My First Love Seems Suspicious After I Regressed - Chapter 1 - I Woke Up and It Was 5 Years Ago (14)
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- Chapter 1 - I Woke Up and It Was 5 Years Ago (14)
Chapter 1 – I Woke Up and It Was 5 Years Ago (14)
“People who have experienced the scene might feel differently.”
Chloe felt a pang at the casually thrown question.
The parade procession intended to detonate a magic stone bomb to throw the crowd into chaos and deliver a message advocating Scandar’s independence. Chloe recalled the scene she had heard from Etienne and her social acquaintances who had watched the parade that day. And although Scandar might have had different desires…
At any rate, it was something that hadn’t happened yet.
Chloe glanced at Mirabelle, and after exchanging looks, they both put on harmless expressions and smiled.
“You don’t, I see.”
From the way Noel Wensley silently set down her teacup, Chloe sensed that she hadn’t come expecting a real answer.
Mirabelle tilted her head and asked,
“Wasn’t it just a performance demanding independence?”
“Well, the Scandar royal family will probably draw a line again.”
Chloe nodded, imbued with a meaning only she understood.
Thinking about the Scandar royal family she had experienced, their relationship with the separatists was somewhat strange. They had been staging armed demonstrations across the empire, including in Gotiue, demanding independence. When the opportunity arose, the royal family immediately demanded independence.
Given that a common goal was achieved, it would have been reasonable to commend the compatriots for their efforts, but the separatists disappeared from Scandar’s political history afterward.
The royal family’s attitude of apologizing whenever a terror incident occurred seemed to treat them as outcasts.
‘Back then, I thought it was merely a diplomatic gesture, but the royal family really had no interest in them.’
Chloe had no opportunity to learn about Scandar’s state affairs, but she could infer the political atmosphere through her husband’s remarks or the maids.
Watching Chloe’s deepening gaze, Noel Wensley spoke again after an appropriate pause.
“The Young Duke was a great help. He said he was curious about a Scandar merchant during the festival week and decided to follow them.”
“Oh, right. We happened to encounter them together.”
So that’s what it was. In ‘that time’ when Chloe hadn’t encountered him at the market street, he might not have witnessed the Scandar merchant.
‘Then perhaps Demi had no intention of investigating the separatists initially.’
Chloe nodded, feeling like her curiosity about why Demetrian was there yesterday was somewhat resolved. On the other hand, she felt a tingling sensation at the thought that she had played a part in Demetrian’s involvement.
“I was surprised to see a Scandar during the festival week.”
“And you certainly didn’t expect to run into him again in the evening.”
“Yes…”
Remembering her initial triumph in identifying the magic tool merchant as being from Moeniel, Chloe smiled bitterly.
“There are no secrets in Gotiue for Lacroix, so let me be direct. We intend to cover up this incident for now.”
“What?”
“Oh, we’ll investigate, but we won’t make the results public. There’s no benefit for the citizens to know.”
Chloe quickly recalled the future she remembered.
Indeed, it was only detrimental to Arthuzen.
The Scandar royal family had adopted a humble stance and offered various tributes. However, while that was beneficial for the imperial treasury, it wasn’t good for the civilians. The strengthened inspections in the capital stifled commerce, and attempts to sanction trade with Scandar only worsened public sentiment due to unstable magic stone supplies. Even in Gotiue’s night streets, the lights were brightened by magic stones.
“We’ve retrieved all the bombs sold in the market, the hideout is being searched by the guards, and the culprits are being interrogated by the Young Duke.”
“The Young Duke Crevelle?”
Noel Wensley smirked slightly. It seemed like a bitter smile at first glance, but it was likely her way of expressing interest.
“Strictly speaking, it’s overstepping his bounds, but since the Young Duke captured them and seems intent on reporting it himself, well. We’ll think of it as lending our interrogation room.”
As dusk fell over the outskirts of Gotiue, a carriage departed from the Crevelle Ducal residence.
Feeling the urge to ask if he noticed anything strange lately, Faigen suppressed the thought and looked at his young master across from him with a crooked gaze.
A few days ago, he went to meet his so-called friend, who is actually his romantic interest, at the crack of dawn, then returned to seclude himself in his office without entering the palace. The next day, he seemed to go to the palace quietly, only to pick a bunch of flowers from the Duchess’s greenhouse and send them to that friend. Then he claimed he had something to find in the festival market street he never visited before, suggested a sudden night excursion, and now insisted on handling matters at the police department that weren’t even under his jurisdiction.
