“The investigation results are in, Your Majesty.”

The investigation was over.

It felt like an unusually long month.

Leoprick met separately with Count Felice and Count Philipa, who came to report that the investigation had ended.

The two had diligently investigated their respective areas over the past month, and Count Philipa in particular had thoroughly investigated everything from start to finish, true to her renowned character.

To the point where it could be considered not just a month-long investigation, but almost a year’s worth of reports from an entire department.

Upon seeing the report Count Philipa brought, stating that all investigations were complete, Leoprick briefly wondered if he had accidentally ordered a report on the history of the company Lloyd had bribed.

“Was there that much to investigate?”

“There’s a lot to report because there wasn’t much to investigate.”

“You’re saying the report is this long because there wasn’t much to investigate?”

When he asked back, Count Philipa gave a small cough.

She probably realized it was a lot herself.

Leoprick skimmed through the report and looked at Count Philipa.

“So what’s the conclusion?”

“As you probably expected, this side is indeed fake.”

Just from skimming through, it was clear that Lloyd’s business was full of holes.

It was obvious that the business plan was hastily put together due to lack of funds.

On top of that, the progress was sloppy beyond compare to anyone’s eyes.

Leoprick gave a hollow laugh as he listened to Count Philipa’s report.

“So in the end, the business plan he initially submitted was all forged.”

“It’s a bit hard to call it a forgery, but anyway, it didn’t seem like he did it himself.”

“Then did you find out who wrote it?”

As Count Philipa steadily reported on Lloyd’s situation, she mentioned the person suspected of writing the initially submitted report.

“There’s no evidence yet, only circumstantial, but for now, there’s a high possibility it was Lady Arianna Valois.”

Count Philipa pointed to the part at the very bottom of the report where she had written down the reasons and circumstantial evidence that led her to that assumption.

She said that the person who most frequently visited the company Lloyd took over was Arianna Valois, and she was also the one Lloyd talked to the most.

On top of that, Count Philipa overheard her talking to Lloyd on her way home from work.

“She didn’t directly say it herself, right?”

“That’s right. I only overheard it, so it’s hard for me to say for sure, but based on the circumstances alone, it’s definitely Arianna Valois.”

Count Philipa added that it would be better if she could testify directly herself.

However, even as he said that, he didn’t seem confident about being able to obtain testimony.

“Is testimony all we need?”

“That’s true, but do you think Duke Valois will just sit still? Based on the rumors currently circulating in high society, the young lady will likely be buried soon.”

But if it’s revealed that she ghostwrote an official document on top of that, Count Philipa expressed concern that it would only be a matter of time before she was kicked out of the family.

Saying that even though what she did was wrong, is there a reason for her to suffer such a big disadvantage?

“I don’t know the details, but I looked into it a bit too. The rumors about the young lady are reaching an extreme. There are even talks on the streets that she secretly gave birth to a child.”

Arianna Valois was currently rumored in high society to be an unfortunate woman who was caught while eloping for love and dragged back to her family.

At first, people sympathized thinking it was a kidnapping, but gradually there were talks that the young lady was also at fault, entangling her in all sorts of scandals.

Starting with saying this wouldn’t have happened if she hadn’t seduced the man like that in the first place, to things like this is why you can’t trust someone who seems quiet.

On top of that, there were even rumors that she was a woman blinded by the desire to rise in status.

Even though the man rumored to be her lover was just a knight of the family.

Leoprick found it all ridiculous.

If the kidnapper was a woman instead of a man, would there be different rumors?

No. They would just twist the direction of the criticism, saying things like the woman is vicious or the man is pitiful, regardless of who the actual victim and perpetrator were.

Just like a tradition passed down from a long, long time ago, high society was always like that.

And it was the same even when all the truth was revealed.

They always created victims and criticized the perpetrators they created that way.

Even though in reality, they themselves were also victims outside that boundary.

Leoprick quietly listened to the story, then opened his mouth to bring up another person both of them knew well, who had the potential to become another victim outside the boundary.

“Then, Count, do you really think what Lady Valois did was wrong?”

When he asked, Count Philipa made a slightly strange expression.

