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Chapter 16
“What, what are you doing?”
“Playing detective?”
“Even if you press your ear against the door, you won’t hear anything.”
The Black Hawks murmured among themselves.
Aria had a serious expression—as if she could actually hear something through the door. It was so adorable that the knights’ lips twitched with suppressed laughter.
“What case are you investigating, my lady?”
One of the Black Hawks asked, trying hard to keep a straight face as he stifled his chuckles.
Do I… have to give them an answer?
Judging by their sparkling eyes, they were genuinely expecting one.
After a brief moment of thought, Aria scribbled something at random on her card.
[A murder case.]
The Black Hawks burst into laughter.
Their laughter was unnecessarily clear and refreshing.
“A murder case, she says. Pfft!”
“With our lord around, Detective Aria will never run out of work!”
“You seem to have found the culprit already.”
“There must be evidence everywhere.”
They had the strange talent of saying horrifying things with bright, innocent smiles.
I suppose they’re trying their best to talk at a child’s level, but still…
Any normal child would burst into tears.
Neither the Grand Duke nor his direct subordinates had the slightest aptitude for childcare.
Now I understand why the Black Hawks’ notoriety rivals that of Valentine himself, Aria mused.
It seemed the only person around the Grand Duke with a normal thought process was Dwayne.
And yet, he always looks like he has a permanent headache.
He must have found the wrong job.
Aria could only pity the Grand Duke’s aide for a moment before turning her focus back to the voices inside the mansion.
“An unjust demand, Your Grace?”
“That—yes. To demand compensation for a parasite… What nonsense is that?”
The Viscount of Cavendish.
Once Aria recognized who it was, she immediately understood what was going on.
He must have brought the compensation the Grand Duke demanded.
But judging by his complaints, he hadn’t managed to gather the full 1 billion yet. Now that the truth behind the illness of his retainers had come to light, he had no assets left—only debt.
“You’re mistaken. Parasites are the Empire’s property. You took them without permission, did you not?”
“……”
Even Aria could hear the faint amusement in the Grand Duke’s voice.
Unless he was completely oblivious, the viscount must have realized it too—Grand Duke Valentine was openly mocking him.
“T-That is correct, Your Grace, but please find it in your heart to show mercy…”
Of course, he didn’t dare raise his voice.
He must have come personally. Now that the cause and cure of his retainers’ illness have been exposed, any blame left unaddressed will fall squarely on him.
Not to mention, he had spread ridiculous rumors about Valentine’s curse.
But the truth was parasite infection.
If that truth spread through his territory, the people would see him as a fool. And the one who controlled the Cavendish family’s reputation was none other than Grand Duke Valentine.
“Your Grace, last year Cavendish suffered severe drought—”
“Get to the point.”
“Our finances were in ruins. I was not thinking clearly. Please forgive me.”
There was a loud thud—followed by frantic rubbing sounds.
He must be kneeling and bowing on the floor.
Aria could scarcely believe it.
They were the ones who committed the original offense, spread malicious rumors, and demanded money—and now they were begging forgiveness?
As if an apology would solve anything.
As expected, the Grand Duke’s voice grew cold.
“You think I came all the way here just to witness this pathetic display?”
“Guh!”
The viscount gasped as if he were choking.
Did the Grand Duke put a sword to his throat?
Aria could imagine the scene without even seeing it.
“Your Grace, I’ve told you countless times—at least converse for ten minutes before threatening someone.”
Dwayne scolded him like an exasperated nanny.
“I haven’t killed him yet.”
“At least speak for five more minutes, then!”
“You hear that, Viscount? Let’s have a truthful five-minute conversation.”
The Grand Duke suddenly sounded far more cheerful.
So if he can’t give a satisfactory answer within five minutes… he dies.
Aria understood instantly—and so did the viscount.
“If—If material compensation is acceptable, I have procured a 500-year-old ancient relic—”
“Hm.”
Aria heard the sounds of objects being placed down frantically.
“This is our family heirloom!”
Selling even the heirloom—he must truly be desperate.
“Fine. I’ll count it as seven hundred million. Bring the remaining three hundred million within a month.”