The young master, whom Faigen had served for over ten years, was originally such an easy person to serve.
When attending the academy, it was home, academy, home. After starting his work as an aide, it was home, imperial palace, home.
Social activities were once a week, tea parties were held during work hours and were always declined, formal dinners or balls only if invited by a Marquis or higher, and even then, only considered, not accepted. He attended social clubs only on the last Wednesday of each month, and no matter where he attended, he returned home before midnight. Even if it was a banquet held at the imperial palace. Because he had to attend school or enter the palace the next day.
‘It’s fascinating that he’s popular despite being so picky. One would think he’d be considered unpleasant.’
Faigen, without bothering to hide his disgruntled expression, spoke.
“Did you learn interrogation techniques at the academy?”
Demetrian, snapped out of his thoughts by the remark, responded with a faint smile.
“Of course not.”
“Then why are you meddling in police work?”
“Interrogation is either intimidation or persuasion, isn’t it?”
Looking at his handsome face as he sighed and turned his gaze out the window, Faigen thought it was indeed annoying.
He probably didn’t need to worry. From the day he first taught the young master swordsmanship, he had felt it.
As the heir of a prestigious ducal family, he couldn’t devote much effort to swordsmanship, but eleven-year-old Demetrian naturally secured the position of leader of the imperial youth soldiers. Of course, diligently completing the prescribed training daily was an effort in itself, but Faigen knew all too well the efforts young boys aspiring to be knights put in even to become squires.
Even knowing he was serving someone in a different category, it was still annoying. Twenty-eight-year-old Faigen pouted.
Regardless of what his escort knight thought of him, Demetrian’s gaze, directed somewhere outside the window, was as calm as the night sky.
‘Ah, interrogation… he intends to conduct it himself…’
He couldn’t forget the faces of the police officials reluctantly accepting the Young Duke’s overstepping last night. Giving several legitimate reasons like, “I was at the scene,” “I’m the one reporting it,” and “As a Senate official, I need to assess the situation due to potential diplomatic issues,” but the real reason in his heart was simply, “I need to meet them personally.” Uncharacteristically for someone who valued reason and logic.
‘If there had been more time, he could have handled the situation more naturally.’
Demetrian had been keeping an eye on the separatists for a long time. It was hard to dismiss the thought that their periodic activities seemed to serve a purpose other than asserting their independence. Since the current king, who fraternized with the Emperor of Arthuzen, ascended the throne, their activities had become somewhat passive.
Given that Scandar had been subjugated for hundreds of years, this was a natural progression, yet the separatists continued their small-scale, scattered activities.
But at some point, their methods seemed to become strangely aggressive, leading to reckless actions. Even when they did commit acts of terror, they hadn’t targeted civilians in decades.
It was something that only fueled more backlash when the enthusiasm for independence had waned in their country.
Moreover, the independence they so desired was expected to influence the succession structure of Arthuzen.
When Demetrian entered the interrogation room, only the middle-aged woman posing as the magic tool merchant was bound to a chair. The police officials, having already interrogated the group once, had brought only the leader to ensure the Young Duke wouldn’t waste his efforts.
Seeing her, the iMage of Chloe being roughly grabbed by the arm and the bloodstain on her neck came to mind.
Demetrian’s jaw tightened slightly. And he was once again surprised by how much he was affected. He should have been used to it by now.
In any case, she was safe.
‘Let’s focus only on what needs to be done now.’
What he was curious about with them, what he could learn from them, and what he needed to confirm with them… Demetrian sat across from the woman, trying to calm his mind.
“You intended to commit an attack on today’s parade using magic stone bombs.”
His words flowed slowly, devoid of any question mark.
“Judging by the bomb’s power, it didn’t seem like it was meant for an anti-personnel attack… perhaps your objective was elsewhere.”
“…”
“It doesn’t seem like it was simply to proclaim your desire for independence.”
“We have nothing to say.”
The woman glared at the young noble with wide eyes. Her tone was reminiscent of the curt manner she had when answering customers asking about the price of bouquets.
Was it indeed hostility?
“That must be the will of someone supporting you, but who could that be…”
Despite his words, there was no hint of curiosity or puzzlement on his face.
“And what do you think they plan to do with you now, lying on the police station’s floor?”
With only three days to reach a conclusion, Demetrian was convinced. If he seized this opportunity well, many things could change more than expected. Exactly what and how he would have to see, but he was sure it could happen.
Never again.
Never again would he allow her to become a subject of any negotiation.