Penelope, as a well-trained investigator, lowered her eyes from his bossâs bare body and received the recorder he gave her.
âIâll interrogate Eleonora Asil myself. Donât talk to her, provoke her, or be rude, okay?â
âWe donât even have a chance of doing that⊠If we upset her and she retaliated it would be a deserved death.â
Kyle laughed as Paul mumbled sorrowfully.
âThat wonât happen if you let her sleep and let her eat regularly three times a day. She can have hot cocoa but donât give her any other snacks.â
âYes, boss. Yes?â
Paul answered roughly. He made a surprised sound. Penelope, who had been writing down her superiorâs order according to habit, curiously looked down at the memo she wrote.
And Kyleâs command was just blown away.
It looked similar to the memo that Noah wrote âManual for the dragonâ. Penelope was a little confused. Who is raising whom?
However, Kyle did not seem to have any doubts about what he said. He added a few minor instructions and then closed the door again. Click.
âNo big dealâŠâ
Paul mumbled in a puzzled voice.
Penelope shrugged her shoulders.
âYou have to please her as much as you can now, so you canât do anything even if you see something bad.â
âReally? That may be true, but why canât she take care of her own mealsâŠâ
âDonât you think he wonât even give her a chance to rebel? You know heâs weak to Eleonora. If you talk to the captain like that, he might get angry.â
âOh, right. Letâs go, Penny. Youâre going to edit the recording, right?â
âYes. You take the statement of Lady Valtayer.â
The two investigators, unaware of everything that had happened between Kyle Leonard and Eleonora Asil, were cautious that their conversation would be heard by their captain. At the end of the hallway, Penelope went into the investigatorâs office whilst Paul headed toward the underground interrogation room.
Whilst Kyle was forced to rest for half a day and Noah was asleep, a few things occurred at the same time.
Paul faced unexpected difficulty during the interrogation of Lenia Valtayer, and Penelope witnessed a very suspicious scene recorded in the recorder handed to her by Kyle.
* * *
It took two days before Noah was informed of the progress of the case and in the meantime, she lazed about in the VIP room.
Contrary to Noahâs expectation that she would be cleared of charges in a day or two, the situation was not very favorable to her.
Kyle Leonard wasnât the one who brought the news.
Noah struggled to wake up from the armchair, where she had curled up in a blanket and had dozed off when a sudden surge of investigators entered the room. And when she heard the first word they said, she couldnât fall back to sleep.
âOh⊠So now, what?â
âDrag her down to the interrogation room right now.â
The investigator, who had gentle eyes that did not fit his rugged body, made a threatening tone.
âPlease cooperate, Baroness Asil.â
He didnât cuff her wrist or put a gun to her head, but she felt threatened enough.
âWhatâs going on? Is something wrong?â
Noah couldnât shake off the ominous feeling as she was forced to follow the investigator down. However, compared to how Noah felt when she arrived in front of the underground prison and the interrogation room, the ominousness was nothing compared to what she felt now.
Iâm scared!
In contrast to what was a neat modern building upstairs, the basement had a rough atmosphere as if it had just popped out of the Middle Ages, with uneven stone floors, stone pillars, bluish iron bars lurking all over the place, and bright lamps that cast dark shadows everywhere.
There were dozens of iron gates on both sides of the corridor, and judging from the numbers on the nameplate, it must have been a prison where the prisoners were confined.
Donât tell me youâre going to lock me up here like this.
Noah cringed at the sight of the prison she had never seen before. When she saw a prisoner that had both ankles handcuffed in the hallway slowly following the investigator, she felt the shivers all over her body.
âWhich interrogation room?â
âNumber zero. Where the mana barrier works.â
The investigators around her seemed to have exchanged a secret conversation between them, but it was hard for Noah to hear. Noah wondered if she should call Muel and escape even now, but she came to her senses by the time the conversation reached her ears.
âJust Captain?â
âYes.â
The Captain they referred to must be Kyle Leonard. Noah turned her head and paid attention, but the investigators had finished their conversation.
However, she felt relieved if Kyle was the one who would be interrogating her. She planned to ask what was going on as soon as she got in the room.
