I Thought It Was a Common Transmigration - Chapter 43
‘No, that can’t be right, and if it is, it doesn’t make sense that the details have changed. Someone must have poisoned it!’
But why did it have to be the embroidery thread I’d given LizĂ©?
Why did it have to make me the culprit?
“Killian. I know you’re suspicious of me right now, but think about it, do you really think I…… be that stupid?”
Killian was speechless, but I could tell by the way he was clenching his molars that he was barely holding back his anger.
I had to try to calm him down.
“With everyone suspicious of me because of the peach pie incident, do you really think I’d do something like that?”
Killian didn’t seem convinced.
I mean, if I can’t believe what’s going on right now, how can anyone else?
“I want to believe you, too, but how many times has this happened, and can’t you give me a reason not to doubt you?”
At that moment, a good idea came to my mind.
I realized that my and Killian’s wishes were exactly the same.
“I don’t want to be suspected either, so just give me more maids to keep an eye on me, will that work?”
As if on cue, Sophia interrupted with a frightening glare. “Miss! What do you mean, surveillance?”
“I’ll prove my innocence any way I can! Besides, there’s no such thing as surveillance. I’ve done nothing wrong, and all I’m doing is increasing the number of maids.”
I think I can hear Sophia grinding her teeth over here.
What do you think I’m going to do?
Ha! Do you think I’ll be under your thumb forever?
“Killian. I’m begging you, please don’t doubt me without doing even that. If nothing changes, I’ll have no choice but to suspect the Ludwigs.”
“Very well then, I’ll call Anna back right now.”
“Okay. Thank you for your favor, Killian.”
Killian has no idea how grateful I am to him at this moment.
I’m finally free of Sophia’s abuse!
Killian sat down and called the butler to reassign Anna to me.
He may have thought that if he left, even for a moment, I would make plans with Sophia, and he called for Anna right away, but I was spared what could have been an instantaneous assault by Sophia.
‘Thank you so much, Killian.’
I thanked Killian again and again in my mind for saving my life.
But the problem remained. I was still the prime suspect in LizĂ©’s poisoning.
“Have you investigated the artisan merchant?”
“I’m sure they’ve caught him by now, but do you think he’d try to poison a random person, when he makes his living from it?”
“You have a point…… after I gave the thread to LizĂ©, did anyone else have access to it?”
“The only people who came in and out of LizĂ©’s room were her personal maid, Cliff, me, and my mother. For a brief moment, LizĂ©’s room was empty, but that’s far too short a time for someone to have found the embroidery thread and poisoned it.”
“But it’s not entirely impossible, is it? Maybe someone sprayed the liquid poison over the embroidery basket.”
Killian looked uncomfortable with the idea, but didn’t argue.
“Killian. Once again, I assure you, it’s not me, and if I ever set out to harm someone, I wouldn’t do something that would be quickly discovered like this.”
“That’s a rather nervous declaration.”
“Take it as nervous as you want. Anyway, I can’t help but feel that someone is trying to use me as a scapegoat to hurt LizĂ© from a safe distance.”
Killian finally looked at me with eyes that held something other than suspicion.
“Go on.”
“Count Sinclair.”
Again, Killian’s eyes turn cold at the mention of Sinclair.
I’d forgotten, in all the time I’d been busy looking out for myself, that LizĂ© Sinclair’s main enemy was not me, but the Sinclairs.
Especially her half-brothers and sister, none of whom were any more beautiful or intelligent than the illegitimate Lizé.
“I’ve also heard rumors that her siblings in that house aren’t too friendly to her.”
“……yes.”
“I’ve also heard that they’ve tried to harm her several times before.”
“I donât know what kind of rumors are going around.”
“But you can’t refute them.”
Killian fell silent.
I paused for a beat, then spoke in a low voice, “Haven’t they been too quiet all this time?”
“……”
“And Count Sinclair doesn’t get along too well with Count Riegelhoff either.”
Killian gave a small nod.
“If LizĂ© were to die or be seriously injured and I were to be punished or thrown out because of it…… Count Sinclair would be very happy, wouldn’t he?”
“I suppose so.”
“And you can’t assure me, can you, that among all the many workers of this mansion, there isn’t a spy of the Count of Sinclair in the mix?”
