****
“Are you breaking in?”
“No, Duke Leon. This morning, His Majesty officially ordered the arrest of Valletta Delight. There is also a letter of permission with the imperial seal.”
The knight said as he quickly unfolded the rolled up paper and showed it to the Duke. Duke Leon’s brows narrowed as he looked at the man who was clearly out as an executioner. With his arms crossed he stood protectively in front of the door and checked the permission paper.
‘You’ve drawn your sword completely.’
It was clear that his intention was to block the exit. The rumors that had started to spread gradually a few days ago were well known to Duke Leon, as well as Valletta Delight herself and Carlon Delphine. The day after the servants drank the potion that the child had taken pains to share with them, they all died due to unconsciousness.
If the people who didn’t drink it had also died, they would have been able to think that it was just a worsening situation. But the problem was that those who did not drink lived and they even testified. Suddenly, they all died one by one, vomiting the potion they had taken during the night.
There was also a liquid near the dead that actually looked like the potion. Just from somewhere, rumors about Valletta started to spread, and the families of the victims instigated them with open anger. The rumor quickly grew. As a result, Duke Leon didn’t even leave the mansion for a few days to guard the inside. They came to the front and started protesting. The rumors were mixed with malicious talk, and the story grew more and more.
Carlon Delphine had moved to another mansion in the capital that he had been using as a villa since that day. He also seemed to be investigating the information in his own way, but he couldn’t prevent the simultaneous spread of information by many.
“What’s the charge?”
As if accustomed to Duke Leon’s short words, the man standing at the very front of the Order opened his mouth with courtesy.
“The order was given to take her into custody for serial murder. We have also found evidence that Lady Delight has been conducting experiments on humans at Count Delight’s residence.”
“Experiments?”
“Yes, various experimental tools and drugs were found in the basement of the Count’s mansion, as well as the bodies of the dead long before the murders.”
“What about Count Delight? The child was abused.”
“Count Delight is presumed to be the mastermind. Valletta Delight has been named as an accomplice to Count Delight’s experiments on human beings, and as an accomplice to the murder of the Count’s entire household. There are even charges of poisoning using potions.”
Duke Leon fell silent.
It made sense. All things were certain. Public opinion was brewing, and no one would believe him if he opened his mouth in this situation. But….
His eyes slowly sank.
If he could prevent it, he would prevent it. It was not impossible if he tried to suppress them with the Duke’s status. The problem would be after that.
“For the above reasons, Valletta Delight will be taken into custody.”
“What about the disposition?”
“It will be decided directly by His Majesty the Emperor, and will be finalized after the trial.”
Duke Leon put his hand to his forehead. It was the first time in a long time that he was annoyed. It was amazing how much power the emperor had, how much honor and forces he possessed.
“I cannot allow it.”
“It is illegal to defend and protect a criminal whose guilt is certain and whose bounty is off the table, Commander.”
The other party shook his head firmly. The man who held the position of deputy knight commander was a man who was as honest as Duke Leon, and at the same time, he was foolish.
“I cannot allow it.”
“What’s not allowed, Duke?”
“Come in…….”
Carrying a bag on her shoulder, Valletta peeked through the crack in the door.
Duke narrowed his brows and said briefly, “I’m sorry.” Valletta ignored him and emerged. She was looking down from the upper floor and heard a commotion, so she wondered what was going on, and sure enough. They were here for her.
It was within her expectations. She was going to lose the first fight anyway. She tried to fight first, but it was a blunder to expose her fight first. Dwelling over a lost game would not solve the problem. With a casual glance, she looked at the Deputy Knight Commander.
”Valletta Delight, you are under arrest for serial murder. Please come with me to the Imperial City.”
“If you can take me, I’ll follow you.”
The deputy knight commander’s lips shut at Valletta’s words. He didn’t expect her to say something like that so openly. He clenched his fists with a hard expression. The woman looked like she didn’t feel guilty at all after killing someone.
“Suit yourself.”
“I’m losing this game anyway. I’m defeated. That’s too bad, a little. I thought I could win.”
“Valletta.”
“We can’t end it here, we have to set up the next game.”
Valletta thought about this as she watched Carlon Delphine, but it still seemed that age and experience mattered to people.
Duke Leon furrowed his brow. He tried to reach out but Valletta shook her head lightly.
“I’ll come back later. And tell Carlon I’m sorry.”
“He’ll be angry.”
“I’d like to see how the people who died this time died. That would be a shame, too.”
“You….!”
The deputy commander drew his sword at the sound of Valletta’s cold, unfeeling voice and speech. The tip of his quivering sword touched Valletta just below the neck.
“Who are you?”
“I’m the Deputy Commander.”
“You’re in a hurry.”
But it was true that he was a little annoyed and deliberately mean at Valletta’s irritating words.
Valletta meekly shrugged her shoulders in silence. With a low sigh, she meekly took a step forward.
“I guess I’ll just have to follow you.”
“…….”
Her words, so shameless, left the deputy commander speechless for a moment. He barely hid the emotion from his face.
“Yes.”
“Can I take a bag with me?”
“As a general rule, animals and objects are to be confiscated.”
“…… things too?”
That was a bit of a problem. There was a lot of information in the notebook. To make the roast spell, it needed a magic circle, and to revert the spell, it also needed a magic circle. Of course some things to develop it were different.
Valletta tilted her head and sighed deeply.
“There’s something I didn’t bring in my room, can I bring it?”
“I’ll go get it.”
“Okay. Please bring the notebook on the table. It’s on the second floor in the fourth room.”
The deputy commander’s green eyes colored with annoyance for a while. However, as an experienced knight, he bowed to the Duke, keeping his emotions in check, and entered the mansion. While the other watchers approached, Valletta took a small notebook from her bag and shoved it into Duke Leon’s hand. He shook his shoulders and meekly put it in his pocket.
“…… are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m tired of being protected.”
Valletta was tired at the violence inflicted in the name of protection. She was strong enough without further protection. She could stand on her own, she could step forward. She had the power to make it all go away.
‘It’s a good thing I didn’t use the power as Reinhardt said.’
That was something to thank him for. Thanks to him, there was at least one more card that had not been caught.
Eventually, she put the boring notebook in the deputy commander’s hand and walked with him.
“Thank you….. Duke.”
“I’ll come see you.”
At her thanks, Duke Leon replied nonchalantly with a faint smile on his lips. Valletta opened her eyes wide and quickly shrugged her shoulders.
Duke Leon stood still for a long time, from the moment Valletta stepped into the carriage, until she was out of sight in his field of vision.
“You don’t need to say goodbye?”
“It’s okay. It’s not like we’ll never see each other again.”
Carlon Delphine, who had been hiding in a corner, appeared with a sigh.
“What’s that?”
Duke Leon gently looked at the notebook that he had received from Valletta and held it out to Carlon Delphine. After examining the contents, Carlon Delphine took a step back and looked to where the carriage had disappeared, but all he could see was the spacious garden of the Duke’s residence.