She strode through the estate gardens with absolute familiarity.
It was as if she already knew the way.
‘This should only be her second time visiting House Magzeta.’
Her first visit had been in early childhood, far too young to remember.
Passing a familiar pond in the garden, Rodi turned down a secluded path tucked between the bushes.
Likens’s eyes widened slightly.
‘This place…’
He had never set foot here again since his father died.
“Do you…”
Likens asked, his voice a little hoarse.
“…remember this place?”
‘Huh?’
For a moment, Rodi was caught off guard.
What was he talking about?
“Ah, well, of course.”
Fudging an answer, she soon realized her blunder.
‘I was so focused on finding a way to cheer him up that I didn’t think of an excuse for why I’d know this place!’
It was an appalling slip-up, yet Likens reached his own conclusion.
“I see. So you remembered…”
Where Rodi had led him was the workshop where Joen used to craft his woodwork in secret, hidden from William.
Joen had often brought the young Likens here as well.
Standing before the shed, Likens swallowed a short breath as if steeling himself, then turned the doorknob.
Creeeak—
The interior remained just as he remembered.
Carving chisels were lined up neatly, and a wooden box rested beneath the workbench.
Following him inside, Rodi took in the sight.
Just then, a sharp throb struck her head.
‘Wait.’
A jumble of scenes flashed across her mind.
‘Coward!’
A pretty boy with red hair was sniffling while clutching a wooden doll, and she was snapping at him.
‘You should be able to handle this much on your own!’
Only then did she realize.
These were memories the real Rodi had forgotten.
‘She’d already met Likens when they were little.’
Glancing around once more, she realized this shed was another place she had shared with him as a child.
Rodi felt a wave of relief.
‘Now I have an excuse for knowing where it is.’
“…Why did you bring me here?”
“It’s a place you like, isn’t it?”
“…!”
Likens blinked, momentarily taken aback.
Yet out of long habit, he smoothed over his expression and muttered as if making an excuse.
“…That was when I was a child.”
Even so, his demeanor had softened noticeably from before.
“It has been a long time.”
With a pensive gaze, Likens continued.
“My father used to craft works of art in this shed, keeping it hidden from Grandfather. And I would watch him from his side.”
“Which is why you took an interest in crafts.”
“Yes.”
Likens reached toward the box beneath the workbench.
“Do you remember this as well?”
What he retrieved was a small wooden doll.
“The doll I saved when we were little.”
“And the first thing I ever made. Though I put it all away the day my parents died.”
With a bitter expression, Likens muttered the words as if wrenching them out.
“…I always believed I had to become the perfect successor.”
Rodi gazed at him.
“And didn’t you?”
“No.”
Likens gripped the wooden doll tightly.
“I am not perfect.”
It was fascinating.
No such psychological depth for Likens had existed in the original story.
“You were right.”
“About what?”
Likens lifted his head, his gaze drifting as though staring into the far distance.
“I truly am a liar and a coward.”
A chime rang in her ears.
[Ding!]
[The required conditions have been met. A hidden weakness is now unlocked!]
‘What is this?’
Her eyes wide with surprise, Rodi opened Likens’s system window.
[Name: Likens Magzeta
Age: 25
Weaknesses: Enjoys crafting; fears succeeding to the title of Duke Magzeta.]
Where there had once been question marks, clear letters had appeared.
‘Wait… what?!’
The mighty Likens feared taking up the ducal title? It sounded absurd.
Setting aside her confusion over the chime, Rodi spoke.
“What… do you mean by that?”
“Precisely what I said.”
Likens gave a wry smile.
“In truth, I am neither flawless nor remarkable. What terrifies others frightens me as well, and I would rather put off what I dread for as long as possible.”
The more she listened to him, the stronger the thought grew: ‘Could it be?’
“Likens, are you…”
Could the system window truly be telling the truth?
‘Let’s find out.’
“…afraid of inheriting the title of duke?”
“…!”
Likens looked faintly stunned, then let out a soft chuckle.
Rather than anger, his face showed a peculiar sense of relief.
“And here I thought I had everyone fooled…”
He stared intently at Rodi.
“How did you notice?”
“…”
As if he had not expected an answer, he continued.
“All this time, I was merely wearing a plausible mask called the ‘perfect successor.’”
Rodi watched him quietly. She had never expected to hear such words from him.
‘Deep down, he must have wanted someone to listen all along.’
She could dimly understand. Suppressing oneself was always an exhausting ordeal.
“I’ve babbled nonsense again.”
With another bitter smile, Likens moved to put the wooden doll back into the box.
Rodi stopped him without thinking.
“Wait.”
“What is it?”
“May I have that doll?”
It was an utterly impulsive request.
Seeing the doll shoved away in a forsaken box felt too much like his own heart.
Rodi pushed the point stubbornly.
“I saved it, after all, so it shouldn’t matter, right?”
“…I suppose not.”
Though looking puzzled, Likens handed it over without protest.
“What do you intend to do with it?”
“Display it nicely at home.”
“I made it when I was far too young. It holds no value as an ornament.”
“That’s not true.”
Holding the doll, Rodi added.
“It’s something you carved with care when you were small.”
She offered a gentle smile.
“It’s lovely.”
“…”
His ears flushed a faint pink at her words, though Rodi failed to notice.
She cupped the doll tenderly in both hands.
“If you ever miss this doll…”
As if seeking to bring warmth back into his frozen heart.
“…be sure to come visit my home.”
…Her words sent a strange ripple through the placid depths of Likens’s heart.
✦ ✦ ✦
A few days later, the tragedy from fifteen years ago was thrust back into the spotlight.
And now, it had become intertwined with a string of serial murders.
“Extra, extra! Read all about it!”
With so many witnesses present at the exhumation, the secret could not be kept for long.
The news swept through the capital in an instant.
People read their newspapers in grim distress.
“A serial killer in the capital?”
“This can’t be real…”
Likens was appointed chief of the high-profile investigation, and a special investigative division was formed.
Watching the developments unfold, Rodi considered her next move.
‘Good.’
By now, the true culprit had to be rattled. The crimes were laid bare before the entire world.
‘Now then.’
How could she guide the focus of the investigation straight toward the real perpetrator?
‘Likens is moving swiftly as well.’
There was no denying his competence. Even so.
‘Can he truly catch the culprit before Rafi Violet is killed?’
Deep in thought, Rodi walked along the corridor of the knight order’s headquarters.
Catching sight of her, a few knights quietly slunk away.
‘Simone’s lackeys.’
Perhaps they still felt some shame, given that they had been avoiding her of late.
Rodi stopped before the commander’s office and knocked.
“Enter.”
Opening the door, she found Likens greeting her with his usual impassive expression.
“You’re here.”
“I heard you were looking for me.”
“We’ve narrowed down the individuals to be questioned again regarding Case 531.”
Case 531—the designated code for the murder of Young Duke Joen.
“Who are they?”
Likens handed her a dossier.
Rodi opened the file.
A total of five names were written inside.
Gemma
Count Heiser Gor
Viscount Tein Ginie
Duke William Magzeta
Nior Menien
Reading through the list, Rodi grinned.
‘Likens never disappoints.’
Among the names he had singled out was the true culprit.
