Chapter 72

“Wasn’t Carsein supposed to come along?”

Isabella greeted Arina, who had returned from outside, with a worried voice.

“The postponed training at the training hall will be held,”

“There’s so much to say. Couldn’t you bring him along?”

“It seems difficult to do that, Mother. Looks like he’s quite upset because of this trial.”

“…I see.”

Isabella sighed bitterly.

The matter of not bringing Florea could only be brought up after Carsein’s mood improved.

When the time comes, she would return on her own, so there was no choice but to ask then.

“What about Claire?”

“He said he’s going to increase the sentence for those who were bullying Carsein, who was already furious.”

“That’s so like Claire.”

“But Arina,”

Isabella called out to Arina softly.

“Did you hear anything from anyone as well?”

“…”

Arina remained silent.

She couldn’t even follow the trial, let alone hear anything.

Emma’s request to kick Carsein out of the Duke’s House.

The false accusation on Theo Lamstair who took the request.

The Shaipel Forest incident that broke out due to this.

The ban on training hall and Emma’s embezzlement placed on Carsein.

The bad reputation surrounding Carsein mentioned as background before and after the incident.

It was impossible to follow, impossible to catch up.

The existence of this huge shadow hidden beneath the calm was an indescribable shock.

“Yes. You must have felt the same… I’m sorry for asking.”

Afterwards, Isabella came to the same conclusion as Arina, deciding to give Carsein some time.

“Of course, all the servants in the Duke’s Mansion need to be replaced.”

There might be more names on the list.

If Claire used the same method, she could identify the servants who were paid off by Emma and bullied Carsein.

The knights were the same.

Those who were involved with Theo Lamstair at the waterworks were all caught, but there were still quite a few knights remaining.

No traces of Emma should be left in the Duke’s Mansion anymore. Also, the kind people who wanted to clear Carsein’s name should be distinguished and rewarded.

“There’s a lot to do.”

Arina moved to her office and started the investigation with a pen in hand.

…

Arina’s pen stopped scribbling.

It had become dark.

The sun had completely set, and the full moon shone brightly.

Arina put down her pen.

“…Has this much time passed?”

She hadn’t noticed the time passing while doing the overhaul work to clean out the Duke’s House.

Arina muttered to herself while looking at the clock.

“It’s about time to call them.”

Even if Carsein finished the postponed training at the training hall, there was still plenty of time.

He had family to talk to back at the Duke’s Mansion, and he planned to send a message to the Royal Family to increase the sentences of those involved in the incident, just like Claire did.

Most importantly, she needed to resolve the grudge with Florea.

Arina pushed her chair back and stood up, putting on her coat and preparing to go outside.

At that moment,

“Miss Arina, are you here?”

A maid’s urgent voice was heard.

Opening the door revealed a new maid pacing nervously. This was the new maid assigned to Florea.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s…”

The maid’s words made Arina move urgently.

***

“Can I help with the housekeeper? I know best about her since she’s my sister.”

The third daughter said this as if she were boasting.

The housekeeper, caught red-handed for stealing pocket money, came first to say something like this.

Ironically, the reason the housekeeper did such a thing was because of her.

“Kim Min-hyuk, you don’t want things to get bigger, right? If you just send the housekeeper, I won’t—”

Shut up, brat.

I probably interrupted the third daughter and said that.

But the brat ran to tattle, and the eldest scolded me for stealing pocket money today.

Ugh, it was terrible.

No matter what I said, they never listened to my opinion.

So, I had to hide the fact that the third daughter was doing such things.

Even when I had to be rushed to the emergency room.

“…Damn. What kind of dream is this?”

When I woke up, the first thing that came out was cursing.

Why does that damn memory from the past come back?

Because of that woman who always bothered me in dreams, I got annoyed.

But for some reason, even after waking up from the dream, I remembered that time a bit more clearly.

“After that…”

The housekeeper was legally tried. Due to stepping on my trap, she had to pay back all the money she had stolen over the years, including her wages, and cried and begged.

That wasn’t enough for me either.

Just like Emma, who never lowered her head to Carsein until the end, she only kneeled in front of the eldest and stepmother.

If we talk about what happened after the incident, the housekeeper turned out to be an older sister of a student from the school I attended. When the news spread, she and her younger sister left the area.

Since the school was a prestigious high school and all the students were from respectable families, it wasn’t hard to keep in touch.

The younger sister was forced to transfer schools, while the housekeeper sister struggled to find a job after the trial.

From the looks of it, the younger sister, who openly stole food from my lunchbox, was also a troublemaker.

Although it seemed like a big change, the biggest change happened to me.

“I started working part-time from then on.”

Considering that I didn’t have pocket money anyway, I started putting all the money I used to lose to the housekeeper into a drawer.

Only then did I realize that the money I received from them wasn’t really mine.

Even though I could use it to escape, I firmly decided to push away any help from them.

Even though my first part-time job was tough.

Even though I fell asleep the whole day after returning from the emergency room because I didn’t rest properly.

Even though I couldn’t find time to sleep between my studies and work.

“Come to think of it, I fainted in front of the third daughter when I first started working.”

Yeah, that was definitely strange.

The look on the brat’s face…

*Bam Bam Bam!*

“Carstein, are you inside?”

It was Arina.

This isn’t the time to dwell on old memories.

I don’t want to open the door.

So, without opening it, I spoke from inside.

“What’s the matter?”

“Didn’t Florea come here?”

“Why would she come here?”

What a ridiculous thing to say.

She’d probably run to Isabella by now, crying about how I took everything for myself, and then complain about me.

Arina denied my teasing and continued.

“No. Florea has been feeling guilty ever since. After the trial, I told you, the youngest tried to help you somehow. So, it’s likely she went looking for you!”

