Chapter 16
“What… what are you doing?”
“Playing detective?”
“You won’t hear anything even if you press your ear to the door.”
The Black Hawks murmured among themselves.
Aria was wearing a serious expression, as if she could actually hear something.
It was so cute that they couldn’t help but twitch the corners of their mouths, stifling their laughter.
“What kind of case are you investigating?”
One of the Black Hawks asked, trying to sound serious while swallowing a smile.
‘Should I play along?’
Judging by their sparkling eyes, they were clearly expecting an answer from Aria.
After thinking for a moment, Aria wrote something on a card at random.
[Murder case.]
The Black Hawks burst into laughter at her answer.
It was an unnecessarily cheerful sound.
“A murder case, huh? Pfft!”
“Well, if you stay by your lord’s side, Detective, you’ll never run out of work.”
“You’ve found the culprit perfectly.”
“The evidence must be everywhere.”
They had the strange ability to speak about terrifying things in an innocent tone.
‘They’re clearly trying their hardest to talk to a child on her level…’
It was enough to make a child cry.
Neither the Duke nor his direct subordinates had the slightest talent for taking care of children.
‘I think I understand why the Black Hawks’ notoriety is as high as Valentine’s.’
Aria thought.
It seemed like the only person with normal reasoning around the Duke was Dwayne.
‘He always looks like he’s suffering from a headache by the Duke’s side.’
He must have gotten the wrong job.
Aria couldn’t help but feel a little pity for the Duke’s subordinate.
She turned her attention back to the sounds coming from inside the mansion.
“Unfair treatment, you say?”
“Y-yes… Demanding compensation for the parasite… What is this…?”
The Cavendish Marquis.
Once she realized who he was, she could immediately figure out what had happened.
‘Looks like he brought the payment the Duke demanded.’
But judging by him whining about unfairness, he probably hadn’t been able to gather the full billion.
Now all that remained for him was debt, so it made sense.
“You’re mistaken. The parasite is private property of the homeland. It was you who took it without permission.”
“……”
Even to Aria’s ears, the Duke’s voice contained no trace of humor.
The Marquis, unless completely oblivious, would understand.
Valentine Duke was openly mocking him, sneering right in front of him.
“That’s fair, but… could you perhaps show some mercy?”
Of course, he couldn’t protest.
‘But he had no choice but to come directly. Now that the cause of his vassals’ illness and the solution are known, leaving it alone would make all the resentment fall on him.’
On top of that, the rumors about Valentine’s curse and whatnot were spreading.
But the truth was parasite infection.
If that rumor spread within the territory, it was obvious how pitiful the people would find it.
The reputation of the Cavendish lords rested in the hands of Valentine Duke.
“Your Excellency, last year there was an unusually severe drought in Cavendish lands…”
“Get to the point.”
“The financial situation was so dire, they were not in their right minds. Please forgive them.”
A thud resounded.
At the same time, the sound of palms rubbing together sharply.
‘They’re kneeling and begging on the floor?’
Aria was dumbfounded.
They were the ones at fault, yet not only did they spread malicious rumors, they demanded money too.
‘No way he’s going to forgive them just for apologizing.’
And, as she expected, the Duke’s reaction was icy.
“Do you think I came all the way here to see such a pitiful sight?”
“Gah!”
The Marquis gasped for air.
‘Did the Duke put a sword to his neck?’
Even without seeing, Aria could roughly guess the situation.
“Your Excellency, I did tell you to at least converse for ten minutes before threatening him, didn’t I?”
Dwayne scolded the Duke.
“He hasn’t been killed yet.”
“Hmm, then at least have five more minutes of conversation.”
“Did you hear that, Marquis? Have a five-minute honest talk with me.”
Hearing the Duke’s voice, which somehow sounded more amused than before, Aria thought:
‘If you don’t give a satisfactory answer within five minutes, it means he’ll kill you.’
The Cavendish Marquis must have realized the hidden meaning and hurriedly said:
“Uh, if tangible goods are acceptable, this is a 500-year-old ancient artifact I obtained with great difficulty…”
“Hmm.”
She heard the Marquis fumbling, laying out items one by one.
“This is a family heirloom!”
Even selling an heirloom… it must be really urgent.
“Alright, not bad. I’ll take seven hundred million for it. Bring the remaining three hundred million within a month.”
“O-One month is too…”
“Hmm?”
“…I think that’s a perfectly reasonable period.”
“Leave.”
“Y-yes, y-yes.”
The Marquis, groveling to the very end, stepped back.
