MLIIWTFL Chapter 178

Even though the times have changed and wealthy commoners can now be granted noble titles, the privileged class of the aristocracy hasn’t completely disappeared.

That’s why, while ordinary crimes are handled by the city guard, any crimes involving high-ranking nobles—from arrest to investigation—fall under the jurisdiction of the knights’ order.

Still, Letticia had never imagined she would end up in the investigation room of the knights.

“It may seem humble compared to the Sharon family estate, but please have a seat.”

Letticia silently sat in the chair that the bearded knight who had brought her there pointed to, glancing around the room.

She had lived long enough to see even the inside of a knights’ investigation room—an oddly calm thought that only lasted a moment, before she felt the intense gaze of the knight sitting across from her, elbows resting on the table.

“You brought me to a nicer place than I expected. From the way you behaved in front of our mansion, I thought you’d drag me straight to a prison cell.”

“You’re speaking nonsense. If the young lady is innocent, she has no reason to be imprisoned.”

“Then how do you explain making it look like you were ‘arresting’ someone who hasn’t committed a crime?”

Her sarcastic remark made the knight’s expression twitch.

Letticia stared at him coldly, her face blank.

***

“Young lady! Knights from the Imperial Palace are here to see you!”

Letticia had just begun her breakfast when the butler rushed in with the news, causing her to pause mid-scoop of her soup and rise to her feet.

Kenneth, who was dining with her, also stood abruptly, alarmed.

“Knights from the Imperial Palace? Why are they here?”

“They say they want to ask about something that happened at the music concert held at Count Wallace’s estate yesterday. I told them you were eating and asked them to wait, but they threatened us and demanded you come out immediately.”

“Ha… Where are the knights now?”

“They’re in the drawing room.”

“Then tell them to wait until Letticia finishes changing. In the meantime, I’ll find out what’s going on.”

Kenneth left the dining room immediately. Letticia considered finishing her meal, but her appetite had vanished in the tension, so she set her spoon down and questioned the butler further.

“How many knights came? Are there still some outside?”

“Two came inside, but there are still three carriages bearing the knights’ insignia waiting outside. Passersby are already gathering, asking what’s going on.”

“They’ve turned us into a spectacle. This is going to be splashed across every society page in giant headlines.”

Knights showing up at the gates of the Sharon estate? No matter how you looked at it, it couldn’t be good news.

“Leaving them out there too long will only work against us, right?”

“Most likely, yes. I know it’s unpleasant, but it would be better if you got ready and went out quickly.”

“Ugh, and I didn’t even get to eat breakfast.”

Muttering her complaint, Letticia begrudgingly headed upstairs to change.

Since she was only going for an investigation, she chose a relatively plain dress and a simple necklace. But with Letticia’s naturally glamorous looks, she still ended up looking like she was going out for a social visit rather than an inquiry.

“Well, it’s not like I’m a criminal being dragged away. This should be fine.”

At that moment, Letticia still thought it wouldn’t be a big deal.

But the moment she faced the knights waiting in the drawing room—and heard their stern tone—her instincts told her something was definitely off.

“Lady Letticia Sharon, we need to ask you a few questions regarding the incident at Count Wallace’s manor yesterday. Please come with us.”

“You want me to go with you? You can’t just ask your questions here?”

“Given the gravity of the matter, that won’t be possible. Please come quietly. The carriage is waiting.”

Their tone sounded more like they were arresting a suspect, and Letticia’s butler immediately protested.

“This is outrageous! Even if you are knights, you can’t just drag a noble away!”

“If she refuses to come, we may have to arrest her for obstructing official duties.”

“Since when did obstruction of official duties apply to nobles too?”

If that were the case, then wouldn’t all the nobles who ignored Ezkhiel’s orders already be behind bars?

Letticia replied with a look of disbelief, which only made the knight’s expression darken further.

“Young Lady, we are knights granted authority by His Majesty the Emperor to investigate nobles. No matter how favored the Sharon family may be by Her Majesty the Empress, do not think that such favoritism will grant you immunity in an investigation.”

“Then let me ask you something in return—when did the law change so that a witness had to be forcibly escorted in a knight’s carriage? I was told that witnesses only use the knight’s carriage if they have no other means of transport.”

At that moment, the door opened and Kenneth entered, holding a visual communication crystal.

