Chapter 157 - 2-39 Louis's Perspective
I let out a sigh while glancing at the pocket watch on my desk.
「Louis, you’ve been checking the time incessantly. Are you waiting for someone?」
Theodore, who was stroking Van’s head on the sofa across from me, looked over with a curious expression.
「...It’s complicated.」
「What is? We might finally be able to return to our original world tonight.」
Indeed, the day to act had finally arrived. The Spirit King was scheduled to depart the Land of Light Spirits at midnight tomorrow. Accordingly, we would use Van to head to the Land of Light Spirits at the stroke of midnight tonight.
Because it was the day I had been waiting for, I couldn't hide my anticipation, despite the underlying anxiety and tension. Yet, over the last few days, I had been plagued by the conflict of whether it was truly right to leave like this.
「Of course I want to go back immediately. But... I’ve left too many things unfinished. It weighs on me.」
Theodore stopped stroking Van and his expression softened into one of concern.
「You mean the Miss Marcel of this world?」
「Yes. I’ve finally grasped a few clues. If I leave now, the knowledge of who killed Rachel and why she was targeted might be lost forever.」
Who attacked Rachel and for what purpose? Can I really return without identifying the enemy? If I don't know who they are in the original world either, Rachel might still be in danger there.
「We’re finally approaching the truth. I’d be lying if I said I didn't feel frustrated.」
I clenched my hands tightly on the desk. Theodore gave a troubled, wry smile, stood up, and walked over to stand in front of me, his relaxed expression shifting into one of gravity.
「...Louis, do you truly suspect that person’s involvement?」
Though we were the only two in the room, Theodore checked our surroundings before lowering his voice to ask the question.
「You suspect it too, don't you, Theodore? You must have realized. Why did the 'me' of this world remain so silent even after his fiancée was murdered?」
「...I suppose so.」
Theodore looked down, a pained expression on his face. The silence that filled the room was suddenly broken by a sharp knock on the door.
「Your Highness, may I enter?」
Recognizing Cyril’s voice, I granted permission. He entered with documents in hand and walked quickly toward Theodore and me.
「Ah, Cyril. Do you have what I asked for?」
「Right here, sir.」
「What’s this? A progress report?」 Theodore peered curiously at the papers Cyril placed on the desk.
「This is the report on the medicinal herbs I asked Alberic to investigate.」
「Prince Alberic emphasized that this is only a preliminary report and cannot be taken as absolute proof,」 Cyril added.
「No, this level of detail is more than enough.」
I scanned the document from top to bottom before handing it to Theodore, who was leaning in to look. 「Heh, Prince Alberic really is impressive. To find all this in just a few days.」
「It’s thanks to you, Theodore, for investigating the Cursed Medicine Rachel supposedly obtained so quickly.」
That we had come this far from the meager information in Miss Carroll’s letter was entirely due to Theodore’s information network. Despite the pharmacy owner, the ledgers, and the medicine itself having vanished without a trace, Theodore had identified the drug Rachel obtained through the connections he had built during his time away from magic.
「Honestly, I was surprised that Miss Carroll’s incident was connected to this. But the more I look into that shop, the fishier it gets. They handled many herbs not authorized by the state. They must have been quick on their feet; the place was an empty shell by the time the knights arrived after the incident.」
「The fact that they could flee before the incident became public suggests a high probability they were connected to the mastermind behind the tea party incident and Rachel’s murder.」
「A mastermind...?」 Cyril’s eyes widened in shock.
「Are you saying someone swapped the tea leaves at the party between Miss Marcel and Miss Carroll?」
「That seems likely. ...Someone who knew Rachel was obtaining Cursed Medicine. Or perhaps someone who provided her with the information about the herbs and the pharmacy, leading her to make the purchase there.」
For the mastermind, the important thing was the fact that Rachel had personally obtained and served a drug to harm Miss Carroll. The specific type of poison could be manipulated afterward.
「In other words, it would have to be someone capable of swapping the poison at that tea party. That narrows it down to a few people. A private tea party at the Marcel estate... No, but would a servant of the Marcel household do such a thing?」
「Unlikely. Marquis Marcel is a cautious man. There is almost no turnover among his servants. However, several of Rachel’s friends visited her before the tea party that day. Furthermore, with the royal ball approaching, several messengers from the palace were coming and going. And a priest from the Great Church accompanied Miss Carroll.」
The files Cyril had previously compiled contained detailed records of these movements.
「Everyone who entered the Marcel estate that day was questioned, and it was determined there were no suspicious points... but it seems we need to re-examine them.」