Stella did not miss Kendrick's unnatural demeanor.
'No way.'
"Did Kendrick publish this article?"
Kendrick rolled his eyes. Stella was convinced that Kendrick was the culprit.
"How on earth did you know? Ah..."
The servant who brought the tea while she was talking to Skyle was a child Kendrick cherished. If so, was Kendrick spying on Stella's story?
"It was the best way to stop your suffering."
"I told you I'm not afraid of that kind of criticism. It's just a rumor that will disappear soon anyway."
Right. Skyle agreed to meet Geron with Stella regardless. The culprit was not Skyle, but Kendrick. It could be seen that he had put pressure on the media.
"This is a rumor that will soon disappear, too."
"Yes?"
"Unless it really was Anton Geron who did it. I just hoped you weren't the target of the blame."
Stella got out of bed and got ready to go out.
"I need to meet Anton Geron."
She had to meet him, even now. She intended to start with Anton Geron and uncover the truth step by step. Whether he knew about this case, why he met with the president of the Rumor Daily, and whether he was the one who sent the message.
"No. It's dangerous."
"What's so dangerous about it?"
"It's already too late. He must be in the imperial prison by now."
Kendrick tried to dissuade him.
'Just how much pressure did you put on it?'
However, they could not break Stella's stubbornness.
"I can just go to prison."
The next day, Stella applied to visit Anton Geron. Kendrick acted as if he would strictly stop her, but surprisingly, he let Stella go easily. As promised, Stella visited Anton Geron with Skyle. However, he did not accompany her all the way because she had something to talk about without Skyle knowing.
"Why are you following me all the way here?"
"The Imperial Household is my workplace."
"I have something to discuss privately with Anton Geron. I'll call you if anything comes up."
"You're telling me to just wait outside?"
Stella nodded.
"Can't you do that? I want to finish this myself."
At Stella's words, Skyle stopped walking as if resigned to his fate. Stella smiled sweetly and entered where Anton Geron was staying.
'It's in a nicer place than I thought.'
To be precise, Anton Geron was not imprisoned in the Imperial dungeon, but in a solitary cell. Although Imperial knights stood guard, it had a soft bed, books, and sunlight.
"That's unexpected. To think Stella is coming to visit."
Stella approached him, holding the newspaper.
"You know about this article, right?"
"Of course. It is causing quite a stir in high society, isn't it?"
"Why is that?"
"Do you think I paid for this?"
Stella pressed her lips together tightly. It wasn't that she was certain Anton Geron was the culprit. However, Stella wanted to talk to him. Not only about this matter, but also about that message.
"What about the evidence?"
However, in Anton Geron's eyes, it seemed as though Stella was convinced that he was the culprit. Stella's mind was in turmoil. First, she handed Anton a photograph she had received from Kendrick.
"This."
It was a photo of him having a meal with the president of the Somun Daily.
"Does this count as evidence? How do you know if I instructed this person to publish Stella's article or to withdraw it while we were having a meal together?"
A cold smirk appeared on Anton Geron's face.
'Is it really not true?'
Stella took out something else from her pocket as well.
"Are you planning to deny this letter as well?"
It was a letter containing a message not to trust Kendrick. Anton's face contorted.
"Did you also receive a letter like this?"
Stella carefully examined his face.
"Surely you don't think I'm responsible for this, do you? So that's why you came here to verify it."
Anton Geron shifted his body as if feeling wronged. Then he opened the notebook on the desk and showed it to Stella.
"Look at this. See if this handwriting is the same as this handwriting."
Certainly, it was different from the handwriting in the message.
"I can have someone else do that."
Anton Geron frowned at Stella's words.
"You're not going to believe me anyway, are you?"
He certainly looked wronged. He also looked like he was sulking.
"I have a knight training tomorrow, so I need to rest now. You wouldn't want to see me off, would you?"
Anton Geron turned his back on Stella.
"Sorry."
His back looked beyond pitiful; it looked sorrowful.
"The circumstances all point to you. It might be difficult, but can you explain as much as you know?"
Stella did not know much about a man named Anton Geron. However, he was frequently involved in the significant events that occurred in Stella's life. Whether it was when she discovered Kendrick's affair in her previous life, the matter between Kendrick and Lady Decrit, or right now, when Stella was framed as an accomplice in the Duke Lanedict family's tax evasion case.
"I don't want to suspect people who are unrelated to this either."
However, one thing was certain: there was no malice in him. Literally, Stella could not understand at all why Anton Geron was interfering in her life.
"I wish Stella could see my memories instead."
Anton Geron's expression softened at Stella's apology. In fact, there was a reason she had pretended to suspect Anton. She hoped he would lose his judgment due to his agitation. This was because she had read in a book that hallucinatory magic works better when a person is emotionally agitated.
"Lady Stella...?"
"Just wait a moment."
