ITTWACP • NACP

Chapter 26

-Chapter 26-

"If Jocelyn never taught it to anyone else, then at best, Edith and my family would be the only ones who would know this method."

"Yes. Probably. But do you mind if I ask...... why you asked that?" Lizé asked, looking around the room with a frightened glance.

"It's not a big deal. Now you can leave." The Duke dismissed.

In contrast to the icy glare he was giving me, his voice was gentle.

Lizé glanced in my direction, unsure if she had done something wrong.

But she could not disobey the Duke's order to leave, so she bowed slightly and left the room.

"This is very strange, Edith."

I sighed. I've been sighing a lot lately.

"A table is something that anyone can look at once and understand the concept of......! Ha...... no, never mind, I think you've concluded that I am the culprit anyway."

"Say it." He demanded.

"I showed you a table that looked nothing like the one I usually draw, the handwriting was different from mine, and all it took was one word from Lizé and it was all for naught. I gave you one great testimony, and you don't believe me......"

Honestly, I was disappointed.

I couldn't quite remember how Lizé had framed Edith in the original story, but I thought the main character would have come up with a more plausible explanation or evidence.

'I wonder if the evidence I brought to the table reduced the amount of probability I had.'

That...... left a bitter taste in my mouth.

I would get a lot of flack from readers if I wrote a novel with this kind of probability, but the story still pointed to Edith as the culprit.

In addition, the Duke said "Edith and my family." I also have the surname Ludwig, and the Duke has been excluding me since the last time, to the point where I wonder if it's intentional.

As I was getting my thoughts together, the Duke let out a long sigh and nodded.

"Yes, you have a point. It's hard to be sure with testimony like that. In any case, I'm dropping this case. I'm also rescinding your probation."

He admitted that I am not the culprit, but that doesn't mean he believes I am innocent.

In the original, the episode didn't end that way because it is clear that Edith is the culprit, but now I feel torn because I don't know if this situation works for me or not.

I nod. "Okay, I'm going to go back to...... wait, what are you looking at?"

While I was distracted, Killian was reading my diary.

I hurriedly snatched it away from him. "What do you think you're doing, reading someone else's diary?"

"Did you write any information down that you don't want anyone else to see?" Killian questioned.

"Is there anyone who doesn't want to show their diary because of certain information? It's because it contains private life! You really have no intention of showing me any decency......!"

I stood up angrily and stormed out of the Duke's office.

Killian followed and grabbed me. Not to apologize, of course.

"I can't trust you," he said.

"I know, you always have, and you always will!"

"Is it any wonder you're under suspicion after all the things you've done in the Rigelhoff family? There's been so much going on, so many things, that you can't just bury it."