Episode 26

I instructed John to investigate Viscount Breguet. Why such a noble visited the ‘Nowood Back Alley’ filled with all sorts of dirty affairs, and what his previous actions were.

It was to speculate whether it could be related to Duke Adler’s motive for murder. He was definitely on bad terms with Duke Adler.

“The last time Viscount Breguet appeared in public was at Count Mosston’s young lady’s debutante ball.”

“Right. I also encountered him that day. It wasn’t a pleasant meeting, though.”

John raised an eyebrow at my words.

“Was the unpleasant meeting related to Duke Adler by any chance?”

“Hmm… It wasn’t necessarily related to the Duke… that man just got on my nerves.”

I frowned, recalling that day. It was a strangely unpleasant encounter that I couldn’t quite put into words.

“At the debutante ball, where the Viscount was last seen before his death, there was a hostile atmosphere between him and Duke Adler. Weren’t you aware?”

I widened my eyes at this new information.

After the Viscount took the Duke away, I was busy investigating the first victim and then got caught up in Blair’s affairs, so I never saw the two at the ballroom afterwards.

“Yeah… I don’t know much about after the Viscount took the Duke away. I left early too.”

Then John seemed to recall my disheveled appearance that night and clenched his mouth shut.

Then he spoke in a voice trying to sound nonchalant.

“Well, it doesn’t matter if you don’t know. Anyway, no one has seen the Viscount separately after that day. As you know, he met his demise afterward.”

“But why did a noble who rose through the ranks in the Imperial Army appear in Nowood?”

John’s face contorted with disgust at the mere thought of the reason.

According to John, Viscount Breguet did not have a clean reputation in the Empire.

After graduating from the Imperial Military Academy and joining the Imperial Army, he made significant achievements and was dispatched as a commander to Cortina, where he was notorious for his harsh treatment of the Cortinians.

Moreover, there were rumors that he recently engaged in bringing war orphans from Cortina to the Empire as slaves for profit.

“He was probably on his way to meet a human trafficking group based in Nowood.”

“Is the Empire turning a blind eye to such things?”

“Of course, it’s prohibited by law. But without evidence, you can’t punish a noble of the Empire. The Empire’s law is harsher on commoners.”

John’s jaw tightened stiffly as he finished speaking.

For some reason, there was trouble between the victim and Duke Adler this time too.

Could it be that, as I first thought, Duke Adler is the culprit?

However, Viscount Breguet was a man with many enemies everywhere, a man with a bad reputation, involved in all sorts of dirty deeds.

One cannot say for sure that the only person with a reason to kill him was the Duke.

I frowned, lost in thought. Then John, as if changing the subject, spoke in a bright voice.

“By the way, did you confirm his body at the morgue that day?”

“Yes, thanks to you.”

“How was it upon checking? Were there any peculiarities?”

John looked genuinely curious.

“Well, the thing is! Actually…”

I was about to reveal what I discovered but then closed my mouth shut.

The victim’s cause of death was not strangulation but poisoning.

I wasn’t sure whether it was okay to tell John that the cause of death had been tampered with.

John stared intently at my suddenly silent face.

“Did you find out anything else?”

“Ah, actually… well, I just visited the morgue, nothing more. Corpses are indeed scary. Eek!”

I shuddered deliberately, as if the mere thought of the corpse was horrifying.

There was no need yet to let him know that I had information different from the investigative agency.

*

Alone in the reception room after sending everyone away.

Lying on the sofa, I recalled the words John had said when informing me about the fifth case.

“That is… someone I know. The commander of Cortina, Viscount Breguet.”

It wasn’t just because Viscount Breguet was his senior from the military academy.

I pulled out a bundle of documents hidden in the drawing room table drawer. It was his trial record.

Defendant: John Watson

Charge: Assaulting a superior officer

Accused of assaulting his superior, Major Kensington

John’s story went like this.

As a military investigator, John had investigated Viscount Breguet and reported to his superior. Viscount Breguet was committing atrocities against the people of Cortina.

But Major Kensington, his superior, ordered John to cover up Breguet’s actions. John disobeyed, and Kensington pointed a gun at him.

Whether it was just to threaten or to actually use it, I don’t know.

Anyway, feeling threatened, John overpowered Major Kensington and was eventually tried for assaulting a superior officer.

And important information remaining in the trial record.

Key witness: Dominique von dem Breguet

Viscount Breguet was the one who gave testimony against John at the trial.

It was a situation that suggested John might hold a grudge against Viscount Breguet.

In other words, it wouldn’t be strange no matter who the culprit was.

Right now, no one can be completely trusted.

I raised one arm to cover my eyes, feeling complicated emotions.

*

Indeed, Emerse boasted a more glittering exterior than the shop Martha had booked last time.

“We have been waiting for you, Your Highness. It’s an honor to serve you.”

The owner of Emerse greeted my entourage very respectfully.

“Your Highness, Emerse was waiting for us!”

Martha whispered excitedly, trying to hide her excitement. The owner tried hard to make a good impression on me with his obsequious attitude.

