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Chapter 10
In the luxurious room where only graceful footsteps had ever been heard, the sound of anxious pacing echoed.
A person circling the wide room again and again swept back their long, silver hair.
Urgency was evident in the motion. Just as their unease continued to deepen—
Tap, tap—
A small knock sounded.
Isabella, who had been pacing in place, stopped short when she heard the maid’s voice outside the door.
“Lady Anastasia Yusupov has arrived.”
At last, the person she had been worrying about and waiting for had come.
Bang—
The moment the maid finished speaking, Asha burst in, and Isabella hurried toward her.
As usual, Asha entered with a bright smile, dressed in a simple gown.
But Isabella only watched her with a grave expression.
Seeing Isabella carefully inspecting her from head to toe, Asha let out an awkward laugh.
“Hehe, Your Highness, what’s wrong?”
“You—are you hurt anywhere? Are you feeling unwell? Are you dizzy?”
“Your Highness… one question at a time.”
Asha gently took Isabella’s hand while gazing into her worried red eyes.
“If you’re talking about that, I’m really fine.”
“Thank goodness…”
Letting out a sigh of relief, Isabella brushed back her beautiful silver hair and gently sat down on the plush sofa.
You have no idea how worried I was.
She had been terrified that something might have happened to the child now standing before her, smiling so brightly and looking perfectly healthy.
It was only after returning from the birthday banquet—which had been anything but enjoyable—and seeing the long line of nobles visiting the imperial palace the next morning that she realized something had gone wrong.
And this matter…
A suspicion rising from deep within made her think of someone—but Isabella quickly shook her head.
No. It can’t be.
She didn’t want to torment herself over something uncertain.
The imperial family hadn’t officially announced any investigation or countermeasures yet either, so it was too early to draw conclusions.
More than anything else, for now, it was enough that Asha was unharmed.
Looking at Asha, who was leaning comfortably against the sofa opposite her (hardly what one would call proper posture, but still relaxed), Isabella spoke gently.
“Asha… I’m so glad you’re okay.”
“Yes, I was worried about Your Highness too, so I came to check on you.”
“I’m fine. Is everyone in your family alright?”
“Everyone’s perfectly fine! So don’t worry. Especially about my brother—absolutely not. He’s so fine it’s annoying. Just like usual!”
“…Yes. I won’t worry.”
Asha was clearly on guard, afraid Isabella might be concerned about Caesar.
She couldn’t allow Isabella’s attention to drift toward Caesar over something like this.
Driven by the determination not to let all her efforts—efforts that were going smoothly—be ruined, Asha desperately added,
“Your Highness, he’s not even worth worrying about. Really. Just this morning I scolded him for eating too much at breakfast. He’s the worst. Seriously.”
“What’s wrong with eating a lot?”
“Exactly! If eating a lot means you’re healthy, that’s all that matters! He eats a ridiculous amount himself, but only lectures me about it. And then outside he acts all cold and cool and perfect…”
After firing off her words like a machine gun, Asha finally ran out of breath.
Isabella let out a small laugh and nodded.
“Alright, alright. You’re right, Asha. I don’t like that sort of thing either. And don’t worry—I’m not worried about the Yusupov heir.”
She sounded agreeable, but Isabella meant it.
If Caesar Yusupov were hurt, even Asha—who loved to badmouth him—would surely worry. So she hoped he would remain healthy, if only for Asha’s sake.
But as for herself worrying about him?
That would never happen.
Caesar had nothing to do with her in the past, present, or future.
Isabella watched Asha, who said she had only stopped by briefly and would leave after one cup of tea.
At least Asha is safe. That’s a relief.
She decided to push her suspicions aside for now.
She only hoped they were unfounded.
She hoped she could remain innocent in this matter.
“Please take me to the city square.”
After speaking to the coachman, the carriage began moving smoothly.
I had already visited everyone I needed to, including the Princess.
Is it really that place?
I wasn’t certain, but I had my suspicions, so I was heading there anyway.
Even if I went, would someone like me—who barely even counted as an extra in this novel—really be able to uncover anything useful?
But still, I was on my way.
If I can help Floe and Caesar solve this problem, then good is good!
While I was running my optimism engine at full speed, the carriage arrived at the square.
Now, I had to find Rina here.
Rina said she’d be in the square, so maybe I could find her?
Honestly, I had just come without any real plan.
I figured I’d find her somehow.
Pretty reckless, right?
Yeah. I know.
I could hear the knights who had followed me as escorts talking.
“Hey, miss. Did you get dumped?”
No.
I don’t even have a boyfriend to dump me.
At the first knight’s words, the one next to him shook his head.
“No way. Everyone knows the miss doesn’t have a lover.”
Good. At least you know that. Haha.
“That’s true. She’s never shown interest in that sort of thing, has she?”
