“You want to go out to the northern town?”

“Yes.”

Karina went to Jeremiah to ask for permission to go out.

Karina was currently prohibited from going out due to her health recovery.

She found out about this because of the knights who stopped her when she tried to leave the room.

‘Grand Duchess, I apologize. It is His Grace the Grand Duke’s order that you must rest absolutely in your room until your body fully recovers.’

That was what the knight guarding Karina’s door had said, bowing his head.

But she couldn’t believe those words at face value.

‘Well, is the reason for the ban on going out really because of my health? Or is it to control my actions again by assigning knights like in the past?’

She had doubts.

As new things kept happening that were different from the past, she thought the future might have changed, but when she experienced things similar to the past again, she thought it wasn’t so.

The fact that she was barely able to survive this time was also thanks to having Mikhail as her escort, unlike in the past.

‘I must find my own way to survive after all.’

Karina’s resolve deepened.

“That would be difficult.”

As expected, Jeremiah did not easily grant permission for Karina to go out.

“Why?”

“How long has it been since you got better? If you need anything, have the knights take care of it.”

Karina couldn’t understand Jeremiah, who kept making excuses about her health and opposing her going out, even though she said she was fine.

But Karina didn’t give up.

Karina had to go out herself.

It was because Selena had said she wanted to report the results of the investigation into the maid’s death directly to Karina.

Karina also judged that it would be good to meet in person since she had a few things she wanted to ask.

“My body has fully recovered. There’s no problem with me going out now.”

Despite Karina’s words, Jeremiah still had an unwilling expression.

“Didn’t you say you would arrange a separate meeting with the people who were held hostage? I’ll go directly to where they are and meet them.”

Karina brought up what Jeremiah had said before about doing as she wished.

“You said before that you would do as I wished, right? This is what I want. I’d like you to allow it.”

Karina said firmly.

If it really didn’t work out, she was thinking of asking Mikhail to sneak out secretly.

“……”

Seeing that Karina showed no signs of backing down, Jeremiah let out a long sigh.

“Alright. But there’s a condition.”

“A condition?”

Karina looked at him with an expression asking what it was.

“I’ll assign escort knights to go with you.”

‘If knights come along, I won’t be able to meet Selena.’

Karina naturally refused.

“Mikhail alone is enough for my escort.”

“That guy already put you in danger once. I can’t trust him. If you refuse the knights’ escort, I cannot allow you to go out.”

Jeremiah said as if this was the most he could compromise.

“……”

Since the incident she got involved in in town was no ordinary matter, she couldn’t think of a suitable excuse to refuse.

After contemplating, Karina decided to take a step back.

“Fine. I’ll accept the knights’ escort. But I don’t want to be disturbed during the meeting with people.”

‘I can just have Mikhail secretly bring Selena to where I am.’

She judged that even if they were caught, calling Selena ‘one of the people who were held hostage’ wouldn’t raise unnecessary suspicion.

“Alright.”

Jeremiah nodded.

And so Karina was able to go out to town.

A building in the northern town was completely emptied, and knights strictly guarded its entrance.

But unlike outside, there were no knights guarding the inside.

This was because Karina had sent all the knights outside, saying she didn’t want to be disturbed.

Inside, Karina met again with those who had been held hostage.

“Grand Duchess! Are you alright?”

“I thought we were going to die for sure back then, but we lived thanks to you, Grand Duchess.”

“Thank you so much.”

The people each conveyed words of gratitude to Karina.

And the old man who had revealed that Karina was the Grand Duchess in front of the escaped prisoners also expressed his gratitude along with words of apology.

“Back then, I didn’t know those men were escaped prisoners targeting the Grand Duchess… When they threatened us with knives, I was so scared that I unwittingly… I made a huge mistake. Please think of it as this old man’s senility and forgive me generously.”

“I also… at the thought of my children dying… I’m so sorry.”

The mother who had two children with her at the time also repeatedly bowed her head and apologized.

“The apologies are unnecessary. It’s already in the past.”

How many people would think of others when they were about to die?

Even she wouldn’t have been able to do so.

“The situation was just bad.”

Karina did not blame them.

But rather, that made them feel even more apologetic.

“I didn’t come here to receive apologies. I’m just glad to see everyone is safe and unharmed.”

In truth, this meeting was meant to be a cover to meet Selena, but Karina made up some plausible words.

Hearing those words, the people looked at Karina with even more moved expressions.

Seeing those gazes made her conscience prick.

Karina averted her eyes from those gazes, pretending not to see them, and took a sip of the warm herbal tea in front of her.

“As expected, just like the rumors……”

The mother of the children muttered.

“Hm? What did you say?”

Karina asked again, not having heard clearly because the voice was so quiet.

“Ah! Nothing! I was just talking to myself!”

The mother waved her hands.

“Is that so?”

Karina brushed it off indifferently.

This was because Karina’s attention was focused elsewhere.

If she waited here just a little longer, Mikhail was scheduled to bring Selena.

Eventually, Mikhail returned.

‘He came back sooner than I thought.’

Karina, who confirmed his return, nodded her head as a signal.

