SMR | Chapter 165

~Chapter 165~

“Uwaaah! I’m finished! My life is over, I tell you—over!”

A woman’s wailing echoed from the imperial interrogation room.

The imperial investigator questioning her grimaced helplessly.

The woman summoned to the palace under imperial order—Cecile McGrow—was rumored to be the first woman ever to be identified as a passenger of the “Kingdom.”

And rumors were correct. Because of that, her life had completely fallen apart.

“My parents cut ties with me! They told me to leave the house! What am I supposed to do now?!”

“Well… why did you even go to that kind of place…?”

“Was I the only one who went?! There were people way more important than me on that ship! So why am I the only one dragged here like this?!”

“If it’s so unfair, then tell me the names of the other passengers you saw. We’ll summon them, too.”

He only said it to shut her loud mouth.

But Cecile, who was standing at the edge of a cliff — no, already rolling down it — had no intention of protecting anyone’s secrets.

“Bella Listerwell! She was there too, I swear!”

The investigator lifted his head, surprised at the unexpected name.

“You mean the young lady of the Listerwell barony? She’s known for being extremely modest and proper…”

“Was I known for being lewd before all this? Everyone on that ship acted like perfect gentlemen and ladies outside!”

…That was actually a reasonable point.

The investigator stroked his chin.

“Do you have any reason to believe it was Bella Listerwell? Did she reveal her name or face to you?”

“No, not exactly, but she looked exactly like Bella Listerwell. Same hair color, same build—and most of all, she had moles here and here.”

“Moles…?”

The woman pointed at her neck and upper chest.

His tone implied he was doubtful, and Cecile scoffed.

“You’ve never seen Bella Listerwell, have you? She always walks around with her chest practically exposed. On her pale décolletage, she has two moles. Men call those moles ‘chocolate.’ Everyone knows about them.”

“Is that… true?”

“Ask the men who came before me! Anyway, the woman I saw on that ship had moles exactly in those spots. I only saw her once, but I’m sure it was Bella Listerwell.”

The investigator wrote this down, though he didn’t think it was very credible.

How could anyone know another person’s mole positions that precisely?

But just as Cecile claimed, when he questioned the men who had arrived earlier, their answers matched perfectly.

“Ah yes, Bella Listerwell’s ‘chocolate’ is famous. One on the neck, one on the upper chest—placed quite… alluringly.”

“Probably the sweetest ‘chocolate’ in the world. Ask if we remember the exact locations? Probably around here… and here…”

“Bella Lis—ah, yes, I remember them too. Those moles are so well-known. And she was the one who—oh! Never mind! I said nothing! Slip of the tongue!”

Every man pointed to the same spots.

So the investigator concluded Cecile McGrow’s testimony was trustworthy and issued a summons to Bella Listerwell.

The letter read:

“There is testimony stating that you were a passenger aboard the ship ‘Kingdom.’

By the emperor’s direct order, you are hereby summoned as a witness.

Please present yourself by September 8th.

If you object, you may submit a petition to the Imperial Investigation Bureau.”

***

The rumor spreads

News that imperial investigators had gone to deliver a summons to Bella Listerwell spread instantly.

No one knew who leaked it, but surely it wasn’t false.

This investigation was ordered by the emperor himself—anyone spreading lies would be punished.

Bella had never imagined that something she brushed aside carelessly would come back at her like this.

“It wasn’t me, it was Harriet. My cousin dressed up as me and boarded that ship. I have a witness, too.”

Bella went to the palace to file an objection and spoke smoothly, without any hesitation.

Because she truly had never boarded that ship.

But the investigator looked at her suspiciously.

“You said you have a witness. How does that witness know with certainty it was Harriet Listerwell?”

“Because that person brought her there.”

“Oh? And who is that person?”

“That’s…”

Bella abruptly closed her mouth.

Revealing Tez’s involvement would be dangerous.

“He’ll come speak for himself.”

“I see. Then I will postpone your summons for one week. Within that time, your witness must come and testify.”

