Ch 6.10
I looked at Eden and then shifted my gaze toward Kane.
However, his eyes were the same as Eden’s.
He was looking at me with eyes that held not a hint of doubt.
“What do the two of you think?”
So, I was curious.
I asked the two of them because I wondered why they were looking at me that way, and how they could believe in me.
“Various circumstances suggest that the culprit is me and my family; I am curious to know what you think about this.”
“Circumstances are merely circumstances; no decisive evidence has been found.
Therefore, it is not over yet.”
Eden answered in a tone full of conviction.
“That is correct. First, we must mobilize all available personnel to find that knight. It is certain that the knight named Owen knows something.”
Kane was also telling me that it wasn’t the end yet.
“……Thank you for saying that. I don’t know how to express my gratitude. I, too, swear to the two of you right here. I am
absolutely not the culprit. I will never disappoint the two of you who have believed in me.”
At my solemn and grave words, the two men nodded simultaneously.
“Then, first of all, let’s send knights to all the city gates to search for the knight named Owen Est.”
I immediately proposed a plan to capture the knight.
“That would be best.”
“And we must send the investigation team’s personnel throughout the capital to focus on the search for Owen Est.”
My goal of catching the culprit, which was already firm, became even more desperate.
Furthermore, the feeling that the culprit’s target was not Adela, but me and the House of Hates, grew stronger.
Perhaps because of that, I vied to put forward various opinions more actively than before.
“From now on, let’s move in separate groups rather than moving together. I will go to the east of the capital, so Eden, why don’t you go north, and Duke, you go west?”
“Very well.”
“Let’s do that.”
“Yes, then let’s move quickly.”
Once the plan was decided, we immediately took the investigation team and split off in all directions.
And I began to search from the east of the capital together with those I had brought.
“Go to the House of Hates and deliver this letter to the Duke.”
“Yes, understood.”
Before leaving the meeting room, I had hurriedly written a letter to my father requesting the family’s knighthood.
To find someone, the more people there were, the more advantageous it was.
Therefore, I intended to use every means at my disposal.
That was the way to escape from this wretched frame-up as quickly as possible.
It felt as though I had searched the capital for several days and nights like that.
However, no matter how much I searched even the outskirts with a fine-tooth comb, I could not find a single hair of Owen Est.
The search parties sent to the city gates also had no results.
Then, one day.
We changed our thinking and tracked him by delving back inside.
Eventually, we were able to find the place where the knight was staying, and it was a situation where the saying “it is darkest under the lamp” fit perfectly.
That knight, Owen Est, was residing in an inn in the busy district located at the very center of the capital.
Judging that he would have fled far away had been a complete miscalculation.
Thanks to Eden, who suggested changing the direction of the search, we were able to find Owen Est.
And at the same time as capturing Owen Est, I received news that Adela had awakened from her long sleep.
“Eden.”
I greeted Eden as he dismounted from his horse.
He approached my side.
“Belita, you arrived early today as well.”
“Since we’ve caught the suspect, we must hurry.”
“That is correct. Let’s head inside quickly.”
“Yes.”
We walked toward the interrogation room to question Owen Est.
Today, it was just the two of us.
Kane had sent word in advance that he would be late because of business at the Imperial Palace today.
However, we judged that it would no longer be possible for him to work here with us.
It was only natural.
In fact, I thought the timing was quite late.
This was because a Duke of this country had a great deal of work to do.
I knew this because I had observed my father by his side.
Despite that, Kane had devoted a considerable amount of time to the investigation team for a while.
But now, that too had reached its limit, and he had finally returned to his original position.
“How is Adela?”
I asked Eden about Adela’s well-being.
“She is currently resting.”
“Is that so? Still, I’m glad she woke up. By the way, would it be alright if I went to visit her? Last time, Duke Bayon wouldn’t let me see Adela at all, so I wonder if I’ll be able to go……”
I remembered going to see Adela after her accident and being kicked out after hearing all sorts of things from Duke Bayon.
So, I was worried about what to do if I couldn’t visit her this time either.
