I Favor The Villainess Chapter 96

"… So you know that much"

Haha, Arla dryly laughed.

"I do not understand the situation in the slightest. Explain, Rei"
"Li, Lily wants to be told too"

Come to think of it, I haven't explained anything to them.

"Could Arlsan explain?"
"No, I'll verify your explanation. You speak"

Arla said she'll verify my explanation, but to me it looks like she hates speaking about it herself.

"Then I will. First of all, as I said just now, Arlsan is a lady of Manuel house that served Salas-sama in the past, she's Arla Manuel-san"
"Speaking of Manuel house, they were a comital house that fell to ruin ten years ago, right?"

As expected of Claire-sama to have a grasp on her peers.

"C, Claire-sama, are you familiar with them?"
"For n.o.bles, family name, peerage, and power diagram of every house is basic education?"
"Is, is that so"

Both Claire-sama and Lily-sama without a doubt belong to the upper cla.s.s, but that might be a difference between a genuine n.o.ble and a person deeply involved in religion.
Or perhaps Lily-sama is simply ignorant of the world.

"Count Manuel was a well-known virtuous n.o.ble. Although he held the rank of count, Father said he was liked by many people for his honest work"
"W, why did such person's house fell to ruin?"
"It was similar to now. He was said to have performed fraudulent accounting"
"What fraudulent accounting!"

Arla raised her voice.
It looks like she said it reflexively and regrets opening her mouth.
For a moment Claire-sama was startled by Arla's loud voice, still she continued.

"When Count Manuel's fraud came to light, it turned into a large scandal. That virtuous person, why, was being said"
"In reality, he was set up by Salas-sama. Count Manuel took part in Salas-sama's fraudulent accounting, and the blame was pinned on him"
"Tha, that too is similar to this time"

But, Lily-sama continued

"B, but, even though you're a daughter of a former n.o.ble, why are you doing something like… err, Resistance?"
"I can only imagine the mentality in that situation, but perhaps it's a grudge against Salas-sama - and also the entire n.o.ble society"

Is that wrong, I asked,

"Exactly"

and Arla answered in a low voice.

"Father was a gentle and honest person. Many n.o.bles relied on him. But - Father was showed contempt"

Arla said painfully.

"As Father was set up by Salas-sama, he was easily abandoned by other n.o.bles around him. Such a society can't be allowed to exist"
"Was that what got Arlsan started"

Arla deeply nodded to my question.

"Revenge does not produce anything?"
"Don't act like you know everything, young girl. The meaning of revenge isn't something like creating. What I want is only n.o.bles' blood"

Saying so, Arla showed a dark, cold smile.
Although Arla is the bearer of a revolution, its basis aren't justice or ideals, but a desire for revenge.

"Of course, from your point of view, what I am saying must sound like idealism of a person ignorant of the world. But, I do not want to part with my ideals"

It doesn't mean that either Claire-sama or Arla are right.
Both are right, and both are wrong.
The world can't be divided by the dichotomy of justice and evil, adults - and even smart children know that.
Be that as it may, of course no person would follow Resistance motivated by the thirst for revenge, so her younger brother is in charge of the ideology.

"Irvine-san is?"
"You also know about my brother, huh. He's raising money today as well. As you know, we're short on it"

Arla's younger brother Irvine is Resistance's adviser-c.u.m-treasurer.
Arla is the soul, and Irvine is the brain.
A revolution will occur, centered around those two.

"Returning to our talk. That's why, I believe Arlsan heard from your father where Salas-sama hides the evidence of his affair. How about it?"

I came here to ask this question.
Although there is a scenario in the game where you search for the evidence of Salas's wrongdoings, the location where it's stored is random.
That random flag is decided during this event of getting in contact with Resistance.

"Money first. I won't talk without money"
"Money is guaranteed. I'll make payment through the usual means of 'XX'"
"!? You are XX!?"

XX is a mysterious patron who always donates large sums of money to Irvine.
Their ident.i.ty being me - is not the case.
When Irvine's name came up, I wonder if some people got it.

"It's not me. But, I'd appreciate if you treated them as my family"
"… If XX is your family, it's a different story. I'll talk"

Phew, after taking breath Arla began talking.

"Probably, it's in the safe in his office. But, that safe can't be opened by anybody but Salas"

You visited for no reason, Arla laughed.

"Safe, was it. Thank you"
"Wai, wait! Then, is it like this? You know the location of the evidence, but you do not know how to open the safe?"
"Ha, have we come back to square one…?"

Claire-sama and Lily-sama raised voices in protest.

"No, just that is enough"
"Hey, Rei! Is it really okay!?"
"It's okay, Claire-sama. If I know the location of the evidence, I can manage somehow"
"… I trust you?"
"Yeah, you can rely on me"

Our business here is over.
Claire-sama seems about to explode, Lily-sama is frightened, it's time to leave soon.
When I thought so,

"Rei Taylor. Won't you join Resistance?"

Arla asked such a thing.

"What stupid thing are you saying! There is no need to ask! The answer is no!"
"I'm asking Rei Taylor"
"My words are Rei's words!"
"Now now, Claire-sama. Could you please show your dere when the mood is a little better"
"This is not the time to be joking around!"

After soothing Claire-sama who seemed to have more to say, I faced Arla.

"My answer is also no"
"Your reason? Ah, have you found the life of luxury after b.u.t.tering up to a n.o.ble to your liking?"
"No, that's not it"
"Then――"

I interrupted Arla who tried speaking with my hand and continued.

"My whole reason is Claire-sama. If Claire-sama supported the revolution, it'd be a different story"
"… Rei"

Claire-sama smiled with relief.
I want to pat her.

"I see… You'll regret it?"
"I will not"

Well then, we bid our farewells and left Resistance's hideout.

"… Ultimately, are we not still in the stalemate"
"Wha, what should we do…"

Claire-sama and Lily-sama look disheartened.

"It's nothing like that. Now that the location of the evidence is decided, there are many ways to do things"
"What will you do?"

That's――.

"The King's supreme authority"