A Guide to Raising a Villainess-Chapter 127: Investigation

The night was restless, as was to be expected after everything I had been through. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

I lay in my spacious bedroom, where heavy velvet curtains barely held back the gusts of wind that penetrated through the cracks in the window frames. The room felt like a cage, and the bed like a torture chamber where sleep refused to come.

My eyes were wide open, staring at the ceiling, decorated with moldings in the form of intertwining grapevines, which in the dim light looked like living tentacles reaching out to me.

I couldn’t fall asleep for a long time, lying with my eyes open and listening to the sounds of the estate — the distant footsteps of the night guard, the rustle of the wind outside the windows, my own thoughts, which refused to subside. As soon as I closed my eyes, the dark yawning of the mine, the count’s dust-covered face, and the dull sound of the collapse reappeared before me.

Too much had come together in one place at one time.

Towards morning, when the first rays of dawn began to filter through the curtains, bathing the room in a pale pink light, I finally dozed off.

The sleep was short and heavy, like a nightmare woven from fragments of reality.

I was awakened by a cautious knock on the door — quiet but insistent, as if someone was afraid to disturb my peace. I sat up in bed, feeling my body ache from tension and my head buzzing from lack of sleep.

"Madam," the butler called softly, his voice barely penetrating the thick door. "A messenger has arrived from the palace."

I got up almost immediately, as if I hadn’t slept at all, although my eyes were red and my movements sluggish.

I quickly threw on my robe and smoothed my hair in front of the mirror, which reflected my pale face with dark circles under my eyes.

The corridors of the estate were quiet, only the echo of my footsteps on the marble floor breaking the silence.

Ruby was already waiting for me in my office.

She was standing by the window, looking at the awakening garden, but as soon as I entered, she turned around. From her face — her tight lips, her furrowed brow, her eyes full of anxiety — I knew that the news was not the kind that brings relief.

"Auntie, this came from the palace," Ruby said, handing me a sealed letter.

Her voice was even, but I could hear the anxiety she was trying to hide behind a mask of calm.

I took the envelope — heavy, with the royal chancellery’s coat of arms embossed in gold—and felt my fingers tremble slightly.

The seal was intact, but I knew that inside was something that could destroy the fragile peace I had been trying to maintain since that nightmarish night.

Breaking the wax seal with a soft crack, I unfolded the thick sheet of paper, decorated with ornate lettering and the royal monogram at the top.

My eyes quickly scanned the lines, absorbing every word like poison entering my bloodstream.

The content was predictable — and yet unpleasant, like a needle prick in a wound that had not yet had time to heal.

The royal chancellery announced the start of an official investigation into the count’s death.

I was invited — no, obliged — to testify before a commission consisting of representatives of the court and experienced investigators.

Until the arrival of these people, who I imagined would be scurrying around the estate, asking questions and rummaging through papers, I was instructed not to leave the premises and to keep access to all documents relating to the mine: production reports, maps of underground passages, correspondence with contractors, and even the count’s personal notes, which I kept in a safe.

This meant that my freedom was restricted, like a bird in a cage, and that every step I took would now be closely watched.

"They’re moving fast," Ruby remarked, her eyebrows raised slightly, her voice tinged with surprise. She stood nearby, arms crossed over her chest, watching my reaction, ready to support me.

"Too fast," I replied, folding the letter neatly. "So the count’s death has already become a reason."

"A reason for what?"

I walked over to the window. The morning light fell evenly and calmly on the courtyard, as if the world beyond it knew no anxiety.

"For a redistribution of influence," I said. "And for the search for a convenient scapegoat."

Ruby came closer, her hand resting on my shoulder, a gesture full of silent support.

Ruby paused, then asked quietly, "Are you afraid?"

I thought for a moment.

"No," I replied honestly. "I’m angry. Because he insisted on visiting. He went into the mine himself. And yet they’ll try to pin the blame on me."

At that moment, the office door creaked — a quiet, drawn-out sound, like the groan of an old tree on a windy night — and Edison appeared in the doorway.

His figure, always straight and imperturbable, like a statue in the hallway, seemed even more tense today. A shadow of anxiety flashed across his eyes, usually as calm as a lake in calm weather.

