Dad… did something illegal?

“That can’t be.”

Lily shook her head vehemently, her voice as loud as the wind. Her neatly tied hair became a mess, but she had no room to care about such things.

“Dad was more upright and honest than anyone else. He wouldn’t break the law even if it was for the sake of family. But to say that Dad did something illegal… It doesn’t make sense. It’s impossible. Dad couldn’t have done anything bad!”

“Calm down first, Lily.”

Herald moved to sit beside the overly excited Lily who was blurting out words incoherently, and grasped her trembling small shoulders. Thanks to that, Lily’s agitated heart calmed down to some extent, and she exhaled deeply to let out the remaining heat.

“…I’m sorry. I got too excited without realizing it.”

“It’s understandable when it comes to your parents. I get it.”

Herald poured water into a cup and held it out to her. It seemed to mean that he would tell her more shocking things, so Lily drank the water while feeling tense, preparing her heart. Drinking the cold water made her feel a bit more clear-headed. Her green eyes, now clearer, gazed at him.

“So who was saying such nonsense? That Dad helped His Highness the Second Prince and did something illegal?”

“Well, I overheard it by chance while investigating, so it’s hard to definitively say who said it.”

“You investigated Dad’s background?”

Lily’s voice, which had been calm, became sharp again. Her hand gripping the empty glass cup tightened.

“Why did you investigate Dad’s background? For what reason…!”

“Because I heard the news that the tomb of your father, Sir Madison Benjamin, had been dug up.”

Herald placed his hand over hers and spoke in a soft and calm tone.

“Grave robbers usually clean up well after their work so they don’t get caught. But this time, I heard they didn’t, so I investigated because it was strange. I never thought the culprit would be Fredrick Benjamin, though…”

Fredrick Benjamin. The moment she heard that name, all sorts of negative emotions like anger, irritation, and shame surged in like a tide, causing Lily to shut her eyes tightly. Her eyebrows trembled, unable to control her anger.

“I apologize if it bothered you. I did it because I wanted to help you…”

Thinking it was because of her, Herald apologized in a slightly disheartened voice. At this, Lily, coming to her senses again, shook her head and opened her eyes.

“I’m not angry because of you, so you don’t need to apologize.”

“Then that’s a relief.”

“But that doesn’t mean you did the right thing either.”

Lily looked straight into his slightly trembling eyes, as if taken aback, and continued.

“I understand that you were thinking of me. I’m grateful for that too.”

“…”

“But I think it was wrong of you to investigate Dad’s background without even mentioning it to me. If you couldn’t do that because you had to act right away, you should have told me later. Don’t you think so?”

As Lily calmly questioned him, Herald only nodded his head like an obedient student. It was funny and adorable at the same time, and Lily almost couldn’t help but laugh in the midst of her reproach, but she held it in. Now was not the time to laugh, but to speak firmly.

“I’m letting it go just this once. As I asked you before, please don’t just dig into the backgrounds of people related to me, including myself, in the future. If you have no choice but to do so, please make sure to tell me.”

At the repeated request, his stiff lips loosened slightly. Herald answered with a subtle expression, neither smiling nor angry.

“I will do that.”

It was early the next morning when Herald, who had returned to the Maximilian manor after having dinner, came back again. Upon hearing that he had come without eating breakfast, the servants preparing breakfast for Lily and Dillon quickly prepared his portion as well.

Lily, who had been preparing leisurely, also hurried down to the dining room upon hearing the news that Herald had already arrived. The same went for Dillon.

“How can you suddenly visit so early in the morning?”

The difference was that while Lily greeted him with a welcoming smile, Dillon grumbled with a face full of dissatisfaction.

Can an aide do this to his superior? Even in the strict hierarchical relationship of knights?

Lily was flustered, but the person in question was nonchalant.

“Do I need permission to come to my own house?”

“Even if not permission, you should at least tell us when you’re coming. So we can prepare in advance and wait for you. Don’t you think so, Madam?”

“Pardon?”

Lily, who had been absent-minded, was startled and blinked her eyes wide when the arrow suddenly turned to her.

“You also had to hurriedly prepare and come down because Commander came suddenly, right?”

“…”

Lily couldn’t bring herself to lie and say no, so she smiled awkwardly. At the tacit affirmation, Dillon looked at Herald again with a triumphant air, as if to say, ‘See?’

“Oh my.”

Herald shrugged as if he couldn’t help it and said,

“Alright. From now on, I’ll make sure to inform you before I come.”

