Chapter 18

“Yes. That’s it.”

“That’s a relief! As expected, I trust Madam.”

Rosalina smiled broadly.

As Elizabeth was perplexed by the rapidly changing atmosphere, Roselina leaned her body and whispered.

“Well, there are rumors circulating that there is a secret hidden that day.”

“Eh? What do you mean?”

“Has anyone seen what happened that day? But you assert that there was no one else, so that must be just a rumor.”

Eliza’s spine shuddered.

“What do you mean? Please tell me more.”

“Oh, by the way, I believe in you. Let’s stop talking about things like this. I feel uncomfortable because I feel like I’m doubting Madam for no reason.”

Something was going wrong.

Elizabeth took Roselina by the collar as she casually drank tea and wanted to urge her to confide in everything she knew right away.

“Actually, there is something more important.”

‘Is there anything more important than this?’

Eliza burned her stomach, but she smiled kindly.

“I can listen to my daughter’s stories. What is it?”

“Actually, I’ve always considered madam as my mother. It’s late, but may I call you mother from now on?”

Eliza felt like a thousand fires were burning inside her.

‘What do you mean mother!’

A mother to Roselina.

Her annoyance rose, and she wanted to pour hot tea on Roselina’s face right away.

But she couldn’t put to nothing what she had built up so far.

‘Yes. you’re still stupid. You believe in me like a rock.’

Roselina was still worth using so she had to suck it up.

Elizabeth clenched her teeth and grinned.

“Are you finally accepting me as a mother? I’m so happy. I’ve always been the mother of my daughter.”

“I’m happy too. Mother. That’s why, please leave father’s birthday banquet entirely to me.”

“I know daughter’s feelings well, but banquets in the mansion are all under my control. Please understand my stirring heart in case I make a small mistake.”

Are you fussing over this?

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes.

Prior to her marriage, Roselina had embezzled the duchy’s money.

She used the budget allotted for banquet preparations to buy her own dresses and jewelry.

The duke was greatly enraged, and subsequent family banquets became the responsibility of Elizabeth.

‘You can’t stand it anymore, and it looks like the moth is getting anxious again.’

Rumors circulated that the rare villain had finally regained her senses, but it seemed to be just a rumor.

Suddenly, she saw a ring that Roselina was wearing.

It looked modest at first glance, but it was studded with jewels and unusual craftsmanship.

‘Looking at it, it must be a price that can be ridiculously expensive to buy a mansion or two.’

It was proof that the luxurious habits of Roselina had gotten worse.

‘This is a chance.’

This is a golden opportunity to put Roselina’s reputation back on the mud.

She will embezzle the money again, saying she can’t give up her habits.

Moreover, Roselina still belonged to Palesdon.

If this becomes a matter between the two families, Roselina will fall to the bottom of the cliff and she will never be revived again.

“I won’t let my mother down this time. Trust me one more time. Just like I trusted mother a while ago.”

Look at this.

‘I thought she noticed something.’

It was obvious that she had brought it up because she wanted to spend the budget.

‘Well then.’

Eliza smiled contentedly.

She answered in an imitation of a mother, who willingly loved and believed in her children.

“Then I’ll trust my daughter one more time.”

“Thank you. Mother.”

“It is my joy to believe in and watch my children grow.”

Elizabeth blew away the only ticket that she didn’t even know she had.

She didn’t even dream that a lie detector was running.

｡+.｡☆ﾟ:;｡+ﾟ ☆*ﾟ¨ﾟﾟ･*:..ﾞ

“It is my joy to believe in and watch my children grow.”

[The lie detector is starting.]

[Beep! It turned out to be a lie.]

‘How come every word you say is a lie?’

Elizabeth’s serious face contrasts with the delightful alert tone.

She had to struggle to hold back her laughter.

This quest was not that difficult.

The Fairy Tree incident and the Duke of Brighton’s birthday banquet.

Those who were in both incidents were Roselina and Elizabeth. It was these two.

‘A Brighton died both times.’

Elizabeth was the only one who benefited each time.

