Chapter 31: The Mystery of the Stone — Part 2

When I looked to my brother for help, he placed a glass back into Brian-sama’s hand.

“We are only at the beginning,” he said, and poured more liquor into both their glasses.

My hand was released, and I quietly felt relieved.

“When he killed Merry the first time, I learned that he was searching through Grandmother’s belongings for a stone with an eye pattern.
It seemed he had never seen the actual object.
He did not know which one it was and tried to take everything.”

As I spoke, a dreadful thought crossed my mind.

“If he reviewed everything and still could not find the stone, perhaps he came to this estate last time as well.
And if that is true…”

I could not say the rest aloud.
Someone would likely have been killed.

The two men seemed to think the same, for they both drank deeply again.

“There is no need to hold back at all,” my brother muttered.

“More than that, his swordsmanship is formally trained.
Not self-taught.”

Brian-sama finally spoke.

“Given his efficiency and ruthlessness, he could be an intelligence operative from some nation.
Ordinary torture may not make him talk.
It may be wiser to use a truth serum.”

Brother sighed in agreement.
Perhaps he had wanted to torture him personally.

“If… if you wish, would you attend the interrogation?”

The question startled me.
Even Brian-sama looked concerned as he asked it.

Me?

Brother stepped in front of me, serious.

“Come listen.
You have many things you want to ask, do you not?
Only Brian-dono and I will conduct the interrogation.
Nothing spoken there will leave that room.”

Ah.
The matter of my own death.
The schemes involving Jason-sama.
That was what they meant.

Did I want to hear?
No.
I did not.

But if I did not listen now, there would be questions left unanswered forever.
The two masterminds were already dead.

I hesitated and studied their faces.
Both were worried for me.

That realization gave me courage.

“I will listen.
Please allow me to attend.”

For some reason, Brother looked as though he might cry.
In contrast, Brian-sama’s expression turned unreadable.

“You are strong.
You keep moving forward.”

He spoke quietly, still expressionless.

“What are you saying?”

Strong?
No one had ever called me that before.

“Earlier as well, you worried for your brother more than for me.
If possible, I would be grateful if you could keep me, even a little, somewhere in your heart.”

“That is because my brother told me you are far stronger than he is.
I somehow believed you would absolutely be fine.”

As I said it, I surprised myself.
There was no guarantee of such a thing.
Why had I believed it so firmly?

“Brian-dono, Maria is inexperienced.
Partly my fault.
She has not yet recognized her own heart.
Would you be willing to proceed slowly?
As slowly as possible?”

Brian-sama nodded.

“Then I shall retrieve a truth serum passed down in my family.
This is confidential.
I trust the two of you.”

He stood.

Brother added,

“I heard about the handkerchief from Lloyd.
That is Maria’s true heart.”

Brian-sama took the folded handkerchief from his breast pocket and showed it.

“Ah.
It is beautifully done.
The same color as your eyes.”

“Yes, though Chuck chewed it and left drool,” Brother muttered.

“May we keep it for a short while?
We will have it cleaned by a skilled servant, and Maria will restore it.”

Brian-sama looked thoughtfully at the handkerchief.

“I will add more embroidery.
I can make it far more splendid before returning it.”

I said enthusiastically.

For some reason, neither of them looked pleased.

“You have already perfectly recreated his eye color!” Brother exclaimed.

“It is fine.
I would be happy if Maria-jou creates a piece she feels satisfied with,” Brian-sama replied with a faint smile.

Brother looked exasperated.

After Brian-sama left the room, Brother began lecturing me.

“You are a lady of marriageable age.
This is precisely when one must understand romantic strategy.
You truly understand nothing, do you?”

“What?
…No.
I have not thought much about such things.”

“Think.
Learn properly.”

Later, I had Bell wash and press the handkerchief.
Then I carefully began re-embroidering over the small marks left by Chuck’s teeth.

I wondered whether Chuck was behaving.
I also kept thinking about Brian-sama’s words.

Did he truly care for me?
It felt like a dream—too unreal to believe.

Yet he had hinted more than once.
Perhaps it was true.

And what about me?

I was not certain.

Of course I liked him.
But I did not know in what way.

If asked whether I liked him more than Chuck, I would say Chuck without hesitation.
Chuck did not make me feel awkward, and he was unconditionally adorable.

But the moment I thought that, I remembered the way his blue eyes had clouded earlier.
My chest tightened.
I felt an urge to run to him, to pat his head and comfort him.

While thinking such scattered thoughts, I continued stitching.
Soon I became absorbed in the embroidery, and my mind filled entirely with that beautiful blue.

“My lady, Lord Eric calls for you.”

Bell’s voice brought me back.
Outside, the orange of sunset had begun to filter in.

“I heard you intend to attend the interrogation.
Shall I accompany you?”

“No.
We do not know what will be said.
There may be things you should not hear.
I will be fine.”

“My lady…”

“I am going now.”

“I will await your return.
If there is anything painful, I will listen for as many hours as needed.”

I wanted to tell her to enjoy herself with the other servants, but the words would not come.
If I said that, she would likely scold me.

“Until I return, eat well, drink well, and laugh as much as possible.
Gather your strength.”

Bell beamed and thumped her chest proudly.

“Leave it to me.”