"Ahem. You say you only sleep? What do you mean by that?"
"You know how we used to read newspapers back in the day."
Kendrick's pupils wavered at the trivial remark.
"It's because I read everything at the office."
At his reaction, Stella tilted her head with a nonchalant expression.
Stella pulled the rope.
"Why?"
Kendrick sat up, looking surprised.
"I'd like to read the newspaper, too."
Since acting elegantly and composed was ingrained in him, no signs of agitation were visible, but Stella read the wavering in his eyes. Kendrick was feeling anxious.
'Why is he acting like that?'
Stella swallowed her bewilderment.
"Is it because you have a question?"
"I want to see how Lanedict's situation goes."
Stella had never once seen her parents since that day. She didn't want to either. She had heard that the Imperial Family was investigating the Lanedict ducal family, but she had not yet heard how the matter was concluded.
As soon as she pulled the leash, Marie came in.
"Would you bring me the newspaper?"
She quickly brought the newspaper. As Stella was about to pick it up, Kendrick snatched it from her. Then, with a nonchalant expression, he unfolded the newspaper.
"I'll explain it to you."
It was clear that Kendrick was hiding something from her.
'Why won't you show me the newspaper?'
Stella had a bad thought.
'Is something going wrong?'
"Honey, is something wrong?"
"No. I was just worried you might be having a hard time. You're not feeling well, and you have to write, too. You leave all that trivial work to me..."
Stella cut him off without listening to all his excuses.
"Give me that."
"No."
"If you don't give it to me, I'm going to sleep in a separate room from now on."
Kendrick's eyes widened.
"What...? Separate rooms?"
Despair flickered in his eyes.
"I don't say things half-heartedly."
Stella stood up with a determined look on her face. When she even pretended to pack her bags, Kendrick watched her retreating figure with a bewildered expression.
"I'll be staying in the study for the time being."
Stella picked up her bags and left the bedroom. Considering what Kendrick had done in the past, he would have immediately kicked open the door and grabbed Stella, but he did not come out until Stella reached the end of the hallway.
'He really isn't coming out. What's going on?'
Stella bit her lip for no reason. Then she entrusted her luggage to Marie.
"Please move this to the study."
Marie looked surprised by Stella's order, but quickly composed herself and took the luggage.
"All right."
Stella walked slowly. As she did so, she had countless thoughts.
'Is it really a problem about Decrit?
Her head was throbbing. As she headed to the study, her wrist was grabbed.
"Don't go."
Stella didn't notice him approaching as his footsteps blended in with Marie's. When Kendrick looked at Marie while still holding Stella, she discreetly picked up her luggage and slipped away. Stella glanced over to see a newspaper in his other hand. As expected, it seemed he didn't want a separate room.
"What are you trying to hide from me?"
Kendrick held the newspaper tightly and did not show it.
"The newspaper... fine. Just wait a few days before checking. It won't be too late to check once I've resolved this matter."
While he was speaking, Stella snatched the newspaper. Kendrick loosened his grip as if resigned.
[Lanedict's Tax Evasion! Is There an Accomplice?]
[Stella Adrian. Actually an accomplice?]
[The Adrian family had long been filled with suspicious activity. In particular, rumors of promiscuity concerning Duchess Stella Adrian were incessant. Consequently, rumors of discord between the two persisted for a long time. ... It is widely believed that the Duke and Duchess Lanedict chose the path of self-destruction to cover up their daughter's scandal.]
From the main headlines and subheadings to the content of the newspaper, everything was filled with suspicion and criticism of Stella. Stella’s eyes narrowed. Some words caught her eye.
'You're saying I'm an accomplice in tax evasion?'
She spread the newspaper wide open and read the text as if dumbfounded.
"Haa, that's why I tried to hide it."
Kendrick ran his hand through his forehead with a troubled expression.
Stella found out why she had only just noticed something strange. Roy, Kendrick, and Skyle had conspired to act so that Stella wouldn't notice.
