Chapter 73: An Accusation (2)

"Will you confess now, or... do I have to make you?"

Melissa froze at those words, her eyes widening in shock as she stared at the sword tip hovering just centimeters from her face.

"Y-Your Highness? W-What are you saying? There’s no way I could be behind this! Wasn’t it Nina? W-Why me? This must be a misunderstanding!" She stammered, her voice shaking with fear.

Her entire body shook, and her breathing grew quick and ragged from panic.

But Melissa wasn’t the only one left stunned—Orlan, Jisha, Alicia, the soldiers, and even the surrounding servants were all frozen in disbelief.

Confused, they exchanged glances, unable to process what they were seeing.

"Prince Nolan? You... What are you doing?" Orlan exclaimed, quickly stepping between Nolan and Melissa.

At the same time, he pulled Melissa away from the threatening tip of the blade.

"What am I doing?" Nolan shot Orlan a faint smile. "I’m arresting the perpetrator, Marquis Orlan. Or did you think I was playing around?"

"Arresting the perpetrator?" Orlan echoed in disbelief, turning toward Melissa with a horrified expression.

"M-Melissa, you—" But before he could finish, Melissa’s eyes welled with tears. She shook her head in despair.

"No, Lord Orlan... I’m not the one behind this," she said through sobs. "I... I could never do something so cruel. You know I’ve always been loyal to you. I’ve worked by your side for years—how could I ever betray you?"

She turned to Nolan, bit her lower lip, then continued in a hoarse voice, "Perhaps... perhaps Prince Nolan misunderstood. Maybe he thinks I’m the one responsible."

She wiped her tears, trying to appear as pitiful as possible. The soldiers and servants watching her could only look on with sympathy.

To them, Melissa was far more trustworthy than Nolan. After all, she had worked with them in this mansion for years.

It was hard for them to believe that Melissa could be the true mastermind behind everything.

And that doubt wasn’t limited to the servants—it was shared by Orlan, Jisha, and Alicia as well.

"Prince Nolan," Orlan said, turning with a conflicted expression. "Couldn’t this be a misunderstanding? I don’t believe Melissa is the one behind this, and I’m willing to vouch for her."

He had to admit he was still reeling from the revelation that Nina was the one who had brought suffering to him and his family. It shook his confidence in the servants of the mansion.

But when it came to Melissa, he trusted her completely—just as he did with Alex.

After all, Melissa had served him faithfully for years. The idea that she could be the true culprit felt unthinkable.

"What Lord Orlan said makes sense, Nolan," Jisha added as she stepped forward, stopping at his side.

Her expression was conflicted as she continued, "Maybe you’re just misunderstanding. I’ve worked in this mansion for a year, and I can say with confidence that Melissa isn’t the main perpetrator. So... let’s just end this here, okay?"

Nolan turned to her with an indifferent gaze and asked flatly, "If you’ve been working here for a year, then why didn’t you realize Nina was one of the culprits?"

Jisha froze, unable to respond.

As a mage from the Tower of Silence—and a once-in-a-millennium genius—she was far from ordinary.

At just sixteen, she had already reached the level of a High-Level Mage, while most others her age were still at the Novice level—Intermediate at best.

And yet, despite her power and reputation, she had failed to recognize Nina’s guilt. That failure left her deeply ashamed.

"I know it is my fault, but..." she said, clenching her fists tightly. "You can’t just accuse Melissa without proof. So please—show us the evidence."

Orlan gave a small nod of agreement and added, "Jisha has a point, Prince Nolan. It’s not that I doubt you, but if you do have evidence, then please show it. Whatever it reveals, I’ll accept it."

He cast a glance at Melissa, who looked utterly miserable, his expression a mix of doubt and concern.

His trust in her ran deep—he was fully convinced that Melissa wasn’t the real culprit.

However, Orlan was a realist. He always tried to view things from a broader perspective—not just through the lens of personal feelings.

If Melissa were proven innocent, he would apologize on Nolan’s behalf and reward her generously as compensation.

But if Nolan was right... then he wouldn’t hesitate to carry out punishment, even if it wasn’t the outcome he had hoped for.

"Evidence, huh?" Nolan let out a soft chuckle, crossing his arms. "What if I really have it? Will you keep your word, Marquis Orlan?"

Orlan’s heart skipped a beat when he met Nolan’s indifferent gaze.

It was as if that gaze pierced straight into his soul, freezing him with its sheer pressure.

Still, he quickly regained his composure and gave a firm nod.

"I give you my word, Prince Nolan," Orlan said solemnly.

A faint smile returned to Nolan’s lips as he nodded, looking satisfied.

"Good," he said calmly. "I hope you truly stand by that promise."

Those around them didn’t quite understand what Nolan meant—but Orlan did. And that realization left a trace of unease on his face.

Then, Nolan turned toward the door and called out, "Alex, come in."

The moment the words left his mouth, Orlan, Jisha, Melissa, and everyone else in the room froze, their eyes widening in disbelief.

Before anyone could react, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed from outside.

The nearby soldiers quickly stepped aside, making way for Alex, who entered with slow, deliberate steps.

His expression was calm and composed—but the moment his eyes met Melissa’s, a flicker of murderous intent flashed within them.

Melissa flinched and quickly lowered her head, as if afraid to meet that gaze.

"Forgive me for being late, Your Highness," Alex said respectfully.

Nolan gave a small nod. "Did you bring the evidence?"

"I did, Your Highness." Alex reached into his inner pocket and took out a black pouch along with a set of neatly filed documents.

Without another word, he handed them over to Nolan with care.

Nolan accepted them with a satisfied nod, then turned to Orlan with a faint smile.

"Here it is, Marquis Orlan. Would you like to see it?" He asked in a slightly playful tone.

Orlan remained silent for a moment, his face clouded with a mix of emotions. He looked toward Alex and asked, "Since when have you been collecting this?"

He then took the pouch and documents from Nolan’s hand and examined them closely.

"I’ve been collecting it since this afternoon, my lord," Alex said with a slight bow. "Sorry for not reporting sooner."

Orlan let out a long sigh and waved his hand. "It’s fine. I’m not angry."

He turned back to Nolan, brows furrowed. "If you had Alex collect this evidence earlier today... then did you suspect Melissa from the beginning? But how? You’ve never even met her before, have you?"

Nolan chuckled softly and shrugged. "I have my ways. What matters now is that you read the document and open the pouch. Once you’ve done that, the decision is yours."

Orlan took a deep breath, nodded slowly, and glanced at Melissa with a conflicted expression before beginning to read the documents.

Meanwhile, Nolan stepped back and stood beside Jisha.

In a low voice, he instructed, "Once Marquis Orlan finishes reading, escort Alicia out of here. Understood?"