Episode 31: The Suspects

Since then, things have been like this.

I couldn’t blindly trust those sheep beastkin, who were basically my weakness, so I was also observing how they would act.

“Come to think of it, what happened to the upper-floor administrator of the labyrinth back then?”

“Who? Gerald, the one who gave snacks to the party members?”

“He took his own life using a sealed blade from his days on the frontlines.

Fortunately, the lives of the other administrators aren’t in any danger.”

It was a rather anticlimactic death considering what he’d done.

Whether he had been threatened or made a deal, the fact that he ended his own life meant he had likely already destroyed the other evidence.

“Who could’ve done something like this?”

In truth, there were too many people with grudges to count.

Plenty of people were eyeing the position I currently held.

But out of all the ways to go about it, why use such a tedious and bothersome method?

‘What do they stand to gain from doing this?’

I tapped the desk with my fingers.

The rhythmic sound echoed in my ears.

Then I turned to look at Samuel.

“What do you think, Samuel?”

Caught off guard by the sudden question, Samuel slightly furrowed his brow.

However, as if he had anticipated it all along, he answered without hesitation.

“At first, I suspected Her Highness the Grand Duchess…”

He trailed off and glanced at me.

“But I wondered whether those hyena-like figures, aiming for the throne after Lord Argon’s death, would really want a new heir to appear at this point in time.”

The Grand Duchess was a greedy and ambitious woman.

To gain power, she hadn’t hesitated to become the third wife of a Duke old enough to be her father.

So from her point of view, she must’ve been wishing for my death every single day.

“If I were to have an heir, that would be a disaster for them.”

“Exactly. Besides, Lord Argon’s half-brothers have no claim to succession anyway.”

“What about other suspects?”

“We can’t rule out the hardline noble faction. A lot of people were displeased with the policies Lord Argon implemented.”

One of Hamilton’s outdated policies was that only nobles could hold major government positions.

So we reformed it to make academy admissions and key appointments strictly merit-based, removing what was essentially their privilege.

“That’s just because those incompetent fools were taking up positions they didn’t deserve.”

“I feel the same, but from their point of view, it’s understandable that they wouldn’t like it.”

“Greedy old men. All they know how to do is embezzle taxes or sit and cut steak.”

“Oh, speaking of which—did you know Lady Enulin recently got engaged to Prince Sharniche?”

“So what?”

“You don’t even seem to remember who Lady Enulin is.”

Samuel’s gaze turned cold. He let out a deep sigh and continued explaining.

“She was once considered a strong candidate for Empress—before the rumors about Lord Argon’s preference for men started spreading. She’s the only daughter of the Marquis of Beralito.”

“I know the Marquis of Beralito well. But what does that girl have to do with me?”

“Lady Enulin asked you for a dance at the ball, but you ignored her and took my hand instead, remember? If she holds a grudge, it wouldn’t be surprising.”

“She bears a grudge over something like that?”

“It’s extremely rare for a woman to ask a man to dance first. At the very least, etiquette dictates you should’ve accepted. But you didn’t. So, from her perspective, Lord Argon, you crushed her pride and ruined her reputation.”

It was hard to understand.

“If we’re going by that logic, we can’t leave out Tesser. He probably still feels a sting in his missing eye whenever it rains.”

“Still, he recently sent over mining rights and trade licenses through a diplomatic envoy to maintain friendly relations with Hamilton. So he doesn’t seem like the right suspect for the current situation.”

There were a few more suspects that came to mind.

Emperor Verdil of the neighboring country had lost his mind in old age and suddenly demanded a navigation toll, so I blew up one of his islands.

I’d decided to keep blowing up an island each time he tried something like that, to help him stay sharp.

“Come to think of it, Commander Joseph has been quiet lately.”

“Oh, him? He’s probably busy trying to win over the nobles right now.”

Commander Joseph, for a man raised with a silver spoon, was surprisingly capable.

His martial skills were unquestionable, and I appreciated his decisiveness and judgment.

But perhaps because of that ambition, he eventually began showing signs of coveting the throne.

It had been a while since I’d heard reports of him secretly gathering nobles who shared his ideals and discreetly training private soldiers.

The only reason I hadn’t dealt with him yet was because it would’ve felt like a waste to kill someone with such potential.

“Then let’s get rid of Commander Joseph first.”

“Understood. We already have all the evidence proving his betrayal, so it won’t be difficult.”

After saying that, Samuel looked out the window at the darkening sky and stretched his stiff body.

His face showed the exhaustion from a long day of nonstop meetings.

“Well then, I think I’ll clock out now. Do you need anything else from me?”

“No, you can go.”

I waved my hand, and Samuel turned to leave after giving a slight bow.

But just as he reached for the doorknob, he stopped.

Then he turned back and asked:

“By the way, what are you really planning to do with Miss Mayhen?”

Rationally, the right move was to hide the sheep beastkin—my weakness—in the safest possible place.

To cast her into a darkness deeper than the labyrinth, where not a single ray of sunlight could reach her without my permission, and not even a breath could escape.

But I didn’t want to do that.

To be precise, my mind started to change after that banquet.

“You can throw me into danger. You can sell me out to them. I don’t care. But if, someday, my innocence is truly proven, then please restore my family’s disgraced name…”

She had looked like a dandelion seed that would blow away with the wind, and yet she gazed at me with surprisingly firm eyes.

“Please set me free.”

Her golden eyes shone brilliantly, like sunlight falling on just one spot.

Her voice, once faint and unsure, had grown clear and strong.

‘Besides, running from a challenge like that doesn’t suit me.’

If I locked the sheep beastkin away somewhere no one could find her, it would be safe—but it would also make it harder for the ones behind this to come near.

But that just wasn’t any fun.

“Well… I figured I’d use her just enough to be cruel, like you said.”

He didn’t say anything more, but from the look on his face, I could tell exactly what he was thinking.

“Poor thing. Looks like hardship is all that’s ahead for you.”

“Well then, I’ll really be on my way now. See you tomorrow.”

As soon as Samuel left the office, a deep silence settled over the room.

I wanted to close my eyes, even for a moment, but I knew that even that was impossible.

The strong sleeping pills had long since stopped working on me, and alcohol didn’t help either—instead of making me sleepy, it only made me more alert, which was worse.

‘How long has it been since I last got a proper night’s sleep?’

As much as I hated to admit it, the sheep beastkin was right.

The only way I could really sleep now was by sharing a night with a woman.

The first time I had experienced a woman’s body, it was sweet and fragrant.

Even I, someone who usually disliked such acts, would sometimes lose myself remembering that night.

Her snow-white skin flushed red under pressure, her soft breasts fitting perfectly into my hands.

When my lips left red marks on her skin, moans laced with pleasure would escape.

The way she trembled from the intense sensations, her eyes eventually filling with tears—it stirred the sadism buried deep in my heart.

I broke off the chain of thoughts there.

“I’m thinking about useless things again.”

I tried to return to my pile of unfinished work, but something else was interfering with my focus.

I hadn’t been able to calm my arousal for a while now.

I thought talking with Samuel would settle me down, but remembering those earlier thoughts had only stirred me up again.

‘To think I’m already letting myself be swayed like this.’

A sigh mixed with self-ridicule escaped my lips.

If I just focused on work and cleared my mind as much as possible, this too would eventually pass.