Chapter 62

They said the flutter of a butterfly’s wings would one day create a massive storm.

‘To think that being caught by McGrim at the scene would blow up this much.’

Out of nowhere, I was pushed as the culprit.

It seemed they were trying to conclude that the culprit McGrim saw and the one maintaining the barrier were the same person.

It was a situation that deviated from the original storyline.

Yet, I felt strangely calm.

‘I was prepared for this after showing myself to McGrim anyway.’

I didn’t avoid his gaze and opened my mouth.

“Did you even witness the culprit?”

“A murder occurred in the alley behind the main building. There was a witness among those trapped in the barrier.”

Hearing Verdi’s answer, I immediately responded.

“Are you saying that the culprit of that murder and the one who set up the barrier are the same?”

“……That’s correct.”

“There’s no link between the two cases, so what’s your basis?”

I stared directly into his red eyes.

“Furthermore.”

Crossing my legs, I let a relaxed smile spread across my face.

“Is the only evidence that I’m the culprit just my height and the fact that I use flame attribute magic?”

“……”

Verdi didn’t open his mouth.

“From the start, you should also consider the possibility that the witness gave a false testimony.”

Verdi twitched his brow, then finally gave an answer.

“Sir Villed, I only asked for your opinion. I never declared you the culprit.”

Of course he would say that.

I didn’t nitpick at his words.

I simply nodded and stayed silent.

If I avoided his gaze or let my pupils tremble, I’d only convince them I was guilty.

For that reason, I remained calm and didn’t look away.

“……Very well. That concludes the interview.”

Just as I was about to rise from my seat at his words.

“However. Please remain here for a while.”

I looked at him briefly.

“Very well.”

There was no choice.

I nodded as if helpless.

Verdi left the booth, leaving me sitting alone inside.

I had defended myself as much as I could.

But his intentions were as clear as day.

‘Knowing that man’s personality, I can already tell how this will play out.’

His suspicion toward me would remain.

I could also predict what kind of punishment I might face.

‘It’ll be a bit troublesome…….’

But it didn’t matter.

Even if I was framed as the culprit, I had already thought of a way to steer things back to the original storyline.

‘Perhaps I should refine my plan in more detail.’

I clasped my hands together and sank into deep thought.

Curio, Verdi, and Princess Arlhardt sat at a table in the corner.

Here, there was little risk of their voices leaking out.

They were discussing none other than the prime suspect after the interview.

And that prime suspect was…… the second son of the Dedenkman family.

It was Villed.

“……It’s possible. He may be as skilled as Sir Verdi or myself.”

Curio gave his affirmation.

Though he hadn’t yet seen the full extent of his hidden power.

After witnessing his shadow, he had come to recognize him as a formidable opponent, on par with himself.

That much, at least, was certain.

“……Lady Curio. Don’t joke in earnest. You’re giving him a ridiculously inflated appraisal. Do you say this knowing that his mana is pitifully low?”

Verdi’s eyes were filled with doubt toward Curio’s judgment.

“And it makes even less sense to think he trained in martial arts as much as I did.”

Hearing Verdi’s reply, Curio eventually spoke again.

“……Perhaps it’s my mistake. But you must have seen it yourself at the Rekorox Mansion.”

“Rekorox?”

Verdi closed his mouth, as if recalling something.

It was absurd to dismiss his reaching the final trial as mere coincidence.

That trial had been notoriously difficult even for top-ranking cadets.

Clearing it was enough to prove ability, but……

No one here could explain how exactly he managed it, or what kind of power he had used to get through.

“Indeed, I can’t say for sure. That man is incomprehensible.”

In short, a mystery.

“……”

Verdi let out a deep sigh.

He seemed somewhat convinced by Curio’s opinion.

“I’ll admit he’s not without skill. Even so, it’s still an overestimation.”

In any case, the conclusion was narrowing in on Villed as the culprit.

“I’d like to hear Your Highness’s opinion.”

“……”

When Verdi asked, Princess Arlhardt didn’t open her mouth right away.

Her mind was in turmoil.

‘Villed…….’

At last, the moment she had expected arrived.

‘I had a feeling I’d face him eventually.’

Villed had always been a figure of concern.

Now he was under suspicion as the culprit.

Arlhardt had been thinking about him for some time.

‘It’s true that he deliberately hid his strength and acted like an underachiever…… That’s suspicious.’

It was undeniable that he intentionally concealed his true identity.

And yet, Arlhardt felt uneasy deep inside.

‘……But is he really the culprit?’

Having survived countless brushes with death, Arlhardt had a keen intuition.

Just by looking into someone’s eyes, she could often grasp what kind of person they were, and more often than not, her judgment proved right.

But……

When she looked into Villed’s eyes, she didn’t feel the presence of a villain.

‘Of course, among ten suspects, the most suspicious one is definitely Villed.’

The fact that a high noble participated in a festival of commoners.

The fact that he lingered around Arlhardt so suddenly.

Even testimonies that the culprit resembled him.

……Was all of this truly just coincidence?

Moreover, Curio seemed convinced Villed was the culprit.

Even Verdi had partly accepted Curio’s stance.

