When the Main Protagonists Broke Up

Aiden’s expression was somehow spleen.

He had a strong will, as if he had made a big decision.

“If an opportunity arises to speak to me someday, I will be the first to tell Belita.”

“For me first?”

He pointed at me with his finger and asked with surprised eyes.

“Yes, I will.”

“It feels good to be the first.”

I didn’t have to do that, but I didn’t feel like I had to decline to someone who said so, so I stayed still.

And as I said to him, my heart tickled for some reason, and a smile came naturally.

While talking, a carriage arrived in front of the mansion.

Aiden jumped off the wagon and we parted.

* * *

The next day, Aiden brought the knights to the interrogation room of the mansion used by the investigation team.

But there were only three, not four.

“Didn’t I say that there were four knights who escorted Princess Bayon that day?”

I asked Aiden with a curious look.

“You’re right. However, it is said that the knight who guarded my sister that day took a vacation. So I told them to bring that article and brought the other articles first.”

“Ah, shall we interrogate them first?

“Yes, I will.”

“Let’s do that.”

We called the Bayern family knights one by one and inquired about the day of the incident in detail.

Their answers were almost identical.

It was no different from what the coachman had said yesterday.

And it was also the same that Adela chased after the ugly thing she had seen, but there was nothing around.

In the end, the three of us returned to the conference room without getting the information we wanted.

“Is there still no news about the article about going on vacation?”

“Yes, no contact yet.”

A knight who remained alone by Adela’s side.

I had a feeling that the driver, who had just gone on vacation, had something to do with it.

“I’ll finish here for today and go back.”

The article, who said he had gone on vacation, had to return anyway to make any progress in resolving the case.

So, I decided to do it here today.

I was about to get into the carriage, but Aiden came forward to take me again.

However, I refused his favor, saying that I had a place to stop for a while today.

For some reason, his expression seemed sullen, but he immediately backed off saying he understood.

After parting with Aiden, I left the imperial villa and headed to the bridge where Adela said she had seen something.

The stone bridge was at the beginning of the forest road where the wagon bomb incident occurred.

The bridge, which was built to cross a small stream, was only wide enough for one carriage to pass through.

‘It doesn’t look like anything special.’

I widened the radius and looked around.

‘Is the thing Adela saw a monster?’

However, if the monsters infiltrated the capital, it should have already happened even if the entire capital was in an uproar.

If so, what did she see?

Or not….

Among the many guesses I’ve made up to this point, there was one that stuck in my head. But why….

‘No, let’s not doubt it.’

Nothing was certain yet, but I didn’t want to destroy the bond I had built up until now.

‘First of all, that article comes first.’

It is not too late to think about it after examining the article.

That’s how I went home, pressing the doubt that I was trying to come up to deep in my heart.

* * *

“Belita, how is the work of the investigation team? Isn’t it awkward to be with two people?”

“Well, it’s still fine, Dad. Both of them are confident in their work, so there is nothing uncomfortable about it.”

It was dinner time.

While eating, I was talking with my parents about the work of the investigation team.

“Did you find any clues to catch the culprit?”

“I haven’t found it yet.”

“What the hell kind of guy!”

His father’s voice rose abruptly as he spoke, perhaps remembering that he had tried to use the firebomb to put the blame on the Heitz family.

“I will never forgive my bastard.”

“Honey, calm down and eat. Belita, are there any difficulties while working for the investigation team?”

“Yes, mother. Are not you tired. I went as the representative of the Heitz family, so I have to do my part. And just like my father, I want to do my best because I really want to catch the culprit.”

“Okay. If you have any difficulties, don’t suffer alone like last time and tell us. Understand?”

“Yes I will.”

“But we must hurry to catch the culprit. The northern boundary is unusual these days.”

“Isn’t it serious?”

When my father’s expression changed seriously, my expression hardened as well.

“Yes, the monsters bordering the northern border have started moving.”

“Then….”

“I will probably organize a subjugation party soon.”

Because demonic spirits rampage periodically every few years, the Empire always sent out subjugation forces led by the three ducal families.

It is because there are only three families that can use magic to compete with them on an equal footing.

Of course, ordinary knights who can’t use magic can also deal with monsters.

However, it took several people to attack, and it was enough to barely kill one, and there were too many people needlessly dying in the process.

So, the three ducal families had to fulfill their duties and responsibilities as much as they received the respect and trust of the imperial people.

“Does your father intend to go out again this time?”

Until now, it was natural for my father to go because I was not an adult.

