"What the hell is going on? How did he die ahead of schedule?"
"Who acted without authorization? Didn't I specifically say not to make any rash moves and to let the Marechaussee Hunter handle this?"
Marquis Relf was practically bursting with rage. The man deserved to die, yes, but not like this!
If he hadn't died according to the original plan, the blame would fall squarely on their shoulders.
"Which idiot did this? Step forward now, or when I find out..."
Marquis Relf's eyes blazed with icy murderous intent. This entire situation had left him utterly powerless and exposed.
What infuriated him most was that he had already dispatched the Marechaussee Hunter. This meant that if anyone ever investigated this incident, he would bear the primary responsibility.
For the first time in his life, Marquis Relf felt utterly humiliated, his chest tightening as if he couldn't breathe.
The nobles swept by his gaze all retreated into their shells, lowering their heads and feigning deep contemplation.
No one dared to step forward or utter a word. As Marquis Relf gradually regained his composure, he began to reason.
He could likely rule out the nobles present. Their futures, even their lives, were entirely in his hands. They wouldn't dare defy him.
These people might be fools, but they weren't stupid enough to commit a crime that would directly implicate them.
So, which bastard was trying to frame him today?!
-
"What's going on here? How could a stab wound in the back possibly be suicide?"
"But that's exactly what happened, Your Honor from the Court of Justice. The deceased's room had no windows, the door was locked, and there were no signs of a struggle or another person inside. This case can only be ruled a suicide. Otherwise, how did the murderer escape? Only a magician could pull off something like that!"
"Exactly! A magician! Round up the rest of your team and bring in every magician currently in Fontaine for questioning!"
Lyney: "..."
Lyney, who was secretly eavesdropping for information, nearly lost his composure. He performed stage magic, not actual magic! How could this possibly involve a magician? He strongly suspected the Court of Justice was looking for a scapegoat.
"Older brother, earlier when you excused yourself to use the restroom... could that have been when you—"
"Stop joking around, Lynette."
Lyney smiled helplessly at Lynette's feigned skepticism.
"Let's hurry and review the case details while they're away."
Lynette nodded. "Looks like it's time for work again. Activating work mode."
As she spoke, Lynette channeled Anemo Energy, gradually fading from Lyney's sight. Moments later, she reappeared before him.
"I've reviewed the case details."
"As expected of you, Lynette!" Lyney praised his sister with a smile, then adjusted his hat. "Let's investigate the scene next. This might be the perfect opportunity to catch those scumbags red-handed."
Lynette's expression turned serious, recalling a past nightmare they had narrowly avoided.
Soon, they arrived at the crime scene. Though the area was sealed off by the Maison Gardiennage, the cordon posed no challenge to their abilities.
Entering the room, they understood why the officers had hastily ruled the death a suicide. The space was starkly empty, utterly barren. Not a single item remained—a true example of destitution.
Even the window was gone, transforming the chamber into a claustrophobic, coffin-like enclosure.
The moment the door was locked, the secret chamber was sealed.
The utter emptiness of the room only deepened Lyney's suspicions. Perhaps the culprit's methods required the complete absence of evidence, leaving no trace behind.
Or perhaps the room had been cleared to search for evidence the deceased might have brought, or to eliminate any clues that couldn't be concealed.
It was even possible that some members of the Maison Gardiennage were working for the nobles.
Lyney refused to believe the death was a suicide. He and Lynette meticulously searched the room for other clues, examining every corner for secret passages or hidden compartments.
Just as the nobles frantically tried to contain the fallout from the incident, the Magicians stood bewildered with silver bracelets clamped on their wrists, and an angry mob surrounded the Maison Gardiennage officers, a woman suddenly appeared, claiming to be the deceased's wife.
She began by weeping bitterly over her husband's death, then furiously denounced the incompetence of the Maison Gardiennage. Finally, she declared that she would pursue the charges against the Viscount in her husband's stead, revealing that the evidence hadn't been seized—it was in her possession.
The woman's sudden appearance reignited the storm in Fontaine, leaving the nobles utterly stunned.
Although the man's death had caused considerable trouble for the nobles, there was no direct evidence linking them to the crime. They believed that if they could just weather the storm, the scandal would eventually fade away.
But now, the deceased's wife had emerged, claiming to possess the crucial evidence and vowing to continue the prosecution. Were they to shoulder the blame for nothing?
Even Marquis Relf hesitated. He couldn't decide whether to dispatch the Marechaussee Hunter to silence her. He feared that her death would ignite a full-blown public revolt.
If the Maison Gardiennage hadn't already ruled the man's death a suicide, they might have gotten away with pinning the blame on the serial suicide case perpetrator. But would the public truly believe such a conclusion now?
In the end, Marquis Relf sent the recently returned Marechaussee Hunter back into action. He couldn't risk the Viscount being successfully prosecuted, lest the man betray him under pressure.
No one doubted the authenticity of the evidence. After all, the deceased had sworn upon his life, a vow that Neuvillette took with utmost seriousness.
Neuvillette had offered the man protection, but he refused. Understanding his distrust of Fontaine's authorities, Neuvillette didn't press the matter.
However, shortly after the Marechaussee Hunter departed, news of the woman's death arrived.
The doors and windows were locked from the inside, with no other exits. The woman's hands and feet were bound, her mouth gagged, and a rope around her neck indicated death by hanging. After a preliminary investigation, the Maison Gardiennage concluded it was likely suicide.
When this conclusion was announced, the public erupted in outrage.