The Duke stared at Lucia with an expressionless face.
And answered.
"Yes. And if we find out the culprit, that maid will be executed for attempting to assassinate a noble."
It was a cruel thing to say to a ten-year-old child, but the Duke didn't care.
He had no intention of dragging out this disappointing conversation any longer.
"But Duke, that's strange."
Lucia tilted her head.
"You have no intention of finding out the culprit, do you?"
"......What are you talking about?"
As the Duke asked back with a hardened expression, Lucia smiled brightly and said.
"Because the culprit who instigated Marin is big brother, Estio Rodbell."
"......"
The Duke was silent for a long time at my words.
However, his gaze towards me became fierce.
Seeing that change, I was convinced.
'As expected.'
Estio was the culprit.
'That's why he found me right before the mana beast hunt.'
To check if Marin had properly attached the sachet.
'I wondered.'
He was doing crazy things like holding me up, I thought he had finally gone mad, but he had a purpose.
But the Duke didn't easily admit it.
"Do you know what you're saying right now?"
He approached me one step and murmured heavily.
"I'm asking if you're prepared to take responsibility for that statement."
Responsibility, huh?
I couldn't help but laugh at those words.
As expected, the Duke's eyes became even more ferocious.
Coldness flowed from him.
If it were a normal person, they would have trembled in front of that coldness and been mindful of the Duke's mood, but not me.
Because.
'I'm the one in control.'
I nodded and answered calmly.
"Yes, Duke."
And I looked straight at the Duke and said.
"If what I say is a lie, I'll take responsibility."
"......"
Perhaps he was speechless at my confident appearance.
The Duke closed his mouth and stared at me.
"But Duke, how do you determine whether what I say is true or false?"
Yes, this.
The reason I could be so confident.
"Who should I tell what I know to?"
The Duke doesn't want to escalate this matter.
That's why he must have tortured Marin himself. So that even if the truth came out of Marin's mouth, no one would know.
Moreover, the Imperial Family and people from the Imperial Palace are here right now.
Since this incident happened in the Rodbell Ducal Family, the right to investigate this case is entirely with Rodbell, but.
'He wouldn't even want it to be known to that side.'
The heir of Rodbell bribed a maid to ruin the exam and try to kill a bastard.
There would be nothing more disgraceful in Rodbell's history than this.
'And Estio will be labeled.'
Then those who are checking Estio and scheming to kick him out of the heir position will swarm like a pack of hyenas.
For example, the Senate.
Well, that would be interesting for me too.
However, the Duke didn't waver easily.
"Interesting."
Despite saying that, there wasn't a hint of a smile on his face.
"But, who will listen to your words?"
"......"
The Duke was right.
No one had ever listened to my words until now.
......Certainly, it would have been like that before.
But it's different now.
"Someone will listen."
I have Aen, and I have Ligrin.
Even if not, no one can ignore me like before.
If I keep shouting, someone will listen.
Even that possibility will make the Duke uncomfortable.
Unless he imprisons me somewhere.
'But he can't do that.'
Because I increased my presence through this exam.
Too many people know me now.
If I suddenly disappear, someone will definitely be suspicious.
'That's not your way.'
I was confident because I knew the Duke better than anyone.
"What's the evidence?"
He asked.
"Do you have any evidence that Estio bribed the maid?"
"Brother Estio used the messenger bird magic tool stored in the magic tool warehouse to communicate with Marin. That warehouse is only accessible to Rodbell direct family members."
He looked slightly surprised that I knew even this much.
Soon his eyes narrowed.
'Did she meet the maid?'
He looked very suspicious.
Of course, that suspicion was quickly erased.
If she had entered the underground maze recklessly, she wouldn't be here right now.
The Duke doesn't know that I obtained the design of the underground maze.
"So, did you find that messenger bird magic tool?"
"No."
I shook my head calmly.
Although not certain, there is a high possibility that the Duke has already disposed of it.
But…….
"I didn't find the magic tool, but as long as I'm alive, you'll have to keep silencing me."
"......Your conceit is excessive, Lucia Rodbell."
His eyes became even sharper.
I calmly met those eyes that seemed to pierce me right away.
"Do you think I can't handle one of you? Because you're my child?"
"Ah."
I hurriedly covered my mouth.
Because if I didn't, sarcasm would leak out.
Child?
"No, Duke."
I gave the Duke a serene smile.
"I don't have such illusions."
"......"
Yes, I once had the hope that I could become your child.
Once, that is.
"You can get rid of me if you want. You can kick me out, you can imprison me."
I smiled brightly.
"You can kill me."
"......"
"That's the only way you can silence me."
"......Huh."
The Duke let out a short, dumbfounded laugh.
"You said you were going to make a deal, but it's nothing short of a threat."
"Brother Estio tried to kill me. I have to pretend not to know the person who tried to kill me for the rest of my life."
"......"
"Isn't this a deal?"
I looked up at the Duke like a child asking a pure question.
But I became a little uneasy.
If this card doesn't work…….
'I have one more card.'
I already used it once in the duel with Banise, and it's much more dangerous, so I'm putting it on hold for now.
If the Duke doesn't accept this deal, I was thinking of pulling out that card as well.
The Duke stared at me for a long time, then let out a low sigh and nodded.
"Good."
"……!"
"I'll accept your offer."
Yes……!
I quickly bowed my head while managing my expression.
Because I thought I would burst out laughing if I didn't.
"Thank you, Duke."
"……I'll return the maid by tomorrow. If you're done talking, go back to your room."
"Yes."
I had no intention of staying in this room any longer without business, so I was about to leave the room right away.
"That hand."
"Yes?"
I turned around with a puzzled expression at the sudden voice.
The Duke's gaze was subtly directed downwards.
"……?"
I waited for the next words, but the Duke kept his mouth shut and only stared downwards.
'What is it?'
As I tilted my head in confusion, the Duke's tightly closed lips parted.
"I'll send a doctor to your room, so get treatment right away."
"Yes?"
"The hand."
"The hand?"
At his words, I reflexively checked my hand.
"Ah."
I knew what he was talking about.
The back of my hand was scratched.
It wasn't there until just now…….
'When did I get hurt?'
After tracing my memories, I found out the moment I got hurt.
'It happened when I was finding the hidden device in the maze.'
I put my hand between the bricks to find the device, and it seems like it was scratched then.
'I didn't notice at all.'
I reflexively hid the scratch on the back of my hand.
Then the Duke's eyebrow twitched.
I subtly looked at the Duke's mood.
'He didn't notice, did he?'
That I went to the underground prison.
Even direct family members cannot enter the underground prison without the permission of the head of the family.
If I got caught going to such a place, he could use that as an excuse to break the deal.
"I, I think I got hurt while evacuating because of the fire."
I spat out a plausible excuse.
"It's not a big wound, so you don't have to worry about it."
"……I wasn't worried."
"Yes, then."
I bowed my head quickly because I was afraid of being caught on something unnecessary and left the room quickly.
Click.
"Hoo……."
Only after closing the door was I able to barely let out a long sigh.
"Is the business over?"
Aiden, who was waiting in front of the door, came up and spoke.
I looked up at him and answered.
"Yes."
"Then let's go back to the room now."
As if he wanted to get me back to the room as soon as possible, Aiden turned around right away.
I walked along the hallway with Aiden.
The empty hallway was very quiet.
As we walked without exchanging any conversation, I raised my head and looked up at Aiden.
'What should I do…….'
Actually, I kept pretending not to know, but there was something that kept bothering me.
'Should I say it or not.'
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