But now I am an adult.

He was qualified to join the subjugation party.

“Hmm. What do you think?”

My father asked me with eyes that did not understand the meaning. ‘It’s a monster.’

I had never actually seen a monster.

However, I heard that it looks very large and scary. Too strong

‘Can I fight properly against monsters?’

It was like a huge task for me, who had never known killing.

But there was no hesitation.

Later, in order to properly lead the family as head of household, I had to show my ability and strength.

“I’ll go.”

“You mean?”

“Yes, I will go.”

“Belita, you don’t have to carry all the burdens for my father just yet.”

My mother, who always looked at me with warm and cozy eyes, stopped me this time with a voice full of worries.

“No, mother. I am not forced to go in place of my father. I’m going because I want to go. As the princess of the Heitz family, as the next head of the family, I made this decision of my own will.”

“Yes, that is my daughter!”

I heard my father’s hearty laugh.

“But this time I will go.”

“Yes?”

I looked at my father, who suddenly became serious, with surprised eyes.

“I know how you feel. But aren’t you in charge of the investigation of the wagon case this time as well? So finish the case in the capital. I will go to subdue the monsters this time.”

“Father….”

“This wagon incident is a matter of honor for the Heitz family. So, you have to keep your mind straight and deal with it properly. Do you understand, Belita?”

“…All right, father. I will definitely find out the culprit for the Heitz family.”

“We always believe in you. Remember it.”

“Yes, thank you, Father and Mother.”

* * *

The next morning, I deliberately set off for the investigation team’s conference room early.

Because of what my father said the day before.

I wanted to quickly reveal the true culprit of the wagon incident so that my father could go on the campaign in peace.

To do so, it was necessary to catch the culprit of the carriage incident as soon as possible and finish the work.

Of course, I also wanted to catch the culprit who made Adela like that.

In the conference room, waiting for the two men to arrive, unfortunately, Kane arrived first.

I got up from my seat and greeted Kane.

“Duke Maxius, are you here?”

“Princess Heitz, you are here early.”

“Yes.”

Kane took a seat across from me and sat down.

‘I came early for no reason.’

If I had known that I would face Kane alone, I would not have come earlier, but I rebuked myself for not thinking deeply.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve been alone together.”

As expected, Kane said as if he had been waiting for this moment.

“Is that so.”

“Yes, that day is the first time since the princess came to the Maxius family in a very long time.”

I was referring to the day when I heard that Adela had been in a carriage accident, and I became suspicious of him and went to visit him.

“Actually, I was very disappointed that the princess spoke as if she doubted me that day.”

“At that time, I was too impatient. I apologize. Sorry.”

This apology was a sincere apology.

That day, I didn’t have any peace of mind either.

Of course, my feelings for Kane forced me to think of him that way.

“No. It’s not a story I brought out to receive an apology. However, if you do apologize, I will gladly accept it.”

“Thank you.”

“I really want to catch the culprit this time. I will never forgive the man who got the princess and me into trouble.”

Anyway, I couldn’t give it a chance.

I apologized a little, but now I was thinking of myself and me as a community of destiny.

“Yes, I will not forgive the culprit who hurt Princess Bayon and tried to put the blame on me.”

So I deliberately drew a line and said.

Kane’s expression hardened slightly at that.

“But I-”

The moment Kane was about to open his mouth again, as if to refute my words, the conference room door opened just as it happened.

And Aiden came inside.

“You two are here early. Sorry.”

“No. I’m back soon too.”

When Aiden arrived, I greeted him with a big smile, thinking that he had finally been freed from hell.

Seeing me like that, Aiden with a soft smile came and sat down next to me.

“Belita, did you go well yesterday? I wasn’t comfortable the whole time because I couldn’t take you.”

“It went in well.”

“Fortunately, the. But I have something to tell you two.”

In an instant, the smile disappeared from Aiden’s lips as he said he had something to say to us.

Instead, a serious look took over his face.

“What happen?”

“Is there a problem?”

Kane and I asked Aiden at the same time.

“The knight who escorted my sister, who went on vacation. They say that article has disappeared.”

“Yes?”

“What’s the point of disappearing!”

Interrogating the article was the most important thing of the day.

Above all, the article was the key to getting closer to the culprit.

But it disappeared

“Please tell me in detail. How did that article disappear?”

I asked him questioningly, not hiding my nervousness.

“First of all, the knight’s name is Owen Est. It is said that Sir Owen Est originally lived in the western frontier town of Spella.” Kane and I quietly listened to Aiden’s words.

