Translator and Editor: Lea and Aki

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Chapter 10

Sect. 3. First suspect

Castle of Silenza in the Territory of Renbird. A place surrounded by a solemn and majestic atmosphere as it is inhabited by the ruler of the North.

“Dear God!”

However, a woman’s shrill voice rang out, which was completely out of sync with the atmosphere of the castle.

‘….Wha-What was that?’

Selena, who was busy with her meal, was surprised by the shrieking voice in the hall. That was definitely not a charming voice.

She instinctively realized.’I knew this was coming.’

She was also the first person to call him annoying because he was too dense. Kalcion, who was standing next to her, also frowned.

“Ah, get out of the way. I said I don’t need any guidance!”

A small woman pushed her way through the servants, running forward. She was dressed in a bright pink frill shining garment.

“Your Excellency! Your Excellency! Fionel came as soon as she could! She was so worried about you that she traveled all the way to Renbird!”

Glancing at the intruder, Kalcion tried to turn around.

‘I understand that you want to avoid her, but you shouldn’t.’

Selena snaked her arms around one of Kalcion’s arm, tightening her grip. It should be all right since she was acting as his lover. But, his face had a very unpleasant expression.

Meanwhile, the woman named Fionel hurried towards Kalcion. But she stopped as soon as her eyes fell on his arm being held by another person. She looked up at Kalcion before drifting her eyes to Selena, who was standing beside him.

‘Who the hell is this?!’

Fionel’s eyes said so. Towards Kalcion, her eyes were glistening like she was in a dream while towards Selena, they were as sharp as a knife.

This, obviously, was hostility.

‘First suspect.’

Selena imagined stamping the seal on Fionel’s forehead.

It has been a month since the Baron had died. More than ten days had passed since he had a funeral, offered consolation to the baroness, and returned from the unfinished case.

It normally took a whole week to reach Renbird from the capital by carriage. So, Fionel must have packed up and left the capital right away.

‘She said that she came here because she was worried. But now she’s looking at me like that. She’s crazy.’

Anybody could tell that she expected the castle to be empty. But now that there was a wild leech standing next to Kalcion, so it definitely didn’t look nice to her.

‘How can she be so transparent?’

The baron, who was planning to get his daughter married to Kalcion, was killed. It was not yet proved whether he was murdered or committed suicide though.

However, the danger still remained.

‘What if someone is determined to kill everyone who decides to marry him?’

But for now, Fionel was carrying his life like a balloon. This man was hers. She just couldn’t wait to talk to him! It seemed like she was screaming inwardly.

There were only two reasons why the baron could act like this even though there was a record of him.

A fool who couldn’t even think that it could be his end.

‘…..He was definitely killed.’

Selena emphasized the last word.

It seemed like her eyes were armed with thorns. Fionel was staring at Selena piercingly before she shifted her gaze to Kalcion and smiled affectionately.

“I don’t remember asking you to visit.”

But Fionel didn’t seem to be discouraged by his cold words. Rather, she smiled as fresh as a blooming flower.

“Fionel is here to comfort you, Your Excellency. She knew you wouldn’t have enough time to invite anyone. This heart, she’s sure you would not understand.”

“I’m too busy to notice that.”

More precisely, he was busy because he was interrupted during his meal. So, he began to walk back towards his room where the food was served. Selena, too, followed him.

“Oh, you’re so evil! Wow!”

Fionel’s whining followed. Although she almost ran to keep up with his pace, she failed.

“You walk so fast…huff, huff…it’s hard for Fionel to keep up.”

Fionel was insane. She did not even lift a finger to being ignored by him.

Selena didn’t forget to roll her tongue, even when she was struggling herself.

“Your Excellency, if you’re not busy, can we have some tea….”

“I’m sorry, but as you can see, I’m very busy.”

Kalcion began to walk faster. It seemed like he was trying to escape from her.

‘I can’t do this. How can I tag along with him when he’s so fast?’

Clasping her arms more tightly, she glanced at Fionel. It was an easy and childish psychological battle. She was much closer to Kalcion than Fionel.

Fionel did not budge at Kalcion’s cold response, but was blazing with fire at Selena’s stare.

As she was shuddering, Fionel shouted in a shrill voice. It seemed like she was holding back what she wanted to ask.

“Who is she?!”

“I picked her up on the way.”

“…..”

