Ellen bowed her head toward the chancellor in greeting.

“Thank you for helping us today.”

“It’s fine. Since it’s an imperial command, there’s no need to thank me.”

The chancellor maintained his position that he was following imperial orders, not helping other outsiders.

Strictly speaking, that was correct.

The most difficult opponents for Ellen were precisely people like this.

People who had no reason to be entangled with her in any interest relationship.

‘I like these kinds of people, but they’re difficult to handle and tiring……’

Actually, she wanted to finish questioning the students too, but it was getting late and it seemed unreasonable to demand that much.

‘Today I should be satisfied with finding out that there are too many suspicious points to view this as a simple carriage maintenance mistake.’

“I’ll be going now.”

When Ellen declared that she would give up at an appropriate point and return, the chancellor asked Kaiden.

“Will Your Highness also be leaving now?”

At those words, Kaiden thought for a moment, then soon made a drinking cup shape toward the chancellor and grinned.

“Since I’m here, I’ll look around a bit more before going.”

“Oh my. Your Highness.”

The chancellor let out a groan as if he had a headache.

“Then, both of you, let me say goodbye here. Thank you for today.”

“You also worked hard today, my lady. I’ll contact you as soon as other news comes in, so for today, go home and rest well.”

“Thank you. Your Highness.”

After exchanging greetings, Kaiden and the chancellor moved toward the building where the chancellor’s office was located, and Ellen walked straight toward the door leading outside.

But when she turned the corner and went out, she saw a male student hurriedly leaving his spot in the distance.

‘That’s a familiar sight. Isn’t that the boy who was glancing over here earlier? Austin……?’

It seems there really is something bothering him.

Ellen quickened her pace and chased after the boy.

The fact that he approached this far knowing it was dangerous and was watching them, the fact that he tried to run away as soon as they made eye contact.

‘I need to catch that one.’

Ellen approached with quick steps and called his name.

“Young Master Austin!”

He, who had been walking hurriedly, was startled by the presence he heard from behind and screamed.

“Eek!”

“We made eye contact earlier too, didn’t we?”

The boy had no experience dealing with a woman who pressed forward with such momentum.

He stepped backward and almost tripped over his own feet, barely maintaining his balance as he said.

“Wh, who, who are you! How do you know me and call my name……!”

“The chancellor told me you’re close classmates with Young Master Periwinkle.”

“Close, you say we’re close?”

“Of course. More than that, you heard about the academy carriage accident, right?”

“No! I don’t know, so why are you doing this to me!”

“According to the experts, it seems like a problem caused by other external factors rather than negligent management by the coachmen.”

“So why are you telling me that story……!”

“Looking at you today, you seem to like the area near the carriage storage, young master. That’s why I’m asking. Do you know anything? Like seeing some students here.”

“I don’t, don’t know……!”

“If you know something, it would be better to tell me now. Finding out who the culprits are is ultimately a matter of time.”

Ellen, who had been approaching step by step and continuing to press him, stopped right in front of his nose.

“Then it’ll be too late by then.”

She, who had been getting closer and closer, finally stopped in front of him, and Oliver Austin looked at her with a pale face, trembling.

“Take the opportunity when I give you a chance to help me. I’ll reduce the time unnecessarily wasted, and you’ll become a young master of a stable family that can keep Periwinkle below you. You don’t want to end up on the streets with them, do you.”

Oliver Austin looked like he was about to cry.

What should I do. I think I’ve been caught. But I’m scared to speak. What should I do?

Perhaps because he was still young, the thoughts he was having were clearly showing on his face.

A few seconds passed in silence, and when Ellen showed no intention of moving from in front of him even as time passed, he finally bowed his head deeply.

“What do you mean by Periwinkle ending up on the streets……”

“Exactly what I said. That family’s influence only works at the academy, but how much would it work outside.”

When Ellen snickered and said this, Oliver spoke with a sound tinged with injustice as if he couldn’t agree.

“They’re close associates of the Second Prince. At least among us, there’s no one who can treat them carelessly.”

“That’s a story that only applies to ‘among you’ as you said, so it doesn’t apply to me. Well, you’ll find out if you watch.”

Ellen shrugged her shoulders.

“I tend to give rewards equivalent to those who bring me benefits. How about it? Is he like that too?”

At Ellen’s question, Oliver looked back on Miller Periwinkle’s behavior for the first time since entering school.

That kid demanded that I participate in what he was doing, and made me run errands all the time.

But what did that kid do for me in return?

‘Nothing but glares and humiliation……’

That was right. He had received nothing.

