C74
As expected, when I kept my mouth shut, Elliot spoke first.
"Are you trying to figure out how to get out of this situation with a malfunctioning brain? I can hear the whisper of your head spinning from here."
I made an offended voice, pretending not to fall for that brazen provocation.
"Watch your mouth, huh? Even though I divorced Leandro, I am a noble. Not a humble commoner like you."
Aristocrats who only believed in their status and ignored others were the type of people Elliot found most ridiculous in the world. I'm angry, but for now, I have to appear humorous. That way, Elliot will let his guard down at least a little.
"Ah..."
Elliot looked at Tara with pity.
"Hey, Tara. Did you just fall for this person's trick and betray the miss?"
Tara shivered as she was being tied up.
"I thought it was strange from the moment I heard the news for the first time. It was a fight I could never lose, but did Cassius yield to a woman like this?"
Elliot pushed up his glasses.
"Well, even excluding the ridiculous time capsule story, it doesn't make sense that I was at a disadvantage in the trial."
"......"
"I can only assume that there is an enemy within. A spy who is feeding all this information to that woman."
So, without even informing Liena, did he try to unearth the spy with the minimum number of people? That was the best way to catch the spy.
I underestimated Elliot Rudd a lot. He was someone who could even deceive Liena for her. But I can't let it happen like this.
"I-I..."
"Betrayal?"
I pressed the button before Tara could answer.
"Tara has been coming to me for a long time, asking me to reconsider my divorce. It was all for Liena. She begged not to see her any sadder."
Elliot laughed.
"Are you telling me to believe in such a feeble excuse?"
Yes, I didn't tell you to trust me. This was a signal for Tara. Let's shut our mouths like this. If you fall in front of Liena, tell her that.
Fortunately, Tara understood it well.
"That's right. Although the divorce was finalized, the young miss is still depressed, so I kept visiting Ethel to ask her a favor. Please continue to be friends with our miss."
"That's absurd!"
Elliot suddenly stiffened and shouted. Then Matisse forcefully pressed Tara's body.
"Tara! How could you commit atrocities for her yesterday?"
"Traitor!"
Yesterday? No way...
"We have been monitoring your movements all the time. And I saw it. As if you were under orders, you met this woman three days ago and then secretly left the mansion last night and did what you did!"
Did they catch Tara dealing with Viscount de Chiléan? Then the situation is worse.
"If Elliot decides to investigate, he will find out that Tara is the enemy!"
If Liena finds out about this, she will definitely wonder why Tara found her enemy after meeting me, something she couldn't find for more than ten years, and the fact that I have special powers... wait a moment.
I stopped making constant negative assumptions. There was a problem. What Elliot said a moment ago.
"I know about the atrocities committed last night."
It was an abstract threat. It's not "I saw you kill someone" or "I saw you dispose of a body." Why? Wouldn't it be better to press Tara if he expressed it more directly?
Once I started questioning it, strange things kept popping up. Why bother revealing that fact here? It was better to interrogate Tara separately.
"And one more thing."
Judging by the way they spoke, or because they had applied insect medicine in advance, Elliot and the others had already witnessed that Tara and I had a secret "relationship." Also, he knew about Tara's murder, so why didn't he go directly to Liena and report it? All they have to do is present themselves as witnesses.
"Even considering Elliot's cautious ways, it seems natural to come here and investigate who Tara killed, so they can punish her."
If he did that, he could obtain evidence of immobility and definitely catch Tara's tail. Don't let her make excuses as she's doing now.
There was a reason why Elliot couldn't do that. This guy doesn't know. What exactly did Tara do?
"I guess they only saw Tara leaving the mansion. But someone followed her, and they lost her."
Tara's specialty is stealthy maneuvers. Moreover, since she was on her way to confront her enemy, she must have acted even more cautiously. Even if she's an expert, it's not easy to catch up with Tara in the darkness of the night.
The moment Elliot's pursuit failed, he made a decision. The next time Tara and I meet, he will intervene. In short, it was a strategy to steal our souls and then make us spit out information ourselves.
The reason he kept provoking me from before was to paralyze my rational thinking. Maybe that's why he treats Tara so harshly.