“Of course. But… if it is proven that Harriet impersonated me, then what happens afterward?”

“Then Harriet Listerwell will receive the summons. And if the impersonation is true, you may even press fraud charges.”

Bella had to hold her breath to stop herself from smiling too brightly.

Harriet… You thought this was revenge? Too bad. I finally get to crush you completely.

To Bella, this was luck. Recently Harriet’s reputation had improved so much that Bella felt threatened.

But now? The timing couldn’t be better.

Bella began spreading explanations before meeting Tez.

“I was shocked to receive a summons. I’ve never stepped on that ship. But it seems Harriet impersonated me again.”

“I kept quiet, believing Harriet would eventually regret her actions… but this is too malicious.”

“The truth will come out soon. Don’t worry.”

She expected the same reaction as before—

She, the pitiful victim.

Harriet, the immoral villain.

But things were different now.

One friend approached her and said carefully:

“Bella, I believe you. You’d never go on a ship like that.

…But I don’t think the person impersonating you was Harriet.”

“What do you mean, Lizbet?”

“Harriet can now get an audience with Her Majesty the Empress. Someone like that wouldn’t do something so foolish again.”

Bella froze, trying to keep her expression calm.

“So… you think I’m blaming the wrong person?”

“N-no! I just thought maybe you misunderstood something…”

Bella’s smile cracked.

“A misunderstanding? What misunderstanding?”

Embarrassed, Lizbet blushed but forced herself to continue.

“People are talking. They’re asking… how you even know it was Harriet.

To know she dressed like you and boarded the ship… the one who told you must have been on the ship, right?”

Bella almost snapped back with, “Isn’t it obvious?”

But she caught herself.

If she said that, she’d basically confess that she was involved with someone obscene.

But if she denied it, she’d have no explanation for how she “knew” it was Harriet.

Unable to do anything, Bella smiled stiffly.

“I can’t explain right now. It’s an extremely sensitive matter.

But trust me—Harriet will get the summons soon, not me.”

“O-oh… okay…”

Lizbet nodded and left.

Bella knew perfectly well that her friend didn’t truly believe her.

I need to talk to Tez. Right now.

When had the social circle, once so devoted to her, started caring about Harriet’s reputation?

Bella refused to understand or accept it.

But she reassured herself:

It didn’t matter. Harriet would fall soon. People would say, “We knew Harriet Listerwell was wicked.”

With two days left in the deadline given by the investigator, Bella met Tez.

As always, at the “audience chamber.”

“Tez!”

“Bella? Why are you frowning? You’ll get wrinkles on your pretty face.”

Tez gently hugged her and stroked her hair.

Their relationship had grown so close it almost felt like a romance—something that thrilled her.

Bella whined sweetly:

“I’m in so much trouble because of Harriet. Someone on the ship saw her and testified that I was the one there.”

“What? How could that happen?!”

“Right?! How could they mistake her for me? Maybe their eyes were messed up from the drugs. Anyway, that’s why I got a summons!”

Tez chuckled awkwardly, then tilted his head as if remembering something.

“To be fair… when she dressed up that day, she did look a lot like you.

I finally understood how you used to impersonate Harriet before.”

“…What?”

“You two are cousins. Maybe that’s why. Your faces are similar, your height and build too…”

Bella puffed out her chest.

“She doesn’t have these.”

“That’s true, but that day she must’ve stuffed something underneath—she looked pretty… full.”

“She—! At least she knows she’s flat! Anyway!”

Bella stroked Tez’s chest seductively and looked up with pleading eyes.

“Go to the palace and testify that the woman on the ship was Harriet Listerwell.

Then they’ll cancel my summons and send one to her instead.”

Her voice was full of expectation.

But Tez, who she thought would say “Of course,” instead grabbed her hand and gently removed it from his chest.

“Tez…?”

“Sorry, Bella. That’s… difficult.”

“…What? What do you mean difficult?”

Her innocent question made Tez let out a disbelieving laugh.