The Culprit Is Me, Though?

Moonlight washed gently over the garden. Rachel was examining every flower in painstaking detail, as if she meant to commit each one to memory.

"Isn't it beautiful?"

She jumped at the sudden voice. Confirming it was mine, she bowed her head in greeting.

"Young Master Alvin? Good evening."

And then she tried to hurry away. She'd vanished just as quickly earlier—did being around people make her uncomfortable?

"It's all right. You're welcome to look around. That's what this place was made for. If anything, the flowers here ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠are happy just having you look at them."

"Is that so? Hehe."

Saying she wouldn't refuse, then, she went off in search of another flower.

"You must like flowers."

"Yes. My only hobby is taking care of them. Looking at flowers puts my heart at ease. I never imagined there would be this many. This place is wonderful!"

"Really? Mother would be delighted to hear that."

As we kept talking about flowers, her expression grew easier than it had been before. That was only natural. Talking about something you love has a way of settling the heart. I introduced her to the flowers in the garden one by one, and little by little she drew closer, warming to me.

"Young Master Alvin, you're such a kind person. You know so much about flowers."

"So anyone who likes flowers is a good person. Is that it?"

"Of course. They say there's no such thing as a bad person who loves flowers."

Watching the smile she wore, I thought Rachel was a pure and easy person to approach. But then her expression suddenly darkened.

Does this have something to do with what happened in Rebecca's room earlier?

Even before I had come over and spoken to her, she had seemed lost in thought. I didn't know what had happened, but there was bound to be information in it that could help me. I looked into her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠mind.

Rumors about Rebecca? What rumors is she talking about?

I had no idea when Rachel had already heard rumors about me, but that wasn't what mattered right now. I still knew nothing about the rumors surrounding Rebecca. Recalling what Rebecca had said to her in that room, though, one thing was clear.

Rebecca's possessiveness toward Rachel. That feeling went well beyond what anyone would have for a friend of the same sex. Rebecca wanted Rachel, and Rachel was terribly confused by that fact. But kind-hearted as she was, even in the middle of all that confusion, her worry for Rebecca seemed to outweigh everything else.

"Is something troubling you?"

"Ah... no. I'm grateful for your concern, but it isn't anything you need to worry about. It's a personal matter."

She had been lost in thought, and now she hurriedly waved her hands.

"It might be something you can handle on your own. Still, they say a worry shared is a worry halved. Wouldn't it help to talk it over with someone you trust? Rebecca, for instance."

"Ah... Lady Rebecca...? That... might be a good idea. Thank you."

She kept the smile on her face, but the shadow behind it didn't fade. If anything, it only grew darker. Checking her thoughts again, I could piece together what had happened in that room. Behaviors from Rebecca I had never seen before. Sudden touches. Lingering, sticky gazes. She wouldn't be able to tell anyone about this. The rumors among the servants already seemed ugly enough. If she spoke of it, Rebecca would only become even more convenient gossip.

"Or I could make things easier for you."

"Make things easier?"

"Yeah. Take a look at this."

I drew the Stone of Domination from my pocket. It was about the size of a tennis ball, black as a lump of coal. The moment Rachel's gaze fell upon it, a faint red hue stirred across its surface.

"Rachel."

"...Yes..."

That dazed look told me it was working properly.

"What is it that's troubling you?"

"Lady Rebecca's expressions of affection are burdensome. But given how much pressure she has been under, I also wonder if it was only a mistake... I do not know. And I also feel guilty for running out of the room just now without permission."

She enunciated every syllable, flat and precise, like a machine with no feelings at all.

"More than anything, as Lady Rebecca's servant, I want to help her. I just do not know how."

"Then I can help you."

"Help...?"

"Just do as I say. My words are for Rebecca's sake. Understand?"

"Young Master Alvin's words are... for Lady Rebecca's sake... Huh?"

After planting the suggestion, I slipped the stone back into my pocket. Rachel came back to herself. She didn't seem to have the faintest idea what had happened while she was under.

"Rachel, listen..."

And I walked her through, carefully, step by step, exactly what she needed to do. In terms she would have no trouble understanding.

"Young Master."

After sending Rachel off and returning to my room, I found Faran waiting for me.

"I apologize for entering your chambers without permission."

"Don't worry about it. You're welcome anytime."

She had come to report after gathering information anyway. Having her ask permission every time something like this came up would only be a hassle.

"Is that so? Oh my... I understand."

Faran wore a peculiar little smile at being told she was welcome. What was that about? Did she enjoy her work that much?

"As you commanded, I have completed my investigation of Lady Rebecca and returned."

