The instant Camilla saw him, she knew.
Ah. I got caught.
Even so, she pretended not to know as hard as she could.
Just in case.
Arsian, whom she had kept from entering the guard office in case he drew attention, was there with Ludville, but she ignored both of them and walked past them as boldly as possible.
“Camilla.”
Of course, just in case ended exactly as expected.
At Ludville’s calm voice calling her, Camilla had no choice but to approach him with an awkward smile.
Camilla glared fixedly at Arsian.
Was it you? Did you tell him?!
But at that look, he shook his head vigorously.
Absolutely not.
It had not been him.
Then how on earth did they know?
How had they known everything, from the fact that she had brought Kennel to the guard to the fact that she had changed her appearance?
“I heard all of it.”
The one who answered Camilla’s question was Ravi.
Standing right beside the Duke of Sorpel with his arms crossed, constantly fanning the flames by insisting she needed to be scolded more, he noticed what Camilla was wondering and continued.
“I planted sound-detection magic in that bracelet.”
“What?”
Sound detection?
Did that mean...?
“You bugged me?!”
“Don’t misunderstand. I didn’t bug everything. I only made it so I could detect sound when you used the magic stored in the bracelet.”
“That still means you bugged me!”
“What are you yelling for, as if you did something right?”
“Shit....”
...Was it you?
Brother, was it you?!
Only then did Camilla understand the whole situation.
The moment she used the magic stored in the bracelet to change her appearance, everything that happened had been broadcast live to Ravi.
And then that fox, Ravi, had run straight to the Duke of Sorpel and told him everything.
“Are you really in any position to glare at me right now? Do you know how badly you scared me? Out of nowhere, some little bastard starts confessing to murder, and—ha!”
He had been suspicious from the moment she came to his room and started saying strange things, but to think she had really gotten involved with another murderer!
Ravi had been about to leave at once to find her.
But at that moment, he had heard an extremely familiar voice.
“Hey, psycho. Who do you think you’re attacking?”
It was Arsian.
The instant Ravi heard that voice, his frantic heart eased slightly, and he was able to let out a breath of relief.
At times like this, that bastard is useful.
Well, Ravi could acknowledge at least his ability.
Ravi’s gaze slid briefly toward one place.
Arsian was sitting there, silent as a ghost ever since he had [N O V E L I G H T] entered this room with Camilla.
“Was it fun bugging your little sister? Was it? Eavesdropping without permission is a crime, you know. A crime!”
“Listen to you talk about crimes. You approaching a murderer without fear and making your family panic is the real crime! You walking disaster!”
“How is that a crime? It’s the realization of social justice! You idiot who doesn’t even know what crime means—”
“Haa.”
“......”
Camilla, who had been in the middle of arguing with Ravi, flinched at the deep sigh digging into her ears.
When she cautiously turned her head, she saw the Duke of Sorpel pressing his fingers hard between his brows as if his head hurt.
“Camilla.”
“Yees....”
Camilla’s voice dropped a full level compared to when she had been fighting with Ravi.
“Did I not tell you before?”
During the incident with Professor Jaybi.
“I told you to speak to this father first when something dangerous happens.”
“This time, it really wasn’t dangerous at all. Did you truly think I would lose to that little—”
“Camilla Sorpel.”
“Yes, sir.”
Camilla, who had been answering glibly, snapped her mouth shut at the Duke of Sorpel’s cold call.
“Why do you keep doing this? Why do you keep getting involved in dangerous matters?”
“Why are you asking something so obvious?”
“Obvious?”
“Because I’m the only daughter of my fair and righteous father, of course.”
“......”
At Camilla’s shameless answer, which popped out as if she had been waiting for that question, the corners of the Duke of Sorpel’s mouth almost began to rise on their own.
“Father!”
No, they nearly did.
If not for Ravi’s urgent cry.
“You can’t fall for that!”
Ravi, who had been standing right beside the Duke of Sorpel, hurriedly raised his voice.
“She’s using a trick. If you let this slide, she’ll definitely do it again next time!”
