"Ha ha ha ha ha!"

At the sound of the crazy laughter, Adam turned around and hastily sent the knights and the maid out of the Oval Office.

"Your Highness." 'Was Julietta's death this shocking?' Albert did not know what to do when he saw Killian laughing like a madman.

Killian stopped laughing, stared fiercely at the body and said. "No, no. It's not Julietta." At his words, all who had turned back turned around and finally looked down at the body.

They looked down to see if there was anything to characterize, but they couldn't tell at all. They didn't know when he had ever seen her naked, but it was just amazing how he found out that she was not Julietta just by gazing on the pale bloated corpse.

While looking at each other with curious faces, Killian regained his usual coolness.

"Is there anything in the body that could be characterized?" When Adam asked carefully, Killian nodded.

"Yes, there was something only I could recognize. It's not the first time I've seen it, but I remember I'd seen it before."

Killian beckoned Valerian to take out the body.

At Valerian's command, the knights outside entered and hurriedly wrapped the body in a cloak. Killian looked at it and ordered them, "That is the body of a girl who worked as my maid. Be formal and bury it in a sunny place."

Killian wanted the body to be identified as Julietta's. It was to be handled by aides who knew his intentions.

As the knights took out the body, Oswald, who had backed away to the far corner of the Oval Office, came back to the round table where Killian was sitting. Looking at Oswald who sat in a chair looking rather ill, Albert hurried to ventilate and prepare the tea. Adam frowned at the sight.

"You hate the smell of blood, and you are afraid of dead bodies. How on earth did you learn swordsmans.h.i.+p?"

"Gracefully."

"That's right. I'm sorry I asked you."

Oswald replied to Adam, who acted as if he had given up, "No, I've seen people dead, too. But I've never seen anything like that soaked in the water. I just have the soul of an artist who loves beauty and grace."

Letting what Oswald said go through one ear and out the other ear, Adam glanced at Killian. "Your Highness, what did you mean by what you said?"

Looking at Killian drinking tea with an expressionless face, Adam asked him what he was curious about. Despite Adam's question, Killian pretended not to hear and drank tea without responding.

"Are you sure it's not Julietta? You wanted to think so, didn't you?"

At Adam's voice full of doubt, Killian took a glance at his close a.s.sociates looking at him. He didn't mean to answer, but everyone was wondering so much they were about to die.

"The body's figure was different. Even if it was swollen in the water, its waist was not as thin as Julietta's, and its legs were different in length, when I looked at the overall figure."

'And there was no spot which Julietta had...'

"Then what do you mean you've seen it before?" Oswald asked, but Killian only drank tea without a word again.

At his unwillingness to tell, Adam gave up seeking an answer and asked a different question. "Why did you turn that body into Julietta's?"

"Someone's trying to hide Julietta, even if they had to fake a corpse. We don't know what they would do if we keep trying to find her. Stop the search for the time being, but try to strengthen the surveillance of the outer doors and borders under the pretext of the soon-to-be-held hunting compet.i.tion."

"Who the h.e.l.l are they? It's too weird to relate Julietta to those who sent her to prison. It would be better for them if they killed Julietta like Lady Chaister."

Killian nodded silently.

It was certainly strange. It was clear that Julietta left the castle to reject his offer. She must have run away as soon as she refused Albert. She even took her bag with her.

If Duke Kiellini's words were true, he could not help but think that something had happened to Julietta after getting out of the carriage in the city.

'Who is trying to hide Julietta? Why the h.e.l.l?'

"Albert."

"Yes, Your Highness?"

"Did you say Spencer was the one who wrote the letter of introduction to Julietta?"

"Yes, Your Highness. She brought a letter of introduction from Marquis Rhodius, and Johnna, the head maid, employed her as a cleaning maid."

"Valerian, send a man to the Eileen Theatre. Meet the actress, Lillian, and find out more about Julietta. You'll have to find out quietly, without anyone knowing."

"Yes, Your Highness."

As soon as Valerian answered, Oswald stepped in. "Your Highness, Lillian must be retired."

Adam and Valerian looked at Oswald, wondering how he knew the whereabouts of an actress who was in Austern, as he stayed at Bertino, and quickly accepted it, seeing his appearance. Oswald who decorated himself as conservatively as possible to suit Killian's mood, and was still more colorful than anyone else in the office.