Chapter 73

Episode 73

Time passed in a haze, blurring the lines between dream and reality.

I woke to the harsh sunlight streaming through the window. Fighting off a lingering hangover, I sat up to find Selendis drawing back the curtains, her expression laced with concern.

“…Did I miss your knocks again?”

“Yes, Master. I called out several times, but you didn’t respond. Forgive my intrusion.”

This had happened recently. She must have come to wake me up because I had overslept.

“Intrusion? I’m grateful. But… did the Lady happen to visit last night?”

“I wouldn’t know, Master. I was training with the knights until late last night. Should I ask Sir Jericho?”

“No, it’s not important.”

A wave of nausea, hot and bitter, surged through me. I barely managed to suppress it. Selendis rushed to my side, gently rubbing my back.

“Master, are you alright? Should I bring you some honey water?”

“No, just get me some perfume. I’ve missed my morning greetings to the Lady.”

“I’ve already prepared it.”

I changed clothes and sprayed the perfume Selendis had provided. She left the bottle behind, suggesting I continue using it if I liked the scent.

For a moment, I wondered if it was a gift or a subtle hint to cut back on the alcohol.

After finishing my preparations, I knocked on the Lady’s door for my morning greetings.

She had finished breakfast and was enjoying a cup of tea.

“Good morning, my Lady.”

“Welcome, Aubrey. It is a good morning. The weather is lovely.”

Lucia’s gaze was fixed on the garden outside the window, bathed in the brilliant spring sunlight.

“Did you have a comfortable night?”

“Perfectly.”

Seeing her face brought back the memory of my dream. The sweet scent and soft lips lingered in my mind.

“Are you feeling unwell? Your face is a bit flushed. Do you have a cold?”

“I’m fine. I had a bit too much to drink last night.”

“You seem to be drinking a lot lately.”

I wanted to ask if she had visited my room last night, but I held back. I was still reeling from the mental shock of yesterday’s revelation.

‘Blood Revenge’ this, ‘Blood Revenge’ that…

“I have good news. The church has finished their investigation and will be leaving today. It seems Duke Suleiman pulled some strings for us. The remaining investigation will be handled by the Caribe branch. You’ve worked hard, Aubrey.”

“I was just doing my duty, my Lady. We can finally return to the Dukedom.”

“Let’s leave tomorrow. Is that alright?”

“Of course. I’ll make the necessary arrangements.”

The Lady set down her teacup and leaned back in her chair. She gazed at the distant sky, her eyes filled with a faraway look.

“It’s nice to leave the territory sometimes and meet new people. It’s been an eventful and enjoyable trip.”

In the end, I couldn’t uncover the Lady’s true identity. My carefully planned attack had missed its mark.

But I hadn’t given up.

This experience had taught me one thing: I couldn’t expose her with my own deductions alone.

I had to wait for the right opportunity.

And the next day, we left the Caribe villa.

No monsters, demonic beasts, or bandits dared to attack us. But Lady Lucia herself was the source of my unease.

“My Lady, aren’t we rushing things a bit? There are no immediate dangers, but it would be wise to rest properly.”

She wanted to camp outdoors. She claimed that stopping at a village would disrupt the villagers’ peace.

It was absurd, of course.

We had been attacked by monsters and a demonic beast twice, so the knights were naturally opposed to the idea. The Lady’s response silenced them all.

“Do you lack confidence in your ability to protect me? Are you saying you can’t handle monsters outside of a village?”

Her words rendered everyone speechless. Except for Jericho, who chuckled in amusement.

And so, we camped outdoors and traveled through the night, finally arriving at the Dukedom a week after leaving Caribe.

During the journey, I couldn’t help but ask the Lady why she was in such a hurry.

“I want to enjoy the fresh air a bit longer, but I have a lot to do. I also have a gift for you.”

“A gift, my Lady?”

“You saved my life in Caribe. You deserve a reward.”

She was definitely up to something. But a gift couldn’t be a bad thing, so I eagerly continued the journey.

As our procession approached the outer walls of the castle, the welcoming music of the military band began to play.

*Boom!*

The castle gates opened, and the Duke, Duchess, and other family members came out to greet us. The Inspection Unit slowed down and fell back.

“Our mission is finally complete. Phew, it was a tough journey.”

I couldn’t fault Jericho for his exaggeration, considering our encounter with the demonic beast. Selendis had also endured a lot.

But for me, this was just the beginning.

“Unfortunately, I don’t feel like it’s over yet.”

“What else is there?”

“Look at the Duchess’s expression.”

Unlike the Duke, who embraced his daughter with a bright smile, the Duchess looked displeased.

Jericho knew the reason.

“Hmm, it’s as expected. Lady Rosalyn must have embellished the story of the broken engagement quite dramatically. It’s obvious. I heard she even instigated some vassals to demand your punishment.”

