Chapter 50

Ordin sighed.

‘How did it happen?’

He is now pulling water from the well at Noel’s orders.

This is something that a worker in Viscount Delphine can do, but it is clear that her little grumpiness is the reason for all of this.

Still, there was a reason to follow silently.

‘You were right the other day.’

It’s kind of a reflection.

Anyway, he isn’t a brazen person who can’t admit his faults at all.

Even if he personally didn’t like the marchioness, it was wrong to show it openly.

He, a close aide, did not even show basic courtesy to his lord’s wife. It was certainly presumptuous.

Moreover, rumors of this kind quickly spread outside.

In the end, it will be transmitted to the opponents as a story of the unstable inside of the Marquis Ainel, and the burden goes directly to the lord of the family.

What the Marchioness pointed out was about such a situation, and Ordin was aware of it, so he immediately corrected his behavior.

‘You’ve become an opponent to really watch out for.’

She knew exactly how to persuade her opponent.

While talking, he often got caught off guard with unexpected parts.

It means that she is smarter than he thought.

‘I never expected the day would come when I would think that she is smart.’

That’s not to say he immediately believes that flour causes explosions, though.

Ordin trudged away, filling the bucket with water.

“Well……”

Meanwhile, Noel got a round wooden barrel and put it on the dirt floor.

“Sir Aren, can you make a little hole over here?”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

Aren, who was beside her, pulled out his dagger and made a hole in it.

“Thanks.”

Seeing a satisfied expression on her face, Aren asked in a curious tone.

“But what are you going to do?”

“An experiment that proves that flour explodes.”

“Flour…… explosion…..?”

Noel grinned.

“You don’t believe me, do you? I will show you soon.”

Just in time, Ordin brought water.

“Okay, we have everything we need.”

Then Noel showed him a wooden barrel with a small hole in it.

Since he is a person who is full of vigilance, he will check in detail one by one.

“Look, Ordin, an ordinary wooden barrel with nothing inside, right?”

“I see.”

Noel picked up the flour that a servant had brought.

“This is also very ordinary flour from the Delphine estate!”

“You don’t have to tell me everything like you’re treating a child.”

She had no choice.

“If I don’t do this, you’ll suspect that I’ve been playing a suspicious trick in the middle again.”

This was obviously half-bullying.

‘Marquis, why did you send me to work with her?’

He pressed his forehead tightly.

“……what kind of person does the Marchioness think of me?”

“A person full of suspicion.”

“……”

“Look, I’m pouring flour here and—”

Noel poured the flour into the small hole.

Then she took out a match and lit it.

“Everyone, get ready to run. Because it is dangerous.”

“Sorry?”

She threw the match into the hole and quickly stepped back.

At the same time, Aren pulled Ordin–who was acting the slowest among the three–by the back of his neck.

“Ugh!”

The moment he let out a short groan as his neck was pulled,

boom!

The wooden barrel exploded.

He was startled by the sight before his eyes.

‘Did it really explode?’

While he was startled, Noel poured water. The fire was quickly extinguished.

“It was more powerful than I thought.”

Even though she used the smallest possible wooden barrel. She lightly clicked her tongue.

Anyway, the experiment is a success. She looked back at Ordin, who was still puzzled.

“Can you believe me now?”

“……”

Of course, it proved right before his eyes, so he had no choice but to believe it.

Ordin looked at the Marchioness, who was standing proudly, in bewilderment.

“This is…… How did you know?”

Of course, Noel is too lazy to explain.

“You don’t need to know that.”

Despite the insincere response, Ordin did not show any dissatisfaction. He just admitted it.

“Everything you said is true. Obviously, this won’t require the use of explosive magic. However.”

“However?”

“Still, that doesn’t change the fact that traces of magic were found in the warehouse at the time.”

“Oh, I have a guess about that too.”

Unlike before, Ordin is focused.

“What is it?”

“This explosion requires the condition that it is an enclosed space. But at the time, Viscount Delphine’s nephew was checking the warehouse, right?”

“He did.”

“While the Viscount’s nephew was looking around, I don’t think the warehouse door was locked. It must have been left open, so it wouldn’t be in a state of lack of ventilation.”

Hearing silently, he put on a puzzled expression.

