Since When Were You The Villain?

Chapter 32

 

“Is there anything wrong with that seed?”

“They said it was toxic. If it spreads to the general public, it would be fatal.”

Killian did not say that it had anything to do with the death of Marquis Fideut. This was because unnecessary information could be revealed for no reason and make things go wrong.

“That’s a big deal…”

The Count wet his dry lips and fiddled with his chin.

Deadly Poison and Alvedi.

That alone could tell why Killian came to him.

As Killian said, the only one dealing with Alvedi was Frauss.

Since smuggling was strictly controlled in the closed Alvedi, the probability that rosary pea was smuggled was slim.

“So, I would like to look at the details of the transaction of the rosary pea.”

“Of course. If it’s the military or police force, I’ll cooperate. But I don’t think I can give you an answer right away.”

Said the Count.

If it was only from Alvedi, it would have been sold at Frauss.

However, this did not mean that Count Frauss remembered every transaction.

Most of the transactions are made at the place he runs in the South, and what he received was only a ledger that organizes the transactions and the trends of investors.

“It will take some time to find detailed records.”

He didn’t know exactly when it entered the system, so he would have to look at all the transactions with Alvedi again. Read only at pm tl.

“How far back should I look?”

Count Frauss showed his willingness to help actively.

It was very difficult to take on the responsibility of introducing lethal poison into the system, so the Frauss family cannot get out of this business.

“I would like you to take a look at the last 20 years or so.”

“Two or twenty years?”

At Killian’s words, the Count asked, confused.

To grant that request, he would have to go through all the books he had dealt with Alvedi for 20 years.

Of course, Frauss kept all the old books in the upper basement warehouse, but there was no guarantee that the old books were not corroded.

“It would take a year, no, more than that to go all the way back to 20 years ago.”

He was willing to help the military and police, but the Count did not want to spend a lot of time on such a wasteful task.

“I will send someone from the military and police force to help find the records.”

“Ah, as you know, the transaction ledger is not that easy to disclose to the outside…”

“Are there any transactions that should not be shown to the military and police force?”

As Killian’s eyes narrowed, the Count shook his head.

“No, not that! It’s just that some of the transaction details are sensitive to both me and the other side, and I was worried that our details might leak out to our competitors.”

For merchants, customers and transaction details are gold. If it was disclosed to the world, it could be a huge blow to future transactions.

In particular, trade has sensitive issues to other countries, so a confidentiality clause has been included in the contract.

“Do not worry. The military and police forces will strictly keep the confidentiality of information other than rosary pea-related materials.”

“Hmm…”

When Killian did not budge like a rock, the Count coughed.

He knew that he couldn’t stand here any longer.

‘The military and police have the authority to borrow the emperor’s name to investigate…’

They are usually quiet, but in fact, the power of the military and police forces carried by the imperial family was very large.

Right now, even if Killian drove in the military and police officers and harassed the Count and the business, the Count would be helpless.

Even if he rebelled against the military and police force, the only thing that comes back would be the crime of treason.

‘The military and police should be disbanded, but Killian always came out like that…’

The Count became frustrated.

Despite the opposition of the nobles, the reason why the military and police force has been maintained until now was because they were good at tightrope walking.

Killian has never used his special powers recklessly.

Being smart, he was well aware of the side effects of abuse of power. Because of this, he cleverly kept the line and a reasonable distance from the nobles, but sometimes he sided with the nobles and led the military and police forces.

In addition, he was very popular with the people because he was active in solving small problems such as thieves, robbers, and wandering people.

‘And now that we’re involved in toxic substances, if we hang in there longer, it’ll only get bigger.’

Count Frauss knew that Killian had come to visit with utmost courtesy as a military and police commander.

“Alright. However, it takes a long time to find all the records from 20 years, so I will first find the records of the last three years and deliver them.”

“Thank you for your cooperation in the work of the Empire, Count.”

Killian spoke with a slightly softened face and quietly drank the tea that he had poured out.

‘It’s for the sake of the empire. You speak well.’

The Count looked at him awkwardly and thought.

