“Are all those people the Count’s employees who were confined yesterday?”

“Yes, even if they try to disperse them, they’re stubbornly staying like that. Demanding to release the Count…”

“The Count? Are you talking about that nobleman imprisoned in the underground dungeon?”

“Yeah, his name was Li, Li… what was it again?”

“Count Ripe?”

“Ah, right! That was the name… Oh, Young Miss?!”

The two maids who were whispering to each other looked at me in surprise.

I ignored them and squeezed between the two to ask again.

“So, all those people outside are Count Ripe’s people?”

“Y-Yes, that’s right. But Young Miss, how long have you been standing there?”

“Ah, don’t mind me!”

After giving a hasty reply, I quickly returned to my room.

As soon as I closed the door, I slumped down on the floor.

I was almost in a state of panic now. The situation was going completely wrong.

‘Those people are Count Ripe’s employees…’

Now I realized what I had been missing all this time.

‘I should have first found out why Count Ripe came to the Duke’s mansion that day!’

On the first day I met Count Ripe, he fled without even meeting the Duke.

As if he was someone who shouldn’t be seen, even though he came to meet the Duke.

Like someone who was feeling very guilty!

‘At this rate, we’ll all end up like fools. Not only taking in an orphan as an adopted child but also making him the heir.’

‘Master! You must refrain from such words…! I’m already distressed enough that it has come this far!’

‘Well, do I need permission to speak with my own mouth? Stop nagging and go find where those ledgers I mentioned might be hidden!’

‘Oh, Master! Please lower your voice…’

I recalled the conversation between Count Ripe and his servant that I had overheard by chance that day.

The Duke managed his assets with double ledgers to evade taxes.

However, most vassals showed no interest in the Duke’s ledgers or hidden double ledgers.

It didn’t affect them whether the Duke evaded taxes or not, and there was no benefit to them in stirring up trouble.

But for someone with integrity, it would be different.

A person of upright character would never easily accept tax evasion from the family they serve.

Count Ripe probably had many conflicts with the Duke due to such differences in character.

So, does that mean Count Ripe is the culprit…?

When reading the original story, I didn’t question much that such a person was the culprit, but now that I think about it, it was quite strange.

Would someone so honest and upright attempt murder?

‘Moreover, who are all these people?’

My mind was in chaos.

Even apart from the original story, it was rare for employees to stand up and protect their employer like this, no matter how well they were treated.

Moreover, this was the Crustel Duke’s mansion.

I knew the Duke was a villain because of the original story, but even if I hadn’t known the original, I would have thought the Duke was a villain.

‘That’s probably what all the citizens of the Empire would think.’

The Duke’s image was already the worst in the Empire.

Moreover, in this Hesera region where the imperial influence was minimal, the Duke was virtually a lawless figure.

If it were just an employer-employee relationship, they wouldn’t have stood up against the villainous Duke like this.

They would have stayed quiet, trying not to draw attention.

For a count, rebelling against a duke, a great nobleman, was a dangerous act.

Besides the risk of falling out of favor with the Duke, the Leviche Knights were the only force capable of protecting against monster attacks.

It was no exaggeration to say that all residents in Hesera could only survive under the protection of the Leviche Knights.

‘Count Ripe must have treated his employees well for them to stand up for him like this.’

I recalled how Count Ripe had been accompanied by an elderly servant not long ago.

The elderly servant, who seemed to have been with him for many years, followed him comfortably and spoke to the Count without hesitation.

That must mean Count Ripe usually treated his employees well.

Would someone like that hire an assassin to kill the Duke? When it could endanger not only his employees but all the residents?

‘No, there’s no way he would have done that.’

There was much to gain from killing the Duke, but it would also require time to stabilize.

During that uncertain period, the powerless residents would inevitably be sacrificed.

The Leviche Knights, known as the Duke’s dogs, would be disbanded, and in the meantime, the residents would lose their homes or become food for the monsters that would multiply again.

However, even considering all that, there was still one thing that bothered me.

The servant attending to Count Ripe on the day of the meeting was not the elderly servant I saw on the first day, but a young, unfamiliar servant.

‘It’s true that servant tried to harm me.’

Moreover, I clearly saw with my own eyes the Count’s servant trying to poison the Duke’s tea.

And Count Ripe even directly ordered that servant to take me away, didn’t he?

‘…Could it be that someone planned this deliberately?’

In the original story, there were two culprits. Besides Count Ripe, there was another vassal. In the original, the Duke caught both of them and punished them.

I stood up abruptly.

‘I need to meet Count Ripe.’

There wasn’t much time left. Who knows when the Duke, currently imprisoned in the underground dungeon, would punish the Count.

Especially in a case like this where both evidence and circumstances clearly point to the Count as the culprit.

‘They definitely said he was imprisoned in the underground dungeon earlier.’

