Chapter 61
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The Male and Female Leads Broke Up - Episode 61
"Was I truly worth so little to you, Lady Belita?"
"...."
"I suppose I have no words if you saw me as someone capable of committing such brutish acts without hesitation."
"That's not necessary."
I answered Cain Maxius with crisp indifference, betraying not a shred of remorse despite the wounded, aggrieved expression etched across his features.
"If I have misunderstood you, Duke Maxius, I offer my apologies. I am truly sorry."
And I did not omit an emotionless apology either.
Even if I had misunderstood Cain Maxius, I felt not the slightest twinge of guilt toward him.
Rather, I would be grateful if he withdrew from me upon witnessing the glacial coldness in which I showed him not even a glimmer of acknowledgment.
I simply could not muster any emotion for this man.
"Then I shall take my leave."
"Should you ever require my assistance, please do not hesitate to tell me. I will help you with anything."
And yet this man insisted on offering me his aid.
He had been colder to Belita than anyone else in the world. This sudden transformation held no warmth for me whatsoever.
"...Even if I were accused of being the culprit, I doubt I would wish to accept your help, Duke Maxius, but I appreciate the sentiment."
Without so much as glancing at his face, I turned and departed the Study.
* * *
'Is it really not Cain Maxius?'
I returned to the Manor and pondered the matter carefully.
No matter how I examined it, my instincts pointed to Cain Maxius, yet his demeanor and actions suggested otherwise.
'Or perhaps he's simply a skilled actor?'
That was a possibility.
But the more I considered it, the less it felt like an act—which only deepened the mystery.
'Then who could it be?'
Who harbored such resentment toward me that they would orchestrate such a scheme?
No matter how hard I racked my brain, no one came to mind.
I knew precious few people in this place.
Which made the whole affair even more bewildering.
'In the original story....'
I could barely remember the original story anymore.
This was maddening.
Yet because this matter was far too crucial, I forced myself to excavate whatever memories I could.
'So that means....'
In the original story, when Belita planted a fire bomb in the carriage and detonated it, how was she revealed as the culprit?
'Ah, that's right.'
I remembered.
Belita was exposed as the perpetrator of the carriage incident because traces of her were discovered near the wreckage.
When members of the House of Fire wielded their power, they could cast magic directly at the scene, but they could also use objects as conduits.
When the target was far away, they could channel their power into an object near that target, allowing them to ignite or extinguish flames through it.
However, not every object could serve this purpose.
To channel power into an object, it had to remain in contact with the body of the person wielding the power for a certain duration so that the power could be shared.
Belita believed that by exploiting this method, she could commit the perfect crime.
After all, the fire of the Heitz Family consumed not only the target but everything around it, so she assumed the magical conduit would vanish without a trace.
Thus, she never anticipated that the object she had attached to the bomb would fail to burn completely, leaving behind fragments of evidence.
'That object was probably... a necklace, wasn't it?'
For the wealthy Belita, who could acquire nearly anything she desired, the necklace was nothing particularly special.
But unfortunately, it was a necklace crafted with meticulous care by a master artisan—one of a kind in the world.
And so, by tracing the partially burned necklace, Belita's guilt was ultimately revealed.
"Miss, it is time for dinner."
Mary's voice pulled me from my deep reverie.
"Understood. I'm coming."
My parents would have heard the news by now as well.
I descended to the Dining Hall, contemplating what I would tell them.
"Belita, do sit down."
"Yes."
I took my usual seat and looked across at my parents seated opposite me.
"You've heard about it too, haven't you, Mother and Father?"
"So, the Byon Duke's daughter was in a carriage accident?"
"Yes, they said it was caused by a fire bomb."
"Hmm."
Father cleared his throat, his displeasure evident.
"I heard you visited both House Byon and Maxius House during the day."
"Belita, did you see how the Byon Duke's daughter is doing?"
Mother asked with a face full of concern.
"No, the Byon Duke wouldn't permit it, so I wasn't able to meet the young lady."
"I see. I hope she's alright..."
"I also heard you attended the finals of the Equestrian Tournament today, and that the Byon Duke's son suddenly collapsed in the arena. Is that true?"
"Yes, that's right. He collapsed suddenly just a few steps before the finish line. But I heard the Byon Duke's son recovered quickly. And... no, never mind. Please, eat."
I had been about to tell them about Aiden collapsing in Ulita, but I held my tongue.
For some reason, it felt wrong to reveal Aiden's secret.
"So, what did the Byon Duke say? Did he suspect our family?"
True to his impatient nature, Father was beginning to grow agitated.
"He suspects me more than our family."
"What! The Byon Duke suspects you!"
"What reason did he give?"
"It seems to be because of the fire bomb. And apparently, I was the only outsider who knew that the Byon Duke's daughter was going out today."
"You were the only one who knew?"
"Yes, and considering what happened with the Maxius Duke as well, it's certainly enough reason for the Byon Duke to suspect me."
"Hmm, that can't be right!"
"Exactly. It's truly unfair."
"You... you believe in me?"
"Of course! You're our daughter. There's no way you could do such a thing!"
"Belita, if parents don't trust their own child, who will they trust?"
At their words, something swelled up inside me all at once.
Then my throat tightened.
My parents were trusting me unconditionally right now.
I didn't even need to assert my innocence or claim I hadn't done it.
They harbored not a shred of doubt, simply because I was their daughter.
"Yes, that's right. I absolutely didn't do it. I would never do anything that brings harm to my parents. I will never bring shame to your name."
My heart...
My heart feels warm and comforting.
To have someone on my side, someone who supports me, someone who loves me—it's such a precious happiness.
"Then why did you go to Maxius House?"
"Actually, I initially suspected the Maxius Duke as the mastermind behind this incident."
"The Maxius Duke?"
"Yes, the Byon Duke thinks I have a motive, but since I didn't do it, I thought the Maxius Duke would have even more reason to."
"That does seem likely."
I had already informed my parents about Cain, and they agreed with my assessment.
"So what did the Duke of Maxius say?"
"He naturally denied it, of course."
"Belita, do you still believe the Duke of Maxius committed such an act?"
"To be honest... I'm not entirely sure. Before meeting the Duke, I was certain, but seeing his demeanor, that certainty has begun to fade."
"If it wasn't him, then who on earth would do such a thing!"
"If I cannot find the culprit, I may end up bearing all the blame myself, so I wish to investigate this matter and find the perpetrator with my own hands."
"If you say it wasn't you, then it wasn't. Who would dare accuse the young lady of the Heitz Family of being a criminal! There's no need to concern yourself with such trivial matters."
"No, Father. This is not a simple matter. It's an incident where someone attempted to frame me. I absolutely must find that person and see them punished."
"But how do you expect to find the culprit?"
"It would be helpful to meet the young lady of House Byon, but it seems she hasn't regained consciousness yet, so that may be difficult. I plan to start by investigating the carriage involved in the incident and the surrounding area."
"Hmm. Very well. I shall attend the Council tomorrow and assess the situation. Duke Byon will certainly raise the matter then."
"Yes, I understand."
"Belita, you must not engage in anything dangerous. Do you understand?"
My mother's eyes were filled with concern for me.
"Yes, I will always be careful, Mother."
With that, my parents and I continued our meal.
* * *
After dinner, I returned to my room and rested.
However, I did not retire to bed.
I had somewhere to go tonight.
Though doubt lingered in my mind, I felt it would be best to verify matters with my own eyes.
'Certainty is always preferable.'
It would also serve me well in mounting a defense later.
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