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Chapter 13
“Are you saying you know about that man?”
“Yes. The man who swindled the former Count of Kidne. I know about him.”
A hollow laugh slipped from Robert’s lips.
The former Count of Kidne—Robert’s father—had been a victim of fraud.
One day, a con artist appeared before the former count and proposed a strange investment to the naïve nobleman. Deceived by his words, Robert’s father handed over all of his assets. Naturally, the moment the money was in his hands, the swindler fled without looking back.
Only much later did his father realize he had been scammed. He then took his own life, leaving behind a single suicide note filled with nothing but self-reproach: “I’m sorry for being deceived. This is all my fault.” No explanation beyond that.
Having inherited the count’s title at a young age, Robert lived with grim determination.
On the surface, he acted the part of a relaxed, elegant noble, but behind the scenes he ran pawnshops and information networks—things nobles normally wouldn’t touch—slowly reclaiming the wealth his father had lost.
“How does a lady like you know about that?” he asked.
Even Robert, the greatest information broker in the Empire, had never managed to uncover anything about that con artist. The idea that the naïve young lady of House Leon knew was even more unbelievable.
“It’s a trade secret,” Espin replied. “So, will you be attending the banquet at the temple tomorrow? I’ll be waiting for your answer then.”
After glancing once at the stunned Robert, Espin stood up and left the room.
“Wow… how am I supposed to get down these stairs? Should I just roll down instead?”
Hearing Espin’s voice from outside the door, Robert could only let out a baffled laugh.
It was one thing that she knew his true identity—but she claimed to know the swindler’s identity as well.
“Can I trust her?”
Her information had no clear source. For Robert, who valued accuracy above all else, it wasn’t something he could easily believe.
And yet—
“Uh, uh—whoa! I almost died!”
For some reason, he wanted to believe that foolish woman who couldn’t even manage the stairs properly. The woman who had looked straight into his eyes and declared she would con a con artist—somehow, she inspired trust.
“For now… I should investigate.”
It seemed she possessed something he didn’t know.
“I need you to bring some ointment.”
The carriage arrived at the Leon count’s estate.
After scraping my foot while coming down the steep stairs of the pawnshop, I limped as I got out of the carriage.
“Yes.”
The maid who had ridden with me didn’t even try to support me and simply walked past.
“Hey, could you help me walk?”
“Ah, I don’t think I’m strong enough to support you… I’ll go get someone else.”
“What did you say?”
At her astonishing reply, both the coachman and I stared at her.
She tilted her head, as if she didn’t understand what she’d done wrong, then pointed at the knight who had escorted the carriage.
“Now that I think about it, the knight is here. Either he or the coachman can help you.”
Having lived as a noble in this world for several days, I knew this was definitely improper behavior. Maids and coachmen each had their assigned roles, and supporting and attending to me was clearly the maid’s duty.
Yet she just stared back at me with wide eyes, head tilted.
Her unusually pale irises stood out.
Ah… is this what they call a clear-eyed lunatic?
How did someone like her become a maid…? Well, it was probably because I’d hired people too hastily.
Still, compared to the previous maids who had ignored and harassed Espin, she didn’t seem ill-intentioned. She just seemed clueless, or indifferent to the job.
With a small sigh, I asked the knight behind me.
“Could you help me instead of the oblivious maid?”
“Yes.”
“Then I’ll go fetch the ointment,” the maid said.
She hurried into the mansion with light, pattering steps, seemingly oblivious to the sighs that followed behind her.
“Ah, by the way, where is the head butler—”
I stopped short as I entered the mansion.
“Your Grace… what brings you here…?”
Waiting in the hall were Duke Holt, Haren, and the Imperial Knights behind them.
“Greetings, my lady. We have come to investigate yesterday’s incident. May we have a moment of your time?”
My heart sank.
I’d been told that when nobles were victims, a written statement was usually enough. The fact that the Imperial Knights had come in person was not a good sign.
And Duke Holt himself, no less. That was ominous.
Sebastian didn’t do something stupid like confessing all his crimes, did he?
Impersonating a prince of the Kingdom of Arcadia alone warranted a life sentence. No matter how foolish Sebastian was, he wouldn’t make a choice like that.
Right. Don’t panic. There’s nothing they can prove.
I forced a smile, mentally steadying myself.
“Then please, come to the drawing room.”
“We’re here today to confirm a few things,”
Travis said as soon as they were seated in the drawing room.
“Of course. Please ask anything you like.”
“Commander, I told you—it’s all nonsense,” Haren grumbled from the side.
When Travis didn’t respond, Haren quickly fell silent.
“The man who was arrested for causing a disturbance at this estate last time—he made a rather strange claim.”
“A strange claim?”
“He says he personally gave you fifty thousand Litas.”
Travis studied Espin’s expression.
Despite how absurd the claim sounded, Espin didn’t flinch. She smiled calmly before speaking.
“Do you believe that, Your Grace?”
“……”
Travis stared at Espin in silence, waiting to see what she would say next.
“Is there any reason for me to borrow money from—or receive money from—that man?”
“Exactly. Commander, House Leon isn’t short on money. Why would she take money from someone like him?” Haren said, immediately taking Espin’s side.
“Do you have any evidence to support that statement?” Travis asked.
“No evidence. He did borrow a large sum from a shady pawnshop, using his own body as collateral. But we don’t know where that money went. He probably wasted it somewhere.”
Haren rattled on in response to Espin’s question.
As Haren said, the man had borrowed an enormous amount of money from a disreputable pawnshop, putting his body up as collateral. He claimed he took that money to Espin, but there was no proof he ever met her again.
Sebastian’s story was riddled with inconsistencies, yet certain parts were oddly detailed—especially his accurate description of this very drawing room.
How could a commoner, who should never have been allowed inside, know it so well?
There was another suspicious point.
For some reason, Espin had replaced all the staff of the estate a few days earlier. She said it was because they had been disrespectful to her, but changing out the entire staff overnight was hardly common.
She was clearly hiding something.
Travis slowly sipped the tea before him, watching her face. She looked expressionless at first glance, but her eyes sparkled strangely.
“And you know what else he said? That the two of you were lovers.”
“That’s ridiculous… Haren, you know I care about looks.”
“See, Commander? Espin’s ideal type is someone dependable and handsome—like a prince. She likes men with refined, noble faces, like yours.”
At Haren’s words, Travis, who was drinking his tea, nearly choked.
“Cough—don’t spout nonsense, Haren.”
Coughing, Travis glared at him.
“No, it’s true. Espin, you said before that the commander was handsome and exactly your type, didn’t you?”
Both Haren’s and Travis’s gazes turned toward Espin.
