Chapter 20 Loop 7+α - 3
I decided to head to the library in the Central Wing with my brother. When I walked out the door, there Ines was, waiting with a scary expression on her face.
「I will accompany you.」
「Don't worry. My brother is with me, and I won't run away.」
「How will you get to the room? You don't know the way there.」
「From here, go straight to the Central Wing, pass the corridor, and take the door at the end of the hallway. That will take us to the second floor of the Central Wing. From there, head left and take the stairs on the right. Once we arrive on the third floor, the large door on the right will be the library.」
「…」
Ines fell silent after I blurted the directions out all at once.
The library was on the way to the master bedroom on the fourth floor. Having gone to the master bedroom dozens of times, even I should have the directions memorised.
「I'm starting to think you're possessed or something」
My brother remarked, genuinely creeped out. How rude.
「Indeed, that is the route, but… How did you…」
「Just a moment, alright. Anyway, I'll be on my way to the Duke's now. Ines, go back to my room and tell everyone to disperse immediately.」
「…」
Ines lowered her head as if she was contemplating what to do.
I knew she had her duties and, more importantly, that I had no credibility. But I didn't want to keep her by my side if she couldn't fight. Although chances of Mr Rhysel losing his mind and attacking me in broad daylight were slim, it was not zero. …As hard as it was to imagine.
「…I understand. If you insist that much, I'll withdraw for now.」
Ines eventually gave in and nodded.
Good. She had already been caught up in my troubles once. Even if everything that happens in a loop can be reset when a new one begins, there's no reason to cause those around me unnecessary pain.
I apologised to Ines and, with my brother in tow, headed to the library in the Central Wing.
◇
「Pardon the intrusion!」
I knocked on the door to the library, but every second was precious so I entered the room without waiting for a response. Sure enough, Duke Crusseld Vrag was inside. The Duke was so surprised by my sudden appearance and dropped the book he was holding.
「Look Brother Tris! Look!」
I pointed at the Duke, who was looking at me blankly. My older brother muttered, 「You're right…」
Hmph, what did I say?
The Duke's face turned to one of even greater surprise upon seeing my brother.
「You… Even Brother Tris[1]…」
Brother Tris? What a friendly way of addressing my brother.
Did they bond through chatting in Mr Rhysel's room?
Despite ignoring me, his bride, since morning, he was now calling my brother, Brother Tris. That's a little unfair. Although this thought did cross my mind when I met Serrie, wasn't this person extremely cold towards me only?
But now wasn’t the time to dwell on such things.
「Don't bother asking me why I'm here or who told me. More than that, I have some questions for you, Your Grace.」
「…What is this about?」
「Your Grace, you were in Mr Rhysel's room with my brother and Mr Rhysel, weren't you?」
The Duke glanced at my brother behind me. My brother shrugged apologetically.
「Sorry, Your Grace. This fellow was kicking up a fuss again so I had to tell her.」
I see my brother was leaving out my accusation of Mr Rhysel being an assassin. Well, that's fine for now.
「After spending time with my brother and Mr Rhysel, you said you were heading to the master bedroom. However, instead of going there, you came to the library and have been here since… Am I right to say that?」
「What's this about?」
「Just answer the question.」
Hmph! I approached him, intimidating him as best as I could, causing the Duke to retract his question.
After a short pause, he nodded.
「...That's correct.」
「Look Brother Tris! Look!」
「I get it, go on.」
Even though I had finally confirmed that what I've been saying was right, my brother's reaction wasn't exactly satisfying. Especially since he said things like「Your husband went to the master bedroom. I know it.」
I was a bit annoyed but I continued.
「And on your way to the library, you encountered Mr Rhysel and told him you were heading to the library. Is that right?」
「That is also correct.」
I knew it! Or rather, it wouldn't make sense otherwise.
If Mr Rhysel didn't know for sure that the Duke was headed elsewhere, he wouldn't be able to lay in ambush in the master bedroom.
…However, it still seemed like quite a gamble for Mr Rhysel to wait in the master bedroom just because he learnt that the Duke was heading to the library. I wonder what he would do if the Duke changed his mind and went to the master bedroom instead?
No matter how close they were, I don't think the Duke would let him off the hook if he saw him standing in the master bedroom dressed in black and wielding a sword.
「How do you know that I told Rhysel I was heading here? Did you hear it from him?」
「No. More importantly, please tell me about your encounter with Rhysel. This is crucial.」
「Please, Your Grace. I'd like to know as well.」
My brother said as he put a hand on my shoulder. I looked up at my brother, a little surprised, and he gave me a small nod.
It seemed that even the Duke couldn't refuse when the request came from my brother, who had become a friend of his.
While giving me a weird look, the Duke answered hesitantly, as if he was trying to come up with an excuse.
「Initially, when I left Rhysel's room, I did intend to go to the master bedroom but… well, I remembered something I needed to do along the way. Then when I turned back and ran into Rhysel, who heading to the restroom, I told him I was going to the library.」
…Something about this statement bothered me.
Remember something, you say?
In the previous loop, he said something rude like「I wasn't in the mood.」 I wonder if he's shying away and using a milder tone because my brother is here.
Hmm, why am I so hung up on this?
But this confirmed that the Duke did not go to the master bedroom. And it also proved that it was possible for Mr Rhysel to wait in ambush in the master bedroom.
「So does that mean my murder was a spur-of-the-moment act...?」
As the words left my mouth, I felt like I had hit a very critical point.
Mr Rhysel couldn't have predicted whether or not the Duke would go to the master bedroom. The Duke decided not to go to the master bedroom because he「had something to do」or「did not feel like it」.
If so, then… How did Rhysel get that black outfit? He was too appropriately dressed for an assassination for something that would've been a spur-of-the-moment crime. Does he carry it with him all the time?