'Even though you did it out of concern that I might get hurt...'
Stella was more bewildered than angry. He was trying to cover the sky with his palm. How could he have believed he could keep Stella the only one unaware of a fact that the entire nation knew? Stella glared at Kendrick with a needlessly sharp look. Kendrick averted his gaze, looking into the distance.
'It's okay.'
Solving this problem is the priority.
"Explain everything."
Stella gathered all the materials regarding this matter. It was Rincasta who carried out the order. Rincasta glanced at Kendrick and Skyle as she revealed everything she knew, one by one.
"The first place to publish this article is the Rumor Daily."
"Rumor Daily?"
It was a newspaper she had never heard of before.
"It is a newspaper that is less than a month old. However, it became famous overnight by publishing this scandalous article."
Stella recalled the letter that had warned her not to trust Kendrick. Although it kept bothering her, she kept quiet about it because Kendrick seemed reluctant to talk about the Lady Decrit. She also had a feeling that this incident might be related to that matter.
Stella decided not to pay attention to trivial matters, but to focus on one thing: the Rumor Daily, which published this article.
'What was that newspaper thinking, publishing an article like this?'
An ordinary commoner would not have dared to provoke Adrian with inaccurate rumors. They must have been acting on massive orders or had a mastermind behind them.
'Is it Sercia? Or Duke Lanedict?'
He may have committed this act as a last desperate act, burning with a desire for revenge against Stella.
'If that were the case, they would have messed with Skyle as well as me.'
In the end, it meant that this was someone else's doing. The faces that came to mind afterward were Lady Decrit and Anton Geron. Kendrick, who had been quietly watching Stella's troubled expression, gave an order.
"First, catch the person in charge at the Rumor Daily."
If they scrutinized him, they would surely find some clue. However, Stella dissuaded him.
"No, Kendrick."
He looked at Stella with a questioning expression.
"If you step forward in such a worked-up manner, you will only be fanning the flames of the rumors."
"But we can't just sit idly by. Above all, public criticism against you is going to keep intensifying."
Stella was not afraid of public opinion. The criticism would quickly subside once the truth was revealed. Instead of being intimidated by such trivial matters and hiding, she would choose to reveal the truth 'accurately'.
"It's okay. Everyone, please calm down for now."
She scanned the people sitting in front of her. Kendrick, Skyle, Roy, and Rincasta. Everyone was fidgeting, eager to finish this quickly. The more emotion got into solving the case, the greater the chance of things going wrong.
"There is definitely a mastermind behind this. Everyone agrees with that, right?"
All four of them nodded.
"In that case, the president of the Rumor Daily won't open his mouth easily either. You agree with this, right?"
This time, it seemed like they didn't agree.
"..."
"If you point your sword at them, they will speak out of fear."
"Just make them say it somehow."
"If you tickle the soles of their feet, they'll probably tell you out of sheer agony."
The reactions varied from Kendrick to Rincasta.
"Anyway, this is my business. I don't think it's the right time to act rashly."
"Then?"
"For now, just take your time and watch. That way, you will eventually catch them. It is highly likely they will arrange a meeting to collect payment for spreading the rumors. If they don't show up even after waiting, we can catch them then and either point our swords at them or tickle them."
After leaving, Stella called Skyle into the study.
"Could you do the background check on this job? I'll pay you generously."
"Didn't we decide to just leave it alone?"
Stella shook her head without a word.
"What if we just sit around and miss the scene where we meet the mastermind?"
"Then why don't you ask others for help?"
"Hmm...."
'Because all four of these men were far from rational.'
It seemed like things would go awry if all of them stepped forward together. It would be especially troublesome if Kendrick and Roy were to compete with each other.
"Just because. You're the most trustworthy."
Therefore, she chose Skyle, who was the only one with good emotional control, was clever, and was her own flesh and blood.
"Can you look into it for me?"
"Of course."
