Chapter 2 part 1: Framed

The fact that the eldest daughter of Count Epheria received inferior treatment could also be seen in the food being served. I looked at the lunch menu that only consisted of potato cream soup and two slices of bread while clicking my tongue.

Are these the foods being served in a wealthy household? For real!? I highly doubt it. The food served at the Church was much better than this! The food for the priests is almost similar to this, but some meat is always present in holy knights' meals because we need much more energy to do our tasks.

"The Count… ermm… I mean my father… I want to meet him."

I tore the bread while saying this to Sofia, who was standing beside me. Though he is my father, I have never seen his face even once.

Sofia appeared to be confused by my words.

"Master never visited Miss."

"But I'm his daughter though."

"If Master considered Miss as his daughter, how could Master let Miss get treated badly?"

"Thats right…" I mumbled while staring at the simple design of the dining table. What could you expect from the father who didn't even care about his daughter's meals? Moreover, Silla's fiancé was a rapist.

"Furthermore, these days Master doesn't meet anyone except the head butler and Madam. Eventually the Madam can spread her influence."

"How about the Countess… ah, I mean my stepmother."

"Miss can meet her anytime. But it would be the best not to meet with her."

Hearing Sofia words, I recalled my brief encounter with the Countess. What Sofia said is right. The Countess can't be taken down so easily. Still, I have to come inside the tiger's den to catch the tiger, right?

"Seems like it's inevitable because I need to meet her at least once. I broke off my engagement."

"… WHAT?!"

Sofia widened her eyes in amazement.

"M-Miss has broken off the engagement?"

"Yeah, it seems like he didn't really like me."

It couldn't be that he still intended to proceed with engagement after going through all those things, right? If he could say that he still likes the woman who broke his arm and leg, I would suggest he go to the Church for a psychological examination.

"It has ended just like that, but I still have to tell her, even though she's my stepmother, don't I?"

"That's… right, but… the Viscount really agreed with it?"

"He said he didn't want to meet me anymore."

Well, I didn't hear him said the words directly, but he should be thinking the same, I guess? Unless he has gone insane. It can't be that he's a pervert who loves getting beaten, right?

Sofia looked extremely happy that she clapped her hands when she heard me.

"Congrats, Miss! Finally Miss can get away from that disgusting lecher! Of course the Madam should be informed about this! But, what made the Viscount give up?"

"We had a small talk."

I'm not lying, we did talk a bit.

"Turns out that bastard can be reasoned with."

Well, although he only agreed to it after I broke his arm and leg.

Sofia gave an inquiring look but didn't ask any further.

"Well, whatever! Anyways this is a really good news. I wonder what kind of face the Countess will make when she hears of it."

Sofia smiled widely with an expectant look on her face.

It's still the same as usual. The Countess enjoyed her time leisurely by having some tea in the middle of the flower garden. She looked like a dignified and charming noble lady from outside, but from within, she was a ruthless person who ordered a man to rape her step-daughter. No wonder Sofia called her the great grandmother of the Demons. Hahh…Seriously.

"I come here because there's something I should inform you about."

The Countess moved her lips into a smile and offered me a seat.

"Have a seat."

As I sat before her, she poured the tea for me herself. I took a sip of the orange-goldenish tea and started to talk.

"Viscount Schwart."

"I know very well that you didn't like Viscount Schwart."

That woman continued her speech in a loving tone as though she were my birth mother.

"Even so, isn't it too much to have him murdered?"

"… What?"

I was caught off guard that I asked in my bewildered state. I widened my eyes at the Countess. What did she just say…?

"… murdered?"

"Yes. Viscount Schwart was murdered yesterday."

He died…? No, wait! I remember that I didn't give him any fatal wounds. I just broke his arm and leg so it's not possible to cause any bleeding. And also, my hits to his body didn't injure any of his internal organs. Moreover, wasn't that bastard friend of his downstairs? How could he have died?

"… he wad still fine when I left him," I said with a frown.

I did injure him, but I didn't give him any fatal injury that endangered his life. I'm completely sure as I'm an expert with many experiences in beating others for about 10 years.

"Besides, you're talking as if I'm really the one who killed the Viscount."

The Countess nodded while keeping her gentle smile.

"Because you are indeed the murderer."

"Don't spout nonsense! How could a girl who was only carrying a parasol, kill a healthy adult man? Furthermore, the Viscount was not alone. Sir Cain Silac, the Imperial Knight, was also there. It's impossible to deal with both of them using my own strength."

Perhaps the former me could do it, but with my current self, I would have a hard time if both of them attacked together. I was able to deal with Viscount Schwart because I was lucky that Cain left us alone. If it was the other way around, I would definitely have escaped through the window.

"Any normal person with a decent brain wouldn't doubt my innocence."

I said it firmly. Logically speaking, it was impossible and I truly didn't murder him.

"But, dear…"

The Countess' gentle voice floated in the air.