That was a great answer. Of course, it was ironic. It would have been easier if he’d just told her that she was a woman he was hooked on.

‘You’re not expecting anything else, are you?’

Before burying her face on his arm, Selena sighed inwardly while smiling on the outside as if she was ashamed.

To Fionel’s surprise, however, his insincere reply also became a fuel for her to burn in the inside.

“S-Seriously, Fionel has come a long way from the Capital! She came running through the long and rough road, thinking only of you.”

Fionel was very talkative. She could fit finely beside Kalcion, who was speechless all the time.

The aristocratic world, usually portrayed in novels and movies, was an elegant platform for a battle between the protagonists and the villains, where they could throw a fastball at each other, and where one could go rampant over the other.

Usually, the protagonists always had an extra fastball (defense)..….

“And she came from a land farther away from that.”

Kalcion’s ironified fastball was much stronger……She really did cross a whole dimension to get here.

“T-That doesn’t mean that Fionel wouldn’t feel tired.”

“……”

This time, Kalcion went silent. Even if the fastball he threw was strong, it was not easy to hit the right spot.

“Fionel has been riding a wagon for a long time. Her back is hurting, she feels like she can’t stand anymore….”

Her whining voice immediately changed into a charming one. The cuteness created by her so-called honest expression was strong.

It was always the best strategy to use your charms as your strength. She knew that much about herself, even if she was ignored most of the time. She was pretending to be innocent and stupid.

“Fionel wants you to escort her too, Your Excellency …..”

A way of pretending to have no brain and consider the other person’s position in a naive way. It was a classic talent, but surprisingly it always worked well.

“She’s been around you all this time. Can you leave her and support Fionel?”

She opened her eyes widely like a rabbit and repeatedly fluttered her eyelashes. Yeah, to be honest, she seemed cute.

“No, thank you.”

Fortunately, Kalcion was not bewitched by her cuteness.

“Uh…why not?”

‘Why is he denying her? Now, she’d be more curious about it.’

He was silent for a moment as he did not expect Fionel to ask him the reason.

So far, he couldn’t make out any other excuses.

“Your Excellency? Then, can Fionel lean on your arm?”

But Selena couldn’t let go of Kalcion. She crept up her head and peeped at Fionel, pretending to be frightened. Simultaneously she was met with Fionel’s violent look.

‘You! Get off of him right now!’

A Selena who was pretty on the outside, but harsh on the inside, smirked.

‘Do you think you’re the only one who has that kind of charm?’

A person gets angry whenever he or she is subjected to his or her own strategy.

“No….”

She buried her face deeply into one side of his chest.

She was an excellent actor. Even when she was young, she could master difficult acts on her own.

“….!”

Fionel’s eyes flashed upon encountering the same skill as hers.

‘Why, are you amazed? You thought you were the only one who could act cute?’

Selena took it to another level, ‘purring’ like a cat and rubbing her cheeks on his arm.

“Selena and I are hungry. We have to rest too. It has been quite a difficult day for her.”

“!”

Fionel’s trembling fists gripped her dress. Selena peeped at her face before returning to her position as if Fionel was invisible.

She was not confident. She did not know if she was going to lose.

However, there were not only two of them. She felt a light pressure on her shoulder.

‘…..Ah.’

Selena was so focused on the psychological battle with Fionel that she had almost forgotten that Kalcion was still present there.

The Duke who had observed all their expressions. How painful it must have been.

‘Just hang in there a little bit. Let’s win this one first.’

Selena raised her head, determined. She had said she did not want to argue with anyone crazy. But it was better to win now even if she was acting crazy.

“Oh, come on, Duke. Selena is tired, let’s go.”

Selena once again put her face on Kalcion’s chest. He reflexively gripped her shoulders so tightly that she thought they were going to be crushed.

One more word and her mind will be torn to pieces.

She felt his threat through his touch.

Still, she couldn’t back down. She waited for Fionel’s response.

“My Lord.”

Fionel changed her way of addressing him. She seemed to think that she was better than Selena, to whom Kalcion was acting indifferently.

Kalcion looked back at Fionel, who was tired of all this.

“Why?”

“Fionel….”

She acted like her legs were trembling as if they were hurting. Her features immediately changed. Round eyes, plump white cheeks, and cheery-like lips. She tried to look as innocent as possible.

“Hmm, you….”

It was clear that the mere sight of her suffering would work.

However, the problem lies somewhere else.

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