few weeks? I need time to find the one person who can truly guarantee your safety.”

As I gently untied the blankets from her hands and feet, I told her everything—without hiding or twisting a single word.

“H-How do I know I can trust you?”

Of course. She still looked at me with fear and doubt in her eyes.

“You might be the one behind that cursed voice. Maybe you’re just pretending to help me.”

“If that were true, I’d have no reason to act like this now, would I?”

“You say that, but what if you’re only trying to trick me and bring me over to your side?”

Yeah, fair point. She’d been used and manipulated so many times—it made sense she’d be suspicious of a stranger who literally kidnapped her and then started acting all calm and gentle.

“...If you’re really telling the truth, then send me to the Holy Order.”

“That won’t work. You know how stubborn they are, don’t you?”

Her desperate plea was genuine—but I couldn’t grant it.

“They wouldn’t protect you. They’d just throw you into ‘His’ trials. So—”

“Please, just think rationally. Ask them for protection!”

“...That’s not an option either. I’m sorry, but the Emperor is after you.”

I knew all too well how this situation worked, and I hated saying it—but from Hestia’s perspective, it probably sounded like excuse after excuse.

“So, you’re saying I have to stay here. Just trust you with no proof.”

Exactly. And yet... I had no idea what would convince her.

“...How about this kind face? Maybe give me a chance based on that?”

“F-Face...?”

“Kidding! Please don’t glare at me like that.”

Of course, even if I told her the truth—that I was a reincarnator who had played this entire world as a game—she’d just assume I’d gone insane.

“...Ah! I’ve got it! How about this?”

“......”

Her anxious eyes flickered toward me as I suddenly brightened with inspiration.

“You, Lady Hestia, will read my soul directly.”

“M-My what now?”

“You’re a Saintess, right? If you truly received a divine prophecy, you should be able to tell whether my soul is evil or not.”

It felt a little weird to suggest it myself, but I was confident. I’d lived a decent life, both in my past and current one.

I never hurt others, I always shared what I had—I lived by that principle. Surely my soul would be clean enough to reassure her.

“I’m... not a Saintess.”

But her response was unexpectedly grim.

“Because of that damned voice, I’ve been forced to pretend to be one. In truth, I’m just the daughter of a low-ranking noble.”

“Wait, seriously? But you said you were chosen.”

“That was all fake. Manipulated. I don’t even have divine power—I can’t use holy magic at all. I’m just a convenient puppet.”

She stared down at the ornate engagement dress she still wore, her voice sinking.

“I don’t see it that way.”

But I did know the truth. From my past life’s knowledge, she was the most gifted Saintess in history—a literal game-breaking cheat character.

In fact, whether she survived the prologue or not determined the entire route: true ending or bad ending.

“Here. Give me your hand.”

“...Huh?”

“I won’t do anything, I swear. Just trust me.”

As she hesitated, I quickly took her hand and began resonating the soul within my body.

“Now, close your eyes. Focus on the flow of my spirit.”

“I-I don’t know if I can—”

And yet, as expected of someone with monstrous talent—

“...W-What?”

“See? You can feel it, right?”

Her eyes, which had looked confused at first, soon widened in astonishment.

“This... is a soul?”

“Yup. Normally, just sensing a soul takes months of painful effort. But look at you—definitely Saintess material.”

“Huh? But why is it so... clean...?”

She muttered the last part as if it were unexpected, looking at me in disbelief. I knew then that my gamble had worked, so I flashed a bright smile and drove the final nail in.

“That’s proof that I’m the kindest white mage who can save you—”

“W-Wait.”

Before I could finish, her eyes began to shake violently.

“This... hngh!”

“Lady Hestia?”

Her expression twisted in fear. She began trembling, cold sweat pouring from her body like rain.

“A-Aah... AAAAAAAAAH...!”

“Ah, too much too soon, huh? Still, for your first time, you did really well!”

Startled, I quickly severed the soul resonance and tried to calm her down.

“Ahaha...”

“So, um... can you trust me now?”

She still looked deathly pale. Worried, I asked as gently as I could.

“I-I’ll do as you say.”

“Ah, that’s a relie—”

But then she raised her head and whispered in a small, broken voice.

“What... what should I do...?”

“Uh... just stay safe here for now until the time is right?”

I finally realized something was off and blinked, confused by her sudden change in tone.

“I’ll do anything... just please...”

“......”

What... what’s wrong with her now?

—Bang! Bang! Bang!

And right then, just as I sat there in a daze, trying to process her unexpected shift—

—“S-Sir Whitney!”

Sasha’s urgent voice came shouting from behind the door.

“Sasha, right now I’m—”

—“S-Sir, people from the Imperial Palace are here!”

“What?!”

I had been about to tell Sasha to hold off, thinking whatever news she brought could wait—but the moment the word ‘Imperial’ came out of her mouth from behind the door, I hurried over.

“Why would anyone from the palace come here...?”

“T-The E-Emperor. They said they’re here under Her Majesty’s direct order!”

When I cracked the door open, Sasha was practically hopping in place with panic as she relayed the news—though thankfully, it didn’t seem to be the worst possible scenario.

“Where’s Alfred?”

“A-Alfred went to attend a summit at the Imperial Sound Council.”

“Then what about Pars?”

“P-Pars has been staying at the outer estate since yesterday...”

The problem was, if I left the room now, there wouldn’t be anyone to look after Hestia—especially in her unstable condition.

“Master, I could—”

“And what exactly would you do?”

Lunelle spoke up beside me, but...

“First, we put her back in the wardrobe, right?”

“...Haa.”