“But a few years ago, he said that his family was all killed by monsters, and he came up to the capital and became a knight.”

I just asked how he disappeared, but Aiden was reciting the personal details of a knight named Owen Estu. “What does that have to do with this case?”

So I couldn’t stand it and asked him.

“It is said that the place where the knight was before entering the Bayon duchy was the Heitz duchy.”

“Yes?”

It wasn’t this.

The moment I heard Aiden’s words, I felt a shock as if someone had hit my head with a stone.

How could there be such a coincidence?

How could all the circumstances point towards the Heitz family and me?

The fire bomb, the fact that only I knew Adela was going out that day, and even the origin of the knight….

“Is that, is that true?”

“…Yes, it is true.”

I looked at Aiden.

I couldn’t help but wonder what he was thinking of me at this moment.

But he was staring at me with a very calm gaze.

There was not even a hint of doubt in his gaze as he looked at me.

‘Do you believe me?’

Do you not doubt even though you know the various circumstances pointing to me?

“Princess Heitz.”

And one more person.

Kane, who was sitting across from me, cautiously called me.

I looked at Aiden and then moved my gaze to Kane.

But his eyes were the same as Aiden’s.

He was looking at me with unsuspecting eyes.

“What do you two think?”

So I was curious.

I wondered why they were looking at me like that and how they could trust me, so I asked the two of them.

“Many circumstances say that the culprit is me and my family. I wonder what you think about this.”

“Circumstances are circumstantial, but no conclusive evidence has been found. So it’s not over yet.”

Aiden replied in a confident tone.

“You’re right. First of all, you need to mobilize all your resources to find the article. A knight named Owen must know something.”

Kane was telling me not yet.

“…Thank you for saying that. I don’t know how to say thank you. I also swear to you both here and now. I am never a criminal. I will never disappoint the two people who believed in me.”

The two men nodded at the same time at my solemn yet solemn words.

“Then first, let’s send knights to all the gates to find a knight named Owen Estra.”

I immediately came up with a plan to catch the article.

“It would be nice.”

“And we need to send the members of the investigation team to various parts of the capital to focus on the search for Owen Est.”

It was originally like that, but the goal of catching the criminal became more urgent.

Moreover, the feeling that the culprit’s target was me, the Heitz family, and not Adela, grew stronger.

Maybe that’s why, more actively than before, various opinions were put forward.

“From now on, we will not move together, but separate groups. I’m going to the east of the capital, so why don’t you go north for Aiden and west for the Duke?”

“Great.”

“I will.”

“Yes, then hurry up and move.”

As soon as we decided what to do, we immediately took the investigation team and tore in all directions.

And I started searching east of the capital with the people I brought with me.

“Go to the Duke of Heitz and deliver this letter to the Duke.”

“All right.”

Before leaving the meeting room, I hurriedly wrote a letter to my father asking for the family knighthood.

In order to find someone, the more people there were, the better.

So I thought to use all means at my disposal.

That was the way to get out of this beggar slander as quickly as possible.

It seemed like he searched the capital for days and days like that.

But no matter how much I searched the outskirts, I couldn’t find a single strand of Owen Est’s hair.

A search party sent to the gates was also fruitless.

Then one day.

We changed our minds and dug back inside to pursue it.

Eventually, I was able to find the place where the knight was staying, and the saying that it was dark under the lamp was a perfect fit.

The knight, Owen Estra, was living in an inn in a busy street in the very center of the capital.

It was a complete miscalculation to have judged that he would have run away.

Owen Est was found thanks to Aiden, who suggested a different direction of the search.

And as I grabbed Owen Est, I heard that Adela had awakened from a long sleep.

* * *

“Aiden.”

I greeted Aiden as he got off his horse.

He came over to me

“Belita, you came early today.”

“Now that we have the suspect, we must hurry.”

“You’re right. Let’s go in quickly.”

“Yes.”

We walked into the interrogation room to interrogate Owen Est.

It was just the two of us today.

Kane received a call in advance that he would be late because he had work at the imperial palace today.

However, we decided that it would be impossible for him to work with us here any longer.

It was natural.

Rather, I thought it was quite late.

Because the Duke of this country had a lot of work to do.

I knew it because I watched my father from the side.

Nevertheless, Kane had spent quite a bit of time on the investigation team for a while.

But now that was the limit, and he eventually returned to his original position.

“How is Adela?”

I asked Aiden how Adela was doing.

“I am currently resting.”

