ITIWAFRBIAHS Chapter 13

As soon as I washed and changed clothes, I was summoned to breakfast.

"......Whew."

This time too, only my place setting has an abundant menu. It seems to be stepmother's influence.

But I'm not sure if I should eat this. I talked with my stepbrother about the poisoning, but my stepbrother ran away when my fiancé came in, so we couldn't investigate properly.

Originally, I hoped to discuss it further today and take some measures so I could eat normally starting from lunch or dinner...... With nothing discussed yet, it feels awkward to eat right now.

While hesitating to put my knife to the plate, stepmother dropped a bombshell.

"I heard there was a poisoning attempt."

If I had been drinking water, I would have spat it out.

Did you tell her? Looking at Jeril, he avoids eye contact. Right.

"So I tried to come back faster. Fortunately, I arrived three hours ago and conducted interrogations with the police, calling all the servants."

What? You arrived at dawn and already did that?

"There were people who seemed suspicious based on circumstances. They were all taken away."

Stepmother looked a bit sad but spoke firmly.

"And the police discovered suspicious traces in the tea leaf containers in the kitchen during their search. They confiscated them to examine whether they react with Rose's prescribed medicine. The doctor is also under investigation."

Crazy. This is my first time meeting someone with such bulldozer-like drive. I swallowed hard. Stepmother smiled brightly even with sad eyes.

"So don't worry and eat, my daughter."

Uuuum. I pondered.

This is too rapid a development?

No. I went out to have fun and came home to find suspects and evidence already uncovered - resolved entirely by others' hands like this? What kind of anticlimactic storyline is this?

Usually in romance novels when this happens, there's an unexpected loophole so the real culprit escapes and later provides a grand feast of frustration at the climax.

I need to observe the investigation process more. Right, let's hold off. Hold off!

"Yes. But since I overate dinner last night, I'm not hungry yet. Would it be alright if I eat in an hour or two?"

"Of course it's fine. Don't forget to take your medicine after eating."

I got through it! Good.

I reflected on carelessly dismissing my fiancé's meal delivery arrangement. I'll be relying on you for a while. I'll repay this kindness with real estate later.

After that, casual topics were exchanged and the morning gathering concluded without any particular subjects. This time too, my stepbrother didn't touch the meat at all. Now that we can talk, I should ask later if he's a vegetarian.

I returned to my room and spent a leisurely morning fiddling with my camera. I mainly photographed the garden from the window, and it seemed like very nice photos would come out.

Knock knock. While I was changing angles, there was a knock.

"Miss, Madam invites you to accompany her on a walk."

Huh, I should hide the camera first.

As soon as we went out for a walk together, stepmother started talking.

"Rose, did you eat well?"

A topic selection that wouldn't be awkward even for a Korean.

"Yes, yes!"

My fiancé's delivery substitute sent bacon sandwiches. The volume was excellent too, so both quantity and composition were excellent menu selections. The taste was also good, so my rating is four and a half stars. When my fiancé returns, I'll ask what restaurant it was so we can go together.

"I'm glad. Did you take your pre-meal medicine well too? It's medicine prescribed by a famous doctor I sought out."

Sorry. That's stored well in my desk drawer...... Let me at least answer well.

"Of course."

Then stepmother smiled with relief as if reassured. There's no need for that, but my conscience is acting up again...... Calm down, conscience. I can't take psychiatric medicine when I'm normal.

A quiet silence flowed briefly. Stepmother was looking around the garden with a somewhat wistful expression. Could she be recalling memories from when she was dating?

"Our Rose."

"Yes."

Ugh, what a shock.

"Actually, Rose... I was very hurt that you didn't immediately tell me about the poisoning."

Stepmother had a lonely expression. This topic, this atmosphere. It's not unfamiliar. This is dialogue that often appears in romance novels with complicated family trees. Could this be a family love recovery event...!

"Even though it's been five years, I thought I still wasn't trusted as a mother."

Stepmother smiled bitterly with composure. I swallowed hard, busy planning how to respond to the next words. Output the maximum favorability dialogue quickly, brain......!

"But it wasn't incomprehensible either."

Stepmother completely turned her body to face me.

"A stepmother who attempts poisoning for inheritance... It's not an unfamiliar expression."

"Kuk."

I almost choked. I didn't expect her to speak so directly.

As expected of someone who found suspects and evidence in three hours after arriving at dawn with police - such straightforwardness.

"But don't worry, Rose. We're planning to leave this mansion when Rose comes of age anyway."

"What?"

No. I had no intention of kicking you out, but what is this sudden talk...

Regardless of my internal confusion, stepmother continued speaking with a smile without hesitation.

"Jeril is an adult now too, and you don't need to worry about us at all. We've been working steadily these past few years to save money for that time, and we've already found a place to live in town."

Then she added jokingly:

"Of course it won't be as spacious as this mansion. But it's a comfortable place. Rose should visit later too."

Are you suddenly giving ending dialogue without warning, mother?

