The Reason I Got Engaged to My Ex-Boyfriend - Chapter 71

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 71

“The Colonel helped me.”

“…Huh?”

“Louis was bothering me again earlier.”

“…”

“I was too flustered to explain properly.”

Roughly speaking, Louis had been bothering me as he always did, and in that brief moment Ransel had stopped him, and as soon as Louis disappeared without a trace, Melvin and Derek discovered me.

Of course, I didn’t feel even the slightest bit sorry about using Louis.

“Miss Berry, don’t tell me…”

Melvin, who seemed to be organizing his thoughts for a moment, slowly opened his mouth.

“If you’re doing this because you’re scared of the consequences, you can just tell me the truth.”

No, what is he thinking about? Why is he being so dramatic?

I looked at Melvin with incredulous eyes and said.

“It’s true. Do I look like someone who would stay quiet because I don’t want to cause trouble?”

“…That’s not it.”

“Right, so just trust what I’m saying.”

Melvin, who had been hesitating, eventually nodded.

Before long, we arrived at Frill’s mansion.

I gave a one-sided greeting to Melvin, who was looking around wondering if another pervert might show up, and went inside.

“You know, how much do you make from this?”

“I make as much as I make.”

“Oh come on, don’t be like that. Can’t we share things like this?”

The lady who came to the consultation room, Jane Clarisse, said while winking.

For someone saying we can’t share things like this, this was only our fourth meeting in this form…

I wanted to retort, but I kept my mouth shut obediently.

Jane, Piacce Lux’s second gold-tier customer, was the younger sister of an Eagle Incident victim.

‘If I want to get anything…’

I had to win Jane’s favor as much as possible and make her visit like today even when she had no special business.

‘Though it seems I’ve already won her favor as much as I can.’

It was obvious from how she deliberately made individual reservations for perfumes she could order all at once.

“By the way, I heard you met the First Princess recently?”

“Huh? How do you know that?”

There’s no way Anais would have let rumors spread easily.

“The Viscount’s wife told me. I asked where you went last time when you weren’t there.”

Ah. I just nodded my head up and down.

“Don’t tell me you met her on purpose because of the Eagle Incident?”

“No. The Princess isn’t someone I can meet just because I want to see her.”

“Hmm, I see.”

I quickly shook my head, but Jane looked like she understood while also seeming bothered by something.

Actually, I had brought up the Eagle Incident to Jane not long ago. I told her that one of the servants who died while working at Chester, the Viscount’s mansion, was a brother I was close to as a child.

I was hoping to get even a small clue from Jane, but she only offered comfort without saying anything special.

But suddenly bringing up this topic…

“I wasn’t going to say this.”

Jane cleared her throat.

“You said the dead servant was a brother you were close to as a child, right? If you’re thinking of solving the case through Her Highness the Princess, or getting clues, or taking revenge on the culprit… I want to stop you.”

I hesitated. What is she suddenly talking about?

“Why?”

“Well.”

Jane cleared her throat once more and spoke quietly with an uncharacteristically serious expression.

“Honestly, our family doesn’t really do much, and aside from being a branch of a ducal family, we’re not that big of a family, you know? When it comes to attacks and… well, things like that, depending on the situation, you can guess who’s behind it.”

“…”

“Before my brother died, um, I’m telling you this because you’re a commoner from the kingdom.”

Jane continued after a brief hesitation.

“My brother was investigating Duke Grey. Duke Grey, I mean.”

“…What? What on earth for…”

I think I’m hearing something that’s not ordinary.

Of course, Jane knows me as a commoner, so she’s letting her guard down and saying this.

“That’s…”

Jane leaned forward and gestured. It seemed like she wanted me to come closer.

I lowered my posture and leaned toward Jane.

“I don’t know either.”

“…”

I was instantly deflated.

When I looked at her incredulously, Jane giggled.

“Really. I don’t know exactly why he was investigating Duke Grey. He wouldn’t have carelessly left behind anything that could serve as evidence.”

“…That’s true.”

“Yeah, anyway, so at first we suspected the Duke’s family. But when I thought about it, the first victim was the Duke’s daughter.”

Jane let out a deep sigh.

“Well, still… our family thinks the Imperial Family is involved in this. Except for Duke Isephina and Chester, the Viscount couple, everyone else was from the Imperial Faction and close to my brother. So I… it’s an extremely dangerous thought, but I think it might be a power struggle or something like that.”

“…”

“Anyway, both I and our family have completely given up hope that the Investigation Bureau will catch the culprit. It’s not that we suspect the First Princess, but it seems to be related to the Imperial Family somehow.”

Jane, who had been talking for a while, suddenly raised the corners of her mouth awkwardly. It seemed she belatedly realized she should watch her words.

“I said something unnecessary, didn’t I? Still, don’t think too pessimistically. My brother used to say there are no eternal secrets in this world.”

At her words as she fidgeted with the sofa armrest, I just nodded slightly. There are no eternal secrets.

***

Early evening, at the Arviente Estate.

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…”

I stared intently at Ransel.

Ransel was sitting with his lips protruding about four inches, facing away from me at an angle.

Why is he sulking in a visible spot like that? I finally couldn’t stand it and spoke to him.

“What exactly is the problem?”

“What?”

“You’re protesting to me right now, wanting me to console your sulking.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Then go to your room. Don’t just sit there being annoying.”

Ransel didn’t answer and turned his head away sharply.

His face already had a big gap between when he smiled and when he didn’t, and now that he was openly showing his hurt feelings, he had a sharp and cold impression.

Actually, I had a rough idea of what this was about. I opened my mouth again.

“Ransel.”

“Don’t call my name.”

“Are you a child?”

“Yeah, the Colonel is six years old.”

“Why are you acting like this over something so trivial?”

“I’m someone whose tolerance is as small as a rat’s tail, so I get sulky easily over trivial things.”

“I can see that.”

“….”

“If you sulked just because you were the only one whose name wasn’t called, then you really are a six-year-old with tolerance as small as a rat’s tail.”

As expected, Ransel’s expression softened slightly, confirming that my guess about the reason was correct.

I moved closer and sat down next to Ransel.

“I’m not keeping my distance just because of your ability. Do you really not know why I’m only drawing a line with you?”

“I don’t know.”

Ransel replied curtly without even meeting my eyes.

Pipi, who had just finished nursing and fallen asleep, would probably be more mature than this six-year-old.

“It’s because I feel like I might unconsciously treat you too casually. Even though we weren’t close in Semaphelaz.”

“….”

“But with those people, there’s no risk of treating them casually. We always maintained formalities anyway.”

“…You said we were close? Just us?”

I didn’t say “just us” though.

If I corrected him, he’d probably turn back into a six-year-old, so I deliberately didn’t nitpick his words.

But Ransel wasn’t satisfied and questioned something else.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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