Jack hurried to catch up with Camille.
She had stopped at a fancy sweets shop to buy a box of sweets, and seemed to be heading towards his house. He thought she was going back to see Ennis, but her sudden deviation from the road was unexpected.
After a while, Camille's quick steps slowed.
She opened her umbrella and started walking noticeably slowly.
“...Are you following anyone?” Jack asked, relying on his intuition honed by years of experience.
He scanned the direction Camille was looking at, but there were so many people, he couldn't decide who to follow.
“Could it be the detective?” , speculate.
It seemed unlikely that she would be so frank if she knew someone was following her, but he couldn't completely rule out the possibility.
After nearly ten minutes of observing Camille, Jack was finally able to pinpoint who she might be following.
'This guy?'
The man was so far away, with his back to Jack, that his features were difficult to distinguish.
He seemed to be of average build and height, and from his clothes, he did not appear to be a noble.
Camille stopped suddenly, and Jack quickly hid behind a nearby wall.
She was watching intently a building that looked like a row of stacked houses. It seemed as if the man had entered it.
Moments later, Camille turned and started walking back the way she came. Jack hesitated for a moment, confused as to who was following him.
Fortunately, he had ordered two of his subordinates to catch up with him from a distance today. He quickly scanned his surroundings to locate them, and motioned for them to follow Camille. Then Jack hurried towards the house.
***
“..So, did you manage to catch the man Camille was following?” Ethan asked.
"No, I didn't. When I entered the building, he was gone. He probably went to his room. However, I got a list of the building's residents. Since he is of average build and height, he might be one of those seven men," Jack answered as he handed over the list.
Ethan took the list and examined it.
Suddenly, a name caught his attention: “Marcel Patch.”
“Is something wrong?” Jack asked.
"Nothing. Have you started the background check?" Ethan replied.
“Yes. We are checking their history, including their past activities. I have also placed my men near the building for surveillance.”
“Okay. Notify me as soon as you get the results.”
“Understood”
Ethan closed the list and placed it on his desk.
Marcel Patch was not a strange name. Maybe it was a coincidence.
Whatever the case, they will know more after the investigations are over.
"What about Camille? What did you do next?"
“According to the report, she returned to the carriage and headed to the palace. She has not left since then.”
Ethan thought with an expressionless face.
Jack waited a moment before speaking again.
“What do we do next?”
“The priority is to identify the man Camille was following. Keep watching, but be very careful not to alert Camille. If she realizes we are on to something, we may lose this evidence.”
“Understood. But...”
“But?”
“Is it possible that this man really is an informant? It seems unlikely that the Duchess would expose him so easily, knowing that she is being followed.”
“Do you think it could be a trap?”
“I'm not sure. It may not be related. We don't have enough information to make a judgment yet.”
“Exactly. Keep monitoring and avoid any premature conclusions. Take all possibilities into consideration.”
“Yes”
After Jack left, Ethan leaned back in his chair, frowning contemplatively.
He ordered a surveillance, but he did not expect to receive a report like this so quickly.
Although he doubted Camille's actions, part of him wanted to believe her innocence. Perhaps he wanted to trust that Camille had no connection to Gerard, and that everything she did was for the sake of the duchy.
The aim of the surveillance was to confirm her innocence.
As long as Camille didn't do anything suspicious, he would still trust her.
But it has not been decided yet.
Despite everything, he couldn't help but feel a strange sense of bitterness.
“She is truly an unpredictable woman.”
***
A few days later, at the Dumont Dumont Knights Headquarters, the twenty-four-year-old Commander of the Order Knights, Mile Cantona, was engrossed in paperwork in his office.
Most knights hated dealing with documents, and would often delegate these tasks to their assistants or administrative staff once they reached higher ranks.
But Mile was an exception.
From a young age, he was known for his dual talents in scientific and military pursuits.
Born the third son of a count, he had no hopes of obtaining a title, so he chose the path of a knight, and quickly excelled in the capital's knightly system.
Mile's meteoric rise came to an abrupt halt when he suddenly resigned from the rank of knight. Months later, Ethan appointed him Commander of the Knights of the Duchy of Dumont.
His decision to remain in a special force puzzled him, even though he had the potential to lead the Order of the Metropolitan Knights, or even the Order of the Royal Knights.
Little did he know the real reasons behind his decision.
A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.
“Come in,” Mael said without looking up, but the visitor was neither a knight, nor a vassal knight, nor one of Ethan’s messengers.
“Am I bothering you?” A familiar voice asked.
“Duchess,” said Mael, rising suddenly. He seemed astonished, as this was her first visit since he took office.
"What brings you here? If you had something to discuss, you would have summoned me," he said, noticing that Camille was alone, even without a maid to accompany her.
Behind her stood a young knight, looking embarrassed and uncomfortable, as he had apparently been forced to guide her.
"I realized I haven't been to the Knights' Building since I got married. I heard there's a riding training ground here? If it's not busy, I'd like you to show me around," Camille said with a bright smile.
Mael felt conflicted in his thoughts.
Was Ethan aware of this visit? Probably not, otherwise you wouldn't have shown up unannounced. However, he couldn't turn her away, given her status.
People say the Duchess has completely changed since that incident, but perhaps not as much as they think, she hopes. Old Camille would have shown no interest in knighthood.
Could she have an ulterior motive?
Mile mentions Ethan's suspicions that Camille is Gerard's client.
If that were true, it would have been reckless to show her the planning and organization of the Knight Squad.
While Mael hesitated, Camille moved her hand dramatically.
"Oh, it's hot. Walking in the sun tired me out. I'd like to see the place, but can I rest here for a bit first?" She asked, sitting on the sofa without waiting for his response.
Her casual style seemed unbecoming of a Duchess Dumont, almost informal.
"Aren't you hot, Mr. Mayle? Can I get some cold water?" She asked him, looking at him expectantly.
Mael looked at the young knight standing behind her.
“Go get some cold water.”
"I prefer lemon juice if possible. Chilled, please," Camille added in a slightly playful tone.
“…Go to the kitchen of the main house. Tell them that it is for the Duchess, and they will bring it. If they hesitate, tell them that it is on my orders.”
“Yes, sir,” the knight replied, saluting before leaving the office.
Soon, only Mael and Camille remained in the room. Mile realized that being alone with her in a closed place was inappropriate.
“You mentioned it's hot. I'll open the door to let some air in,” Mael said, heading toward the door.
“Leave it as it is,” Camille replied, her voice suddenly becoming calm and serious.
Mile stopped in his tracks, surprised by the change. Her spontaneous nature disappeared; She now sat with a perfect posture, exuding dignity and authority.