As soon as the four of them left Irene’s quarters, Lorelai started to search for Claude. Carlyle had stopped levitating Abigail and forced her to walk on her own, but he still bound her wrists with chains made of mana so she wouldn’t be able to escape. Her procession was getting a bit long, but as soon as Claude was captured and placed into custody, she could finally relax.

“Where is Claude Ashburn?” Lorelai demanded as soon as she encountered Alfred in a hallway.

Alfred’s eyes slid to Abigail’s sobbing face, to Billy’s wide nervous eyes, then to Carlyle’s stoic expression. It didn’t take much of a genius to figure out what was going on.

“Claude Ashburn? I think he’s in the west wing with Duke Ashburn and Count Leyton. Your Grace, should I call for the guards?”

“No need, there are guards in the west wing.” Lorelai answered. “And I wish to be as discreet as possible. No need to stir up any more commotion.”

“And she has me, who is much better than any guards.” Carlyle added.

“Alfred, please give Billy a reward for his help and call for the guards to escort Abigail-” Lorelai nodded at the crying woman. “-down to the dungeon for the crime of attempted murder and conspiracy.”

Alfred nodded, and did as he was commanded.

Lorelai marched down the hallway with Carlyle at her heel until she stopped in front of the door to Duke Ashburn’s private drawing room. It was a place where her father often goes to unwind after work.

Lorelai could hear laughter and noises from behind the door. It seemed like her father was having a pleasant time with his younger brother and nephew. It’s a shame she had to cut the pleasantries short.

For a brief moment, Lorelai considered making a dramatic entrance by kicking the door down, but no, she was more proper than that. That was something Carlyle might do if he were in her place.

Maybe she could play dumb to Claude’s plot and draw more information out of him.

Lorelai knocked on the door. “Father, are you busy?”

Her father’s response came back through the door. “No, not at all. Come in, Lorelai.”

Lorelai turned to Carlyle and whispered to him, “Can you guard the door just in case he tries to escape?”

Carlyle raised an eyebrow. “What if he attempts to jump out the window instead? Let me enter as well?”

Lorelai suppressed a sigh and opened the door. “Father, I also have Prince Carlyle with me, do you mind if he comes in as well.”

Her father was mildly surprised, but didn’t show any signs of outright disapproval. “Sure, let his highness in.”

Her father was sitting across from Lorelai’s uncle, Count of Leyton of House Ashburn. And sitting beside her uncle was her cousin, Claude Ashburn.

Lorelai gave him an innocent, open smile as she sat down next to her father. Claude seemed to relax a bit in response, but his hand betrayed the slightest tremor.

Was her presence making him nervous? Good.

Carlyle took a seat adjacent to the other four, sitting at the end of the table furthest away from the window and leaned back, as if trying to exclude himself from the group. It makes sense. After all, he was the only one who’s not of Ashburn descent in that room.

“Hello, Uncle. Hello, Claude. It’s been a while, isn’t it?” Lorelai greeted them. “How is Aunt Bianca?”

“Lorelai!” Count Leyton chuckled. “Bianca is still in Leyton with Kassius. He came down with a cold right before we were set to travel. You know how little kids are. But look at you! You’re all grown up now! I still remember when you were a child! Now you look so much like your father!”

“No, she looks more like Lorencia.” Duke Ashburn contradicted.

Count Leyton faltered for a moment. Lorelai’s late mother was always a delicate topic to bring up around Duke Ashburn.

“Yes, you’re right.” Her uncle agreed. “She looks so much like her mother.”

“Are you here to bring the results of your investigation?” Duke Ashburn asked, going straight to the point.

Lorelai paused and plastered on a frown to her face. “Yes, but I’m afraid the results aren’t what I hoped to find.”

She forced herself not to look at Claude. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Claude leaned forward, suddenly interested.

Now, what was the best way to trick Claude into confessing something that would incriminate himself?

“Uncle, I found out that the person who poisoned the chalice used your key the other day. Do you remember if it ever went missing while in your possession?”

Her uncle shifted, feeling uncomfortable. “I already told someone before. I only lent it to my daughter for a brief moment, but it was returned before we even arrived at the Ashburn mansion and I had the key on me at all times after that. There’s no way it could have been my key that was used.”

Lorelai nodded, as if to confirm her belief in him. “I spoke with Irene earlier. She said that it was Claude who wanted to borrow it and she asked for it in his place. She said she later passed the key to you, Claude.” She pointed the last part of her statement at her cousin, who started at the mention of his name.

“Yes, that’s correct, but I only used it to retrieve the brooch I wore during your heir anointment ceremony. And I used it back in Leyton mansion, not in the Ashburn duchy. I returned it back to Irene not long after.”

“I didn’t know Irene handed the key to you.” Count Leyton furrowed his eyebrows.

Lorelai nodded again. “Yes, and after you handed her back the key, she returned it to her father. But Count Leyton, have you used the key since that day?”

Count Leyton paused. “No, I have not.”

“Do you still have it with you?”

“Yes.” Count Leyton drew out a golden key that was hanging on a chain around his neck and handed it to Lorelai.

Lorelai weighed it on her palm for a few moments, then turned to her father, “Father, does this key seem a little different to you?”

Duke Ashburn, who had been observing silently up until now, took the key from Lorelai and studied it.

“The crest on the key seems a little crooked,” he finally said. “The weight may be a little off too, but I can’t tell unless I have something to compare it with.”

Claude swallowed, hints of nervousness breaking through his facade of calmness.

“What about this?” Lorelai produced the key that she had found in Irene’s room earlier, the one that was hidden in Abigail’s suitcase.

Count Leyton’s eyes widened.

Duke Ashburn looked closely at the second key and confirmed, “This is the real one. It’s slightly heavier and the crest looks more real.”

“Where did you get that?” Claude asked.

“From Irene.” Lorelai answered.

Count Leyton sputtered. “Are you saying Irene returned a fake key to me while keeping the real one?”

Lorelai fixed her steely gaze on Claude. “No, it was in possession of her maid, Abigail. We have confirmed Abigail to be the servant who tampered with the chalice. And just earlier, Abigail claimed that she was acting on Claude’s orders.”