ALL NOVEL Chapter 32
Cornelia Briam.
A noble lady from a family that produced heroes in the past, she comes from a highly prestigious lineage.
She was the perfect marriage partner for Lawrence Briam, who converted to the Holy Church from a pagan background.
To hold the position of mayor in the holy kingdom’s capital, he must at least pretend to believe in God.
Their marriage was a political arrangement based on mutual understanding.
Nevertheless, the relationship between the couple was famously filled with sweetness.
That was the setting of the story, and I believed it as well.
But the situation before my eyes is the exact opposite.
“… Necklace. Do you want to touch it, see it?”
“No way, little lady. Cough, cough! It’s a precious item…”
With a smile, Cornelia puts the pearl necklace back inside her clothing.
Her smile feels somehow pitiful.
It must be because she looks painfully thin.
‘Cornelia will die within two months.’
There’s certainly a sign that she’s been ill.
But if you ask whether this is the condition of someone who is going to die in two months, it’s ambiguous.
I suspect her condition might worsen dramatically soon.
But is this really an ‘unknown illness’?
A sudden doubt arises.
‘Why is that pearl necklace a dungeon reward?’
It’s not entirely out of the blue.
Two months later, when Cornelia dies…
The reward from the dungeon I cleared in Cologne was definitely that pearl necklace.
It’s not uncommon to dispose of the belongings of the deceased.
However, giving something that a beloved wife cherished so much to a barbaric mercenary just doesn’t make sense to me.
It looks like it was impulsively sold in anger.
Now it’s time to consider the suspicions.
Did Lawrence truly love Cornelia?
And did Cornelia really die of an incurable diseases?
Could someone be deliberately worsening Cornelia’s health?
According to game mechanics, it’s an absurd story, but it seems plausible to me.
The backstage settings created in the process of the system bringing the game to reality shouldn’t be just one or two.
I suspect this is one of those numerous cases.
“Are you alright?”
“Oh, yes.”
“I noticed you seemed a bit lost in thought. Shall we continue moving?”
“Sure.”
“Cornelia, wait at home. I’ll finish up the dungeon guide and then leave work.”
“Yes, dear…”
Cornelia, making eye contact with Lawrence, flinches and lowers her head.
Some may say she’s showing respect as a devoted wife, but to me it looks like she’s afraid of him.
“Sniff sniff. It’s bad, isn’t it?”
“Yes, much worse than I expected…”
Inside the sewers.
As soon as we stepped into the vast tunnel, my brow furrowed involuntarily.
Only then did I realize the source of the stench that had been wafting from the city.
It was the foul smell of sewage backing up from the drains.
Meanwhile, Mi Jeong looks up at us both as if nothing is out of the ordinary.
Mi Jeong seems to have a dull sense of smell.
At this moment, I wish I could have her nose.
“This wasn’t the case before. Since I did the maintenance, Cologne’s sewers became the best wastewater treatment facility in the world. But…”
Thud.
Lawrence’s footsteps stop.
I have no choice but to stop too.
A massive stone slab blocks the way where the drain should continue.
“Ever since the dungeon appeared, the flow has gotten all messed up. We can’t let water accumulate and flood, nor can we allow it to seep into the ground and erode the groundwater, so we had no choice but to dig a temporary channel. However, the stench from three million citizens using the sewer is nothing to sneeze at. Hahaha.”
It might seem minor, but it’s quite a serious problem.
If this continues, hygiene issues will start popping up.
Even though it was designated as the Black Star Dungeon by the mercenary council, they might set out a commission promising additional rewards to deal with it.
Surely, it’s better to tackle this dungeon as soon as possible, but…
“This is a type of dungeon I’ve never seen before. I’ll take my time to analyze it slowly.”
“You’re quite cautious. I’ve never met a mercenary like you before.”
Once I finish conquering this dungeon, I’ll lose my reason to stay in Cologne.
Dungeons can be tackled at any time, but it seems Cornelia’s problem might take a while.
At least until I uncover the secret of her death, I can’t leave Cologne.
‘Keeping Cornelia alive will definitely be helpful.’
Before she got married, she was called a prodigy and was on the elite path.
No matter how much Lawrence tries to charm her, she won’t become my ally, but Cornelia might be different.
Since it’s my first time challenging the final boss, I have no idea what variables might arise.
It’s best to secure as many allies as possible.
“It’s getting late, so let’s start exploring the dungeon tomorrow morning.”
“Do as you please. There’s no rush. Although the stench is quite bothersome, is it more important than a person’s life? We need to ensure safety.”
“Your words give me peace of mind.”
“If it’s alright, would you come to my house for dinner? You can come comfortably.”
Since my guest is a commoner, it’s awkward to gather the nobles for a banquet.
I can’t treat my guest poorly, so it seems he wants to host a personal dinner at home.
Considering most nobles don’t even treat commoners like people, this is a very wise move.
‘He’s not someone I can afford to look down on.’
He’s not just a noble with a decent head on his shoulders.
If this guy becomes a villain, he’s definitely going to be the most troublesome type.
No matter what schemes this man has, it won’t be easy to uncover them in a short time.
“Alright. And would it be alright if I stayed at your house during my time in Cologne? I couldn’t get a hotel room.”
“Oh my. You’re welcome. We have extra rooms available. The maids, who are always busy playing, will be happy to have work to do.”
“Thank you.”
I need time to gather information.
The mansion of Count Briam, who governs the massive city of Cologne, was remarkably smaller than I imagined.
I even questioned if this was the right place.
Of course, when I say “small,” it’s only small by noble standards.
It’s a size that wouldn’t be out of place to call a grand mansion.