And silence flowed.

Even after putting down the teacup, Killian sat still without getting up.

“Is there anything else I can help you with…?”

“No.”

“Ah…”

‘So, do you want to drink more tea?’

The Count laughed awkwardly.

Then, Killian tapped his finger five times on his table, as if to measure the time, and opened his mouth.

“Do you have anything to say to me, Count?”

“What? Ah, no. The last time you broke the front gate, the butler you sent with the compensation was enough…”

“No. About Sophia. When the Count was absent, I took your daughter without your permission and haven’t sent her back for several days.”

“That’s why I didn’t say it because I believed that Your Excellency would take good care of Sophia.”

The Count laughed softly.

Once Killian shows a favorable attitude towards Frauss, there was no need for him to try to bring Sophia back.

They could go straight to marriage like this.

But at the Count’s answer, Killian’s eyes shone strangely.

“Aren’t you engaged to Sophia? Besides, Sophia isn’t a child. I just trusted her completely.”

“…Okay.”

Killian nodded his head as if in thought, and slowly rubbed his clasped hands.

“But I’m just worried that Sophia is so inexperienced that she’s causing trouble to Your Excellency.”

As the count laughed, Killian quietly drank the tea again.

~*~

Ian bit his lower lip and looked closely at the waiting room.

Was his father talking to Killian properly? Was he going to bring Sophia?

He stood leaning against the stair railing, clutching the scabbard at his waist.

There was no afternoon schedule, so he could wait for Killian as much as he could.

Had it been an hour or so?

The door of the reception room, which had been tightly closed, opened and the Count came out first, followed by Killian walking out.

Ian straightened his leaning body.

“Then take care of yourself, sir.”

To make sure the meeting ended well, the Count saw Killian off.

“You don’t have to come out.”

When the Count tried to see him off to the front door, Killian refused, raising his hand slightly.

And his gaze slowly turned to Ian standing on the stairs.

Their eyes met and Ian wrinkled his eyebrows, and the corners of his lips rose slightly.

“I will be waiting for your request.”

Killian turned his eyes back to the Count and bowed his head.

He crossed the lobby of the Frauss mansion with long legs and went out to the porch that the butler had previously opened.

Ian followed Killian straight down the path.

“Duke of Rivelon!”

He looked back as if he knew Ian would call.

“Do we still have business left, Sir Ian?”

“What was the decision about Sophia?”

“The Count didn’t say anything.”

Killian looked at Ian standing in front of him.

He was like a cat with his fur upright.

Of course, he acknowledged his skills, but what he did was still immature. He wasn’t not even 20 yet, so should he look cute?

“You’re shameless even when you kidnapped Sophia.”

“You seem to have misunderstood about kidnapping.”

Killian raised his eyebrows as if the word ‘kidnapping’ was offensive.

“You took a woman who was at home without permission and I haven’t heard from her for several days, so what other than kidnapping, does the Archduke know?”

“I rescued her.”

When Ian turned around and asked, Killian said in a relaxed yet dry voice.

“In the military and police force, taking the victim out of a violent and inhuman place is called a rescue. Is it different in Ruchtainer?”

“What?”

Frauss is a violent and inhuman place?

Killian’s eyes narrowed at Ian’s sensitive reaction.

“…Is the concept of kidnapping and rescue misunderstood, or is the situation misunderstood?”

“What do you mean?”

“It seems that you are only listening to the one-sided story of the Countess. You must have come back today, so you probably only listened to her.”

“…”

“Did she even say that she dragged my fiance from her bedside, down the stairs, and threw her on the porch?”

As Killian asked, an unknown shadow settled over Ian’s face.

“Did she say that she hit someone with a fever to the point of collapse?”

“What…?!”

“Did she say that she slapped Sophia in the face?”

Ian’s green eyes fluttered.

He hasn’t heard of such a story.

“You don’t seem to know at all.”

“…”

“So I don’t understand. Even if you didn’t know about this, you wouldn’t be able to say that you didn’t know about the discrimination and abuse Sophia was facing in this house.” (tl/n: best ml award)