The apprehension she had been feeling continued. Noah had no idea how long she had walked with the investigators, but she was shocked when she saw two people that walked from the opposite direction.
âLenia ⊠â
The woman that followed the male investigator was obviously Lenia. Even though she had covered her head and shoulders with a shawl, by the color of her hair and body shape, Noah could tell when she looked at her, that it was Lenia. She and the investigator walked toward the way Noah had entered the prison. Noah called out in shock.
âWait a minute.â
âWhatâs wrong? â
âIsnât that Lenia Valtayer? You are not going to be released, right Lenia?â
âOf course I am to be released, Iâm innocent. â
âInnocent ⊠â
The theft of a dragon egg is seen as being innocent? Before she could even make a plea, the investigator stopped me.
âThis is none of your business, Baroness. Letâs go to the entrance.â (Letâs go is referring to Lenia)
Of course, Noah wasnât one to be told what to do.
Step aside. Before she could say a word, the investigator was struck by magic. The investigator, who was trying to get in front of Noah, was pushed roughly against the wall by intangible forces. Noah moved her hair from her face and approached Lenia, who stood still.
âLenia, look at me.â
ââŠâŠ.â
Leniaâs eyes were blocked by the shawl. As Noah stared at it, the shawl moved on its own and revealed her face.
Lenia was a little emaciated, but she didnât seem to have suffered much. Noah didnât want Lenia to be tortured, but isnât she too okay?
Noah asked Lenia in a soft voice.
âYouâre innocent?â
ââŠâŠ.â
âThat day, you were on deck telling me that once I saved you, youâd tell me everything I was curious about.â
âI donât remember.â
âWhat?â
Noah thought she had heard it wrong for a moment.
Noah stared at Lenia in amazement, her face became expressionless except for a cold smile.
âI donât remember. Iâm sorry, Baroness.â
âWhat kind of confidence?â
As soon as Lenia got off the ferry, she was arrested and taken to the Bureau of Investigation and Security. Itâs only a matter of time before it is revealed that Leniaâs alibi was false, as the Balteier mansion in Ajette-gu will remain the same. What a shameless attitude!
âAhâŠâ
At that moment, a theory entered Noahâs mind. Did she get rid of Tezevaâs stand-in already? (Kyle sent a spy to Leniaâs resident to cross-check her alibi)
âI have to go. My father is waiting for me. Bye.â
After she said that Lenia tried to pass me. Noah was frustrated. Why did she have to suffer like this? She was the one who saved her life! Noah spoke out coldly towards Lenia, who was walking toward the entrance.
âLenia Valtayer, do I look ridiculous to you?â
Noahâs anger became real quickly. With a creepy sound, a huge beast scratched its claws on the hard stone floor, which created a series of scratches. A piece of stone sprang into the air.
Noah was not impressed by the fact that the investigators responded immediately and pulled out their weapons. There was only one feeling that filled her head.
I canât take this anymore.
Should I just kill her?
â⊠Baroness Asil. â
A sharp voice stopped her thoughts. The pieces of stone that had soared into the air stopped moving. Noah woke up quickly and looked back. Kyle stood at the end of the hall.
ââŠâ
When she saw the daunting purple eyes, the anger had risen suddenly subsided. Only then did Noah come back to her senses. Oh, just now.
What was I thinking�
âYou made it clear to me that you would not make a fuss. If you disobey more than this, I wonât be able to treat you politely. Iâm sure you know it.â
ââŠâŠ.â
âLloyd, bring Lady Valtayer up.â
Noah held on to her throbbing head and watched Lenia disappear beyond the entrance. Youâre letting her go like this? Before that, what had she really been trying to do?
Strangely, it happened just a moment ago, but the memory had disappeared in a flash as if it were swept away. All that remained were bewildered feelings and the scratch marks clearly left on the floor.
âFollow me, Baroness Asil.â
Kyle turned around. Noah took a step toward him, whilst she covered her arms as for some reason she felt cold. She needed to ask if it were only the two of them to be left in the interrogation room.
She didnât think she was in a normal condition. Why am I doing this?
As soon as Noah entered the small, dark interrogation room, she realized it was impossible to be left alone with Kyle.
In the room, there was an iron desk and dozens of recorders were running. There were iron bars all over the room.