Gleaming silver hair, green eyes, a smile curved like a crescent moon.
If the male lead was a cold, handsome type with a touch of prettiness mixed in, this one carried the air of a mature, effortlessly charming beauty instead.
More than anything, the sheer delight radiating off his face — like the whole world was endlessly entertaining — sealed it.
That’s the mastermind. Duke of house Crowe.
The ducal house of Crowe had produced High Priests and holy knights for the Temple, generation after generation.
The textbook villain archetype: smiling on the surface, seething with black-hearted ambition underneath.
Being the oldest of all the male leads probably explained how skilled he was at toying with people, too.
Even reading the original, this guy’s ability to manipulate people always scared me.
He was also the one who’d split the Black Spoon Division off from what should have been a branch of the Mage Knights’ Division.
All so he could hunt down black magic artifacts more efficiently himself.
And apparently, once you reached mastermind status, showing up a little late to a room full of high officials was perfectly acceptable.
The Prime Minister pressed a hand to her head, groaning.
“Lord Crowe. Late again, are we.”
“My apologies, Your Excellency. Confirming something I found related to this incident took some time.”
“And what would that be.”
“Take a look at this core.”
The mastermind opened his palm, and a white stone materialized within it.
Huh? That’s the core I pulled out.
After the incident ended, I’d handed the stone over to the male lead.
The mastermind lifted the core so everyone in the room could see it.
Being white, the black crescent-moon symbol at its center stood out sharply, clear as day.
“This appears to be connected to the recent string of kidnappings.”
Instantly, an anxious murmur rippled through the room.
Even I felt my heart drop at that word.
Kidnappings…?
I had a vague memory of reading about this part.
The mastermind continued his explanation.
“They’ve occurred throughout the capital and across the empire, so it stands to reason Crosswell was a victim here as well.”
“Hm.”
“Which also means whoever’s behind this has grown strong enough to breach the palace’s own wards.”
That statement set off a flurry of urgent discussion among the officials.
Eventually, a conclusion emerged.
“…Lord Crowe. In that case, we’ll provide additional support to your department for resolving this matter.”
“Thank you, Your Excellency.”
“Root out whoever’s behind this as quickly as possible.”
“We’ll do our best to meet your expectations.”
It seemed the meeting had ultimately concluded with the Black Spoon Division gaining more resources.
Hm. Feels like all we did was do the mastermind a favor.
Got some justice served along the way too, so I suppose I can’t complain too much.
Before I left the chamber, I glanced sideways at Allison being escorted out.
Security officers from the Mage Knights’ Division had her firmly by the arms.
“L— let go of me! You can’t do this to me!”
“Come quietly, Kafres.”
“I’ve worked at this palace for twenty years! Over something this small—”
“You’re being taken in on suspicion of attempted assault against a fellow official.”
“…!”
Why did that surprise her so much?
She’d gotten away with the verbal abuse thanks to some smooth talking, but shoving me to save herself deserved consequences too.
As I was heading out, the mastermind spotted me and waved.
“Miss Rowell.”
“Oh — hello, sir.”
“A moment, if you would. Over here.”
“What’s this about…?”
“I hear you pulled that core out with your own two hands.”
“…!”
Ah. So he was going to ask about it after all.
The male lead and Seamus had both given me a “not my business” look and let it slide.
But of course the mastermind wouldn’t.
Meeting his eyes, I couldn’t even muster an excuse.
Then the mastermind broke into a bright, cheerful grin.
“Ha ha!”
Somehow his laughter was even more chilling than his silence had been.
He studied me at his leisure, murmuring.
“I wonder how our interviewers missed a talent like this…”
“I’m not sure what you—”
“Miss Rowell. You should come to the Black Spoon Division.”
“What?”
“Why not? Isn’t it the obvious choice?”
The mastermind gazed at my face and smiled, prettily.
It was genuinely astonishing that a person could be this terrifying and this beautiful at the same time.
And why does he keep smiling like that?
He was outright grinning now, openly.
Well — whatever the tone, the words were about to be a firm, unambiguous no.
“I’m honored you think so highly of me, Minister Crowe. But I’ve already received an offer from another department—”
“Mm, I’ll get that cancelled for you.”
“What?”
“Ah. Lord Wordsworth.”
The mastermind turned and beamed at the person standing behind me.