“What is he saying? What trick am I using? I meant every word.”
...That damn fox.
Not helpful once in his life.
Tch.
The mood had almost moved on.
Camilla glared at Ravi with newly murderous eyes.
You bastard.
Let’s see if I ever give you free mana stones again.
“Camilla.”
The Duke of Sorpel, who had been letting out one soundless sigh after another, called her again.
Thinking she was about to get scolded again, Camilla bowed her head deeply.
“Are you truly not hurt anywhere?”
“......”
But what she heard next was a question filled with worry.
For a moment, Camilla could not answer at all.
Then a faint smile slowly spread across her lips.
She abruptly remembered the Duke of Sorpel, who had run toward her faster than anyone the moment she entered the ducal residence earlier and examined her complexion from every angle.
“Follow me.”
...Of course, after that, he had immediately given the order in a stern voice.
“Yes. I’m not hurt at all.”
Even when he scolded her, he always asked the same thing at the end.
How could she not smile at that heart that worried for her?
“And I didn’t go alone. As you can see, Arsian was there too. I was moving with Arsian from the very beginning.”
“Was that so?”
Camilla and the Duke of Sorpel’s gazes turned to Arsian at the same time.
“......”
Receiving both their stares all of a sudden, Arsian blinked repeatedly.
Then, seeing Camilla’s eyes growing more and more murderous, he slowly nodded.
“...Yes.”
He had not known it himself, but apparently that was what had happened.
“Liar!”
Ravi, who had watched the entire scene, shouted in disbelief, even pointing a finger.
“What kind of lie is that? I heard you yell in surprise when that guy appeared!”
“When did I? Brother, you must have heard wrong. I guess you’re getting old now. Maybe your ears are going bad too?”
“What?”
“By the way, I don’t see Brother Ludville.”
Camilla hurriedly changed the subject.
Yes, she had been a little surprised when Arsian appeared out of nowhere.
So what?
Did you see it?
Did you see it yourself?
I say I didn’t, so what are you going to do about it?
“He went back to the guard.”
“The guard?”
“The work has to be finished.”
“Ah....”
He meant Kennel’s matter.
There was still a lot to deal with.
They had to find the bodies that bastard had killed, and they also had to prove the authenticity of the video.
“Can I do—”
“Tsk.”
“Yes, sir! I’ll step out of this one.”
If Brother Ludville stepped in, the work would be much smoother.
Who would dare ignore the words of the eldest son of House Sorpel?
They’ll move very briskly, I’m sure.
The look in the guards’ eyes had changed from the moment Ludville appeared, after all.
Camilla could no longer get more involved in this matter, but she was satisfied enough.
“Arsian, let’s go.”
Camilla grabbed the hand of Arsian, who was sitting there blankly, and fled the room.
Because that bastard Ravi looked ready to pour another round of nagging on her.
That brother of mine!
I even gave him a hint in advance!
I told him that even if I got caught up in another incident, it wouldn’t be because I wanted to, and that things in the world didn’t always go the way people intended!
I said that ahead of time so he’d take my side if I got caught like this. But he didn’t help at all!
Instead, he had encouraged the Duke of Sorpel to scold her even more!
After leaving the study, Camilla took off the bracelet at once.
He should have only added the appearance-changing magic she had asked for.
When had he planted eavesdropping magic too?
If it hadn’t been for this, the whole thing wouldn’t have gotten this big!
This damn bracelet, I ought to...!
“......”
...Was breaking it a little too much?
Camilla, who had been about to throw the bracelet, stopped short.
“If you don’t like it, throw it away. I’ll make you a new one.”
Arsian glanced at the bracelet in Camilla’s hand and spoke lightly.
As if telling her not to agonize over something so pointless.
“...No, it’s fine.”
Camilla glared fixedly at the bracelet, then gently shook her head.
Her brother’s hobby was digging himself into holes.
If he found out she had thrown this away, it was obvious how miserably he would sag again.
I wonder if that brother of mine knows.
How kind his little sister is.
In the end, clicking her tongue lightly, Camilla put the bracelet back on her wrist.
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