‘Truly remarkable, in a different sense.’

As Clea had said, Hayden slowly investigated the Odoi family.

Normally, he would have looked around carelessly due to finding it bothersome.

After opening Pandora’s box and examining each item, he felt like laughing in disbelief.

From manipulating accounting books to discovering his assets flowing to strange places here and there.

‘They’ve managed to hide such things so well until now.’

He was able to know all this thanks to what Clea had told him in the carriage.

If she hadn’t informed him in the carriage, he would never have found out about these things.

“I will check other places as well.”

“Yes, please do so.”

Hayden put down what he was holding and moved.

By now, Clea should have finished her task.

With each step Hayden took, the gazes of the servants followed.

He felt ridiculous as he sensed the stares directed at him.

Usually in such cases, people try their best to look good to the clergy.

Since the clergy were also mere humans, there were instances where they would turn a blind eye if treated well.

However, the people here seemed completely wary from the start.

For them, appearing with Clea, whom they never wanted to face again, could be a reason, but there was nothing good about being hostile to a clergyman.

‘I should visit again next time.’

Originally, it was a place he never wanted to visit again, but Hayden changed his mind.

The Odoi family was more like a cavity than excrement.

Excrement could be avoided because it’s dirty, but a cavity could rot the gums if continuously ignored.

Since one had to deal with it cleanly to keep other teeth and gums healthy, he promised himself a next time.

He continued walking, vowing to thoroughly investigate everything he hadn’t examined then.

Following the curse’s energy emanating from Clea for a while, one of the servants following him suddenly blocked his path.

“You must not go this way.”

Hayden roughly guessed why he was blocking the way.

It seemed he either intended to harm Clea or wanted to keep him away as much as possible, thinking he might interfere.

“Is there a reason why I shouldn’t go?”

“That is… it’s not fully organized yet, so it would be embarrassing to show others.”

“It’s fine. Isn’t an inspection usually done suddenly? I understand completely, so I hope you won’t mind too much.”

Hayden was dumbfounded. Blocking a clergyman’s path and making such a weak excuse about things not being organized.

The servant tried to block Hayden’s way several times, but Hayden resolutely moved forward.

As he got closer to Clea, the curse’s energy felt more intense.

As a clergyman serving God, he didn’t feel bad or anything about the curse’s evil energy.

However, he was worried. As the energy grew stronger, he suspected that her pain might be increasing.

But since she usually showed no change in expression, even he couldn’t tell how much she was suffering.

With such worried thoughts, he moved forward, and at the end, he witnessed an unbelievable sight before his eyes.

Aria had cut Clea’s side with a dagger.

For a moment, Hayden felt like his mind had completely stopped.

But soon regaining his senses, he shouted loudly.

“What on earth are you doing!”

Since becoming a clergyman, Hayden had rarely raised his voice. But that wasn’t important right now.

Hayden hurriedly approached where Clea was.

Hearing Hayden’s voice, Aria showed a flustered reaction and distanced herself.

“Are you alright!”

When he approached Clea, she staggered.

Hurriedly supporting her, he immediately assessed the situation.

There were drops of blood on the floor. And her clothes were stained red as well.

“I’m fine. So please don’t worry too much.”

Even in this situation, Clea whispered in Hayden’s ear.

For a moment, Hayden almost felt irritated.

Given the visible circumstances, it was definitely not an okay situation.

Yet Clea’s voice was as calm as ever.

Perhaps because of that, Hayden recalled what he had been thinking earlier.

‘If it’s true that she doesn’t show any sign even when in pain from the intensifying curse energy.’

Hayden thought of the medicine he had concocted.

It might reduce the pain a little, but it didn’t solve the fundamental problem at all.

Although Clea told him she was fine, Hayden thought differently.

He now judged that her condition was very poor.

“What do you mean you’re fine!”

“Hayden?”

There was something Clea hadn’t expected.

It was the anger in Hayden’s voice.

“What is the Odoi Duke family doing! Someone is injured, yet you’re doing nothing like this.”

“Young lady!”