“What nonsense…”

*Ding!*

At that moment, the status window forcibly activated.

“Really, really, I didn’t go out just to meet you…”

Between Arina’s worried voice, the status window appeared,

Making my eyes doubt what I was seeing.

*Error Occurred!*

*The current phase is not the appropriate time for intervention.*

*Alternative decision being processed…*

…

…

“Damn, what the hell is this?”

I cursed inwardly at the familiar window.

Episode VI ends with Emma and Theo being conclusively dealt with during the trial.

In a way, it was the easiest for me and there weren’t many variables if I prepared well.

This window shouldn’t be appearing!

*Confirming that Episode VI is not completed!*

*Confirming that the conditions for the hidden episode are met!*

*Changing the conditions for clearing Episode VI.*

*Two episodes are being merged!*

*Processing results…*

‘I’m sure I finished it. The alarm sounded, right!’

…Wait a moment.

‘Did I check that?’

I didn’t check it.

Tired, I chose to lock myself in the training hall and ignore the family’s affinity.

Like the Radiel incident, if Episode VI didn’t clear,

“Then where could Florea be…”

As Arina’s question about Florea’s whereabouts arose,

*Episode VI. Missing person in progress!*

*This episode is both a hidden episode and a main episode!*

*Find Florea!*

[Time Limit: 30 minutes]

[If Florea is not found within the time limit, death occurs!]

[If time runs out, the episode automatically fails, resulting in death!]

I realized that I couldn’t afford to sleep or waste any more time.

I opened the door.

“Tell me in detail. When and where was Florea last seen!”

***

*Find Florea!*

[Time Limit: 25 minutes 31 seconds]

[If Florea is not found within the time limit, death occurs!]

[If time runs out, the episode automatically fails, resulting in death!]

I had no idea.

This development was unprecedented.

I’ve never experienced or heard of such a thing.

But standing idle means death.

No matter how much I dislike the brat, I have no choice but to find her now.

“Harnier Miss!”

“Carstein?”

“Did you happen to see a blonde girl around my waist height?”

“No, I haven’t seen anyone like that…”

Damn it. With Arina’s order to search for me, people were ordered to stay longer, but it doesn’t seem like it will be resolved in time.

The problem is that there are no leads.

No one has seen Florea since she left the courthouse.

“Wait a moment. If you’re talking about Florea Miss, I think I saw her briefly…”

“…”

“Where was it? I’m sure I saw her leaving the courthouse…”

Harnier thought deeply.

Interfering at this moment would be bad. I slowly took a deep breath and waited.

“There. She went that way.”

Harnier pointed in a direction with her finger.

If it’s that direction… It’s towards the garden?

“More accurately, she wasn’t prevented from entering the courthouse. While I was touring the Duke’s Mansion, I accidentally found her.”

That means…

‘The last time Harnier saw Florea is highly possible.’

I obtained the only clue.

I immediately ran in that direction, almost out of breath.

Inside the garden. If there are any traces of Florea among the blooming flowers, I need to find them.

Where? Where is this?

What exactly happened here!

“Wait! Let’s go together…”

“Harnier? Why are you following me?”

“Right when I entered, I felt a faint scent.”

“Scent?”

“Though not certain, it smells like a sleeping drug. This gemstone on my clothes is reacting, so it should be accurate.”

“A sleeping drug… Could it be?”

Harnier narrowed her eyes.

“Kidnapping. And it seems they put in a lot of effort.”

*Ding!*

*Evidence Found!*

*Subtle scent of sleeping drug in the garden*

Florea was drugged and kidnapped.

This is the general consensus.

Upon confirming the gemstone emitting light, Harnier explained the type of sleeping drug.

“This sleeping drug is usually applied to a handkerchief. Because its effects are too strong, it shouldn’t be ingested directly. It’s used once-off.”

“So, you can’t use this drug strongly. That means they didn’t have sufficient equipment. Right?”

“Yes. They probably struggled for a few seconds.”

“Then, there might be traces left here.”

Immediately, they began carefully searching the area near the garden.

And they found something.

*Ding!*

*Evidence Found!*

*Orange scarf*

Evidence left by the perpetrator.

“A scarf… Not something the maid would use.”

“…Yes.”

I knew this too.

It’s not a female scarf, but a male one. Usually used by maids who receive gifts from their mistresses.

This allows us to identify the perpetrator.

The culprit wasn’t afraid.

They were waiting for the right opportunity.

*Swoosh.*

‘Blood… It’s not scattered, but dripping down the body.’

*Ding!*

*Evidence Found!*

*Traces of blood splatter*

[Location: Garden]

The Judgement Gem avoided.

Going to the Tullea Mine was scheduled for the next day, not the same day.

Therefore, the perpetrator believed there was no need to look behind them and eagerly awaited their wish to come true.

Yes. It can be summarized in one sentence.

The reason for kidnapping Florea was.

*Ding!*

*Choose what the perpetrator desires!*

[1. Revenge against Carstein Bargrand.]

[2. Florea’s ────]

[3. Bargrand Duke House’s ────]

…

…

It’s revenge against me.

***

*Drip. Drip.*

Water sounds.

Drops falling somewhere.

The sound of water was strangely unpleasant, making me want to frown.

The metallic smell lingered in my nose, forcing my heavy eyelids to open.

That’s when Florea opened her eyes.

She couldn’t do anything.

Her two arms were tightly bound to a wooden chair.

A gag was in her mouth, and her legs were also secured with ropes.

Her pupils, wandering in the darkness, could only see the approaching figure.

A man’s voice echoed ominously in her ear.

“Woke up, Miss?”

“…”

Even without seeing, she knew.

She remembered what had happened.

Theo Lamstair.

The one who kidnapped her from the garden.

Called her name.