Stella refrained from meeting people from then on. Since she had never interacted much with others to begin with, it was not particularly difficult for her. She waited for the results with ease. However, Skyle apparently was not at all at ease. He identified the culprit in less than three days of background checks.
"I've got the evidence. Look at this."
Stella took the photo Skyle handed her. The person sitting opposite the man who appeared to be the president of the Rumor Daily looked familiar.
"Anton Geron...?"
He was a person who had been bothering Stella for a long time.
"That bastard was drinking with the president of the Rumor Daily without any fear."
Skyle gritted his teeth.
"I didn't think he would go this far."
Stella looked down at Skyle's hand, where the blue veins were prominent.
"Just wait a moment."
"How dare you touch my younger sibling?"
"I said wait."
Skyle looked at Stella with a gaze that suggested she was too delicate for her own good.
"We need to put that kid in jail right now for spreading false information."
Stella tilted her head.
'If he were really behind it, there's no way they would meet right away like this.'
Moreover, the two were sitting by the window where anyone passing by could see them, rather than in a secluded spot. In other words, it was not a suitable place to give bribes. A long debate ensued between Skyle, who argued that they should immediately report Anton Geron to the Imperial House to strip him of his title and throw him in prison, and Stella, who argued that they should not.
"Here is the tea."
"Thank you."
The servant brought out fresh tea several times. In the end, this was the conclusion Stella reached.
"I guess I'll have to meet him in person."
Skyle accepted this on the condition that he would accompany her. She wrote a letter to Anton Geron by Skyle's side, stating that she would visit him in the near future.
'Let's have a servant deliver this tomorrow.'
Stella wrapped up the matter like that and went to bed. However, as soon as she woke up the next day, her plans went awry.
[Anton Geron, Spreading False Information]
[Stella Adrian's False Accusation]
Articles stating that Anton Geron was sued for spreading false information were published in all newspapers.
"What's this?"
'To think Anton Geron is being held captive by the Imperial Family...?'
Stella hadn't said a word about this, yet things had already escalated to this extent. This was clearly Skyle's doing.
"S... Skyle..."
As Stella whispered Skyle's name in a low voice, Kendrick averted his gaze.
"You know how we used to read newspapers back in the day."
Kendrick's pupils wavered at the trivial remark.
"It's because I read everything at the office."
At his reaction, Stella tilted her head with a nonchalant expression.
“Really?”
"Why?"
Kendrick sat up, looking surprised.
"I'd like to read the newspaper, too."
Since acting elegantly and composed was ingrained in him, no signs of agitation were visible, but Stella read the wavering in his eyes. Kendrick was feeling anxious.
'Why is he acting like that?'
Stella swallowed her bewilderment.
"Is it because you have a question?"
"I want to see how Lanedict's situation goes."
Stella had never once seen her parents since that day. She didn't want to either. She had heard that the Imperial Family was investigating the Lanedict ducal family, but she had not yet heard how the matter was concluded.
As soon as she pulled the leash, Marie came in.
"Would you bring me the newspaper?"
“Yes. I understand.”
"I'll explain it to you."
It was clear that Kendrick was hiding something from her.
'Why won't you show me the newspaper?'
Stella had a bad thought.
'Is something going wrong?'
"Honey, is something wrong?"
"No. I was just worried you might be having a hard time. You're not feeling well, and you have to write, too. You leave all that trivial work to me..."
Stella cut him off without listening to all his excuses.
"Give me that."
"No."
"If you don't give it to me, I'm going to sleep in a separate room from now on."
Kendrick's eyes widened.
"What...? Separate rooms?"
Despair flickered in his eyes.
"I don't say things half-heartedly."
Stella stood up with a determined look on her face. When she even pretended to pack her bags, Kendrick watched her retreating figure with a bewildered expression.
"I'll be staying in the study for the time being."
Stella picked up her bags and left the bedroom. Considering what Kendrick had done in the past, he would have immediately kicked open the door and grabbed Stella, but he did not come out until Stella reached the end of the hallway.
'He really isn't coming out. What's going on?'
