Bring Justice to those Who Dare to Harm my Beloved Daughter (The Villainess)! (Completed)

The Next Day

I dressed formally and boarded the carriage.

Lulu insisted on seeing me off, standing at the entrance and waving until the carriage disappeared from view.

Ah… my daughter is just too adorable.

At the castle gates, I presented the summons to the guard, who promptly allowed me entry. The carriage area was not as crowded as one might expect for a summons of all noble heads—only a handful of carriages were present.

As a count, I would normally have been expected to arrive earlier. However, since I was summoned as the Duke of Lehman’s proxy, I was afforded the privileges of a high-ranking noble, including a later arrival. Among nobles, it was an unspoken rule: lower-ranking nobles arrived first to wait, while higher-ranking nobles arrived closer to the start time.

The door of my carriage opened, and I stepped out confidently, heading toward the meeting hall. Approaching the door closest to the high-ranking nobles’ seats, I presented my summons to the guards stationed there. They nodded and opened the doors for me.

The circular meeting hall stretched out before me, grand and imposing.

As expected for a gathering of all the kingdom’s noble heads, the sight was breathtaking. The seating was arranged in tiers by rank—lower-ranking nobles were seated closer to the ground, with each tier rising for middle and high-ranking nobles. At the top of the room, the royal family held the highest position.

The hall was already filled with the buzz of conversation as nobles exchanged information before the meeting began.

“Ah, the Duke of Lehman’s proxy.”

The title was appropriate for the occasion, but the voice addressing me made my stomach sink.

I turned slowly toward the speaker, bracing myself.

“It’s been a while, Lord Berndt.”
“Indeed, when was the last soirée? You rarely attend such events, after all.”

And for good reason, I thought, suppressing a sigh. I hated social gatherings, but I didn’t bother to explain. It wouldn’t have mattered to this man.

Peter Berndt stood before me, his black hair framing a smug smile and perpetually narrowed eyes. He was a duke from the Berndt family, one of the Five Great Noble Houses.

Peter had made it his mission to dislike me—or perhaps, he simply disliked the fact that I held the title of Duke’s Proxy. His attitude toward me had been frosty since our academy days.

“I hear your talented younger brother will be taking over soon! What a pity—it will be such a loss to not have you around at these gatherings,” he said, his tone dripping with false sympathy.
“Is that so,” I replied, keeping my expression neutral.
“Oh? Are you saying you won’t miss me? How cold of you!”

I never said that, I thought, barely holding back an eye-roll.

Rather than engage further, I left him mid-sentence and walked toward Duke Schultz and his son. The elder Schultz, a dignified man with streaks of white in his hair, greeted me warmly. He was an old friend of my father’s and someone I deeply respected.

“It’s been a while, Lord Proxy,” the elder Schultz said.
“And you as well, Duke Schultz,” I replied, bowing slightly.

“I’ve heard about your actions at the Fischer Marquisate,” said the younger Schultz with a knowing smile.

“I only did what was necessary,” I said modestly.

“Snapping your fingers to conjure fire? Ingenious,” the elder Schultz remarked, chuckling in amusement.

I could only offer a sheepish smile. Both the elder and younger Schultz knew the nature of my magic eye and how I had struggled to control it. The elder Schultz had been the one to guide me in harnessing its power, while the younger Schultz had helped train me to use it effectively. They were both mentors and allies, and I owed them more than I could express.

Before we could continue, a trumpet sounded, signaling the start of the session.

I bowed to the two Schultzes and returned to my seat. Peter, seated beside me, shot me a glare, which I ignored.

The room fell silent as the announcer’s voice rang out.

“His Majesty, the King, will now enter!”

The grand doors swung open with a heavy thud. Everyone rose to their feet and bowed deeply as His Majesty entered. His footsteps echoed through the chamber as he walked to his seat, the faint rustle of his robes the only other sound.

“Raise your heads,” His Majesty commanded.

In unison, the nobles lifted their heads to look at him. His Majesty surveyed the room, then raised one hand, signaling us to take our seats.

“I thank you for gathering on such short notice,” His Majesty began. “But we face a grave matter. You are all aware of the recent monster attack on the Fischer Marquisate. Lord Fischer, deliver your report.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Lord Fischer stood and recounted the events: the attack, the breached barrier stone, and the discovery that it had been deliberately destroyed. When he mentioned the sabotage, a ripple of murmurs spread through the room.

“The investigation into barrier stones across the kingdom has revealed several more instances of deliberate destruction,” His Majesty continued. “These incidents occurred within areas protected by functional Area Locks. In each case, the barrier stones inside the locks were destroyed. The affected houses have no common faction or ties, nor do their family lines share any similarities. At present, we must conclude that these attacks are indiscriminate.”

The murmurs grew louder.

If the Area Locks were working, then someone—or something—had bypassed their security to destroy the stones.

“I have contacted the Tower of Magic,” His Majesty announced. “They will send their experts to assist with the investigation. If they request your cooperation, you will comply. Report anything unusual, no matter how minor.”

The mention of the Tower of Magic—a prestigious international research institution—brought a hush over the room. My enchanted glasses, designed to help me manage my magic, were based on research from a scholar affiliated with the Tower.

At that moment, a young noble hesitantly raised his hand.

“Yes, Baron Hoffman?” His Majesty called.

Baron Hoffman stood, visibly nervous. “Y-Your Majesty, I may have noticed something… strange. It could be unrelated, but I feel it’s worth reporting.”

“Go on,” His Majesty encouraged.

“The affected houses purchased Area Locks from different merchants, but each merchant reportedly said the same phrase upon delivery: ‘May something wonderful happen to you.’”

The room erupted in shocked whispers.

“Silence!” the Prime Minister commanded, his voice cutting through the noise.

His Majesty surveyed the room before speaking. “Those who recall hearing this phrase will remain here. Those who do not may return to their estates to investigate further and report back. This session is adjourned.”

As His Majesty left, the room began to empty, though many lingered to discuss what they had heard.

Lord Fischer sat heavily in his chair, his head in his hands. “Lord Proxy,” he said when I approached. “I… I heard that phrase as well.”

The implications were troubling. Merchants, supply chains, and guilds would all need thorough investigation. Whoever—or whatever—was behind this knew exactly how to sow chaos.

As I left the chamber, Peter’s voice called out behind me. “Until the next soirée, Lord Proxy!”

I didn’t bother turning around. There won’t be a next time, I thought. Soon, my younger brother Markus would officially take over, and I could fade into the background. The idea of stepping away from all this nonsense felt like a blessing.

For now, though, I focused on the road ahead, my thoughts racing with plans to uncover the truth.