Chapter 29

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"Jewelry is missing, you say?"

When I asked the maid who had woken up in Princess Florenzia's room if she had noticed anything, one of the three maids, an experienced one named Ponini, said that the jewelry she had brought was missing.

They all, the maids and the guards, answered "I don't know" when asked about what happened when they lost consciousness. It seems they only remembered the sweet scent of the incense.

When I asked about what happened before they fainted, Princess Florenzia said she was on the balcony with Legion, enjoying the breeze.

"Incense? Yes, the princess asked me to light it, so I did..."

Ponini said this, tilting her head in thought, suggesting she didn't know the incense was Arworm.

(But something seems off. If the princess asked her to light it... did the princess not realize the incense was Arworm? But if the maids fainted in the room, wouldn't they be surprised and try to call for help? And what about the missing jewelry? What does that mean?)

I considered the possibility of theft, but quickly dismissed it. There were no signs of the room being ransacked, and only specific items, the jewelry, were missing. The Lebonor gold coins that Princess Florenzia had were still there, which would typically be the first target for a thief.

"What kind of jewelry was there?"

"Well... rubies, sapphires, diamonds... there were also pearls and gold ornaments."

"That's quite a lot you brought."

"Yes. The princess said it would be a long journey. She usually doesn't dress up much, but she said she needed to look proper because Prince Alan was coming."

"I see."

(But the princess didn't wear much jewelry, did she?)

Not during the journey, nor since they arrived in this town. Princess Florenzia never dressed extravagantly.

(The two disappeared, and the jewelry is missing. The princess asked to light the incense. ...What's going on?)

I should gather more witness statements and perhaps start by investigating the source of the Arworm.

"Is there anything else that seems unusual? Even the smallest detail is fine."

Ponini placed her hand on her chin, deep in thought.

"...I don't think it will be of any help, but come to think of it, the pressed flowers are missing."

"Pressed flowers?"

"Yes. The princess treasured them, so I remember. They were bookmarks made from pressed flowers. She always kept them on her bedside table, looking at them... they were always on that side table."

"Do you remember what they looked like?"

"Roses. Bookmarks made from pressed La Porte roses."

"La Porte..."

I remember Princess Florenzia saying she loved La Porte roses at a tea party in the castle.

(...La Porte)

Why would the bookmark be missing? It's just a pressed flower, with no special value.

"Thank you very much. Please let me know if you remember anything else."

While thinking that it might be a false alarm, I thanked Ponini and left Princess Florenzia's room, deciding to investigate the La Porte roses as well.