TCSMETMEB 03

Episode 3

It all started around noon when the Marquess and Marchioness of Chester came to visit.

“It’s been a while.”

The Marchioness’s face, as she greeted me, was as haggard as Father’s.

Before long, Father came in, carrying Pippi in his arms. He looked unwell, as if he hadn’t been able to sleep a wink.

“I’ll be heading upstairs now.”

Honestly, it was awkward. They were my brother-in-law’s parents after all.

I had just returned to my room when I heard a knock.

“Miss, I’ve brought what you asked for yesterday.”

It was Martha, carrying newspapers about the murder case.

I couldn’t just wait around for the Security Forces to contact me, so I thought I’d try to get a sense of the situation through the papers.

The stack of newspapers was quite thick, as if she’d adopted a ‘I didn’t know what you’d like, so I brought everything’ mode.

‘She even brought the gossip rags.’

As a celebrity, my name often appears in gossip magazines, but honestly, I have a bad memory associated with them.

Once upon a time, a place called ‘Sand grain Media’ ran an article titled, “Mary Blaine Attached to the Ducal Family? Her Pitch-Black Inner Thoughts?”

I was about to deal with them, but the very next day, the newspaper office vanished without a trace, so I had to let it go.

And that day was also the only day Mr. Lancelot Idiz Arbiente broke our date first. When it rains, it pours, I suppose.

‘Well, memories aside. Maybe I can find a clue here.’

I started examining the newspaper on top.

[ Mysterious Noble Murder Case Strikes Again: The Eagle Serial Murders ]

The Eagle Serial Murders refer to a series of murders that have occurred over the past six months in Terrerosa the capital of the Oberlin Empire.

The reason for the name ‘Eagle’ was simple.

The eagle crest carved into the bodies of the victims.

I heard that same crest was found on the bodies of my sister and the Viscount.

‘Just as I thought, there’s a hidden secret behind my sister’s death.’

A surge of certainty made me flip through the newspapers more quickly.

But….

‘I need to stop crying.’

When I came across the article about the last victim, my sister, I choked up.

Marie, Viscountess Chester.

Just seeing my sister’s name made my eyes sting.

I pressed firmly on my cheeks, wet with tears, and calmly organized the information.

‘There’s no clue at all.’

The only commonality among the victims was that they were nobles bearing the eagle crest.

Men and women, young and old, the times of death were all different.

‘Considering the victims didn’t originally have the eagle crest, it doesn’t seem like my sister knew she would be killed because of the crest…’

Then what could it be? I was quickly losing energy.

But….

‘I can’t give up already.’

The Eagle case has been unsettling the capital for months.

Especially since the first victim was a Grand Duchess herself, a special task force led by the First Princess was formed, but I hear they haven’t made significant progress.

‘For a case like that, is it even possible for me to find clues just by looking at newspapers alone?’

Just then.

Knock, knock. I heard a knock.

“Mary, are you in there?”

It was Father. What brings him here all of a sudden?

I wiped away the tear stains and opened the door.

“What’s the matter?”

“I have something important to discuss. Come downstairs.”

“……?”

What is it? I suddenly felt anxious.

I roughly整理ed the newspapers and went downstairs.

The Marquess and Marchioness were in the hall. They must not have returned to the Marquis’s residence yet.

I sat down where Father gestured.

“Yes, well, Mary. What we need to talk about is this.”

‘We.’ The opening line made me even more nervous.

“You said it this morning. That it seemed like the murderer held a grudge against Marie and the Viscount.”

At his calm, ensuing words, I nodded.

It was my own speculation, based on the fact that my sister seemed to have foreseen her death.

“Then, this father and the Marquess and Marchioness believe the child is also in danger.”

What followed was a plausible argument.

If the killer murdered my sister and brother-in-law out of hatred.

Then naturally, their child, Pippi, would also be in danger.

Just as that thought crossed my mind, Father averted his gaze and muttered.

“It’s fortunate that Marie hid her pregnancy. Now that things have turned out this way….”

“……?”

The main point seemed just out of reach.

What on earth is it? I furrowed my brow without realizing it.

Then, at the words that finally followed….

“We would like you to be Pippi mother for the time being.”

My body froze.

“…What did you say?”

It seemed that while I was looking through the newspapers, some tremendous discussion had taken place.

‘No, so….’

They want me to pose as my niece’s mother?

‘…Even though I’m not even married?’

As I was left speechless, the Marquess of Chester quickly interjected.

“It’s a temporary, very temporary request, Miss Mary. Just until the criminal is caught, alright?”

“No, I….”

“It’s a matter concerning the child’s safety, no, the child’s life. Please consider it positively.”

“…….”

“We too are ashamed to ask this of a young lady. We will help with anything you need.”

His face showed genuine apology even as he made the request. It was hard to refuse outright.

But still, for now….

I needed time to think.

“I’m sorry, but I’ll go up first.”

“Miss Mary.”

“I need to think about it. Marquess, Marchioness, please take your time and stay a while longer.”

“…Very well, I understand.”

The Marquess and Marchioness looked reluctant, but they didn’t stop me.

As soon as I returned to my room like that, I buried my face in my knees.

‘Well, I can understand it, but….’

Even I thought there was only one way.

No one knows when the killer will be caught, and my sister’s only child is in danger.

With my sister dead, I am the person who looks most like Pippi.

“…Sigh.”

But is this even feasible?

I’ve always been a celebrity in the empire, attracting a lot of attention.

My speculation that the killer holds a grudge against my sister is just a guess. Is it worth undertaking something this major?

“…….”

I checked the clock and decided to decide by 3 o’clock.

When 3 o’clock came, I fiddled with my fan and repeated my resolve. By 4 o’clock, I will definitely decide.

What I decided at 4 o’clock was a pledge to decide by 5 o’clock for sure.

And finally, at 5 o’clock.

‘This really isn’t right, after all.’

Let’s refuse decisively. There must be other ways to protect Pippi.

The moment I came to a firm conclusion and stood up.

“Ugh….”

The child’s fussing stopped me.

Turning my head involuntarily, my eyes fell on Pippi lying in the cradle.

“…….”

For a moment, my heart raced wildly. I couldn’t breathe.

“Mi, I’m sorry, Mary. I’m so sorry….”

The scene where my sister entrusted Pippi to me unfolded like a panorama.

The reason I didn’t lose heart during my own difficult times and succeeded like this was because my sister had carefully planted pretty flowers along my path.

“You must protect our Pippi, I beg of you.”

That was the first and last request my sister ever made of me.

So, no matter what, I had to protect Pippi.

No matter what….

“…Yeah, well.”

Three hours of agonizing came to a neat end.

This place was more conservative than my previous life, but I didn’t care about getting a few bad rumors.

‘As they say, a real woman needs at least one juicy scandal to have some flair.’

Because I have to protect my niece—no, my kid.

But that decision would be shaken in just a few days.

“Explain this to me, Mary.”

“…….”

“Why is it that the moment I return, I hear that my ex-girlfriend has given birth and is raising a child?”

By my ex-boyfriend, who seemed to have gone quite mad somewhere along the way.

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