ITIWAFRBIAHS Chapter 15

The entrance was a complete mess, swept by a storm.

Until five minutes ago, it was like being a confused frog surrounded by screaming, crying frogs, but suddenly everything became quiet. Only then was I able to start thinking clearly.

Let me organize the situation so far.

My stepmother? Extremely suspicious.

The maid Sunset? Very suspicious.

But both of them only have circumstances that make them worth suspecting as villains—there's no definitive evidence to conclude anything. My stepmother seemed too aggrieved and worried about me until the end, and Sunset also seemed genuinely sorry to me.

Then maybe this is a situation where things went wrong due to misunderstanding, and I need to resolve it magnificently. Or it could be a predictable route where I choose one of the two and make them my ally to reach the ending.

Hmm. But that's still a choice that only romance novel beginners would make. I'm past that stage.

Or there's the method of cutting ties with both and ignoring them. It seems safest realistically, but from a romance novel perspective, it's the most dangerous story-wise, and I have this strange anxiety that I don't know when I might be blindsided by a plot twist.

Therefore, if possible, let's keep both sides' potential routes equally open!

If I start pursuing them and gradually see their true nature and one of them seems like an unmanageable villain, I can cut ties then! I have wealth, so I should be able to do it. Still, just in case, I should prepare a spare weapon too.

…But aside from that, honestly, I'm somewhat relieved that public authority has intervened.

Even if there's a real mastermind among the current suspects and no actual culprit, now that the investigation has gone this far, they wouldn't be stupid enough to try to assassinate this body right now. Huuu.

Then there's only one thing I need to do now.

I walked quickly out of the entrance and entered the largest reception room. Then I picked up the telephone on the console. When I dialed and the signal went through, it wasn't long before a confident voice was heard.

—This is Meyer Taylor Detective Agency.

"This is the person who made a request about the Aubert family yesterday."

—Ah, miss! I was just about to contact you…….

"I'd like to make an additional request."

I added decisively.

"Please investigate Emma Sawyer, the lady of that mansion, and Hazel White, who worked as a maid."

Let's get some profiles first!

The young detective on the other end of the phone seemed taken aback by my decisiveness and was silent for a moment, but soon readily agreed.

—Well… it's good money for me, miss.

The detective started speaking in a voice mixed with laughter, but ended with a somewhat more serious tone.

—First, listen to what I have to say. I just finished the first investigation.

What? Already? The promised first report was supposed to be tomorrow, but it's already done? Did you do a sloppy investigation?

I narrowed my eyes, though the other person couldn't see me.

"Already?"

—Of course. I'm quite capable.

A slightly boastful voice came through the phone. Oh my, of course you are. Let me just listen for now.

—First, let me explain the overall current situation of the Aubert family. This family hasn't lived in Bern for that long, right?

"…That's right."

Actually, I thought they were some centuries-old local bigshots. I mean, look at the atmosphere of this house. Anyone would think that looking at this old mansion.

—Looking at the exact real estate records, it was 21 years ago. There are also records of Lord Russell Aubert placing employment advertisements in newspapers for various servants including a nanny when he moved to the grand mansion with his pregnant wife.

Whoa. Could that pregnant wife's baby be...?

—And the following year, she gave birth to a daughter. The name is…… Rose Aubert. Based on timing, she'll become an adult by the end of this year.

It really is this body! Wow, but this feels so strange. It's like hearing about someone else's business, but it's actually me now.

—Unfortunately, Madam Aubert died after childbirth. The cause seems to be postpartum complications based on circumstances…… it looks like they kept everyone's mouths shut well, so no one mentioned it at the time. There are no remaining records.

"Yes, yes."

Oh my, so she passed away right after. I feel bad for investigating and digging into this. This body's mother, please understand. I'm doing my best to protect this body...

—After that, Lord Russell Aubert seems to have secluded himself for quite a long time. To go anywhere else from that mansion using roads, you absolutely have to pass through Roman Town, but for 14 years after Madam Aubert's death, sighting records in town were cut off. And...

I could hear papers rustling for several seconds over the phone as he flipped through the investigated materials.

—Yes. About 14 and a half years later, he suddenly started social activities. He was originally a person with good build and appearance, but he had become completely gaunt with sunken eyes, and everyone who met him felt sorry for him.

"Is that so?"

Hmm. I think I heard that he had severe mood swings, so he probably had serious depression during that period. But it seems he tried to overcome it. Knowing the bad ending, my nose stings for no reason.

Also, I'm worried about this body's childhood before the possession.

