Chapter 15
Episode 15
"Is that what you call an explanation? You're the only one here who could have poisoned it."
"Do you really think so?"
"Yes. I even asked the Head Chef just in case, but the servants nearby said they didn't see anyone add poison while he was cooking."
"I don't suspect the Head Chef either. He's not the type."
At Rosie's words, the Head Chef, who had been listening silently, blushed and rubbed his nose.
Seeing that, the butler furrowed his brow, and the Head Chef cleared his throat awkwardly, composing his expression.
"I'm not here to play word games with you. Hurry and confess the truth!"
"Understood. But before that."
Rosie turned her head and stared at Marie.
"Marie."
At the sound of her name from Rosie's lips, Marie lifted her head triumphantly.
The winner is me. That bitch is just bluffing.
"I saw you."
Saw what?
As everyone focused on Rosie's words, Marie's eyes flickered briefly.
"Last night."
Marie, knowing what that meant, bit her lip. She'd definitely confirmed no one was around.
Don't panic. There's no evidence anyway. Just call it a lie no matter what she says.
"I saw you meet the Guard and hand him the poison."
Finally, the precise words came from Rosie's mouth.
Everyone turned in shock to look at the two.
Rosie calmly continued.
"Marie was threatening the Guard. What did she say......?"
Rosie didn't finish and looked at the Guard.
Can I tell them what I heard? That you're a spy.
It was clearly that kind of look. The quick-witted Guard rapidly calculated how to handle the situation.
Get caught as a spy and exposed for adding the fruit, getting chased out—or admit his guilt here and keep his secret.
It was Rosie's silent pressure to choose one.
In truth, for survival, the choice was clear.
Fortunately, the Guard made the wise decision.
"I'm sorry, butler! That maid named Marie threatened to tell my wife I'd been cheating! So I had no choice but to......!"
Once again, all eyes turned to Marie.
Just like last night when the kitchen maid confessed she'd done it on Marie's orders.
"Marie, why did you do it?"
Rosie quietly opened her mouth.
"Do you know what might happen to him because of you? He might die from the poison you gave! What do you think will happen to you with the Marquis then?"
"What nonsense! I didn't do it! The Guard is lying!"
"If the monster dies from that poison, do you think you or I will get off unscathed?"
But what she added was the fruit, so why did Rosie keep calling it poison?
She'd heard the fruit she had wouldn't threaten life.
Marie bit her lip hard at the oddity. Then her eyes met Rosie's pink ones in the air.
In that instant, her pink eyes seemed to flush red, creating a chilling optical illusion.
Rosie smiled.
"Marie, are you scared now? Why did you add the poison?"
The smile of assured victory and this question.
Marie realized.
Had Rosie, who witnessed last night by chance, planned all this?
Rosie had colluded with the Guard and swapped the fruit for poison!
Her face twisted as the thought hit her. She had to shut Rosie's mouth somehow right now.
But her mind went blank, preventing any action.
Get a grip. There's still no evidence I added the fruit!
But not everyone thought like Marie.
"Take her away."
At the butler's sharp words like a death sentence, the surrounding servants grabbed her.
If I'm dragged away like this, it's over!
Terror swirled in her mind, but Marie desperately tried to regain her reason.
Unfortunately, if not for Rosie's next words, Marie might have regained some composure.
"Serves you right, Marie. Why add poison? Heinous crime."
Rosie smiled with crinkled eyes, mouthing silently.
'Actually, I added the poison.'
Rosie's lips moved that way.
Enraged at the sight, Marie screamed loudly.
"I didn't do it! Butler, doesn't something feel off? Yesterday I was framed as the culprit, and suddenly the fruit became poison."
"......"
"Rosie plotted to kill the monster and frame me!"
She poured out her injustice with her whole body, squeezing out tears and looking around.
Wait......?
Something was wrong. Chilling stares turned on Marie from all sides.
What did I say wrong?
The butler's eyes turned to the same icy gaze from last night.
"How did you know yesterday's incident involved the fruit, Marie?"
"......Huh?"
Well......
Marie frantically recalled yesterday.
"Rosie, you showed the butler the botanical guide, and there was all that commotion, so of course I knew!"
"Only the butler and kitchen maid saw the botanical guide. Everyone knew the monster collapsed from the drug, but not that it was the Death Flag Fruit with excitatory effects."
Only then did Marie realize her mistake, her face draining pale as she backed away.
Blood seemed to drain from her body.
It was largely because she hadn't thought deeply amid the urgent situation.
She'd assumed everyone knew about the fruit after yesterday's huge fuss.
"B-Butler, no. It's a trap! How I knew...... Ah! I heard Rosie blabbing too! That the food had the fruit in it!"
Incoherent babble. No one believed her belated excuse.
"Take her away."
The butler said coldly, and the servants tightened their grip on Marie's arms.
She struggled not to be dragged, but alas, it was futile.
"Rosie, even though Marie is being dragged away, your suspicions aren't fully cleared, so reflect......"
"Ah! Butler, I forgot to mention."
Rosie spoke up belatedly.
"That person didn't eat the food I gave him."
"What......?"
"He didn't eat it."
The butler couldn't comprehend Rosie's words right away, feeling as if his intelligence had regressed.
Not just the butler—everyone present felt the same.
"Didn't eat it......? Then why say he was sick?"
"He said he was bored and wanted to fake illness."
"......"
In that moment, everyone lost their words.
They could only mutter inwardly, 'What kind of lunatic......'
"And this way, we could catch the culprit."
In the end, Rosie's words proved correct.
If she'd told the butler right away about what she saw last night, only the Guard would be caught.
And if Marie played innocent, the rest would be hard to nab.
It was a kind of psychological warfare.
Clever or cunning—which to call it.
As the butler pondered how to define it alone, it was meaningless worry.
"I knew it......"
Emily's eyes gleamed menacingly. Everyone stared blankly at the suddenly changed atmosphere around Emily.
Suddenly, she rummaged in her bosom. As if something was there.
"Crazy! She's pulling a knife!"
Why does a knife always come from there?
One servant shouted hysterically at Emily's sudden action. Even the usually composed Rosie blinked in shock.
"Atonement with your death!"
Good lord. Emily had finally lost it!
Sure enough, Emily charged at Marie with wild eyes, and the surrounding servants desperately grabbed and stopped her.
Thus, the incident was resolved for the time being.
* * *
In truth, after hearing Rihart's story, I agonized over what to do.
Even if I told the butler, it would be hard to prove Marie's guilt.
And if mishandled, Marie might add drugs again someday, and I could end up the criminal once more.
So I decided to make a big play.
At the same time, I asked Rihart for a favor. To pretend to be sick.
Rihart, who doesn't work for free, set a condition. To grant what he wanted.
I agreed to help except for escape, and Rihart happily accepted.
And now.
Rihart subtly tugged at the strap of my maid uniform and asked languidly.
"May I undress you?"
What are you undressing.