As I was piecing together a brilliant deduction, my brother, who clearly wasn't thinking as much, scratched his head.
「From my perspective, you're well and alive. I truly don't see what you're fighting against.」
「But what I said was right. The Duke left me aside to go kill time in the library. And Mr Rhysel knew that. Therefore, it was possible for him to ambush me in the master bedroom.」
Oops, I said the Duke left me aside right in front of him. …I felt somewhat awkward from the looks I was receiving, but oh well.
「Geez, Brother Tris, just admit that I'm right!」
「Sure, your words do hold some water. But I don't see how that proves Lord Rhysel tried to kill you.」
「But… Look, didn't Rhysel just avoid mentioning that he knew the Duke had actually gone to the master bedroom? He deliberately kept it quiet because he had something to hide!」
「Or maybe he just felt sorry for you because you were left alone by your husband.」
「Argh! Why do you keep finding favourable excuses for him!」
「Rhysel is trying to kill you…?」
…Oh no…
I got so heated I forgot about the Duke.
My older brother also had a look that said「we screwed up」on his face.
This wasn't my fault. My brother was the one who blurted out that Mr Rhysel was trying to kill me.
The Duke's expression turned grim as he took a step closer to my brother.
「What do you mean by that, Brother Tris? Is there a problem with Rhysel?」
「Ah, no— That's…」
My brother desperately searched for words to cover up, his eyes darting around the empty ceiling. He was the textbook example of being flustered.
「This idiot… she been saying strange things.」
「Strange things?」
The Duke shifted his gaze onto me. My brother, you have successfully shifted the subject to me.
But sooner or later, I did have to explain my claims to the Duke. Perhaps it was best to do it properly right here, right now.
With that in mind, I was just about to speak when—
「Lord Crusseld! Lord Crusseld!」
There was a loud pounding on the door as a frantic voice shouted.
「Come in.」
Upon hearing his command, the door was violently slammed open and Chief Butler Faro stumbled in.
Gone was the calm demeanour he had shown earlier in the day. Sweat was pouring down his forehead, and his shoulders were moving up and down vigorously as he panted. His eyes were wide open and his clothes were in disarray.
「What's wrong, Faro? This isn't like you.」
At the Duke's question, Chief Butler Faro shook his head violently. Then, he virtually wailed.
「Lady Serenia— She's in grave danger!」
—Serrie.
Why was her name being mentioned now?
But the anguish in Butler Faro's voice was ringing in my head.
Before I knew it, my feet were moving on their own, carrying me towards her room downstairs.
「Ah, hey!」
I heard my brother's voice calling me from behind. But I ignored it.
Anyway, I just started running and headed to the stairs. Then to the second floor.
I had only been to Serrie's room once, but somehow, my feet knew the right path to take, and before long, I found myself standing in front of her door.
Serrie's room was open, with several servants standing at the entrance, covering their mouths while they peered inside. But no one seemed to want to enter.
I pushed past them and entered the room to find an old man who looked like a doctor… and a man who was sitting hunched over on the floor.
「Serrie…?」
My legs trembled as I slowly walked further in.
The man turned around slowly. He had blond hair and a handsome face. It was Mr Rhysel.
「…You… Ack」
Rhysel let out a feeble voice before he began coughing violently. His eyes are red and filled with anguish.
Mr Rhysel seemed to be holding something. I looked into his arms.
—There, I saw shimmering silver hair.
A pale and thin body that looked so delicate that seemed as if it would break at a touch.
There was no mistaking it. It was Serrie.
She was lying motionless in Mr Rhysel's arms.
Her expression twisted as if she had cried her heart out and there were scratch marks on her neck.
「Um, Serrie… Is she…」
「Lady Serenia… When we arrived, she was already…」
The man in the room shook his head.
「Lord Rhysel said that he didn't get a response from Lady Serenia even when he called out to her from outside. So we used a spare key from the servants' quarters to enter… But Lady Serenia… seemed to have passed away while resting, lying in her bed…」
「Passed away?」
I repeated his words, before turning to look at Serrie again.
As expected, she was completely still. Her angelic beauty marred by a look of agony.
「Serenia!」
I heard a loud crashing sound as someone burst into the room.
When I turned around, I saw the Duke standing there, his hair dishevelled and his eyes bloodshot.
「…Crusseld, I'm sorry.」
Mr Rhysel said in a faint voice without turning around.
His shoulders trembling slightly.
「What do you mean, Rhysel!」
Screaming, the Duke stepped forward and grabbed Mr Rhysel by the shoulder. In the process, Serrie slipped from Rhysel’s arms and fell to the ground.
「—!」
「Serenia… is dead.」
Mr Rhysel's eyes were blank. It was as if he had lost everything in the world.
His gaze was unfocused, his pupils shaking.
「Did you do this…?」
I found myself asking before I realised it.
Everyone's eyes centred on me. The temperature in the room, filled with grief, seemed to have dropped suddenly.
「—Yes.」
Mr Rhysel nodded.
「Because I lacked resolve, Serenia died.」
I wanted to ask him what he meant by that.
But no words came out. Seeing Serrie's motionless body, my tongue seemed to have frozen, unable to move.
No one said anything as time continued to pass.
I looked up and saw a faint light peeking through a gap in the curtains.
By the time I realised it was dawn, the next loop had already begun.
For a brief moment, for just a little. I thought I smelled something sweet.
1. Written as "義兄上" which means brother-in-law but to express how friendly he was with Hartis, I decided it be better to translate as Brother Tris, the same way Katrea calls her brother↩
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reading experience ahahah what a tongue twister XD
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Thank yous!! (˶‾᷄ ⁻̫ ‾᷅˵)
I hope you enjoyed this chapter and have a great day!!
You can support me by sending some love in the comments or through the button below
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