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Chapter 19
The truth of the incident was this:
Psyche recalled visiting Melias not long ago to retrieve the Lord’s ring.
“Oh my, we meet again! I remembered you!”
Melias smiled brightly as Psyche tapped the table lightly.
It seemed Mari was right when she said, “Psyche can go anywhere she wants.” The outing happened quickly.
And Melias, who might have been slightly flustered, heard the words that had been lingering on Psyche’s lips countless times—spoken without hesitation.
“By any chance, did you find something left behind where I was sitting that day? I lost a necklace, and I think I must have dropped it here.”
“…A necklace?”
Melias’s smile began to stiffen.
“Specifically, it was a gold necklace chain with a ring attached. I’m looking for the ring—it holds great meaning to me.”
“Ah… Well, I’m not sure. There was… nothing left at the table after you left.”
“I see. Thank you for answering.”
Psyche gave a soft smile when Melias stammered and denied it.
Melias’s nervousness and sweat were suspicious—but only circumstantial evidence.
Perhaps thinking Psyche would leave it at that, Melias quickly spoke again.
“Uh, what’s your relationship with the gentleman who accompanied you?”
Because of this question, Psyche got a sense of what Melias might be hiding.
“We barely knew each other. Circumstances arose, and I received his help. It was an unexpected accompaniment. Why? Did the gentleman who came with me do something suspicious?”
Melias’s eyes darted around like she had lost her way.
Soon, she opened her mouth. Perhaps she couldn’t hide her emotions—her gaze turned murky.
“I-I’m sorry. I should’ve said something earlier…”
“Melias?”
“Actually… I saw the gentleman who came with you damage your necklace. Then he slipped it into his coat. I’m sure it was intentional.”
“You mean the man who came with me broke and stole my necklace?”
Psyche answered calmly, though her heart was pounding.
“You both looked so beautiful and elegant… I ended up watching you two and saw everything. I should’ve told you then. I’m so sorry.”
Tears welled up in Melias’s pale blue eyes.
“It’s alright, Melias. I don’t think I could’ve spoken up in your position either.”
Psyche decided to stay calm—and to listen more carefully to what Melias had to say.
Until Melias spoke again.
“The gentleman gave me a huge tip when he handed over the bill. That must’ve been the price for my silence. I let money blind me and went against my conscience…”
Psyche recalled the two times the man had left the table.
First, he left to call for a carriage, and then again to pay the bill.
It was during one of those times he must have bribed Melias into silence!
“Thank you for telling me the truth, Melias. You’re honest and kind. If a time comes when I need to reveal the truth, can I count on your help?”
Having made up her mind, Psyche gently held Melias’s hand.
As Psyche smiled softly, tears spilled from Melias’s large eyes.
“I made a huge mistake against someone as kind as you. I was in desperate need of money and took the price for my conscience. My mother is actually addicted to gambling. No matter how hard my sibling and I work, it’s never enough.”
If there was one thing that could break Psyche’s heart, it was family hardships—especially financial ones.
“I’m truly sorry. And if there’s ever a time when I can help you, even from afar, I will.”
The words “even from afar” sounded strange, but the thought evaporated quickly as Melias continued.
“I’ll pray that your future is filled with only blessings.”
—
After that, Psyche investigated the man named Aster through Mari.
She expected to find something questionable, but he turned out to be squeaky clean.
He had received a knighthood from the Archduke, though strangely, he wasn’t affiliated with any knight order.
> “They say he’s a close confidant whom the Archduke keeps nearby.”
Since Psyche had no one else in the Archduchy to ask for help, she had no choice but to go through Mari. The only way to retrieve her necklace was to confront that man—there were no other options.
Using the excuse that she wanted to thank the messenger who had guided her properly, she requested a meeting. Mari didn’t seem particularly concerned. Unlike the Sigurd Empire, the Archduchy was more open, and interaction between genders was seen as normal.
Thanks to that, the two could speak quietly in private.
“Please return what’s mine. I know you took it.”
“Miss Psyche?”
“I visited the place a few days ago. One of the staff told me—they saw you take the necklace with the ring and put it in your coat.”
Psyche had a habit of observing even the slightest change in someone’s expression.
She studied the messenger’s face by instinct but then fell silent.
Despite her direct questioning, the man remained completely calm.
There was no change in expression—not even a blink.
Finally, he made eye contact and smiled softly. His lush, red lips curved gently.
“Oh, the necklace.”
He let out a soft sigh, as if reminiscing.
“Is this what you’re looking for?”
He pulled out a small box from his coat. It was square-shaped, covered in bright red velvet, with a thumb-sized gem on the clasp.
Before she could ask what it was, the man handed it to her, as if inviting her to check for herself.
Psyche carefully opened the lid.
There it is—the Lord’s ring.
Inside was the ring bearing the crest of the Clement family—the one only the head of the house could own.
Next to it lay the broken gold chain Psyche had used to hold the ring.
“Is this also what you were looking for?”
Still smiling, the man held out a scarf identical to the one Psyche had lost that day.
“It does look like the scarf I lost. But how did you…?”
“The necklace was tangled in the loose threads of this worn scarf.”
“…”
“I found it by chance after you left. It had caught on a branch and hadn’t flown far. I saw it just outside the tea house.”
He added in a low voice.
Just like he said, the broken necklace chain was tangled in the pulled threads of the scarf.
“…Did you really find this by chance?”
Psyche accepted the scarf and asked. Before hearing Melias’s story, she had believed such a thing could’ve happened.
But hearing it from the man made it all feel false.
“By chance. Of course.”
The corners of his lips curved into a soft smile.
But it felt less like joy—and more like a shield to mask emotion.
In that fleeting moment, a heavy silence passed between them.
Once again, Psyche felt something off about him.
His blue eyes gleamed more intensely than usual. When his long lashes trembled, it looked like ripples shimmering across his irises.
And rather than being beautiful, the image felt artificial—staged.
“You don’t believe me, do you?”
His lips moved again.
Psyche looked away from his gaze.
He was right. For some reason, she simply couldn’t trust this man. The suspicion that he was lying wouldn’t go away.
“You said the staff gave you a statement?”
“Yes.”
“Have you considered that the staff member might have lied?”
“Would someone go to such lengths for a lie?”
She answered his question with one of her own.
“If they hoped to get something out of it—yes.”
“Something out of it?”
“Usually, when nobles come with such problems, if you tell them what they want to hear, they reward you generously. It’s a sick trick—preying on desperation for money.”
Psyche suddenly felt a flush rise to her neck.
Just as he said, she had given Melias a hairpin in exchange for the truth—a small one, with a sapphire no larger than a pinky nail.
“She’s still working here, so let’s call her and confirm.”
“Let’s do that.”
Psyche agreed to Aster’s proposal.
And it turned out Aster’s claim was close to the truth.
“Melias quit yesterday.”
The one who showed up was a different staff member.
“Apparently, she moved to the kingdom with her younger sister, who studied fashion nearby. She said she got a good deal on an old house and had to leave quickly.”
“Wait. Did you say she quit yesterday?”
“Yes. I was her housemate, but she left in a rush. Even left all her furniture behind—it’s been a hassle to deal with.
They charge money for disposal stickers, you know. And she didn’t even leave those behind. It was like she ran away in the night!”