As the Odoi family’s servants reluctantly started moving at Hayden’s shout, Aria’s people arrived at the scene.

They had been chasing after Aria who suddenly disappeared before their eyes, but due to the continuous interference from the servants, they had been going around the mansion until now.

“Young lady, what on earth…”

They tried to approach Aria without properly assessing the situation before their eyes.

But seeing the blood-stained knife in Aria’s hand, they stopped in their tracks.

Only then did Clea enter their sight.

It was difficult for them to understand what situation was unfolding.

But one thing was certain, that Aria was the one who had stabbed Clea with a knife here.

“Clea did it first.”

“Young lady.”

“Clea tried to kill me first!”

Aria screamed nervously.

She couldn’t understand why she was receiving such looks.

Clearly, Clea was the one who had done wrong first. She had threatened her first by strangling her neck.

Aria tried to argue that her actions were justified.

Seeing Aria’s behavior, Clea laughed inwardly.

‘I wonder how many people would believe those words now.’

To anyone watching, Aria’s current appearance seemed far from normal.

As she spoke as if making excuses, people’s expressions gradually turned to bewilderment.

Meanwhile, Aria turned her gaze to those who had been standing here like mannequins all this time.

She now spoke as if pleading.

“You all saw it. You saw with your own eyes how Clea pushed me against the door and strangled my neck.”

Certainly, those who could help Aria now were them.

If they testified for her, it would be of some help to Aria. Although only a little.

However, no answer came from them.

As the situation became frustrating, Aria was unable to maintain proper reason.

“Why isn’t anyone answering!”

Watching this scene, Clea let out a laugh.

The gazes of those watching grew increasingly cold.

Among them, only Hayden was looking at her with blazing eyes.

Clea pondered.

‘I wonder how far the knife you drew will be able to bring you down.’

That is, how to conclude this situation.

As Clea was contemplating, someone who appeared to be Aria’s maid suddenly approached Aria.

Aria was momentarily flustered, and the maid snatched the dagger from her.

“Ha.”

Seeing the dagger being taken away, Hayden showed a look of disgust he had never shown before.

Clea also seemed to roughly understand what the maid was thinking to act like that.

“I did it!”

It was laughable.

In front of everyone, she was blatantly and boldly shouting a lie.

That it was she, a mere maid, not Aria Hersher, who had wielded a weapon against Clea.

Seeing this, Hayden wanted to immediately tell her what nonsense that was.

But at Clea’s following laughter, his gaze turned to her.

He asked with his eyes. How could she laugh so calmly in a situation like this?

Reading Hayden’s thoughts, Clea said,

“Hayden, I don’t think you’re as naive as other clergymen.”

The maid’s action was laughable. At the same time, very quick-witted.

This place was none other than the Odoi mansion.

There were things that could serve as evidence. The blood-stained knife and the wound.

However, another important part for proving was witnesses.

Who were those filling this place?

“I doubt if they will do such a good deed, don’t you think?”

“…I don’t want to stay here any longer, have you finished your work?”

“I’ve finished everything.”

At Clea’s answer, everyone looked at Hayden.

Depending on how Hayden responded here, the situation could become complicated.

If Hayden pointed to Aria as the culprit, and the duke’s servants pointed to Aria’s maid, the matter would become complex.

In this situation, Hayden looked at Clea. More precisely, at the wound she had sustained.

‘If I name her here, you’ll just end up in rumors again unnecessarily.’

He considered the possibility of rumors that Clea might have bribed him, the district head.

People liked sensational elements.

Whether true or false, if people started to believe it, there was a high chance they would even associate it with penance.

Though he didn’t want to admit it, Hayden finally realized that he couldn’t help her here.

Having finished his thoughts, he quickly made a judgment.

“Arrest that person.”

No sooner had the words fallen than people approached the maid.

The maid allowed herself to be captured with a relieved expression.

Hayden, displeased with this situation, said to Aria with a dissatisfied expression.

“And Princess, today will be the last time I oversee you.”

With those final words, Hayden supported Clea and headed outside.