Chapter 42
Did Ethan misunderstand my serious reaction?
He handed me the box again and spoke as if to calm me.
“Don’t worry too much. I won’t tell Father.”
In his eyes, I seemed like a child fretting over losing a precious gift from the Duke.
‘I wish that were really the case…’
I reluctantly took the box he offered.
“…Thank you, brother.”
The earrings he brought were a little smaller than the Duke’s gift, but they also had blue diamonds embedded.
It amazed me that such a rare gemstone, found only inside the Gate, could be obtained so easily.
It made me realize again the power of the Blake family and Ethan’s position.
“…Then.”
He seemed to consider his business done after giving me the earrings and turned away.
I hurriedly called him back before I forgot what I wanted to ask.
“Brother.”
“…?”
“Did you meet the Purifier on the day of the banquet?”
As if the heroine were a trigger, Ethan’s expression immediately turned cold.
“…No. I went to see her before the banquet started, but she wasn’t feeling well and went to bed early.”
“Oh…”
“But why are you asking about Ruelin?”
He looked at me warily. It seemed he worried that I might throw another hysterical scene at her now that I’d regained my memories.
Suppressing my twisting stomach, I prepared and spoke.
“I want to apologize.”
“…What?”
“I don’t remember exactly why, but I heard I took Ruelin to Torlen?”
“……”
“Anyway, I felt bad that she almost got into danger because of me. I wanted to apologize and tell her it won’t happen again.”
“You… actually think that way…”
Ethan looked shocked at my words, as if he couldn’t believe someone like Edith, who hated Ruelin so much, would say this.
Like earlier, he squinted and carefully examined my face, then finally asked:
“…You don’t have any other intentions, right?”
“What do you mean?”
“You know roughly… you weren’t very close with her.”
“I don’t plan to get along with her now either. But I’m just tired of hearing it.”
“Hearing what?”
“Whenever something happened, they said I was jealous of the Purifier, misbehaved, attempted murder… I don’t even remember it well, so wouldn’t that feel unfair?”
“……”
“I was the one who almost died.”
At my words, he flinched and looked at me.
He was still trying to figure out my true intention.
But I just added with an innocent face.
“So I wanted to apologize and declare it will be different from now on. I have no other intentions.”
“…Reflecting on something is a good attitude.”
He finally nodded, seeming convinced.
“If you meet her, I’ll let you know beforehand.”
“And you, brother?”
“Hm?”
“Nothing, never mind.”
I lifted my gaze from him, who had slightly raised his head, without lingering.
It was a relief. He behaved as if he was not wrong at all until the end.
If he pretended to reflect on my words now, I would have had a hard time ignoring him.
“…Ah.”
He seemed puzzled at my weak shake of the head, then suddenly went quiet, as if remembering something.
“By the way, I heard the Grand Duke Belnac was attacked by an intruder at the foreign guest palace next to the banquet hall that day. Did you know?”
Of course I knew better than anyone.
“No, I didn’t.”
“The Grand Duke’s side requested cooperation for investigation… Did you see anything suspicious outside that day?”
I barely controlled the twitch in my face.
“Yes.”
“Good. Then that’s enough.”
“But… why did they send the request to the Duke’s house?”
“Don’t worry about it. It seems they sent it to all attending families as a formality.”
With that, Ethan left.
I waited until he was far from the greenhouse, then stood up abruptly.
And I almost ran back to my room.
Bang!
“Nancy!”
I burst in, and Nancy, who was tidying the room, was startled.
“Ah, Miss! What’s wrong?”
“Did you happen to see if one earring was missing when I came back?”
“Ah… yes, yes! How did you know?”
“Why didn’t you say anything earlier?”
“Master Ethan said you might be upset, so he’d speak to you separately…”
Sigh…
My vision went dark for a moment.
I staggered and collapsed onto the sofa.
“Are you okay, Miss?”
“No…”
“My goodness, your complexion is so pale. Should I call Eston?”
“No. Just leave.”
I waved Nancy away, showing my annoyance.
She cautiously left the room, worried.
Thud.
As soon as the door closed, I grabbed my head and silently screamed.
“Honestly, what a useless idiot in my life…”
Of course, I knew it was pointless anger.
Ethan probably meant well, preparing the earrings separately and telling me to help.
But it was completely unwanted as far as I was concerned.
If I had known yesterday…
No, if he had just told me right away instead of asking who I had fought with first…
“Still, there’s nothing I can do now…”
Even if I had known immediately, I probably wouldn’t have found them.
I didn’t know where I lost it, and I couldn’t just overturn the banquet area blindly.
Even if someone found it, it was more likely stolen.
“…Where did I drop it? When I collapsed?”
I pressed my hands to my head and tried to recall.
Most likely, I lost it when I collapsed in the corridor.
There was almost no other impact on my body at that time.
“Ah.”
There was one more thing.
A chill ran down my spine as the worst possibility vividly came to mind.
“Could it… be in the heroine’s room?”
When I hit Male Lead 4, Serge Belnac, with the stool.
His head was harder than expected, and the recoil was strong.
“No! That can’t be!”
I shuddered and denied the terrible thought.
If the earring fell there, it would be a disaster.
Not only would I have broken into the Purifier’s room without permission, but I’d also have smashed the head of the only Grand Duke in the country—becoming a criminal and royal murderer!
“…Right!”
Then it came to me.
The moment I saw my reflection in the outer window, horrified, flashed in my mind.
“I was definitely wearing it then!”
I desperately recalled that moment.
It was already two days ago, and I had fainted, so my memory was hazy.
But one thing was certain: when I noticed my reflection in the window, my head was tilted up.
So if one earring was missing at that time, I would have noticed immediately.
“Ha…”
Having logically reasoned it out, I let out a deep sigh of relief.
‘Anywhere… as long as it’s not the heroine’s room.’
Then my alibi is perfect.
Even if Male Lead 4 finds my earring near the banquet or corridor, what can he do?
Thinking that, the anxiety that had been pounding in my chest gradually settled.
“I guess people really can’t live after committing a crime…”
It’s the kind of thing you can’t do twice, even if it hurts your heart.
Rubbing my left chest, I stood up and headed to the dressing room.
I took the jewelry box the Duke gave from the display where accessories were kept.
Opening the lid, the necklaces and earrings neatly arranged by Nancy shone beautifully.
I removed the single earring and replaced it with the pair Ethan had given me.
Placing them next to the necklace, the difference became clear, just as he said.
The Duke’s gift had much larger gems and looked more luxurious.
The cut of the diamonds and the surrounding accessories were more delicate and splendid.
‘So this is what they mean by different class?’
But there was nothing to be done. I had to insist it was the same set.
I returned the jewelry box to its original place and put the removed single earring in the safe.
“This is no longer my earring. Not my earring…”
I repeated it to myself and locked the safe.
Even if I later find the lost earring, I can deny it’s mine.
It’s common for nobles to lose accessories at banquets.
Besides, I wasn’t at the banquet long enough for anyone to be sure it was mine, and Male Lead 4’s monster corpse show had already buried my presence.
“…Even if someone recognizes it, I can just claim I never lost it.”
And thanks to Ethan giving me a similar earring,
‘It’s a perfect crime.’
I thought.
“…Tch, you useless fool. If it weren’t for the Grand Duke, you wouldn’t even have realized you lost the earring!”
Until the next day, when the Duke arrived with the Grand Duke
