Chapter 57
“Your parents—both from Boute?”
“…Yes, my lady.”
“Do they still live there?”
“My parents are still in Boute. I’m the only one who came to the capital.”
Why was she asking this?
“What kind of work do they do?”
“They’re farmers…”
“Farmers? What kind of farming? There are all kinds, you know.”
Betty couldn’t make sense of the line of questioning.
“Boute is known for its alcohol production, isn’t it? The brewing techniques are supposed to be exceptional. If they’re locals, do they brew alcohol?”
“Y-Yes…”
Betty was in trouble.
She didn’t even know much about Boute, yet Katrina kept pressing her for details.
“Katrina, get to the point.”
That was when Damian spoke up, calling out Katrina’s behavior.
“Do you have concrete proof that she’s a spy?”
Katrina turned to Damian with a sly smile.
“I’m just a little curious, is all.”
She called for an attendant.
“Bring me the letters Betty wrote. There should be some she hasn’t sent yet.”
At that moment, Betty almost laughed in disbelief.
‘How stupid.’
Did Katrina really think she’d write down anything incriminating in a letter?
She’d never be that careless.
Soon, the attendant returned with the letters.
“This is your evidence?”
Katrina pulled one out and held it up.
Foolish Katrina Aviche.
Presenting a sealed letter as proof without even reading it?
Did she really believe it contained incriminating details?
Betty laughed inwardly.
“My lady, I swear I’m innocent!”
But what came out of her mouth was different.
“I’m not a spy!”
Tears began to fall. Making herself cry was easy.
“But if this helps clear the misunderstanding… you’re welcome to read my letters.”
Betty appeared nothing short of sincere.
To everyone present, it looked like Katrina was just grasping at straws.
“If that’s your evidence, go ahead and open it,” Damian cut in.
But Katrina tilted her head.
“I never said the contents were the proof.”
“What do you mean?”
“I haven’t read it either. Can’t you tell by the seal?”
What was this woman even saying?
“You think I’d present something so obvious and call it evidence?”
Then why bother with the letter at all?
“I was just curious. From the outside, it seems like she’s writing to her parents…”
Katrina smiled.
“Then why is the destination not Boute?”
“…!”
“I checked the addresses of all the letters she’s sent so far. Every single one was sent to the capital.”
“…!”
Betty panicked.
She had to come up with something.
“T-That’s because my parents are in the capital right now!”
“But earlier you said they were still in Boute.”
“…”
Something was going terribly wrong.
The atmosphere shifted. Everyone’s gaze toward Betty grew colder.
And Katrina delivered the final blow.
“Also, Boute doesn’t specialize in alcohol production. It’s known for textiles.”
“…”
“Are you even really from Boute?”
She looked at Betty with a pitying expression.
“I’m beginning to doubt the truth of your résumé.”
“N-No, my lady…!”
Betty shouted in a panic.
She wanted to explain herself, but her mind had gone completely blank.
Ever since Katrina had accused her of being a spy, she had been paralyzed.
“I-I admit I forged my background for personal reasons…”
At this point, Betty decided to admit to it.
‘As long as they don’t find out I’m a spy.’
Forging identity and being a spy—there was a huge difference in gravity between the two.
If she were going to be exposed, better it be the former.
“I’m truly sorry. But I swear I never did anything like espionage!”
She cried out with desperation.
“It’s definitely suspicious, but I can’t say this alone proves she’s a spy,” Damian said.
“Forging one’s background and spying are two separate matters.”
He turned to Katrina.
Unless she made a convincing case now, this was over.
Katrina paused, letting silence settle. She seemed to weigh her next words carefully.
“Katrina, my lady! Based on what we’ve heard, I don’t think you can conclude that this maid planted the drug,” said Viscount Hoar, stepping in.
“Of course, forging one’s identity is a serious crime. She should be punished for it. However!”
This was a chance to steer the conversation back on track.
Everyone present had gathered to support Katrina’s expulsion. The matter needed to be handled quickly.
“We’re here today to discuss the drug you made—that it causes madness!”
The Viscount pressed forward.
“Please, explain yourself!”
Yet Katrina’s expression didn’t change.
She remained composed.
“Actually, before coming here, I checked her identity.”
“What do you mean…?”
She looked at Betty.
“Sorry. You snuck into my room, so I went into yours.”
“…”
Betty stiffened in alarm.
‘No, stay calm.’
There was nothing in her room that could be used as evidence. She had been careful.
Thunk.
Katrina threw something in front of her.
“Your name tag.”
Why that?
“It says here—Betty, from Boute.”
“I’m sorry, my lady. I know forging my identity is a serious crime, but I had my reasons—”
“What are you talking about? Forgery?”
Katrina sounded puzzled.
No one in the room could follow where she was going.
What the hell was she saying now?
“This isn’t forged.”
“What?”
“This seal here? It’s official.”
Betty stared blankly at the seal on the tag.
“It’s issued by the temple.”
The room erupted.
There could be no clearer evidence.
The temple had sent a spy into House Aviche.
***
Here’s how Katrina figured out there was a spy.
As she thought back, one memory surfaced.
There was a time something had gone missing.
It was when she had made perfume for Raymond.
One of the bottles she had prepared had disappeared.
So she laid a trap.
She left a different recipe disguised as a perfume formula.
It was actually a truth serum—forcing whoever drank it to confess.
And the one who ended up drinking it… was Raymond, during the Harmony Banquet.
The whole situation had turned absurd.
Katrina had forgotten about it because—
She had thought Selena might’ve been the thief.
Since Selena had stolen her formula, it made sense to assume she’d also taken the perfume.
But now that she thought about it, something didn’t add up.
If Selena had stolen the perfume first, she wouldn’t have needed the formula.
She could’ve just used the perfume on Raymond immediately.
Then, once she knew it worked, she might’ve tried to get the recipe.
But Selena never used the perfume on Raymond.
If she had, she would’ve realized it wasn’t actually perfume—it was a potion meant to be mixed into food.
The whole setup had been a trap for the thief, not Selena.
If someone had stolen Katrina’s belongings, out of curiosity, they might’ve tried it.
Even if the trap failed, it would serve as a warning.
Exactly.
Selena wasn’t the one who stole the perfume.
A spy had done it.
Once Katrina realized this, she gave Lina a vacation—hoping the spy would surface in her absence.
She let out a bitter smile.
So it was you.
Of all the people who might’ve sent a spy—
Lucifer. It was you.
