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Chapter 108
“I couldn’t say anything earlier… there were too many people around, and I was afraid the information might leak.”
Back at the mansion, Emily brought up what she hadn’t been able to tell Killian before.
“Actually, before Viscount Coventry tried to kill you, he was meeting with Enoch Blois.”
Enoch Blois again. Killian stroked his chin, his expression darkening.
Even without this, ever since the false testimony incident, the Star organization had already been keeping Enoch under close surveillance.
“Well, this works out.”
“Why?”
“It was difficult to investigate Count Blois directly, but if we look into his relationship with Viscount Coventry, we might uncover something useful.”
“Was Count Blois really that shrouded in mystery?”
Emily looked surprised. The Enoch she knew was one of the most simple-minded people she had ever met.
Well, after this hunting competition, that prejudice has crumbled quite a bit.
“Hm…”
After pondering for a moment, Emily rose from her seat with a meaningful expression.
“I’ll go up to rest. You should finish up and get some sleep too.”
“I have to head out again.”
Killian was putting his coat on once more.
“Where are you going?”
“Prince Kite said he had something to tell me. I’ll go meet him.”
Emily saw him off with a worried look.
Killian’s carriage headed straight for Andros Street.
Although Kite could have stayed in the Imperial Palace as an honored guest, he had rented a house in Andros Street under the excuse that he wanted more freedom.
“You’re here.”
Kite’s escort knight, familiar with Killian, greeted him at the entrance.
“Where is His Highness?”
“He is inside. This way, please.”
Kite had just finished showering and was enjoying a relaxing moment on the terrace with a cup of coffee.
“You’ve come!”
Kite jumped up with an unusually bright expression the moment he saw Killian.
“What’s with that dramatic reaction?”
Killian raised a brow.
“Well, once you hear what I have to say, you won’t stay calm either.”
With light steps, Kite hurried to his desk.
He inserted a key into the drawer lock and pulled something out—a necklace.
“Isn’t this the necklace you were looking for?”
Killian stared at the necklace in Kite’s hand in stunned disbelief.
“These initials engraved here… aren’t they from House Velvet?”
“Let me see that.”
Snapping back to his senses, Killian swiftly snatched the necklace from Kite’s hand.
“How did you find this?”
“It was inside the body of the beast I hunted.”
The shape he had only dimly remembered until now came back to him with perfect clarity.
“This is definitely it.”
The late Duchess Velvet had personally placed this necklace around her son’s neck.
“Thank you for finding it.”
Kite’s lips twitched in satisfaction—Killian rarely thanked anyone.
“So this repays the life debt between us?”
“More than enough.”
Killian tucked the necklace carefully against his chest.
“Now I’ll have to visit a few nobles with this evidence. Do you have anyone in mind?”
Killian nodded.
“Count Sinope’s diary listed some people who might help me.”
“A father-in-law who helps you even after death—no wonder your wife is so lovable.”
“Even without that, she’s lovable simply by existing.”
“Ah… yes.”
Kite made a sour face.
Hearing romantic lines spoken with such a cold, stern expression would make anyone’s skin crawl.
“Well, it seems you’re not far from reclaiming the name Adrian Velvet.”
Killian silently tightened his grip on the necklace.
Wait for me, Manfredi.
He would end that man’s life with his own hands.
*
Thanks to Marlin’s vast web of connections, Emily managed to discover which gambling house Viscount Coventry frequented.
“But you can’t just walk into that place.”
Marlin said as she gently stroked the fur of the new cat she was raising.
“Why not?”
“It’s an exclusive, invitation-only club. If an existing member doesn’t recommend you, you can’t enter.”
Emily slumped her shoulders in disappointment.
“What kind of backing does Viscount Coventry have to get into a place like that?”
“He probably has someone powerful covering for him.”
Marlin spoke lazily.
Could that ‘someone’ be Count Blois?
Seeing Emily fall into serious thought, Marlin spoke up.
“Well, they might welcome a famous figure or a high-ranking noble even without a recommendation.”
“Even if they’re not an invited member?”
“Yup. Those places change their tone depending on who shows up.”
Emily suddenly brightened and grabbed Marlin’s hand.
“Thank you, Marlin. That helps a lot.”
“You’re not planning to actually sit down and play cards, are you?”
Marlin recalled the nightmare of playing cards with Emily at Gallery Molineux and then getting scolded by Killian.
“I just have something important to check.”
“Could you please just live peacefully for once?”
Marlin clicked her tongue.
“Maybe marrying into the mafia means peaceful living is already out the window…”
She vowed never to marry a man with such a complicated profession.
“Hmph. Whatever you’re planning, don’t drag me into it. Making that fake identity for you last time was already more than enough.”
“Mm, I don’t need anything right now.”
“Right now, you say?”
Marlin narrowed her eyes.
“As you can see, I’m very busy taking care of our dear Josephine Whiffer. I don’t have energy to help with anything.”
“Meow—” Josephine cried sharply, backing Marlin up.
“Okay, okay.”
Emily said coyly.
Of course, she already knew—if anything happened, Marlin would be the first to jump in.
“How are things with Mrs. Howard? Getting friendly?”
“Of course. Isn’t Josephine the proof?”
When the Howard Duchess’s cat had kittens, Marlin took one of them home—Josephine.
“There were five kittens, and she only gave them to the friends she trusted most. I was one of them.”
Marlin said proudly.
The snowy-furred Josephine licked her chubby paw and leaned comfortably against Marlin.
“And Duchess Howard seems to see me as potential daughter-in-law material.”
Emily spat out the tea she was drinking.
Marlin, hit squarely by the splash, bit her lip as if holding back a scream.
“Emily. Where are your manners?”
“Sorry!”
Emily hurried to wipe Marlin’s face with her handkerchief.
Josephine, who had also been splashed, glared at Emily with narrowed pupils.
When Emily was done cleaning, she quickly sat back down.
“But what do you mean the Duchess sees you as a daughter-in-law?”
“Look at me—my beauty, my family background, wealth, flawless manners, eloquence—what’s not to love?”
Marlin pulled out a small mirror to check herself. Hmm. Perfect.
“She has three sons, and the second one isn’t married yet. She said she was looking for a good daughter-in-law.”
“Doesn’t she have three sons?”
“You mean that problematic third son? She didn’t even mention him.”
If she discovered that “problematic third son” was working with the Star organization now, she would faint for sure.
“I saw the second son from afar… he didn’t quite meet my expectations in terms of looks, which is a bit disappointing.”
Knox would definitely fit Marlin’s ideal type, Emily thought, holding back a laugh.
The idea that Marlin might become Knox’s in-law was almost too funny.
“So will you meet him?”
Marlin caught the mischievous sparkle in Emily’s eyes and exploded.
“What is that look for?! You think I’m being delusional again, don’t you?!”
“No! I was thinking about something else and smiled. Sorry!”
Emily quickly soothed her. Otherwise Josephine might scratch her.
Marlin sniffed sharply.
“Just be careful. Josephine and I are both very sensitive.”
