"The imperial officers? What do they have to do with me?" I ask, confused.
"Actually....they have found a dead body in the woods nearby..."
"WHAT!??"
"And that body is of a maid that works here"
My heart dropped as I heard those words.
At the main hall...
"So the Duchess has fired you all today? Is that correct?" The officer asks.
"Yes, Sir that is absolutely correct! The Duchess herself has fired all the servants of this house today!!" A servant cries.
The inspectors steal glances at each other in suspicion.
"But I can't believe Peony...*sob* Even yesterday we were together..." Anne cries.
"When was the last time you saw her?" The inspector asks.
"I think...*sob* it was around the evening...*sob*"
"I see," the inspector notes it down in his diary.
"What is the meaning of this?"
Everyone looks around to see me and Mari standing at the entrance.
"Ah, the Duchess is here" the inspector looks like he was waiting for me.
"Where have you found the body?" I ask, walking closer to him.
"In the woods nearby...We found her lifeless body with her tongue cut off"
"Huh, what?"
"Yes, that's right. She's a maid who works here."
"...."
"So we heard that you have fired all the servants of the manor today"
"..."
"And the estimated time of the maid's death is probably last night"
"...."
"Duchess, aren't you going to speak?" He narrows his gaze.
FUCK WHY IS HE LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT!?
CALM DOWN ERIKA. BREATHE IN. BREATHE OUT.
"I am deeply sorry for her death. I'll be sending a letter and compensation to her family for their loss" I say.
"But before that, we need to ask you a few questions. Is it possible now?"
"Uh-yeah I mean..." I struggle to find words.
"Yes please ask."
I turn around to see Arron standing on the stairs.
"Greetings, Lord Arron" the inspector smiles at him.
"Greetings, George" Arron returns his smile back.
I steal glances at them back and forth.
"Yes you can ask whatever you want...but to me," Arron says with the same unnerving smile.
"Yes of course Sir" The inspectors bow down.
"You may come to my room upstairs. Let's have a nice discussion" Arron turns around and walks upstairs.
"Yes sure" The inspectors follow him upstairs.
Huh?
The way they talk...
Do they know each other?
And strangely enough, the inspectors who were suspicious even just a few moments ago...
Look unassuming and calm, as they walk downstairs after having a short discussion in Arron's room.
And although barely noticeable, my eyes fall on the gold coin that slipped out of the inspector's coat pocket...
As they exit with content smiles on their faces.
Then looking upstairs I find Arron smiling at me while leaning on the railings.
I narrow my green eyes.
Arron just what the hell are you trying?
I look over to the servants whom I had fired.
Most of them have horrible looks on their faces, especially a maid called Anne.
From Rosetta's memories, Anne and Peony were very close friends who always stuck around each other.
Obviously, it must be a very tough loss for her...
But more importantly...
There is a high chance that she knows something about Peony's death...
And I have to find that out!
Back then I didn't know...
How big of a mistake it was...
That I was about to open a door that should never have been opened.
After the crowd clears, I follow Anne...
And finding her alone in the hallway, I creep closer.
"Anne" I call her name, patting her back from behind.
She gasps in shock at the sudden sensation.
"It's me," I say.
"Ah Duchess, I was just packing my bags to leave" She wipes her tears.
"Before you leave, I have a few questions for you Anne"
"What is it?"
"Were you with Peony yesterday?"
"Yes, I was"
"When was the last time you saw her?"
"Duchess, what's the point of this? Peony...that girl...she's gone. And you... didn't even bother to check on her...You just fired us all today out of the blue!" Anne says shivering.
But the rage in her eyes is very prominent.
Why do I always end up as the Villainess in this story?
I sigh and repeat my question again.
"When was the last time you saw her?"
"I have already answered the detectives! Why are you asking that of me again??" Anne screams at me.
Normally I would have slapped her for raising her voice at me...
But I understand it must be very hard for her...
She lost her friend and her livelihood, obviously, it must be very tough for her.
I calm down my nerves and pat down her shoulders gently.
"Anne...Listen to me girl, we need to find the culprit who did that kind of a thing to Peony, for her sake too..." I say.
Anne looks up and her eyes meet mine. They seem very surprised to find me being this gentle.
"And for that, you need to tell me everything you know," I say.
"But...Can we really find...."
"We have to try Anne, we have to! Unless we do that, we won't come to know anything".
"Fine..." Anne agrees.
"So when was the last time you saw her?"
"It was around evening, we were chatting together at our quarters but she remembered she had some chores left so she went to finish them"
"Didn't she return for the night to sleep?"
"I don't know, but I don't think she did. We fell asleep early last night because all of us were tired. And when I woke up in the morning, Peony was nowhere to be found"
"So that means it happened at night," I say under my breath.
"Pardon?"
"Nothing. Also was there anything unusual about yesterday? Anything out of the blue?" I ask.
"Well, obviously your changed behavior was the most unusual thing about yesterday...."
"No other than that??"
"Well...Come to think of it, Lord Arron..." Anne pauses to think.
"Arron? He did what???" My eyes widen at that name.
"Lord Arron...we spoke to him yesterday and just here too, right in this hallway"
"Okay, what?"
"Yes, it was here. I remember walking down the hallway with Peony and Lord Arron appeared out of nowhere"
"Yeah, and what did he say?" I ask.
"That..."
"You have to tell me everything, Anne...Otherwise-"
"Actually Peony...she was telling me about a rumor she had heard..." Anne speaks up.
"What rumor?"
"It was about Lord Arron..."
"What!? Yeah, and what was it??"
"That- well before she could complete, The Lord appeared before us"
I knew it.
I knew his hands are dirty.
Now all that is left is to...
Take off your mask Arron.