Chapter 50
Calyx’s expression as he left the room was icy cold—nothing like the warm and gentle face he showed Elena.
Descending the stairs, he asked a nearby attendant,
“Where’s the body?”
“This way, sir.”
The attendant led him ahead. Calyx entered the room and looked down at the corpse with a chilling gaze, then gave his orders.
“There’s nothing more to learn. Dispose of it. And tell them to gather all the staff in the main hall.”
“Yes, Duke.”
Calyx was furious—furious that Elena had continued to face threats to her life whether he was present or not.
But most of all, he was angry at himself—for being so powerless that he had no choice but to turn into a sparrow. It was hateful, being a man who couldn’t even protect the woman he loved.
He even regretted how leniently he had treated the staff to keep up the appearance of frailty. In the end, that leniency had allowed a spy to slip in among them.
And this was already the second time an outsider had infiltrated the estate.
‘What kind of security is this, that everything is so thoroughly a mess?’
It all felt like a result of his own incompetence. He had changed much since returning to the past, but he still lacked in many areas.
Calyx no longer wanted to pretend to be weak to catch the real culprit. He still had one round of recovery left, but he was ready to take active steps to catch the killer—by any means necessary.
By the next day at lunch, the entire duchy was in an uproar over news of a new victim. The employees at the estate couldn’t stop chattering about the serial murders.
Looking out the window at the noisy staff outside, I turned around and spoke.
“Your Grace, there’s been a fifth victim.”
“Yes. Her name was Sharote Iskerman. In the life before the regression, she was the sixth victim.”
The Duke responded. I already knew that, but pretended not to.
“Does that mean my fate—my death—has been changed?”
“It’s hard to be sure, and that’s frustrating. We still don’t know whether the real culprit is still targeting you, Lady Elena.”
“I guess I shouldn’t feel relieved until they’re caught, but… I’m not exactly thrilled to be alive either.”
And I truly wasn’t. I had struggled desperately to survive, and yet now that I was alive, my heart felt heavy—like a giant stone was pressing down on my chest.
Was it because someone else had died in my place, who was originally supposed to be the sixth victim? Or was it the helplessness of failing to stop the killer again? Either way, the guilt and pressure were the same.
“Oh, and we searched everyone after gathering the staff, but Aunt Mina is apparently on vacation this week.”
The Duke spoke with a grim expression.
“Then the person claiming to be Mina was…”
“Already gone. No one seems to know her. Or that ‘Mollin’ person might have been pretending to be Mina.”
“Is that possible?”
“It is, with magical artifacts. They’re rare and expensive, but not impossible to get.”
“Then… is that why the ‘Aunt Mina’ I saw looked different from the one you saw?”
“Most likely.”
“Haa…”
Everything was a complete mess. Just how far was this killer willing to go?
Well, that aside…
I tried to lighten the heavy mood with a casual question.
“Your Grace, Dr. Scott’s going on a business trip tomorrow, right? You’re going to follow him, aren’t you?”
“I should, but what about them?”
Calyx glanced affectionately at Luka, Tofu, and Black, gently petting them.
Family… no, more like an extension of himself.
To Calyx, those three dogs were inseparable. I’d seen many dog lovers in my past life, but never anyone like him who literally did everything with his pets.
“I think you might be the one with separation anxiety, Your Grace. The dogs seem fine to me.”
“Separation anxiety… maybe so.”
He smiled wryly at my joke, then after a moment of thought, spoke calmly.
“When I was very young, I had a puppy my father gave me. I was even more attached to it than I am to these. Even when I was sick, I wouldn’t let it out of my arms.”
“Your first pet always leaves the deepest mark.”
“Yes. I still remember everything about the time I had with that little one. I hope they’re happy now, in a place with no pain.”
“…”
There was a visible sadness in his eyes—a deep longing. He must’ve truly loved that dog.
Will the Duke remember me fondly like that when we eventually catch the culprit and I leave?
The thought startled me.
What am I even thinking right now…?