Stella was able to distinguish whether other people's words were false or true in her own way.
He met with the president of the Rumor Daily and ordered him to publish a fake article about Duchess Adrian. When this fact was revealed, the stoning by the people was ceaseless. Then, a dragon descended from the sky and breathed fire at the client.
"Ah..."
"I feel dizzy. Was a hallucinogen sprayed?"
"What did you see?"
"Exactly as written. Someone spread false rumors and was struck to death by the fire breathed by a dragon."
Anton Geron had a grim expression, not knowing why Stella was suddenly doing this.
'If Geron were the culprit, he wouldn't be calm after seeing that hallucination. He must have been terrified, as if he had been struck by fire himself.'
Stella was now convinced that Anton Geron was not the culprit. She felt that she needed to clear his name quickly.
"I'm really sorry. For suspecting you of being the culprit, even if only for a moment."
In the meantime, Anton Geron told Stella a story that would surprise her.
"I have a guess as to who this letter will be sent to. However, I do not know the reason."
"Who is that?"
"Lady Decrit."
Stella's pupils widened slightly at the sound of her name. She was already suspicious of her.
"I found out she's a noble from the western region. Did you know?"
She knew that part from Kendrick. Stella nodded.
"Yes."
"There were more than a few suspicious things about that woman."
"What aspect?"
"No matter how thorough a lie is, it is bound to show if it goes too far."
Anton Geron said that Decrit was lying. However, Stella had a question here.
'No, more importantly, what connection does Anton have with Decrit?'
It was about how Anton Geron knew so much about Decrit. It might be different if it were Stella or Kendrick, but Anton Geron has nothing to do with her, does he?
"By the way, were you and she already acquainted? How do you know her so well?"
Anton Geron looked like he was contemplating for a moment.
"Finding out about her is also part of my job."
Stella stared at him intently with a look that asked what he meant.
"It seemed like she had multiple identities."
For several years, crimes involving paying money to create new identities have been rampant.
Stella recalled the face of the woman resembling Lady Decrit, whom she had seen before collapsing on the street. However, she could not easily accept Anton Geron's words. Those who traded identities were mainly commoners or criminals with unavoidable circumstances.
'Why on earth would she, a doctor and even a noblewoman?'
"I will look for that evidence."
Stella was about to nod, but paused.
"You're going to look it up?"
"Yes."
Stella was puzzled by the way Anton Geron spoke so easily about investigating the crime.
"How?"
'Isn't she currently imprisoned after being mistaken for a criminal?'
Stella intended to prepare to clear his name as soon as she returned to the Duke's mansion. However, Anton Geron tilted his head.
"Really... did you not hear anything from the Duke?"
"What are you talking about?"
Just then, a voice was heard from behind me.
"Stella told me to keep watch so that no one could come in."
At first, Skyle's voice was heard.
"I'm Stella's husband, so I'm not just anyone."
She heard Kendrick's voice. The two of them were bickering as they approached.
"This is a different case. Stella wanted no one to set foot here."
Stella's eyes widened.
"Kendrick...?"
Anton Geron explained the situation.
"The Duke came to see me yesterday. He said that after seeing this photo, he is leaning toward the view that I am not the culprit."
Stella's eyes widened.
"But why is she in prison?"
'No way....'
Until last night, they seemed convinced that Anton Geron was the culprit.
"A bait?"
Anton Geron nodded.
"Because if it becomes known to the public that the culprit is someone else, the real killer will feel safe enough to reveal themselves."
Before she knew it, Skyle and Kendrick were right behind her. Her face flushed with the memory of having gotten angry at Kendrick last night.
"Stella. Did you finish talking to her?"
She turned around and saw Kendrick with a sly expression.
"I specifically asked them to prepare a cozy prison cell because I was worried you might get cold if you visited."
For some reason, the place where Anton Geron was confined was cozy and warm, unlike a typical prison. There were also things to pass the time with, like books and notebooks. In short, Stella was in the palm of Kendrick's hand.
"Judging by your expression, it looks like things went well."
Stella found the languid smile on his face detestable. She dragged him outside and pounded his chest. Skyle, who had needlessly followed Stella, also got into Kendrick's hands and boarded the carriage with a resentful expression.
"Why on earth didn't you stop it?"
"What?"
"If I had just given you a heads-up that putting Anton Geron in prison back then was a bait, we wouldn't have needed to argue."
'We probably came to ask about the message, though.'
Kendrick smirked.
"Because it's cute."
"Yes?"
"Because the way you get angry and push forward with such charisma is so adorable."
Kendrick whispered in Stella's ear.
"I wanted to see you more."
Stella's face turned red like a beet. Stella fidgeted with her fingers, wondering what to say.
"Ahem."
Then, turning her gaze toward the sound of a cough, she saw Skyle with a displeased expression. Stella had forgotten that Skyle was also in the carriage while she was talking to Kendrick.
