IPTVI – Chapter 12

“Are you feeling unwell, Elena?”

I stared at Grand Duke Richard in disbelief. It was because the soup he claimed was delicious was absurdly sour. Just then, I thought I saw the corners of Madam Verona’s mouth twitch ever so slightly. Tilting my head in puzzlement, I pushed the thought aside.

“Oh, it’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

I couldn’t very well criticize the cooking of the woman who’d raised him. I rationalized that maybe we just had different tastes and tried another dish.

“……!”

An unbelievably bitter flavor assaulted my mouth. Fighting back tears, I forced myself to swallow. The astonishing part was that the Grand Duke, with a perfectly calm face, emptied every dish without a word of complaint.

‘Is his entire body numb from war injuries or something?’

In the end, I hardly ate a thing, and the meal concluded. Madam Verona volunteered to escort me to my room. As I took in the gloomy, shabby Grand Duchess bedroom with a heavy heart, a sharp laugh suddenly cut through the air behind me.

“Ha!”

Startled, I spun around and found the woman’s face twisted into a vicious expression, eyes boring into me.

“Madam…?”

Calling out to her cautiously, I instinctively took a step back, feeling a chill crawl up my spine. The fact that she had once served in the Imperial Palace flashed through my mind. Could it be…? Madam Verona’s mouth slowly curled into a crooked sneer.

Creeeak—.

Madam Verona locked the door from the inside and then began to step toward me, one slow stride at a time. I’d already noticed people from the Imperial Palace tailing me for some time now. Could Madam Verona have been bribed by the Crown Prince?

“Madam? What… is the meaning of this rude behavior?”

I scolded Madam Verona with my words while my eyes darted around, scanning the room for anything that could serve as a weapon. Could that rusty candlestick on the table actually protect me? Just then, Madam Verona’s hand moved behind her back. Reflexively, I snatched up the candlestick—only for Madam Verona to shove something in my face with a harsh crumple sound.

“This isn’t real, is it?”

It was a crumpled copy of the featured article from ‘Lady Aria.’ I blinked in confusion.

“Pardon…?”

“You—what have you done to our adorable Young Master Benny?”

“……?”

Wait. Was ‘adorable Young Master Benny’ supposed to be synonymous with ‘Grand Duke Benedict Richard’? My brow furrowed at the bizarre combination of words. There wasn’t a single shred of adorableness anywhere on that giant man.

“Our young master would never say such things!”

Under her trembling finger were the grotesquely romantic lines from the article, where the Grand Duke supposedly called me ‘my love’ and ‘my darling.’ I flinched, taking a full step back. As expected of the nanny who’d raised the Grand Duke, she’d seen right through the lies.

“Our young master has the warmest heart of anyone, but when it comes to expressing feelings, he’s desolate—like a block of ice!”

Was that supposed to be a compliment or an insult…? I furrowed my brows, trying to read Madam Verona’s intent, but her gaze suddenly turned fierce.

“You must have done something. With your pale face and sparkling blonde hair—you’re an evil spirit that bewitches and devours men, aren’t you?”

She shouted and flung some unidentified brown powder at me from her apron.

“Cough, cough!”

As the powder caught in my throat, a pungent scent of cinnamon stabbed up my nose. Meanwhile, an ornate silver bell was jangled wildly in Madam Verona’s hand.

“You’ll be vanquished soon enough. I slipped hawthorn berries and mistletoe powder into your food earlier!”

“…….”

I could only stand there and stare, dumbfounded by the fervent shamanic ritual unfolding before me. So that’s why the food had been so sour and bitter. Apparently, I’d been undergoing an exorcism since dinner.

The sheer harmlessness of her attack made my tension instantly drain away. Lazily, I brushed the cinnamon dust from my hair.

“Madam, unless you’re planning to have me for dessert, I’ll have to decline any more seasoning.”

Seeing me completely unscathed despite her best efforts, it was Madam Verona who plunged into panic.

“S-so… you’re saying our young master truly said such things in his right mind?”

Well, technically the Grand Duke hadn’t actually said those words himself, so she wasn’t wrong. But he had agreed to the contract in his full right mind. I gave her a serene smile.

“Of course. Just as the article says.”

Madam Verona’s hands clutched her apron so tightly they shook. Her face crumpled, and it seemed like she might burst into tears at any moment.

“A commoner is my young master’s wife! That handsome, brave, noble, and earnest man! If he hadn’t been ensnared in such a scandal, he could have married a woman who was actually worthy of him… uww-hwa-hwa.”