“And isn’t it the rule that when summoning a witness, only one carriage and two knights are dispatched? Then why are there three carriages outside the Sharon estate?”

“They are each scheduled to summon different witnesses. They just happened to pass by the estate on their way.”

— So then it’s true that three carriages were stationed outside the Sharon estate?

The knight’s expression stiffened at the voice that came through the communication device.

Turning around, Letticia stared straight at the young man with silver hair visible in the projection.

—Which of the residences I instructed you to visit required you to pass by the Sharon estate? Even if that were the case, why would you stop in front of it? Shouldn’t you have simply passed by?

“…We were preparing in case Lady Sharon refused to comply. She is an important witness, and if she refused to appear—”

— Are you kidding me? You were there to summon a witness, not arrest a suspect. Send the rest of the carriages to their original destinations immediately and summon witnesses respectfully!

***

Thanks to Achilles’s intervention, Letticia was able to travel to the knights’ headquarters in her own carriage, accompanied by escorts.

However, from the moment she arrived at the investigation building—and even after entering—the oppressive attitude from the knights did not change.

The bearded knight, who seemed to be in charge, sat across from her, flanked by two younger knights standing on either side. It was clearly set up to intimidate, like a real interrogation.

If Letticia had been a typical noblewoman, she might have been shaken. But in situations like this, Letticia’s mind only became colder and more calculated.

“If my cousin hadn’t contacted Sir Averil, and if Sir Averil hadn’t issued new instructions, rumors would’ve spread throughout the capital that the Sharon family’s eldest daughter had been arrested for committing a crime. How were you planning to handle the fallout?”

“As I mentioned earlier, if the young lady has done nothing wrong, there’s no reason to worry about such rumors. You can simply be confident.”

“I’m always confident. But that’s beside the point. Any damage caused by these ridiculous rumors—Sharon Jewelry will be suing you for it. Civil damages are a given, but we might even pursue criminal charges. This will be a perfect opportunity for our legal team to show their skills.”

The bearded knight stared at Letticia with a mask-like expression before finally speaking.

“Let’s not waste any more time. First question: While preparing the stage with Lady Eskis, what conversations did you two have?”

“Well, since we were organizing the concert, we talked about the performance, logistics, and promotion. We also chatted a bit about the orphanage, society news, and other small things.”

“Can you recall anything more specific?”

“Things like which dress would be suitable for press interviews, or that she wanted to add vocals to her piano solo performance—that sort of thing.”

“So you’re saying your relationship with her was cordial?”

“If it hadn’t been, would the concert have even taken place?”

Letticia crossed her arms and leaned forward.

Some of the knights behind her exchanged glances, visibly uneasy at her boldness, but the bearded knight across from her remained unmoved—clearly a seasoned interrogator.

“I understand how much honor means to noble ladies. So it wouldn’t be surprising if you restrained your personal feelings until the concert was over.”

“If this had been a family-sponsored event, maybe. But this concert was my personal project. If things had gone sour or I didn’t want to do it anymore, I would’ve quit.”

“You’re saying you would abandon a charity concert spearheaded by two noble diamonds over personal differences?”

“Why not? Honestly, this event wasn’t necessary for me. When it was proposed, it was already courting season—I didn’t need more attention, and my jewelry business was thriving.”

In truth, Letticia had continued with the concert because it gave her a legitimate excuse to decline date requests from suitors other than Ezkhiel. Otherwise, no amount of persuasion from Seraphina would have convinced her to keep going.

The bearded knight gave a faint, ominous smile.

“I see. Then I assume the concert’s failure wouldn’t have particularly bothered you?”

“I don’t know how you made that leap, but since I decided to go through with it, of course I wanted it to succeed.”

“But didn’t you just say it wasn’t something you had to do and that you considered quitting?”

“Yes. But the fact is I didn’t quit. I stayed, and everyone prepared together for the concert. Shouldn’t we aim for success, then? Would you prefer we failed?”

While a canceled event during the planning stage wouldn’t have been a huge scandal, a public disaster on the day of the concert would’ve drawn major backlash.

Once the event was underway, every participant—regardless of personal feelings—had no choice but to want it to succeed, for the sake of their honor. Letticia was no exception.

“Let’s be honest, Lady Sharon. Wouldn’t it have been more convenient for you if the concert failed?”