TMI (TOO MUCH INFORMATION)

[IT CAN'T be suicide.]

Zoe couldn't understand how an ambitious woman like Millicent Ashmore would take her own life just like that.

Although the bitch was already exposed, she didn't beg for forgiveness. Instead, she insisted that she could prove that the fetus in her stomach was a Rochester. She clung to that story even though the real baby daddy (the knight) had already confessed the truth.

[That kind of woman wouldn't kill herself.]

"My lady, are you alright?" Dal, who was scrubbing her arm with a sponge, asked worriedly. "Please don't blame yourself for what happened to Miss Ashmore."

"I'm not blaming myself," Zoe, dipped in the tub with warm water and rose petals, said bluntly. "Why would I feel bad when I'm not the one who killed Miss Ashmore?"

She also didn't believe that Milli-bitch killed herself, so she wasn't thinking that she caused that woman to take her own life.

Her assistant looked confused at first, then her face turned red. "You're right, my lady. I misspoke." She bowed to her. "I'm sorry for making it sound like you have something to feel guilty for, Lady Zoe."

"No, it's fine," she said, then she scratched her cheek. "I feel bad for the unborn baby, to be honest."

But then again, did she really have the luxury to worry about other people?

She should be worried more about herself after she realized that she might still die in this world because the original character that she possessed died.

[I must secure my own survival first.]

It may sound calloused, but she wouldn't be able to worry about anyone else once she was dead.

"Are the Royal Knights still in the mansion, Dal?"

The Royal Knights were called to investigate the death of Millicent Ashmore. After all, even though her father was a marquis, there was still a due process that their family had to follow despite their status.

Well, most higher nobles wouldn't bother to report the death of a servant.

But Marquis Hendrix Rochester wasn't known as a man of honor for nothing.

[Anyway, the Royal Knights just asked me and my father a few questions. But since we were at the banquet when Milli-bitch took her own life, they let me go easily when I said I wanted to rest already.]

"The Royal Knights are still here, but I overheard them concluding that it was really suicide," Dal reported to her. "According to the maids serving Miss Ashmore, she suddenly ate a poisonous mushroom on her own accord. The mushroom was known as an instant killer. Apparently, just a bite from it is enough to kill a grown man in a few seconds."

She frowned at what she heard. "Mushroom, again? That bitch tried to kill me with mushroom, too. Does she have a collection of mushrooms or what?"

"Apparently, Miss Ashmore did have a collection of poisonous mushrooms," her attendant said while nodding. "It was discovered when the knights searched Miss Ashmore's room."

"Ah, I see."

[Did she collect mushrooms because she knew that Zoanne was allergic to those?]

"The witnesses said that Miss Ashmore suddenly screamed when she woke up," Dal continued with her report. "Then, when her maids came to the room to check on her, Miss Ashmore was already eating the raw, poisonous mushroom. The knights guarding her room were called instantly. They took the mushroom away from Miss Ashmore, and the maids called the doctor right away. But it seems like Miss Ashmore died on the spot." Her attendant paused before speaking again. "The doctor said Miss Ashmore probably experienced hysteria. Apparently, it's quite common for a pregnant woman to have."

Hysteria?

[That doesn't seem to be the case. But then again, I don't think other types of mental health are acknowledged in this world. If I remember correctly, 'hysteria' and 'insanity' are the only mental illness I often read about in the novel.]

But, of course, she knew that what happened to Millicent Ashmore wasn't caused by hysteria. She may have killed herself, but the bitch may have been forced to do so.

[Empress Veronica is the baddest bitch in the empire, after all.]

Too bad the beautiful empress was the bad kind of bitch.

[But to hell with the empress. I think I'm forgetting something more important...]

Oh.

She finally remembered what it was.

Zoe clutched her head and screamed internally. [I forgot to ask for Isaak Viotto's contact details!]

***

ZOE sent Dal to ask Fritz Greenwood, the knight that she trusted, to send the letter that she wrote to Isaak Viotto in secret.

She took a peek at her window earlier and was relieved to see that the Royal Knights had already left her father's estate. She was wary of the Royal Knights because they may have been sent by Empress Veronica.

After all, Millicent Ashmore was one of the empress's servants.

[If I were Empress Veronica, I'd send my own knights as well to investigate House Rochester to make sure that the bitch I wanted dead is really gone.]

But to be honest, she didn't think that Empress Veronica would make a move to eliminate Millicent Ashmore after what she pulled tonight. After all, the traces of the plan to humiliate Isaak Viotto would only point at the wives of some noblemen.

In the worst-case scenario, Count Nigel Ratliff may get involved.

Still, the "scandal" that happened at the banquet tonight couldn't be linked to Empress Veronica.

[I know Empress Veronica's connection to Millicent Ashmore because I read the book. But not even Isaak Viotto could link tonight's incident with the empress. So why kill Milli-bitch?]

She wondered to herself while taking off the hook of her bra under her white nightgown.

Much to her relief, the bra and the panties in this world weren't that different from the ones that they had in her world. But the bras and the panties that she owned were black, white, and nude only with very basic designs.

[Or is that only Zoanne's taste since she seemed to be the conservative type?]

Ah, whatever.

This wasn't the type to be picky in her underwear.

[Now that Milli-bitch is dead, how can I prove to Isaak Viotto and the emperor that it's possible to change a child's physical traits?]

After all, in the novel, Millicent Ashmore had to die for the plot.

If Isaak Viotto wasn't humiliated by "Lady Rochester," he wouldn't have hunted down House Rochester in the story. And if the ghoul duke didn't come after her family, then Millicent Ashmore wouldn't be forced to reveal that Empress Veronica sent her to House Rochester to fool the marquis into thinking that he got her pregnant.

