Chapter 9
“Excuse me. We need to verify your identity for a moment.”
“…?”
Derek opened his eyes.
The door to the third-class carriage swung open, and a train staff member began moving through the crowd.
What now?
Nervously, Derek peeked out from under his cloak.
The staff member was checking everyone’s tickets and confirming their identities one by one.
Soon the staff member reached Derek and spoke to him.
“Sir, may I check your ticket and name tag? We are verifying identities.”
‘…Damn it, just my luck.’
They had already checked tickets when boarding.
Was this train so high-class that they also verified identities while passengers were seated?
Grumbling inwardly, Derek handed over his ticket and name tag, lowering his cloak only slightly. He knew very well that showing any sign of panic would make him more suspicious.
“Is that all?”
“…”
Derek had spoken curtly, as if asking the staff member to hurry up. But something about the man’s expression felt wrong.
He was staring at Derek, then suddenly smiled—like he had just found the person he was looking for.
What…?
Derek felt a surge of unease. That silent smile was unsettling.
Don’t tell me he knows who I am…
As Derek was wondering, the staff member looked around and gave a small signal to someone.
Derek followed the man’s gaze and narrowed his eyes.
In the distance stood a man staring right at him—a plain-clothed knight with a sword at his waist.
‘No way…’
Derek suddenly remembered a woman.
The woman who had stared at him at Risman Central Market.
The same woman who had thrown herself to the ground to shield a child from him.
And that man had been standing at her side the entire time.
‘It can’t be… She reported me?’
“Sir, I’m afraid I must ask you to come with me,” the staff member said politely, extending a hand.
“We received an anonymous tip. That there’s a thief hiding on this train.”
Damn it!
Derek’s heart dropped. He jumped up, shoving the staff member away, trying to run.
But—
“Argh!”
A sharp blow struck his shin like lightning.
“Apologies, sir,” the staff member said with a faint smile. “All employees of the Ramier Express are trained in martial arts.”
“Ugh…!”
Before Derek knew it, he was on his knees, the staff member pinning him firmly to the floor with a knee pressed into his shoulder.
“For situations just like this.”
“The criminal has been captured.”
I received the news exactly an hour after giving the order.
As expected, Deon’s work was flawless. He had discreetly called me out of my cabin to deliver the report, and I smiled at him.
“Good work. It couldn’t have been easy to search the entire third-class carriage with just a ticket, but you found him quickly.”
“He was lying there with his cloak pulled over his head. It was almost like he wanted to be caught.”
“What an idiot…”
Well, Derek was always a bit foolish in the novel. That’s why he had only ever played the role of a minor villain.
“So… do you know what will happen to Derek now?”
“He’s locked in an empty cabin for now. When the train reaches the next station, he will be handed over and likely imprisoned.”
“I see…”
So we had ended up capturing him quickly after all.
From what I knew, Derek would almost certainly be imprisoned. He wasn’t a first-time offender—he had been caught pickpocketing several times before.
Which meant… the chance meeting between Emily and the third male lead, Eric, wouldn’t happen.
‘I’ll have to think of another way to bring Emily and Eric together later…’
Forget it!
I’d figure that out when the time came.
At least I didn’t regret catching Derek.
“Thank you, Deon.”
I smiled at him.
“You’ve worked hard. You should rest now. I’ll be staying in my cabin for the rest of the day, so it’s safe.”
“Yes, my lady.”
Deon bowed and disappeared like a shadow.
When I returned to my cabin, I saw Finn asleep on the bed, and Harry dozing off in a chair while holding Finn’s hand.
Before Deon had arrived, I had also managed to find a doctor.
A skilled doctor had examined Finn and confirmed that, although the situation was serious, it wasn’t life-threatening.
He recommended letting Finn rest until he woke up.
“Now you just need to wake up, Finn.”
And it didn’t take long.
I sat opposite Harry, gently stroking Finn’s soft brown hair. After a while, Finn’s eyelids twitched and slowly opened.
“…Princess? Brother?”
Blinking in confusion at the unfamiliar bed, Finn quickly turned his gaze toward me.
Then, as if remembering what had happened, he let out a small breath.
“Finn. You’re awake.”
I smiled warmly at him, as if to welcome him back.
A luxurious first-class cabin, similar in size to mine.
A man looked up from the book he had been reading by the window.
“They caught the pickpocket?”
There had been another person secretly monitoring the situation.
Albert, the prince.
He asked again in disbelief as his knight, who had just brought him the news, stood before him.
“Yes, the criminal was on this train,” the knight confirmed.
“…I see.”
Albert already knew about the incident at Risman Harbor.
He had witnessed the commotion himself while disguised in a robe with his knight.
And, to his surprise, Lady Irene—me—had saved a commoner child.
It had been an unforgettable sight.
Albert had been keeping tabs on the matter discreetly, worried about any potential danger to me, a noble of the Heshite Empire.
But his knight’s report didn’t end there.
“Apparently, the one who caught the criminal was Lady Hartmann’s knight.”
“…What?”
Albert frowned.
Her knight?
“I think he secretly reported the thief to the staff.”
“That’s the same as saying Irene herself caught him.”
A knight never acts without his master’s permission.
Whether Deon had figured it out himself or I had, the fact remained: I had known the criminal was on this train.
“And the child is also in Irene’s cabin, isn’t he?”
“Yes. They found a doctor among the passengers, and the child has safely regained consciousness.”
“….”
“Everyone on the train is talking about Lady Hartmann. Many recovered their stolen belongings thanks to the capture of the thief.”
“I see…”
Albert’s expression grew complicated.
“…Very well. Thank you for bringing me the report. Keep me updated if you hear anything else.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The knight bowed and left.
Albert set his book down on the table, lost in thought.