There was no reason for the Duke to remember me warmly. I was just one of many employees, coincidentally working with him to catch a murderer. We weren’t close like family.
Still, that stray thought made me realize how I truly felt about him.
Without even knowing it… I’d come to care for the Duke. I had no right to.
Sure, I always thought he was handsome and admired him secretly, but I thought that was the extent of it. Apparently, it wasn’t.
Well, now that I’ve realized it, I just have to keep my distance. After we catch the killer, I’ll quit. Out of sight, out of mind.
I shook my head to dispel the wandering thoughts, and Calyx looked at me with a puzzled expression.
“Oh, I just got a little lost in thought.”
“Lady Elena, there’s something I want to tell you.”
He smiled gently and looked into my eyes as he spoke.
“Something you want to tell me?”
“Yes, actually…”
He hesitated again.
What was he trying to say?
After opening and closing his mouth several times, Calyx finally spoke.
“You know the trading company you visited?”
“Yes?”
“It’s mine.”
“Sorry—what?”
Trading company? The one I think it is? The one that Inspector Jerry infiltrated in the original story? The one I used?
“You know the red-haired woman you always saw there?”
“Yes.”
“She’s the vice-head.”
“Then… don’t tell me the head is…”
“Yes, me. Even though it’s under a false name, I’m the real owner.”
“…”
I was too shocked to say anything. I’d gone there repeatedly to buy rare medicinal ingredients—and the dagger the Duke gave me as a gift was sold at that very shop.
So I resold the gift back to the person who gave it to me? He once said the shop wasn’t entirely unrelated to the dark side—this must’ve been what he meant.
More than surprised, I was mortified. Embarrassed. But maybe—just maybe—if the vice-head didn’t report it, Calyx wouldn’t know?
Let’s test it.
“Um… Your Grace.”
“Yes?”
“About that dagger you gave me…”
As I stalled and glanced at him, Calyx gave me a soft smile.
Does he know or not?
“You don’t need to explain. I already know.”
So he did know. I even asked them to handle it without the gift-giver knowing…
Well, nothing I could do. The vice-head might’ve reported it anyway, since he’s her boss.
“I’m sorry… I thought you might be the killer and were sending me some kind of warning…”
“It’s alright. I understand.”
“You must’ve been hurt and disappointed, though…”
“Lady Elena, that doesn’t matter anymore. What matters now is…”
Calyx bent slightly and met my gaze.
“…that we catch the real culprit as soon as possible.”
“…”
“I plan to use the trading company actively now to find them.”
“How?”
“Well, first, we’ll have to tail Dr. Scott carefully. Bringing the dogs would be too conspicuous.”
Calyx began pacing the room in thought.
Would he really move without his dogs? Other than this medical leave, he’d never done that.
“I’ll leave them behind. I’ll ask the vice-head to find someone trustworthy to take care of them.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes.”
He nodded seriously.
“But isn’t it dangerous for you to be directly involved, Your Grace?”
“It’s even more dangerous for you.”
“But I’m just an ordinary person… and you’re…”
“A title doesn’t make a life more or less valuable. Maybe others think that way, but I don’t.”
“That’s unexpected.”
It really was. I’d always assumed someone born noble would think like one to their bones. But he sounded like a modern man.
“I’ll contact the vice-head. Since we’re both lacking in combat ability, we’ll need tools or allies to help us.”
“You seem… different somehow.”
I looked at him with new eyes, and he chuckled.
“Different in a good way, I hope?”
“Yes.”
“That’s a relief.”
“Is there anything I can do?”
“Lady Elena…”
I braced myself, determined to help in any way I could.
But what Calyx said completely threw me off.
“You should rest. You’ve been looking after the dogs and living under threat for too long.”
“But I can’t just sit around doing nothing…”
“I’ll let you know when we’re ready. Just tell me if you think of anything.”
“…Okay.”
With no choice, I sat down in the nearby chair. Powerless and seemingly useless, I felt a sinking sense of inadequacy.