She burst into tears as if she’d be wronged, dabbing furiously at her eyes with her apron. I scratched my nose awkwardly. And who exactly resolved that scandal for him?

I then replied coolly.

“His Highness the Crown Prince also married a commoner. Apparently being attracted to commoners runs in the family.”

“H-how dare you even mention the Crown Princess…! Y-you… impudent…!”

“But Madam.”

I cut her off, eyes going sharply wide. At my sudden change of expression, Madam Verona flinched, her silver bell giving a frightened jingle.

“Even though I am of common birth, I am now the Grand Duchess Richard, and you are the head maid of the Grand Ducal Residence. Your behavior since entering this room has been highly inappropriate. Who exactly is being impudent here?”

“……!”

“You contaminated your master’s food, defiled her body, then added threats, insults, and humiliation.”

Realizing the reality of what she’d done, Madam Verona’s face went ashen and her entire body trembled. Listing off her exorcisms one by one made them sound like dire crimes.

I cast Madam Verona a sidelong glance. Enough time had passed since we entered the room; by my estimate, she’d soon find herself in even deeper trouble.

Knock, knock—!

Right on cue, the opening bars of her impending doom sounded at the door. Madam Verona froze. With no answer from within, an uncertain voice called out from the other side.

“Elena? Are you asleep?”

“……!”

It was Grand Duke Richard. As part of our ‘special couples training,’ I’d told him to come to my chambers every night for the time being. The real purpose was to discuss the murder investigation, but outwardly, we had to look like a newlywed couple in the midst of passion.

Madam Verona, unaware of this fact, stared at me, at a loss for what to do. I smiled meaningfully.

“Looks like His Grace is here to see me. Surely you understand what that means.”

Madam Verona’s face drained of color. From her perspective, she’d just been caught doing something terrible to the Grand Duchess. She clamped her eyes shut, hands wringing together. I reached over and unlatched the door myself.

“You’re here, darling?”

“Was Madam Verona still in your room? And… what is that smell?”

Entering the room, the Grand Duke wrinkled his brow at the acrid scent and cast a questioning look at Madam Verona. He seemed puzzled by why she was still lingering here. I quickly spoke up for her, since she couldn’t manage a word.

“Oh, it’s just cinnamon. Actually, Madam Verona was just—”

Even if ours was a contract relationship, on paper Elena was still Grand Duchess Richard. So no matter how much Madam Verona had been the Grand Duke’s nanny, if I pressed the issue, Grand Duke would have no choice but to punish her.

She looked ready to accept even the harshest sentence, hands clenched tight and body quivering.

I gave a sly smile and continued to the Grand Duke.

“Offering me cinnamon tea. Said it was good for restful sleep. Truly a thoughtful woman.”

“……!”

At that, Madam Verona’s head snapped up, confusion all over her face as she stared at me. I winked.

The reason I didn’t expose her right there was simple: keeping Madam Verona as an ally would prove far more useful than throwing her out. After all, there was no doubt she cared deeply for the Grand Duke. Even if she had done something outrageous to me, it also meant she was willing to do anything for the Grand Duke. That could be invaluable later.

“Since His Grace is here now, you may go, Madam.”

“Yes…yes, my lady.”

Madam Verona bowed and stammered in a daze, then hurried out.

The Grand Duke watched her retreating figure with a briefly puzzled look before turning his gaze back to me.

“So what exactly are we doing now?”

“Finding out who really killed Baron Hayden. The first step is narrowing down the suspects.”

I motioned for the Grand Duke to sit. He lowered himself into the sofa, giving me a wary stare.

“So far, the police only ever named one suspect—me.”

“That’s why we have to find them. Now, let’s start by going over what happened that day step by step.”

I spoke evenly, guiding his memory.

“That day, Baron Hayden was holding a banquet at his estate to celebrate a successful trade agreement with the Grace Kingdom. Your Grace was invited and attended.”

“Yes. Though I wasn’t keen on it.”

He nodded.

“When the Baron was found murdered, Your Grace was standing beside the body, covered in blood.”

“…….”

The Grand Duke’s face stiffened slightly at the memory. I slowly circled near the sofa, peppering him with questions.

“Why did the host, Baron Hayden, leave the banquet hall and go out to the garden in the middle of the event?”

“I’m not sure…”

His expression faltered at my question. Not missing the fleeting moment, I immediately threw out the next question.

“Alright, let me put it differently.”

I stopped pacing and looked him square in the eyes.

“Why were you, Your Grace, out in the garden away from the banquet hall, at the exact same time?”

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