Thanks to that revelation, Isaak Viotto learned that Empress Veronica had the power to change a child's physical appearance. And because of that, he realized that the reason they couldn't find Emperor Rino's daughter was because the new empress stole the real Crown Princess's "royal features" and gave them to her own daughter.

[But now that Millicent Ashmore is gone, how will the plot carry on in that direction?]

And how would Isaak Viotto realize the truth about Empress Veronica now?

[If I tell the ghoul duke what I know, would he believe me? And what would I say if he asked where I got the information? Would he think I've lost my mind if I said I met the late Empress Liane in another world?]

If her answers wouldn't satisfy Isaak Viotto, she had a feeling he would kill her for being suspicious.

[Maybe I should wait for him to trust me first.]

But did she really have the time to wait? What if she got killed while she was taking her time coaxing the ghoul duke to work with her?

Her thoughts got interrupted when she felt a sudden cold breeze enter her room.

[Did I forget to close the window?]

She turned around while pulling her now unhooked bra from the armhole of her nightgown. And she was about to throw it on the floor when she realized that the person who was just on her mind was standing on the windowsill with a shocked look on his face.

What was Isaak Viotto doing in her room at this hour?

She was distracted from her thoughts when she saw the ghoul duke move, as if he was about to jump out the window.

"Wait, it's okay to look!" she said in desperation to stop him from leaving.

That sounded wrong, but thankfully, Isaak Viotto didn't jump off. But he didn't turn his head and his body looked tensed.

"I won't leave," Isaak Viotto said. "Just call me when you're done changing your clothes."

"I'm not changing my clothes," she said in a hurried voice. "I just took off my bra because I feel more comfortable sleeping without it…"

She instantly shut her mouth when she realized she was giving him too much information.

[Stupid Zoe! As if Isaak Viotto is interested in knowing that you take your bra off when sleeping! That's TMI!]

"Just stay," she said, then she walked towards her vanity and grabbed the robe draped over the chair. She wore the robe over her nightgown. And for added measure, she tied the robe tightly so her chest area would be covered properly. She was too lazy to wear her bra again, so she just wore a robe. "You can look now, Your Grace."

Isaak Viotto slowly turned around to face her. His eyes were glued to her face and her face alone. "You're really…"

He bit his lower lip to stop himself from talking.

Then he raised his hand and curled a finger. She thought he was motioning for her to come closer. But suddenly, the blanket in her bed floated towards her as if it was being carried by the wind. After that, the blanket wrapped itself around her body until she became a "burrito."

[Ah, right. According to the novel, Isaak Viotto has the ability to control the wind.]

"I'm not cold, so don't cover my body without my permission," she complained. "You came to my room unannounced. It's not my fault that you caught me taking off my bra. And I'm not ashamed of it. My body, my choice." She clicked her tongue in annoyance. "You talk about manners and shit and yet, you entered a lady's room without prior notice at an inappropriate hour at that."

He looked guilty and ashamed after being called out. Then he raised his hand again to probably take the blanket off her body.

"Forget it. I'll let it slide since we have something important to talk about," she said, then she hopped towards the bed. Then she sat on the mattress while facing the ghoul duke. "What brought you here, Your Grace?"

"I heard that Miss Ashmore took her own life."

"She did."

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah," she said. "Were you worried about me?"

He paused as if he was caught off guard, then he let out a sigh. "I thought you'd blame yourself for what happened to Miss Ashmore. I'm relieved to see that you're not bothered by it."

"This may sound cold, but I'm bothered by her death. Not because I care for her, but because I can no longer use her for my plan."

"That sounded cold, but I appreciate your honesty."

"Thanks," she said. "Your Grace, I have something important to tell you. Can you check if we can talk without being spied on?"

He looked surprised by her question, but he gave her an answer. "You don't have to worry about that since I already took care of that matter the moment I stepped into your room. As long as I'm here, no one can hear us talking."

She was relieved to hear that. Now she could proceed with her plan. Since Millicent Ashmore was already gone, she had no other choice but to come clean.

[I still have Liane's "light" to prove that I met her in the past.]

It was supposed to be her trump card, and she wanted to show it to Emperor Rino instead of Isaak Viotto. But she had no choice but to bring it out this early since she already fucked up.

[I can't do this alone, so I have no choice but to confess to Isaak Viotto now.]

"I heard that Miss Ashmore took her own life," the ghoul duke said carefully. "Do you believe that?"

"No," she said, then she looked at him straight in the eye. "Empress Veronica probably killed Millicent Ashmore."

The Grand Duke's violet eyes glowed menacingly, the shocked look on his face visible. "Lady Rochester, do you understand what you're saying? If other people heard you, you'd be charged with treason right away for accusing the empress of a crime with no piece of evidence."

"I have a solid piece of evidence."

"And what is it?"

"I met the former Empress Liane."

She and her big mouth really did it this time.

The next thing she knew, Isaak Viotto was already standing in front of her--- his sharp and long nails pressed against her throat. And yes, he looked furious at the moment.

"Who are you?" Isaak Viotto, violet eyes still glowing menacingly, asked in a cold, low voice that seriously sent shivers down her spine. She could tell that he would really kill her if she said the wrong thing. "How did you meet the former empress?"

"A dead body couldn't speak, so calm down and hear me out first," Zoe said calmly while looking at him straight in the eye. "Isaak Viotto, I met Empress Liane in a different world."

***

NOTE: Hi! Please consider ADDING 'I Won't Let The Ghoul Duke Go Hungry!' to your LIBRARY. Thank you! <3