Thanks to the hard work of the knights who had gone ahead of us and done some reconnaissance, we already had both a map of the manor and a way to sneak inside. When the chivalric order got down to business, they were not a force to be trifled with.
We waited for the earl to head inside the manor after saying goodbye to his phony fiancée, then slipped out of the woods.
The time has finally come to infiltrate the premises!
Heart a-flutter with excitement, I watched as Corydalis’s crew crept into the manor through the back door, following our scouts’ lead. Unsurprisingly, I wasn’t allowed to go inside, so I was instead waiting in the wings outside along with Mr. Fisalis and a few other lookouts.
We hid next to the door everyone had just gone through, and from there, we tried to listen in on what was going on inside.
“If nothing comes of this today, you and I ought to head home, Vi.”
“Whaaat?”
“We can’t very well stick around and stand watch for days on end.”
“...Fiiine.”
“Stop pouting.”
For the record, my heart totally did not skip a beat when he pinched my puffed up cheeks!
“Do you think they’ll catch him in the act?” wondered Angelica, who had stayed behind to serve as a lookout.
“I’d give it fifty-fifty odds,” replied Mr. Fisalis.
The two were speculating among themselves as they strained their ears for any signs of what was happening in there.
I sure hope we nab him quick and get my necklace back.
I too listened and waited, praying that all would go smoothly—and before long, there came a ruckus from inside the manor.
“So it begins,” Mr. Fisalis declared.
His subordinate nodded. “Yep.”
We could hear a cacophony of noise: the thud of someone running, the crash of something falling, and the crack of something breaking. Unfortunately, we had no way of knowing exactly what was going on behind the wooden door.
I really wish I could look through that window next to the door...
Right as I was on the edge of my seat wondering if everything was okay in there, the back door abruptly slammed open as someone rushed out of the manor.
“Eek!”
“Vi!”
Though I was lucky enough to dodge the door slamming open, that then caused me to lose my balance and trip. Fortunately, Mr. Fisalis caught me in his arms and managed to keep me from getting hurt.
Who the heck threw open the door that hard?! That was dange— Wait a second!
“Wha...?! Duke Fisalis?!”
The one who had flown out the door was none other than Earl Lizardtail himself. He was pointing straight at us with a quivering finger.
From his disheveled clothes and hair, it was clear at a glance that he had put up a fight. He was gripping a sword in one hand. As he glared at us with bloodshot eyes, there wasn’t a trace left of the flirtatious air he’d had back in the villa.
Yikes! So these are his true colors!
“Vice Captain!”
“Thanks!”
Shielding me behind him, Mr. Fisalis took the sword Angelica had tossed his way and held it at the ready. Meanwhile, the earl was doing his best to slowly but steadily make a break for it, keeping his blade pointed at us all the while.
“He doesn’t have any backup! It’s just him to worry about!” came Corydalis’s voice from the inside the mansion.
“Got it!” was Mr. Fisalis’s gruff reply. He then said to us, “Wait here. This shouldn’t take long. ...Take care of Vi for me.”
“Yes, sir! Nobody’s going to lay a finger on her if I have anything to say about it!”
Upon entrusting Angelica with my safety, he adjusted his grip on his sword and took a step toward the earl.
“How about you return that necklace to us now?”
“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
“Now, now, it’s wrong to go around telling lies. We’ve already done our research, I’ll have you know.”
“W-Where’s your proof?! You haven’t got anything on me!”
The tip of his blade locked onto his foe, Mr. Fisalis closed in on him step by step. Scared out of his wits, the earl edged back from his pursuer, yet still insisted on playing dumb.
He’s right that we don’t have any evidence, though.
“If it’s proof you want...”
Just as I was watching the scene unfold, wondering how my husband would strike back...
“We got it right here!”
Arriving on the scene with nigh impeccable timing was none other than Corydalis. And held high in his hand was our jeweler’s trademark box!
“How is that proof of anything?!” the earl snapped as he glared at Corydalis, still reluctant to accept his fate.
“I mean, just take a look inside. Whatever could the madam’s necklace be doing here?”
“T-That has to be a fake! Someone slipped that in there to frame me!”
“No sirree, this is the real deal! You see, the Viola Eye has a certain secret known only to a select few. If we check for that, we’ll know just how genuine this thing is in a heartbeat.”
Grinning, Corydalis opened up the box and showed everyone the necklace inside. He knew all about the seal himself, of course! Though calling it a “secret” was playing it up a little too much, if you asked me.
“Nice try! I already know that the one I was wearing was the fake!” I had a few words for him myself!
“Wha...?!”
His eyes flew open in surprise before narrowing into a glare directed my way, but I wasn’t the least bit scared of him! I had Mr. Fisalis by my side!
“Give it up.”
No sooner had Mr. Fisalis said that than he knocked the earl’s sword aside and pressed the tip of his own blade to the man’s throat. Overpowered by the knight’s quick movements and petrified with fear, Earl Lizardtail was swiftly apprehended by Corydalis’s squad and tied up with rope.