HIFH | Chapter 27

Chapter 27

[The ‘Hero’ Who Saved the Countess of Lockwood, Charles Courtney!]

[A New Legend in the Social Scene? The Hero’s Chronicle]

I crumpled the newspaper.

Every paper was saying the same thing.

[After stopping an intruder at the Marquess of Bydon’s residence, Charles Courtney had now saved the Countess of Lockwood. How had she gained such courage? Her heroic demeanor, the relationship between Lu Vansen and Charles Courtney…]

The articles were desperate to make me a hero.

This is driving me crazy.

This was never part of my plan.

My plan was to cause a scandal in high society and get kicked out!

So how did things turn out like this?

I saved too many people.

Wasn’t the Empire supposed to be a place without incidents?

So why had everything started happening the moment I arrived?

I felt like crying. Hnghh…

“Are you already up?”

Lu opened the door and stepped into the room. I kept my head down and only rolled my eyes to look at him.

“There’s a thing called knocking. It’s basic etiquette to avoid startling the person inside, you know?”

“But you always know when I’m coming, don’t you?”

“Well, that’s true.”

Again, Lu’s footsteps had a distinct sound. It was impossible not to notice.

I tossed the crumpled newspaper onto the desk and got up.

Lu was already sitting on the sofa. I walked toward him.

“So, you were reading the newspapers too.”

Lu tilted his head back to look up at me.

“I brought one as well.”

“Throw it away.”

“Why? It has a grand headline—‘Hero Charles’.”

He waved the newspaper in his hand with a smirk.

Annoying brat.

I glared at him and snatched the newspaper from his hand before dropping onto the sofa across from him.

“So, Charles.”

Lu gave up the newspaper without resistance, but he wasn’t about to keep his mouth shut.

“How does it feel to be the Empire’s hero?”

“Don’t.”

“The Holy Kingdom must be thrilled.”

“I said, don’t.”

Hah…

I let out a deep sigh and buried my face in my hands.

“The Guardian will contact you soon. They’ll be asking what Agent Sharan has been up to.”

“I just won’t answer. It’s not like Guardian agents will come all the way to the Empire again.”

“That’s true.”

“I’ll probably get scolded when I return to the Holy Kingdom, but until then, I’ll just pretend I don’t know anything.”

Of course, I had no intention of returning once this mission was over.

“Anyway.”

Lu continued.

“I didn’t press you yesterday because you looked exhausted.”

He went on.

“But what exactly happened?”

I slowly lifted my head. Then, I gave Lou a look of disbelief.

“You kept asking me yesterday. And you were totally mocking me the whole time.”

“That was just teasing. Now, I’m serious.”

Lu leaned forward, interlocking his fingers.

“Tell me properly. What happened last night?”

I let out a long sigh.

“I didn’t mean to. Really.”

Then, I spoke slowly.

“I accidentally grabbed the Countess’s glass and drank the wine. It tasted strange, so I realized it was poisoned. It was all a coincidence.”

Lu blinked slowly.

“Should I believe that?”

“It’s not about believing or not—it’s the truth!”

Ugh, this is so unfair!

If it had been my plan, I wouldn’t mind admitting it!

Feeling frustrated, I pounded my chest. Lu, of course, burst into laughter again.

“Alright. I’ll believe you.”

“Wow… That was the most reluctant ‘I believe you’ I’ve ever heard.”

Lu chuckled and tilted his head. Then, with practiced ease, he poured tea into a cup.

As if remembering something, he casually added,

“Oh, the sommelier killed himself.”

“……?”

He said it like he was commenting on having bread for breakfast.

I was so stunned that I couldn’t even take the teacup he was handing me. My mouth just hung open.

“You don’t want it? Then I’ll drink it.”

“No. Give it here.”

Snapping back to my senses, I took the cup. Lu laughed again and poured himself another.

“He died as soon as the interrogation started. He must have hidden poison in his mouth.”

Hidden poison…

That wasn’t something an ordinary person would do.

Did he have someone backing him?

If so, who?

Catacle?

The Principality?

My heart started racing.

It felt like the answer was already inside me.

“They say he left a final message before dying…”

Lu blinked slowly, recalling the words.

“‘When night falls, silence follows.’”

Thud. My heart sank.

[When night falls, silence follows.]

That phrase…

That’s what Catacle agents say before they take their own lives.

In other words, that sommelier was an agent of Catacle.

This confirmed it—Catacle had directly intervened to destabilize House Floria and assassinate the Countess of Lockwood.

But why?

I couldn’t understand.

Catacle was a group that operated for the benefit of the Empire.

So why would they target two noble houses?

If they fell, the Empire would be the one to suffer.

Why?

The more I thought about it, the more questions piled up.

I need to go to headquarters and check.

But first, I had to wait for the intel Pinkie was gathering.

Ugh, my head hurts.

I grabbed my forehead as a headache flared up.

“Charles?”

Lu called my name, looking concerned.

“What’s wrong?”

Ah.

I had been lost in thought right in front of him.

I quickly shook my head.

“Uh, no. Nothing. I was just surprised.”

“Really?”

Lu smiled. Somehow, it felt sinister.

“I almost thought…”

He looked me up and down.

“You knew something.”

“……”

Wow. His intuition is scary.

I swallowed dryly and forced a smile.

“Haha… What would I know? I don’t know anything.”

Lu blinked slowly, then chuckled.

“If you say so.”

His face screamed disbelief.

But if I said anything more, it would just make him more suspicious.

So I took a sip of tea, using the cup to hide my face.

“Anyway, you heard what the physician said, right? You need to rest for a while.”

It felt like he was deliberately changing the subject. I wasn’t about to waste this opportunity.

“Maybe that physician is a quack. I feel completely fine.”

“The only quack here is your stubbornness. Now, get up.”

Lu stood up and said,

“Let’s go out.”

“…Just the two of us?”

I pointed between myself and him, frowning slightly.

Why did we have to go out together?

“Can’t I go alone?”

Lu answered immediately.

“What if you cause another incident?”

“Hey, what do you mean ‘another’? It’s not like I cause trouble all the time.”

I grumbled and clicked my tongue.

“I’m not some reckless child.”

“Speaking of which, how about a boat ride on the lake? There’s even an alligator farm nearby—it’ll be a great sight.”

“Why do you never listen to me?”

“I hear it’s a popular spot among noble ladies these days.”

When Lu was this stubborn, no argument could change his mind.

I had known that for a long time.

So I had no choice but to nod.

“Fine. Going out is better than staying in my room.”

As I stood up, Lu grinned brightly.

“Then let’s go now.”

“…Sure.”

As I answered, my gaze drifted to the bed.

I thought of the gun and dagger hidden between the mattress.

Well, it’s just an outing. It should be fine.

So I left them behind.