Translated: reireiss, MTLs-nim 

Edited: reireiss, Grammarly ssi 

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Chapter 27 Part 1

I'm sure we went into the bathroom in the late afternoon, but now we come out in the wee hours of the morning in just our bathrobes. It was very quiet because everyone in the Manor must still be asleep.

Immediately, after I saw the fresh change of clothes on the bed, my face became hot as if it was on fire. I hope they don't hear everything.

When I was under Alexander, I cried so hard my throat felt like it was choking. So, it's possible that one of the maids overheard it……

Geez! Embarrassing.

"You have something to say? Since just now, you've been standing still."

Alexander came towards me and said that. His eyes were fixed on my white skin that was exposed because I accidentally revealed the bathrobe I was wearing. I immediately ran to the side of the bed and covered myself with the sheets.

"Oh, no. You really are!"

I glanced at Alexander and patted him on the back. If I didn't stop him, we'd end up having breakfast in the tub. Just imagining it was terrifying.

"You could catch a cold."

Alexander approached me. He knelt by the bed to dry my wet hair.

I let his hands work gently, I stared blankly at the ceiling. Then, suddenly, I remembered that I had something to ask Alexander.

"Alex."

"Yes?"

As soon as our eyes met, he immediately smiled.

"Why are you telling me not to use magic?" I asked Alexander, stroking his nape.

After all, I want to end Cain with my own hands. I shouldn't have let Alexander kill him like that.

"Sis, if the fact that you are a magician is known, then it would be strange to attribute Henrietta as the culprit."

"......"

It's like he's saying, 'Today the weather is nice, huh.'

Alexander grabbed my shoulder with one hand.

"That's right. Claude, an investigator, seemed unsuspecting as this case had nothing to do with that case. But Cain said that our parents had been killed by someone in front of all the servants of the Duke's Manor. It could leak."

Even though Alexander ruled as the owner of this huge Manor, did he not trust anyone? I squinted one eye.

"Not that it will happen."

"Of course, that's not certain. What you said is true. Even so, it wouldn't hurt to clean your hands first, right?"

"What for?"

I let go of his hand.

Endless doubts and worries. Why does Alexander still want me……

"Why did I ever think that I can't read my sister's mind? Even though it all looks so obvious."

Suddenly, Alexander leaned forward. When our eyes met again, he smiled gently. But I couldn't feel even a hint of laughter.

Can you see my expression clearly? It's not a pleasant feeling.

"Aren't you happy? Before, I already said it. I don't care."

"Do people who don't care, still think of me as a murderer, but instead make Henrietta the culprit instead?"

Do you think, I will be happy if you act like that? Is it okay to cover up the incident and ignore the truth?

I took a deep breath. Alexander got up and locked me in his arms.

"This is strange. This is not the reaction I was expecting." He tilted his head. Alexander blinked with a bright face as if he really didn't understand anything. I didn't even notice it, I didn't realize I stuttered when I asked the question.

"So, what do you want?"

"I really love you."

"......"

"I want you to know that. Loving the woman who killed my father is not an easy thing to accept. But I did. We will continue to do so in the future."

"Do not take it wrong."

I laugh at Alexander. On what basis did he believe that I was a murderer?

Even the investigators did not suspect anything. It will end if I admit it myself. There's no reason to keep silent.

"I love my mother more than anything. I......"

Did I kill my own mother? Don't make a joke. I glared at him desperately. Suddenly, my anger boiled over.

Alexander just looked at me without saying a word. The unpleasant silence continued for a while.

Alexander was the first to break the silence by speaking again. He clicked his tongue.

"It's not because you love me? Oh, it makes me even more jealous."

He turned his sculptural face away. Jealous of a child's love for her mother.

I shook my head. I hate to think that way, but in a way, Alexander and I are very similar.

"But now, completely, you are mine. I'm grateful......"

Alexander stretched out his hand as if to push me into his arms. But that didn't happen, I wasn't embraced by that wide chest.

"Poor Henrietta. Even if she's gone, she won't be able to rest. Because of me, she's been labeled as a murderer."

Alexander lowered the corners of his eyes as if he was saddened by the rejection of the embrace. He looked disgruntled that I wasn't acting the way he wanted me to.

Alexander threw the towel he was holding on the floor. Then he looked down at the towel, and spoke,

"Henrietta melted the spokes of the wheel. She told me that. But..."

He paused for a moment as if irritated. Alexander made a languid face and tucked my long hair to the side, behind my ear.

It was that series of gentle movements that I enjoyed every time I threatened Henrietta. Alexander whispered in my ear with a sweet voice,

"But not all the spokes were melted. In the newspapers, it was stated that the fire was caused by friction from a single accident. At that time, I did not know any further information. Except for the fact that the fire in the stagecoach was still raging until the security guard near there find them."

Haha.

Now, I couldn't help but curl my lips and smile. Whatever you say, just keep doing it. That is an interesting hypothesis.

"Of course, investigators suspect that it was due to the dry winter. Not even I saw anything strange about it."

"So?"

I sat cross-legged and cupped my chin. Alexander rolled his eyes and smiled.

"It's just as Claude said. There was a magical chemical reaction from the burning bits of the carriage."

Ah. So I'm the culprit?

So you're trying to hide the fact that I'm a magician. Henrietta was the only known wizard in the Manor.