—That's right. There were some sighting reports mainly at large academic seminars or cafes where scholars frequently gathered. And he also met Emma Sawyer, whom he was going to remarry, during this process.

Let me guess. An archaeology seminar?

—It was quite a large anthropology seminar.

Bingo! Still, it was a decent guess.

—At that time, various people attended, from quite prominent distinguished gentlemen to green undergraduate students. Emma Sawyer was among them.

"Ah, was she an archaeology authority?"

I couldn't give up my lingering attachment and asked once more.

—Hmm? She definitely had a degree, but…… it seems she had just moved to this area at that time too. When you cross regions, news gets cut off unless you're quite an outstanding figure.

You're saying more time and money are needed for investigation. I understand well.

—Anyway, the two who met like that seem to have become close very quickly…… There's also testimony that Emma Sawyer was spotted moving together toward Lord Russell Aubert's grand mansion just one week after their first meeting.

"Aha…"

A passionate… passionate new love. But you must have consulted with your daughter first, right?

No matter what, I want to believe that you didn't bring a remarriage partner to a house where a minor daughter lives together, completely ignoring adolescent emotions.

But in romance novels, when there's such a parent remarriage background, there are often backgrounds where the parent just pushes ahead without listening to the protagonist's opinion at all, ruining relationships…… This makes me anxious.

Let me listen to the next part first.

—And three months later, Emma Sawyer completely moved her residence to the grand mansion with her young daughter. I found records of lease termination at that time.

Goodness. Is this okay?

I'm breaking into a cold sweat at the increasingly makjang explanation.

No, remarrying and living with a lover's family in a house with a minor daughter without even getting married first... If this were being serialized, the comment section would have exploded with criticism of the father.

"And, and then?"

—And three months later, they scheduled a wedding. It seems they were planning to do it quite grandly. Wedding invitations went out to prominent figures living in Roman Town. I copied one.

The young detective read me the invitation content. It was ordinary, old-fashioned wedding invitation content.

—But on the morning of the ceremony, news of Lord Aubert's death suddenly appeared in the newspaper. The wedding guests suddenly became mourners.

As if on purpose, I could hear the detective's eerie voice over the phone. Really, please don't do this about someone's death.

Between this and last time's dessert cutting in line, this person keeps doing this.

I deliberately cut him off with a short answer.

"Yes."

—…Well, there wasn't much after that. Emma Sawyer claimed that according to the will, she should be Rose Aubert's guardian until she comes of age, and won against Lord Aubert's distant relatives who were far away in other regions. And five years have passed, and Rose Aubert has been in seclusion until now.

She went out the day before yesterday and met you... I guess they don't know well since her face isn't known.

—For now, this is about all the content worth conveying over the phone. There's more detailed content in the physical documents, but it's difficult to say everything over the phone. Are there any more questions you're curious about before moving on to the next investigation?

Ah, there are tons. I fired off questions like I was in a professor's lecture where additional questions during other groups' presentation Q&A time were necessary to avoid point deductions.

"Do you know exactly what the will contained?"

—Just a moment.

Rustle rustle. Again, the sound of rummaging through papers.

—Only the core sentence from the lawsuit was published in the newspaper at the time, would that be okay?

"Yes, yes."

—Understood. ...Ahem, 'I want to entrust the protection of my daughter to that knowledgeable and trustworthy woman. Until the day my daughter becomes an adult.'

Very clear. It's definitely worth winning the lawsuit. I nodded.

Also, his concern for his daughter definitely shows through. At least it doesn't seem like the sad setting where he blames his daughter for his wife's death and distances himself from her, suffering as she grows to resemble her deceased mother more and more. Phew, thank goodness.

"Did the newspaper not mention why Lord Aubert died?"

—The newspaper just said sudden death. But there was no special investigation, and no cause of death was specified, so… it's probably suicide.

O, that sounded a bit like a detective.

"Then, about that daughter called Rose Aubert. If she's in seclusion, are there no records of her going to school or anything?"

—From what I've looked into, no. Ah, there are quite a few records of hiring tutors.

After this body's mother passed away, father probably overprotected out of worry. Eum, thinking about it that way, it connects with stepmother's extreme overprotection when she said memory loss. It seems the two didn't remarry for nothing. They're quite similar.

—And the daughter that madam brought is the same as Miss Rose Aubert. At least after entering the mansion, there are no enrollment records. I thought you might be curious.

As expected. So that's why Jeril was awkward with strangers.

Really, no matter how worried you are. Making them live only in the mansion like this is actually bad.

It would have been good if they had at least sent them to school, letting them choose to live as homebodies after becoming adults. I feel strange because it seems like only I'm enjoying the honey life now by possessing this body.

