“...thank you. Well, I don’t quite understand. Why did the two of you go hunting alone with your older brother with whom you had such a bad relationship, and why did the Grand Duke’s successor, who was excellent in martial arts, lose his life in a vain accident by falling off a horse? Oh, of course, I’m not suspicious of you, Noel! However, I was wondering if there might be some secret that people don’t know about.”
“Don’t worry. I don’t think you’re suspicious of me.”
As if reminiscing for a moment, Noel touched the teacup.
“As you said, my brother and I did not get along well enough to go hunting alone. On the contrary, he loathed me. I can understand my brother’s feelings. One day, a child out of wedlock, namely me, came in and threatened his place.”
“.…”
“I was only thinking of getting out of the Grand Duchy family as soon as possible. After my father passed away, the plan became more concrete. While preparing the necessary funds through the Ram Mercenary Corps, I waited to become an adult. Even if I left the Grand Duchy then, no one would blink an eye. But before I became an adult, if I went out, there would be much noise. I wanted to deal with the succession issue and leave the family completely. But one day, my brother noticed the existence of the Ram Mercenaries.”
“….”
“My brother threatened to destroy the Ram Mercenaries under that pretext, but I did not accept it. If I got caught working as a Ram mercenary and got kicked out of the Grand Duchy, that’s kind of... Because I thought it would be okay. Anyway, my goal was to get out of the Grand Duchy without getting caught.”
“Why did the former Grand Duke threaten Noel? If Noel leaves the Grand Duchy, he would be in a good position.”
“My brother didn’t want to be the Grand Duke.”
“...Yes?”
“My brother wanted me to become the Grand Duke.”
Irene’s eyes widened at the shocking statement. He didn’t want to be the Grand Duke. That was the twist...
Noel smiled with bitterness as if anticipating Irene’s confused look.
“Because he hated his father. So, like his father, he didn’t want to be a Grand Duke. My brother wanted to leave the family and start a family with the commoner woman he was dating at the time. So, my brother and I did not compete for the Grand Duchy but instead fought to leave the Grand Duchy.”
“That… then it doesn’t make any more sense. People think that you killed your brother to become the Grand Duke.”
“Because I don’t know the details. I think I can only be suspicious.”
“Why didn’t you… reveal this? If you had, you would have been freed.”
“Well. Who will believe me when my brother is dead? They would have thought I was lying, so I didn’t say anything. and...”
Noel muttered his words. He said with a look as if he recalled something.
“Before I died, my brother asked for me. Please keep quiet about his lover.”
“…Did your brother really die in an accident?”
The more she listened to the story, the more her doubts grew. At first, she didn’t even suspect that Noel had killed his brother for the Grand Duke position. And she became more convinced after hearing Noel’s story.
It wasn’t Noel who killed the former Grand Duke. So, why did the former Grand Duke die?
At Irene’s question, Noel’s hand, which held the teacup, tightened its grip.
When his grip strengthened, Irene looked at his hand without saying a word. She then turned her gaze to his face. Noel, who was calmer than anyone else, had a distorted expression, and his pupils were shaking. Irene realised later that her question had touched something of his.
Noel took a deep breath as if he were about to spill his guts and then opened his mouth.
“I do not know the details of what happened that day. My brother called me to the hunting grounds that day. The reason was to go hunt, but he threatened me with becoming the Grand Duke. On that day as well. Unable to bear it, I left the hunting grounds, and after that, my brother came back as a cold corpse.”
“However, I met another person in the forest that day, except for my brother.” “Another person…?”
“Yes.”
”…who is that?”
Feeling nervous, Irene swallowed her saliva and asked carefully. Noel’s eyes darkened. Soon he opened his mouth.
“Count Rixis.”
The frightening name came out of his mouth, but Irene didn’t show any signs of surprise. She had expected to some degree when he said he had met another person in the woods.
As Irene didn’t have a big reaction, Noel continued his speech slowly.
“As I was returning to the mansion, I glimpsed Count Rixis heading into the woods. Still, the reason I didn’t follow was that they were ostensibly supporting my brother, so I thought it wouldn’t be a problem. However...”
“...Did you tell anyone about it?”
“There was no one who would listen.”
Noel smiled self-consciously. He took a sip of the tea he had cooled down. Irene watched without saying a word.