Chapter 34: "What's the problem?"

"What's the problem?"

"What?"

"It's true that several maids helped verify the efficacy of the medicine. However, there was no consent in the process. Where is the evidence for that claim?"

Unfortunately, there was one loophole in Incan's confession that Yelena had recorded.

"What do you mean? None of the maids who became test subjects knew why they had children. There are also witnesses. Even so..."

"I didn't give the medicine to the duke's maids."

"What?"

"I only said that I gave medicine to maids, but I didn't say it was the duke's maids."

"...!"

She had made a mistake. Yelena succeeded in exposing Incan's true nature, but in the end, she lacked evidence, so she was unable to make him pay for his crime.

"I admit it's a suspicious coincidence. So if you release me, I won't formally pursue this matter. Oh, and about this wound."

Instead, Incan seemed more concerned about his head wound caused by Yelena.

So, was Incan cleared of the charges and released safely?

He wasn't.

"When was Incan Marezon scheduled to return to his family?"

"Two days from now."

"Then, any evidence should reveal itself. Lock him up in the meantime."

"Yes, Your Excellency."

"Ben. Bring the man I was talking about to the castle before dawn."

The very next day, Ben brought the doctor who had stopped working at the castle several months ago at the command of Duke Mayhard.

He had been hiding in a remote area, which took a full day to reach by carriage, so a sorcerer was mobilized to bring him to the castle overnight.

Yelena was surprised the first time she heard about it.

"... Ben, how much did you spend?"

Even a considerable amount of gold was not enough to make a sorcerer cooperate.

The sorcerer was also called that night and was suddenly made to work.

Yelena prodded the butler, Ben, and asked him, but he only smiled and didn't answer.

The doctor, who had been arrested, confessed to his crimes after interrogation.

He was bribed by Incan and had examined the maids at the right time to diagnose their pregnancy.

Then, he coaxed those who were in denial and advised them to resign and return to their hometown to give birth to their child.

However, what the doctor said to coax the maid was ridiculous.

"Curses?"

Abbie conveyed her words with a slightly perplexed tone.

"Yes. He told the maids it might be a curse and that nothing good would come from telling people they were cursed. He advised them to hide the truth and go down to their hometown quietly to give birth to a fatherless child."

"Huh?"

Yelena's mouth was wide open.

"Similarly, he prevented any abortions. He claimed that if they were to abort the child carelessly, a greater curse would befall on them."

"They believed that? The maids?"

Even if a person was naive, there must be a limit to their foolishness.

Yelena, who couldn't understand at all, asked again.

Abbie showed signs of conflict.

She seemed to be worried about whether she should defend her former co-workers or answer honestly.

The veteran maid, Abbie, eventually chose the latter.

"Rumors circulating among the aristocrats usually also circulate among the subordinates that serve them."

"..."

"Sometimes it becomes more complicated than it actually is."

Yelena's face hardened at Abbie's words.

At Yelena's silence, Abbie quickly lowered her head.

"I'm sorry."

"... No, this is not your fault."

Yelena squeezed her fist beside the teacup on the table.

Rumors of him.

His curse.

That monster, that...

"..."

Yelena shut her mouth and calmed her anger.

In any case, they were just victims of this matter.

Apart from being angry, she didn't want to turn the blame on the maids.

Instead, Yelena redirected her anger in a more rational direction.

"What's the doctor's punishment?"

"His wrists and tongue were cut off."

Yelena's expression lightened up a little.

Aside from the remarks about the 'curse,' what the doctor did when Incan bribed him was an act of contempt to the entire duchy.

It was a deserved punishment.

Unclenching her fist, Yelena lifted the teacup, took a sip, and then opened her mouth.

She had a question.

"How did he know the doctor was bribed?"

Yelena muttered the question to herself, but Abbie immediately answered.

"That's... probably because the maids resigned within two months at the latest."