“Is it so? I’m glad I woke up though. By the way, can I go to the hospital? The other day, the Duke of Bayon didn’t let me see Adela at all, so I wonder if I can go….”

I remembered that I went to see Adela, who had been in an accident, and was kicked out after hearing all sorts of words from the Duke of Bayern.

So I was worried about what would happen if I couldn’t visit the hospital this time.

“It will be all right if my sister allows it.”

“Oh yeah? Then can you tell Adela that I want to visit the hospital soon?”

“I will.”

“Thank you.”

The thought of seeing Adela soon made me feel good.

It was the time when I was about to enter the interrogation room, thinking that after the article had been completed, Adela had woken up, and things would go smoothly in the future.

“Princess Baian!”

A knight came calling for Aiden.

“What’s going on?”

“The Duke of Bayen is urgently looking for you.”

“Me?”

“Yes, please hurry up.”

As I met Aiden’s eyes, I nodded slightly.

“Bye.”

“But….”

“I can do the interrogation by myself. So let’s go.”

“I’ll be right back.”

Aiden came and left right away.

I looked at Aiden’s back, looked away when he disappeared, and went into the interrogation room.

And right away I could see Owen Est curled up in the corner with his whole body bound.

“Bring Owen Est.”

At my words, one of the knights of the investigation team made Owen Est to kneel before me.

He was trembling with his head down.

“Raise your head.”

Owen Est raised his head slowly.

Like everyone I’ve encountered here, he was looking at me with eyes full of fear and horror.

“Are you Owen Est?”

“…yes yes. Fit…It is.”

“You must remember escorting Princess Adela Bayon the day before the carriage accident, right?”

“Yes yes…I remember.”

“Tell me about the situation in detail.”

“Yes? Now, please wait a moment. Uh, I’ll try to recall the memories somehow.”

Owen Est frowned for a moment and then began to recount what had happened.

And his statement was consistent with that of the coachmen and other knights.

“So, is it true that you were by her side when she screamed?”

“Yes yes. You’re right.”

“Good night. Now I will ask again. Why did you run away? Why didn’t you come back after saying you were going on vacation?”

“Yes? that, that….”

I could clearly see the bewilderment and apprehension in his eyes at my question.

“You will have to answer correctly.”

I immediately went on to press him even more.

“If you lie, you will never get out of here alive.”

“Sah, save me!”

“If you tell the truth, you will not die.”

“I-I….”

Even as he tried his best, Owen Est’s face went white as if he was about to die.

Seeing him shake his body there, it seemed difficult to even get down on his knees properly.

It was then.

Thud-!

Eventually, he lost control and fell to the side.

As he fell, he saw something shiny between the collars of his shirt and then disappeared.

‘No way….’

Even though I doubted my eyes, the thought that I had to check it dominated my head.

I got up from my chair and approached Owen Est.

“Why, why?”

I smiled at the knight standing nearby and said.

“Raise interest.”

“All right.”

As the knight raised Owen Est to his feet, my eyes were level with his neck.

“Why…Is that so?”

Owen’s eyes were shaking mercilessly, as if he had noticed where I was looking.

I glanced into his eyes once more, then lowered my gaze to the area around his neck.

And immediately, he undid the collar of his shirt.

‘Why is this….’

Around Owen Est’s neck hung a necklace of a slightly different shape, but of a familiar material.

“What is this necklace?”

I already guessed what it was, but I asked him to confirm nonetheless.

“That, it’s just a necklace I wear.”

“Okay?”

“Yes yes.”

But he lied to me thinking I wouldn’t know.

“It’s just a necklace….”

Of course, on the outside, it was no different from any other necklace.

But I had already seen a necklace similar to this one.

So I knew that what Owen Est was wearing was not just an ordinary necklace.

“You said that if I lie, I won’t be able to get out of here alive, but you don’t think my words sound like words.”

“No, no! I, I…Ah, ugh!”

It was the moment when Owen Est was about to say something.

Suddenly, his face contorted and he started rolling on the floor.

“Ugh! Ugh!”

Moans of pain filled the interrogation room.

I have also seen situations like this.

So I quickly approached Owen Est.

I put my hand lightly on Aiden’s neck, hoping that what I had done to Aiden the other day would do the same for him.

Of course, I didn’t forget to pretend to push him so that the nearby knights wouldn’t notice.

“What, why are you doing this?”

“Ugh! Buy, save- ugh!”

After a while.

Owen Est, struggling with pain, stopped for a moment.

Like Aiden, he lost his mind.

‘What is this….’