Faran handed over the materials she had gathered. Everything was written out in meticulous detail, from basic personal information all the way through rumors covering every possibility she could think of. A true professional. Faran was someone I could trust with anything.

So there were rumors that she likes women.

The fact I had learned through Rachel was now confirmed.

"Of particular interest—there were rumors that Lady Rebecca prefers women."

Faran pointed to a section of the documents she had given me as she spoke. This world had an atmosphere of respecting personal preferences. But as the eldest daughter of Duke Rupert, expected in some cases to carry on the family line, it was hardly something she could go around talking about in the open. That may well have been a source of stress. Hiding the truth about yourself, deceiving the people in front of you—that was a painful thing.

"She's apparently been especially close with several of her maids for some time. That is all."

"You've done well. This was a huge help."

"Not at all. I'm glad I could be of use."

She lit up so brightly over even a small compliment. I had thought she was nothing but cold at first, but every time I saw her look this happy, I found it adorable.

"Faran, there's something else I need to ask of you."

"Yes."

Her eyes said she would take on anything.

"I think Rebecca is a servant of the Demon King."

"A servant of the Demon King?"

Everyone knew Rebecca had poured enormous effort into becoming a companion of the Hero. For someone like that to be a servant of the Demon King—it was enough to surprise anyone.

"I'm certain of it in my gut, but I need hard evidence. That's why I need your help."

As the incident at the Rupert ducal house had made clear, Rebecca never left any evidence of her own crimes. She had always been a perfectionist and a thorough planner. So my plan was to make her impatient, then strike in that opening.

"I want you to secretly keep watch on Rebecca and look for traces of dark magic. And if she makes any suspicious moves, let me know."

Faran's stealth was such that, at least inside this mansion, there was no one who could detect her. That made her the perfect person to keep watch on Rebecca.

"Understood."

No matter how thorough Rebecca was, it would be hard for her to escape Faran's eyes.

Vivian Gilbert was the lady of the Gilbert household, and a daughter of the Rupert family. How long had it been since she had seen anyone from the Rupert house? The family sat at the very heart of the Empire, which made meeting face-to-face a rare thing indeed. Once the upcoming Hero Summoning ritual was over, there was no telling when they would see each other again. Vivian wanted to hold this time with her family close. So she had arranged to take tea in the garden with Rebecca.

"Thank you for inviting me to tea."

"Oh my, no need for that between us."

Enjoying tea while gazing out at the garden she had cultivated herself was Vivian's greatest pleasure. Joy shared was joy doubled.

"It's such a beautiful garden."

"Is it? Thank you so much."

No matter how many times she heard it, praise for her garden never failed to delight her. They picked up the conversation they hadn't finished the evening before, and then Vivian asked a question she had been curious about for some time.

"Rebecca, is there someone you have your eye on?"

At Rebecca's age, it wouldn't have been unusual to already have a fiancé. She was in the full bloom of youth—having someone in her heart would have been the most natural thing in the world.

"Ah, well, I..."

Rebecca hesitated, turning the question aside. The way she couldn't answer suggested there wasn't anyone she had her heart set on.

"If there isn't, shall I introduce you to a decent young man while you're here?"

Rebecca had spent her whole life running toward a single goal: becoming a companion of the Hero. Goals mattered, but letting such a beautiful season of life slip by unused seemed such a waste. It might have been meddling, but Vivian hoped she would experience a sweet, youthful love soon.

"A man?"

Rebecca found the situation terribly awkward. She couldn't say anything—Vivian was an elder of the family—but she was worried Rachel might have overheard. Rachel stood a short distance behind them.

Phew.

Fortunately, she didn't seem to have heard a word.

"I'm grateful for the offer, but I'm all right."

She was already preoccupied with Rachel because of what had happened yesterday. Rebecca's heart grew more restless by the moment. She still hadn't had a chance to talk about yesterday at all.

I need to hurry.

If she dealt with this artifact, the contract would let her have Rachel. She was thinking she needed to put her planned operation into motion as soon as possible when knights approached from a distance. Fully armed, they looked a little threatening. They were surely just passing through on patrol, guarding the artifact. But the knights came this way.

"Forgive the interruption, my lady."

"Sir Jaicle. What is the matter?"

"It has come to light that the person who destroyed the artifact is here."

"The person who destroyed the artifact?"

For a moment, Rebecca wondered if she had heard correctly. How on earth had they found out and come here? She had left no evidence. She had handled ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠everything thoroughly. She hid her agitation and pretended to be just as surprised as everyone else.

They know it's me. That's why they've come.

"Then if you'll excuse us."

But unexpectedly, the knights didn't approach Rebecca. They went instead toward the attendants standing behind her.

"Rachel?"

The one the knights named as the culprit was Rachel.

It's not me?