episode_0179

After coming out, Earningstern immediately goes in search of the maids to find out what happened that day when the head of the family collapsed.

And they began to dig up information necessary for the case, such as when the head of the family began to be obsessed with alcohol and when the wine that the head of the family started drinking was introduced.

After wandering around the mansion for half a day and combining the information I obtained, Charlotte’s name popped up again.

“Are you related to Princess Charlotte again?”

The head of the family is strangely obsessed with wine, and the person who sent the wine is Princess Charlotte. The more the head of the family drinks the wine sent by Princess Charlotte, the worse the condition of the head of the family gets.

From this point on, Charlotte appears to be the culprit, but this is just a trick to deceive those who view the incident piecemeal.

‘You won’t be fooled by the same trick twice.’

Information that is easy to overlook here is that the time when the head of the family began to become obsessed with alcohol, and the time when the head of the family began to become obsessed with a specific wine, was before Princess Charlotte entered the academy.

And if you consider that it was after receiving the duchess’s letter that Charlotte began sending wine to the matriarch at regular intervals… … .

It could be assumed that this incident was also someone’s plan to frame Princess Charlotte. After thinking that far, Earningstern sighed quietly and sat down in his chair.

It was a sweet break after six hours, but Earningstern’s mind continued to work even during this brief break.

“If this incident goes well, we might be able to solve the Spring Festival incident at once.”

“Ugh… … . Seniors… … . It’s a half-day break, so why not take a break and talk about the incident for at least 10 minutes? … ?”

The junior looked bored as he watched Earnings Stone still talking about the incident.

Earningstern looked at his junior with a pitiful expression and shook his head.

“Why do you look at me with that face! I worked hard too!”

“I know. I know you didn’t say anything, you bastard.”

The junior, who was in a bad mood but had nothing to say, glared at Earningstern and sighed.

“… … so. What made you think that? Is it because the methods are similar?”

“Ho? That question just now was unusually sharp for you.”

“Are you making fun of me?”

“No, I was truly surprised. Because you just pointed it out correctly.”

Erningstone said and leaned back on the chair.

“Starting from the fact that the ultimate goal is to bring down Princess Charlotte, the method is to create a big incident and blame it on the opponent. Except for the fact that unlike the Spring Festival, there are many gaps and sloppiness, the two events can be seen as almost the same.”

“The reason it is sloppy and full of loopholes is because this incident was planned earlier than the Spring Festival, right?”

“Okay. However, the death of the family head this time was probably not his plan.”

In response to Earningstone’s confident words, the junior nodded slowly.

“Even if the head of the family dies now, it won’t help you one bit. Is that correct?”

“Okay. That’s it.”

After speaking up to that point, Earningstern stood up, checked outside the window and door of the guest room, then returned to his seat and sat down again.

“If your goal was to become the head of the dukedom instead of Princess Charlotte, the head of the family should not die now. The only way to officially inherit a title is after the coming-of-age ceremony.”

“Of course, if it was difficult, it would have been difficult. I don’t think it will be helpful.”

“Okay. So, the reason why the head of the family died this time is probably one of two reasons. This is something that the real culprit, who became impatient, committed without hesitation… … . Or maybe the helper who was helping the real culprit went wild on his own.”

“If it was the former, it would have happened before the Spring Festival, so it’s probably the latter.”

“I think so too.”

“Then the question now is who the accomplice is. Is there anyone who can guess?”

In response to his junior’s question, Earningstern shook his head.

“I’m thinking about it, but the culprit hasn’t been identified yet, so I just remember that it’s still possible. Until we have concrete evidence, we’ll just keep it in doubt.”

“Ah… … . I understand.”

The junior nodded at Earningstern’s words and cautiously opened his mouth.

“Then what are you going to do from now on?”

Earningstern quietly looked out the window and answered his junior’s question.

“What time is it now?”

“… … ?”

In response to Earningstern’s unexpected question, the junior blinked, then scratched his head and calculated the time.

“I came around the time of breakfast, so it’s been about 6 hours… … . It must have been around 1 o’clock.”

