Reasons for Contract Marriage - Chapter 79

***

By the time the people from the Carlisle estate and criminal investigators arrived at the lodge, Lucius had returned to his usual composure.

The butler, seeing Daniel’s body covered by a cloth, collapsed to the floor. He had been stoic even during the late Duke’s death, but now he seemed utterly lost, muttering to himself.

“Daniel… Sir Daniel…”

Since Daniel had become the Duke, the butler had never called him by his name. But now, he could only repeat Daniel’s name, eventually hugging the corpse and bursting into tears. He had always regarded Daniel as his own son, and the shock was all the greater because of it.

Meanwhile, the investigators inspected the area, searching for evidence of Daniel’s killer.

Could this also be the crown prince’s doing…?

Lucius watched the butler’s heartbreaking grief in silence, deep in thought. Until recently, Daniel had been pursuing Florian’s death, claiming that the crown prince was behind it. He had also mentioned the possibility of the crown prince colluding with the Kazak Empire and said he was investigating it further. That was the last thing Lucius had heard.

After that, Daniel was shot and killed here.

Were they scared that he was getting too close to the truth? Daniel had a powerful influence, wielding information as a weapon. Perhaps they wanted to eliminate him before things escalated further.

If that were the case…

As his grief subsided, a deep anger took its place. Lucius stared at Daniel’s lifeless body, vowing silently. If the crown prince truly took both Daniel and Florian from him, he would pay back the debt thoroughly and completely.

“Young master…”

The butler eventually wiped away his tears and stood, approaching Lucius. Lucius, who had been silently staring, finally spoke.

“How is Mother?”

“Upon hearing the news of the Duke, she fainted briefly. The doctor attended to her immediately, and she soon regained consciousness, so there is no need for concern.”

Lucius nodded weakly. “I see. Is there anything else I should know right now?”

The butler leaned in, whispering discreetly, “The informant we had planted near the crown prince has disappeared.”

If the informant had disappeared, it meant one of two things: they had either defected or were dead.

“It’s not defection. He was the most trustworthy person, but we lost contact with him yesterday. It seems they disposed of him.”

In the end, everything pointed back to the crown prince. Lucius found himself almost admiring the audacity of the crown prince’s actions, from Florian’s death onward.

But could this really be the end?

Lucius looked around, a sense of unease gnawing at him. It felt like this wasn’t all—perhaps it was an instinct he had developed through months of survival on the battlefield.

And his instincts proved correct.

“We found a bullet.”

One of the investigators approached, holding a bullet they had retrieved from the wall, wrapped in a handkerchief.

“There’s a number inscribed on it.”

A number inscribed on a bullet meant it was military-issued ammunition. Each battalion’s supplier marked their bullets with specific numbers.

“It’s marked 5-1.”

The investigator handed over the bloodstained bullet, and the number 5-1 was indeed clearly engraved. His gaze soon turned to Lucius’s waist.

“You seem to be carrying a gun. May I examine it?”

Lucius clenched his lips tightly.

Suddenly, he remembered—Daniel had been present when their father died. If their father hadn’t sacrificed himself, Daniel would have died that day as well.

The crown prince must have planned to kill both Carlisle men together. He had learned, through Daniel, how troublesome it could be to leave one behind. And if he couldn’t kill both at once, he would have set something else in motion to take care of the survivor.

Lucius unholstered his gun and handed it over to the investigator. The investigator immediately opened the magazine to inspect it.

“…One bullet is missing. And the number inscribed on this bullet is also…”

The investigator looked up, staring directly at Lucius through his glasses.

“5-1.”

“W-wait a moment!”

Sensing the gravity of the situation, the butler intervened urgently, but another investigator blocked his path.

“Moreover, you were the first to discover the Duke’s body.”

At a signal from the investigator, two others approached and grabbed Lucius by the arms.

“Lucius Carlisle, you are hereby detained as a suspect in this murder investigation.”

***

The news that Duke Carlisle was dead and his younger brother Lucius Carlisle was under investigation as a suspect spread like wildfire within a day. The first to act was Count Kirchner, along with other noble faction families. Count Kirchner urgently convened a meeting of the House of Nobles.

“This is utterly preposterous slander! Everyone here knows how close the two brothers were!”

At his furious statement, everyone nodded in agreement. The Carlisle brothers were known for their bond—rarely seen among noble families. No one believed that Lucius would kill Daniel.

“This is not only a defamation of the Carlisle family but also an attack on all of us. We must confront the authorities immediately and demand Sir Lucius’s release. They must find the real culprit behind the Duke’s death!”

As the majority agreed with the Count’s declaration, one noble from the royalist faction spoke up.

“However, I heard that he has refused to say where he was last night. If he truly had nothing to do with this, why won’t he speak up?”

Soon after, others voiced their agreement.

“Indeed. If he really isn’t involved in the Duke’s death, shouldn’t he be able to account for his whereabouts?”

“There must be something suspicious if he’s keeping silent, isn’t there?”

The assembly became noisy with rising suspicion.

Count Kirchner scoffed. “How many of you here could confidently say where you spent last night? Count Brantel, can you tell us where you were?”

Count Brantel cleared his throat awkwardly, and a few others chuckled. Everyone knew that many noblemen secretly spent nights with courtesans, prostitutes, or lovers, but admitting it publicly was a loss of dignity.

“Even if one was in an inappropriate place, I’d rather be accused of being with a woman than be falsely accused of murder. Though it’s a gentleman’s duty to protect a lady’s honor, no one would choose to be branded a murderer because of it.”

More nods followed Count Brantel’s statement.

“That’s true.”

“Yes, if one’s life is at stake, refusing to speak up means…”

As the debate began to sway against him, Count Kirchner hurriedly interjected, “From the outset, it’s absurd to accuse him based on a mere bullet number. Those same bullets are used by other units, and someone could have intentionally framed him…”

At that moment, the closed meeting room doors swung open. All eyes turned toward the entrance, where the crown prince stood, walking steadily into the center of the assembly.

“Your Highness, why are you here…”

The current session was a House of Nobles meeting, where royalty was not permitted. Yet here was Crown Prince Gerhardt Lars, boldly stepping inside.

The crown prince, with his golden eyes narrowed, smiled as he addressed the gathered nobles.

“I apologize for intruding on your important time, but I have something that must be said here. May I have permission to speak briefly?”

Given the situation, denying the request was impossible.

“Very well, Your Highness, you may speak.”

Upon receiving Count Kirchner’s permission, the crown prince lifted his chin high and began.

“If Lucius Carlisle is released as things stand, it would be a great injustice.”

Murmurs rose again in the assembly, which Count Kirchner managed to suppress by banging his desk several times. He then asked the crown prince, “Why do you think so?”

The crown prince’s lips curled upward into a faint smile.

“If he were to be released, it would mean that my father—who was forced to give up his rights and endure the scorn of the world for simply having a brother die suddenly in the same family—was unjustly slandered.”