Chapter 20

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As she entered the meeting room, the gazes of the elders and vassals of the Shuetsu family, who appeared to be nobles, fell upon Ely.

The Duke of Shuetsu was seated at the center of the vassals, and as always, Ante stood behind him.

"Do you remember what I told you? This is the child."

In response to the Duke's words, Ely quickly grabbed the hem of her dress and bowed politely.

"Hello, it's nice to meet you. My name is Ely."

It was a flawless, respectful greeting, but the vassals' faces twisted.

All that came out of the child's mouth was her name, which meant she was a commoner.

"Really now..."

"What on earth has happened?"

The elders muttered, expressing their discomfort.

Still, it was a milder reaction than expected.

'It must be because I'm with the Duke.'

Ely smiled without faltering.

If she showed even a hint of weakness, she could become prey and be torn apart.

'She really is a child brought in by the Duke himself.'

As the vassals suppressed their groans, the Viscount Corvino sneered.

This is why you need to take precautions in advance.

The Viscount Corvino spoke up.

"Your Grace, I apologize, but there is something I would like you to see first."

At this sudden request, Erhardt raised his eyebrows in displeasure.

"Is it so urgent that it disrupts the order?"

"It's about the Blue Hope processing I mentioned last time. I just finished it yesterday, and I would like Your Grace to see it."

The Viscount Corvino smiled as he always did.

The Duke, with an unreadable expression, stared at him intently before nodding.

With the Duke's approval, the Viscount Corvino stood and instructed his servant to bring the item.

"What? What do you mean?"

However, an ominous voice came from the slightly open door.

"Viscount, is something wrong?"

In response to a vassal's question, the Viscount Corvino stammered.

"......The Blue Hope that was to be presented to Your Grace has...... disappeared."

"The Blue Hope is gone?"

"What do you mean? How could the processed Blue Hope just disappear!"

"What if it falls into the hands of monsters!"

The vassals murmured in shock at this thunderbolt of news.

Among them, the eldest elder, Parak, sharply retorted.

"Who was in charge of managing the gem?"

"It was my servant."

"Bring that servant here. Quickly!"

Prompted by Parak, the servant who had shown Ely the gem hesitated before entering.

"Did you have the Blue Hope in your possession?"

"Y-Yes, that's right......"

"How did you manage it! No, that's not important now. Who was the last person to have it?"

The servant stammered in response to Parak's questioning.

"Actually, I temporarily placed the Blue Hope somewhere else."

"Somewhere else? Where did you put such a precious item?"

"......I showed it to the young lady over there first."

The gazes of the people turned to Ely.

"I showed her the Blue Hope to introduce myself and gave her the gem to look at more comfortably......"

The Viscount Corvino fidgeted and trailed off. Parak sharply retorted.

"Did you get the Blue Hope back?"

"I, I didn't get it back."

The servant trembled and lied.

The atmosphere turned cold. The situation was unfolding as she had anticipated. The Viscount Corvino swallowed his laughter and said:

"Your Grace. If it's not too much trouble, could you allow a body search?"

"Search?"

The Duke narrowed his eyes and asked.

"......I apologize for saying this, but I have heard something."

The Viscount Corvino spoke in a difficult voice.

"Everyone knows the story of the thief who infiltrated the Lationel Count's castle, right?"

The Count of Lationel was the current Queen of Cartia's father-in-law.

"So what?"

"Apparently, the young lady's mother, or rather, this child's mother, was a famous thief."

"What?"

"Could she be the daughter of the thief who infiltrated the Lationel family?"

The vassals murmured and looked at each other, instinctively realizing the method the Viscount Corvino had in mind.

The elders and vassals bowed their heads to the Duke in unison.

"Your Grace, we cannot let this matter pass now that we have heard this story."

"Please allow us to search the child's body."

"We beg you, Your Grace."

The Duke slowly moved his gaze, his red eyes landing on the Viscount Corvino, who was also bowing.

'So this was your plan.'

When he brought up the Blue Hope, I thought he was up to something.

'Just a shallow trick like this.'

Just as the Duke was about to rebuke their scheme, Ely spoke up in a slightly trembling voice.

"......It's true that my mother was a thief, but I really didn't touch anything."

She looked very frightened.

"So you want to confirm it, right?"

"I really didn't steal anything!"

"If we search your body, the truth will come out. What are you trying to hide?"

One of the vassals sneered. Ely, who had been biting her lip, spoke in a slightly lowered voice.

"Alright. But if nothing is found on my body, please apologize."

"Ha! You bold child. Fine, I'll do it. I accept your condition."

The vassals nodded and gestured to the servant.

It meant to search her body.

Even if she was a child, a body search should be conducted by someone of the same gender. However, the vassals did not call for a maid.

It was a clear act of disregard.

The servant swallowed hard and reached into the pocket where he had hidden the Blue Hope.

His heart was pounding.

If I can just get through this, then......

"Huh?"

The pocket was empty.

'No way. Did she hide it somewhere else?'

But the frilly dress had no other place to hide items except that pocket.

The servant looked at the Viscount Corvino with a bewildered expression.

"V-Viscount......"

The foolish servant muttered helplessly, looking like a child who had made a mistake.

'When a fire breaks out, a child first looks for their parents.'

Ely subtly lifted the corners of her mouth and moved her gaze.

The Duke's eyes were fixed on the Viscount Corvino.

Though his face was expressionless, Ely could tell.

That was the gaze of a predator who had spotted its prey.

When the room is in chaos, that's when the most happens.

Ely quickly moved her hand.

In the opposite direction, where no one could see.

She felt the Blue Hope in her hand, which she had hidden in the servant's pocket.

'If it were heavy, they would have noticed.'

Unfortunately, its lightness helped her plan succeed.

Ely lightly clenched her hand. The frills on her sleeves perfectly concealed her small hand.

The servant, who had found nothing, turned pale and said:

"Th-There's nothing......"

"It can't be! What do you mean nothing!"

The Viscount Corvino exclaimed in panic.

"Did you search properly?"

Unable to control his anger, the Viscount rushed forward and felt Ely's pockets, forgetting all manners.

As if he knew it was hidden in this very spot.

But, as expected, the pocket was empty.

The Viscount's face turned blue.

"Nothing at all?"

"Then she really didn't steal it?"

The elders and vassals whispered in frustration, their faces showing they instinctively knew something was wrong.

"It can't be, that's impossible!"

The Viscount Corvino shouted in anger and glared at Ely.

"Filthy girl! Where did you hide it? Speak the truth!"

The Viscount Corvino grabbed Ely's shoulder forcefully.

Ely shuddered and clung to the Viscount's coat, as if begging to be let go.

The uniform the Viscount wore was very thick due to the northern seasons.

So even if a little weight was added, he wouldn't notice.

For a moment, Ely's lips curved into a smile.