“If my sister permits it, it will be fine.”
“Ah, really? Then could you tell Adela that I want to visit her soon?”
“I will do that.”
“Thank you.”
I felt good at the thought of seeing Adela
soon.
Thinking that everything would work out well from now on—catching the knight, Adela waking up—I was just about to enter the interrogation room.
“Young Master Bayon!”
A knight approached, calling out to Eden.
“What is it?”
“Duke Bayon is looking for the Young Master urgently.”
“Looking for me?”
“Yes, he said to come quickly.”
When my eyes met Eden’s, I nodded slightly.
“Go ahead.”
“But……”
“I can handle an interrogation by myself. So, go ahead.”
“I will return shortly.”
With that, Eden, who had just arrived, departed again quickly.
I watched Eden’s retreating figure, and once he disappeared, I withdrew my gaze and entered the interrogation room.
And immediately, I could see Owen Est, crouching in a corner with his whole body bound.
“Bring Owen Est over.”
At my words, one of the knights from the investigation team made Owen Est kneel before me.
He was trembling all over with his head hung low.
“Raise your head.”
Owen Est slowly raised his head.
Just as everyone I had encountered here had done, he too was looking at me with eyes full of dread and terror.
“Are you Owen Est?”
“……Y-yes. Th-that…… is correct.”
“You surely remember the fact that you
guarded Lady Adela Bayon on the day of the last carriage accident, don’t you?”
“Yes, yes…… I remember.”
“Relate the situation at that time in detail.”
“Pardon? Pl-please wait a moment. I w-will try to r-recall the memory somehow.”
Owen Est frowned for a moment and then began to recount what happened then, one by one.
And his testimony matched that of the coachman and the other knights.
“So, it is correct that you were by the Lady’s side when she screamed?”
“Yes, yes. That is correct.”
“Good. Now I shall ask again. Why did you run away? Why did you say you were going on leave and not return?”
“Pardon? Th-that is……”
In response to my question, I clearly saw bewilderment and anxiety clouding his eyes.
“You must answer truthfully.”
I immediately continued speaking to pressure him further.
“If you tell a lie, you will never leave this place alive.”
“S-save me!”
“As long as you tell the truth, you will not die.”
“I— I……”
Despite my best efforts to coax him, Owen Est’s face turned deathly pale.
Furthermore, seeing his body shaking, it looked difficult for him even to remain kneeling properly.
It was then.
Thump—!
In the end, he could not steady his body and collapsed sideways.
However, as he fell, something glittering between the collar of his shirt appeared and then vanished.
‘Could it be…….’
Though doubting my eyes, the thought that
I must check dominated my mind.
I stood up from my chair and approached Owen Est.
“Wh-why are you doing this?”
I spoke while gesturing to a knight standing nearby.
“Stand this man up.”
“Yes, understood.”
As the knight pulled Owen Est’s body up, my eye level was aligned exactly near his neck.
“Why…… are you doing this.”
Whether he realized where I was looking or not, Owen’s gaze was shaking uncontrollably.
I glanced at his eyes once and then lowered my gaze again to stare around his neck.
And immediately, I pulled the shirt collar aside slightly.
‘Why is this…….’
Around Owen Est’s neck hung a necklace that, while slightly different in shape, was made of a familiar material.
“What is this necklace?”
I already had an inkling of what it was, but I asked him for confirmation regardless.
“It’s j-just a necklace I wear.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, yes.”
However, he lied to me, perhaps thinking I wouldn’t know anything.
“Just a necklace……”
Of course, to look at it, it was no different from any other necklace.
However, I had already seen a necklace similar to this one.
Therefore, I knew that what Owen Est was wearing was not just an ordinary necklace.
“I told you that if you lied, you wouldn’t leave here alive; it seems my words mean nothing to you.”
“No, no! I— I…… Ah, ugh!”
It was the moment Owen Est was about to say something.
Suddenly, his face twisted intensely, and he began to roll around on the floor.
“Uugh! Ugh!”
