Noel sat in the garden of the Sloan residence as she reminisced about her time there. 'It's been 2 weeks since I arrived here. Aunty Yolanda's been teaching me things here and there, uncle Kendrick's been playing with me every day, and...it's been a week since I've seen father at all. Hmph! How busy is he that he can't even visit his daughter? But then again, it's not like I'm his daughter in any way but name. It's also quiet here...a little too quiet...Is there no mystery for me to solve?' she lamented as she twirled a strand of her pearly hair around her small fingers, staring at the assortment of snacks and tea in front of her. She heaved a long and heavy sigh, hoping for some spice in her life.
"AAAAAAHHHH it's a body! It's a dead body! Help!" A shrill cry for help grabbed the child's attention as her head snapped towards the direction of the voice. Before she could think, she was up and running, ready to investigate. 'Finally...looks like I'll be able to use my skills for the first time here.'
When she reached the scene of commotion, she found a woman's body. A maid of the residence, lying on the floor, skin purple and cold. Other maids and butlers of the mansion gathered around, gasps and words of offense thrown around carelessly, not a single regard given for the life that had just passed.
"My lady, please, you're not supposed to be here, it's not something a child like you should have to witness!" Joy exclaimed as she ran towards the girl, afraid that her innocence had been tainted.
'tsk...what a cycle this is. Do I have to explain to everybody that my position in this house is a detective?' Noel wondered, rather irked by people's 'concerns'.
"Leave her be, it's her duty after all." Someone said in a deep voice from slightly afar as footsteps approached.
Noel turned to look at the owner of the voice she recognized so well. 'Marcus! It's him! Finally showing your face here, huh.' she internally snarked as Marcus smiled at her.
"It's been a while, my daughter. Hope you've been well. I'd like to catch up to you, but there seems to have been an incident in my home." His voice further deepened at the last part, eyes narrowing and jaw clenching, like a predator trying to single out his prey, the one who dared to harm a member of his house.
"What do you think, Noel, what does this scene tell you?" He turned to look at her, fully expecting an explanation.
"My lord, this may not be safe for the princess-"
"Quiet! I asked Noel a question, are you her, by any chance?" He interrupted joy with a fearful glare as she backed down, fearing for her life.
Noel took a minute to look around her and grasp her surroundings.
"Well, judging by the people's reactions, no one is particularly sad about her passing. She must not have been popular. She also doesn't look older than 20, quite young for a head maid apprentice. People must have deeply envied her. This complicates things. The killer could have been anyone here." She spoke up just as Yolanda and Kendrick arrived to hear her explanation.
"Then how do we narrow down the culprit?" Yolanda asked frantically as Kendrick tried to calm her down. Marcus remained in the corner, not offering his assistance, rather opting to look at her as if to say 'you better get this right and prove to me that I was right in taking you in'.
"Well, her skin is discolored and there's frother at her lips. She was definitely poisoned. Witness reports say that she had been complaining of chest pains and difficulty breathing. Discoloration and her respiratory symptoms point to cyanide poisoning. Acute poisoning at that. Someone delivered one dose, enough to kill immediately. This might have been premeditated but it was also an act of passion."
Kendrick and Yolanda looked at the girl, shocked that she was able to identify the cause of death without a coroner around.
"Well it's impressive, but it still doesn't narrow down the suspect list, since you said no one was fond of her." Yolanda challenged her.
"Oh, but it does, dear aunt. Cyanide is tough to obtain. The only people who have access to it in this mansion are the family's photographer and the physician. The physician has no personal ties to this family and is part of the imperial family, so it's highly unlikely that he'd do something like this. The photographer would be more plausible of an option. However, when observing the reactions of the people, it was clear that he was stunned by her death. He also wouldn't be foolish enough to waste fatal quantities of cyanide on murder when it's a rarity and extremely expensive. So it must have been someone with connections to him. The only other person here with means and motive is his lover." Noel pointed to a maid among the crowd, who looked like she'd seen a ghost.
"P-princess, how could you make such bold assumptions? I have no relation to that man!" She spat out as the photographer looked rather pale at the revelation.
"You're wearing the same pattern of the ring, as part of a pair. One for a man and one for a woman. Couple items are, as the name suggests, mostly found in couples. I also noticed when I first reached the scene, that he was holding your hand to console you. Why didn't he do that to the other maids? It's clear that you're special to him. Would you still bother denying it?" Noel questioned in a sharp tone, ridiculing the maid's attempt to escape. The maid looked away, anxious as the photographer glanced at her.
'hoo, that's my daughter' Marcus prided himself on finding such a gem for a daughter. It was as if he truly respected Noel for the person that she is.
"Well, then, I'll continue. It seems that our deceased maid was set to marry the photographer due to familial pressure. That's what Joy told me. Isn't that right, Joy?" She looked to her maid for confirmation.
