Chapter 67
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The Male and Female Leads Broke Up - Episode 67
"If an opportunity ever comes where I can tell you something, I will tell Belita first."
"Me? First?"
She pointed at me with her finger, her eyes wide with surprise.
"Yes, I promise I will."
"First, you say? That makes me feel rather pleased."
There was no need for her to insist, but since she was determined to do so, I saw no reason to refuse. I simply remained silent.
And just as I had told her, my heart felt strangely ticklish, and a smile bloomed naturally across my face.
As we conversed, the carriage arrived in front of the Manor.
Aiden Byon leaped out of the carriage with a bound, and we parted ways like that.
* * *
The next day, Aiden Byon brought the knights to the Interrogation Room of the Manor used by the Investigation Team.
But there were only three, not four.
"Wasn't it said that four knights escorted the Byon Duke's daughter that day?"
I asked Aiden Byon with a puzzled expression.
"That's correct. However, the knight who was by my sister's side that day has taken leave. So I mentioned bringing that knight, but I brought the other knights first."
"Ah, then shall we interrogate these ones first?"
"Yes, let's do that."
"Very well."
We called the Byon Family knights one by one and questioned them in detail about the day of the incident.
Their answers were nearly identical.
They did not differ from what the Coachman had said yesterday.
And their account of chasing after the grotesque something that Adela had seen, only to find nothing in the vicinity, was also the same.
Ultimately, without obtaining the information we desired, the three of us returned to the conference room.
"Is there still no word from the knight who took leave?"
"No, there has been no contact yet."
The knight who had remained alone by Adela's side.
The very knight who had conveniently taken leave—I had a strong intuition that something was amiss with him.
"Let us call it a day and return."
After all, progress in solving the case would only come once the knight on leave returned.
So I decided to end things here for today.
As I was about to board the carriage, Aiden Byon stepped forward again, offering to escort me.
But I declined his kindness, saying I had somewhere to stop by briefly today.
His expression seemed somewhat downcast, but I acknowledged his words and promptly withdrew.
After parting with Aiden Byon, I made my way directly from the Imperial Villa to the Bridge that Adela had mentioned seeing something at.
The stone bridge stood at the entrance of the Forest Path where the carriage bombing incident had occurred.
The bridge, built to cross a modest stream, was just wide enough for a single carriage to pass through.
'There doesn't seem to be anything unusual here.'
I expanded my search radius and surveyed the surrounding area.
'Could what Adela saw have been a monster?'
But if monsters had infiltrated all the way to the Capital, the entire city should have already descended into chaos.
Then what had she witnessed?
Or perhaps....
Among the countless theories I had constructed thus far, there was one possibility that refused to leave my mind.
But there was no reason for it to be true....
'No, I shouldn't suspect her.'
Nothing was certain yet, and I had no desire to destroy the bond I had built with her up until now.
'First, I need to interrogate that Knight.'
There would be time to think about this after questioning him.
With that, I deliberately suppressed the suspicions rising within me and returned home.
* * *
"Belita, how are the Investigation Team matters progressing? Are you uncomfortable working alongside those two?"
"Well, it's been fine so far, Father. Both of them are quite competent in their work, so there's actually nothing inconvenient about it."
It was dinner time.
While eating, I was discussing the Investigation Team's progress with my parents.
"Have you found any clues to catch the perpetrator?"
"Not yet."
"What kind of wretch is this!"
Recalling how the culprit had attempted to frame the Heitz Family using incendiary devices, Father suddenly raised his voice mid-conversation.
"I, I will never forgive that scoundrel."
"Dear, please calm yourself and eat. Belita, is there anything difficult about working with the Investigation Team?"
"No, Mother. It's not difficult. Since I went as the Heitz Family's representative, I must do my part. And just like Father, I truly want to catch the perpetrator, so I want to do my best."
"That's good. If there's anything difficult, don't suffer alone like last time—tell us. Understood?"
"Yes, I will."
"But we must hurry to catch the perpetrator. The Northern Border has been acting strangely these days."
"Acting strangely?"
As Father's expression turned grave, my own face hardened in response.
"Yes, the monsters bordering the Northern Border have begun to move."
"Then...."
"We will likely be assembling a Monster Subjugation Force soon."
Since monsters rampage periodically every few years, the Empire has always dispatched a subjugation force centered around the three Duke Families.
Only the three Duke Families who possessed magic could match them in power.
Of course, ordinary knights without magic could still fight monsters.
But it took several of them just to barely kill one, and far too many died needlessly in the process.
That was why the three Duke Families, revered and deeply trusted by the Empire's people, had to fulfill their duties and responsibilities.
"Do you intend to lead the expedition yourself this time, Father?"
Until now, it had been natural for Father to go since I wasn't yet an adult.
But now I was an adult.
I had become eligible to join the Monster Subjugation Force.
"Hmm. What do you think?"
Father asked me with an unreadable gaze.
'Monsters.'
I had never actually seen one.
But from what I'd heard, they were enormously large and terrifying in appearance, with incredible strength.
'Can I actually fight monsters properly?'
A monumental challenge had befallen someone who had never known violence until now.
Yet I harbored no hesitation.
To properly lead the family as its future head, I had to demonstrate my abilities and strength.
"I will go."
"You?"
"Yes, I will go."
"Belita, you don't need to bear all the burdens in your father's stead just yet."
Mother, who always gazed at me with warm and tender eyes, stopped me again, her voice filled with concern.
"No, Mother. I'm not going reluctantly in Father's place. I want to go. As the young lady of the Heitz Family, as the future head, I've made this decision of my own will."
"That's my daughter!"
Father's hearty laughter rang out.
"But this time, I will go."
"Father?"
I looked up at him in surprise as he suddenly turned serious.
"I understand your resolve. But aren't you already investigating the carriage incident? So you must resolve the matter in the Capital. I will lead the monster subjugation this time."
"Father..."
"The carriage incident is a matter of the Heitz Family's honor. So you must keep your wits about you and resolve it properly. Do you understand, Belita?"
"...Yes, Father. I will uncover the culprit for the sake of the Heitz Family."
"We always believe in you. Remember that."
"Yes, thank you, Father and Mother."
* * *
The next morning, I deliberately left early for the Investigation Team conference room.
It was because of what Father had said the day before.
I wanted to quickly uncover the true culprit behind the carriage incident so that Father could depart for his expedition with peace of mind.
To do that, I needed to catch the perpetrator and close the case as soon as possible.
Of course, I also wanted to apprehend whoever had done this to Adela.
As I waited in the conference room for the two men to arrive, Cain Maxius inconveniently showed up first.
I rose from my seat briefly to greet him.
"Duke Maxius, you've arrived?"
"Lady Heitz, you came quite early."
"Yes."
Cain Maxius took a seat across from me.
'I shouldn't have come so early.'
I reproached myself for not thinking ahead—if I had known I'd be alone with Cain Maxius, I wouldn't have arrived so early.
"It's been a long time since we've been alone together."
As expected, Cain Maxius spoke as though he had been waiting for this moment.
"Is that so."
"Yes, it's the first time since the day you visited the Maxius House after such a long absence."
He was referring to the day I had gone to suspect him after hearing that Adela had been in a carriage accident.
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