Anyway, I should hang up the phone soon. Let me finish with a light question I was curious about.

"Is there no talk about Rose Aubert's fiancé?"

—Fiancé?

The detective's voice was full of bewilderment. It seems like he's hearing this for the first time.

—Well…… I've heard that rich people still maintain such old-fashioned customs, but Rose Aubert's engagement hasn't been known to this neighborhood at least.

It seems like after this body's father passed away, the whole family really stopped social activities together. Although stepmother seems to have worked consistently, she really has a tight mouth.

—Should I look into that too when I give the second report?

"Eum, yes. That would be good."

Sorry, fiancé. I'm definitely not doubting your character. I just want to know a bit about what kind of family the Moore family is. It was too shocking last time. I'm not really in favor of directly experiencing the genre of marrying the only heir of a villain family...

—That's fine with me too. Then if you could point out what else you'd like me to investigate more deeply for the second round including that. If you want to receive it as quickly as today, I'll look into about two detailed items based on the first report within three days.

"Eum……."

What should I do?

First, I've already requested information on the most important stepmother and the maid who was Sunset, Hazel White, so let me look for more advanced information on the rest.

"First, I'd like to request about how the Aubert family lived before moving here."

If it's a romance novel, there might be special bloodlines mixed into the protagonist's family for unexpected connections and hidden abilities. It would be good to look into it, right?

The setting where the rose fairy gardener takes care of the garden because fairy blood flows in this family. Eum, it's possible.

—Yes. And?

"And about the history of the grand mansion where the Aubert family lives and its current real estate value."

—…What?

The last one is my personal interest. But I'm not ashamed of it at all. I need to know the exact conversion amount to avoid scams when investing later.

The young detective seemed a bit flustered.

—Miss, are you perhaps placing a request to acquire the Aubert family mansion?

"No, well…… I'm keeping various possibilities open."

That's a reasonable answer, right? The detective seemed reluctant but said he understood, and I was relieved. With this, I've entered real estate!

But at the same time, I became quite tired. When reading in text, usually in scenes like this where you get information, you have a few lines of conversation and then receive a scroll with the information written on it.

And in the next cut, the protagonist explains content they've already read.

But actually listening to it all through a phone call, the time I need to concentrate is longer than expected, so it's tiring.

Also, I'll probably forget some of this, so I should definitely receive the physical documents.

"Could I possibly receive the documents organized for the first report?"

The detective readily agreed.

—Actually, this should be heard together with the collected materials and recorded content. Is evening okay for you? I know a decent restaurant.

"That means it tastes good, right?"

I could hear the detective laughing heartily from here.

—Of course! It's not as fancy as the restaurant we met at last time, but it's a good place. The owner's skills are excellent.

Wait, could this be! Meeting a kind-hearted inn owner or restaurant owner who turns out to be some retired master of something?

—I made money from the additional request, so I'll pay. How about it?

Hmm, suddenly making a move. Is this the sub-male concentrated period? Of course, I'll decline making this friend a sub-male, so it's fine.

Since there was chaos today, it might be good to rest and stabilize my mind and meet around tomorrow. I was about to agree and switched the phone to my other hand.

Then, I heard a sound from outside.

"……Miss Rose? Rose?"

Oh, it's my fiancé!

I quickly rattled off words into the phone.

"Ah, wait a moment. It's a bit difficult to continue the phone call right now. How about meeting for lunch tomorrow?"

—That's fine. Lunch sounds good. Then shall we meet at noon?

The detective simply and clearly explained the restaurant location. Right alley from the town entrance……. Heumm, okay.

"Yes. See you then."

—You can look forward to it.

It must be quite delicious. I licked my lips and quickly hung up the phone, then hurried toward the door. And I opened it wide.

Then, as if it was planned, my fiancé was standing right in front! And he had his hand on the doorknob just like me. We opened it together!

Ah, it was like a wonderful romance novel scene.

"You were here. Rose, are you alright? I saw the police escorting madam from the main gate."

My fiancé smiled with concern while slightly out of breath. Looking at his wet hair around his forehead and disheveled clothes, he probably came looking for me in a hurry.

Sniff, how touching.

My fiancé let go of the doorknob he was holding and suddenly grabbed my hand!

Then he stroked the back of my hand once with his thumb as if to comfort me. The smooth texture of his glove slid across the back of my hand.

Eek.

Oh, of course that wasn't his intention, but... somehow the skinship seems a bit sticky, um, sticky? Could this be a signal?