“Duke Adler specially instructed us to take care of you. Let us show you the best dresses in our store.”

The owner’s boast was not an empty one. One after another, breathtakingly beautiful dresses appeared.

“My goodness, how much is all this?”

The dresses, adorned with small gems and obviously hand-embroidered by artisans, looked extraordinary even to John, who knew nothing about design.

No matter what was chosen, it was certain to strain the princess’s budget for the month.

Unwittingly, I swallowed hard.

“Martha, are we okay with our budget?”

“Your Highness, we can’t back out now that we’ve come this far. Even if it means deferring Sir Watson’s salary, we must buy this.”

Martha whispered to me in a voice as if concocting some cunning scheme. I glanced apologetically at John, who knew nothing of this.

The problem was that there were several fabulous dresses. Choosing one was difficult because they all looked beautiful.

The owner of Emerse made a fuss every time I came out in a different dress.

Teaming up with Martha, their compliments were so embarrassing that my face turned red.

John seemed somewhat displeased, but he never took his eyes off me when I came out in the dresses. It was quite a diligent attitude for an escort.

Eventually, by unanimous decision, an elegant chiffon dress adorned with hundreds of sparkling jewels at the hem was chosen.

“Your Highness, no one will be able to match you at the banquet with this dress!”

Martha was so excited she was practically snorting.

However, I trembled with apprehension waiting for the imminent reckoning of the receipt.

The dress I chose looked, at first glance, to be the most expensive in the store.

Just as I started regretting not accepting the Duke’s offer to simply buy it for me.

“Your Highness, how would you like to pay for this?”

The owner, with a sly smile, handed me the receipt.

I closed my eyes tightly as I took the receipt and then slowly opened one eye to look at the amount written on it.

Good heavens!

Unable to believe the number I was seeing, I raised my voice at the owner.

“Really, this dress is priced like this?”

The shop owner, with her hair neatly done up, nodded her head, smiling broadly.

“Of course, Your Highness.”

“Does it make sense to be this affordable?”

The price written on the receipt the owner handed me was ridiculously cheap. It was less than half the price of the dress I had bought last time.

Even though I am a novice in dress pricing, this seemed odd. The price of the jewels alone on the dress seemed like it would be double that of the last dress.

If something is sold for far less than its market value, one should suspect fraud. Someone is trying to scam me.

I narrowed my eyes at the owner.

“Oh, Your Highness. I am a merchant; surely I wouldn’t be doing business at a loss. This is the correct price, so please proceed with the payment.”

Despite my suspicious gaze, I went ahead and paid the price.

“Then, we’ll tailor it and send it to the Princess’s palace.”

Despite my doubtful look, the owner still wore a bright smile and saw us out.

As we were about to leave the dress shop with an uneasy feeling,

I heard the sound of raindrops falling.

An unexpected downpour had started. True to a summer rain, the rain was quite heavy.

“Oh my, it seems like a sudden shower.”

Martha grimaced. John looked up at the sky.

“Judging by the clouds, the rain won’t stop anytime soon.”

“What to do. We have to visit the general store we reserved next.”

Martha stamped her feet impatiently.

“If we call a carriage, we can endure the rain for a bit until we get there.”

I spoke nonchalantly, clutching the hem of my outing dress to avoid getting it wet in the rain.

John hurriedly stopped me, ready to run into the rain at any moment.

“We have to roam around all day, what if you catch a cold from the rain? Especially when your health is already frail.”

Unsure if it was a scolding or concern, I blinked and looked at John.

“I’ll get an umbrella, so please wait here quietly. I’ll call a carriage on my way.”

“But then you’ll be the one getting all wet in the rain, won’t you?”

Perhaps it was the water mist rising from the rain-soaked ground, but for a moment, John’s eyes seemed to flicker as they met mine.

Soon after, he slightly lifted the corners of his mouth.

“You might have forgotten, but I am a former soldier. So, running in this rain is nothing much.”

And then John disappeared swiftly, cutting through the rain that was so heavy it was hard to see ahead.

Whoosh-!

Martha and I stood in the place where John had left, listening to the pleasant sound of the rain, waiting for him. Martha suddenly spoke.

“Sir Watson can be rude at times, but he seems quite diligent.”

“Right. It seems like I chose a good assistant.”

I chuckled softly. Martha slightly furrowed her eyebrows.

“Still, he’s someone whose intentions are unclear, so don’t get too attached. The employment contract will end when you marry the Duke, anyway.”

“Yes, I know.”

I nodded agreeably. After all, John’s loyalty was not to me, but to the money I paid him.

“Anyway, was the price of the dress really right?”

Martha too seemed to have doubts about the dress’s price being much cheaper than expected. I stroked my chin in agreement.

“It definitely seems… strange. Surely, Duke Adler is up to something…”

“What are you implying I did?”

“Aah!”

Startled by the deep, slow voice piercing my ears, I let out a scream.

“D-Duke?”

When I swiftly turned around, Duke Adler was standing there behind me.