Stella bit her lip for no reason. Then she entrusted her luggage to Marie.
"Please move this to the study."
Marie looked surprised by Stella's order, but quickly composed herself and took the luggage.
"All right."
Stella walked slowly. As she did so, she had countless thoughts.
'Is it really a problem about Decrit?
Her head was throbbing. As she headed to the study, her wrist was grabbed.
"Don't go."
Stella didn't notice him approaching as his footsteps blended in with Marie's. When Kendrick looked at Marie while still holding Stella, she discreetly picked up her luggage and slipped away. Stella glanced over to see a newspaper in his other hand. As expected, it seemed he didn't want a separate room.
"What are you trying to hide from me?"
Kendrick held the newspaper tightly and did not show it.
"The newspaper... fine. Just wait a few days before checking. It won't be too late to check once I've resolved this matter."
While he was speaking, Stella snatched the newspaper. Kendrick loosened his grip as if resigned.
[Lanedict's Tax Evasion! Is There an Accomplice?]
[Stella Adrian. Actually an accomplice?]
[The Adrian family had long been filled with suspicious activity. In particular, rumors of promiscuity concerning Duchess Stella Adrian were incessant. Consequently, rumors of discord between the two persisted for a long time. ... It is widely believed that the Duke and Duchess Lanedict chose the path of self-destruction to cover up their daughter's scandal.]
From the main headlines and subheadings to the content of the newspaper, everything was filled with suspicion and criticism of Stella. Stella’s eyes narrowed. Some words caught her eye.
'You're saying I'm an accomplice in tax evasion?'
She spread the newspaper wide open and read the text as if dumbfounded.
"Haa, that's why I tried to hide it."
Kendrick ran his hand through his forehead with a troubled expression.
***
Stella found out why she had only just noticed something strange. Roy, Kendrick, and Skyle had conspired to act so that Stella wouldn't notice.
'Even though you did it out of concern that I might get hurt...'
Stella was more bewildered than angry. He was trying to cover the sky with his palm. How could he have believed he could keep Stella the only one unaware of a fact that the entire nation knew? Stella glared at Kendrick with a needlessly sharp look. Kendrick averted his gaze, looking into the distance.
'It's okay.'
Solving this problem is the priority.
"Explain everything."
Stella gathered all the materials regarding this matter. It was Rincasta who carried out the order. Rincasta glanced at Kendrick and Skyle as she revealed everything she knew, one by one.
"The first place to publish this article is the Rumor Daily."
"Rumor Daily?"
It was a newspaper she had never heard of before.
"It is a newspaper that is less than a month old. However, it became famous overnight by publishing this scandalous article."
Stella recalled the letter that had warned her not to trust Kendrick. Although it kept bothering her, she kept quiet about it because Kendrick seemed reluctant to talk about the Lady Decrit. She also had a feeling that this incident might be related to that matter.
Stella decided not to pay attention to trivial matters, but to focus on one thing: the Rumor Daily, which published this article.
'What was that newspaper thinking, publishing an article like this?'
An ordinary commoner would not have dared to provoke Adrian with inaccurate rumors. They must have been acting on massive orders or had a mastermind behind them.
'Is it Sercia? Or Duke Lanedict?'
He may have committed this act as a last desperate act, burning with a desire for revenge against Stella.
'If that were the case, they would have messed with Skyle as well as me.'
In the end, it meant that this was someone else's doing. The faces that came to mind afterward were Lady Decrit and Anton Geron. Kendrick, who had been quietly watching Stella's troubled expression, gave an order.
"First, catch the person in charge at the Rumor Daily."
If they scrutinized him, they would surely find some clue. However, Stella dissuaded him.
"No, Kendrick."
He looked at Stella with a questioning expression.
"If you step forward in such a worked-up manner, you will only be fanning the flames of the rumors."
"But we can't just sit idly by. Above all, public criticism against you is going to keep intensifying."