Or not, am I thinking this way because I'm possessed by a perverted spirit?

"The servant said Miss Rose wasn't in her room, so I was worried. The shock must be great…"

"Yes, yes. But I'm fine."

Even as I say it, I don't know what's fine about it. It really just came out following the stream of consciousness, whatever made sense.

My head is in chaos, chaos…

"Yes. I hope Miss Rose won't worry too much about this incident. How about thinking of it as a process where everything finds its place?"

"That's right. It's good to take it easy."

Could this be the suspension bridge effect?

Did my fiancé's intimacy level deepen due to the tension he felt while rushing here worried about my condition? Are we going to complete the route like this?

My fiancé took one more step closer. Waaah, I can't even see pores on his face. It's like looking at a corrected celebrity hologram.

"You must be mentally and physically exhausted……. I wish I could bring you to our main house as soon as possible. I'm greatly worried that there might still be accomplices remaining."

Gasp, not yet. I still need to receive the investigation results and there's a lot to do here. I suddenly came to my senses.

"Ah, for now, since the police are watching, I think nothing will happen. And if this goes to trial after the situation is sorted out, I'll need to testify too."

"Couldn't you send a representative for testimony? Above all, Miss Rose's safety comes first. …Actually, I'm also a bit concerned that madam's daughter is still remaining in this mansion."

Oh, that's right, Jeril!

He wasn't there when stepmother was taken away, did he go back to his room? I should look for him. I'm worried he wasn't too shocked.

Let me first appease my worried fiancé. He seems to have a completely suspicious impression of my stepbrother.

"Eh, brother is fine. And it's not like the culprit has been confirmed yet. I want to definitely see how the investigation proceeds."

That way I can deduce who the real culprit is in the meantime!

My fiancé's smile faded. He seemed somewhat reluctant.

"……Yes. But if you change your mind, please let me know anytime."

"Of course!"

I smiled and nodded. And when I took a step back, a safe distance from that destructively powerful face was secured.

Haa, haa. That was definitely overflowing with romance just now, right?

My fiancé's face is fantasy-level, so in some sense it was really like a romance novel. It's hard on my heart but it was really good. Romance novels are the best.

"Ah, but just in case… could I get some weapons?"

If an emergency situation strikes, I might need force after all. Color returned to my fiancé's face. He must have been really worried.

"Of course. I'll get you the best self-defense items possible…"

"Ah, not that kind, but something capable of killing."

"……."

After all, definite threats are better than ambiguous resistance. Give me something that can knock the other person half-dead in one shot.

I saw earlier that the police had guns at their waists too. I already confirmed when I went out last time that this neighborhood is completely American modern-style, so if gun ownership is legal, a gun would be best.

It doesn't matter if I can't shoot and hit the target. Just showing that I can shoot should be enough to restrain the opponent to some degree, right?

"Could you get me a pistol?"

"……Of course, Rose. That's a good choice."

Yes! Gun ownership must be legal!

…But thinking about this again, doesn't that mean I could get shot too?

They wouldn't kill the protagonist, but taking a hit instead and collapsing is a common development in this genre. I've seen many flows where falling into a long coma deepens the worry and emotions of people around.

I don't particularly want to experience that, so I should carefully watch people's belongings when meeting suspicious people from now on.

My fiancé said he'd get one as quickly as possible and finished organizing his words, then suddenly looked toward the window.

"Would it be alright if I tidy up my clothing for a moment?"

"Of course! Rest well and let's see each other around dinner!"

"I don't need such a long rest, but…… Yes, then I hope Miss Rose will also rest in her room until dinner."

My fiancé swept his hair to the side. Aha, he must have seen himself reflected in the window.

A strange expression flashed across his face—he's probably a bit embarrassed or shy after realizing his disheveled appearance. How cute.

I contentedly saw off my fiancé as he headed to the guest room. My fiancé entered his room with somewhat quick steps without looking back. That's cute too.

And finally alone, I rubbed my hands together and thought. Good, good. Now I need to meet Jeril to comfort him and ask about stepmother.

The important thing here is that it shouldn't feel like an interrogation. I need to approach it like 'I don't think stepmother is the culprit and I can't understand why things turned out this way' to raise favorability and find out information, right?

Mm, good. Let's work hard for conquering today too. In just a little while, the enjoyable life of a golden spoon unemployed person with handsome men and fine food will be waiting for me again! An upgraded version at that!

I encouraged myself and walked energetically down the corridor. And I stopped in front of the stairs. A figure in a hat flickered in the garden outside the window.

Huh? Isn't that the rose fairy (presumed) gardener?