“Is it that she’s not interested… or that no one’s interested in her?”
“Hey.”
You guys, seriously…
But annoyingly enough, they were completely correct.
“So who is she waiting for, then?”
“How would I know? Maybe she just came out for a walk alone.”
“Should we go keep her company?”
“You want to get punched by the lady? You know how strong she is.”
…Honestly, it was pretty entertaining.
Their perfect back-and-forth was so funny I found myself listening closely out of boredom.
Still, Rina, you little liar.
I had already been waiting in the square for three hours, so I understood why my knights were reacting like that.
So I asked my escort knight, Chris, one thing.
“Chris, this is the busiest part of the square, right?”
“Yes, my lady.”
“Sigh…”
I was about to stand up, thinking I must have missed my chance to ask Rina anything—
when I saw her.
From afar, I saw Rina’s round eyes widen in surprise as she spotted me, waving both hands energetically.
“Rina!!”
“Lady!”
As I watched Rina run toward me, I glared at the two knights.
See?
I do have a friend.
“Rina, eat some more of this too.”
Her short brown bob swayed as she shook her head.
After meeting Rina, I’d bought skewered chicken, drinks, and cotton candy at the market and lined them all up in front of her.
Watching her happily eat whatever I gave her, I smiled warmly before finally bringing up the real topic.
“Rina, I have something to ask you.”
“Yes, Lady. Ask me anything! I’ll answer whatever I know!”
Her cheeks were stuffed with chicken skewers, making her words slightly slurred.
Grateful for her willingness, I patted her brown hair and asked,
“The dessert from [Sweetie Bakery] that you said I had to try. Do you remember the noble who sent you to buy it?”
“Yes.”
“How many times did you run errands for that noble?”
“Um… only once!”
“Really?”
That wasn’t what I expected.
If it was only once, then maybe she wouldn’t know much.
Silvana’s words came back to me:
“I’m not entirely sure, but I heard a place called [Sweetie Bakery] opened recently. People say once you try it, you get addicted and keep going back.”
If [Sweetie Bakery] really was connected to drugs, then Rina might have witnessed changes in the noble she ran errands for.
But only once…
“Rina, do you know which family that noble belonged to?”
“I’m not sure. I only knew he was a noble. I live in the slums, and he came there and said he’d give one gold if we ran an errand for him.”
“I see.”
So she didn’t know the family, and hadn’t seen the noble change.
That meant I’d have to start directly investigating people who had visited [Sweetie Bakery].
That noble lady I saw last time… what family was she from?
The only noble ladies whose faces I clearly remembered since transmigrating were the two chatty girls I’d seen at the social salon.
But searching through all the central nobles one by one would take too long.
Would I have to solve this by brute force again?
As I was lost in thought, Rina, noticing my expression, straightened up.
“But, Lady… I wasn’t the only one who ran errands.”
“Huh?”
“That man came to the slums often. Most kids didn’t see his face, but one boy named Robert said he caught a glimpse of him while returning from an errand…”
“Really?”
Excitement surged.
I felt like I’d become Conan.
I gestured eagerly for her to continue.
“But that boy, Robert… he hasn’t been around for days.”
“What?”
“A few days ago, he said he wanted to run another errand and went to find the man. He said he often saw him near the market. But since then, he hasn’t been seen.”
A child who went looking for the man.
A child who then disappeared.
Everything fit too perfectly.
That man took him.
There was no way someone like that would leave alive a child who could recognize him and possibly blackmail him.
The man who took Robert was highly likely to be behind everything.
“Please… please spare me…”
A small boy knelt on the floor, hands clasped, crying as he looked up at the man towering over him.
His face was stained with dried tear tracks—he must have been crying for days.
Though he begged for his life, somewhere deep inside he already knew.
I’m going to die.
Why did I go there…
He should have listened when the other kids told him not to go.
But he’d wanted more opportunities, more money.
“Please… spare me…”
“Do you really want to live?”
“Yes… I really want to live…”
“I’m not so cruel as to be merciless even to children. I’m a kind man. But… was it Robin?”
The man kicked the boy’s leg hard.
“T-That’s… I’m Robert.”
“Yes, Robert. I don’t want to frighten children. But you came here of your own will to make money… so I can’t exactly let that slide, can I?”
His gentle tone contrasted chillingly with his words.
The man slowly stood up, then gestured to the knight standing beside him.
The knight’s sharp blade immediately pointed toward Robert.
Slash—
The boy collapsed without even a scream.
Looking down coldly at the fallen child, the man commanded,
“Dispose of him.”
He rose from his seat and walked calmly out of the room.
He felt nothing.
There were worthless beings in this world.
Foolish insects who didn’t even know their own value and dared to get involved.
Better to cut them down early before they could grow into bothersome adults.
The man’s twisted smile deepened.
