My Sweet Deceiver - Chapter 70

The first place Tehez visited, after recovering her physical strength through a few days of recuperation, was the central temple where Julien was buried.

 

It was because she lost consciousness on the day of Julien’s funeral.

 

“Are you sure you want to go today?”

 

Danielle asked again with a worried face.

 

She looked worried that something might go wrong if Tehez, barely recovered, went out in this inclement weather.

 

“Yes. I’ll be right back. Was it always this bulky?”

 

Tehez raised her arm as if showing off her coat to Danielle.

 

However, Danielle’s face was still hardened with worry about Tehez.

 

Danielle wasn’t the only one.

 

As soon as the news spread that she was going out, there was a stir in her palace.

 

The carriage, which Tehez would ride in, was loaded with a brazier and a thick fur blanket.

 

And she wore several layers of clothes, then wrapped in a thick coat, muffler, and shawl.

 

When she asked if this was enough, her maids shook their heads and urged her to wear one more of her.

 

Tehez felt like a bear preparing for the winter. Now she was in better shape than on any other day.

 

It was also because she did nothing as she was not allowed to do anything, and it was also because her digestion issue went down after she took a rest.

 

Even though the cold wind was blowing outside, her heart was as warm as a spring day. It seemed that the midwinter’s chill would not invade her as much as it used to.

 

Tehez twiddled with her neck. A small pendant hung from her fingertips.

 

After pouring out all the words she wanted to say, it felt so refreshing.

 

It was a fact that there were so many words within.

 

After spending time with him for some time, she returned to her palace, and as if her insomnia had been forgotten, she could sleep as if she were dead.

 

Then, she devoted herself to recovery and got better to some extent.

 

“Stop it now.”

 

When she raised her hand, the maids withdrew their hands at once.

 

As she moved, Danielle and Yarol followed behind her.

 

When Tehez arrived at the temple, a priest was there to meet her.

 

“Welcome, Princess.”

 

“Today is my personal appointment.”

 

Only when she showed signs of refusing guidance, the priest greeted her and turned to leave.

 

Although it was announced in advance that it was an unofficial visit schedule, it seemed that she could not be ignored when she visited, who was like a big hand in the temple.

 

After being greeted by the priest, she went to the Royal Cemetery behind the central temple.

 

If you go through the temple building and go to the back, there is a wide empty lot – the royal family cemetery.

 

“Would you let me go alone here?”

 

Danielle and Yarol stopped at her question.

 

“Thank you.”

 

Tehez moved her steps slowly through the old tombs with faded tombstones.

 

And at the end of it, there was a small tomb that was still only a pile of dirt.

 

She stood before it.

 

Tehez looked at the pile of dirt with the tombstone inscribed with “Julien Grammoir.”

 

A small tomb.

 

Below here, a child, like a flower that had not bloomed, was asleep…

 

Some flowers were on Julien’s tomb, perhaps because someone had visited.

 

She set the bouquet she had brought beside him.

 

A cold wind brushed Tehez’s cheek.

 

She said her greetings to Julien inwardly.

 

‘Dear Julien. I’m so sorry. I will pay for all these sins until I die. May you be happy in a place where there is no pain now.’

 

After standing still in front of Julien’s grave for a long time, she moved her steps.

 

Tears didn’t flow.

 

It was time for her to get back to work.

 

* * *

 

Tehez took the carriage and went somewhere.

 

It was not the royal palace.

 

When the carriage tried to pass through the main square, the entrance to the square was blocked.

 

And after that, police officers could be seen patrolling the square.

 

“The square is blocked. We have to go back,” shouted the coachman and turned to look around.

 

As Tehez looked out of her window puzzled, Danielle said, “It seems that the square has been closed because there are sporadic armed demonstrations.”

 

“A republican protest?”

 

“Yes. That’s right.”

 

Tehez frowned and muttered to herself.

 

“What does it mean to be so good when you set fire and even show violence?”

 

Behind her words, there was a hint of doubt about whether it was a reason to risk one’s life.

 

Then Danielle answered Tehez’s words.

 

“They seem to think that the monarchy, which has lasted for hundreds of years, is now a relic of the old days. They say that the closed Enland also created a parliament.”

 

“Did the King of Enland approve it?”

 

“He did.”

 

“Oh my gosh.”

 

She let out an exclamation.

 

The only noise was the sound of the horseshoe hitting the ground.

 

Tehez, lost in her thoughts, spoke after a while.

 

“It is always impossible to know the road not taken. And yet I can’t imagine Valloise not having a King. If the King is gone, who will rule the country? If ordinary people who only know how to make a living rush to the palace and ask that they participate in the rule, wouldn’t that be the shortcut to ruining the country?”

 

“…”

 

Unusually, Danielle did not respond readily to her words.

 

Danielle was just looking somewhere at Tehez’s feet.