He bowed low, his gray hair swaying slightly, his face reflecting the deference he maintained even in the darkest of times.

"Madam," he said in an even voice, but with a slight breath that betrayed his excitement. "There are people at the gate. They say they are from the Trevor family. They demand a meeting and insist it is urgent."

I exhaled slowly.

"Here come the first ones," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. The words came out dry, like the crack of a branch underfoot. "Tell them I’ll see them. In the living room, in fifteen minutes. Have tea and fruit served."

I straightened up, squaring my shoulders, feeling the corset dig into my ribs, reminding me to keep my posture.

"Okay."

Edison nodded, his eyes meeting mine for a moment — they held loyalty mixed with concern — and he left, closing the door with a soft click.

The silence of the office enveloped us like a heavy blanket, interrupted only by the distant ticking of the clock and the rustling of the wind outside the window, which stirred the curtains.

"Auntie, can I go with you?" Ruby asked anxiously at that moment. Her voice was soft but insistent.

I just nodded weakly, feeling a smile touch the corners of my lips — weak but sincere.

"Yes. You’re right, I shouldn’t leave you out of things like this, even if they might not be the most pleasant. Your presence is my support."

I took her hand in mine, feeling the warmth of her skin, and Ruby nodded back at me with determination in her eyes.

As we headed there, I realized clearly that returning home was not the end of the story. It was only a respite.

Count Trevern was dead.

But his shadow was already at my gate — and it was going to demand an answer.

***

The living room greeted us with cold solemnity.

The tall windows let in the pale morning light, which fell in even strips on the stone floor. I took my place at the head of the table, Ruby slightly behind and to the side, as was proper. The servants silently took their positions along the walls.

The doors swung open.

Three people entered the room. All were dressed in mourning colors, their faces equally tense. Leading the way was a middle-aged man — tall, thin, with sharp features and a gaze that conveyed not so much grief as cold calculation.

"Lady Weinstein," he said, bowing his head slightly. "Allow me to introduce myself. Edmund Trevorn. Cousin of the late Earl."

"My condolences," I replied evenly. "The Earl’s death was tragic."

He smiled with his lips alone.

"Tragic," he repeated. "And very... convenient."

Ruby tensed slightly, but I gestured for her to stop.

"If you have come with accusations," I said calmly, "please state them directly. I don’t like things left unsaid."

Edmund took a few steps forward.

"My brother had a conflict with you. A public one. There are more than enough witnesses to that. After which he died on your land, in your mine, where he went by your agreement."

"By mutual decision," I clarified.

"And in front of witnesses. Moreover, he himself insisted on the inspection and personally entered the tunnel, despite warnings."

"Nevertheless," Edmund replied coldly, "the fact remains. He is dead. And you are the last person who had a direct dispute with him."

A heavy silence hung in the room.

"If you’re trying to intimidate me," I said, "you’ve come to the wrong house. All the circumstances of the incident have been recorded. The investigation has already begun. I am cooperating fully with the Crown."

"The Crown is far away," he remarked softly. "But the Trevorn family is nearby. And we are interested not only in the truth... but also in the inheritance."

So that’s what it is.

"The count left no direct heirs," Edmund continued. "His title and lands will pass to his closest relative. That is, to me. And the first thing I intend to do is return to the matter of the mine."

I allowed myself a slight smile.

"Then you’ll have to start by studying the documents. They are in perfect order. And, unlike your brother, I am not going to negotiate under pressure."

He looked at me intently, as if truly assessing me for the first time.

"You are confident in your position, Lady Grace."

"Absolutely."

Edmund nodded slowly.

"Very well. Then we will see each other again. In a different capacity."

He turned and headed for the exit, his companions following him.

When the doors closed, Ruby exhaled quietly.

"This is just the beginning, isn’t it?"

I looked at the empty hall.

"Yes," I replied. "Now this story has a new owner. And I’m afraid he will be far more dangerous than the previous one."

I stood up.

"Prepare all the papers for the mine. And send a letter to our attorney in the capital."

"Are you going to make the first move?"

I paused for a moment, then nodded.

"If they’ve already made me part of this game," I said, "I won’t let them play without me."