After the somewhat hectic breakfast ended, Dillon left his seat immediately, but Lily had a light tea time with Herald.

The light topics of conversation, such as how the weather was and what they would do today, suddenly turned heavy around the time when Herald’s teacup was nearly empty.

“I’ve been thinking hard, and I think it’s best to keep investigating.”

“Investigating what?”

“Finding the grave robber who dug up your father’s tomb.”

The hand lifting the teacup paused. Lily, who had been leaning slightly forward, straightened her back and looked directly at Herald, asking,

“If you don’t mind me asking, why did you make that decision?”

“Because I want them to pay for their crimes.”

His lips curved up in a chilling smile.

“I want the culprit who committed such an atrocious act to pay the price… So to do that, I need to find the grave robber, so I’ll keep investigating.”

“…”

Lily silently lifted her teacup. Although only enough time passed to take a sip of tea, it felt as slow as an eternity. Herald, whose patience ran out unlike usual, asked as soon as she took the cup away from her lips.

“Will that be alright with you?”

“…If it’s revealed that he did what you say he did, what kind of punishment will he receive?”

When a question was returned instead of a yes or no answer, Herald paused for a moment before replying.

“Well, I’m ignorant when it comes to the law, so I’m not sure about that, but if you want, I can find out.”

“No, it’s fine. I’m not curious enough to go that far, so you don’t need to do that.”

Lily set her teacup on the saucer and continued.

“And if it’s about finding the grave robber who dug up Dad’s tomb… I actually want to ask you a favor. To make sure to find those bastards.”

Herald’s eyes widened slightly, as if surprised and intrigued by Lily’s rough language. When he stared at her intently, Lily, feeling a bit burdened, avoided his gaze and cleared her throat.

“I’m sorry for cursing.”

“What is there to be sorry about? It’s not like you said anything wrong.”

Herald leaned his upper body slightly towards Lily and asked,

“So, may I ask you one thing?”

“What is it?”

“Have you ever seen your father say or do anything strange when he was alive?”

Seeing Lily’s brow furrow, Herald hastily added,

“I’m just asking in case. I don’t think your father would have done anything bad either, but sometimes people get caught up in incidents against their will.”

“…”

Lily, whose expression finally relaxed, thought for a moment and then shook her head.

“No. I’ve never seen anything like that.”

“I see.”

Herald smiled innocently as if he had no ulterior motives and added,

“If you happen to remember anything later, please make sure to tell me.”

“I will.”

But I don’t think that will happen. Lily swallowed her inner thoughts and answered.

“Speaking of strange things, it reminds me of what happened yesterday.”

“What happened yesterday?”

“Well…”

Lily told him about what happened while waiting for Dillon, who had gone on patrol, at the nursing hospital.

“…They said it was a hospital employee who came and went, but no matter how much I think about it, it doesn’t seem like it. If it was an employee, wouldn’t they have announced their identity while knocking?”

“They were probably going to reveal their identity if you answered.”

“Do you think so?”

“Of course. The witness said so too, and Dillon has no reason to lie about such a thing, so you can trust it.”

Herald turned around, reassuring Lily not to worry and that she could trust it, but his face was so chilling that it seemed like he would kill anyone who made eye contact with him.

Thwack-

The 4th wooden sword broke. Despite only clashing a few times, the wooden sword broke powerlessly like a tree branch. Dillon, who was looking at the broken wooden sword with a dumbfounded face, shifted his gaze to the culprit who broke the sword.

“Bring another wooden sword.”

“…”

Even after breaking 4 wooden swords, Herald gave orders in a dry tone, as if he was still not satisfied. As Dillon faithfully carried out that order, he asked what he was curious about.

“You didn’t call me to spar after a long time, did you?”

Herald, who had suddenly sought out Dillon again, had brought him to the capital’s martial arts training ground, saying they should spar after a long time. Thinking it would be much more enjoyable and good for training to go up against a skilled person rather than swinging a sword alone, Dillon had followed Herald in a cheerful mood, but changed his mind in less than 5 minutes.

“May I ask why you’re trying to beat me to death?”

When Dillon asked as if he really couldn’t understand, Herald laughed cynically.

“Are you really asking because you don’t know?”

“Yes. I don’t know.”

“You went to the nursing hospital with her yesterday.”

Realizing the whole situation from those words, Dillon’s face was filled with dismay. Herald pointed the blunt end of the wooden sword at the neck of Dillon, who was slumped on the floor, and asked,

“It was your doing, wasn’t it?”