The Villainess Doesn't Want Love - Chapter 46

‘If Caroline is involved, there’s no way that bastard Revals isn’t connected.’

Thinking this, Karina spoke forcefully to Jeremiah without realizing it.

“This maid’s death may not be suicide either. The culprit who killed Genon Young Shik may have silenced the maid who had outlived her usefulness after achieving their goal.”

Jeremiah glanced at Karina.

It was an inscrutable expression.

But the response to Karina’s words came not from Jeremiah, but from Ron.

“Lady Grand Duchess, I apologize, but that possibility is almost nonexistent.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“While there was circumstantial evidence that Genon Young Shik’s death was disguised as suicide, this maid’s case is different.”

Ron continued calmly.

“After questioning the other maids who worked with her in the kitchen, we learned that she had been extremely anxious and easily startled recently. She was also much more sensitive than before. As if she had committed a great sin.”

Karina listened intently to Ron’s words.

“The handwriting on the suicide note has been confirmed to match the maid’s, and we’ve also confirmed that she sent a farewell letter apologizing to her family living outside the Grand Duke’s residence.”

“Couldn’t those things be easily fabricated if someone put their mind to it?”

Karina asked seriously.

“If that were all, it might be possible, but we also have testimony that the maid went to confess her sins at the Northern Temple, saying she wanted to confess her crime.”

“What?”

Karina’s eyes widened.

“The description of the woman who confessed to killing someone matches the description of the maid who died this time. This much evidence makes suicide certain.”

“……”

‘Is it really true?’

Karina’s gaze rested on the teacup in her hand.

‘She even went so far as to confess to killing someone.’

There was no room left for doubt.

The circumstantial evidence was too clear.

But this bitter aftertaste still lingered.

“Grand Duchess. What do you want to do?”

Jeremiah suddenly asked.

“Is there something bothering you?”

Karina hesitated a little before speaking.

“I have someone I suspect.”

“Who is that?”

But she couldn’t answer that question.

Because she couldn’t trust Jeremiah.

Karina kept her mouth firmly shut.

Jeremiah, who had been staring at her, spoke again.

“This matter is not unrelated to you, so I’ll do as you wish.”

“…!”

Karina was surprised to hear Jeremiah’s words.

“You’ll do as I wish?”

“Yes.”

Karina immediately looked at Jeremiah’s face with a suspicious expression.

“Why?”

Jeremiah’s face was expressionless.

“I told you. It’s not unrelated to you.”

Jeremiah said calmly.

“So if you want a reinvestigation, we’ll do that.”

“……”

‘It’s a bit surprising, but there’s no need to refuse if he’s offering to do as I want.’

Karina nodded and accepted.

“Then please thoroughly reinvestigate from the beginning. Thoroughly, without missing even the smallest details.”

Karina said seriously.

“Alright.”

Jeremiah nodded to Ron.

“You heard that?”

“Yes…?”

Ron was surprised to see Jeremiah actually ordering a reinvestigation.

‘To order a reinvestigation in this situation with no evidence and an abundance of circumstantial testimony…’

It was all too clear that Jeremiah was making this irrational decision because of Karina.

There was much he wanted to say, but it seemed pointless to say it now as the reinvestigation would happen regardless.

Suppressing his complicated feelings, Ron collected himself and responded.

“Yes. Understood.”

Ron silently bowed his head and left the office.

Only Jeremiah and Karina remained in the office.

“Are you really alright?”

Jeremiah’s question broke the silence.

“…Yes.”

Karina answered briefly.

Jeremiah picked up the teacup in front of him and took a sip.

“Is there anything else you want to say to me?”

‘Anything else I want to say?’

Karina tilted her head with a puzzled expression.

But try as she might, she couldn’t think of anything to say to him.

“No.”

“……”

Jeremiah stared at Karina’s face silently for a while.

Karina looked bewildered, not understanding why.

“I see. Then you should return to your room as well.”

It was a welcome dismissal.

“Alright. Then I’ll be going.”

Karina quickly got up and left the office.

[This is the timeline separator]

Jeremiah was left alone in the office after Karina left.

‘Nothing to say…’

Jeremiah sighed deeply.

He had thought that if he asked like this, Karina would tell him about what happened with Caroline.

From Caroline taking all her living expenses, to preparing for what Genon Young Shik did in the study, to suspecting that the maid’s death wasn’t suicide.

She must have had her own reasons for all of it.

‘And yet she says she has nothing to say…’

It seemed she had no intention of telling him anything, even if there was something to say.

That fact made him feel uncomfortable in a corner of his heart.

The reason he had gone to Karina’s room last night and waited for her was to ask about this.

But when Karina, who had gone out alone with her guard, didn’t return until late, he felt his patience wearing thin.

When she avoided answering his question about where she had been, as if uncomfortable, he momentarily felt frustration and anger rising.

‘This is maddening.’

Jeremiah felt that he had been too swayed by his emotions lately.

And he vaguely knew that Karina was always involved whenever that happened.

