IWMBS 6

I fell into thought for a moment.

‘Is there some other way to deliver it? Or should I stick it into the wall of my room with a knife, just like before? I haven’t thrown that one away yet… But then that would mean someone could break into my room while I’m sleeping again, wouldn’t it? Ugh, I don’t want that!’

Just imagining it made my face crumple into a miserable expression. Unfortunately, that didn’t magically produce a solution.

“First, let’s look for some paper and a pen.”

Judging by how the contents of the secret letter had disappeared, they probably used special paper or ink.

I searched my room even more carefully than before. I hadn’t noticed them earlier, but they had to be hidden somewhere in here.

‘They’re probably near the desk…’

People instinctively keep their belongings somewhere familiar and convenient. Especially paper and pens, which were most likely used at the desk.

I started by examining the desk from every angle. I even checked underneath it, but nothing seemed unusual.

Next, I turned my attention to the drawers attached to the desk. I opened them one by one and began rummaging through their contents.

Rattle, clack.

Rattle, clack.

I had opened two drawers in succession and was searching through the third when something caught my attention.

“Hm?”

Rattle, rattle.

The bottom of the third drawer made a strangely hollow sound. The difference was subtle, but Lillian’s unusually sharp ears picked up on it immediately.

‘Could it be…?’

I carefully ran my fingers over the bottom of the drawer. At first glance, there was nothing unusual, but I noticed a small groove in one of the inner corners, as though it had been slightly scratched.

I slipped my fingernail into the groove and gently lifted it.

Creeeak.

With an unpleasant creaking sound, the bottom panel came loose. Beneath it was an extremely narrow compartment.

Just as I had expected, there were special paper and ink hidden inside.

And—

[Infiltration successful. At this rate, I am expected to complete the probationary period without incident. Subject No. 32, who infiltrated before me, was disposed of by the Grand Duke……]

There was even the unfinished secret report that Lillian had been writing.

“This is…”

The moment I saw the coded message written in her handwriting, fragments of Lillian’s deeply buried memories began to surface.

‘Be careful. Plenty of girls have been thrown out without even getting a chance to say goodbye after trying to approach His Highness.’

‘You know Karen, right? Apparently, she was kicked out for the same reason.’

Karen. The maid the other maids had been talking about last time.

A maid with beautiful red hair vaguely appeared in my mind.

If that was the case—

‘She wasn’t kicked out. She was disposed of.’

A chill ran down my spine.

As long as I was living in Lillian’s body, Subject No. 32’s death was hardly someone else’s problem.

‘I need to stay on my toes!’

Whether it was the Grand Duke of Pelliam or the organization behind this espionage operation…

If either side discovered my circumstances, I’d be eliminated without a trace.

“Phew…”

I took a deep breath and examined the unfinished secret report left behind by the previous owner of this body.

[Infiltration successful. At this rate, I am expected to complete the probationary period without incident.

It is certain that Subject No. 32, who infiltrated before me, was disposed of by the Grand Duke, but the whereabouts of the body remain unknown. All potential evidence has been destroyed, so there should be no major problems. However…]

That was where it ended.

Judging by the timing of the report, she had probably written it a few days before I possessed her body.

‘I’m not sure why she stopped writing it halfway through.’

But for me, it was an absolute blessing.

Using the fragments of Lillian’s memories and the unfinished report as references, I began composing the coded message.

In truth, there wasn’t much to report.

[The Grand Duke met with Madam Brandt. Regarding salon sponsorship. Since then, he has been staying in seclusion without engaging in any notable social activities.]

That was all. I simply padded out the information a little.

You wouldn’t believe how much trouble I had trying to stretch a report that could be summarized in just three lines. I nearly ended up writing that Madam Brandt was extremely beautiful and married!

‘Still, I’ve done the best I can.’

After checking once more for any mistakes in the code, I folded the secret letter.

It looked exactly like the one I had received when I first arrived here.

Creak—

I quietly opened the door and cautiously poked my head outside.

Perhaps because it was already late, there was no one around.

