“Baron Hedwig Jo Malone.”

“….”

“His Majesty knows that you are very ill and can’t even move. Though were you really in such a place?”

“….”

“You should be able to explain to me why you lied to His Majesty and why you’re here and not in your estates.”

At Cain’s words, he seemed quite embarrassed. After blinking his eyes for a moment as if to organize his thoughts, he quickly bowed his head.

I could see his trembling hands.

“I, I didn’t mean to lie. I have only come down here to help Lord Winder.”

…Lord Winder?

Jo Malone’s words naturally made me turn my head. It was because if it were James Winder, he would surely be dead… Long before this novel even started—!

“…Don’t tell me you want to help the ghost? Or, are you talking about William Winder?”

“That, that’s right…! Lord William Winder is in this town. He couldn’t go out because of is mobility, although he’s recuperating at the mansion right now.”

William Winder.

I have heard of that name before. He was another great man who devoted his life to improving the treatment of shapeshifters by supporting his father’s will.

“Oh, let’s… Let’s go to Lord Winder’s mansion first. He’ll prove my innocence.”

 ﾟ· : * ✧ * :· ﾟ

I was entering the Winder mansion with Cain.

As I climbed the dozens of stairs that spread out in front of me, I glanced at him with anxious eyes and asked.

“Isn’t this a trap?”

Following Cain’s footsteps, he stopped in a high position at the words I said. With his face that seemed to question why, I went on quickly.

“I know Lord Winder is a good man. I have no doubts about it. However, Jo Malone must have been the one who sold the shapeshifters illegally, so it makes no sense that Lord Winder would prove his innocence.”

“So, you think it’s a trap?”

At his question, I nodded hastily.

The next moment, Cain looked at me with both eyes shining and spoke in a calm voice, “If that’s the reason, there’s no evidence for the Young Lady’s words, just like the Baron’s. Even more so if the Young Lady says that the reason Baron Jo Malone was the culprit is because of the testimony of the children.”

“Your Highness!”

“To me, the story of the Baron that Lord Winder will prove his innocence and the story of Young Lady that the children’s claims are evidence isn’t much different.”

“No, it’s completely different!”

“What is the reason?”

…That is because I read the novel!

Because the novel clearly said Jo Malone was the culprit—!

“That, that…!”

Regardless, I could not say that to Cain.

He was the one who came to the village of Birk, which is over an hour away from Aren, just because I wrote a book about him. Though here, in fact, because this was the world in a book and I knew everything about it, I could not even imagine what he would do this time if I stated Jo Malone was the culprit.

“Is there something wrong?”

Could not utter anything at all, my mouth was still open. At the same time, Jo Malone, who had been walking in front of us, turned around. As if a thief themselves felt numb in their own feet*, I hurriedly hid behind Cain.

[ T/N: It’s an idiom which could also say, ‘He that commits a wrongful act or mistake thinks everyone speaks of it,’ which means ‘For one to be bound to feel anxious if one is involved in misdeeds.’ ]

Jo Malone smiled awkwardly and continued.

“I must’ve been hated by the Grand Duke’s fiancée.”

“I think it would be more ridiculous to think that you would act like that and not be hated.”

Despite Cain’s stiff response, he was still smiling with a friendly face.

Stroking his goatee, he cautiously persisted, “To be honest, when I was young, I received a lot of help from Lord Winder. Recently, however, he has been ill and has difficulty even moving. So, I told His Majesty the lie, knowing that he should not do so, and came to Winder Village to take care of the lord.”

“….”

“I thought I knew most of the villagers because this was a town I had been visiting since childhood. I thought you were an intruder because of the unfamiliar face.”

“….”

“I’m sorry, Young Lady.”

Jo Malone opened his eyes wildly and smiled as if nothing had happened to me as he skimmed his gaze at me. Cain saw my sharply shining eyes and naturally grabbed my hand that was holding his waist. I could feel the warmth of his touching hand, and without realizing it, my gaze returned to him.

“I’ll hear from Lord Winder for the details.”

“Oh, yes. This is the room.”

Saying so, he pointed to the room at the far end of the hallway. It was a room at the end of the hallway.

Is this not just a small room…?

Jo Malone, who was walking ahead, grabbed the doorknob. Glancing back at us, he spoke quietly with an indifferent face, “Ah, Lord Winder has lost a lot of his sight recently. Please, do not be surprised. Well then, I’ll open the door now.”

The massive wooden door opened with an uncanny sound.