 

“We’re here.”

 

Just in time, at the words of the coachman, Tehez got out of the carriage without waiting for Danielle.

 

The place she arrived was the back door of the gambling house.

 

She moved her feet with familiar steps and went up to the office on the second floor.

 

Excited, Melby greeted Tehez.

 

“Princess! How are you feeling?”

 

“Get your hands off me, Melby. I’m fine.”

 

“I was so surprised to see an article saying you collapsed at the funeral! How can you hurt your body like this, Princess?!”

 

Melby, who saw her face after a long time, stroked her arm with a tearful look on his face.

 

Today, Melby’s scent was still vibrating as if it had been poured on a strange perfume.

 

Tehez touched her forehead as if her head was hurting.

 

“Thank you for your concern, but isn’t there a reason we met today?”

 

“A hug if you’re thankful.”

 

Melby opened his arms with a sly smirk.

 

“Are you out of your mind?”

 

Tehez went to the top seat with a cold face.

 

Then Melby sat down next to her and chattered as if he was used to her refusal.

 

“It took me a while to find him. You know, I did what the police couldn’t find. You must give me a reward.”

 

“Danielle, take one of the pockets from the safe and give it to Melby.”

 

“Yes, okay.”

 

Danielle reached the safe and tried to pull out a pouch full of Louis.

 

“Not like that. A heartfelt reward would be even better.”

 

“…”

 

Melby was looking at her with a smile.

 

“Danielle, give the pouch to Melby with all your heart.”

 

“Yes, okay.”

 

“Ah! That’s enough. I’ll just tell you.”

 

Melby sulked with a puzzled expression.

 

“Danielle, put it away.”

 

“Okay.”

 

Danielle came and stood behind Tehez.

 

“If you don’t take it, it’s your loss.”

 

At Tehez’s words, Melby rolled his eyes. However, when Tehez chinned and urged Melby to speak, he reluctantly opened his mouth.

 

“The culprit who killed three people in the capital in the same way is a 20-year-old man named Fabian Olang. He works as an apprentice in an architectural office.”

 

“If he is an apprentice at an architectural office, it is quite different from the popular assumption that he is a doctor.”

 

She responded to Melby’s explanation.

 

While collecting rumours floating around the capital, the rumours that came along with it were speculation that the killer was a doctor because of his professional knife skills.

 

“Yes. His father was a doctor by profession.”

 

“I see. Go on.”

 

“As you know, the method of killing was with a sharp tool, a knife. The crimes usually took place in the middle of the night, and after the killings, the bodies were dumped on the banks of the river Allir.”

 

“Where and how did you catch him?”

 

“Since he kept dumping the bodies in the Allir, I released people by the river and put them under cover. There was no such thing as ignorance here. It was difficult to trace because there was so little evidence.”

 

“It’s a knife.”

 

Tehez was silent, as if lost in thought.

 

“So, where is the culprit now?”

 

“He is well kept in the safe house.”

 

Melby replied refreshingly.

 

“Looking at you saying that, it doesn’t look very neat.”

 

“But I’ve put my life on the line.”

 

Melby gave a well-calculated smile. It was his special technique when he seduced noble ladies.

 

Tehez looked at him without moving.

 

There was no need to know the cruelty hidden behind that innocent face.

 

Because he was a person who did all kinds of things in a shabby back alley.

 

A person’s life in such a place was no different from that of a fly, so the comrades who had been robbing with him until yesterday were often found dead the next day.

 

She knew well that his ideas were a little crooked compared to ordinary people because he had grown up in such an environment.

 

Because he was the one who collected, washed, clothed, and made people like that.

 

Of course, she didn’t do it.

 

Upon entering the royal family, she felt the need for talent to work beneath the waters instead of herself.

 

Until then, it was solvable within her line.

 

However, as her work gradually increased, it was Melby who got caught by her as she was gathering one or two people.

 

“Keep an eye on the criminal so that he doesn’t run away. So how do I use him?”

 

At her words, Melby’s eyes lit up.

 

“You have to do it in a way that you are good at. Rumours and incentives.”

 

Tehez nodded her head as if she agreed with him this time.

 

“Ah, and Princess. I sneakily asked noble ladies about Lady Lemac. Are you curious?”

 

Melby said as if he had just remembered.

 

Tehez passed over such clumsy acting as if it were cute.

 

“Tell me.”

 

“Then start with the meal. I’ll let you know when I finish eating the meat soup I made.”

 

Tehez looked at him with calm eyes.

 

Then she called out to him in a low voice.

 

“You.”

 

“Yes, Princess.”

 

“Did you run out of money?”

 

“No. I’ll just tell you. Let’s have a meal instead,” said Melby, sighing.

 

“Okay.”

 

As he ate the freshly brewed soup brought, Tehez could hear about the Lemac family’s secrets.

 

(To be continued in the next episode)

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