Elliot Rudd is truly a frightening person. Tara, who had served Liena for many years, was immediately considered an enemy when she started acting strangely. Her determination and ability to act were good enough to change her policy overnight.
However, one thing he didn't even expect was that I was a transmigrated person who knew his tendencies and behavior patterns to some extent.
Tara, go to the lady right now and confess everything with your own mouth. She is merciful and will try to forgive you as much as she can.
......
Think about it. Who is the one leading you? Who is the one showing grace to your two younger brothers even at this very moment?
Well, that's...
Elliot was pressing Tara, pretending to be generous and giving her a last chance. I blocked his way.
You.
Could you step away for a moment?
Did you spy on her?
What...?
Did you monitor and spy on every move of Tara?! Pervert!
Per-pervert?
Elliot's face contracted in embarrassment.
So, you are a pervert! How dare you secretly spy on her? How far did you see?! Did you watch her alone in her room? While she slept at night? Or when she bathed?
What kind of imprudence is this...?
Answer me! Did you see her? Did you really see her? Did you really do that?
Did Elliot really see what Tara did last night?
"Please, realize!"
I desperately prayed in my heart, while hitting Elliot's back and pulling his hair.
Hey, do something about this woman!
When Elliot shouted, the knights who were stunned by my absurd indignation quickly moved me away from him. Elliot fixed his clothes and rolled his eyes.
I knew he was a shallow person, but I never thought it would be like this. Young Duke Leandro also has strange tastes.
Hehe, say whatever you want. I just need Tara to understand what I mean.
... Elliot, I'm not sure what you're talking about.
At that moment, Tara spoke with a much calmer expression.
It's true that last night I left without saying a word, but I just went out to move my body to aid digestion.
This time she explained it very well again.
Hurrah!
Elliot replied immediately.
Who exercises for almost 8 hours just because they have trouble digesting food? Moreover, secretly carrying all sorts of weapons!
As I was training so hard, it was late at night, and I just took a short nap outside. And for me, training with weapons is exercise, isn't it?
Would you like me to bring the person who followed you, and we have a face-to-face conversation?
Please bring as many as you like. I'm also curious to know what lies that person told you to put me in this situation.
.... Tara, will everything really end like this? In the end, are you going to betray her?
Is exercising betrayal? Of course, it may have been a mistake to meet Ethel-nim without telling her, but it was all for her.
There are no signs of remorse.
Suddenly, Elliot drew the knight's sword from the one beside him.
Even if there is any bloodshed...
I am not a traitor!
Tara looked at the knights, including Matisse, who held her body, and scolded them.
Are you accusing me of being a spy and now trying to harm me? Does the lady also know? What the hell did I do yesterday?
It was a threat that wouldn't work as well as a nail for Elliot.
I've been by her side much longer than you! Even if my innocence is revealed later, will you still be safe?!
But not for others, including Matisse. They looked at each other and secretly showed signs of anxiety.
Observing those reactions, it seemed that they didn't know what Tara did yesterday. In that case, the only clearly revealed suspicious circumstances are that she met me.
"Now, what are you going to do, Elliot?"
No matter how good he is, there is a limit to what he can do alone. Elliot may have wanted to be more assertive here, but there was a high risk of negative reactions from others if he did.
Tsk.
Elliot, looking pitifully at his colleagues, quickly clicked his tongue.
Tara, the miss will be sad, so I'll put away the sword. But your sin is clear, so wake up from your foolish dreams. Drag her away.
When he gestured, the knights, including Matisse, tied Tara with ropes.
Let me go! I'll go with my own feet!
At the last moment, I made eye contact with Tara for a fraction of a second. There was a mix of tension and determination in her dark chestnut eyes.
Ethel Wallace.
Elliot called and glared at me.
Now, it was a raw hostility that had set aside any pretense of courtesy.
If you think you've escaped for now, you're mistaken. I will surely pay you tens of thousands of times the pain our noble and angelic miss has felt.
After making such a brutal threat, he disappeared with his long clothes fluttering. I was so nervous that I collapsed on the ground.
... Ah, the appointment time is approaching.
Terence would be waiting for me at the restaurant.