Because she became the Duchess due to the Fairy Tree incident, and the Duke’s death brought Brighton to her.

It is said that if you wanted to know the culprit in a case, you have to find someone who would benefit from it.

‘It is highly probable that Elizabeth was the first stigma.’

What she needed now was conviction and proof.

However, the threshold for collecting evidence was too high.

It happened 10 years ago in a place that only Brighton’s immediate family could enter.

‘I have no memory, Beatrice and Leodor can’t speak.’

All that was left was Elizabeth, the prime suspect.

She won’t confess her sins unless she’s crazy.

‘It would be nice to have a lie detector at least.’

‘Wait, I need it? Then I can summon it!’

She found the answer.

[Hold Fate Energy: 65 Fate Energy]

She immediately opened the status window, but she ran out of fate energy.

‘I have to complete the quest to get the fate energy.’

Currently, she received three quests.

The list came to mind.

[List of quests in progress (3/3)

!(1) >>]

Of these, the last quest that was likely to be completed now was the last one.

‘I must find the second condition to erase the stigma of being the Brighton’s disaster.’

The first was to find the person who instigated her notoriety.

Then the second…

“Removing the basis of the notoriety. For example, to cure Leodor who was cursed because of Roselina.”

She was quietly muttering when she heard a beep.

[Second condition is open!]

[<2 prerequisites required to remove the stigma > have been confirmed!]

[You have completed the quest !(1)>>]

[40 Fate Energy is paid as a reward.]

Then the notification popped up.

[A new quest has occurred. Would you like to confirm?]

‘Let’s start with the summons.’

The new quest will be about fulfilling the conditions found this time.

When the energy of fate is over 100, the tab is activated.

Press and hold, and the text popped up.

[Please specify the object you want to summon.]

“Lie detector. I want to summon something that can detect lies no matter what.”

After a while, the white window fluttered.

[Summon using 100 Fate Energy. Residual Fate Energy: 5]

[Summoning…]

[Summon was successful. You have acquired a lie detector whose status has been adjusted.]

[Summoned items are stored in the inventory.]

‘Did an object wherein its features has been adjusted again been summoned?’

First, she opened her inventory.

But there was nothing that looked like a lie detector.

There were a bunch of rose petals, and there was only a small ring next to it.

‘It’s the first thing I see. Maybe this is it?”

She took the the ring out and checked its condition.

[Lie detector summoned from the unknown world

-Class: E-Class

-Item Description: Ring-shaped polygraph. Press to detect lies for a certain period of time.]

“Nice!”

She was a little worried that the condition of the summoned item had been adjusted, but it was rather good.

‘It’s in the shape of a ring, so there’s no need to worry about it getting noticed by other people.’

After putting the ring on, she pressed it firmly as a test.

[The lie detector is starting.]

[Running time: 29 minutes 59 seconds]

‘So this is how it works.’

It seemed to work for 30 minutes when pressed once.

‘I’ll have to try it.’

She opened the door and went into the hallway.

She saw a maid passing by with a bucket.

‘It’s Sarah.’

This is good.

Sarah belonged to the Robansa, led by Anthony.

Anthony said she is one of the maids that is especially scared of her.

“Sarah. I have a question for you.”

“L-Lady Roselina? How do you know my name?”

Sarah was so startled that she dropped her bucket and then she quickly picked it up again.

Meanwhile, a drop of water splashed from the bucket and wet the hem of the dress Roselina was wearing.

“Huh, huh-!”

Sarah got up and fell flat on her floor.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry! To get Lady Roselina clothes dirty, I’ll pay for it with death!”

“Sarah. Calm down. It’s okay.”

“Yes?”

Not believing what I said, Sarah raised her head.

“It’s fine. I won’t be mad at you. I’m just admiring your reflexes.”

“Wait, are you going to test my reaction by punishing me accordingly?”

“It’s not like that.”

“Sorry, I’m sorry! How dare I, a lowly person like me, to Lady Roselina!”

Again, the frightened Sarah banged her head on her floor.