12 O’Clock Marionette

Chapter 8

Even with a mask on, I could tell the employee’s expression had changed.

Their shoulders stiffened, and their movements grew rigid.

I glanced at Cruello.

Let’s see what kind of information the guild you introduced me to has to say.

“The information regarding the target is—”

“The shadow walking along the path reaches the ridge when the lark cries at noon.”

Cruello, who had been silently observing, suddenly interjected.

Was he doing this because he couldn’t stand being left out and wanted attention?

Surprisingly, however, the employee responded to the strange question.

“…The serpent slithering in the dark sheds a thousand scales and welcomes the dawn.”

It sounded like poetry, or maybe a riddle.

Or perhaps… a cipher? Wait, could it be real?

“Payment is required in advance.”

The employee’s voice became even more formal and businesslike.

Cruello, on the other hand, remained completely unfazed as he pulled out a voucher from his coat.

I couldn’t see the amount, but it certainly wasn’t pocket change for snacks.

“This should suffice.”

“What specific details are you seeking?”

Instead of answering, Cruello looked at me.

Was he expecting me to ask the questions?

Did he think I wouldn’t dare investigate his information right in front of him?

Not a chance.

I immediately opened my mouth, starting by cleaning up the nonsense I had blurted earlier.

“What’s the duke’s ideal type?”

Since Cruello spoke informally, I didn’t bother using honorifics either.

“There are no officially disclosed details. Would you like a compiled list of common traits among his fiancées?”

“…Fiancées?”

Plural?

Did this mean Cruello had been engaged to others besides Amy?

At least up until my time as Viga, there had been no other betrothals. But then again…

There was a four-year gap between Viga’s death and my return as Siora.

In that time, he had inherited his title. It wouldn’t be strange if he had gone through at least one engagement.

Still, for some reason, I felt uneasy.

“How many fiancées were there in total?”

Cruello chuckled beside me.

It was an ominous sound, and sure enough—

“There were nine in total.”

“…Nine.”

The sheer number left me speechless.

Seriously? Eight engagements in just four years?

I felt a headache coming on and pressed my fingers against my forehead.

“What were the reasons for the breakups?”

“One joined a convent. Five were part of business arrangements. Two fell ill. Two died.”

“…So, every single one of them called off the engagement? If they were going to break it off, why accept the proposal in the first place?”

“If they refused, their family’s corruption was exposed. Four noble houses collapsed that way.”

Corruption severe enough to bring down entire families?

I couldn’t even begin to imagine the extent.

Was this what people meant by reaping what they sowed?

"You should have lived honestly! At the very least, you shouldn’t have left yourself open to blackmail! Why does the Bonetti family have to become the duke’s plaything because of my father’s crimes?"

Now, I truly understood what that meant.

“Still, we’re talking about White Desert—why would they go so far to reject such a match?”

“This is just my personal opinion, but I assume they found no benefit in it.”

“No benefit?”

“He is no ordinary noble. Even after engagement, he never conceded a single business interest and would occasionally expose his fiancée’s family’s corruption. There’s even a case where a family head was assassinated by an unknown killer.”

“…”

“His overall track record is rather… dramatic. Some of the more infamous incidents include the public execution he personally carried out and the massacre of an assassin at a ballroom event.”

Even just hearing the names of these incidents, I already knew I didn’t want any more details.

At this point, breaking off the engagement was more like begging for survival.

What kind of thug was he?

“If that’s the case, why did he bother proposing in the first place? Maybe he’s just… excessively obsessed with women?”

I asked with a scoff.

Cruello was right next to me, but I didn’t care.

To be honest, I wanted to ask him directly, but given the setting, it was better to pretend I was addressing the employee.

Meanwhile, the man in question was laughing out loud, thoroughly entertained.

“He is actually quite chaste when it comes to physical relationships. He never even held hands outside of dancing. As for the reason behind the frequent engagements, this is only my speculation, but—”

Since it wasn’t an unfounded guess, I motioned for the employee to continue.

After a brief hesitation, he spoke.

“After the duke’s first fiancée passed away—”

At that moment, a sharp crack swallowed his words.

Suddenly, the ceiling lamp shattered into countless pieces, sending shards of glass flying in every direction.

No one was injured, but with even the faint light extinguished, darkness engulfed the entire space.

I groped through the darkness, turning to look at Cruello.

His crimson eyes glowed like lanterns.

A faint trace of magic shimmered within them.

Cruello spoke slowly.

“The guild’s maintenance is atrocious.”

“…Our apologies, esteemed customer. We would appreciate it if you returned after repairs are completed.”

“You heard them. Shall we go?”

Though my vision was shrouded in darkness, his voice, tinged with laughter, was crystal clear.

I didn’t hesitate to nod.

Even after stepping outside the building, the surroundings remained dim.

When had the sun set? A deep blue evening had already blanketed the sky.

The air had grown noticeably colder, sending a chill through my body.

I wanted to steal Cruello’s coat.

“Are you disappointed?”

Cruello asked abruptly.

“I thought you were just pretending not to know, but you actually seemed surprised.”

“Hmm. I hardly ever left the house, you know that, right?”

“That’s what the reports said, but…”

His eyes narrowed.

