As Chelsea sobbed uncontrollably, Kevin gently soothed her while trying to understand the situation. He straightened his back and turned to face Crown Prince Alexis and his fiancée, Lady Amanda, who were seated before him.
“Your Highness, Lady Amanda, thank you for helping Chelsea,” he said earnestly.
“There’s no need for thanks… In fact, as I mentioned to her earlier, our visit here is, in a sense, for reasons similar to those of those men,” Alexis replied, his tone grave.
At those words, Kevin’s expression hardened. Alexis gestured to a young guard, who promptly laid several documents on the table.
“What is this…?” Kevin asked, his heart sinking as he saw the various promissory notes signed by Flora, each with staggering amounts.
“Please remain calm. Some of these have already been identified as obvious frauds perpetrated by those lacking in foresight,” Alexis reassured them. “Unfortunately, such fools can be found everywhere… The real issue lies with this particular note,” he said, pointing to one that bore an amount far beyond what a commoner could ever repay.
“This is the amount those men mentioned earlier. But I can hardly believe that Miss Flora would borrow such a sum…” Chelsea said, her voice trembling.
“Yes, there were rumors circulating that Miss Flora was living extravagantly on borrowed money. However, we know that to be false. If she had purchased expensive jewels, there would certainly be a jeweler who could confirm their sale. It’s something that can be investigated,” Amanda added, her tone firm.
“Indeed. The remaining issue is that the signature on this promissory note matches Miss Flora’s handwriting…” Alexis continued, observing the growing unease on Kevin and Chelsea’s faces.
“However, if we lay them out side by side, it becomes clear,” he said, arranging the notes for comparison. “Not only the handwriting but also the size and width of the letters all match perfectly. These are precise forgeries. But… that’s only something we can discern now that we have them side by side for comparison. If we were shown just one note without any context, it would be difficult to see through the deception.”
Kevin nodded, but a question lingered in his mind. “But ultimately, it’s something that can be uncovered with investigation, right…?”
“True, if one has the time and resources to investigate,” Alexis replied, his tone thoughtful.
Kevin lowered his gaze. The ability to gather and compare these promissory notes stemmed from the Crown Prince’s authority. Moreover, the fact that Amanda could investigate the rumors of extravagant spending was likely due to her status as a marquis’s daughter. As commoners, Kevin and Chelsea—and of course Flora—could not easily prove their innocence due to their social standing. In fact, just today, Chelsea had nearly faced dire consequences without being allowed to voice her objections.
“Who would go to such lengths…? Is there someone who stands to gain by framing Miss Flora…?” Kevin muttered, his voice laced with anger.
“We are currently investigating who is behind this and what their motives are. However, we can speculate on what they intended to do with this,” Alexis said, his gaze steady on Kevin.
“For instance… today, you were the first to express your gratitude to Amanda and me for helping Chelsea,” he continued. “And you, Chelsea, while you were aware of our true identities, your relief at escaping danger likely diminished your wariness towards us.”
Both Kevin and Chelsea nodded in agreement.
“Now, what if those men were actually planted here by us?” Alexis posed, his eyes narrowing.
Kevin frowned. “Are you suggesting that these fake promissory notes were props in a scheme to gain your trust…?”
“As I said, it’s merely speculation. But it’s a fact that there are those who wish to manipulate the Holy Knights for political reasons, and it’s likely that some have considered winning over my wife as a means to that end. However, there is a significant divide between commoners and nobles. If one were to approach normally, they would either be met with fear or suspicion of ulterior motives.”
Amanda chimed in, “A promissory note bearing a signature that is clearly your own, yet with no recollection of it. A weak position with no means to prove your innocence. And then, the appearance of someone powerful offering assistance… Given that Miss Flora seems to be a good-hearted person like you, she might accept their help without a second thought.”
Alexis and Amanda’s words subtly hinted at the involvement of the ruling class.
“But it doesn’t seem like anything like that happened. I visit Miss Flora every day, and if something strange had occurred, I would have noticed. I only learned about these promissory notes today…” Chelsea said, her brow furrowed in confusion.
Alexis smiled gently and nodded. “I believe the plans of those who orchestrated this may have changed along the way. In fact, these forged promissory notes were delivered to Holy Knight Elliott for some reason, without going through Flora.”
“Wait…?” Kevin said, his mind racing.
Alexis chuckled softly at Kevin’s bewilderment. “These notes were created approximately nine months ago, around the time the Holy Knight’s reputation spread throughout the kingdom. However, shortly thereafter, new rumors began to circulate in the city—rumors of another woman being close to the Holy Knight.”
Kevin grimaced. “So they decided to change their plans based on that?”
“Well, we won’t know for certain until we hear from the one who orchestrated it,” Alexis replied.
“Do you have any leads…?” Kevin asked, his curiosity piqued.
Alexis returned a vague smile. Then, leaning in slightly, he whispered in a voice barely above a murmur, “I hope it’s not my father.”
Whether it was a genuine sentiment, sarcasm, or a dark joke, Kevin couldn’t tell, and he chose to ignore it, his face tightening in discomfort.
—After all, there’s no way they’d share such information with a lowly knight from the commoners…
“Regardless, I’m glad we visited today. We’ve managed to catch some leads, however small,” Amanda said, her demeanor light and almost playful.
Kevin couldn’t help but wonder if they were planning to resort to torture or something equally grim.
“Our visit was also prompted by the fact that they have suddenly begun searching for Miss Flora recently,” Alexis added.
“If what you mentioned earlier about your objectives changing is true, then they shouldn’t have any further use for Miss Flora, right?” Kevin questioned.
Alexis nodded solemnly, and Amanda continued, “They’ve become quite restless over the past few days. After creating the fake promissory notes, they had not contacted Miss Flora at all, so this sudden activity suggests something is afoot.”
“Do you have any idea what it might be?” Alexis asked, looking at Kevin and Chelsea.
The two exchanged glances but couldn’t think of anything out of the ordinary. When they admitted their confusion, they were met with soft smiles.
“We will continue our investigation, so rest assured. We will be fair, and we won’t let anything bad happen.”
Hearing this, Kevin lifted his head and straightened his posture once more. “Your Highness, I entrust Miss Flora’s safety to you.”
“…You’re not underestimating me, despite being a knight of the Royal Knights Order,” Alexis remarked, a hint of surprise in his voice.
Kevin bowed deeply, but Alexis continued, “You know what I’m called in the Royal Knights Order. Yet, despite that, you’ve been sincere with me all day…”
With his royal demeanor and mature presence, Alexis appeared older than his years, but for the first time, he wore an expression that made him seem more relatable to his actual age.