"Should I get off?"
'No way.'
"Did Kendrick publish this article?"
Kendrick rolled his eyes. Stella was convinced that Kendrick was the culprit.
"How on earth did you know? Ah..."
The servant who brought the tea while she was talking to Skyle was a child Kendrick cherished. If so, was Kendrick spying on Stella's story?
"It was the best way to stop your suffering."
"I told you I'm not afraid of that kind of criticism. It's just a rumor that will disappear soon anyway."
Right. Skyle agreed to meet Geron with Stella regardless. The culprit was not Skyle, but Kendrick. It could be seen that he had put pressure on the media.
"This is a rumor that will soon disappear, too."
"Yes?"
"Unless it really was Anton Geron who did it. I just hoped you weren't the target of the blame."
Stella got out of bed and got ready to go out.
"I need to meet Anton Geron."
She had to meet him, even now. She intended to start with Anton Geron and uncover the truth step by step. Whether he knew about this case, why he met with the president of the Rumor Daily, and whether he was the one who sent the message.
"No. It's dangerous."
"What's so dangerous about it?"
"It's already too late. He must be in the imperial prison by now."
Kendrick tried to dissuade him.
'Just how much pressure did you put on it?'
However, they could not break Stella's stubbornness.
"I can just go to prison."
***
The next day, Stella applied to visit Anton Geron. Kendrick acted as if he would strictly stop her, but surprisingly, he let Stella go easily. As promised, Stella visited Anton Geron with Skyle. However, he did not accompany her all the way because she had something to talk about without Skyle knowing.
"Why are you following me all the way here?"
"The Imperial Household is my workplace."
"I have something to discuss privately with Anton Geron. I'll call you if anything comes up."
"You're telling me to just wait outside?"
Stella nodded.
"Can't you do that? I want to finish this myself."
At Stella's words, Skyle stopped walking as if resigned to his fate. Stella smiled sweetly and entered where Anton Geron was staying.
'It's in a nicer place than I thought.'
To be precise, Anton Geron was not imprisoned in the Imperial dungeon, but in a solitary cell. Although Imperial knights stood guard, it had a soft bed, books, and sunlight.
"That's unexpected. To think Stella is coming to visit."
Stella approached him, holding the newspaper.
"You know about this article, right?"
"Of course. It is causing quite a stir in high society, isn't it?"
"Why is that?"
"Do you think I paid for this?"
Stella pressed her lips together tightly. It wasn't that she was certain Anton Geron was the culprit. However, Stella wanted to talk to him. Not only about this matter, but also about that message.
"What about the evidence?"
However, in Anton Geron's eyes, it seemed as though Stella was convinced that he was the culprit. Stella's mind was in turmoil. First, she handed Anton a photograph she had received from Kendrick.
"This."
It was a photo of him having a meal with the president of the Somun Daily.
"Does this count as evidence? How do you know if I instructed this person to publish Stella's article or to withdraw it while we were having a meal together?"
A cold smirk appeared on Anton Geron's face.
'Is it really not true?'
Stella took out something else from her pocket as well.
"Are you planning to deny this letter as well?"
It was a letter containing a message not to trust Kendrick. Anton's face contorted.
"Did you also receive a letter like this?"
Stella carefully examined his face.
"Surely you don't think I'm responsible for this, do you? So that's why you came here to verify it."
Anton Geron shifted his body as if feeling wronged. Then he opened the notebook on the desk and showed it to Stella.
"Look at this. See if this handwriting is the same as this handwriting."
Certainly, it was different from the handwriting in the message.
"I can have someone else do that."
Anton Geron frowned at Stella's words.
"You're not going to believe me anyway, are you?"
He certainly looked wronged. He also looked like he was sulking.
"I have a knight training tomorrow, so I need to rest now. You wouldn't want to see me off, would you?"
Anton Geron turned his back on Stella.
"Sorry."
His back looked beyond pitiful; it looked sorrowful.
"The circumstances all point to you. It might be difficult, but can you explain as much as you know?"
Stella did not know much about a man named Anton Geron. However, he was frequently involved in the significant events that occurred in Stella's life. Whether it was when she discovered Kendrick's affair in her previous life, the matter between Kendrick and Lady Decrit, or right now, when Stella was framed as an accomplice in the Duke Lanedict family's tax evasion case.
"I don't want to suspect people who are unrelated to this either."
However, one thing was certain: there was no malice in him. Literally, Stella could not understand at all why Anton Geron was interfering in her life.
"I wish Stella could see my memories instead."
Anton Geron's expression softened at Stella's apology. In fact, there was a reason she had pretended to suspect Anton. She hoped he would lose his judgment due to his agitation. This was because she had read in a book that hallucinatory magic works better when a person is emotionally agitated.
