Episode 22

Eventually, I sent a letter asking for help to Duke Adler. And before long, the Duke appeared before me.

His disheveled hair, slightly wet shirt, and the jacket crumpled in his left hand caught my eye. It was evident at a glance that he had hurried here.

“What on earth… is this appearance?” 

Even he, who had always greeted me with proper manners, seemed to have forgotten his etiquette in front of the jail cell bars, bewildered as he was.

I grabbed the bars and approached the Duke, looking up at him with the most innocent eyes I could muster. 

“Duke, you came? Even your sweat-drenched appearance is charming.” 

I smiled at him naturally.

Duke Adler, looking at me with a dumbfounded face, couldn’t continue speaking and just opened and closed his mouth. 

“What… are you doing here right now?”

“As you can see…? I’m trapped in a detention cell.” 

I shrugged and showed my hands on both sides. The Duke sighed, brushing back his damp hair.

“A drunken disturbance… And that ridiculous hair, is it a wig?” 

“Sometimes a woman wants to deviate.” 

I winked at him mischievously.

Then, he seemed speechless at my brazen attitude, freezing like a statue in front of the cell bars.

I quickly added while the Duke was at a loss for words. 

“So, since you’re here, could you please get me out? Of course, keep it a secret that I’m a princess.”

*

“My goodness, isn’t that Duke Adler himself. What brings you here….” 

Investigator Lestrade bowed his head excessively as soon as he recognized Duke Adler. 

The Duke’s influence seemed significant even within the investigative agency. 

I watched the scene with a skewed face, arms crossed in annoyance.

‘The very person you’re looking for is the criminal.’ 

It was truly ironic that the real criminal was vouching for his fiancée’s identity, arrested for ‘drunken disturbance’, right in the middle of a murder investigation.

An ordinary person might be nervous about coming to the investigative agency that was investigating a murder they committed, but it seemed to be no big deal for a serial killer. 

The Duke, having regained his usual composed expression, signed a few documents and had me released from the detention cell.

“Huh, really. I thought she was just drunk and rambling about having dinner with the chief earlier… Seems like there was some truth to her words after all.” 

Lestrade looked at me and the Duke alternately with curious eyes.

Who am I, after all, that the great ‘Duke Adler’ himself would come to the investigative agency to vouch for me? It must have been curious, too. 

The Duke, known for his meticulousness and without a single scandal, what relationship could he have with such a wild woman?

I was worried that the Duke might reveal my true identity as Princess Charlotte, his fiancée, to protect his reputation. 

But, surprisingly, he seemed to be a man of loyalty.

“……” 

In the end, the Duke didn’t reveal my true identity, only signing the document that vouched for my identity.

When the Duke remained silent, the investigator also stopped prying into my identity. 

After all procedures were finished, we left. 

He seemed displeased about having to come to the detention center because of me, staying silent from the investigative agency onwards.

The situation was somewhat awkward, really. 

Our first meeting after parting ambiguously at the debutante ball was in a detention cell.

I tentatively spoke to him. 

“Thank you for today. I couldn’t think of anyone else to ask for help. After all, you are my fiancé, Duke.” 

I muttered awkwardly. 

The Duke’s jaw twitched slightly.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

Surprised by his following question, I stared at him. 

I didn’t expect to hear words of concern from him. I thought I’d be criticized again for my ‘true nature’…

“I’m, I’m fine.” 

“Then that’s good.” 

“I’m sorry for contacting you suddenly without a prior appointment. Take care then…” 

“Since my schedule is now clear, let’s go on a date today.”

I widened my eyes in surprise. 

It was an unexpected proposal. 

A date, with someone who just came out of a detention cell…?

However, I couldn’t miss this opportunity on a day like today when the suspect voluntarily offers to participate in the investigation. 

‘Ah…!’ 

I suddenly knew what to do. 

With the mindset of a fisherman hooking a fish, I sneakily threw the bait.

“Okay. Honestly, I’m starving to death. Let’s have lunch together.” 

“Sure. Do you have something in mind you want to eat? I’ll treat you.”

Good, he took the bait. I smiled innocently at the fish that bit my lure.

*

“The restaurant you want to go to is ‘Sholto,’ right?” 