“1 o’clock. It’s 1 o’clock… … . How many places are there left that we haven’t been to so far?”

“Office, warehouse, princess and prince’s room… … . I haven’t even been to the kitchen… … .”

“There is still a long time left. Good.”

Earningstern nodded in satisfaction and then suddenly stood up.

The junior, who thought he was finally resting at ease, blinked as he looked at Earningstern who suddenly stood up from his seat, and Earningstern narrowed his eyes as he looked down at his junior.

“What are you doing, are you going to rest there for the rest of your life?”

“No, senior. I just sat down. I thought I should take a break now, but isn’t it too bad to tell you to get up?”

The junior looked at Earningstern with a serious face without any laughter and said.

Earningstern, who was looking at his junior, sighed and shook his head.

“Pretending to be that serious doesn’t work.”

“… … tooth. God is so great. It’s really so great. Isn’t it okay to take a little rest? It’s really evil.”

“An investigator is more cruel than the devil. If you understand, stand up.”

“Worker… … . devil. Bald.”

The junior, sticking out his mouth as wide as a bamboo stick, stood up and complained one after another, and Earningstern, who was watching, blinked and scratched his head.

Yeah well… … . I’ve been pampering myself a lot lately. Earningstern recalled the image of his junior being crushed by a mountain of documents, and slowly opened his mouth.

“I’ll buy you ice cream later.”

“… … I’m not even a child. Do you think I’ll fall for you just because you’re tempting me with something like that?”

“Two.”

“Where should I start?”

Earningstern thought as he looked at his junior holding the door handle.

It’s like a puppy being told to go for a walk.

* * *

After eating breakfast, Priscilla did not take a single step out of the guest room. I trembled at the sound of footsteps coming from outside the room.

The sound of footsteps passed in front of the door and grew further and further away. Soon it disappeared completely. Priscilla finally took a deep breath.

After the investigators arrived at the mansion, Priscilla couldn’t relax even for a moment.

No matter where I was, I felt like I was being watched, and no matter what I did, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being suspected.

“Come to your senses… … . You didn’t seem to doubt me… … .”

Of course, those were all illusions created by guilt. Priscilla never realized that.

Priscilla, who was trembling with her hands and repeatedly telling herself that it was okay, suddenly remembered the words Sarah had written: ‘The real culprit is Arsien.’

And now investigators suspect Arcien. It’s not clear, but looking at the search around Arcienne. I can’t say no at all.

“… … .”

Think of it the other way around. What if you take advantage of this situation now? Instead of avoiding investigators, what if you actually help them?

Priscilla began to think quickly and was soon able to come to a conclusion.

“It might be possible… … .”

Of course, the prerequisites are that you must never take an active role in helping the investigator, that you must steal information that the investigator has, and that you must not do anything suspicious while doing all of this.

Rather than doing nothing and getting caught, wouldn’t it be better to at least try to solve an impossible problem? okay. That’s it.

As Priscilla pulled back her chair to get up, she blinked at a fact that suddenly occurred to her.

‘Even if I help the investigators capture Arcien, there are people who know that I helped them with some intention.’

Sera.

okay. No matter how much I struggle, I end up playing into his hands.

Why am I only now realizing this? Even if everything ends, if you have him, you won’t be able to relax.

“No… … . no no… … . stop… … . You can’t cross the line any further than this… … .”

Sera handed over the information about Arcien to me in order to help Charlotte. How could a child like that… … .

Sarah only moved to a certain extent to help Charlotte, not to help you. When it has outlived its usefulness, it will eventually be thrown away.

Priscilla felt like she was going out of her mind, caught between the guilt that told her not to commit any more sins and the selfishness that she had to survive at all costs.

Priscilla, who was tearing her hair and grinding her teeth, lowered her head when she felt something suddenly break.

“Okay… … .”

By chance, really by chance. If we find information that Sera helped Arcien kill the matriarch… … . It’s not my fault. yes?

“Ha, haha… … .”

Priscilla filled her head with absurd sophistry and pursed her lips.

okay. I’m not bad… … .

Misunderstandings happen to everyone, right?

Priscilla stood up with a crooked smile.