The Detective Agency For Regretful Male Leads Is Now Open For Business!

Episode 5

“She always only ate the fruits sent from her parents’ home. Even though she wouldn’t have seen anything good when she was at the Viscount’s. Just how much did she like those fruits…” The Viscount recited with a voice dripping with affection and lingering attachment.

I’m sorry, but you are on the wrong foot here.

‘Why did she eat fruits she didn’t even like everyday? And by the Larmin family, on top of that.’

The letter from Viscount Larmin also said, ‘if you need more fruits, ask me.’

Fruits from a family that hardly gave her anything except a marriage-dowry, that too reluctantly.
Furthermore, contrary to the Marquis’ words, Chelsea was forcing herself to eat the fruits despite not liking them.

Suspicious.
Extremely suspicious.

“Did you also eat them, Marquis?”

“Usually, that was the case. But at some point, she told me not to touch them.”

“Why is that?”

“Maybe because she liked them. I’m not a bad enough man to steal his wife’s food.”

The Viscount looked at me as if I were pathetic.
His gaze roughly translated to ‘an ignorant fool who doesn’t understand a woman’s heart.’

Excuse me. I do understand a woman’s heart, you know?
And didn’t your wife dislike fruits?

“I also made sure to strictly tell the employees not to touch them. The fruits meant for my wife were always kept separately.”

“Hmm…”

I sensed something.
If I connected this with the evidence gathered so far…

“Did the Marchioness show any other peculiar behavior related to fruits? Like storing seeds separately.”

“How did you know?”
So that was right, afterall.

The C+ level hazardous seeds found in the Marchioness’ room were from the fruits of Larmin.

“It’s a business secret.”
“…Right. Well, that was a whole day’s survey, so I expect there to be some sort of results.”

Marquis Grayden’s trust in your credibility has slightly increased.
Based on the changes, the risk level of the location will be reassessed
.
Revised Risk Level: C

Perhaps due to my correctly identifying the unusual behavior of the Marchioness, the Marquis’ trust level increased and lowered the risk level.

So I didn’t have to be on alert as much.
Although I still wasn’t able to rifle through documents or anything like that, I continued investigating here and there in the study with a bit more ease.

 

You found 100 cash in ‘the book stared at all day without meeting my eyes.’

You found 200 cash on ‘his favorite chair he likes to sit in and look down from.’

You found 200 cash under ‘the pen my husband used to write arbitrary orders.’

You found 200 cash inside ‘the box filled with cookies I gave him a while ago, but for some reason, he still hasn’t eaten.’

You found 600 cash in ‘the wedding ring my husband put aside on a corner of the desk.’

 

“……”

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“It’s nothing.”

Cancel my remark about the contract couple seeming to get along great.
I expected it to an extent, but did he really have to accumulate so much bad karma?

What bothered me especially was…

“Why did you put your wedding ring aside?”

“Do I have to answer such questions?”

“I’m asking because I’m wondering if it has anything to do with the Marchioness’ change of feelings. You don’t have to answer if it’s too uncomfortable for you to.”

I mean, I could write off other things as a lack of expression, but the wedding ring?
It was just too easy to misunderstand.

“…I wanted to give her something better.”

With a somewhat sulky tone, the Marquis blurted out.

“We mined pink diamonds in the mine this time. I was in the process of making them into wedding rings because I thought they’d suit her well.”

“You could have just given it to her as a new gift. You didn’t really have to make it into a wedding ring, did you?”

“The previous ring was too cheap.”

The Marquis’ brows furrowed.

I see. It was a contract marriage, so he didn’t spend a lot of money on the ring.
That’s what he’d been bothered by.

‘Then you should have worn this one until you presented her with the new rings!’

I knew it. These damn regretful male leads.
They kept doing things that the female lead would misinterpret and built up bad karma.

Even the uneaten cookies were probably saved because they were “too precious” or “too good to waste.”

‘From Chelsea’s perspective, there’s a high chance she would misunderstand this as a sign of the male lead’s feelings changing. It’s probably one of the reasons she ran away.’

It was almost certain when you looked at the 600 cash tied to the wedding ring.

The fruit seeds from the Viscount.

The wedding ring that the Marquis set aside.

Chelsea left the Marquis’ estate for these two reasons.

Hmm, but…

Conversely, there would be no point in catching Chelsea while she was on the run, granted she was in good health.

You can forcibly bring her back and tie her up.
But unless the root cause is eliminated, the problem will keep repeating.

Perhaps the reason why the system even went as far as creating quizzes to emphasize the reason she ran away…

‘It’s telling me to resolve the cause and capture Chelsea.’