"Yes, princess, it's true. I know this because Manina, the dead maid, told me that she planned on quitting work once she married the photographer."
"I see. So you," Noel pointed to the suspected maid once more as she continued, "You were extremely jealous that your lover was about to marry someone else, someone of higher status than you. So you poisoned her. You and the other maids were the only ones with the opportunity to contaminate the food as the chef always tastes his preparations, so as to not let anything be amiss. And, you're the only one with the means and motive to commit such a crime. Well, I'll give you props for your dedication, but now, an innocent woman is dead because of your ugly envy and you can't ever be with your lover, for you'll be rotting in jail for the rest of your life!"
"It wasn't me, I tell you! She deserved it! That wench thought she could do whatever she wanted just because her family had the highest status among us maids. Always acted high and mighty! I just put her in her place, that's all!" The accused screamed as she faced Noel, taking a few steps forward. Out of nowhere, she snatched a sickle from the gardener and swung it, aiming for Noel.
'Ha! Is this how I die again!? By a psycho bitch?? This isn't fair...' she thought as she closed her eyes, ready to accept her fate as the madwoman, with a deranged look in her eyes, tried to deliver a finishing blow.
'clunk' the sound of something hitting the ground caused Noel to open her eyes curiously. She was shielded by a man with a broad back and white hair. 'Marcus?' Indeed, it was Marcus. He stopped the woman in her tracks, pulled out his sword, and cut her head off with one clean swing. The people watched in shock, especially Yolanda and Kendrick.
"This mad witch. Let this be a warning to anyone who dares to harm the child of this house - My daughter. It shall not be tolerated in the slightest. And you-", he pointed to the photographer who was now a shaking mess, knees just about ready to give away, "Leave this residence immediately and never show your face ever again. Do. You. Understand. Me?" He emphasized every word while walking a step closer to the man each time.
"Y-yes! I'm sorry!" The man blabbered as he ran away, to pack himself up and leave.
"Noel! Are you okay, dear!?" "Are you hurt anywhere!?" Yolanda and Kendrick came running towards her, concern evident in their eyes as Marcus, too, looked at her for an answer.
"I'm fine, this was nothing hehe." She replied in as cheerful of a voice she could muster.
"Then why are you crying, idiot?" Marcus mocked as he made her way to her, picking her up again in his arms.
'huh? Am I really crying? Oh...I must have been really shocked', she realized as she finally felt the hot stream of tears trickling down her flushed cheeks.
She wiped away her tears and looked at her father, his eyes showed concern, strangely.
"Were you worried about me, father?" she questioned.
"Of course, you are my daughter after all." This made the tears fall with force, as she hiccupped, overcome with a wave of strange emotions. 'This was more of a contract, so why...' she wondered.
"Oi, why are you crying more, did I say something wrong?" Marcus asked her, frantically trying to recall his words.
"No, it's just that I've never had anyone care deeply about me, let alone rescue me. I've always been alone...and I haven't seen you in a week, I thought you had forgotten about me." she managed to let out through her soft sniffles. It was true. Not only in this life but her previous one as well. Noel had lived without parents, without love, without anyone to rely on. But that was slowly changing. 'Can I really open my heart up to these people?' she wondered as she looked around her, her aunt and uncle looking at her with concern and utmost sympathy. Even Marcus felt something in him clench as he heard the child's words.
"You are my daughter and I am your father. As long as I'm alive, I shall protect you with my life and you shall never be alone. And it seems like my daughter has missed me. I apologize. I'll try to be around more for you, yeah?" Marcus wasted no time in reassuring her.
"Papa..." Yuri looked at him, eyes reflecting how grateful she felt to have found such a family. 'Maybe if it's them, I can open my heart up just a little bit.'
"Now, stop crying, you're ugly when you cry."
"Way to ruin the mood, old man!" She playfully scolded him as the people around her laughed. Never had she felt so warm in her heart, in her whole life.
"Well, Noel, I must say that what you showed us today, makes you more than worthy of the Sloan name. I welcome you to our family."
"Wow, the hot-headed 'lady' can be sweet too, huh?" Marcus joked.
"Way to ruin the mood you brat!" she, too scolded him.
'why am I, the duke of this house, getting scolded by a child and an arrogant woman...' poor Marcus lamented as he sweatdropped at his circumstances.
"Ha ha ha, after so long, this family has finally gained what it needed the most. Thank you, Noel, for making my little brother a decent person." Kendrick thanked her, waving off Marcus' empty threats to 'kill him'.
Marcus carried Noel up to her bedroom once the ruckus died down and laid her down on the bed. "Rest well, munchkin." He said as he kissed the knuckle of her small, delicate hand, wishing her a night of pleasant dreams.