The underground dungeon must refer to the space connected from the basement in the annex. When I came to the mansion, I had discovered stairs leading underground during my exploration.

If there’s no one guarding the entrance, I should be able to get in.

Just as I was about to take a step with an anxious heart.

Before I could even take one step, I felt something catch on my skirt. At the same time, I fell forward flat on my face.

“Ouch!”

At first, I thought I had stumbled because I was in a hurry. But something was pulling my skirt back with a strong force.

‘What is it?’

When I turned my head, I saw a pale string firmly attached to my skirt.

No, it wasn’t a pale string. Looking closely, it was the silver snake I saw yesterday.

‘Isn’t that the snake from yesterday?’

I frowned. I felt very uneasy about why it kept appearing in front of me.

‘…No, I don’t know anything about this. Let’s pretend I don’t see it.’

[Don’t pretend you don’t see me, we just made eye contact.]

Somehow knowing my thoughts, the voice echoed in my head again.

Feeling caught, I looked around unnecessarily and muttered to myself.

“Wh-What could my skirt be caught on?”

[You’re really bad at acting.]

“……”

After such scathing criticism, I decided to completely abandon my plan to pretend I didn’t see it.

“Hey, silver snake, I’m kind of busy right now? If you have something to say, come back later.”

Although the silver snake’s frequent appearances were unsettling, I had more urgent matters than this suspicious silver snake.

However, the silver snake, dissatisfied with something, firmly held onto the hem of my skirt and wouldn’t let go.

“Let go of this, I said!”

[Why aren’t you asking me anything?]

“…What?”

When I stopped struggling, the silver snake released my skirt. The silver snake blocking my path flicked its red tongue.

[Usually, when humans see me, they ask where I came from, who I am. But why aren’t you asking me anything? Aren’t you curious about me?]

Curious? I can hardly believe I’m having a conversation with a snake right now.

There are no such things as talking snakes in this world. And there are certainly no snakes that get offended when called a snake.

I know that too. And because I know, I understand that I shouldn’t be curious about this being.

“That’s because I’m not curious.”

[How can that be?]

“It can be like that.”

[Think again, you must be curious?]

“Even if I think again, I’m not curious. So, can you please move aside?”

[Look even now, other humans can’t hear my voice. But you can even have a conversation with me. Are you really not curious about why?]

“Nope, not curious. Don’t need it, not buying.”

I stood on my tiptoes again and reached for the doorknob.

However, before my hand could touch the doorknob, I fell flat on the floor.

It was because that insolent silver snake had bitten firmly onto the hem of my skirt and was dragging me backwards.

“Are you picking a fight with me?!”

I shouted bravely and crawled forward on all fours, grunting with effort.

However, my body was so weak that it could only be dragged backwards by a snake not even as thick as my forearm.

…Sob.

[You small creature, don’t pretend. You’re curious, aren’t you? Come on, I’ll give you a chance to ask now. I’m specially giving you an opportunity.]

What on earth does this suspicious silver snake want from me? Surely it’s not just asking me to ask questions.

That’s why I had no intention of asking anything.

‘I shouldn’t get involved with that silver snake.’

I narrowed my eyes. How could I get rid of this persistent silver snake?

Soon, I stood up and folded my arms. Then I spoke to the silver snake, enunciating each word.

“It’s true that I’ve never seen a pale snake like you before. I’ve never seen a talking snake either, but I’ve also never seen a snake so unreasonable!”

There was a moment of silence. The silver snake trembled as if angry.

Ah, it seems to be working a little.

“But I told you, I’m not curious about a silver snake like you at all!”

[You, you…! You’ve called me a snake four times now!]

The silver snake flicked its red tongue and made hissing sounds.

Seeing its threatening appearance, it seems I’ve provoked it properly.

I adjusted my posture, sneakily looking around, preparing to run towards the door.

[I’m not a snake! You insignificant creature!]

“That’s why I said I’m not curious about what you are!”

I snapped back at him and quickly stood up, heading straight for the door.

But it seems I’ve provoked it too much.

Its approaching posture was becoming increasingly ominous.

Oh no, oh no?

[How dare you, how dare you call me a snake!]

The silver snake’s tail stretched out in front of me.

It tripped my right foot ostentatiously.

“Aiko!”

[See clearly what I am! You insignificant creature!]

Tripping hard, I ended up hitting my nose on the floor.

Unable to even think about getting up, I gently rubbed my nose where the stinging pain was rushing in.

The silver snake raised its body high in front of me and looked down.

[I am the divine beast you should worship!]

Ah…

I lamented.

In the end, it said that in front of me.

Actually, it was a fact I wanted to ignore from the beginning.

Because,

‘You’re supposed to go to the male lead, not me!’

Why on earth did this divine beast come to me?!