“A-A month is too—”
“Hmm?”
“…The perfect amount of time. A month it is.”
“Good. Now leave.”
“Yes—yes, of course!”
The viscount bowed and scraped until the very end before retreating.
His footsteps turned to frantic stomping—and then the door flew open.
“What the—who is this brat?”
Aria had no time to move.
Leaning against the door, she stumbled forward, and when she raised her head, her eyes met the contorted, demon-like face of the viscount.
“Don’t block the doorway—wait. That hair color…”
He stopped, squinting suspiciously.
Then it happened—too fast to avoid.
He reached out and yanked off her rabbit mask.
“—!”
It was completely unexpected. She had been far too close.
Aria quickly lowered her head, trying to hide her face—but it was already too late.
The viscount had already seen enough.
“The jester of Cortez!”
He barked out a laugh.
Cortez.
A once-renowned noble house that produced legendary musicians—now infamous as a disgrace.
“You look just like them. I recognized you at a glance. Hm, I had no idea the jester had a daughter.”
Unlike the previous count, the current head of the Cortez family was mocked as a circus ringmaster—for using sirens, a minority race, to amass wealth and fame.
And the people who now sought siren songs were nothing more than lost, hopeless addicts—Cavendish among them.
“So, is your song as enchanting as hers?”
He was a member of a secret society whose activities were hidden behind binding oaths of silence.
But since her mother had died, the oaths no longer mattered…
Aria trembled, cold sweat running down her back.
She had never expected him to recognize her at a glance.
“Did you come to sell your voice to Valentine? Hiding all this time—what luck! Since it’s come to this, why not stop playing jester and make your name known across the Empire, child?”
“……”
“With Valentine’s wealth behind you, it won’t be long before we hear a siren’s song at the Grand Theater in the capital.”
He smirked, excited at the thought.
“If you inherited your mother’s voice, they’ll call you an angel—God’s voice given form.”
Aria clenched her trembling hands tight around her skirt.
“Perhaps even the Emperor will take notice. Your father would be thrilled! Hah!”
Her blood ran cold.
His words were prophecy.
It really happened.
They praised her.
They worshipped her.
They used her.
Demanded more.
Forced out secrets she never wanted to give.
Begged her to save them.
Demanded her execution.
Broke her legs.
Locked her in a cage.
Forced her to sing until she bled.
And then—
“Guh—! Khh—!”
One of the Black Hawks rushed to cover Aria’s eyes, but she still glimpsed it—through her fingers.
The gleaming tip of a blade protruding from the viscount’s chest.
Red spreading like spilled paint.
“Five minutes are up.”
The sword belonged to Grand Duke Valentine.
He withdrew it. The viscount collapsed lifelessly and did not move again.
…And I was saved.
A large shadow loomed overhead.
Aria slowly looked up.
The Grand Duke placed her rabbit mask back over her face. Soft fabric brushed her cheeks.
Her gaze trembled uncontrollably as she stared at him in silence.
“You really killed him, hm…”
Dwayne sighed as he hurried after the Grand Duke, as though he had expected this outcome.
“Well, since you’ve already done it, there’s no helping it now. I’ll go down and officially charge him with insulting Valentine.”
He moved swiftly to contain the situation. After working 15 years under the Grand Duke, such incidents barely fazed him anymore.
“At least this time will be simple.”
Cavendish had more than earned his punishment.
The Grand Duke ignored Dwayne’s comment and muttered quietly:
“I see. I hadn’t considered this possibility…”
He had never bothered with Cortez’s lowly gatherings; thus, he had no idea someone would recognize Aria instantly.
He recalled her trembling form, ghost-white and shaking, her eyes twisted with despair.
She fears it excessively.
Does she truly hate being known as the siren’s daughter?
If so—
He would remove the problem.
The conclusion came to him effortlessly.
“Bring me the membership list of every attendee from Cortez’s past gatherings.”
The Black Hawks bowed in unison.
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“Not a single one missing.”
And deal with them—
—was left unsaid, because Aria was listening.
The Black Hawks, without a word, understood perfectly.
