Chapter 15
The one most shocked by those words was Cain.
Cain’s eyes widened as he whipped around to look at me.
I wanted to boast, “See? I told you he’d come!”—but I couldn’t.
‘He’s already here? It hasn’t even been a week since I sent someone—how is that possible?!’
I was just as stunned as Cain.
“Sir Tristan!”
At that moment Tristan glared sharply at me and strode forward despite the servants trying to stop him.
‘W-wait. That man’s eyes are insane…!’
I stepped back nervously.
Whoosh.
Someone suddenly extended an arm and blocked my way.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
It was Cain.
“Don’t concern yourself. I’m merely dealing with a wretch trying to frame me.”
Tristan’s hand moved toward his sword.
‘Is he trying to kill me to shut me up?!’
Has he lost his mind!?
My legs trembled. I needed to run, but I couldn’t move.
“Step aside.”
Tristan warned Cain.
Cain didn’t budge.
Tristan laughed in disbelief.
“You’re shielding a criminal? Then even if you’re the young master, I won’t spare you.”
“He’s not a criminal—he’s someone trying to reveal the truth.”
Cain cut him off coldly.
“I wanted to believe it wasn’t you. I thought you were the one who cared most for me, Tristan. But.”
Cain’s red eyes sank into an icy calm.
“That blinded me. This fountain pen will be sent to the Mage Tower. The truth can’t be hidden.”
His voice was flat and rigid, but beneath it lay confusion, betrayal, and firm resolve.
He must have suspected Tristan long ago.
“Are you lecturing me right now?!”
Tristan couldn’t accept Cain’s sincerity.
Instead, wounded pride twisted his face.
“Since when did you care about this duchy?! You’re the one who brings misfortune everywhere!”
He drew his sword.
‘He’s crazy. He’s completely lost it.’
This wasn’t the time to be offended at being called misfortune.
I hurriedly tried to pull Cain away.
But—
The craziest one here was Cain.
‘Why aren’t you moving?!’
Even with a blade right in front of him, Cain refused to step aside.
My vision blurred white from terror.
There was only one thing I could do.
Ah.
I forced my brain to work and shouted at the top of my lungs.
“Aaaaaah! Someone help!”
My scream rang through the garden, drawing everyone’s attention.
Cain flinched and shielded me behind him even more.
‘That’s not what I meant…’
Still—it worked.
“What’s going on—Sir Tristan?!”
“What are you doing?!”
Knights in uniform rushed in at my scream.
They froze upon seeing Tristan’s drawn sword and Cain standing before him.
Tristan belatedly came to his senses and sheathed his blade.
Too late.
“How noisy.”
Step. Step.
The knights parted, and an expressionless woman walked forward.
A woman with an icy presence.
‘So that’s her.’
Duchess Bellatia Argent.
Black hair tied high. Blood-red eyes.
She looked exactly like Cain.
“M-my lady!”
“What were you trying to do?”
“I-it’s a misunderstanding—!”
Tristan turned pale and trembled.
The duchess approached without changing expression.
“Misunderstanding? Explain.”
“Yes! That silver-haired brat insulted me and tried to frame me—”
“I didn’t ask for nonsense.”
Her cold voice cut him off instantly.
Tristan bowed his head.
‘There’s no excuse for pointing a sword at Cain.’
It was over.
But I couldn’t relax.
“You. Who are you?”
Her gaze turned to me.
“H-hello, Your Grace. I’m Saint Candidate W-Winiel…”
My voice shook uncontrollably.
‘She’s terrifying.’
Her pressure felt worse than Tristan’s sword—like she could crush someone without hesitation.
Then she spoke.
“I heard someone used dark magic in this estate.”
She knows?
Tristan panicked.
“Where did you hear that—?!”
“Gustav told me. Though he kept insisting he wasn’t the culprit.”
So she had already met the captured accomplice knight.
‘Of course he spilled everything after being betrayed.’
“Then who is the culprit?”
“It’s that child! She used dark magic!”
“I asked the child.”
The duchess silenced him and looked at me again.
Was she asking because I was a saint candidate?
That didn’t matter.
I had to answer.
At that moment Tristan glared at me, mouthing silently:
Tell the truth and I’ll kill you.
“…!”
I froze.
What eleven-year-old could speak honestly under that threat?
“I-I don’t know. I didn’t do anything…”
As I shook my head, Tristan visibly relaxed.
“Ah!”
The fountain pen slipped from my hand.
Clink.
“Sir Tristan’s fountain pen—the one carrying dark magic traces that the Mage Tower can detect!”
Oops. Guess that slipped out.
Threats are scary, but accidents can’t be helped.
Tristan’s face turned purple with rage.
“Investigate.”
The duchess picked up the pen and handed it to her secretary.
“And find out why it carries dark magic traces.”
Thankfully Tristan had no chance to harm me now.
After that, events moved quickly.
The duchess launched a full investigation.
I was briefly suspected, but soon cleared.
Because Gustav—the accomplice—confessed everything after Tristan betrayed him.
Even before the Mage Tower’s report returned, I was freed.
Still, I couldn’t rest.
I had to give statements and answer endless Mage Tower inquiries.
But I learned something important.
‘She met the knight I sent north along the way.’
According to her secretary, she rushed here the moment she received the message.
‘So she really came because she was worried about Cain.’
At the time, she didn’t know the communication device was broken.
Yet she still came.
That meant—
“This is going to work. The two of them.”
They hadn’t had time to talk yet, but once they did, misunderstandings would clear.
The truth was already surfacing.
“Good. Everything’s progressing.”
The original storyline was accelerating. At this rate, catching my brother wasn’t far off.
Knock knock.
“Lady Winiel, it’s time.”
“Ah! I’m coming!”
I straightened my clothes and headed to the reception room.
The duchess had requested a meeting about my letter.
She must finally want answers about the future I’d written.
‘This is what should’ve happened earlier—Cain never even questioned it.’
Relieved, I walked in lightly.
“…Do you have ulterior motives?”
And was immediately treated like a suspicious criminal under interrogation.