“That…… sounds like you’re saying there’s a Riegelhoff spy mixed in there, too.”
“There are also Ludwig’s spies in the Riegelhoff family, right? Don’t think I don’t know that much, you hurt my pride.”
Our eyes met.
His eyes were somehow searing, but I had no intention of backing down here.
“At first, to be honest, I suspected that the Ludwig family was trying to frame me to bring disgrace to the Riegelhoff family.”
“How could we do such a despicable thing! I can assure you, on my honor, that such a thing never happened.”
“Do you feel it’s unfair to be suspected even for a moment? I offered to risk my life, and you didn’t believe me; can you imagine how I felt?”
His brow furrowed.
I was glad he didn’t sweep it under the rug and blame me or ignore me.
“But don’t worry. I believe in you and the Duke, too, though to be more honest, I don’t think you’d find me worth the effort.”
“You’re surprisingly self-objectifying.”
Again, I don’t give in meekly.
“That’s not how you use the term self-objectifying. Anyway, I’ve been thinking a lot lately as I’ve been lying down, trying to figure out who the hell would do this…… and the conclusion I’ve come to is Count Sinclair.”
“That’s a very plausible conjecture, but I’m not sure my father and brother will be entirely receptive to it.”
“I understand, and once again, to be honest, I’m doing this because I don’t want to be suspected by them, but by LizĂ©; I don’t want to be remembered as the one who handed over a poisoned thread as a thank you.”
Killian’s eyes widened a little at that.
“You don’t hate LizĂ©?”
“What? Why would I?”
“Because you know how I feel about her, and besides, everyone praises her more than you……”
So you do realize that I was isolated alone in an awkward situation?
Honestly, I may have been a little jealous before, but I’m not at all now. She’s the female lead who might save my life, so why would I be?
Anyway, I should make it clear that I’m not jealous of LizĂ© now.
“Killian. Do I look like someone who would beg for your love or the praise of others by doing all these troublesome things?”
Killian seemed at a loss for words.
‘Yeah, I’ve never been this brazen before.’
But saying this actually made me feel like a “strong big sister” and gave me a boost of courage and self-esteem.
While I was at it, I lifted my chin a little higher.
“I am Edith Ludwig. Do you think I’ll be jealous of another woman just because I want a man’s love? Don’t get me wrong.”
I can’t believe I get to say that line in my life!
My whole body is thrilled.
I feel so cool right now!
Suddenly, Killian put his hand on the back of my head.
‘What are you doing, pulling my hair?’
I’ve been getting the shit kicked out of me by Sophia lately, so I’m nervous whenever a hand goes to my head.
But Killian put his hand on the back of my head, held it firmly, and leaned in to kiss me.
“Eup!”
Despite his rough demeanor, his lips were surprisingly soft as he swallowed my lips and slipped his tongue between them.
It felt careful, enough to slip out if I rebelled.
But I couldn’t resist his kiss.
“Mmh.”
My surprise was short-lived, and I found myself caught up in his kiss.
It was a strange sensation to have someone else’s lips and tongue against mine, and all I could feel was sweetness.
When I didn’t push away, he moved deeper into me, and all I could do was clutch at his shirt.
It was a hot, dizzying, sweet pleasure.
“Ha……”
“Ha, ha……”
He continued the slow kiss for what seemed like forever, only releasing me when I was out of breath.
I looked up at him, barely able to compose myself.
“What…… does this mean?”
Killian, who hadn’t stopped staring at every inch of me, answered briefly, “Just. I wanted to.”
“What……?”
“Anyway, I’ll tell my father and brother what you think, and I hope, I really hope, that you’re not the culprit.”
Killian got up and walked out without another word.
“What, what……?”
I was dumbfounded.
He still didn’t seem to trust me, but I’d gotten the feeling he’d been subtly supporting me since our impulsive night together.
I thought that was a long way to go, but such a sudden kiss……?
I was stunned and surprised, but I have to admit, it was…… pretty good.
I guess this kind of technique is standard for a second male lead in a Rofan novel.
He must have been a virgin who hadn’t even kissed a girl until he did it with me.
MANGA DISCUSSION
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