CH 17.1

Looking at my flushed cheeks, Collen tilted his head. He lifted my chin with his gloved hand and examined my face.

“Why are you so pale? Are you still in pain? The doctors said that if you wake up, then everything is fine. Did they lie again?”

“No, it’s not like… it’s just… Oh, I’m just really glad the Duke is in safe.”

I hastily stood up for the doctors.

“Well, if so. But I have a question.”

“Yes?”

What else is he thinking to ask me? I rolled my eyes.

“Aren’t you wondering who I killed and what I did there?”

I blinked and looked at Collen.

“I don’t know for sure, but he was clearly a bad man, so Duke attacked him. You can’t attack an innocent person for no reason, right?”

I’m familiar with Collen’s principles. He doesn’t touch a person unless he has committed murder or a similar sin.

But what is this reaction?

Suddenly, the entire room fell into a suffocating silence. Collen and Zion stared at me.

Collen laughed.

“Where did you come from this, the hell? I can’t believe it,” Collen muttered. “Aren’t you afraid of me?”

“I was afraid… But you expected me to scream and run?” I answered carefully.

Collen laughed again at my words and glanced at me. And he opened his mouth in a low voice.

“Okay. But I have no choice but to ask one more question. Jade said you asked him to take you to the fortune teller’s house that night. How did you know that I was there?”

“…”

“It’s not a problem. Just tell me how it is.”

I got nervous. And I remembered the answer I prepared all day.

“I had nightmares. I thought something bad was coming. Therefore, I was very worried about Duke. I had an ominous feeling. And about the fortune-teller’s house… that’s how I saw those documents.”

“Documents?”

I swallowed nervously.

“Yes. Uh, I saw the papers the Duke left in the room.”

“Papers? Oh, yes. Police report on deaths of red-haired women. But…”

Collen frowned.

It was true. Collen left the papers in my room that night.

‘It was a little odd. Why did Collen, always so scrupulous in his work, suddenly leave a report in my room?’

Was he in a hurry or did he not attach importance to those securities? But it’s not that important now.

“You don’t know the letters, do you?”

After Zion’s words, Collen nodded. Suspicious glances came back at me.

“But I have a wonderful memory. I can walk down my lane even with my eyes closed. And that fortune-teller’s house, that’s how I knew this place. I once saw red-haired women there. It’s just two streets from where I lived.”

“Is this a place you knew before?”

“Yes. And I knew about the rumors surrounding it. In the house lived a tall, gloomy woman fortune-teller. And there were rumors that the woman ate the children to look younger.”

After all, the killer was a man. Suspicions should disappear. I muttered my last words.

“I hardly know the letters, but I always remember the signs on the streets. I found letters I knew repeating over and over on those three sheets of paper. And I thought. As I said, ‘the place where women of all status came’ could only be the fortune teller’s house.”

“This is true?”

Collen doubted and tilted his head closer to me. The tension grew.

“That’s right… I thought Duke might be there. What if the fortune teller ate you?”

“What?”

Collen opened his mouth. I continued.

“I remembered the stories about the fortune teller and wanted to go there. I woke up Jade and asked to drive me.”

At this point, Collen’s and Zion’s expressions were similar. Admiration, surprise.

“This is an incredible story. Not because I don’t trust you, but because it’s just a miracle.”

Collen tilted her head.

“So you were able to build cause and effect connections.”

I didn’t say yes or no. I just closed my mouth and waited for the continuation.

“You seem very clever, my lady. You are so perceptive.”

Zion said quietly. Collen seemed lost in thought for a moment.

“Good. If you study, you will become very smart. But from now on, you must not behave so impulsively,” then he said right away.

“…Yes.”

Phew, I’m glad. Collen seems to believe me.

“Then let’s finish this. And here’s another thing, honey.”

“Yes?”

“I will now always listen to your comments.”

“Okay.”

Smart kid… That’s a misunderstanding. Well, but for now, let’s leave it like this.

‘In fact, I saved you because I read adventure and mystery novels in my previous life.’

He imitated the way the main characters reasoned there. Luckily it worked.

After all the questions were settled, a red flower fell on the bed and caught my attention.

‘Collen was surprised to see this flower in my pocket the day I arrived at the mansion.’

He had the same expression on his face as he does now.

“Um, but what kind of flower is this? Every time this flower appears, Duke’s face becomes strange.”

In response to my question, Collen was silent. Zion also became quiet.

‘Uh… Did I ask something wrong?’