"There is a witness that can give a testimony for your crime."

"A Witness…"

It can't be …! There's only one person I could think of who could become a witness in this situation. The bastard who schemed against my subordinate, that ended in my subordinate being dishonorably discharged. It seems like he used a similar method back then. Without me realizing it, I gritted my teeth.

"Sir Silac?"

"Turns out you already knew! Well, if you're the real murderer, naturally you could guess."

"I just made a guess based on the situation. Besides, even without any illness, I'm all for them to see that I'm just a mere weak girl."

Even though there's a witness or whatever it could be… Silla Epheria is not Roel, the holy knight, and doesn't have the ability to kill Viscount Schwart.

How could it be that Silla was able to kill a fully grown man with her weak arms and legs, that couldn't even truss a chicken? Anyone could easily see this was a trap. I stared coldly to the lady before me.

"I understand you wish to drive me out of the Epheria household, but you shouldn't resort to this kind of scheme."

First it was a rape attempt, and now turned into a scapegoat for a murder case? Her viciousness runs so deep that it makes me shudder. I never expected she even would destroy a girl's life just to possess the Count's household! Even if they weren't related by blood, Silla is still her daughter and she had known her since she was a child. It's been almost 20 years… even a stray dog that always wandered around the street would cause many people to feel pity for it. She's really cold-hearted.

"Scheme? Your words are too brazen."

"You have no right to say that."

She was someone who could turn white into black and black into white openly. But, don't you ever think that I won't retaliate.

The Countess sighed and looked at me with pitiful gaze.

"You're really someone who didn't deserve to be protected."

"Protected…?!"

There's a limit in deceiving others by using cheap tricks! For goodness sake, who in the world was the real murderer? How could she talk such nonsense? I'm completely sure the woman in front of me is the one who ordered for the Viscount to be killed. I tried to suppress my anger because of the thick-skinned Countess, but instead she sighed for the second time.

"Indeed it was too difficult for you to injure Viscount Schwart by yourself. Didn't you have accomplices?"

"Accomplices? I went alone, didn't I?"

"Yes that's right! You pretended that you went alone and tricked the Viscount into your trap."

"It's the opposite."

"The opposite."

The Countess tilted her head innocently as if it was the first time she heard about it. Woah…I'm impressed. She really know no shame.

"Yes. Viscount Schwart pretended he would accompany me to see the funeral procession but instead he brought me to an isolated inn and admitted that he wanted to defile me."

As soon as Sofia, who was standing anxiously not too far from me, heard this, she inhaled sharply. Meanwhile, the Countess' expression didn't change in the slightest, because she was undoubtedly the mastermind behind this.

"Hm? So there's also that kind of occurrence. But, it is still odd, isn't it?"

"Odd?"

"Yes. The Silla that I knew, wouldn't have followed the Viscount inside the inn without any reason."

Ugh… T-that…I have no argument to counter her. A normal noble lady would never do something so reckless on her own like I had done.

"… I was forced to go inside."

"You were forced to go inside, but you could came out safely, hm?"

"I waited until I got a chance and jumped out of the window."

"You jumped from the second floor while you were wearing a dress and heels?"

"That was because I was really desperate at that time. Jumping out from the second floor is something doable, isn't it?"

"Your words just now implied that a 19 years old noble lady could jump from the second floor and escape from two men that went after you, while you were wearing high heels?"

"…"

I'm really angry, but that was indeed unbelievable. If I admit that I have enough strength to deal with one to two men, she would definitely accuse me of being the murderer. F*ck. I'm screwed. What should I do now? Should I just cry? Or should I hold back and try to make a deal with the Countess? The last choice seems tempting, but there's still the Count. Up to this point, I'm still not sure who is the real mastermind behind all of this. It wouldn't be a problem if the Countess was the real mastermind, but if it was otherwise, she was nothing but a pawn that could be discarded anytime.

While I was being indecisive, I sensed someone approaching.

BANG!

Almost at the same time, I suddenly rose up from my seat, but I didn't dare to make a move. The Countess' neck was within my reach, but if I dared to reach out my hand and kill her, I couldn't escape either. I diverted my gaze from the Countess and looked at the approaching man.

Cain Silac. His sword that had been unsheathed, lifted up towards me. If the sword had not been unsheathed, perhaps I would still have had a slim chance, but reality turned its back on me. It's just impossible for me to confront this bastard with an untrained body and without any weapon in hands!

"What business does an Imperial Knight have here?"

That bastard Cain's gaze fell upon the Countess for a moment then shifted to me while talking with rigid tone.

"I have come to arrest the murderer of Viscount Schwart."

F*ck! You're the real murderer, a**hole! The only damn someone who could possibly have killed the Viscount in that situation is none other than the bastard in front of me. Without the need to arrest an innocent person, you could have just walked to the prison on your own two feet.

"Arresting the murderer isn't your duty."