Chapter 92.1

Chapter 92.1

If Soyer has committed only minor illegal acts, they could manage the situation in advance.

“He is the Commander of the White Knights. If it turns out to be habitual behavior, the impact will be significant.”

“Hmm, indeed. The Duke must be in a difficult position as well.”

Jasmine murmured, touching her ear.

“Does that ‘preliminary investigation’ include investigating or interrogating his spouse, Marian?”

“If necessary.”

“No!”

Jasmine immediately shook her head.

“She’s already in a bad state, and if Marian finds out, she’ll collapse. I mean, I know this is a very personal matter, but…”

Richard, who had been quietly watching the immediately apologetic Jasmine, spoke bluntly.

“No need to apologize. The reason I’m here is also very personal.”

Resting his chin on his hand, he reached out with his long fingers. Jasmine realized a beat late that his fingertips had touched her lips, wiping off the cream that was there. “You had some cream,” he informed her calmly, wiping his fingers with a handkerchief.

The white smear on his long, white fingers spread onto the navy silk. The elegant motion felt oddly suggestive, causing Jasmine to frown.

“You can do anything.”

It’s neither offending nor an imposition.

“That’s exactly what I want.”

***

And so, somehow, they ended up cooperating, albeit unofficially, on what they called the “Suspected Affair & Addict Sir Soyer Surveillance Case.”

Although it was frustrating not to be able to participate directly, Jasmine thought it was better to hear the investigation results from Richard, as he had said, rather than personally digging into the matter.

However, this gave Jasmine a reason to meet Richard frequently, and due to his casual suggestions or the circumstances, she ended up visiting the military headquarters almost daily. As a result, she naturally became involved in the matter. Using this as an excuse, the time she spent with him gradually became more familiar and natural.

Whenever she thought she should distance herself, Richard would make an enticing suggestion like a ghost.

Starting with, “Today, we conducted a large-scale drug investigation within the military,” they would somehow end up having tea or a meal together. He would suggest, “I happened to get tickets to an exhibition, would you like to go together?” or “A new bread menu has come out at the tea house you like,” or “The test results are out, would you like to see them together?” thus persuading her.

Before she knew it, Jasmine found herself visiting the Duke of Aion’s mansion.

Jasmine pouted and said, “No matter how much we dig, nothing comes up.”

“Indeed,” Richard agreed calmly.

Amazingly, it was true. Whether Soyer was innocent or extremely thorough, nothing came up.

Apart from the scene they had caught, his comings and goings were perfectly regular, he met no one other than his colleagues and retainers, and he didn’t go near any gambling dens.

Sticking strictly to the home-work-home-work route, the hypothesis of him having an affair also became faint. There was definitely a secret, but they couldn’t figure out what it was. On the surface, Soyer seemed to be the epitome of a model husband, father, and knight of this era.

Moreover, even the preliminary drug tests found nothing. This was definitely strange. Then what was it?

“Ah, what is it really? Do you understand, Duke?”

“There are only two possibilities left.”

Jasmine leaned in closer. From up close, Richard was truly excellent at his job. With outstanding crisis management skills, quick wit and reflexes, extensive knowledge and information, resourcefulness, power, and cool judgment, he handled tasks in a few hours that would take others days.

It was jaw-dropping to witness. In fact, it amde him look handsome. After all, there are few things more attractive than a competent man…

“First, he is innocent.”

“But what we saw…”

“Innocent here means he wasn’t using the drugs for criminal purposes. It was for medical reasons. Even so, possessing illegal drugs is grounds for disciplinary action.”

“So, you’re saying he’s sick.”

Could he have an incurable disease? But if that were the case, Soyer had seemed quite energetic over the past few days, regaining his vigor and ruling as a tyrant within the White Knights as the cold-blooded knight.

He seemed more like someone with a sick personality than someone physically ill. The doctor had said as much, assuming one trusted that doctor.

Richard seemed to agree and said, “So, the second possibility. We need to consider that the drug test was wrong.”

“Is that possible?”

“Normally, that wouldn’t be the case.”

Since we can’t trust the top military doctor, we should assume the evidence is contaminated and start over. Jasmine agreed but tilted her head in curiosity.

“Then where do we do the retest?”

“Conveniently, the top authority is in this house.”

Richard’s expression was peculiar, but he didn’t elaborate. Jasmine didn’t press further and followed him.

Come to think of it, this was her first visit to the Duke of Aion’s mansion.

The mansion of the prestigious Duke of Aion family, which boasts an older history than the Grand Duke’s family, was an impressive structure that beautifully harmonized the architectural styles from the late kingdom period to the early empire period with recent expansions, exuding an air of elegance and dignity.

It was fascinating to think that this was where he was born and raised. Although she had often visited friends’ houses, this felt different.