“I’m afraid I’m tired and need to rest a bit. It was enjoyable talking with you all. Is everyone ready for a meal?”

As Karina brought up the words she had prepared, Mikhail smoothly handled the rest.

“The Grand Duchess has not been recovered for long. She needs rest and stability.”

Mikhail drew attention as he guided the people.

“A meal has been prepared. Everyone, please come this way! I will guide you to the next room.”

The people entered the room where the meal was prepared one by one.

“Oh!”

“My goodness.”

People exclaimed in admiration at the feast prepared on the table.

In that moment, Karina slipped up to the upper floor where Selena was hiding, avoiding people’s eyes.

As she entered the room, Selena, who had been waiting, bowed politely to Karina.

“You said you wanted to report to me directly?”

“Yes, that’s right. Let’s sit over here first.”

Karina thought it was a bit unusual, as she always received results in writing whenever she gave her a request.

But if Selena wanted to talk in person to this extent, she was certain that she must have found out some important information.

“It’s not just a simple suicide case, is it?”

Karina spoke first as she sat down.

Selena nodded.

“It’s as you thought, Grand Duchess. That maid was indeed murdered.”

“……!”

Even the Grand Duke’s investigators had concluded it was a simple suicide.

Karina couldn’t sit still, wondering if there was such conclusive evidence to confidently deny it as not suicide.

“How did you find that out?”

“In the underworld, there’s a poison called ‘Croana’ that’s used to kill people.”

“……!”

Karina’s eyes widened.

‘She already knows about the existence of Croana!’

She was shocked by Selena’s level of information.

But Selena, misunderstanding the reason for Karina’s surprise, calmly began explaining about Croana.

“Croana poison shows no symptoms immediately after ingestion, but after 3 days, it suddenly paralyzes the lung nerves, making it impossible to breathe on one’s own.”

“……”

“Since there’s a gap between the time of ingestion and the time of death, it’s difficult to suspect poison as the cause of death when someone dies from this poison. Especially in cases of death by suffocation, it’s almost indistinguishable from death by Croana poison, since the person dies from being unable to breathe.”

A more detailed explanation about Croana followed than expected.

Karina had been thinking of asking Selena to look into Croana poison separately so she could understand this case more accurately, but there was no need for that.

She was curious about how Selena knew so much, but for now, she focused on listening to the continuing explanation.

“When using Croana poison to kill someone, there’s a method that’s always used together.”

“What is it?”

“It’s handwriting forgery.”

“Handwriting forgery?”

“They forge the handwriting of the person who took the poison to fabricate a suicide note. It’s to disguise it as suicide.”

“Ah……!”

Come to think of it, this maid was also found with a suicide note in her possession.

They even said she had sent farewell letters to her family in her hometown.

‘Are you saying all of that was forged?’

“And to forge handwriting, you need the actual handwriting of the person you’re imitating.”

“That means……”

Selena took out an envelope from her pocket and showed it.

“This is the real letter that maid left before she died.”

“Ah……!”

Karina unknowingly clenched her fist.

Hope rose that they might be able to catch the real culprit.

“Is the identity of the real culprit written in this letter?”

“……Unfortunately, that’s not the case.”

Contrary to Karina’s expectations as she asked with shining eyes, a disappointing answer came back.

“What?”

The mood that had risen with expectation crashed back down to the ground.

It felt like being doused with cold water.

“This letter is indeed the last thing that maid wrote just before she died, but it’s not a suicide note, it’s just a letter.”

“A letter?”

Karina began to read the letter inside the envelope that Selena handed over.

It was a letter the deceased maid was sending to her hometown.

Due to sudden circumstances, it seems I won’t be able to continue working at the Grand Duke’s residence. I have to go away for a while, so I might not be able to contact you for some time. But please don’t worry and wait for me. And if anyone comes asking about me, please say you don’t know anything. I’ll explain the circumstances when I return. Until then, please take care of your health.

From Sandy.]

Reading the letter made her heart heavy.

It was evident that it had been written in a hurry.

“They made her write a letter like this even though they were going to kill her anyway?”

Karina read the letter repeatedly.

“As I mentioned earlier, they would have needed the maid’s handwriting. They probably threatened her, saying they would give her the antidote if she quietly left the north and returned to her hometown. Even though they had no intention of letting her live from the beginning.”

Her mood sank.

She felt empty at the fact that they couldn’t identify who the culprit was even after finding this letter.

“……So in the end, we don’t know who the culprit is?”

Karina’s energy drained, feeling dejected.

“But at least this is evidence that Sandy, that maid, didn’t commit suicide. And it’s also evidence that she was deceived and used until the moment she died.”

As she said this, Selena’s expression was filled with contempt.

“Grand Duchess. Please listen carefully to what I’m about to say.”

Selena’s expression was more serious than usual.

Karina nodded, saying she understood, and faced Selena.

Selena took a deep breath and began speaking with a grave expression.

“My husband also died from Croana poison.”

“Husband……?”

Karina couldn’t hide her surprise and bewilderment at this completely unexpected statement.

“You were married? No, more importantly, your husband died from this poison?”