IPAMB 11

Chapter: 11

I froze on the spot.

I’d been caught.

‘I let my guard down because I thought it was all over!’

I never imagined I’d run into him here like this…

‘No. Even if I had stayed alert, I still would’ve been caught.’

The moment Cain opened the door, he spoke as if he had been waiting.

That meant he already knew I was inside the room.

I swallowed hard.

“…Greetings, Young Master.”

“I asked what you’re doing here.”

“I was just playing hide-and-seek for a moment…”

“You don’t expect me to believe that, do you?”

…I wish he would.

I tried to brush it off naturally, but of course, that failed.

‘Was he waiting to catch me in the act? I can’t let him take the evidence.’

Thinking of the items in my pocket, I decided to tell the truth.

“I was falsely accused of using black magic, so I came to find proof that I didn’t…”

But my voice gradually trailed off, and I couldn’t finish the sentence properly.

It couldn’t be helped.

How was I supposed to say, “I escaped from prison and broke into Tristan’s office because he’s the most suspicious one”?

There were limits to honesty.

‘It sounds way too suspicious! Even I wouldn’t believe it!’

It would’ve been better to come up with a more convincing excuse.

Sweat trickled down my back as my eyes darted around, searching for something to say. But instead of a lie, my mind only grew blanker.

“I see.”

Cain spoke then.

“So? Did you find it?”

“…What?”

I blinked.

‘…Did he just believe me?’

Tilting my head stiffly, I waited, and Cain explained as if answering my confusion.

“I heard from Rain. The one who used black magic wasn’t you. A monster suddenly appeared in the corridor.”

“!”

Rain? Ah…

“She’s safe…”

I exhaled in relief, placing a hand over my chest.

I had purified her in a hurry back then, but it hadn’t been enough. I’d been worried—but it seemed the ducal household had handled the aftermath properly.

“She said a few words and collapsed again.”

…Maybe not entirely.

Still, according to Cain, she survived. Considering how badly she had been contaminated, that alone was fortunate.

“Anyway, she can’t testify to your innocence. I’m the only one who heard her, and since she woke only briefly and spoke incoherently, this isn’t enough to completely clear you.”

“I see…”

It was an awkward situation.

To hear Rain’s testimony, we’d have to wait until she regained consciousness—but there was no telling when that would be.

Would Tristan really leave me alone until then?

‘At least Cain seems to believe me.’

That was something.

But there was no guarantee he would continue to believe me.

‘Rain collapsed again, but that lying knight is perfectly fine.’

If that knight spun a convincing story later, Cain might change his mind.

‘I can’t let that happen.’

“You asked if I found evidence earlier. Yes. I did.”

I took out the fountain pen from my pocket and held it out to Cain.

“Please investigate this. It will reveal the real culprit.”

I explained about the traces of black magic.

‘I need to earn more of Cain’s trust here.’

I had to act while he still believed me.

And conveniently, I needed someone who could commission a mage.

There was just one concern.

“…So you’re saying Tristan might be the culprit?”

Cain looked down at Tristan’s name engraved on the fountain pen and asked a beat later.

I nodded slowly without speaking.

“……”

He fell silent.

This was the part that worried me.

If I explained everything, Tristan would inevitably come up.

‘He must be shocked. He trusted him for so long.’

Whatever the truth, outwardly Tristan had taken care of Cain in place of his parents. Cain believed that too.

He could easily accuse me of doubting Tristan without reason.

‘Maybe I should’ve said the pen belonged to Tristan but could’ve been used by someone else…’

No.

I steadied my wavering heart.

‘Even if Tristan wasn’t the one who used black magic, his wrongdoing still exists.’

The ugly rumors about Cain circulating within the ducal estate.

I was planning to leak them to the Duke.

‘Then Cain will find out eventually. That Tristan isn’t a good person.’

If that was the case, it was better to plant seeds of doubt now, little by little, when I had the chance.

I glanced at Cain.

“…Right. We’ll know for sure once the results come out.”

He slowly closed and opened his eyes, as if organizing his thoughts.

Since a third-party mage would confirm it, he couldn’t dismiss it outright as a lie.

“Yes. Then please.”

Feeling oddly guilty, I quickly changed the subject.

“Anyway, that’s why I was here today. I’d appreciate it if you’d pretend you didn’t see me. I was only trying to clear my name.”

Yes, I had escaped prison and searched someone else’s office—but still. It was investigative work.

“…Fine.”

Cain looked at me as if I were ridiculous, then nodded.

“I wasn’t trying to arrest you in the first place.”

Whew.

Strength drained from my body. At least the knights weren’t about to storm in.

‘Now I just need to wait for the pen to be examined and prove I’m innocent!’

Just as relief settled in—

“I was waiting to tell you to leave.”

“…What?”

The shocking words made me doubt my ears.

‘Did he just tell me to leave?’

Suddenly?

When I stood there, stunned, Cain repeated himself.

“Disappear from the ducal estate.”

“Wh-why?! I didn’t use black magic!”

I’d only just managed to clear things up—what was this out of nowhere?!

“Are you saying you won’t leave?”

“Of course I won’t!”

I pressed my back firmly against the wall, making my determination clear.

I still had so much to do here!

“Is it because you won’t be able to meet the Duke?”

Cain muttered as if he had expected that.

I stubbornly leaned even harder against the wall.

But his next words made my strength drain away instantly.

“I’ll take responsibility for capturing the villainous organization you mentioned. On behalf of the Duke. So leave.”

…What?

***

Winiel’s violet eyes shook violently.

‘So what was written on that paper was true.’

Her reaction, like someone struck at the core, confirmed Cain’s suspicion.

Several hours earlier, after receiving a report that Winiel had used black magic, Cain went to see Rain, who had collapsed after being attacked by a monster.

‘If she came to threaten the ducal house, wouldn’t she have let me die back then?’

There were parts of Tristan’s and the knight’s testimony that didn’t add up.

And just as Cain arrived, Rain regained consciousness.

“Young Master…”

Cain froze for a moment.

He had come to examine Rain and look for anything strange. No—since she was awake, he should ask her something.

But seeing her struggling to breathe, he couldn’t bring himself to speak.

Fortunately, Rain spoke first.

“Lady Winiel… what happened to her? I think she’s been falsely accused of using black magic… The monster appeared suddenly in the corridor…”

Falsely accused?

Cain frowned.

As expected, something was wrong.

‘Rain wouldn’t lie.’

She was the biggest victim, after all.

Then Rain continued.

“Young Master, in my pocket…”

But before she could finish, she lost consciousness again.

Cain hurriedly summoned the physician. Thankfully, Rain had only fainted—her life was not in danger.

‘Pocket…?’

After finishing the examination, the physician glanced fearfully at Cain and quickly retreated.

Carefully, Cain searched Rain’s pocket.

“…?”

Inside were nothing but torn scraps of paper.