Chapter 5

The carriage that had been heading toward Estreet’s Twelfth Avenue suddenly changed destinations.

Eventually, it stopped in an ordinary residential neighborhood.

In front of a two-story house with a brown roof.

Shiorin carefully checked the address beside the door one more time.

“Daniel. This is the place. Miss Sullivan’s fiancé lives here.”

For the fiancé of a count’s daughter, the residence was surprisingly modest.

She recalled what Catherine had told them earlier while handing over the crumpled address.

“The fiancé? Those two were absolutely crazy about each other. My lady opposed it with everything she had, but they got engaged anyway. Though after Miss Sullivan got caught up in this incident, even I haven’t seen him.”

Something Shiorin had completely overlooked until now.

Love.

She felt almost stupid for not considering it sooner.

The courage to confess to a murder one didn’t commit…

That kind of courage came from an incredibly powerful emotion.

As Daniel had said, it could come from guilt.

Or perhaps from a desire for revenge.

But considering Miss Sullivan’s situation, the most likely explanation was love.

“She met with her fiancé all the time. He was originally a very skilled tailor. Since the family’s finances weren’t good, Miss Sullivan often wore her mother’s old clothes. But she was so small that they always needed alterations.

That’s how the tailor kept visiting the estate, and eventually they fell in love. They even threatened to remove her from the family registry, but she never backed down.

So what could they do? In the end, her mother gave up. It’s a good thing the count had already passed away. Otherwise, he probably would’ve broken her legs.”

Now it was late at night.

The moon hung high in the sky.

The night air was chilly.

Ding.

Pulling her coat tighter around herself, Shiorin gently rang the bell.

“Please be home.”

She held her breath, listening carefully for movement on the other side of the door.

Then—

“Uh?”

Someone suddenly grabbed her arm.

The hand gently pulled her backward.

Startled, she stumbled a few steps back.

When she turned around, she found Daniel standing there.

Looking directly into her eyes, he spoke in a serious voice.

“He could be dangerous.”

Then he stepped in front of the door himself, moving her behind him.

Shiorin blinked in confusion as she stared at his broad back.

“What is this?”

She felt like she had seen a scene like this before.

Hmm.

Maybe on a walking trail somewhere…

…When the back of a brave malamute-like dog had made her want to pat its fluffy rear.

Creak—

“Who are you?”

The potentially dangerous man finally appeared.

Daniel flinched slightly.

Unable to resist, Shiorin peeked around his side.

“…”

“…”

He really did look dangerous.

Specifically, the dark circles under his eyes.

“You’re Miss Sullivan’s fiancé, correct?”

Daniel asked politely.

The thin man, who looked like a dried piece of firewood, suddenly had tears welling up in his eyes.

“You know her?”

His voice trembled as if he were about to burst into tears.

When the two of them slowly nodded, he stepped aside.

“Please come in.”

***

Crackle. Crackle.

The house felt warm and cozy, with a fireplace burning nearby.

Shiorin slowly looked around before taking a seat at a round table.

Their host immediately began moving around to serve his guests.

“This is completely unexpected…”

There were traces of Sullivan everywhere.

From framed photographs of the two together to carefully painted portraits that were obviously of her.

The house was filled with images of a happy young couple.

Soon, the man returned with tea.

Lowering his head, he nervously rubbed his hands together.

On one finger was the same ring Shiorin had seen on Sullivan’s hand.

“I have no right to face Sullivan. I’m supposed to be her fiancé, but I couldn’t help her at all. As you can see, I’m just an ordinary, pathetic man. I have no money, no status, no power… nothing.”

“…”

“Every day feels like hell. All I can do is pray that the judge shows mercy and reduces her sentence.”

As if trying to hide the trembling of his hands, he gripped his teacup tightly.

Then he drank the scalding tea in a single gulp as though he couldn’t even feel it.

It was obvious he had spent days tormenting himself.

His eyes were hollow from exhaustion.

Soon, they drifted toward the fireplace.

After silently observing him for a while, Shiorin took a sip of tea.

Then, while rubbing the handle of her cup, she spoke.

“You believe Miss Sullivan really committed murder.”

Foldrin’s shoulders stiffened.

After a long silence, he finally confessed with a gloomy expression.

“At first, I tried to deny reality too. But nothing changed. I visited the prison again and again, begging her to tell me the truth.”

“And?”

“…Sullivan cried and told me she really did kill him. No matter how many times I asked why, she refused to explain. Has she perhaps… told you something different?”

Shiorin shook her head.

The hope in his face immediately faded.

“I thought so…”

The corner of his mouth trembled.

Looking up at the ceiling, Foldrin suddenly burst into tears.

“I’m sorry for embarrassing myself.”

The atmosphere sank instantly.

Shiorin and Daniel sat silently like stone statues until he finally calmed down.

“Did I come to the wrong conclusion?”

Doubt crept into her mind.

Maybe it wasn’t because of love after all.

Lost in thought, Shiorin slowly lowered her hand beneath the table.

Eventually, Foldrin wiped his nose and regained some composure.

“Here.”

Shiorin personally handed him a tissue.

At that moment, she flinched.

Daniel immediately looked at her, silently asking if something was wrong.

She simply shook her head as if it were nothing.

Then she stared out the window.

The night had become completely dark.

An owl hooted somewhere outside.

Following her gaze, Foldrin spoke first.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t be of any help. It’s late, and my home isn’t much, but… would you like to stay the night here? There won’t be any carriages at this hour. You came all this way to help Sullivan. I can’t just send you away.”

Shiorin nodded.

After thanking him, she followed him upstairs.

Fortunately, there was a guest room on the second floor.

When Foldrin headed back downstairs, Daniel looked around the room.

After checking the windows and making sure they were secure, he smiled.

“You sleep in the room, Shiorin. I’ll sleep on the sofa outside.”

He gently pushed her into the room.

Just as he was about to close the door—

Shiorin suddenly grabbed him.

Bang.

The door closed.

Daniel, now standing with his back against it, stared at her in surprise.

Several seconds of silence passed.

Then—

“Don’t panic when you hear this, Daniel.”

“I already feel pretty panicked…”

Shiorin looked directly at him.

Daniel unconsciously held his breath.

The faint light from the ceiling lamp illuminated her face.

Something unfamiliar mixed into her normally bright green eyes.

Instinctively, Daniel recognized it.

He had seen it countless times before.

In animals cornered by danger.

The emotion was—

Pure fear.

“…Shiorin.”

“The person who really killed Gallagher Longstein.”

“…”

“It’s that man.”

“…What?”

“Foldrin Argus.”

Thump.

Thump.

In the silence, the sound of a heartbeat echoed.

Daniel’s blue eyes widened.

He studied her face carefully.

There wasn’t even the slightest hint of a lie.

She was a detective.

She had undoubtedly found a clue he had missed.

She had identified the real killer.

Of course she was afraid.

They were currently under the same roof as a murderer.

He needed to reassure her.

Daniel clenched his fists and finally opened his mouth.

But before he could speak—

“And Daniel…”

Her voice sounded tight, as though she were struggling to breathe.

At some point, her gloved hands had grabbed both of his arms.

As if trying to keep him from running away.

Then Shiorin revealed the true source of her fear.

“We…”

“…”

“A little while ago…”

“…”

“Drank poison.”