Chapter 04
After arriving in front of the former Marchioness’s room, the head butler excused himself, saying he would go inform the marquis.
‘It’s been quite a while since she passed away… I wonder if anything’s still left.’
I carefully opened the door and stepped inside.
A room so clean it felt almost empty greeted me.
You have entered the room of the former Marchioness.
First-entry bonus: 500 cash awarded.
Importance: C+
Danger Level: F
Hidden Cash: 1500
You have found 200 cash from ‘a blanket that still holds traces of the former Marchioness.’
You have found 200 cash from ‘a sofa where quiet conversations were shared.’
You have found 300 cash from ‘a vase where she placed flowers she personally grew.’
You have found 100 cash from ‘a plant encyclopedia read before sleep.’
Since most of her belongings had been sorted out according to her will, there was little left besides small furnishings.
That’s probably why the importance was only C+, and there weren’t many clues or cash.
The only notable thing… was the number of books for a bedroom.
It seemed reading before bed had been her hobby.
As I flipped through the stacked books, I found a small diary buried among them.
You have found 700 cash from ‘a handwritten gardening notebook.’
Huh? 700 cash from this?
That means I’ve already found all 1500 cash here.
‘The higher the cash value, the higher the importance… So this gardening notebook is worth 700?’
That’s the same as the letters from Chelsea’s family.
Why would something so ordinary have such high value?
I carefully opened the notebook.
“Required sunlight, water amounts and intervals, methods for growing rare plants… Nothing unusual.”
It simply showed that the former Marchioness had been deeply invested in gardening.
Collecting all these books and even writing her own notebook…
That’s impressive dedication.
As I casually flipped through it, I noticed a note tucked between the pages.
“To my dear Chelsea.
I wish to pass down the greenhouse I have cherished.
All the herbs, flowers, and trees I have gathered over my lifetime—I leave them to you.
I believe you will care for them better than anyone.
I hope this notebook will be of help.”
‘She must have really loved Chelsea.’
Before she truly fell in love with the male lead, the only person in the marquis household who welcomed Chelsea was her mother-in-law.
She had cherished her kind and gentle daughter-in-law deeply.
Enough to leave her beloved greenhouse behind.
Former Marchioness’s Room Cleared!
Chelsea and the former Marchioness shared a bond like that of a real mother and daughter.
The former Marchioness, who loved plants, left her greenhouse to Chelsea as an inheritance.
What meaning did the greenhouse—and her mother-in-law—hold for Chelsea?
- Job experience has increased.
Right on cue, the clear notification appeared.
The meaning of the greenhouse and her mother-in-law to Chelsea, huh…
If it was a greenhouse nurtured over a lifetime, it wouldn’t be some ordinary garden.
It probably contained rare flowers worth more than jewels, and medicinal herbs with unheard-of properties.
‘And yet… Chelsea abandoned all of that and left?’
Other valuables—you can take those when you run away.
But a greenhouse… who would take care of it after she left?
And it was a legacy from someone she treated like a mother.
Something about this feels off.
I was frowning, deep in thought, when—
Review Quiz!
You have investigated the female lead’s room and the mother-in-law’s room.
You have not yet discovered Chelsea’s current location.
However, you have found a clue to one of the two reasons she ran away.
What is that clue?
- The greenhouse
- The box of seeds
- The homemade cookies
A cheerful system window suddenly appeared.
A review quiz? What is this now?
Well, whatever the intention, the answer was obvious.
I confidently selected:
2. The box of seeds
Correct!
You have been awarded 500 cash.
The greenhouse didn’t negatively affect Chelsea’s feelings, and the cookies were too trivial.
By elimination, it had to be the box of seeds.
Even though the details about the seeds weren’t clear yet, they must be one of the two reasons Chelsea left the estate.
‘Hmm? Two reasons?’
Come to think of it, why are there two causes?
One is the seeds I found under the bed… what’s the other?
“Excuse me, Detective—!”
At that moment, I heard hurried footsteps and the anxious voice of the head butler from the hallway.
He approached me with a flustered expression.
“Butler? What’s going on—”
“W-Well, right now…”
“Was there really a need to go through the butler?”
A stiff voice cut in from behind him.
He wasn’t alone.
And the moment I saw who stood there, everything clicked.
“You wanted to see my room, didn’t you? I’ll show you myself.”
With an irritated expression, Marquis Graydan glared at me lazily.
‘Ah… so it was you.’
Found it.
The other reason Chelsea ran away!
Of course—the regretful male lead had to play a part in creating the runaway female lead.
No doubt he had built up plenty of bad karma through clueless behavior.
“You seem quite relaxed.”
The marquis didn’t bother hiding his irritation at all.
“Perhaps I gave you too much time, seeing you waste it in a place like this.”
“This is not a waste. It’s essential for understanding the Marchioness’s actions.”
“Hah, you talk well. Even now, that woman is somewhere unknown, alone…”
His eyes sank deeply.
Anxiety, worry, anger, longing, affection…
Countless emotions swirled together inside them, forming a massive wave.
‘Then maybe you should’ve treated her better while she was here.’
Instead of threatening that she couldn’t leave without permission, maybe he should’ve just been nicer.
“The Marchioness is safe.”
“And how can you be so sure?”
“She’s intelligent.”
And she’s the protagonist.
She’s probably prepared 90% of her escape plan perfectly.
The remaining 10%?
Left behind for emotional reasons—to reunite with the male lead.
“…Follow me.”
Deciding it wasn’t worth arguing, the marquis turned and led the way without further questions.
The study was surprisingly ordinary.
Aside from its large bookshelves and expensive-looking books, it wasn’t decorated lavishly like Chelsea’s room.
“I spent most of my time with my wife here, and in the adjacent sitting room. As for the bedroom… I used hers.”
Wait—did he not sleep in his own room after marriage?
I heard nobles often kept separate bedrooms even after marriage, but judging by this, they must have had quite a close relationship.
You have entered the study of the male lead, Marquis Graydan.
First-entry bonus: 800 cash awarded.
Importance: B+
Danger Level: B
Hidden Cash: 2200
‘The importance and danger level are almost the same… terrible efficiency.’
I couldn’t help but sigh at the information window.
Importance aside—why is the danger level B?
Is there something life-threatening here too?
Danger level includes current conditions as well as physical, social, and contextual threats.
Current notable factor affecting danger level:
- Accompanied by the owner of the estate.
…Got it.
So basically, if I mess up while the owner is here, I might lose my head.
“Search for whatever you need.”
The marquis crossed his arms and gestured arrogantly.
Ugh, this is so stressful.
If I make one wrong move, I might not even leave bones behind.
‘If I start rummaging through documents, that’ll probably jump to S+ danger level… I hope there’s no cash hidden there.’
Suppressing a sigh, I carefully began my investigation.
You have found 100 cash from ‘the sofa where she fell asleep leaning on his shoulder.’
You have found 200 cash from ‘a teapot she used to brew tea for him during breaks.’
“So that’s what you came to look for? I thought you were bold enough to rummage through confidential documents.”
Watching me linger around, the marquis spoke disdainfully.
I want to search those, but I’d probably die if I did.
“Finding traces of the Marchioness is important. Did she have any habits or favorite items?”
At my question, the marquis stared silently into space for a moment.
He looked lost in memory.
“Chelsea… liked fruit. She often ate it.”
You have found 600 cash from ‘a table where she forced herself to eat fruit she didn’t like.’
…She didn’t like it, though?
No wonder you ended up as a regretful male lead.