"Lady Stella...?"
"Just wait a moment."
Stella was able to distinguish whether other people's words were false or true in her own way.
He met with the president of the Rumor Daily and ordered him to publish a fake article about Duchess Adrian. When this fact was revealed, the stoning by the people was ceaseless. Then, a dragon descended from the sky and breathed fire at the client.
"Ah..."
"I feel dizzy. Was a hallucinogen sprayed?"
"What did you see?"
"Exactly as written. Someone spread false rumors and was struck to death by the fire breathed by a dragon."
Anton Geron had a grim expression, not knowing why Stella was suddenly doing this.
'If Geron were the culprit, he wouldn't be calm after seeing that hallucination. He must have been terrified, as if he had been struck by fire himself.'
Stella was now convinced that Anton Geron was not the culprit. She felt that she needed to clear his name quickly.
"I'm really sorry. For suspecting you of being the culprit, even if only for a moment."
In the meantime, Anton Geron told Stella a story that would surprise her.
"I have a guess as to who this letter will be sent to. However, I do not know the reason."
"Who is that?"
"Lady Decrit."
Stella's pupils widened slightly at the sound of her name. She was already suspicious of her.
"I found out she's a noble from the western region. Did you know?"
She knew that part from Kendrick. Stella nodded.
"Yes."
"There were more than a few suspicious things about that woman."
"What aspect?"
"No matter how thorough a lie is, it is bound to show if it goes too far."
Anton Geron said that Decrit was lying. However, Stella had a question here.
'No, more importantly, what connection does Anton have with Decrit?'
It was about how Anton Geron knew so much about Decrit. It might be different if it were Stella or Kendrick, but Anton Geron has nothing to do with her, does he?
"By the way, were you and she already acquainted? How do you know her so well?"
Anton Geron looked like he was contemplating for a moment.
"Finding out about her is also part of my job."
Stella stared at him intently with a look that asked what he meant.
"It seemed like she had multiple identities."
For several years, crimes involving paying money to create new identities have been rampant.
“Investigating this and getting to the bottom of it is one of the things a journalist is supposed to do.”
'Why on earth would she, a doctor and even a noblewoman?'
"I will look for that evidence."
Stella was about to nod, but paused.
"You're going to look it up?"
"Yes."
Stella was puzzled by the way Anton Geron spoke so easily about investigating the crime.
"How?"
'Isn't she currently imprisoned after being mistaken for a criminal?'
Stella intended to prepare to clear his name as soon as she returned to the Duke's mansion. However, Anton Geron tilted his head.
"Really... did you not hear anything from the Duke?"
"What are you talking about?"
Just then, a voice was heard from behind me.
"Stella told me to keep watch so that no one could come in."
At first, Skyle's voice was heard.
"I'm Stella's husband, so I'm not just anyone."
She heard Kendrick's voice. The two of them were bickering as they approached.
"This is a different case. Stella wanted no one to set foot here."
Stella's eyes widened.
"Kendrick...?"
Anton Geron explained the situation.
"The Duke came to see me yesterday. He said that after seeing this photo, he is leaning toward the view that I am not the culprit."
Stella's eyes widened.
"But why is she in prison?"
'No way....'
Until last night, they seemed convinced that Anton Geron was the culprit.
"A bait?"
Anton Geron nodded.
"Because if it becomes known to the public that the culprit is someone else, the real killer will feel safe enough to reveal themselves."
Before she knew it, Skyle and Kendrick were right behind her. Her face flushed with the memory of having gotten angry at Kendrick last night.
"Stella. Did you finish talking to her?"
She turned around and saw Kendrick with a sly expression.
"I specifically asked them to prepare a cozy prison cell because I was worried you might get cold if you visited."
For some reason, the place where Anton Geron was confined was cozy and warm, unlike a typical prison. There were also things to pass the time with, like books and notebooks. In short, Stella was in the palm of Kendrick's hand.
"Judging by your expression, it looks like things went well."
Stella found the languid smile on his face detestable. She dragged him outside and pounded his chest. Skyle, who had needlessly followed Stella, also got into Kendrick's hands and boarded the carriage with a resentful expression.
"Why on earth didn't you stop it?"
"What?"
"If I had just given you a heads-up that putting Anton Geron in prison back then was a bait, we wouldn't have needed to argue."
'We probably came to ask about the message, though.'
Kendrick smirked.
"Because it's cute."
"Yes?"
"Because the way you get angry and push forward with such charisma is so adorable."
Kendrick whispered in Stella's ear.
"I wanted to see you more."
Stella's face turned red like a beet. Stella fidgeted with her fingers, wondering what to say.
"Ahem."
Then, turning her gaze toward the sound of a cough, she saw Skyle with a displeased expression. Stella had forgotten that Skyle was also in the carriage while she was talking to Kendrick.
"Should I get off?"
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