‘But what about the families? The relationship between the Periwinkle family and our family?’

There might be some connection he didn’t know about.

Moreover, Crient was one of the centers of the emperor’s faction.

Would it be okay to trust their words and backstab Periwinkle?

“What could this little head be thinking so hard about.”

Ellen crossed her arms and moved her long fingers to tap, tap her arm.

“Are you weighing between Crient and Periwinkle?”

Ellen met the eyes of Oliver Austin, who was looking down with his head bowed.

“Eek……!”

When he startled and let out a strange groan, Ellen straightened her back again and chuckled.

“Comparison is a good habit. I like that you’re trying to think for yourself. But if you don’t have enough information to make a rational decision, leaving it to luck is also one method.”

Ellen smiled slightly and pulled her body back.

“Where would you like to place your bet?”

Will Periwinkle end up on the streets, or will they remain strong. Which is the correct answer?

Under the pressure he felt from Ellen, Oliver squeezed his eyes shut.

Why did I have to get caught!

Why did I have to be keeping watch at this spot!

Are there kids who saw me encounter this woman?

No. I encountered her after turning the corner. I haven’t met anyone yet. No one knows.

When his thoughts reached that point, Oliver unconsciously moved his Adam’s apple and swallowed dry saliva once.

Gulp.

‘Right. Even if I open my mouth now, there won’t be a problem for the family……’

Oliver Austin opened his lips heavily, very heavily.

* * *

When she returned to the mansion, Count Sorbon was sitting in the reception room, anxiously rubbing his hands.

“Ah, you’re back?”

Even though it was quite late, the count was still in his clothes without having changed.

Ellen said in surprise.

“My goodness. Weren’t you uncomfortable? I should have prepared a room for you……”

“No. No. I didn’t want to lie down, so I declined when they offered to prepare a room.”

“You must be very worried.”

Ellen took off the thin shawl she was wearing and handed it to the butler.

“What did the family doctor say?”

“He said the wrist was thrown out of place, so looking at the wrist swelling, he’d have to cut it open to know. If the condition is serious when cut open, she might not be able to use her arm……”

Count Sorbon became gloomy and stopped talking midway, closing his mouth.

“She’ll be fine.”

Ellen ordered the butler to bring warm tea and sat across from him.

“We can only pray that the surgery goes well…… For now, shall we talk about something else?”

“Something else?”

“The story from the academy.”

“Ah. Right. How did it go? You said you were going to confront them about carriage management?”

“Yes. That was originally the purpose……”

“Originally?”

Count Sorbon asked back.

Ellen received the tea the butler brought and placed a cup in front of the count as well.

“First, I asked about carriage management, but to give you my opinion up to today, I didn’t find any immediate problems.”

“Then? If there’s no problem, why did the accident happen!”

He suddenly became angry and shouted, raising his voice.

“Look at the child! How can I arrange a marriage like this! The family’s losses are already so enormous……!”

“And this is the important part from now on, but when I went and met the children, it seemed like Young Master Periwinkle’s doing.”

“Periwinkle?”

“Yes.”

His face became sour.

“Why does that name suddenly come up? What do you mean by ‘doing’?”

“Exactly what I said, I’m telling you that it seems Periwinkle was the one who tampered with the wheels of the carriage the children rode out in.”

“Are you certain?”

“There was testimony.”

“Testimony?”

“His classmate came to me with specific methods and information about who led such actions, informing on them.”

“That informant said it was Periwinkle? How can I believe that’s not slander.”

He asked, suspecting Ellen’s words.

“Because he left testimony staking his own name on it.”

“Staking his name……”

Count Sorbon repeated her words in a heavy voice.

“……Even so, wouldn’t it be childish pranks by kids. It seems too early to pursue it that way.”

“Ah. Pranks.”

“Right. Couldn’t it be something like that.”

The count, who had initially exploded in anger about the accident, began to turn away from her words as soon as Periwinkle’s name came up.

“For now, won’t the security force look into that matter a bit more and send word. Let’s wait until then.”

“……Let’s do that.”

Ellen answered as if she wasn’t particularly surprised by Count Sorbon’s attitude.

The count had been like this before too.

In the past she knew, the count had ended matters not with punishment or revenge against them, but with compromise.

Then there was a knock from behind.

Knock knock.

“Come in.”

Then a maid entered and said.

“Lady Eden asked me to convey that the surgery is finished.”

“Did she say we could go?”

“She said you may come.”

“I see. Let’s go.”

They headed to the small clinic made by renovating one part of the mansion.