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After the situation was settled.
Lady Florence, the victim of the incident, returned home for a quick recovery and rest, and I, who was nearby, was called to the Knights as a witness to the incident instead.
"Thank you for your cooperation with the investigation. You may go back now."
The knights, having heard my answers to a few questions, readily let me go.
As I exited the Knights' building, I saw a familiar face leaning against the wall.
"Idris?"
Seeing him, I suddenly felt all the strength drain from my body.
Only then did I realize how much I had been tense.
And at the same time...
'I'm relying on this person more than I thought.'
I also realized that I had come to recognize Idris as completely on my side.
Meanwhile, Idris approached with long strides and asked.
"Did the investigation go well? Did those guys give you a hard time?"
Those guys?
I wondered who he meant by 'those guys' before realizing a beat later that he meant the knights.
Come to think of it, I remembered that the knights, who I thought would interrogate me like police, seemed to be treating me with deference for some reason.
'So that's because they were being mindful of Idris?'
Of course, it could be because Idris is a Grand Duke, but more than that.
It was probably because he was once their superior who commanded them in war.
Realizing the convenience I gained as his partner, I asked about the situation I had been wondering about throughout the investigation.
"Thanks to you. Did Lady Florence get back safely? How is she?"
"According to the court physician, thanks to you giving her the antidote right away, her internal injuries aren't severe. If she rests well for a while, there shouldn't be any other problems."
Only then did I feel relieved and got into the carriage.
Once Idris, who had escorted me, also got in, the carriage soon departed.
Sitting on the plush seat and taking a breather, I finally noticed that Idris's expression was strangely hardened.
"Why did you do that?"
His voice was lower than usual.
When I looked at him with questioning eyes at his sudden question, Idris continued.
"You knew that poison was a common type and easy to get an antidote for, right?"
It wasn't a genuine question, but more like a reprimand.
"You must have also known that using the antidote would make you a suspect."
"I would have."
"You shouldn't have used it if you knew."
His beautiful brow furrowed as if he felt unpleasant just imagining it.
"But if you hadn't, Lady Florence would have had to live with the aftereffects of the poison's internal injuries for the rest of her life. If she was unlucky, she might have died before we could get the antidote."
"So, you thought of that lady before your own safety?"
"Nothing is more important than a person's life in any case."
I knew it was a somewhat emotional action. But I didn't regret that choice.
Just like the determination I had made at that moment.
"...More than your own safety?"
Idris's eyes as he asked that were colder than ever.
The moment I instinctively flinched at the chill, Idris seemed to realize his own emotions and swallowed a sigh.
Then he took my hand.
Idris, who was fidgeting with my hand as if to calm his anxiety, opened his lips with a much softer voice.
"If our predictions were wrong and I couldn't find any evidence, you could have become the culprit."
If it was when I first met him, I would have thought he was displeased with my impulsive actions, but...
Now I know.
That's his way of worrying.
"But that didn't happen."
"Letizia."
"Thanks to my capable partner finding the evidence in time."
In fact, if it weren't for Idris, I wouldn't have been able to get the receipt for Elise buying the poison, let alone catch the human traffickers.
'If I subtly shift the topic to Idris's accomplishments, it'll be okay, right?'
But Idris saw right through me.
"...My partner really has no talent for empty compliments."
Still, he smiled faintly, so he didn't seem particularly upset.
'It's not an empty compliment though.'
Feeling embarrassed at having my inner thoughts exposed, I gave an awkward smile and subtly avoided his gaze.
"So, you helped Lady Florence without hesitation in that situation?"
"Of course not. It would be a lie if I said I didn't hesitate. Naturally, I thought about the losses I would incur by doing that first."
"Even knowing you would lose?"
I nodded.
"I don't think you should consider things like that. A person's life comes first in any case."
Because I don't want to become someone like Elise.
"Of course... I guess I acted too emotionally, unlike myself."
"No, I thought it was so like you."
I blinked in surprise at Idris's assessment, which was the opposite of how he had been scolding me a moment ago.
Idris looked at me with a serious expression and added.
"That's why I like you."
At that moment, for some reason, my heart fluttered at those words.
'Those words probably just mean that he likes my righteous actions.'
While I was blankly looking at him with a strange feeling that made my fingertips tingle, Idris suggested.
"Let's go home and have a celebratory drink."
"A celebratory drink?"
"Today is the day we put your enemy in jail. It's a day worthy of a celebratory drink. Don't you think?"
Idris said that and gestured as if clinking glasses.
Seeing him looking somehow more cheerful than me, I chuckled along with him.
"Okay."
At that time.
Payton was once again sitting in his office, glaring at the piles of documents.
He had clearly finished processing the documents the day before yesterday.
Yesterday, he went out for business matters and returned to find the documents piled up again in just one day, welcoming him.
"Haa..."
He was truly going crazy these days.
All the work was piling up because Leticia, who used to handle the work, was gone, so he was out of his mind.
He had to fight a war of nerves with the unhelpful Elise, and Leticia was constantly getting on his nerves almost every day.
Even if he couldn't do anything about the other things, he felt like Leticia's problem would be solved if she just got a divorce...
'If she divorces me willingly? And then just stand by and watch her live happily ever after with that lover?'
For whose sake would he willingly grant a divorce?
'That's absolutely not going to happen.'
He couldn't stand to see his wife go to another man in any case.
Whether he takes her back or, if he can't do that, even if he has to crush her miserably.
'And... if I divorce her like this, I'll end up marrying Elise, but I still feel like marrying Elise is a losing proposition for me.'
Compared to Leticia, Elise was of no help whatsoever.
Far from handling all his work, it was a relief if she didn't get in the way, and she was constantly causing accidents and disturbing his peace of mind.
It was better to marry a quiet, obedient woman who was helpful in his work than the unhelpful Elise. He could always have more children.
Thinking that, he felt a slight pang of conscience, but it was only for a moment.
'No, and there's no proof that the child in her belly is even mine? She might have met another man before she met me.'
...Thanks to rationalizations like that.
'When her belly gets bigger, she won't be able to hide her pregnancy, and Elise will use that as an excuse to urge me to marry her...'
He was wondering how to get rid of Elise without a big fuss when it happened.
Bang!
"Y-Your Excellency!"
Without warning, the door to the office opened and the aide, Lockheart, rushed in breathlessly.
"Something terrible, something terrible has happened!"
Payton, who was about to explode in anger at Lockheart's impolite attitude, was shocked by the words that followed.
"There was a poisoning incident at the Imperial Palace's tea party today. And..."
"What? A poisoning incident?"
"And, the suspect in that incident is said to be Miss Fran."
"Elise?!"
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