11 Popcorn Part 2 (1/2)
”Ah, he's here.”
How many minutes had passed?
Ian dragged his exhausted body back to Iris's bedroom.
Riley, who had been sitting in a leisurely manner until now, stood up to greet him, as if he had been waiting for a while.
”How was it?”
”...”
Riley asked Ian who looked as if he could not believe what had happened.
As if he was out of his mind, Ian could not muster a reply.
Both Iris and Sera, who did not know what the boy was asking about, could only tilt their heads with puzzled looks on their faces.
”Ian-nim, where have you been? You left so quickly after returning with young master.”
”Ian, are you alright? You don't look too well.”
”Well, that's...”
How should he explain?
Ian continued to open and close his mouth repeatedly, until he finally managed to make a sound.
”...It was Lady Orelly.”
”Pardon?”
”What?”
”It was all Lady Orelly's doing.”
Ian covered his frowning face with his hands and continued to explain.
He did so while mentioning to himself that he simply could not believe what he had just seen.
”The 'poison' which was put inside Lady Iris's soup...”
”Huh?”
”...?”
There was only one conclusion one could arrive at after hearing this and the words that were cut off from before.
Lady Orelly…she was the one who had poisoned Lady Iris's dinner!
”...”
Ian, who had said those words.
Iris, who had heard those words.
Both stood as silent as statues.
This was a matter that would turn the mansion upside down.
”...It can't be, right?”
”Lady Iris...”
”Ian, surely...Lady Orelly would never.”
Iris who was tucked in her bed firmly held onto the edge of the blanket.
Even if she had often received scoldings from Lady Orelly, as a woman who shared the same husband, Iris believed she would be the last person to be responsible for it, and thus she pressured Ian once more.
”Mother, it's alright.”
Riley held onto his mother's shoulder.
She calmed down, stopped questioning Ian and bit her lip.
”Ian.”
Riley called his butler.
”...”
Ian nodded with his jaws clenched at the call of his master.
The serious face he was making was to show nothing he had said was false.
”Impossible.”
Iris's shoulders drooped at the shocking news.
At the same time, Sera's jaw dropped.
Lady Orelly's jealousy and hatred toward Lady Iris was something all the maids in the mansion knew...but they never expected that it was significant enough to attempt an assassination.
”What about Father?”
Riley asked Ian with a calm attitude, as if he had expected it.
Since he was the first one to find out the truth himself.
”He is currently holding a discussion.”
Ian replied in weary voice.
It had been a long time since he had last fought.
And with such shocking news on top, even the most experienced swordsman would be tired both physically and mentally.
”It was the paper. Master Riley found certain pieces of paper in the mansion and...”
Ian leaned onto the door and continued speaking.
It all started with the scraps of paper Riley had 'found'.
”The handwriting on the paper was Lady Orelly's. So, after reading it...”
”No...”
”...The letter made a request for poison which could be used against Lady Iris. And...”
”Wait, Ian-nim.”
Sera cut Ian's words.
The cold sweat appearing on her face showed just how nervous she was.
She could guess.
What would come after that was something much worse than mere poison.
That was her expectation.
”...It's a lie, right?”
”...”
Ian fell silent.
***
The atmosphere in this place was as chilly as a wintry night.
”Why?”
Stein asked after looking blankly at the paper in his hand.
Orelly could not answer.
”Why did you poison Iris's soup?”
Count Stein asked once more, his tone condemning.
The question was not directed to Orelly this time, but rather to the hooded man.
”...”
The second question was also met with silence.
Although the hooded man's face was still hidden, considering both he and Orelly were standing close together they seemed to be on friendly terms with each other.
”I don't think there would be any reason for such an action.”
”...”
As there was no answer, Orelly clenched her fists.
She seemed furious.
”...Orelly.”
Finally, the hooded man spoke, with a voice fraught with worry.
Stein scowled as the voice seemed familiar.