“Then it is impossible to use the method that Madam said— Oh, that’s right.”

It was then that Ordin realized something.

“It’s defensive magic.”

Noel lightly affirmed.

“I think so. Someone blocked the open door with a shield. So the traces of magic are left behind.”

If traces of magic are left at the place of the explosion, most people will think that explosion magic has been used.

Then, naturally, a wizard with the ability to use large-scale explosion magic becomes the culprit.

“You mean that the person caught now may have been framed.”

“Well, I’m not one hundred percent sure.”

More details will be known only by meeting the wizards who were staying on the estate at the time.

“If Madam’s hypothesis is correct, the situation could become more complicated. It’s not difficult if you make a shield only the size of a door. ”

Wizards with that level of power are quite common.

Noel grinned.

“The number of suspects has increased. I believe Ordin will be of great help from now on.”

That means the workload will increase.

Of course, Ordin has no right to refuse.

“……alright.”

He was honestly very surprised. Because he never imagined that the Marchioness would have guessed this far.

‘I think I can understand why the Marquis brought her back.’

She knows knowledge that he was not aware of, and she has even suggested new possibilities, so he has no choice but to admit it.

He spoke in the most polite manner he had ever done.

“I will do my best to fulfill your orders.”

***

It took time to prove it completely, so I asked Viscount Delphine for his understanding.

After that, I went to see the suspect in prison.

The wizard’s name is Shuna, twenty years old. She is a commoner and is a considerable hard worker, graduating from the Magic Academy as a senior this year.

After I sent the guards out, I brought a chair to the front of the prison and sat down.

“Hello, Shuna.”

She looks haggard. She’s in jail, so of course, she’s not in a good shape.

Shuna asked with alert eyes.

“……who are you?”

“Noel Ainel. Marchioness of Ainel.”

Perhaps surprised by my unexpectedly high status, the bewildered Shuna bowed her head awkwardly.

“I, I greet the Marchioness.”

“Yes, nice to meet you.”

She seems puzzled as to why I suddenly appeared.

I kindly explained.

“Viscount Delphine is a vassal of the Ainel family. This case is quite important, so I’m here to do some investigation myself.”

Since I need to be clear about the situation, I stated the fact first.

“First of all, Shuna, if this goes on, you will be sentenced to death.”

Shuna’s face turned white.

“It, it can’t be……”

“But you didn’t make this up by yourself, did you? An academy’s senior graduate wouldn’t have killed an aristocrat by exploding a warehouse out of boredom. I’m sure someone made you do it.”

First of all, in order to understand the tendency of the opponent, it is necessary to apply some pressure.

If anyone is in a situation where their lives are at stake, they will reveal the bottom of their personality.

“Tell me who ordered it. I’ll give you a special hand so that you can avoid the death penalty.”

“I, I have never done such a thing, Marchioness!”

“Don’t lie, there are reports of handkerchiefs with your initials on the scene.”

I replied coldly.

“Even among the wizards who staying in the estate, you are the only one who has the skills to use such massive explosion magic.”

“The handkerchief was lost a while ago….., and I don’t know much about magic. I didn’t do it. Please believe me…… sob.”

Her shoulders shook as she sobbed.

It evoked some sympathy.

Of course, I can’t show it.

I pushed her a little harder.

“You know that your excuses are nonsense right now, don’t you? No one will believe you. Everyone will swear at you when you are about to be executed.”

“……”

She bowed her head. Frustration flashed in her eyes.

“Okay then, let me ask you one more question. I heard that the other two wizards who are suspects are also your acquaintances.”

Shuna replied with a calm voice.

“Yes…… We are classmates, graduating from the academy together.”

“You three get along well, right?”

“Yes, I am a commoner, so there were many people who looked down on me among the students…… Even though they are nobles, they are friendly with me.”

“I see.”

A wizard who graduates first in rank even though she is a commoner, and friends who treat her kindly even though they are aristocrats.

It’s a heartwarming story to hear.

‘I read the report Ordin brought to me, so I knew the background of the three.’

The conversations up to now were simply thrown to make sure she wasn’t lying.

“Shuna.”

The main point is now.

“I understand your situation. Actually, I’m not here to interrogate you.”

“Sorry?”

I lowered my voice and whispered.

“I’m here to offer you a deal.”