Even though I was watching, I didn’t want to believe it.

I wanted to consider the puzzle to be wrong, even though the empty puzzle gradually filled up as I approached the truth.

But now I couldn’t.

Now….

I couldn’t stay away any longer.

“Put Owen Est in the dungeon.”

“All right.”

There was a reason this mansion was used as a hideout for the investigation team.

In the basement of this small mansion there was a prison where criminals could be confined.

There was no need to call a doctor.

Anyway, Owen Est will wake up soon, just like Aiden did.

So I put him in jail and returned to the conference room.

Then, recalling all the information I knew, I fell into deep thought.

‘Who is that?’

Is it the Duke of Bayern?

But on the day of the incident, his reaction was really ignorant.

Of course, it is not easy to judge a person who has gone through all sorts of hardships as a duke of an empire just by seeing it once, but there was no reason for him to push me this far.

He didn’t even know why Adela collapsed at the banquet.

Above all, it was clear that Kane would be more of an eyesore than me to the Duke of Bayern.

Therefore, if one of the two families was to be attacked, the Maxius family was the most likely.

And, crucially, the Duke of Bayern was not the kind of person who would do something like this, endangering his own daughter.

He had enormous power, and he only needed to use that power sparingly, but to do such a thing was not at all befitting the position of a duke.

So I concluded that the Duke of Bayern was not the culprit.

Now there were only two left.

Aiden and Adela.

Could it be Aiden?

No.

Neither was he.

He is…It shouldn’t have been.

If he did, why?

For Adela?

‘No, it can’t be.’

I don’t know why I want to believe in him so much, but I just want to believe.

I didn’t want to believe that the warm eyes he sent me and the kind touches weren’t sincere.

And he, like the Duke of Bayern, was a person who could harm me enough without endangering Adela.

Then….

There was only one person left.

Adela Bayon.

It was hard to believe that she, like Aiden, was the culprit.

However, as soon as he thought of Adela, he felt that something that had been stuck in his mind while investigating the carriage case was finally released.

‘Then, was everything I’ve been friendly with until now a lie?’

Why are you even doing this?

That didn’t make sense

I should probably meet her.

I thought I might be able to answer this question.

So I decided to visit Adela right away.

* * *

“Belita!”

When I entered Adela’s room, she greeted me warmly.

It was thanks to the absence of the Duke of Bayern.

Earlier, the duke said he was looking for Aiden, but it seemed that the two of them had gone somewhere together.

“Adela.”

I hid my emotions as best I could and greeted her with a smile.

“How are you feeling? Are you okay now?”

It was true that he had been worried about her, so the words came out smoothly.

“Yeah, it’s much better.”

“You have no idea how surprised I was when I heard about the carriage accident. And fire bombs, did you hear that the three families joined forces to solve this case? I will definitely catch the culprit, so Adela focuses only on recovering her body.”

“Thank you, Belita. Just hearing it makes me feel better.”

“Where did Aiden go?”

“Yes, because of work with my father, I went a little far. He will probably be back tomorrow.”

“Oh yeah? There is something I must say to Aiden….”

“What is it? Shall I tell you?”

“That’s because I found conclusive evidence about the culprit. So I guess I should tell you soon.”

“Texture…Static evidence?”

In an instant, I did not miss the subtle change in Adela’s expression.

“Yes, did you hear that Owen Est, who escorted Adela, was captured?”

“Yes, I heard.”

“We searched his body and found conclusive evidence.”

I deliberately emphasized the word body.

“In the body?”

“Yes, and he must have felt quite guilty about this incident, so he said he would confess everything even if he was to die.”

Again, I deliberately emphasized the word dying.

“You said you’d confess because it’s okay to die?”

“Yes, are you really happy?”

“However…Yes.”

“But I think Aiden will have to confirm the evidence, but I can’t say he’ll come tomorrow. I have to wait. I’ll tell Adela when it’s clear. It hurts for nothing, but I don’t want to disturb you. Do you understand?”

“Yes…I understand.”

“Thank you for your understanding, Adela.”

“By the way, where is the article now?”

“Yes? Owen Est?”

“Yes….”

“Of course, it is in the mansion used by the investigation team. There is a dungeon in that mansion, so I locked it there.”

“Okay.”

“Yes, by tomorrow everything will be revealed. What a relief. Because we can catch the culprit who made Adela like this.”

“Thank you for all your hard work.”

“Of course. Adela is a friend.”

I smiled broadly at Adela.

And she responded with a pretty awkward smile.