“Yes, that’s right. It’s famous for its steaks. I usually cure hangovers with meat.”

The upscale steak restaurant ‘Sholto’. 

I blabbered anything just to take him to Sholto.

The head chef there was the second victim of the serial murders. 

And the scene of the crime was the restaurant itself. 

What could be the connection between the restaurant’s head chef and this man?

Thinking I might find a clue to the murder motive, I decided to go to an on-site investigation with the suspect. 

As expected, the Duke seemed uneasy at my suggestion. 

His temples throbbed, as if he was reluctant about something.

“…If that’s what you wish, let’s do so.” 

The Duke nodded reluctantly.

Despite it being mealtime, Sholto was quiet, unbecoming of its fame. 

Apparently, the terrible incident had scared away customers. 

Another chef, who had taken over for the deceased head chef, greeted us with a polite attitude.

“How would you like it cooked?” 

“Well done.” 

I grimaced at the Duke’s meat preference. 

It was not the proper respect for beef. Beef is supposed to have some blood to be tasty.

“I’ll have mine medium rare.” 

The Duke’s complexion darkened slightly at my order. 

With a look as if he was seeing a barbarian, I slyly said to him, “The true taste of steak is felt in the flesh where the blood flows!”

The Duke gave a bitter smile, as if troubled by my words. 

I tilted my head in confusion. What’s there to be so bitter about over how steak is cooked?

“Why did you drink in Norwood, disguised?” 

He skillfully changed the subject. I adeptly made an excuse I had thought up in advance.

“I heard there’s a famous bar in Norwood. But if a princess gets caught drinking heavily in back alleys, it would certainly stir gossip.”

“Why… did you drink so heavily?” 

The Duke’s eyes were somewhat subdued as he spoke.

“You know, sometimes life gets stressful? There are times when you feel troubled and wronged. So, I wanted to get drunk. It helps forget a little. Don’t you ever feel that way, Duke?”

The Duke gazed at me intently. His expression seemed to carry a sense of turmoil.

“I’ve never drunk enough to be intoxicated, so I wouldn’t know. I’ve never wanted to get drunk either.”

“I’m a bit odd, aren’t I? Anyway, I’m sorry for the trouble I caused.” 

I laughed sheepishly.

Since it was a ploy to enter the investigative agency, my excuse was frankly a bit flimsy. 

So, I wanted to quickly admit my mistake and move on from the topic.

Instead of sending a cold, contemptuous look to his drunken fiancée, the Duke quietly lowered his eyes. 

Then, he bit his pretty lips firmly.

“Was it so distressing that you wanted to get drunk… possibly… because of me?” 

“What?” 

The Duke trailed off unexpectedly. I frowned, not hearing him well.

“I regret what happened on the day of Lady Mosston’s debutante ball…” 

I forgot to respond and looked at him with surprised eyes. 

The word ‘regret’ coming from the Duke’s mouth.

“That day… I made a big mistake. I apologize for being rude to you, Princess, due to my oversight.” 

“Ah…”

Instead, I was the one left speechless and embarrassed. 

I didn’t expect to receive an apology from him. 

Blair also said her brother had never apologized in his life.

“And for helping Blair… although it’s late, thank you.” 

Having finished, he quietly turned his gaze out the window.

It seemed awkward for him to make eye contact with me, given the topic. 

I blinked my eyes a few times. 

Turning my head, I saw his white earlobes had turned red.

“Ah… that’s… since Lady Blair is your sister, and we are to become family, it’s only natural to help…”

Flustered by his unusual demeanor, I forgot my composure and started to ramble.

“Ahem. Family…” 

The Duke coughed artificially and then quickly gulped down water from the glass in front of him.

Soon, he hesitated, his lips twitching as if he wanted to say something. 

Eventually, he seemed to make up his mind and slowly opened his mouth.

“Actually, I didn’t want to come here.” 

“Why?”

It was unexpected. 

I didn’t anticipate him admitting to being uncomfortable with visiting ‘Sholto’ so readily.

“The last memory of visiting this restaurant isn’t a pleasant one.”

I widened my eyes and stared at him.

Surely he wasn’t about to divulge a ‘memory of murder’ here, was he? 

I calmed my fluttering heart and leaned in close to listen to him.