I ran away from Alex.

Only after fleeing to the end of the corridor did I turn around to check the direction where Alex was.

Sir Faby and Sir Zyle immediately followed me, but fortunately, Alex didn’t come after me.

It was already awkward to face Alex because of what happened last night, and this became a good excuse to avoid him.

I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. While doing so, I looked alternately at Sir Faby and Sir Zyle.

I was worried about what the two of them might have thought after hearing the conversation earlier.

“Ah, nothing happened.”

I said to Sir Faby and Sir Zyle as if making an excuse. Then I regretted it.

It would have been better if I had acted as if nothing had happened. I realized belatedly that I looked even stranger because I made an unnecessary excuse.

“Really…”

As I muttered in a small voice, losing confidence, I heard small laughs from Sir Faby and Sir Zyle.

“Yes, I believe you.”

“It could happen, sure.”

Somehow, the responses from the two sounded like they were trying to comfort me, and I bowed my head deeply.

My face felt hot, and I wanted to cool this heat right away.

Perhaps because of that, I walked quickly in the direction my feet were taking me, and I arrived at the central garden.

I thought about turning back as yesterday’s events came to mind, but since I didn’t have anywhere else to go anyway, I just stepped into the garden.

The cold air wrapped around my heated cheeks.

It felt quite pleasant as the chilly breath filled my lungs and then escaped.

Although it was a bit uncomfortable, coming out to the garden didn’t seem like a bad choice.

***

“Aren’t you going to follow her?”

Kain asked Alexander, who was watching Claire’s retreating figure.

From Kain’s perspective, it seemed that Claire had gotten upset due to Alexander’s teasing.

He asked if it was okay not to clear up the misunderstanding, but Alexander chuckled.

“It’ll be fine. Besides, she probably needs some time to think alone right now.”

He regretted no longer being able to see Claire’s retreating figure. Alexander turned around, unaware that he had been staring at the empty space several times.

“More importantly, there’s something we need to do. Is Duke Anstis in the second-floor reception room?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Alexander asked a servant, who immediately answered him.

“But I hear that Miss Veronica is with him as well. Shall we move Duke Anstis to another reception room?”

The servant asked Alexander with concern.

Alexander stroked his chin with his hand, then shook his head.

“No, I’ll go there. Lead the way.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Following Alexander’s instruction, the servant began to guide him.

And finally, when they arrived in front of the reception room, the servant knocked on the door.

“Duke Berzel has arrived.”

And soon the door opened.

Alexander strode in.

Duke Anstis and Veronica stood up from their seats to greet Alexander.

“Sit down for now.”

Alexander suggested to the two as he sat down in the main seat.

Duke Anstis and Veronica exchanged glances and sat down.

“Weren’t you going to deal with the matter regarding Duke Franz?”

Veronica asked Alexander, unable to contain her curiosity.

Alexander nodded readily and opened his mouth.

“I’ve dealt with what needed to be dealt with. What remains are evidence and testimonies.”

Alexander’s gaze moved from Veronica to Duke Anstis.

“We already have sufficient evidence regarding Duke Franz’s attack on my mansion and the attack on me in Count Maynard’s territory. I assume the Anstis duchy has also secured enough evidence from the time of the carriage attack that day?”

Duke Anstis nodded slowly.

“It’s already been completed. Even if we go to court, the evidence and witnesses will be perfect.”

“Yes, good. But to add more weight here, it would be better if we had Lady Veronica’s help.”

“You need my testimony, right?”

“Yes.”

“You don’t have to worry about that. I’m ready anytime.”

Veronica answered in a resolute voice.

As it was something she had already anticipated, there was nothing to be flustered about.

Duke Franz was a person with influence even among the nobles.

He had risen to the rank of duke at a young age, ran businesses, and exerted influence on the empire for a long time, maintaining extensive friendships with central nobles.

To punish and bring down such a person required more evidence and testimonies.

“But how is the matter of the Robelin county being handled?”

Veronica asked, thinking of Christine and Sir Kruger.

