“What is it? Tell me.”

“Well……”

She hesitated, unable to continue easily. Then Carl picked up a few strands of her hair and tickled her face with them.

“Ah, what are you doing?”

“Trying to make you relax. I won’t get angry even if you ask me to die for you, so speak comfortably. What are you hesitating about so much.”

……Why does this guy give such creepy examples even when trying to be reassuring.

Still, thanks to that, her heart felt much more at ease, so she gathered courage and spoke.

“You know…… I’d like to exclude the heresy-related charges this time.”

“Because of the Head Priest?”

Carl asked back with a calm face. She answered honestly.

“Raviel is also bothering me, but honestly, we don’t have proper evidence yet. Howard Dempsey cut his own tongue too.”

But since she was asking to remove major charges against Carl’s enemy regardless of the reason, she watched his reaction carefully.

“I’m worried that if we bring it up hastily, we might lose the chance to dig deeper……”

“Then let’s do that. Since you discovered the information, you should do as you wish.”

Contrary to her worries, the answer that came back was clear. Carl immediately supported her decision without hesitation.

From his position, this was the bastard who killed his parents and stole everything, so he would want to punish him even more.

She just looked at him with a moved expression out of gratitude, and Carl, who met her gaze without avoiding it, slowly moved his lips.

“Shailyn.”

“Yeah?”

He, who had placed his hand next to hers, slowly leaned his body forward. She became flustered at the face getting closer and closer.

What, what is this? Just like he’s going to kiss me…….

‘But so suddenly? W-we’re nothing to each other……?’

Her mind became complexly tangled. Even in the midst of this, Carl steadily narrowed the distance, and soon they could feel each other’s breath.

When she met his ruby-like transparent and clear eyes right in front of her nose, her eyes naturally squeezed shut.

Soon Carl’s lips—

“You had something here.”

“……Huh?”

Her eyes snapped open at the touch wiping her cheek. He wasn’t trying to kiss her……?

When she looked at him unable to hide her dazed expression, Carl curled up the corners of his straight lips.

“Why did you close your eyes. Don’t tell me you had some naughty imagination.”

“N-no?! Not at all!”

Like a thief whose feet hurt from guilt, she shouted in denial.

D*mn, how embarrassing.

She felt heat rushing to her nape and ears from the overwhelming embarrassment.

But he was the one who sent those romantic looks first……!

“I have something urgent to do, so I’ll go.”

“Suddenly?”

“Work always comes up suddenly.”

Carl, who grabbed her hand as she hurriedly organized her things and stood up, said.

“Shailyn, I’m not the kind of man who kisses without permission.”

“……Are you stupid? Where is there anyone who asks permission for a kiss. Everyone does it by reading the mood.”

“Really? I see, I’ll keep that in mind.”

His nodding face was more serious than expected, making her unconsciously swallow dry saliva.

No, it’s just like he’s saying he’ll definitely kiss me next time.

Kissing him, who was once my faithful bondservant, just imagining it—

‘Makes me nervous.’

Her heart beat fast, thump, thump, just like holding her breath and running a marathon.

This is probably…….

***

After returning to the ducal residence, the system window informed her of the mission completion.

【Mission Clear!

Congratulations, you have successfully revealed the truth hidden behind the former ducal couple’s death?

As a reward, we will tell you the favorability of any character you want.

Who would you like to know about?】

The moment she saw the system window’s question, only one person came to mind.

Carl.

More precisely, Kyllen Celsior.

Under the assumption that the hidden male lead has nothing to do with blond hair, honestly, the only person around her who she could feel the highest favorability toward was Carl.

‘If Carl is really the hidden male lead and has high favorability toward me, I can achieve the condition right away.’

She swallowed dryly. For some reason she felt nervous and even took deep breaths.

Hoo, ha, hoo, ha.

‘……But what if Carl doesn’t like me romantically?’

I’m not someone who has received much love in my life until now, but I learned that there are truly various forms of love in this world.

Love as family, love as friends, love as lovers…….