Yeah. The fact that her immediate solution was to stuff the Saintess back in the wardrobe again made it clear she wasn’t the most delicate option here.

“I-I think they’re planning to take you somewhere right now, Sir Whitney...”

“......”

“W-What should we do, sir?!”

That settled it. In a situation like this, there was only one person I could rely on.

“Sasha.”

“Y-Yes?!”

“You know I trust you deeply, right?”

“W-Why are you saying that all of a sudden...”

After a moment of intense inner debate, I turned to Sasha—still full of anxiety and wringing her hands—and spoke seriously.

“I just need you to look after the person inside the room until I return.”

“W-Who... who is it...?”

“That’s... not something you need to know.”

“Haah!”

There was no helping it. I knew it was too much to ask, and her eyes trembled pitifully at my firm words—it broke my heart a little.

“Just know that being seen by others would put her—and you—in serious danger.”

“Um, I—”

“If it looks like you’re going to get caught, ask Lunelle about the secret passage in the study.”

Still, if I wanted to protect world peace and pay Sasha generous bonuses and hazard pay, I had no choice but to rely on her now.

“C-Can I at least think about it for—”

“I believe in you, Sasha.”

“Wha—wait—eh?!”

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With that forced justification echoing in my head, I gently pushed her into the room, ignoring her trembling voice as I took a deep breath and began straightening my clothes.

—“HIIIIIEEEEK!”

I sighed at the deflated, shrieking sound of Sasha discovering who was in the room.

“Haha...”

I’ll make it up to her. Once I get back, I’ll throw in a vacation and a fat bonus—and check on her family back home, too.

Please... just this once, Sasha. I’m counting on you.

***

Meanwhile, at that same time—at the Embergreen estate.

“So, why exactly are you here?”

With Duke Embergreen once again absent, Meredia had taken her usual place as the acting head of house. A group of Imperial Knights—nearly the same number that had come for Whitney—had arrived to fetch her this time.

“We’re here to escort Lady Meredia as a witness # Nоvеlight # to yesterday’s incident at the engagement.”

“I already cooperated fully with the investigation at the scene.”

“We apologize, my lady. New developments have arisen, and we’ve been instructed to bring you in.”

While Whitney had been summoned with suspicion in mind, this seemed different. The presence of this many soldiers hinted at other motives.

“In fact, it’s not just the investigation. Her Majesty the Emperor issued a personal directive to have you brought in for reasons that cannot be disclosed publicly.”

The first clue was the unit itself—the First Imperial Knight Division, the elite core of the Empire’s military.

“We kindly ask for your cooperation.”

“...We have no intention of being hostile.”

The second clue was the way the division commander and his adjutant—clearly tense—were carefully watching Meredia’s every move.

“So?”

In contrast, Meredia’s response was cool and unconcerned. She tilted her head slightly and smiled faintly.

“If the Emperor calls, am I supposed to bow my head and come running?”

If it had been anyone else who said that, they’d have been beheaded on the spot for lese-majeste.

“You knights of the Empire should be well aware of the oath between the Imperial Family and House Embergreen.”

“But—”

“...And I am currently the acting head of House Embergreen. I have full authority in my father’s absence. Do I need to explain further?”

Given the current power vacuum in the dukedom, Meredia held more authority than even some royals. She wasn’t someone who could be dragged around like a pawn—not like that other noble from yesterday.

“If you continue to be uncooperative, it’ll become difficult for us—”

“You clearly don’t understand, so I’ll say it just once more.”

Even without the authority of a Duke, forcibly taking her against her will was impossible.

“I’m very tired. And also extremely irritated.”

“......”

“So if the Emperor wants to see me, tell her to come here herself.”

Though Meredia stood alone, facing the entire First Imperial Division without formality or fear, the ones on edge were the knights.

“Captain... it’s as we expected. Sir Whitney just left his estate with the Emperor’s escort.”

“Sigh... in that case—”

Just as the commander was about to order a withdrawal, muttering a sigh at his adjutant’s quiet report—

“You.”

“Y-Yes, ma’am?!”

“What did you just say?”

Meredia, whose expression had been disinterested until now, suddenly locked her gaze on the adjutant with sharp eyes.

“S-Sir Whitney is also under Her Majesty’s directive...”

“...Him?”

“Of course, he’s only been summoned for questioning. Then, he’ll likely be acknowledged by Her Majesty for his service—”

The moment Meredia heard that, her eyes flickered strangely. The adjutant hesitated, unsure of whether to keep speaking.

“To properly assess credit for the incident, the testimony of his partner at the engagement is—”

“...Then there’s no issue.”

“Excuse me?”

Surprisingly, she interrupted before he could finish, responding so quickly it was almost unnatural.

“I must’ve misheard you...”

“No, it’s just that—”

“Tell them I’m personally on my way to the palace.”

Before the knights could fully process what she meant, Meredia had already stepped forward, as if nothing had happened.

“My fiancé is there, isn’t he? Then I must go too.”

“......”

“There’s still something I need to say to him.”

With that, Meredia brushed past the stunned knights and boarded the carriage already waiting.

The adjutant, still flustered, whispered toward his commander.

“Didn’t the papers say that whole ‘fiancé’ thing was just tabloid nonsense, sir?”

“...Shows what we knew.”

The commander, wearing an equally dumbfounded expression, stared at the carriage in disbelief.

“To think Lady Meredia—who everyone thought couldn’t stand him—was actually... involved with the heir of some random count’s house...”

All the knights were now watching the carriage with mixed disbelief.

“......”

And inside, leaning on the windowsill, Meredia sat with her cheek resting on her fist—her gaze fixed on a simple handkerchief resting quietly in her palm.