"Oh? Really?"
Jared acted very surprised, very, very surprised.
At least that's what it looks like.
Vito smiled modestly, as if to say, "It's nothing, nothing to talk about". But Jared realized that the man's intentions were really good, and if he was stupid, he wouldn't be able to see the meaning of his smile, and would just think that he was calm and collected. Even if he is a little smarter, if he really does not know the cause and effect, I am afraid that he will only feel that the minister of magical affairs under the power is very strong, just happened not long ago, actually can be investigated by him, so it is also a disguised demonstration to himself.
"In fact, perhaps Mr. Jared has heard of it."
Vito's tone was slow, but it didn't give people a sense of impatience, instead it was like he was organized and had a sense of priorities, which made it easy for people to calm down and listen to him. So Jared set up a posture, make a picture of listening to the appearance. The show must be complete, or even after-sales service to be considered satisfactory.
"Two days ago, the Imperial guards in my neighborhood were attacked."
Vito's tone turned heavy.
"They are all high-level fighters and magicians, as well as high-level leaders in the Imperial Guard, and I didn't expect them to die like this ..."
"This way ... that can be really terrible."
One of the culprits made a shocked expression, while the second culprit in fact laughed and laughed through the "thought communication".
"I think the one who killed them and the one who attacked my daughter are one and the same. In fact, there aren't many people in the entire empire who could have done this, and based on my investigations, I've got an absolutely solid lead. I've already determined who actually tried to kill my daughter!"
"So who exactly is it?"
Jared's got a bone to pick with it.
"... The name of this man I cannot say ..."
Though Vidocq was hesitant to speak, Jared had realized that he wasn't implying anything. Because he had spoken in the singular of "this man". Not plural, which meant he hadn't guessed that he and Caroline were the culprits. Or if he had guessed one of them, but not all of them, then it would have been easy for them to turn the tables. So Jared put his heart at ease and continued to play his role. He looked at Vito with a confused and puzzled expression.
"So, what do you mean by ...?"
"I hope you can help me, Mr. Jared."
Vito stepped forward and took Jared's hand in his.
"I'm helpless, but I don't have what it takes to fight him. I hope you can help me kill that man. That way, my daughter won't be hurt anymore!"
"But, that person must have a very powerful force ..."
Once again, Jared disguised himself as being a little bit smart or a little bit more than smart, but never reaching the height of the Minister of Magical Affairs. He knew very well that it was not a good choice to act too stupid or too smart to deal with such a sophisticated person. Since he learned from Caroline that Vito thought he was a secret mission from the Academy, he couldn't be too stupid. The Academy isn't stupid enough to send two guys with an IQ of less than 100 to be spies. The question now was whether or not Vidocq could convince them that there was enough interest to sway them, or rather, to sway them for the time being.
So what Jared is implying is pretty obvious, since that's the one person you can't deal with, is it okay for me to go?
"I heard from my daughter that you had killed the murderer who came to attack her, isn't that right, Mr. Jared."
"Yes."
Jared nodded in reply, to which Vito was obviously very pleased.
"The one who was able to kill Yufeng and the others was the most powerful trump card in that person's hands. But now that he has died at your hands, the rest of them are no match for you." Jared noticed that Vito had unknowingly replaced "you" with "you", so it was clear that the main course was about to be served." Although I could have done this, but unfortunately, I lost Yufeng and the others ..." Vito made a saddened face.
"But the matter does me no good, and indeed, no, nothing."
Jared gave an "appropriate" look of hesitation.
Caroline didn't know how Vito really felt about the attack on Kelly, and that was Jared's biggest worry, despite having complained hundreds of times, he couldn't help but complain if only Caroline could actually read minds.
But if you think about it,you'll realize that there are too many holes in the whole thing. So Jared was very hesitant, he seemed to want to say something, but he didn't know what to say. In response, Vito was also very understanding, he looked at Jared gently, and at the same time reached out and pressed his hand on his shoulder, like a kind elder.
"What's the problem? You can talk to me about it."
"..."
Jared was still hesitating, and Caroline was silent, knowing full well what Jared was trying to do.
Acting does require after-sales service.
"The truth is, it's not what Ms. Kelly says it is."
Finally, he made up his mind and spoke.
"Oh?"
This caused Vito's eyes to widen in utter surprise, and he took two steps back, eyeing Jared cautiously.
"What the hell is going on!"
The tone of his voice has become a little more agitated.
"Actually, it was me who killed those two."
Jared was quite frank and honest, and had no qualms about selling Kelly.
"I was ordered by the Academy to protect Ms. Kelly. But when I went back, I found that Miss Kelly had been taken away by the two of them, so I was a bit confused, so I followed them, but I didn't expect that they would attack Miss Kelly. So I tried my best to protect her and eventually killed them. But Ms. Kelly ordered me not to tell the truth, according to her, she and those two people are very close, do not want to let them ..."
"I see."
Vito let out a long sigh, while sitting heavily back down at his desk, his head bowed.
The scam is finally starting to come together.
Jared had never thought that Kelly's cheap deception could really fool such a sophisticated schemer, and while her treatment of the two men had been much appreciated by Jared, the young lady had obviously been overcome with grief, despite her demonstrated calmness. No, in fact, the judgment Kelly had made, to someone who knew nothing about it, was flawless. But the only problem was that Jared, unlike Kelly, didn't think Vito was the victim, he suspected him of being the real killer.
As positions change, so do lies and deceptions.
Jared likes to gamble, and he trusts his instincts, and the intel Caroline gives him backs up Jared's judgment.
So he decided to tell the truth.
That would be the most acceptable thing for Vidocq to do. If he ordered those two men to murder Carrie, then that's the way he wanted it to end. How else can it be that you send two men out to assassinate someone, and then out of the blue another assassin shows up, and instead of taking advantage of the situation, your men stand in the way? Vito was willing to use those two people who were so close to Kelly that they were like brother and sister to kill her, he must have thought that those two people would not betray him at all. The most important thing in an assassination is not the fear of failure, but rather the possibility of backstabbing. After all, an assassination is an assassination in order not to expose the mastermind behind the operation. So Jared was sure that Vidocq was absolutely certain that he hadn't been betrayed by them.
After a long time, Vito finally spoke.
"You mean ... Yufeng they, betrayed me? Betrayed my trust in them?!!!"
"This ..."
Jared responded cautiously, pretending that he didn't dare say anything, that there was nothing he could say.
"... How can this be possible!!!! Those guys, how can they even buy off the people I trust the most?!!!"
Vito couldn't sit still any longer, he got up and walked over to Jared again.
"Mr. Jared, you're all I have now."
"Me?"
Jared narrowed his eyes slightly .
"What can I do for you? My Lord, I am a man sent by the Academy, and as you know, I am not Ms. Kelly's guardian."
"I'm well aware of that, Mr. Jared. But I do need your help right now."
The old minister looks a little flustered already.
It's so good, it's as good as a pro's. It'll be a sure thing.
"... I'm sorry, I can't help you."
Jared stood up and slowly pushed Vito's outstretched hand away.
"They are from the royal palace."
Vito stared into Jared's eyes and said slowly, then he resumed his seat and looked at Jared.
"You can tell your master that if you will help me protect my daughter, then remove this threat. I won't tell you who he is now. But please tell your master that eliminating him will certainly benefit the Academy. And I will do my best to cooperate with the Academy!"
Jared was silent, then he curtsied slightly and left the study.
On the way out, the corners of his mouth turned up.
(Can start planning...)
Caroline's voice was laced with unquestioning certainty.
"That's right."
Jared nodded.
"Now is the time to start ..."