While she thought that Sir Kruger, being the one who kidnapped Claire, should be punished, Christine’s testimony and Kruger’s confession were needed to address Duke Franz’s greatest crime.

“That’s still pending. We’ll have to talk about it from now on.”

“Well, you’ve just returned after all.”

Veronica acknowledged that she had been hasty.

Then she bowed her head and let out a small sigh.

“Christine’s situation is really unfortunate. At such a young age, she witnessed her parents’ death and was captured by Duke Franz, imprisoned and abused for 10 years. But I can’t forgive what Sir Kruger did to Claire.”

Veronica’s voice carried a faint heat.

The memory of Claire, who had always been quirky and cheerful, bursting into tears after returning from Duke Franz’s mansion was still vivid in Veronica’s mind.

“But… if Sir Kruger confesses, he won’t be able to avoid punishment himself. Can he do that?”

“He will.”

Unlike the skeptical Veronica, Alexander answered with a confident tone.

Curious about his confidence, Veronica raised her head to look at Alexander.

“Is there a reason for your certainty?”

“He came to me at dawn and said he would confess voluntarily.”

“…Can we trust his words?”

Even if Kruger stated that he would confess voluntarily, it wasn’t something that could be easily believed.

“I heard that he had been pretending to be loyal to Duke Berzel all this time, hiding his true intentions for revenge. Can we really believe that he will admit his crimes and confess?”

Even for Veronica, this statement could be seen as criticizing Alexander’s incompetence, so she had to speak as carefully as possible.

However, fortunately, Alexander didn’t show displeasure at Veronica’s words, but instead nodded with a bitter smile.

“He added a condition. He asked me to take care of his sister, Christine Robelin.”

“Ah.”

Veronica finally understood and nodded.

Christine Robelin, Kruger’s weak spot and the sister he miraculously reunited with.

Entrusting her to Alexander meant that Kruger trusted Alexander that much.

Moreover, it didn’t seem likely that someone who had lived for family revenge would abandon his family and run away.

If he had intended to run away, he would have secretly fled with Christine without saying such things.

Veronica felt a small relief at this thought.

After confirming that Veronica had agreed, Alexander turned his gaze to Duke Anstis.

“You’ll need to show clearly what you’ve prepared as well. No matter how much you and I attack Duke Franz together, his influence among the central nobles is not small. The same goes for the court.”

“I know. You don’t need to worry about that. It’s something I’ve been instructing since we were heading to Duke Franz’s mansion.”

Duke Anstis once again answered Alexander.

“Then that’s settled. I’ve finished my business, so I’ll get up now. Feel free to continue your conversation.”

“Yes.”

When Alexander rose from his seat, Veronica and Duke Anstis also stood up.

It was awkward to leave the two of them alone without the owner of the mansion, but it was an unavoidable situation as Veronica was currently indebted to the Berzel duchy.

“Um, Duke Berzel.”

Just as Alexander was about to move, Veronica hesitantly called out to him.

“What is it?”

Alexander stopped and turned to look at Veronica.

Veronica chose her words carefully and finally opened her mouth with difficulty.

“May I ask you one thing? Do you really love Claire?”

Alexander stared intently at Veronica in response to her question. His calm blue eyes were directed at her.

“Does it seem like a lie?”

After a long silence, Alexander asked.

Veronica looked into Alexander’s eyes and then shook her head.

“No. It’s because it doesn’t seem like a lie that I’m asking this question.”

Even from Veronica’s perspective, leading soldiers to Duke Franz’s mansion for Claire’s sake was a method she had never considered.

Alexander didn’t hesitate to go against Duke Berzel for Claire’s sake.

That’s how much he cared for Claire.

“I want to hear it from your own mouth. Do you really love Claire?”

“Yes. I love her so much that I never want to lose her again.”

Alexander answered Veronica’s question immediately.

There was not even a moment of hesitation in him.

Veronica looked at Alexander and smiled faintly.

“I see. I understand. Thank you for answering.”

Alexander turned around after confirming Veronica’s smile.