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Parsed with an automated reader. The content accuracy is not guranteed.
“You’ve really done it this time, Scarlet Castiel.”
This was the first thing the woman who came under the guise of a “visit” said.
“Huh?”
Scarlet, who was fed up with the cold stone prison, reflexively glared at Lily. She had an inseparable relationship with this woman, who always had a composed expression on her face, since they were small, but they always made cynical remarks towards each other from the moment they met. Anyway, everything about her touched Scarlet’s nerve. The other party probably felt the same way too.
Lily Orlamunde might not have been as beautiful as Scarlet, but she was still blessed with good looks. She had straight platinum blonde hair and white, transparent skin. Although she didn’t have a gorgeous face, her features were beautiful enough to make one think that they were sculpted. On the surface, her beauty seemed cold and artificial, however her ever-present gentle smile and her peaceful bearing quite softened the impression she gave to people. In truth, the depth of her light blue eyes was always frozen, but Scarlet was the only one who had noticed that fact.
“I warned you many times that you shouldn’t stand out the way you do.”
Lily’s tone, as if she was scolding her stupid student, annoyed Scarlet to no end.
“I can’t help it. No matter what I do, I always end up standing out.”
The moment she walked, she would be surrounded by followers and the moment she talked, the whole hall would turn their attention towards her. This was Scarlet Castiel’s life. Telling her to not stand out was akin to asking her for impossible.
“Besides, when Father hears about this, I’ll be out of this place in a matter of seconds.”
Scarlet glanced around the jail in annoyance. There was at least a bed, albeit too hard to sleep on. There was also a table with a chair. There weren’t any windows but if she asked for it, they’d put light on for her. There was a washbasin too, although only cold water came out of it. It was a good enough place for prisoners, but from Scarlet’s perspective she might’ve as well been locked in a pigsty. She couldn’t stand to spend even one more day at this kind of place. Her Father would surely do something. Castiel ducal family was second only to the royal family in power.
Looking at her, Lily let out an exasperated sigh.
“Good grief, you really are a fool.
“What did you say?!”
“After all, you might have good memory, but you unfortunately lack the ability to put the acquired information together. That is what we call casting pearls before swine. Listen well. If it was possible to get you out of this charge, wouldn’t have to appeal to Duke Castiel in the first place. Just your name alone would be enough to keep you out of the prison.”
“
But there is no way I can’t get out of here. After all, I didn’t poison anybody.”
“Right. You are probably telling truth. But you see, that in itself is a part of the problem. There exists a person who can frame somebody from the Castiel family and the fact that we still don’t know who that person is at this point is the real problem.”
She couldn’t argue back. It had already been half a month since she was imprisoned. Even Scarlet had started to understand the situation ――― She just didn’t want to admit it.
“That’s why I came to say goodbye to you today. I am going to withdraw from this case. It’s frustrating, but this is really beyond my reach.  I’m sorry, Scarlet. I really wanted to save you if I could, but in the end―――”
At that place, she cut her words and tilted her head as if troubled.
“I should always protect myself first, right?”
Saying so, Lily Orlamunde smiled, not looking apologetic at all.
◇◇◇
『―――and that’s what happened. There is no way that kind of brazen woman would commit suicide, right?! Doing charity as a way to grieve for my death?! Hmph, I’m sure that was for her own sake too. After all, she kept saying ever since we were children. That it was weird that women couldn’t live the same way men did. That gender didn’t matter and it was more logical for those with abilities to stand at the top. Besides, she didn’t seem to be interested in marriage either. I’ve always thought that she was a weirdo but didn’t she live a good life by using me as an excuse?! Good grief, there should be a limit to her shamelessness! 』
Connie was leaning on the wall, her head hung down. The “Charitable White Lily”, who always acted dignified and justly despite being on the villainess’ side was somebody Connie’s adored since her childhood.
『To start with, everybody is criticizing me, but that depraved woman was worse than me, you know? 』
“L-lady Lily was?”
“That’s right. You see, she would never get her own hands dirty. Suppose Cecilia was having fun talking with Enrique.  If it was me, I’d slap her right away to teach her how to act her befitting of her status, but Lily wouldn’t do anything. She would only look down with a sad expression. And she’d mumble something pretentious, like ‘Poor Scarlet’. What do you think would happen then? Nobody would say anything else and Lily’s admirers would move on their own. That’s not all. Even the people who weren’t her followers, but bystanders instead, would think less of Cecilia as a result. Isn’t that extremely――― sly? Isn’t that very two-faced? You wouldn’t want to be branded as her friend even by a mistake, right? You see, the woman called Lily Orlamunde, was always calm, smart and frighteningly shrewd! 』
What’s with that, so scary. Connie’s face twitched but Scarlet seemed to be thinking about something else.
『
As expected, it’s strange. 』
“Strange, you say?”
『That’s right, it’s strange. This is just weird. 』
“Hm?”
『No matter how I think about it, there is no way that Lily would put hands on herself. But if it really was a suicide, it must’ve been because something that was beyond that woman’s abilities had happened. 』
Scarlet’s amethyst colored eyes swayed as if she was thinking about something.
『I mean, just try to imagine it. Will it snow in summer? Right, it might happen once in 10 years, but twice in 10 years is a bit impossible, right? 』
“I-indeed. Umm, so, what are you hinting at?”
『In other words, this is connected to my revenge. Don’t you think so too, Constance Grail?』
―――Yup, I don’t.
However, because Her Majesty in front of her looked so full of confident, Connie decided to keep her thoughts to herself.
◇◇◇
A few days later. Dressed in a uniform, Connie stood in front of a certain orphanage. Shortly after she conveyed the matter through the guard station window near the gate and asked for the reception, an elderly woman clad in a deep blue habit appeared from the other side of the gate. Connie inwardly rehearsed the speech she had practiced over and over last night. Her feet started shaking, but as she side-glanced at Scarlet and saw that she looked absolutely unconcerned, she made up her resolve and spoke up.
“P-please forgive me for calling on you so suddenly. I’ve been sent here on an errand By Marquis Orlamunde’s family. My name is ‘Letty’―――
—\n
Notes:\n
If you’re wondering why it’s Letty and not Lettie, well, they’re both same name anyway\n
the habit mentioned here is just a nun’s outfit btw (in case you don’t know)\n
1.5 “chapters”until I’m caught up with manga
haa

As always, notify me about mistranslations, typos and/or awkward grammar so I could fix it afap
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