What is this conversation that would appear at the conclusion after all hardships and conflicts are over?

I've done nothing since possessing this body, so why is everyone around me rapidly resolving everything without a word? Could this not be a conquest story but a healing romance novel where the beloved protagonist gets everything solved without doing anything?

Anyway, stepmother continued the touching conversation.

"If Rose thinks that way, we'll continue to be family."

"Y-yes...... Of course."

I don't even know what I'm answering. Anyway, it wasn't a wrong answer as the atmosphere was warm.

Good, let me try leading the conversation more proactively.

"Um...... What kind of work are you doing these days?"

"Ah, I'm supporting an archaeological expedition team."

An unexpectedly adventurous profession came up...?

I thought stepmother would also be running a trading company like the basic jobs that appear in romance novels.

"I'm in charge of translating ancient documents written in languages people don't use much anymore."

Awesome. It would be hard to even utilize such a major, but seeing how busily she's working, her skills must be no joke. I was purely impressed.

"That's really cool!"

"Oh my, thank you."

Stepmother smiled brightly. I seemed to have definitely raised intimacy too, so I was happy.

Ey, whatever. It's ambiguous whether this is a healing story or conquest story, but who cares? The target audience appeal is unclear and there seems to be no climax, but so what?

If progression is easy, that's good for me! Maybe I possessed a failed work.

Anyway, the relationship with stepmother and stepbrother seems to be going smoothly, right?

I've gotten quite close with my fiancé too, so I can say I'm a decent romance novel possessor. Keu.

"Ha."

Lucas Moore scoffed.

The room was a mess.

Curtains and bedspreads torn and rolling on the floor. Desk drawers completely pulled out and carelessly thrown around. Shelves disassembled piece by piece with contents spilled everywhere.

Besides that, every object and space that could hide things had been thoroughly ransacked, exposing their frameworks. The traces of obsessiveness that had swept through were even sinister.

But the man felt no particular emotion. He simply knew upon entering the room that something that should be there was missing. That wasn't even a big problem. He could arrange for a replacement to arrive in two days.

However, on the opposite wall, words were scrawled brazenly in blood. They were as large as the writer's malice was violent.

[Bastard child.]

This time Lucas didn't laugh.

"I really should kill them."

The man muttered in a monotone. And he pulled out a small notebook from his coat. At the bottom of that old notebook used as a diary, small cursive writing was smeared.

[R. Aubert]

The man suddenly burst into a hollow laugh. Contempt and anger he himself didn't recognize were embedded in every word.

"Trash suited each other well."

Rose's fiancé put the notebook back in his coat and touched his face.

A moment later, when he lowered his hands, a natural smile had surfaced on his face. All the acting he used to do as naturally as breathing now required a bit of effort these days.

For reasons unknown, it was quite an inconvenient development.

At any rate, since there was work to be done, the man left his quarters. He planned to deal with it swiftly, having already delayed things.

"It's time for your walk, Miss."

"I did that earlier."

I waved at the working staff member who came punctually. It was a different person from the one who informed me about the walk with stepmother. Maybe that person is stepmother's dedicated staff.

Huh, mentioning dedicated maids reminds me of someone. I casually asked the working staff what Sunset was doing. But the staff member looked puzzled.

"There's no maid named Sunset."

Ah. Come to think of it, Sunset was a nickname.

Eventually, reflecting on past me for not asking her real name, I described Sunset in as much detail as possible. My age with black hair, stiff speech, bob cut hair, and so on.

Then the working staff member's expression changed.

"That maid... was identified as one of the suspects during interrogation and is not currently at this mansion."

Huuuk. So that's what happened after all?!

No, calm down. I also suspected Sunset first initially. The police must have too. So this doesn't necessarily mean Sunset is definitely the culprit. She's one of the suspects. That means there are several suspicious people.

"How many were taken away?"

"Since they went from various job categories, I don't know the exact number."

"Who should I ask to find out?"

"Probably... Mrs. Perkins would know."

That's the head housekeeper's name. Well, the head housekeeper would naturally know. I should meet her and ask about the situation in detail. I heard Mrs. Perkins was at the entrance now and immediately left my room. It must have been at alert level.

And immediately after arriving at the entrance, I doubted my eyes.

"Emma Sawyer."

Uniformed people poured into the entrance. Among them, a burly officer solemnly called stepmother. Eventually, stepmother who came out to the entrance had obvious bewilderment on her face.

"For attempted murder charges against Rose Aubert."

What??

"And murder charges against Russell Aubert from five years ago, you are under arrest."

What?!

And beyond my shock, my otaku instincts were screaming.

See! This isn't a protagonist-coddling healing story! This is a conquest story! It doesn't get wrapped up this easily like I said!

Of course, I righteously shut that down and buried it deep in my subconscious. Don't make a scene in this serious situation, please!

Work Rules 13.

The servant roster changes frequently as needed, so when headcount doesn't match at morning roll call, this is normal. No questions will be accepted regarding this matter.