If she were to defend Villed without any concrete evidence?

……Would that not be unreasonable?

That would be unbecoming of a wise ruler.

Still, it was too early to conclude that Villed was the culprit.

“There’s still no decisive evidence proving he’s the culprit.”

There were suspicions, but no solid evidence in hand yet.

“……Therefore. I’d like to propose something.”

Whether Villed was the culprit or not.

Even if it took time, there was a way to find out.

“What if we restrained him and placed him under surveillance?”

If he was monitored around the clock, perhaps evidence would surface.

If he tried to escape or broke his restraints?

That would be tantamount to admitting he was the culprit.

Verdi spoke readily.

Almost as though he had been waiting for that suggestion.

“A wise decision.”

Verdi gave a faint smile.

***

“My apologies for keeping you waiting.”

I raised my gaze toward the voice.

I met Verdi’s eyes as he looked down at me sitting in the chair.

“Sir Villed. Forgive me for the discourtesy.”

Clink.

Iron handcuffs were in his hand.

“By order of Princess Arlhardt, you will be placed under special supervision.”

As expected, it unfolded exactly the same way, which was almost laughable.

I let out a short snort.

“How very gracious.”

“This is the only way to clear Sir Villed of suspicion. I ask your pardon for the rudeness.”

Such unnecessary chatter.

Hurry up and cuff me already, I thought as I held out my hands.

Clack.

Cold metal touched my wrists.

In noble fashion, the handcuffs were fastened loosely, causing no pain.

“I’ll place this over as well.”

He draped a blanket over my hands to cover the cuffs.

There was no real need, but perhaps it was his way of preserving noble dignity.

I silently complied with what he did.

Verdi sat down in the chair across from me.

“Is your seat uncomfortable?”

“Even if I said it was, would it change anything when I’m the one detained?”

Hearing my reply, Verdi let out an awkward laugh.

I jerked my chin and abruptly asked.

“Your arm, how is it? The wound looked pretty bad.”

“My arm, you mean?”

Verdi removed his coat and extended his left arm.

The sleeve hung empty and forlorn.

“Oh dear.”

“It will be fine with time.”

Would an arm that was already severed ever recover with time?

But I only smiled and nodded.

……Silence lingered for a while.

I decided it was best not to continue talking with Verdi any further.

‘……Come to think of it, I promised Lapin some fruit.’

It seemed it would be delayed.

I didn’t know how much longer it would take.

‘……At the very least, she won’t starve to death.’

Three hours had passed since we were trapped in the barrier.

It was decided that one person would take turns standing guard every hour.

Curio was watching over the bound Villed, while Verdi and the Princess discussed the future.

“……A problem will soon arise.”

Food was the greatest issue.

This was a place where starving to death seemed inevitable.

But there was hope.

If this space was a perfect replica of a real location inside the barrier.

“There should also be a dining hall.”

When Verdi answered, the Princess nodded.

“Let’s move to the dining hall first.”

The survivors decided to relocate together.

Meanwhile, Kwinz, the muscular cadet on guard duty, happened to notice something.

Bijou, the dark-circled woman.

She was fiddling with the air alone at a table.

Red mana gleamed at her fingertips.

‘Is she bored?’

He thought she was merely playing with mana.

……But that wasn’t it.

When she grabbed the center of the red dots arranged like constellations.

Rumble!

A small-scale tremor shook the ground.

The surroundings vibrated faintly.

“W-what the hell!”

Kwinz shouted in shock.

……But it stopped after about three seconds.

Kwinz turned his eyes back toward Bijou.

The instant she touched the red dots, the earthquake had begun.

Coincidence?

……No, that had to be the cause.

“Hey, you there! You!”

Kwinz raised his voice, though his hands and feet trembled.

Bijou stared back at him with wide eyes.

That only made it more terrifying.

“You, y-you! What did you just…….”

Crack! Rumble!

Not far away, the ground split open and something began to rise.

It seemed to wriggle as if alive.

“……What is that?”

He cautiously stepped closer, watching intently.

What squirmed out was…… a dirt-covered human hand.

Rustle, rustle!

As the hand swept away the soil, soon even the chest emerged.

“Kehek!”

Kwinz fell back onto his rear.

……The man was struggling to pull himself up from underground.

His clothes were torn, his body filthy with dirt.

Kwinz spoke carefully.

“……You look injured, are you alright?”

Of course he wasn’t.

Whether buried alive or not, a foul stench emanated from him, and chunks of flesh were missing from his arms.

Yet his strength was shocking, dragging himself fully above the surface.

No matter what Kwinz said, the man didn’t respond.

At last, the injured man completely emerged, opened his jaw wide…… and lunged at Kwinz to bite.

– Graaaaah!

“Uwaaaaaaah!”

Smaaash!

Startled, Kwinz reflexively swung his fist.

It sounded like a watermelon smashing.

– Guhhh……!

Hit by Kwinz’s punch, the man flew far and collapsed flat on the ground.

His neck was twisted, and he moved no more.

Like a broken wooden puppet.

“……Huh?”

Looking back and forth between the fallen man and his own fist, Kwinz’s face turned pale.

“H-huh?”

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