Chapter 23: Twist on a Twist (1)

I had planned to demolish the hotel breakfast before heading out, so this was a bit of a letdown. Clicking my tongue, I climbed into the car with a blank expression. The driver, likely dispatched from the estate, pulled into the still-quiet avenue with no hesitation, slicing through the early morning calm.

Apparently, my fiancé had left at dawn after receiving an urgent business telegram, leaving behind only a letter. I had expected something like last time, full of ornate expressions, but it turned out to be remarkably straightforward, likely because he really had to rush.

First came the apology for his sudden departure, along with a promise to return within two days. Then, he explained that he had arranged for someone trustworthy to deliver a meal on his behalf. I was to simply say it was a gift from him and accept it.

The letter ended like this:

[Please refrain from any dangerous or uncertain endeavors. Always prioritize your safety and spend your time in comfort. —Rose]

Anyone reading that might think I’m a seven-year-old playground ringleader or something. And now even my stepbrother, who is no longer on my list of poison suspects, is aware of the poisoning incident. Given that, there shouldn’t be any need for extra meal provisions… but maybe our last conversation deepened some misunderstanding. My fiancé seems quite worried.

Frankly, it’s my stepbrother who looks more troubled than I am. He was still curled up beside me in the car, face pale as a sheet, so I decided to talk to him.

“Are you feeling sick? Your face is completely pale.”

“…It’s not a physical issue.”

Oh, that was a proper sentence, and even tinged with sarcasm. I’d expected him to ignore me or tell me not to talk to him, so I guess I’ve earned a few points with him lately. Let’s see if I can get more out of him.

“If it’s not physical, is something bothering you mentally?”

“…Our mother might find out that you not only went out but stayed out overnight. And you’re awfully calm about that.”

Gasp. Oh crap, he’s right! Cold sweat beaded on my forehead as I recalled the way my stepmother was always harping on complete rest and smothering me with overprotection. I’d only meant to sneak out for a bit, and now it looked like I’d blatantly ignored her and stayed out overnight. She already seemed a little traumatized… what a way to be a terrible daughter.

“I’ve already made sure the staff will keep quiet. Once Mother gets home, just act like we never left.”

“R-right. Got it.”

Wow. That was such a sibling-type conversation. I nodded quickly. 

Fortunately, she wasn’t back yet. She was apparently on her way home, or at least had phoned to say so. My stepbrother was now anxiously gnawing on his thumbnail, likely reliving the moment he got that call.

Hmm. He seemed a little too tense, so I decided to lighten the mood with some idle chat.

“Hey, did you manage to take care of everything while you were out?”

From what I’d heard, Geryl was heading to a tailor’s. Which, of course, meant I was asking if he bought a bunch of new clothes. I’d expected a fun follow-up conversation, but instead I got a defensive response.

“That’s personal.”

Oh… Maybe he’s one of those people who gets super into something and is afraid the other person won’t care or will kill the vibe? I get it. I decided to look at my socially awkward stepbrother with a warm lens. He didn’t seem like a bad guy, just someone to approach gently.

Then, surprisingly, he hesitated… and turned the question on me.

“What about you? Why did you go out?”

“Wow, says the guy who just brushed off his own outing as ‘personal.’ That’s not fair!”

“Th-then don’t answer if you don’t want to!”

Alright, alright. It wasn’t even anything big. I shook my head with a sigh as I looked at his face, now flushed crimson. At least the color was coming back into his cheeks.

“I just had dinner and did some shopping. Oh, and I bought a camera!”

“What?!”

I pulled the camera out of the box I’d been carefully cradling in my arms, and Geryl looked absolutely horrified. Looks like cameras really are taboo in this house since the wedding incident. I just shrugged.

“Don’t worry. I won’t show it to Mother.”

I’ll ease my photos into the house naturally, making sure not to trigger her trauma. And I’m sure my fiancé’s handsome face will help win her over, too.

“…Right. Just don’t show her.”

My stepbrother immediately grabbed the camera and stuffed it back in its box, taping it shut tight. He only let go once the department store logo was the only thing visible. Okay, okay, I’ll bring it in discreetly. No need to worry.

“Oh, and if you ever print any photos, bring me copies.”

“Sure!”

Aw, he can be sweet when he wants to be. I smiled and agreed readily.

With that heartwarming conversation wrapped up, the car rolled to a stop in front of the mansion.

Geryl and I jumped out and briskly made our way across the garden. The sunlit scenery was romantic and beautiful, but I barely noticed. It felt like we were climbing a mountain at dawn, only to meet a stern boss at the summit.

Geryl declared grimly, “Mother should arrive around lunchtime. Until then, let’s pretend we’ve been in our rooms the whole time.”

I nodded with solemn agreement. “Got it. Let’s say we had dinner together last night too?”

“Let’s go with that.”

We shared a strange sense of camaraderie as we crossed the garden and reached the front door.

Then we opened it and froze.

“You’re home, my dear children.”

Oh my… stepmother!

There she was, standing right in the entryway.

On either side of her, the household staff were lined up in neat rows, easily several dozen people crowding the foyer. It felt like walking into the living room after sneaking home at dawn, only to find your entire extended family waiting for you.

If this were a comic, I’d be drenched in sweat already. I slowly turned to look at Geryl. He was frozen too, completely blank-faced. I must’ve looked just like him.

“Did you enjoy your outing?”

“Y-yes…”

Wait, should I just apologize now for staying out without permission? What am I even supposed to say here? Ugh, I don’t know!

“I see. It’s natural at your age to want to go out and explore. I suppose I’ve been a bit overbearing out of worry.”

Huh? My stepmother was surprisingly calm. She even dismissed the staff with a wave while maintaining her gentle smile. Wait, was she so furious that she looped all the way back to calm?

“My dear Rose, still, try not to go out too often. You might really fall ill again. And don’t forget to take your medicine, alright?”

Ahh… now I felt even guiltier. Somehow this calm concern hurt more.

I simply nodded silently.

“Then go wash up and rest. Shall we have breakfast together afterward? I’d love to hear how you’ve been.”

It’s only been two or three days… but I didn’t say that out loud.

“Geryl… you don’t look well. Will you be alright joining us for breakfast?”

A glance at him confirmed that he really did look pale. I was nearly certain he’d decline, but he clenched his jaw and gave a nod. My stepmother kept smiling and said she understood. I, on the other hand, was just relieved that breakfast wouldn’t turn into a one-on-one interrogation.

Soon after washing up and changing, I was summoned to the breakfast table.

“…Phew.”

Once again, my spot had the most elaborate spread. Clearly Mother’s doing.

But… can I even eat this? Geryl and I had talked about the poisoning incident, but when my fiancé came in and ran off, we never finished investigating it properly.

Originally, I had hoped that after discussing things today, we’d be able to take some measures and go back to eating normally by lunch or dinner. But at this point, with nothing decided yet, that seems unlikely.

As I hesitated with my knife poised over the plate, my stepmother suddenly dropped a bombshell.

“I heard there was an attempted poisoning.”

If I had been drinking water, I would’ve spat it out. Was that you who said it? I glanced at Geryl, who immediately averted his gaze. Bingo.

“So I hurried to get here as quickly as I could. Thankfully, I arrived three hours ago and summoned the entire staff with the police to begin questioning.”