Among these, no one knows what kind of feelings Carl harbors toward me.

‘If he doesn’t love me at all……’

Throb.

Her chest stung as if someone had poked her heart.

When she was imagining kissing Carl earlier, it beat as if it would jump out, but now it stung painfully.

‘At this rate, there’s no need to even check my own favorability.’

She let out a hollow laugh, then composed herself and accessed Carl’s favorability.

Please, let it be over half. At least over half……!

— Ding!

【♥Kyllen Celsior Favorability♥

100】

“……Ah.”

At the number far exceeding her expectations, her tension completely released and strength left her body.

She felt an indescribable emotion.

Happy and good, yet somehow anxious and restless?

‘Ah, why am I like this? Am I worried that Carl might not be the male lead?’

For that to be the case, her stomach churned strangely. As if she was someone who received unwanted results.

In the end, that night, she tossed and turned without sleeping a wink.

Thinking anew that it was much easier when she was conquering the original male leads.

***

After completing the investigation within the family, Kyllen held a formal trial for Howard and his daughter.

Countless spectators flocked to their trial. They could see the downfall of the duke and lady who had acted arrogantly right before their eyes.

Shailyn and the Diart family also attended the trial and sat in the front row of the gallery.

When her eyes met with Kyllen sitting in the plaintiff’s seat, Shailyn mouthed.

‘Good luck!’

She sent her greetings. Carl smiled and nodded slightly.

Shortly after, Howard and his daughter entered the courtroom bound and led by knights.

Howard’s appearance was terrible since he had cut his own tongue, and Johanna also had a pale and haggard complexion.

‘I don’t even feel sorry for them.’

Shailyn narrowed her brow looking at their haggard state.

Having vividly seen how they lived well eating and living comfortably after driving Kyllen to hell, she felt no sympathy.

When the criminals entered the court, the three judges in charge of this trial also entered.

“We will now begin the trial of Howard and Johanna Dempsey.”

The judge sitting in the center solemnly declared.

Kyllen’s side’s representative, who first took the right to speak, stood up and said.

“Howard Dempsey murdered former Duke Henry Celsior and Duchess Catherine Celsior, forcibly seized the family from Duke Kyllen Celsior, and also tried to kill him.”

Since the former ducal couple’s murder charges weren’t known to the public, the gallery, hearing this for the first time today, stirred greatly.

“What, he didn’t just steal the family?”

“My goodness, I only thought they died in a carriage accident……”

“How could someone wearing human skin commit such acts? He’s no different from a demon.”

As people’s murmuring grew louder, one judge struck his gavel to command silence.

The representative, who had deliberately given the audience time to chatter, continued speaking again.

“Furthermore, using Emma, the former head maid of the Diart ducal family, and Viscount August Dawson, he placed false charges of treason on the Diart ducal family and Count Sharofe.”

At those words, several people glanced at the Shailyn family sitting in the front row.

It was impossible to imagine that these people, whose lives had been in danger until recently, were all sitting upright looking only straight ahead.

“We request Emma as a witness for this.”

“Permission granted.”

When the judge’s order fell, the courtroom door opened and Emma appeared.

Seeing Emma hesitantly crossing between the gallery seats in her shabby appearance, Deborah quickly turned her head away.

Apart from having already sorted her out in her heart, the painful feeling of betrayal still remained.

Noticing this, Shailyn quietly held Deborah’s hand.

Emma stopped in front of the judge.

“What exactly did Count Howard Dempsey order you to do?”

The representative approached her side and asked the question. Emma, who swallowed dryly, opened her mouth.

“At, at first, he threatened me using the fact that I once believed in heretics and told me to follow his words. After that, through Viscount Dawson, he ordered me to hide heretical objects throughout the ducal residence.”

“What about the testimony you gave at the court meeting?”

“Th-that was also ordered by the count! Sob, I regret it now. I shouldn’t have done that…… huuu.”

Emma covered her face and burst into tears. The representative, judging there was nothing more to ask her, requested next.

“We request Viscount August Dawson as a witness.”