Chapter 63
There is always only one truth.
“Madam, you can’t tell purple from red, can you?”
“Yes, that’s true. So what? That doesn’t prove I’m the culprit.”
“Unfortunately, it does. We can prove that it was you who struggled upstairs.”
I looked up from the spot just below the stairs where the Countess had testified that her husband and his mistress had been fighting.
“I found petals of cloud chrysanthemums scattered on the red carpet there. The very flowers you had in your hair, Madam. But not a single one landed on the marble floor.”
“…….”
“Cloud chrysanthemum petals are purple, thin and delicate. In a dark corridor, especially on a carpet of a similar shade, it’s hard to distinguish them, so they weren’t cleaned up. They only appeared red to your eyes.”
The Countess bit her lip, then snorted and laughed mockingly.
“The cloud chrysanthemums weren’t enough for my original plan. I wanted to place them only in a few spots upstairs. But the maid dropped the flower basket, and since it was just before the guests arrived, I hurriedly helped clean it up. As Siena said, I just couldn’t pick up every petal because I couldn’t distinguish the colors properly.”
“Is that so?”
Of course, I didn’t expect the Countess to confess so easily.
Calmly, I sent two city guards to the spot upstairs where the struggle had taken place. Another guard was sent behind a pillar on the first floor.
“Now, let’s verify the scene according to your testimony, Madam. These two are stand-ins for Count Chéret and Miss Judith, and the one by the first-floor pillar is your double. Can you see the two upstairs from there?”
“No, I can’t see them.”
“Step forward until you can. Stop only when you can see them clearly.”
The guard didn’t stop until almost directly in front of the stairs.
I stood beside him, also facing the stairs.
“To see Count Chéret and Miss Judith, you would have had to step this far forward. If that were true, Miss Judith couldn’t have failed to notice you. And one more thing, Countess, please stand at the spot where the guard is now. What time is it?”
“……It’s hard to see because it’s dark. It’s later now, so naturally……”
“But it’s actually brighter than it was then.”
The mansion deliberately kept the interior lights dim to emphasize the garden lighting for the banquet.
After the murder, the city guards had turned on all the mansion’s lights for the investigation, so even though it was later at night, the interior was actually brighter.
“You testified that it was exactly 11:10, Madam. People rarely use ‘exactly’ unless they are certain. So you must have been upstairs, close enough to check the time precisely.”
“…….”
“There were letters and notes scattered in Count Chéret’s study between him and Miss Judith. Perhaps that was the evidence you presented when confronting the Count? He must have come out to the hallway for that reason.”
Everyone, even the butler who had glared at me suspiciously, now cast doubtful eyes toward the Countess.
Unable to endure those piercing stares, she finally lowered her head.
Her trembling hands clenched the folds of her dress tightly.
Even if the Countess wasn’t friendly toward me, she probably never intended to frame me as the culprit.
Because of the butler’s mistake, my dress had been swapped with Judith’s, and the Countess, unable to distinguish purple from red, had been shocked to see me arrested instead of Judith.
But since she had already killed her husband, she couldn’t back down and had to push her plan through, leading to the current situation.
“You understand, don’t you, Miss Siena?”
The Countess gave me a twisted smile.
Her expression was so grotesque that I flinched instinctively.
“Miss Siena, you know how it feels when the man you love looks at another woman.”
“…….”
I was momentarily speechless.
I had never expected that long-forgotten, embarrassing chapter of my past would be revealed openly—and in front of Damian, no less.
He stood behind me, silent, but even without seeing his face, the back of my head tingled.
Now that the case had been settled, I would need to face Damian while tidying up the scene—but I couldn’t summon the courage to turn around.
<MESSAGE>
“Well done, Siena. You’ve cleared yourself from suspicion and even caught the real culprit. Ha ha ha. I’ll accept your thanks in advance. I’m merely glad my advice was of help.”
“Shut up, Watson. You did nothing. Don’t butt in when you can’t even grasp the situation. You’ve got the status window all glittery and trembling as it is.”
<MESSAGE>
“Oh, Siena. Don’t be so sensitive. Experiences this thrilling and tense don’t come around every day. The embarrassment and shame are just fleeting moments. Haven’t you said yourself that you dislike the shallow, giggling type of romance in cafes, restaurants, and banquets? So I hope you enjoyed this one fully. If we get the chance, we shall meet again, Siena. Ha ha ha.”
“When did I ever……?”
Back when I wasn’t yet the hidden heroine, I had ranted like that while writing a review.
So, all the incredible missions I had been forced to complete were actually because of my own careless mouth.
<MISSION>
‘My name is Siena. I am a detective.’ Mission completed.
You are fully cleared of suspicion and have caught the true culprit.
You can now return home safely without the stigma of being Count Chéret’s mistress.
Whether you do or not.
I was about to close the status window that was teasing me so casually.
<MISSION>
“Are you okay? You were surprised that the mission had no reward, weren’t you? Your assistant Watson, who helped you solve the case excellently, has requested an emergency surprise reward. Check your inventory later!”
Ah, Watson. Finally, you’re useful.
People don’t act on punishment alone. Sometimes they need a carrot to gain motivation and energy. Watson seems to understand that point perfectly.
‘I really am simple-minded.’
The irritation I had felt earlier dissipated instantly, leaving me with a brief pang of self-consciousness—but I decided to ignore it.
If the game is going to toy with me, it’s better to at least get something out of it.
“Shall we head back, Siena?”
“Yes. I suppose we should. Where are my parents……”
“The Count and Countess have already left. Everyone else unrelated to the incident has been sent home.”
Ah, so they probably still think I’m a suspect.
With Count Chéret’s personality, he wouldn’t listen to me and would probably erupt in anger. Then the Countess would fuss, telling me I should have behaved better. Just imagining it gives me a headache.
“I’ll explain everything to the Count and Countess myself.”
“His Grace, you mean?”
“Yes. By now, the Count must be losing his temper, and the Countess would be anxious at his side. You’d be exhausted if you had to deal with them directly.”
Ah, he knows the Count and Countess as well as I do.
Honestly, I didn’t want to face them, but I was tempted when he offered to handle it.
Even though I resolved not to cause more trouble today, I didn’t feel like refusing.
“Alright, then. I’ll leave it to you. They won’t listen to me anyway.”
“Shall we go? I’ll take you.”
“……Why?”
“Without the Count and Countess, how will you get back? It’s late.”
That was true, but Damian’s courtesy felt unfamiliar. Even though it was late, I could have asked a city guard or hired a carriage, yet he offered to escort me personally.
Looking back, Damian had been different today.
His usual aristocratic, polite coldness, and the firm line of his lips when displeased, were absent.
He maintained just enough distance to avoid making me uncomfortable while quietly taking care of many things for me during the investigation.
“Uncomfortable?”
Even asking my preference felt unusual.
So I just stared, and he gave a faint, bittersweet smile.
“Hmm, I suppose so.”
“It’s uncomfortable, and Lily is watching.”