Standing there was my one hope in this world — Chief Theodore.
The Chief, usually so gentle, looked visibly put out the moment he laid eyes on the mastermind.
“What exactly do you think you’re doing, Lord Crowe?”
“Transferring Miss Rowell directly to our department.”
“What— she’s already agreed to join us!”
“Cancel it.”
“…What?”
The mastermind shut Theodore down, coolly, without missing a beat.
Right. The taste of power really is sweet and thrilling—no, wait, that’s not the point right now!
The Chief’s gentle face twisted into something close to fury.
“This is an overreach of authority, Lord Crowe!”
“Yes. I’m aware it’s an overreach. I’m doing it anyway.”
Every eye nearby had turned toward us, and my skin prickled under the attention.
More than that, I was desperate — genuinely, urgently desperate.
If I actually end up in the Black Spoon Division, what then?!
I wanted a comfortable, salary-collecting life.
Not gunfire flying over my head and a coworker nearly dying.
I wanted an ordinary, boring desk job!
“Um, Minister Crowe?”
“Hm?”
“Instead of me — wouldn’t it make more sense to recruit someone who actually wants to work in your department?”
I was so flustered I couldn’t even summon the polished conversational skills I’d built over years of office life.
The mastermind looked down at me and smiled, easy and unbothered.
“Come to think of it, Miss Crosswell did say she wanted to join us.”
“Yes!”
“I wonder if she still feels that way now…”
“She will! I’m certain of it. No doubt about it.”
“Is that so…”
The mastermind turned and started walking off in the other direction, nodding toward me as he went.
His smile somehow managed to look even more insufferable than before.
“Then shall we go confirm that, together?”
The palace infirmary sat close to the Magical Ingredients Research Lab.
Julianna’s face was pale, but thankfully her body was unharmed.
But there was no time to celebrate our reunion — the mastermind was already crossing the room toward Julianna.
“Hello, Miss Crosswell. Sorry for troubling you so many times.”
“N— not at all!”
“You underwent a psychological evaluation when you sat the official exam. Your black magic exposure was checked then too.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“You came back completely clean at the time, so you’ll be spared any punishment. The abuse allegations were also confirmed.”
At that, Julianna’s eyes went wide.
But the mastermind tilted his head slightly and kept going.
“That said, going all the way to a black magic runaway surge suggests you’re extremely vulnerable to psychological attacks.”
“Ah…”
“The palace has warding magic in place, which kept the damage from being worse.”
“…”
“But if you’re this vulnerable to mental strain, the risk of dying on the job in the Black Spoon Division doubles.”
“I— I’m not afraid of something like that—”
“And we can’t rule out the possibility of others getting caught in the blast either.”
Julianna flinched and glanced sideways at me.
“Do you still want to apply to our department, given all that?”
“…”
“Our department happens to be in something of a crisis state right now, as it turns out.”
Julianna’s face went even whiter.
Watching her, I felt my own foot start tapping anxiously.
Mastermind! Why are you talking to her like that!
Scare her half to death first and then ask if she still wants to apply — who’s going to say yes to that?
But she’s the heroine. Surely she won’t waver…?
But Julianna lowered her head instead.
Trembling, from head to toe.
“I’m… withdrawing my application to the Black Spoon Division.”
My mind went completely blank.
What is happening right now.
The heroine just… gave up on the Black Spoon Division?
“I’m sorry. Given what you’ve said, I don’t think I’m suited for that department after all…”
“I see.”
Even for a mastermind, shouldn’t the reaction have been “how interesting” rather than just “I see”?
Listening to this, I felt like I might actually lose it.
No! Julianna is supposed to be the growth-arc heroine!
She was supposed to grow alongside everyone else and fall in love along the way — why was he being this impatient, this cold?
Wait. If the heroine drops out, what happens to Seamus?!
This guy had only joined the Black Spoon Division because of his rivalry with the heroine.
But if she wasn’t going to be there, what would happen to him?
The mastermind turned to look at Seamus, who’d followed along quietly behind us.
“Finley. What about you? Any interest in this line of work?”
“…Yes. I’d like to join the Black Spoon Division.”
“Well, that’s a relief.”
I could genuinely lose my mind right now.
I stared at Seamus, aghast.
“Why on earth would you—? Why are you applying?”
“Because you’re going to be in the Black Spoon Division.”
“…Huh?”