In fact, it seems to boast a neat beauty without any unnecessary corners due to its relatively small size.
As I meander through the garden and approach the front door, Lawrence comes out to greet me.
“Welcome. Please come in. I’ll prepare the meal soon…”
“Yawn. So…sleepy.”
Mi Jeong, sticking a hand over her mouth and making emotionless sounds as if reading a textbook, takes Lawrence aback.
“It looks like the child is very sleepy. I can try to put her to bed, but can we first get her to a room?”
“What about the meal?”
“She had plenty of snacks on the way. I think dinner will be sufficient for just me.”
“Very well. Please follow me.”
Lawrence, bewildered, turns around.
Mi Jeong gives me a thumbs-up.
Alright. Good job.
Since Mi Jeong can’t eat, I had to separate her.
“The dish is almost ready. It won’t be long.”
Entering the dining room behind Lawrence, the first sight that catches my eye is Cornelia sitting modestly at the table.
She stands up immediately upon noticing Lawrence and me, quietly bowing her head.
“As you saw earlier, let me formally introduce her. This is my wife, Cornelia.”
“Nice to meet you, Countess.”
“Yes…”
I greet her and examine Cornelia’s complexion.
Her jaw clenches slightly.
Her eyes crinkle just a bit.
And her lips twitch.
Those expressions happened so quickly that Lawrence probably didn’t catch them.
But with my mana control, I meticulously observed the movements of Cornelia’s facial muscles.
Cornelia clearly disapproves of me.
Or perhaps, she’s dissatisfied with what I said.
“Shall I bring the wine before the appetizers come out? Is there a particular drink you prefer?”
“Do you have Triumph?”
“I even have a treasured 30-year-old Triumph. I didn’t expect to bring it out today. You seem to enjoy drinking, knowing about Triumph.”
“Haha…”
I heard it’s not a particularly popular drink.
My palate isn’t especially refined, but I’ve become quite accustomed to it already.
Thanks to a certain gloomy nerdy elf who loves that drink…
“Why don’t you have a chat with Cornelia while you wait?”
It seems like he plans to fetch the wine himself.
Lawrence sends a tender smile towards Cornelia before leaving.
Cornelia tenses up, appearing rigid.
Soon, an awkward silence envelops the dining table, leaving just the two of us.
Now’s my chance to assess Cornelia’s condition.
She has skin as clear and bright as a pearl.
Her features are so pronounced due to her thinness, yet her dark complexion adds to her allure.
‘This isn’t right.’
Who evaluates another person’s spouse’s appearance?
I was told to assess her condition.
But even after closely inspecting Cornelia, I found no significant clues.
After all, it would be impossible for me to uncover a disease that renowned doctors couldn’t even diagnose by merely looking at her.
“Why are you staring at me like that?”
“I’m sorry. You’re simply too beautiful.”
“Thank you. It’s a compliment I hear often.”
“Not often—more like every day, Cornelia.”
“…”
Cornelia’s eyes widen.
She seems a bit surprised, but there’s no sign of displeasure.
‘It was the title of Countess that bothered her.’
While she couldn’t hide her displeasure at being called Countess, she appeared slightly startled when her name was called.
It seems she finds the polite term of Countess more irritating than the rudeness of a commoner using her first name.
Their married life doesn’t seem to be smooth sailing.
“Well…”
“I apologize for accidentally calling you by your name.”
“Oh, it’s fine. Please feel free to call me however you like. My husband calls me Lawrence. It would be strange if I were the only one referred to as Countess.”
“That’s true. It suits you both well to be so casual with each other.”
“Hahaha…”
As she turns her head away with an awkward laugh, in that brief moment, annoyance flashes across Cornelia’s face again.
It seems she didn’t like being compared to her husband.
Now I’m certain.
Their relationship is far from harmonious.
It’s a level where they might even despise each other.
‘The suspicion is strong enough. Now, how do I secure the evidence?’
A turbulent marital relationship.
A wife dying without a clear cause.
And a husband who sold off her cherished belongings immediately after her death.
The suspicion that Lawrence killed Cornelia is overflowing.
But without evidence, it’s just my delusion.
It’s futile.
‘Was it a curse using magics? Or a skill cleverly concealed by magic?’
How did Lawrence kill Cornelia?
Various possibilities flicker through my mind.
However, none of those scenarios allow for easy evidence collection.
‘This is such a hassle.’
It seems I’ll have to gradually get closer to Lawrence over time to gather evidence.
I hate to waste time, but…
There are plenty of dungeons that I need to defeat, so I can’t spend endless time on this.
While Cornelia was called a prodigy in her youth, I wonder if keeping her alive will truly benefit me that much.
My desire to just give up and leave is slowly growing stronger.
“I’m glad to have such fine liquor with such a fine gentleman.”
“Oh.”
Lawrence returns quickly with a bottle of liquor in one hand.
In the other, he holds a glass.
It’s a warm cup from which steam is wafting.
‘Sizzle.’
[30-Year-Old Triumph Whiskey]
[An exquisite whiskey matured for 30 years in an oak barrel.]
I checked to see if he had switched the bottle.
It seems he’s not that sneaky.
As I shifted my gaze to the glass, I caught sight of something.
[Poison]
[A small amount of poison has been added to the warm water. Drinking it can impair cardiac and respiratory functions. Long-term consumption can be fatal.]
Lawrence places that glass, no, the poison cup, in front of Cornelia.
“Drink this. You’ve been coughing a lot.”
“Yes, dear…”
The mystery has been unraveled.
I didn’t even need to spend much time.
Gotcha, you bastard.