Timon spoke with a confident tone.

“Even back then, you must have seen the report, but that incident was a clear case of suicide. We sympathize with Mrs. Schneider’s heartbreaking situation, but this is an incident with no room for doubt. I don’t understand why you’re bringing up this incident again.”
“Why are you so certain, though? There were no witnesses, as far as I know,” Marie-Anne asked in a dry tone. Timon, looking somewhat surprised that it was Marie-Anne and not Christoph who asked the question, widened his eyes and then quickly spoke.

“Firstly, Miss Veronica Cloche was suffering greatly from a broken heart at the time. According to her roommate’s account, she mentioned wanting to die several times.”
“Anyone can say such words. Saying you want to die and actually dying are entirely different things, Mr. Pensler.”

Her calm voice carried an unexpected strength. When she mentioned his name and position, Timon was momentarily taken aback. Nevertheless, he couldn’t back down here.
“Of course, Mrs. Schneider. However, according to the testimony, her sense of loss was profound. Whether you believe it or not, in this line of work, I’ve encountered countless people who have ended their lives due to heartbreak. It doesn’t discriminate between genders. It’s a sad reality. The emotion of love can sometimes push people to extremes.”
Marie-Anne clenched the hem of her dress tightly. Christoph, who had been leaning on his elbow with his arms crossed, shifted his gaze from her hand to her back when she did.

“But there were no eyewitness testimonies?” Christoph asked lazily, prompting Timon to straighten up with a more tense expression. He cleared his throat once again and recalled the report as he replied.

“It was late at night. It’s not unusual for there to be no eyewitnesses.”
“How can you be so sure it was late at night? Veronica left the dormitory at 4 in the afternoon.”

“That riverside area is a place where restaurants and cafes are clustered. If someone had gone missing, someone would have witnessed it. However, we haven’t received any such reports.”

“On the other hand, if it’s late at night when the shops are closed, it can be deserted. So, is that why you assume it was late at night?”

“Yes, ma’am.”
Marie-Anne’s speculation was accurate. Timon concealed his surprise and nodded. Marie-Anne tightened her grip on the reins.

“So, how did you know that Veronica jumped from that bridge? Her body was found downstream. Just now, you said there were no eyewitnesses.”

“Ugh.”

Her question struck a nerve. Timon fell silent with a lost expression on his face.
Oliver turned to look at Marie-Anne with his eyes narrowed. She seemed like a fox hunter, urging Timon to step into her trap. And Timon, quite gracefully, fell into her trap.

Clearing his throat lowly, Timon spoke again.
“Most bodies found downstream are those who jumped from there. About twenty years ago, there was a widely publicized incident involving a young noblewoman who, against her parents’ wishes, broke up with her lover and jumped from the Siechil Bridge due to despair over her situation. Since then, there have been frequent cases of suicides by those who have suffered from heartbreak in that area. Several times a year, it seems. It’s like a sanctuary for those who have experienced heartbreak.”

A sanctuary, you say.
When Oliver frowned at the inappropriate words, Marie-Anne spoke calmly.

“It seems the conclusion was already reached before the investigation even began. Veronica jumped from that bridge, and the reason was said to be heartbreak.”

Timon shuddered as if he were the one being accused.
Just as he was about to speak, Christoph spoke first. His tone was polite, but his voice carried the familiar authority of someone accustomed to giving orders. He was insufferably arrogant and authoritarian.

“How much effort did you put into finding witnesses?”

“As I mentioned, it’s a deserted place at night…”

Timon trailed off, glancing at Christoph cautiously.

“But we want to assure you that we did our best,” he added quietly.
Marie-Anne recalled the memories of that time. Just like yesterday, everything was vivid and clear. She breathed quietly, and as she searched for clues, she finally spoke.
“Two days before the Veronica incident, there was a case of Prince Reginald disappearing. He did return later, but at the time, the king’s concern was not insignificant. From what I remember, the entire capital was mobilized to find him. …So, they didn’t have the luxury to focus on the Veronica case.”

Timon fell silent with a startled expression.

Well.
A faint smirk broke out at the corner of Christoph’s lips as he continued his probing. Slowly, the pieces fell into place.

“So, was the incident report only two pages long?”

His tone had changed. Christoph glared at Timon with cold eyes. It was a mixture of anger towards Timon and frustration with himself.

Timon involuntarily swallowed hard, his throat tightening. It felt like he couldn’t breathe. Oliver, too, held his breath, watching Timon quietly.

“It’s not that…”