He looked skeptical, but right now, I was the one who should be interrogating him.

Disappointed?

I came to a sudden stop and asked,

“Can I ask you one thing?”

“I might not be able to answer.”

“The late prince’s former fiancées… including the ones who supposedly fell ill.”

“…”

“Did they end up that way because of you?”

I knew the fate of one of the deceased best of all, but the others remained a mystery.

I needed to be certain.

Cruello didn’t answer immediately.

Realizing I should rephrase, I corrected myself.

“Did you kill them with your own hands?”

“…No.”

Cruello rubbed his face with a weary sigh.

“I didn’t do it.”

“Then I’m not disappointed.”

I was shocked in some ways, but not really.

I already knew.

Everything I heard today matched exactly what was written in The Book of Fate.

A tyrant of unparalleled infamy. A walking disaster.

At least he only tormented corrupt families, so he had just enough justification to get away with it.

Still, it felt hollow.

I had hoped Cruello would be a better person. I had worked toward that goal.

But as long as my interference hadn’t made things worse, that was enough.

“You still want to marry me?”

“Yes.”

“I can’t tell if you’re lying or if you’re just too blinded by your own desires to care.”

“Let’s say it’s both.”

“There’s no guarantee that I won’t let Bonetti off the hook just because we’re engaged. Are you really okay with that?”

“That’s for the guilty to deal with. It’s none of my concern.”

“And do the other Bonettis feel the same?”

“At the very least, Minuet seems to approve. I suppose she thinks she’ll gain something from it.”

Now that I thought about it, that was exactly how she had been portrayed in The Book of Fate.

She despised the idea of marrying Cruello, but since it had come to this, she intended to milk the situation for all it was worth.

She had even considered assassinating Cruello and seizing control of White Desert for herself. Quite the ambitious plan.

“What’s your real reason?”

My real reason?

I stared at Cruello for a moment before laughing.

“World peace?”

That answer was just as insane as anything Cruello might have said.

As I chuckled to myself, he looked at me as if I were deranged.

But I was serious.

“So, why exactly did you come today? You were waiting in front of the carriage, so it seemed like you were looking for me.”

“Who knows? Maybe I was out keeping the peace in the streets.”

Oh, for crying out loud.

Cruello’s dull joke buried my sincerity beneath it.

The air around us felt even chillier, making me instinctively rub my arms. That’s when Cruello removed his coat.

“There’s actually a snake slithering through the streets,” he murmured.

As he draped his coat over my shoulders, he smiled with a peculiar expression.

“I came to make sure it doesn’t swallow my darling whole.”

***

Days passed since my encounter with Cruello, and when I returned to the information guild, I found its doors firmly shut.

After that, I had nothing much to do—my days were quiet and idle.

Or perhaps, instead of idle, I should call them luxurious.

A monthly allowance was provided under the guise of “noble dignity maintenance,” my meals became extravagant, and even Betty apologized for leaking information about me.

I finally had a proper room of my own, which meant I could leave the confines of my bedroom.

For the first time, I was being treated like a proper noble lady, so I indulged in laziness as much as I wanted.

And as of today—!

“Congratulations, Siora. The adoption has been finalized.”

I was now Siora Bonetti.

Wow.

How… underwhelming.

I never expected it to be over so quickly with just a single sentence from Minuet.

I didn’t even see the countess’s face. All I received was a signed document confirming her consent.

The Count was still at the Imperial Palace under investigation, so he wasn’t even in the mansion.

Even after officially becoming part of the family, things still felt this cold.

“A high priest will be coming soon to bless you.”

I take it back—this isn’t underwhelming. This is blasphemy!

“I mean, the High Priest must be busy, right? He doesn’t have to go out of his way for this.”

“You’re openly disappointed. Well, I suppose if you don’t receive a blessing on the very day of your registration, it loses its meaning.”

“Right? So wouldn’t it be better to just skip it altogether?”

“In that case, I’ll throw you a party instead.”

“…What?”

“I didn’t mention it, but I’ve already made the preparations. Invitations have been sent to the right people. Oh, and—”

As if suddenly remembering something, Minuet handed me a thick stack of papers.

The sheer weight made me uneasy.

What is this?

I glanced at the pages and saw a long list of names.

Oh, no. Don’t tell me…

“You have a good memory, right?”

“Honestly, I’m only slightly better than a goldfish.”

“What a shame. You’ll have to put in extra effort until right before the party.”

“You seriously want me to memorize all of this?”

“If you don’t want to make a fool of yourself at the party, you’d better.”

Minuet smiled at me sweetly, as if she were doing me a great favor.

“Tomorrow is practically your debutante ball. You wouldn’t want to embarrass yourself, would you?”

“Well, I mean… it’s my first time, so maybe just a little—”

“What? Are you saying you want to disgrace the Bonetti name the moment you become one of us?”

Damn it.

I shut my mouth and glared at her.

Satisfied, Minuet flashed a victorious smile and left the room.

Tsk.

***

The next morning.

I was introduced to every stylist and technician Bonetti had to offer.

Hair, makeup, dress, jewelry—so many specialists, all for one person.

By the time they were finished, I was utterly exhausted.

Only then did Betty nod in approval.

“Perfect.”