After all, Alexander assumed that I was the culprit.

Somehow, it makes me sad.

"You were the one who made the magic circle. A magical chemical reaction happened because of that. I only found out about it after reading the magic book in the library. Henrietta was also able to freely enter there, but...... It couldn't be her. How could she? , a wizard who can't even make all the spokes of the wheels melt, can possess enough magic to leave a chemical reaction? Moreover, it's been more than a year since the carriage was repaired."

Traces of magic will disappear after a week. But, before Mother and the Duke previously started their journey, Alexander changed the wheels of his carriage. If it was a chemical reaction caused by changing the wheel, would that be enough to explain it?

Alexander opened his mouth as if he noticed my doubt. Its long red tongue seemed to tremble, like a snake that could see through its tongue. As if seducing his prey, Alexander rubbed my lower lip slowly.

"I mean, that day, the one who fixed the carriage is not a wizard. I'm not sure, but I handed the carriage over to the repairman. And to this day, I'm the only one who knows that. It's a nice coincidence."

Alexander spat out his words as if he couldn't take it anymore.

"You and Henrietta are wizards, but Henrietta's skills aren't that great. I'm also not skilled at creating explosive magic circles and releasing dangerous magic from a distance. Neither are the wizards living in the Duchy. ...But you are different. Aren't you?"

"Sis, you are strong enough to block Henrietta's magic with just one glance. Right?" asked Alexander.

A calloused thumb brushes my cheek.

"......"

This.

You already know it all.

I was amazed because I never realized it.

"What power do you have that you can know everything about me like this?"

I'm really curious. I'm an expert at moving behind the scenes without being noticed by others. It was really embarrassing to be exposed by Alexander like this.

Gently, I closed my eyes. I knew that Alexander was quite a sharp person, but…..To think it would turn out like this.

"Surely you know that I was the one who hid the Revenue Book."

"Since the beginning."

Alexander nodded.

"Why are you pretending to be deceived?"

"Because it seems, you want it."

'I did well.' It felt like he was saying just that.

Alexander stuck his head out, like a puppy wanting to be praised. I put my hand on his head.

"Then, mas**rbating while I was hiding......"

"Oh, I really don't know about that. Damn it! Don't tell me about it, I'm so embarrassed."

In this situation, he blushed cutely. Then he opened his eyes and looked at me.

"......So, was my reasoning correct?"

"What answer do you want?"

When I stroked his hair, Alexander smiled broadly, it made him look stupid. And also cute.

I don't usually think like this. Am I a murderer? Do I think that Alexander is cute?

"An honest answer... ...Ah! Yes. Actually, it doesn't really matter. I don't know how many times I've said this."

"Lie."

If it really didn't matter, then in the first place, you wouldn't have said something like, 'You killed my father and your mother.' in front of me.

"You've been suffering all this time. I guess it was me, the culprit."

Loving a murderer who killed his own family was something no one could do unless that person was crazy enough. It was impossible for anyone with a normal mindset to do.

So Alexander wanted me to deny myself. Now, he does look fine, but I can tell just by closing my eyes. My hand that was hiding between the sheets twitched weakly.

"The day the carriage incident happened, you said, 'No way.' I don't understand. Why are you saying that? After much thought, the answer came easily. Because you tried to trigger an explosion. So to you, it doesn't make sense that the incident happened because of a loose wheel. That's why you said, 'No way.' Because you plan to blow up that carriage." He muttered bitterly.

Ah! Truly. Love is...

To make a man like this. That must be an amazing feeling.

That's why, even though my mother's husbands realized that the way my mother lost her husband was suspicious, they still approached my mother. I must have inherited this from Mother.

When my mother smiled gently and said, 'It's good for health.' and held out a syringe, her husband would thrust out his arm without hesitation.

Even if they were dying slowly, even if they felt something was wrong with their bodies, they would say, 'There's no way my wife is like that.'

"......I—"

I slowly opened my mouth to say the thing that I always kept a secret.

Alexander stared intently at my lips.

"I love my Mother."

My mother is someone I can't help but love.

I was born thanks to my mother. Thanks to my mother, I can wear nice clothes. Thanks to my mother, I can eat delicious food. Thanks to my mother, I can sleep in a warm bed. Thanks to my mother, I can live as a precious girl without getting my hands dirty.

But because of my mother......

I have to live my life as an accomplice to a murderer.

"So I killed her. I can't bear to see what my mother does anymore."

Tuk. A transparent drop of tear rolled down my cheek and soaked the sheets. Alexander did not move, as if frozen.

"I still love her. I regret it to death. Why didn't I follow my mother on that trip? ......Why don't I get on that carriage with her?"

I still remember the shock.

Mother and the Duke, who had gone on their honeymoon, died side by side. After letting the innocent Duke Arpad go with my mother, the feeling that I got was……

A fit of jealousy that was like a blazing fire.

Why did I give my Mother's last days to the Duke? I'm content with my obsession and excessive possessiveness.

My mother is mine. She must be mine alone.

"Yes, I killed my mother. And your father too."

I grabbed Alexander's chin and lifted him up. His silver-gray eyes were wavering aimlessly, unable to focus easily. Alexander bit his pale lips.

"There's nothing wrong with what you're saying. Alex, you fell in love with the woman who killed your father."

So, I gave you the answer you didn't expect.

Now, what are you going to do?

.

.

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