I Was Reincarnated as a Villainous Noble Who Gets Killed Midway Through the Story but It Looks Like I’ll Be Executed as a Traitor if I Try to Do Good Deeds - Chapter 69



69: Towards a Resolution

The students were poisoned, and it’s really getting on my nerves. I want to kill the criminal right now. However, we need to follow procedures for the investigation. It’s not good to rush into things with amateur thinking.

So, I’ll seek advice from someone who seems to know what they’re doing. It’s not like I can get help from home, anyway. If I ask my father, he’ll just dismiss me.

“Phillis, do you have a way to investigate how the poison was brought in?”

“…No. Fundamentally, it’s impossible to track past movements. So, we need to investigate how it was brought in or sold.”

I see. The logic makes sense. If we examine the dish that contained the poison, we’ll only find out what kind of poison it is. Then, we need to investigate how it was obtained. That’s the key.

However, it’s a troublesome method. And it’s difficult to obtain physical evidence. We’ll have to rely on circumstantial evidence. I want to clearly identify the criminal. I don’t want to kill someone just because they’re suspicious; I want to expose them in broad daylight and then kill them.

“I see. So, finding the person who has the poison is crucial.”

“…I agree. But I’m an amateur, too. There might be a more efficient method.”

“That’s true. I’ll think about it, too. Do you have any ideas?”

“…How about this? If poison was used, there must be a container. We can use that as a clue.”

That’s indeed important. Whether it’s powder or liquid, it needs to be contained. If it was carried openly, the person themselves would be poisoned, and it could also affect unintended people. It’s an irrational act.

However, we can’t deny the possibility that the criminal is quite foolish. If they just wanted to kill me, it’s not a clever method. In fact, I wouldn’t do something like that. There are many more certain ways to do it.

Moreover, if it’s an insider, they can’t even guarantee their own safety. If I die, there’s no way to confirm it. It seems like an impulsive crime. My father would do it more cleverly. Even my brother would take the time to destroy my surroundings.

“Ah, that’s right. There must be a container, not just the poison itself. That’s a good idea. I’ll praise you for it.”

“…I agree. We need something to carry it. If we can investigate that, it’ll be good.”

“It’s one step at a time. If we’re not careful, we’ll stumble.”

「……Definitely. You’re cautious, but that’s important. Rushing to conclusions doesn’t lead to good things.”

“That’s true. Then, let’s take it easy and investigate.”

Accusing someone of a crime without solid evidence is something I absolutely want to avoid. I think I have the intelligence to understand that. If we mistakenly identify the culprit, it won’t lead to a resolution. What’s important to me is ensuring the safety of the people I care about. That takes priority over catching the criminal.

However, it’s also crucial to eliminate possibilities thoroughly. Although I think it’s unlikely that my father is the culprit, I don’t have concrete evidence. Even if I directly investigate my father, I won’t find any evidence. He’s a skilled noble who can cover his tracks.

The more I think about it, the less I think it’s my father. If he just wanted to kill me, there are more efficient ways to do so. If he wanted to camouflage himself and kill the students, I still can’t understand why.

In other words, the school’s plan involves the surrounding nobles, and there’s no merit in deliberately sabotaging it. My father wouldn’t do something so pointless.

It’s essential to investigate thoroughly, and I’ll do my best within my capabilities. For starters, I’ll confirm with my brother.

“Jian, has Father been doing anything suspicious lately?”

“I don’t think so. I don’t think he’s involved in anything related to you, Brother. Is there a problem?”

“No, it’s nothing major. I just got a bad feeling. I wanted to take a big step forward, that’s all.”

No mistake there. I plan to take drastic action to catch the mastermind. The scale is quite large, considering it involves multiple nobles and their children. It’s crucial to figure out what to do. If I can get Father’s cooperation, that would be great. It’s troubling, though.

I’ll use every means necessary to solve the problem. That’s why I want to get Father’s cooperation, if possible. He’s definitely more cunning than me.

“Yes, if Brother and Father’s movements overlap, it’ll be troublesome. That’s something to worry about.”

“That’s right. If there’s no big movement, then there’s no problem.”

“Then, is there nothing I should do?”

“Yes, for now, there’s no need to rush. Take a break sometimes.”

“That’s right. I was thinking about the slaves’ movements, and it seems that taking breaks is important for efficiency too.”

Jian’s got efficiency on his mind, unlike me, who has moral qualms about hurting others. I can’t bear to see slaves being mistreated. However, I don’t have the guts to make Father an enemy.

“Do you understand why I don’t treat slaves harshly?”

“Yes, I do. It’s only natural, Brother. You’ve been like that from the beginning.”

For now, I think it’s unlikely that Father is the culprit. At least, he didn’t attack the school. There’s no concrete evidence, but considering the priority, it’s not worth wasting time on low-probability possibilities.

I parted ways with Jian and returned to my room to organize my thoughts. I need to come up with a plan for the future.

“Hmm. It seems the internal culprit’s possibility is high. If that’s the case, how should I investigate?”

One idea that comes to mind is to search everyone’s room. If I find poison, it’s likely that the person is the culprit. However, there’s a possibility that they might be hiding evidence in someone else’s room. I need to be cautious about that.

“Forcing a room search might make innocent people unhappy. Still, it’s a situation where I need to push through.”

Even if I’m disliked a bit, the safety of the students is more important. That’s only natural.

“I should also be wary of Father. He might be plotting something, and it’s not impossible.”

Although the possibility is low in this case, I shouldn’t let my guard down. It’s possible that he’s planning something else.

“The ones who could have poisoned the food are Lana, Millra, or one of the students. It’s around that area. I don’t want to suspect them, but I can’t ignore the possibility.”

To believe in someone, I need to investigate thoroughly. Suspecting Lana, Millra, Julia, or Sterl is painful, but I need to do it.

“The motive is to target me, right? If so, the timing makes sense. I apologize to the students who got involved, but…”

I was involved in every incident, so it makes sense. However, it’s only a high possibility, and I can’t be certain.

“But if they’re willing to sacrifice the students just to target me, I absolutely won’t forgive them. It’s not just an emotional issue.”

Someone who thinks it’s okay to sacrifice others to kill me is not worth living. They’re as bad as terrorists.

I need to solve the case quickly to prevent the next incident. However, rushing will only lead to mistakes. I need to be cautious and thorough.

No matter what, I’ll catch the culprit. I’ll do everything it takes to achieve that.