‘Why am I acting like this?’

Jeremiah’s sigh deepened.

[This is the timeline separator]

When she returned to her room, Mikhail was waiting.

“Oh, you’re here?”

Karina greeted him happily.

“I came as soon as I woke up.”

“Did you wait long?”

“No.”

Mikhail shrugged.

“The room has changed a lot. It was just right looking around.”

“Ah.”

Karina looked around the room’s interior, which she was still not used to.

“When I first came in, I thought I had come to the wrong place.”

“Do you like it?”

“There was so little here at first. It’s better now.”

“I see.”

Mikhail made an expression as if he didn’t quite like it.

But Karina didn’t notice and moved on to another topic.

“By the way, did you hear about what happened in the prison yesterday?”

“I overheard some whispers about it.”

It seemed no one had told the Grand Duchess’s guard the details of what happened last night.

‘Then I’ll have to take care of it myself.’

Karina told Mikhail about what happened yesterday and what she had just heard.

“I went to see the Grand Duke briefly because of that.”

As Karina continued speaking, the smile gradually faded from Mikhail’s expression.

“Have you become much closer to the Grand Duke?”

“What?”

Karina made an expression of complete incomprehension at the sudden, out-of-place question.

“It seems like you’ve gotten closer than before.”

Mikhail’s tone was somehow brusque as he said this.

“What are you talking about? That’s absolutely impossible.”

Karina denied it firmly, her expression serious.

“I see.”

Mikhail’s expression softened a bit at Karina’s adamant denial.

‘What’s this about…?’

Karina tilted her head for a moment but continued speaking.

“Anyway. So I’m thinking of secretly commissioning an investigation. I can’t just sit still like this.”

“Do you really have to do that? We don’t even know exactly who’s behind this. What if you end up in danger?”

“That’s why I have you, isn’t it?”

Karina smiled with a confident expression.

“You don’t need to worry because you’ll be by my side protecting me.”

Hearing Karina’s answer, Mikhail asked back.

“Indeed, am I the only one who can protect you, Lady Karina?”

His expression was quite serious.

“Of course. You’re my only guard after all.”

Karina replied as if it were obvious.

Mikhail smiled beautifully, his eyes crinkling.

His gentle smile seemed to warm even the room.

The sunlight coming through the window hit his silver hair, scattering light in all directions.

It created an illusion that the entire room had become brighter.

“Lady Karina?”

“Ah…”

Karina, who had been staring blankly at Mikhail’s smile, suddenly came to her senses.

“Oh, right. So, I was hoping you could go to the flower shop again today to place a request. And while you’re at it, check on how the orphanage children are doing.”

“Understood. I’ll be back soon.”

Mikhail turned around again with an “Ah.”

“Did you forget something?”

At Karina’s question, Mikhail grinned and shook his head.

Mikhail approached Karina closely and politely took her hand.

Then he kissed the back of her hand.

Karina was a bit surprised.

It was the first time she had received a hand kiss from Mikhail since meeting him.

But she thought that since Mikhail was originally a magician, he might not be familiar with such social etiquette.

She had never wanted such formalities anyway, so it had never been an issue.

‘Still, I guess he learned some new things somewhere since becoming the Grand Duchess’s guard.’

While she was thinking this, Mikhail didn’t let go of Karina’s hand.

Even after kissing it, he kept holding her hand and continued looking at her.

Usually, it was considered rude to keep holding someone’s hand after a light kiss on the back of the hand as a courtesy.

Karina briefly considered whether she should properly inform him of this fact.

‘He should learn it correctly when learning.’

But when she actually tried to speak, the words wouldn’t come out.

‘It seems like he’s watching for my reaction.’

Mikhail seemed to be looking at her with an expectant gaze.

‘Should I praise him for learning well? Is that what he’s hoping for?’

It didn’t seem right to point out this and that in a situation where he might be hoping for praise after working hard to learn.

‘Right. When children first learn something, we should start with praise.’

Having finished her thought, Karina just smiled brightly at Mikhail.

“Take care and come back safely.”

After sending Mikhail on the errand.

Karina called for Charlotte, the head maid.

Charlotte quickly came upon hearing her call.

“I heard you called for me.”

“Come in.”

Karina let Charlotte into the room.

“The reason I called you is because there’s something I want to ask.”

“I’ll tell you everything I know. Please ask comfortably.”

Karina immediately asked the main point.

“How much do you know about that maid who was in charge of serving food to Genon Young Shik?”

“That maid…”

Charlotte freely shared what she knew about that maid.

“That’s quite detailed. Did you know what I was going to ask?”

At Karina’s question, Charlotte told the truth.

“I learned a lot during the investigation yesterday, including some cross-examination, and everyone’s been talking about this incident, so I learned many new facts this time.”

“I see.”

It was detailed, but there weren’t any facts that differed from the investigation results.

‘What should I do…’

Karina felt all the strength leave her shoulders.

“However…”

Charlotte hesitated before speaking again.