Chapter 8

Climbing the stairs to the second floor, he headed straight for the stairs leading to the attic.

The butler's face, leading the way, had turned pale, and Lola and Anna followed in silence. The sound of many footsteps echoed throughout the mansion.

When the butler reached the attic room, he took a deep breath, pulled a key from his pocket, and unlocked the door.

Why the attic?

Why was it locked from the outside?

The knights observed their actions in silence, but the moment they saw the state of the room, they frowned visibly.

In the small room, about six tatami mats in size, a few simple pieces of furniture were placed. On the desk, a tray held a black, moldy bread and a bowl that seemed to contain muddy soup.

What caught the eye most was the considerable amount of blood splattered and pooled on the floor.

"..."

The white-haired knight immediately entered the room and examined the bloodstains on the floor.

"It hasn't completely dried."

At his words, everyone fell silent. The knights moved subtly to the door to prevent anyone from escaping while waiting for Leo's orders.

Leo walked around the room, looking for Olivia, and knocked on the only door at the back. After a while, with no response, he opened the door to find a small toilet, but no sign of Olivia.

He closed the door and looked around the room again. Opening the only closet, he found it empty. Resigned, he opened the desk drawer and found a few writing tools.

"Leo, you shouldn't be so rude in a lady's room."

The white-haired knight quietly reprimanded Leo, but he didn't seem to mind as he took out a piece of paper from the drawer. It was the paper on which Olivia had written her name. Leo smiled and put the paper in his chest pocket.

At that moment,

"Ah, so this is Lady Olivia's room. Just as reported."

A light, out-of-place voice came from behind. Everyone in the room turned in surprise to see Sil standing there with another knight, and behind him, Alex, who was restrained by a knight.

"Y-You!"

"Father!"

Lola and Anna ran to Alex, but he stood frozen, staring at the room.

Leo whispered to Sil, handed him the paper Olivia had written, and reported the current situation.

"I see."

Sil nodded and began to walk around the room, checking the situation. After a while, he noticed a blue bird perched outside the window. The bird immediately flew away, and Sil smiled faintly, turning to everyone.

"You were keeping Lady Olivia imprisoned here, weren't you?"

Sil smiled.

"No! We didn't do that! She locked herself in because her illness worsened!"

Lola, unaware of Sil's true identity, clung to Alex's arm and protested.

"Hmm. What kind of illness? Did you show her to a doctor?"

"N-No, not that far..."

"Even though her condition worsened, she went for a walk alone?"

"S-She said it was for a change of pace..."

"How did she get out when the door was locked from the outside?"

"..."

Lola stammered. Sil ignored her and asked the servants.

"Who served the meals?"

"Y-Yes."

An elderly woman timidly raised her hand.

"How many times a day did you serve meals?"

"Three times a day, morning, noon, and night."

"I see..."

Sil sighed and tapped the table with the tray a few times with his index finger.

"Let me make this clear. Lady Olivia is the current head of the Cyphard family. Insulting the head can result in the death penalty. Please consider this before speaking."

The servants, as well as Lola and Anna, were shocked and gasped.

"What?! You?!"

"Isn't Father the head?"

Their foolish remarks made the knights frown, and Sil sighed loudly.

"Never mind. I have a general idea. We will conduct individual interviews. As for Lady Olivia's current whereabouts..."

Sil took a white cloth-wrapped knife from a knight standing nearby, examined the bloodstains on the blade, and glanced at Anna's dress.

"A little while ago, you were cut by Miss Anna in this room and were ordered to dispose of her in the forest, perhaps?"

At his words, several servants trembled.

"Unfortunately, you are all suspects now. Please be arrested quietly."

As Sil spoke, the knights began to restrain the servants, including Lola and Anna.

"N-No! Stop it!"

"Let go! I didn't do anything! You! Say something!"

Lola screamed hysterically, but Alex stood silently.

"If you are found guilty of plotting to take over by eliminating the head, you will face unimaginably severe punishment. Be prepared."

Sil smiled at the struggling Lola.

"What! You! Help me!!"

Lola tried to cling to Alex again but was blocked by a knight. Sil, who was about to pass by the trembling Anna, suddenly noticed a white ribbon in her hair and yanked it off violently.

The ribbon tore her hair with a sickening sound.

"Ah!!"

Anna screamed in shock, but Sil ignored her and examined the ribbon closely.

"Where did you get this?"

His tone, now cold and menacing, contrasted sharply with his earlier lightness.

"Ah... Ah..."

Anna tried to back away but was held firmly by the knights.

"Where did you get this?"

"I... I bought it."

"Don't lie. This isn't something you can easily buy anywhere."

"From... Lord Arthur..."

Anna managed to say.

"From Lord Arthur!"

"Arthur? Arthur Nolundi, the second son of the Nolundi Marquess? Hmm, he is Lady Olivia's fiancé, isn't he?"

Sil tilted his head, but the white-haired knight answered.

"I see. It seems there are talks to dissolve the engagement with Lady Olivia and change it to this woman."

Sil nodded.

"Understood. Arthur is also involved. Leo, take some men and bring Arthur from the Nolundi Marquess's house. Shiro and Kuro, stay and conduct the interrogations."

"Understood."

Following Sil's orders, Leo left with several men. The white-haired and black-haired knights, called Shiro and Kuro, took the servants away.

After seeing them off, Sil walked up to Alex, who had been standing there like a statue, and whispered in his ear.

"This is the result of your actions. Don't think you can die easily."

Hearing these words, Alex collapsed to his knees and began to cry, confessing to the absent Shera and Olivia.