The mission’s goal was to “find the missing wife,” but it seemed to imply more than just physically bringing her back.

Unless the underlying cause was addressed, Chelsea could not return peacefully.

“…”

After a moment of contemplation, I turned to the Marquis.

“Your wife must have been upset.”

The Marquis raised an eyebrow at the abrupt remark.

“What?”

“I mean, the fact that you kept your ring aside. Your wife must have been saddened to see it.”

“It’s just a ring I took off because I wouldn’t use it anymore. What does it matter?”

“…You don’t seem to understand.”

Don’t say frustrating things with that innocent look on your face!
I held back the urge to grab him by the collar.

“While it is my role to find your missing wife, isn’t it up to you, Marquis, to mend her heart upon her return?”

“…”

“If your wife returns, I hope you will have a more sincere conversation with her.”

Please communicate, couples.

After I offered my advice with the utmost politeness, the Marquis fell silent, lost in thought.

I was worried he might get angry at my presumptuous interference in their marriage, but it seemed he wasn’t that trashy. (Probably limited to the female lead in that regard).

 

Marquis Grayden’s Room – Cleared!

The Marquis thought he and his wife had been living a happy, loving married life, but he did not know Chelsea’s true feelings.

Chelsea appears to have been hurt at times by the indifferent Marquis’ attitude.

– Job experience has increased.
Congratulations! Your job rank has risen.

Current rank: D

New systems are added as your level rises.

As soon as the location clear window appeared, job experience was diligently accumulated, and my rank rose to D.

 

A new system has been added; I wonder what’s new this time.
I briefly glanced away from the Marquis who was staring at me with hawk eyes.

‘Oh, this seems like it will be quite useful.’

I should take a closer look when I have some time.
After swiftly closing the system window, I casually spoke to the Marquis again with a casual expression.

“I’m done with my business here.”

“Did you find out where my wife is?”

“Not yet. Once I finish organizing the data back at the base, I think I’ll have an outline.”

The collected cash was already at 9500.
Since each episode costed 100 cash, I could most likely read it till the ending.

But before that, there was one more thing to check.

Fruits sent by Viscount Larmin.
A box containing seeds of those fruits.

An inheritance left to Chelsea by the late Marchioness.
Books heavily centered on one peculiar field.

All these clues had one common keyword.
It was ‘Plants.’

And there was one place in this novel where there were all sorts of plants.

“Where is the greenhouse managed by your wife?”

“The greenhouse? There might not be enough time to go there right now.”

The Marquis replied, glancing out of the window.

“It takes some time to get there since it’s located outside the house.”

“I see. Then I’ll come by again next time.”

I wondered if he couldn’t make any more time today.
Given all the clues related to the greenhouse, there must be something significant in it, but oh well, it was a pity.

It was already late evening, so I concluded the lengthy investigation and left the Marquis’ residence.

It was time to go back home and read the novel with the cash I’d collected.

* * *

“I have to run away.”

Chelsea vowed, caressing the strong arms wrapped around her waist.
There was no more time to delay.

This marriage was only poisonous to everyone involved.

‘…The Marquis would also like that.’

She looked at the empty space on the Marquis’ left ring finger.

At some point, the Marquis stopped wearing his wedding ring.
It was probably a few months after the former Marchioness passed.

The moment Chelsea noticed that empty finger, she was struck by a sinking shock in her heart.

She knew.

No matter how much she was loved by the former Marchioness, and no matter how hard she tried to take the best care of the greenhouse she left behind…

Chelsea could never become Marchioness Grayden.
Because she was someone unforgivable.

It was only natural for her husband to treat her as some convenient mistress.
She knew that all, but…

Yet, deep down, it seemed she had hoped. Foolishly.

She hoped that the affection he sometimes threw her way, the gentle and warm embraces, and the seemingly caring touch were all true.

That was what she had earnestly desired.

‘Let’s stop this pathetic charade now.’
The more she ignored reality, the more miserable she became.

She felt sorry for herself for constantly hoping and relying on him.
Moreover, now…

“…Ugh.”

Rushed by a sudden nausea surging from deep within her stomach, she quickly got out of bed and headed to the bathroom.

“Gag… Ugh…”

Crimson blood stained the floor.

Afraid that it might leave a mark on her clothes, she immediately splashed water to wash it away.

Her fingertips trembled as they touched the floor.

One month.

It had already been a month since Chelsea had not eaten the fruit sent by Viscount Larmin.
As if she could not endure any longer, her body was crumbling down day by day.

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FL is so realistic and tired of the Marquis’ bs lmaoo
And poor Chelseaa

Belated Eid Mubarak everybody!