Stella was not afraid of public opinion. The criticism would quickly subside once the truth was revealed. Instead of being intimidated by such trivial matters and hiding, she would choose to reveal the truth 'accurately'.
"It's okay. Everyone, please calm down for now."
She scanned the people sitting in front of her. Kendrick, Skyle, Roy, and Rincasta. Everyone was fidgeting, eager to finish this quickly. The more emotion got into solving the case, the greater the chance of things going wrong.
"There is definitely a mastermind behind this. Everyone agrees with that, right?"
All four of them nodded.
"In that case, the president of the Rumor Daily won't open his mouth easily either. You agree with this, right?"
This time, it seemed like they didn't agree.
"..."
"If you point your sword at them, they will speak out of fear."
"Just make them say it somehow."
"If you tickle the soles of their feet, they'll probably tell you out of sheer agony."
The reactions varied from Kendrick to Rincasta.
"Anyway, this is my business. I don't think it's the right time to act rashly."
"Then?"
"For now, just take your time and watch. That way, you will eventually catch them. It is highly likely they will arrange a meeting to collect payment for spreading the rumors. If they don't show up even after waiting, we can catch them then and either point our swords at them or tickle them."
After leaving, Stella called Skyle into the study.
"Could you do the background check on this job? I'll pay you generously."
"Didn't we decide to just leave it alone?"
Stella shook her head without a word.
"What if we just sit around and miss the scene where we meet the mastermind?"
"Then why don't you ask others for help?"
"Hmm...."
'Because all four of these men were far from rational.'
It seemed like things would go awry if all of them stepped forward together. It would be especially troublesome if Kendrick and Roy were to compete with each other.
"Just because. You're the most trustworthy."
Therefore, she chose Skyle, who was the only one with good emotional control, was clever, and was her own flesh and blood.
"Can you look into it for me?"
"Of course."
Stella refrained from meeting people from then on. Since she had never interacted much with others to begin with, it was not particularly difficult for her. She waited for the results with ease. However, Skyle apparently was not at all at ease. He identified the culprit in less than three days of background checks.
"I've got the evidence. Look at this."
Stella took the photo Skyle handed her. The person sitting opposite the man who appeared to be the president of the Rumor Daily looked familiar.
"Anton Geron...?"
He was a person who had been bothering Stella for a long time.
"That bastard was drinking with the president of the Rumor Daily without any fear."
Skyle gritted his teeth.
"I didn't think he would go this far."
Stella looked down at Skyle's hand, where the blue veins were prominent.
"Just wait a moment."
"How dare you touch my younger sibling?"
"I said wait."
Skyle looked at Stella with a gaze that suggested she was too delicate for her own good.
"We need to put that kid in jail right now for spreading false information."
Stella tilted her head.
'If he were really behind it, there's no way they would meet right away like this.'
Moreover, the two were sitting by the window where anyone passing by could see them, rather than in a secluded spot. In other words, it was not a suitable place to give bribes. A long debate ensued between Skyle, who argued that they should immediately report Anton Geron to the Imperial House to strip him of his title and throw him in prison, and Stella, who argued that they should not.
"Here is the tea."
"Thank you."
The servant brought out fresh tea several times. In the end, this was the conclusion Stella reached.
"I guess I'll have to meet him in person."
Skyle accepted this on the condition that he would accompany her. She wrote a letter to Anton Geron by Skyle's side, stating that she would visit him in the near future.
'Let's have a servant deliver this tomorrow.'
Stella wrapped up the matter like that and went to bed. However, as soon as she woke up the next day, her plans went awry.
[Anton Geron, Spreading False Information]
[Stella Adrian's False Accusation]
Articles stating that Anton Geron was sued for spreading false information were published in all newspapers.
"What's this?"
'To think Anton Geron is being held captive by the Imperial Family...?'
Stella hadn't said a word about this, yet things had already escalated to this extent. This was clearly Skyle's doing.
"S... Skyle..."
As Stella whispered Skyle's name in a low voice, Kendrick averted his gaze.
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