I slipped out of my room, carefully looking around as I went. If I happened to run into someone, I planned to pretend I was going to get some water.

‘Please, please don’t let me run into anyone…!’

I was astonishingly bad at lying.

No matter how many excuses I came up with beforehand, I had absolutely no confidence that I could deliver them naturally. As long as I didn’t start stammering, that would already be an achievement.

“Ah, finally!”

Perhaps my desperate prayers had actually worked.

I managed to avoid everyone and secretly make my way to the back entrance of the annex.

It was a remarkable achievement, made possible by Lillian’s sharp senses and my own survival instincts.

“One, two, three, four…”

I began counting the bricks along the wall of the back entrance, starting from the left. I stopped at the ninth brick.

Then I slipped the secret letter into the gap between that brick and the ground, almost as though burying it there.

‘This time, this is the right place.’

The location for exchanging secret letters changed every time. However, there was a certain pattern to it.

Based on that pattern, I had calculated that this was where I needed to leave it.

‘Phew, what a relief.’

Thank goodness Lillian’s memories had resurfaced at just the right moment.

They were only fragmented memories, but even so, this was better than nothing.

I had nearly ended up getting stabbed again simply because I didn’t know how to submit my report!

Having completed my mission, I quietly returned to my room the same way I had come.

“Ahh, what a relief!”

Goodbye to the days when I couldn’t even sleep peacefully in my own room!

With all the tension finally gone, I was able to fall into a deep sleep for the first time in ages.

Wouldn’t it have been wonderful if things had ended there?

Unfortunately, that peace didn’t last very long.

[Insufficient information.]

When I checked the designated location just in case, I found another secret letter waiting for me.

It had only been two days!

‘No, seriously! That really was all I knew!’

At least, that was everything I could find out about the Grand Duke.

It wasn’t as though I could just make up things that hadn’t happened, was it?

“Haah…”

A deep sigh escaped me before I even realized it.

At this point, there was no other choice.

I’d have to take on some voluntary overtime.

“Oh my, Lillian.”

“You’ve already finished all of that?”

“My goodness!”

Even as the maids around me exclaimed in astonishment, I silently gathered the laundry that belonged to the other maids and began hanging it up.

Smack, snap.

Smack, snap.

My movements were quick, but never careless.

It was a skill I’d picked up through experience while living in the homes of various relatives as an orphan, learning to read the room and make myself useful.

Thanks to that, the enormous pile of clothes was gradually disappearing.

‘All that’s left after this is dusting the blankets and carpets…’

Hmm, I might be able to take my lunch break a little earlier than usual.

After roughly estimating the time, I quickly organized my next few tasks.

‘After lunch: the first floor of the main building, the garden, and the eastern annex.’

Incidentally, this was the Grand Duke of Pelliam’s usual route around the residence—and my new overtime work locations.

To begin with, aside from his bedroom, office, and study, he hardly ever wandered around the main building of his own residence.

‘So that’s why it was so difficult to even catch a glimpse of him!’

Even so, I gradually managed to gather information about him.

The entire Grand Ducal Residence revolved around one person: the Grand Duke of Pelliam.

As long as I paid a little attention to the people around me, gathering information wasn’t particularly difficult.

‘His Grace the Grand Duke has gotten up.’

‘He’s gone to the study now, so let’s start by tidying up the office.’

‘The item His Grace ordered has just arrived. What should we do with it?’

‘Ah, I’ll inform him—’

‘His Grace has requested that today’s meal be brought to his office. He said to keep it simple.’

‘Yes, Sir Advisor.’

‘Good morning, Sir Günther.’

‘Haha! Good morning to you too, Butler! By any chance, is His Grace…?’

‘He has some urgent documents to take care of. He’ll be heading to the training grounds shortly.’

‘Ah, in that case—’

They were all perfectly ordinary, everyday conversations.

Thanks to them, I was gradually able to get a rough idea of the Grand Duke’s movements.

Considering that I hadn’t been able to see so much as a single hair on the head of the man who owned this residence for the past several days, it was quite an achievement!