Capitulo 75

Episode 75

His eyebrows twisted at my words.

Robert, who was silent for a moment as if lost in thought, shook his head.

«This doesn’t make any sense. Allison is… Allison is a great researcher. She has great intelligence and is quite resistant to magic. There’s no way she could have been attacked by the Grand Duchess who didn’t even learn magic properly.

Her firm tone and the expression on her face seemed angry.

I know that mind manipulation magic is a very difficult magic. But the Grand Duchess has a special artifact .

Such an artifact . I’ve never heard of it . Besides, if she had done something like that, I would have known all about it because it was already reported at the conference.

Robert seemed to be more resistant to mind manipulation magic than I thought.

Needless to say, mind manipulation was very high level magic.

But the famous Raymond was trying to amplify a certain emotion in someone for a while.

However, most of them were primitive emotions.

Loyalty is not an emotion that is so easily created. Even in a lab rat it is not easy to create that feeling.

Then he closed his mouth as if he didn’t want to talk about it anymore.

Unless I show him evidence, I don’t think he’ll believe it.

«As evidence, it’s just a bracelet that only Tatiana and I can see.»

All that was left was for Allison to realize the odds and tell Robert the truth.

It seemed difficult.

I stopped talking about Allison and changed the subject.

Do you still want to help me with my work? Professor Foreman said he would help me with my paper.

You mean Eric?

Yes. They say he wants to honor the late Professor Gregory.

If he’s that friend, he can do it right. Even without me.

He’s really not an easy person.

What’s missing?

I squeezed one last thing to provoke Robert.

Doesn’t Mr. Robert want to take revenge on Tatiana?

At my words, Robert abruptly put down the cup of tea he was drinking and burst out laughing.

What do you mean by revenge? My reputation as an investigator sank while I was undergoing tax audits. In addition, the data that was the most important part of the study disappeared.

A deep sense of defeat and pain shone on Robert’s smiling face.

Robert… he was different from Niveia.

Niveia lost her reputation, which made business difficult, but they didn’t take away her formulas.

But Robert was different.

He lost all his research achievements and fame.

It will be much harder to recover.

Let me ask you something, have you ever really embezzled?

Robert let out a sigh.

Absolutely not. In the beginning, I didn’t even manage research funds. I wasn’t in charge of that… Allison was.

* * *

In the carriage on the way back, Fio said that he didn’t sense any distorted magic in Robert.

I looked out the window and thought for a moment.

[What do you plan to do next?]

First, we need to get Robert out of the picture.

[Then, maybe Allison could be arrested.]

Maybe it wasn’t embezzlement.

[It’s like a dream plan.]

A short, bruised voice sounded like a taunt.

I resisted wanting to smack him upside the head.

I’ll have to go back and think about the details.

But I couldn’t help but sigh.

* * *

I got home, called the butler.

Is there any document related to the payment among the documents he brought from the academy at that time?

Yes. Maybe there is. Is there anything I need?

I nodded at the butler’s words.

As you know, Mr. Robert has been investigated for embezzlement. Although the investigation was stopped in the middle, he was expelled from the academy for that.

It sounds like you’re wondering if there was any actual embezzlement.

Right. Could you confirm that?

Of course, miss. It will just take a little time.

Thank you very much, it’s good to have you as a butler.

I jumped out of my seat and thanked the butler.

He has supported the duke’s family since I was little and was my next strong ally after my father and mother.

The last time I looked at him. At that time, I only looked at experiments and equipment that cost a lot of money, but….

If you want to embezzle a large amount, it’s better to touch the one with the most.

When it comes to tests conducted by outside agencies or the purchase of expensive equipment, embezzlement was quite common.

I think we should check from there first.

Yes. We will get quotes from each company and compare them.

Soon, the butler received quotes from each company and began comparing them one by one.

Fortunately, Allison wrote it down meticulously, so the comparison process was easy.

But there was absolutely no time at all.

Lily and Sasha were also mobilized to review the documents.

There is no record of embezzlement of large sums.

Murmured the butler as he organized the last of the paperwork.

And he let out a long sigh.

Maybe the problem was in something smaller.

A smaller one?

For example, lab equipment and reagents are easy to dispose of and the cost varies by raw material, so it is easy to operate.

I nodded at the butler’s words.

Surely it would be a little easier that way.

We need to see the items with our own eyes, so let’s go to the academy. They said the lab was completely closed, so maybe I could take a look.

I immediately contacted the president of the academy. The reason was to check out Professor Gregory’s lab one more time.

The president gladly sent a clearance reply.

We headed straight to the academy.

When I arrived at the academy, a more glamorous welcoming ceremony awaited me this time.

Hey, what’s this…

When we passed the entrance of the academy, the wind bands on both sides played music at the same time.

Petals flew along the carriage way.

«Who the hell came up with such a crazy plan?»

The carriage stopped, but I couldn’t get off easily.

The situation at this point was too onerous.

As I recalled the past, I felt like I was going to panic. My breath caught in my throat and my eyes were dizzy.

The academy and the gaze of the people who knew my past?

It was hard to bear when the hard times came to my mind.

It’s all thanks to you. It was you who didn’t believe me.

Andrew’s words brought me back to the eyes of those who laughed at me.

The butler sat down next to me and patted my back.

Miss, if you don’t come down soon, it will be strange.

Yes.

He reminded me what I had to do.

If they could see even a tiny crack, everyone would bite me and criticize me.

I got up from my seat and they applauded.

When I stepped down from the carriage, countless eyes were immediately fixed on me.

All the students who were in the lab were outside the building and the president was holding a necklace of flowers.

I was speechless at that moment.

Welcome, Princess Pioneer.

My eyes were dizzy.

I wanted to slap that stupid human in the face, but I was forced to laugh at the looks he was giving me.

You don’t have to welcome me so generously, but it was too much.

Is that even possible! She didn’t feel satisfied last time, so I prepared a special one.

I took the flower necklace I was lifting and gave it to the butler, smiling slightly.

It is so strong that I feel uncomfortable.

At my words, the steward shrugged his shoulders slightly.

Behind him , I found familiar faces.

They were the people I once called friends who took the initiative to criticize me during my days at the Academy.

For a moment, my eyes grew dizzy.

«No.»

I must not show weakness.

I tightened my grip on my hand and slowly averted my gaze.

Then, smiling as if nothing had happened, I walked into the building where the lab was located.

Now why don’t we have tea together for a moment, Princess?

When I turned around, I saw the president’s eyes looking pathetic somewhere.

I stopped breathing for a moment.

I can say it. If you give me time for a cup of tea, I can explain everything.

But I refused.

I graduated from the academy like I was on the run, and the memories of that time will never be forgotten for the rest of my life.

I’m sorry, but I don’t think I have time for that.

I left him and went to the lab.

As I stumbled, the butler waiting inside came and supported me.

Miss!

I’m fine.

He looked at me with worried eyes.

Why don’t you step outside for a moment and get some fresh air?

I will.

I would have put up with it if it had been possible, but not now.

The thing that’s been bothering me for a long time has reared its head again.

I’ll step outside for a second.

I ran out of the lab.

But there were eyes watching me in the hallway.

Their gazes were sharp and tenacious.

I think I’m going to throw up.

He covered my mouth and I ran out in a hurry.

It had been a long time since my condition had gotten so bad.

I ran out of the building and into a hallway. I walked down a path hidden behind a sycamore tree split in half in the middle.

Okay.

I put my hand on the tree and held my breath.

It’s in the past.

You don’t have to be afraid.

Those looks and painful moments are all in the past.