“The Duchess did that?”

“Of course, it was Lady Rosalyn. The Duchess wouldn’t do such a thing openly.”

I agreed. She was a straightforward person, but she was also the wife of Duke Kalisto. She was naturally refined and dignified.

Refinement and dignity were ultimately a matter of conduct.

Controlling one’s emotions was a virtue of high-ranking nobles.

“Didn’t you say before, Inspector, that a competent subordinate should anticipate their master’s wishes without being told? Well, Lady Rosalyn is that kind of person.”

“I hope it ends there. The problem is the Duke. I can’t predict what he’ll say.”

“You’re the one who said to enjoy the unavoidable. Hehehe.”

Jericho’s lightheartedness suggested he was optimistic about the situation.

To be honest, I was too.

If things were truly bad, I would have been arrested the moment we entered the city. But the Duke hadn’t even glanced at me until the welcoming ceremony ended.

He would probably summon me separately. He must have a lot of questions.

“I’ll stay at the castle. You two return to Inspection Unit headquarters. Chloe must have missed you.”

“Alright. How about joining us for dinner? I’ll show off my culinary skills.”

“That sounds great.”

After sending Jericho, Selendis, and the other investigators away, I entered the inner castle.

My office, which had been vacant for a long time, was spotless.

This wasn’t the result of ordinary cleaning. I had a hunch who was responsible.

The door opened cautiously, and a familiar voice called out.

“Inspector!”

Lilith was beaming. As I suspected, it was her doing.

“I don’t recall asking you to clean my office.”

“Oh my. How did you know?”

“You’re the only person in this castle who isn’t afraid of the Inspection Unit. Anyway, thank you for your thoughtfulness.”

“Hehehe. Don’t mention it. You saved my parents. This is the least I can do!”

I had encountered many people like her in my life.

They would do their job, get paid, and then demand more, complaining about the lack of gratitude. It was a thankless life. Probably the same for everyone else.

In that sense, Lilith was a kind and pure soul.

I was glad I had helped her.

“I have a lot to ask you. Do you have time for a cup of tea?”

“Really?”

“It’s a bit heavy to discuss on an empty stomach.”

Lilith seemed to have guessed what it was about. She sat down quietly.

I prepared hot water and steeped the tea leaves.

“You must have heard about the incident in the capital.”

“Of course! Everyone knows that you defeated the prince in a duel. I heard he was seriously injured. There’s been a lot of talk about it in the Black Dragon Knights.”

“The Black Dragon Knights?”

The Black Dragon Knights were the First Knights, led by Grand Duke Hylix. They were the most skilled warriors in the Dukedom.

“Um… I don’t know the details, but I heard there’s a traditional swordsmanship style in the Imperial Family that’s incredibly difficult to break… But you managed to do it!”

I had anticipated this. But I wanted to hear something else.

“You also know about the broken engagement between Lady Lucia and the prince, right?”

“Ah… Yes, I know.”

“I’d like to hear more about it.”

I poured the well-steeped tea into an empty cup and offered it to her. It was a precious tea that the maids rarely even tasted.

But Lilith hesitated to accept it.

She gathered her thoughts for a moment and then shared everything she had heard.

Among the rumors, there was something I wanted to know.

“So, to summarize, most of the maids in the Dukedom believe that Lady Lucia and I are romantically involved?”

“Yes.”

“I see.”

Rumors circulating among the servants were often true. And the Duke wouldn’t be unaware of them.

I wasn’t interested in the rumors themselves. I wanted to know what the Duke thought.

It was clear that he also suspected something between the Lady and me.

“But Inspector, there’s something I’m curious about. Is it true that Lady Lucia is teaching you to dance every night?”

Ah, right. There was that too.

I had a lot to say about it. I had tried to refuse, but the Lady insisted.

“It’s true. The Lady is very concerned about my social skills. She said I would be a laughingstock with my current dancing abilities.”

“Ah~ So that’s why? As expected, the Lady is truly benevolent.”

Was it my imagination, or did she sound relieved?

As we were discussing various events happening in the castle, Baron Muller, the head butler of the main castle, arrived with the news I had been waiting for.

“Sir O’Brien, the Duke requests your presence.”

I silently followed him.

We walked down the long hallway in silence. Muller was the first to break it.

“You’ve caused quite a stir.”

“I handled the church’s investigation without any problems. You don’t need to worry too much.”

“I still can’t believe it. Aubrey Walker, a commoner aide, injured a prince and even defeated a demonic beast.”

He seemed to have a lot to say.

We soon arrived at the Duke’s office. As the door opened, Baron Muller whispered behind me, “One last piece of advice. Tell the Duke nothing but the truth.”