As soon as his pounding footsteps echoed away, the door suddenly swung open.
“What’s this little brat?”
There was no time to dodge.
Aria, leaning against the door, had no choice but to stagger.
When she looked up, her gaze met the Marquis’s face twisted like a demon.
“Stop blocking the door and get out of the way… wait, this hair color…”
The Marquis squinted, his expression turning from annoyance to suspicion.
In an instant, he reached out and tore off Aria’s rabbit mask.
“…!”
It was an unexpected turn of events.
They had been far too close.
Aria hastily bowed her head to hide her face.
But it was already too late.
The Marquis had read everything from Aria’s exposed face.
“The Cortez jester!”
He laughed sharply.
Cortez.
A very famous family.
Once known for producing world-class musicians, now infamous as a disgrace among nobles.
“Really resembles them. I could tell at a glance. Hmm… but did the jester even have a daughter? I’ve never heard of it.”
Unlike the previous Count, the current one was mocked as the ‘circus master.’
He had used the minority Sirens to amass wealth and fame.
And at this time, those who came to hear the Siren’s song were hopelessly ruined.
‘Those who suffer from extreme drug addiction and seek greater thrills when it doesn’t satisfy them.’
The Cavendish Marquis was one of them.
“Then your singing is just as spectacular, hmm?”
He was a member of a secretive gathering.
What happened at the meeting was strictly confidential.
One had to take an oath of silence to become a member.
At this time, that was the rule.
‘But since my mother passed away, the oath is useless now…’
Aria instinctively stepped back, sweating.
She hadn’t expected him to recognize her instantly.
“Came to sell your songs to Valentine? Hiding so carefully… well, it’s fine. Since it’s come to this, why not stop playing the jester and make your name known throughout the Empire, child?”
“……”
“With Valentine’s wealth, it won’t be long before that happens. Soon you’ll sing at the Grand Theater in the capital, perhaps?”
He chuckled, delighted by the mere thought.
“If you inherited your mother’s talent, you’ll be called an angel descended to this land, lending the voice of God.”
Aria clenched the hem of her dress tightly to hide her trembling hands.
“Perhaps even the Emperor will notice. Your father would be delighted. Ha ha!”
Hearing that, her face instantly turned pale.
The Marquis’s words were prophetic.
‘It really happened.’
She was praised.
Everyone exalted her.
They exploited her.
They demanded increasingly extreme things.
She poured out unwanted secrets.
They begged for salvation.
They called for her to be burned at the stake.
They broke her legs.
They locked her in a cage.
She sang until she vomited blood.
And then…
“Gah! Ugh…!”
The Black Hawks urgently covered Aria’s eyes.
But through her fingers, she saw the sharp tip of a sword on the Marquis’s chest—something she shouldn’t have seen.
Red spread like paint.
“Five minutes have passed.”
The sword’s owner was Valentine Duke.
As the blade was drawn, the Marquis collapsed, completely limp.
He didn’t move again.
‘…And I was saved.’
A massive shadow loomed before her.
Aria slowly lifted her head.
Valentine Duke gently placed the rabbit mask back over her face.
The soft touch rested against her skin.
Her gaze silently met the Duke’s, trembling uncontrollably.
“Ah… you killed him after all…”
Dwayne, who had rushed out after the Duke, sighed.
As if he had expected this.
“Since you’ve stirred up trouble, it can’t be helped. I’ll personally go down and punish him for insulting Valentine.”
Then he quickly moved to assess and handle the situation.
After about fifteen years as Valentine Duke’s aide, he could handle situations like this without flinching.
“This one should be easier, at least.”
The Cavendish Marquis had certainly committed enough crimes.
The Duke, however, muttered quietly, ignoring Dwayne completely.
“I see. I hadn’t anticipated it reaching this situation…”
He had never paid attention to the low-class gatherings hosted by the Cortez Counts.
He had no idea that someone could instantly recognize Aria as being from Cortez.
“Hmm.”
He recalled Aria, pale and trembling as if she had seen a ghost.
Even her eyes, twisted in despair.
‘She’s far too scared.’
Is she so averse to being known as the Siren’s daughter?
If she dislikes it, remove it.
The Duke concluded simply.
“Bring me the member list from the gatherings hosted by the Cortez Counts.”
The Black Hawks, standing in a line, obeyed and bowed their heads.
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
“Not a single one left out.”
And handle it.
…though he swallowed the rest of the command.
Aria was listening.
Even without words, the Black Hawks fully understood his intention and carried out the order.