It was an expression that seemed to be thinking about something, but also one of incomprehension.

“I don’t understand the intent of the question, Your Majesty. If the young lady really came up with that business, shouldn’t it have been submitted under her own name?”

“So in other words, the young lady’s only mistake was submitting it under a different name, not overstepping her bounds by making a business plan or something?”

“Why is it wrong for the young lady to be intelligent? The plan itself was indeed excellent, wasn’t it?”

The count furrowed his brows as if he didn’t know what was wrong and why it was a problem.

Saying he couldn’t find anything wrong no matter how much he thought about it.

“I personally thought it was of a much higher caliber than most of the officials working in the imperial palace.”

“I see. So that’s what you think, Count.”

He recalled Count Felice, who had visited just before Count Philipa, making a sharp criticism about Hayley Bell, the head of the Jenit Company.

‘I’m talking about the woman who is the vice-chair of the Jenit Company, Your Majesty. She made me think that I should suggest to Your Highness to change the person in charge to a man. She’s so strict and inflexible!’

Saying things like it would have been much easier if it was a man, and that the work became more difficult because she was a woman, using absurd reasons like he never had an easy time getting even a single document from her.

He knew Count Felice’s way of working very well.

That irresponsible method of conveniently using his position to make people work for him, never having properly worked with his own hands even once.

The fact that Count Felice said such things meant that the vice-chair of the company was doing an excellent job.

The vice-chair of the Jenit Company.

He soon thought of another capable and sharp-minded woman he knew and moved the corners of his mouth slightly.

Then, looking at Count Philipa who seemed to be struggling to understand his intentions, he quietly opened his mouth.

“Count. I heard you have a daughter you lost when she was young.”

“Pardon? How do you know that, Your Majesty…?”

His face, which had become a bit serious from pondering, suddenly changed to surprise.

Leoprick first brought up words to reassure him, as that appearance seemed to be somewhat wary.

“I found out by chance too. I happened to learn that Lloyd was tracking your movements.”

“Are you talking about the viscount?”

Count Philipa asked sharply.

He probably knew the viscount didn’t like him, but maybe he didn’t expect him to go as far as investigating him.

Leoprick nodded, looking at the confused count.

“Yes. It seems he was trying to blackmail you to make things easier for himself.”

But I noticed first and stopped the investigation.

He handed the count the documents he had investigated while continuing.

“That’s how I found out. That you have a hidden daughter.”

“…Then, do you perhaps also know who she is?”

Leoprick, who had been speaking indifferently, raised an eyebrow at the count’s reaction.

Because those words asking if he knew who she was sounded as if he already knew himself.

Leoprick carefully observed his reaction and slowly opened his mouth.

“You seem as if you know exactly where your lost daughter is, Count.”

“What kind of parent would just live on after losing their child? They just pretend not to know.”

The count gave a bitter smile at his question.

Judging from his expression, he seemed to have already exhausted all means to find his daughter.

He was just pretending not to know, for the child’s sake, or for his own.

He then raised his gaze to meet Leoprick’s straight on.

“Did you know too, Your Majesty?”

Count Philipa asked back.

Asking if he knew who his daughter was.

Leoprick met that gaze and thought.

Those were the eyes of a parent.

The eyes of a parent who would give everything to protect their child.

So if Leoprick said he knew who the count’s daughter was and tried to use that, Count Philipa would devote his entire being to destroying him.

Even if the end was his own destruction.

“No. I only have a vague guess. I have a hunch about who the count’s daughter is, but no physical evidence or confirmation.”

So Leoprick played along to what such a father wanted.

That he wasn’t certain who it was, and had no intention of trying to confirm it in the future either.

“So don’t worry. I’m not uncouth enough to do such a thing.”

As he finished his words with a playful wink, the count let out a small laugh.

Then he showed a slightly relieved smile.

“I’m glad it was you who found out first, Your Majesty, not the viscount.”

“Well, it’s also a loss for me if the count is threatened.”

Count Philipa said that and slowly bowed.

“Thank you for your generosity, Your Majesty. From now on, Philipa will never betray you.”

And he gave Leoprick a gift that would ensure he would never regret his choice.