“Of course, you wouldn’t have acted directly. You must’ve made the servants do the work for you.”

“…Are you saying that I coerced my employees to poison someone?”

Mikhail was firm with his rebuttal. For a moment, Violet wondered if her older brother was not right in the head and perhaps delusional.

“It’s only obvious that you’ll refute it. You’ve been lying ever since you were a child.”

“…Hah.”

Violet let out a sigh that’s full of frustration. It’s so annoying to constantly be accused of lying even though she never once lied.

He’s even bringing up her childhood.

Violet stared at Mikhail. She thought that she had managed to give up on everything, but amidst the burnt ashes flitting behind her eyes, a spark of burning anger flickered.

Then, Roen spoke up.

“Brother, I’ve told you over and over again, but it would be better if you can just calm down.”

BANG!

The moment Roen said these words calmly, Mikhail hit the table. The action born out of fury made Roen grimace.

“…Tell them to enter.”

Then, suddenly, the duke gave an order.

A total of three people came in. Two were familiar faces to Violet, while the remaining one was a stranger.

“Speak.”

“…It is true that Her Ladyship went out, but she did not do anything else besides what’s been reported, Your Grace.”

Even though he was suddenly called here, Zylo was calm. On the other hand, Mary was visibly distressed.

Violet prayed that the young girl would not accidentally make a mistake here.

“Zylo!”

“…I am telling the truth, Young Duke.”

“Why, you…!”

Hearing the testimony of his once close friend, Mikhail became indignant.

Oh, the irony. Ozen was siding with Aileen, while Zylo—who was close to Mikhail—was siding with Violet.

“…But it is true that Her Ladyship went out without permission,” Ozen said.

While Zylo added, “It was I who could not fulfill his duty. However, I can assure you that Ducal Lady Violet did not do anything related to instigating someone’s poisoning. I stake my last name on the line.”

A person’s last name carried significant weight amongst the aristocracy.

It carried one’s blood relatives, as well as one’s status—basically, it held the very value of any noble’s life.

Seeing Zylo trying to prove Violet’s innocence at the risk of his last name, Mikhail grabbed the back of his neck, his temper rising to its limits.

“I-It is true, sir! Milady didn’t do anything much… And she did not meet anyone else!”

This time, Mary stood up for Violet. Mary had always been insisting on Violet’s innocence in the first place—anytime and anywhere. As always, she shouted stubbornly.

“Milady is a truly good person! Why would she do such a thing! And I am constantly by Milady’s side. I never saw her hold a bottle of poison or anything like that!”

“…Can you take responsibility for what you’re saying?”

At Mary’s insistence, Mikhail asked.

Wasn’t what he’s doing considered intimidation of the weak? Violet sighed.

“…Mary has nothing to do with this case,” Zylo said.

“Can you really say that with your last name on the line? Ha, haha. For all we know, she made that little maid do all the work.”

“Stop! I already told you not to act rashly!” The duke bellowed.

This was the reason reputation must be built well.

Mikhail persistently kept refuting her innocence despite there being witnesses to prove that she was not guilty. Watching him like this, Violet felt her mood sinking.

If she could, she wanted to pour hot tea right on that face.

“You, speak.”

The last person who had entered the hall was a young woman around Violet’s age. She had just been looking at other people’s faces until now, but she suddenly dropped to the ground and prostrated.

“T-The Ducal Lady ordered it!”

“Who are you even?”

The baffled Violet asked back reflexively.

Roen answered calmly.

“She was the maid next to Aileen when she collapsed after ingesting poison.”

“Ah, sure…”

Violet’s bitter murmur filled the hall. No one could speak at that brief moment.

“…Are you telling the truth?”

“Y-Yes! I-I am telling the absolute truth, Your Grace. I was threatened—I had no choice but to do that terrible thing…”

Is that so.

The duke stroked his chin.

For a second here, Violet wanted to crack open her father’s head.

He was the kind of man who would maintain that same poker face in front of his children at all times. There was no way to know what he’s thinking.

“Can you take responsibility for your words?”

“H-Hiiiek!”

“The consequences to committing the crime of contempt against the Duke would be incalculable.”

“I-I’ve…! I-I’ve been framed!”

Violet rummaged through her memories and finally recalled the name of this young woman.

Wasn’t she a daughter from a lower noble house? Violet had no need to remember this woman, so she forgot all about her, but she would have never expected for this woman to hit her on the back of the head like this.

“…Drag Selena Alton and Ozen Veroel to prison. As for you, Mikhail. You will be placed on house arrest for one month.”

The duke neatly wrapped up the case like so.

Violet couldn’t help but think that her ears heard it wrong. She asked, unthinkingly.

“Why?”