Chapter 95
It was because of disillusionment.
Back then, he had brushed it off as something that happened because both children were still young.
Though not the direct victim, he had forgiven the child and ended the matter with light discipline.
But now?
The Marquis gazed quietly at the grown-up Barun.
Only those who had been present at the incident eight years ago knew what emotions were hidden in those eyes.
“…I’m sorry.”
Barun looked at the Marquis apologizing to Velia.
The Marquis’s gaze, unreadable and unknowable, pricked at Barun’s heart, making his hands tremble miserably.
“Lia, for now…”
Seeing the Marquis flounder, unable to act as a father to both children at once, Velia hesitated for a moment.
She had already sensed her father’s intentions from the moment she stepped into the garden.
To her, Barun was an enemy. But to her father, Barun was still a child, still family.
She held no resentment for a parent’s instinct to protect their child. After all, she herself had been protected by that very instinct.
But she had no intention of letting it end like this. If that had been her plan, she wouldn’t have stirred up all of this in the first place.
Forgive me, Father.
She had to protect her family in her own way.
A traitor was something she had erased from the definition of family long ago.
Velia pressed her hands together and earnestly looked at everyone gathered in the garden, including her father.
“I’m not just saying this—it’s really a misunderstanding. In fact, I suspect someone else entirely. I’ve been investigating.”
Her words rippled across the garden that had begun to calm.
“What?”
The Marquis was startled.
“Strange movements have been happening in the workshop for some time now. At first, I thought it was people coveting our techniques, but I was wrong. After I heard about the attack during my vacation, I began a more detailed investigation.”
“You investigated? Why didn’t you say anything sooner? And—did you find the culprit?”
“Well…”
“Speak!”
Velia looked straight into her father’s face, who was urging her.
Even if her words hurt her beloved father and mother, there was no turning back now.
“It seems the culprit is within this estate. That’s why I was investigating in secret.”
“Within the estate…?”
The Marquis’s face drained of color.
As if unaware of the impact of her words, Velia continued calmly.
“For some time, the blueprints for Bea being developed in the workshop have been disappearing. Too many for it to be a simple mistake. And you know how desperate I’ve been to import leather and materials from abroad for its construction, right? Someone’s been diverting goods under the guild’s name without my authorization.”
“What?”
“These are things only someone inside the guild—or in the household—could know. That’s why I’ve been investigating. The culprit will be caught soon.”
“Is that true?”
At the question from the imperial investigation team, Velia hurriedly turned.
“But I’m not pointing to my brother! He would never do such a thing! I think someone else… someone else orchestrated this. There’s no way my brother would do something like this over mere jealousy.”
Velia looked at Barun.
“Right, brother? You’re not that kind of person.”
Barun sucked in a breath.
All eyes in the garden turned to the two of them.
“Let’s find the real culprit together. This baseless accusation—that you tried to harm me out of jealousy… I’ll clear it for you.”
A heavy silence fell over the garden.
No one moved as they processed the situation.
Among them was the imperial investigation team.
Velia took Barun’s hand.
“Brother, I believe in you.”
But Barun saw not her earnest words, but the empty blackness of her eyes.
In those dark eyes flickered a thick, sticky malice that froze him in place.
A breeze swept through the garden.
As everyone sorted out their own thoughts, a solemn, weighty voice broke the silence.
“To summarize: the missing imperial tribute was found here, at the Arphedi Marquisate, more precisely, in the young marquis’s warehouse. Correct?”
The imperial investigators were the Emperor’s direct subordinates.
Who could possibly interrupt one wearing the imperial badge on his chest?
The Marquis stared blankly at the man who spoke with the Emperor’s authority.
“The warehouse of the young marquis is guarded by magic orbs that control entry, making infiltration by outsiders difficult. Furthermore, the records we just obtained from the carriage depot show that no foreign carriages have entered recently.”
The Marquis reached out in desperation.
“Wait, hold on—”
“Additionally! Lady Velia testified that the culprit is within the estate. Can you provide us with the evidence and documentation of your investigation?”
“…What?”
Startled by the investigator’s question, Velia hurriedly opened her mouth.
“Yes, I can… provide it.”
“Then please submit it to us. We will conduct a thorough imperial investigation.”
The Marquis’s face turned ashen.
“Wait—surely, you’re not suggesting… that the young marquis is the culprit?”
“We understand, my lord Marquis. Surely you cannot believe the young marquis himself did such a thing. However, the suspicions are clear. He must accompany us to the imperial palace.”
“The palace? Couldn’t His Majesty allow house arrest instead…?”
“That is impossible.”
“What?”
“This case concerns treason. Such a matter cannot permit house arrest for a prime suspect. Rest assured, given his noble status, he will not be poorly treated. But he must come with us.”
The Marquis’s hand trembled.
No one dared to speak. Treason.
The very word the Marquis had tried so hard to erase had risen to the surface again.
Unknowingly, the Marquis turned his head toward Velia.
Who could answer Velia’s earlier question—what reason would the young marquis have to be jealous of her?
Clearly, the family’s disgrace had now been branded with the label of treason.
If Barun was taken to the palace, even the Marquis’s hands would be tied.
Clinging to reason, the Marquis searched desperately for words—if only to buy a few more minutes.
Meanwhile, Velia released Barun’s hand.
She knew full well what attaching the label of treason to Barun meant for her as well.
But when cutting out rot, even some of the healthy flesh must fall with it.
It was a necessary procedure. She would never have begun this if she hadn’t calculated for such losses.
Her eyes grew cold as she looked at Barun.
Barun would surely cause trouble one day.
Whether through Rene’s appearance, or through some link with Bain that she did not yet understand.
So she had to cut him off first.
Velia sighed, regaining her composure.
As though nothing had happened, she looked back at Barun with glistening eyes.
“Brother… why…”
Her reddened eyes showed pity.
“The idea that you’re a traitor—it’s absurd.”
Velia grabbed both of Barun’s arms.
“I’ll fix this somehow. This happened because I tried to prepare a gift for the imperial family. Brother, what should we do…”
“…Let go.”
“Huh?”
“I said let go!”
With a violent jerk, he shook her off, making Velia stagger.
Barun approached her with a face that looked utterly deranged.
“You… how dare you!”
“Brother, what’s wrong…?”
“Calm down, brother!”
Bedol tried to restrain the threatening Barun.
“Let go.”
“Brother!”
“I said LET GO!”
Breaking free from Bedol’s grip, Barun lunged toward Velia.
“So in the end, it’s you, you lowly wretch, who’s caused all this! If not for you—!”
“Kyaaah—!”
“Brother!”
It was utter chaos.
From Barun’s mouth, usually famed for cold reason, poured nothing but screams and accusations so shocking that everyone gasped.
Clinging behind Bedol where no one could see her face, Velia wore an expressionless mask.
She ignored Barun’s roaring voice and closed her eyes briefly.
It was enough to let the possibility hang in the air—that maybe, just maybe, it had been nothing more than jealousy.
That way, the family would suffer only the minimum damage, while the rotten part was carved away.
The Marquis’s face twisted as he watched his children turn the garden into pandemonium.
“Enough!”
His roar finally silenced the chaos.
“Enough! What is this disgraceful behavior? Barun!”
“Do you not see it, Father? Truly, you do not see? The problem is not me! The problem is Velia, this wret—”
“Enough! If you utter that word once more, you will be expelled from this house entirely!”
“Father!”
“My apologies. But we are out of time. We must move him to the imperial palace now.”
The imperial investigators stepped forward, ending the scene that seemed it would never stop.
