Chapter 19 - Hayden Bolev

“Did you remember something?”

"That..."

I pursed my lips. Strictly speaking, it didn't come from memory. It felt similar to an unconscious recognition, like walking down a street I had been to many times.

"I'm not sure. I just suddenly had the notion we should take the right side..."

“I was told the road leading to the main gate was to the left."

“I must have misunderstood something.”

"No."

Amon responded firmly.

“Perhaps the memory came to you subconsciously. It won't just pass by.”

“So I've met Hayden prior to losing my memory?"

“Isn’t this a situation where we have no choice but to think that way?”

“But if that were the case, why would I have thought to go right? I mean, you said the road leading to the main gate was left."

"That..."

Amon remained silent, his gaze fixed on the road to the right as if searching for an answer. The situation was awkward for both of us.

"Sir Spencer, let's go."

"But—"

“Meeting Hayden is our priority. It is also the only certain way to find out if I've been here or not."

“…Alright."

Amon moved his feet and quickly outpaced me before ramming away the small objects once again.

Following that, I tried to closely scan my memory.

‘Did she really come here? Julia? Why? To see Hayden? That means Julia and Hayden...’

"We're here."

Amon's words interrupted my train of thought. I shifted my gaze toward the ivory-adorned building.

The atmosphere in Hayden's mansion contrasted greatly with Duke Bolev's. The overall appearance of the building was far from splendid or grandiose, and there were no guards barring entry until we reached the gate.

"I've contacted him in advance, so it won't be difficult to enter."

Amon pulled out the brooch of the Blue Knights from his chest, and soon we were guided through the gate and into the drawing room.

The hallway and parlor had a completely different atmosphere compared to Selena's mansion. They were decorated in ivory and lacked any embellishments. As Amon led me into the drawing room, I heard a loud squeak from a chair scraping against the floor.

As soon as I raised my head in questioning, I saw a young man standing up from his seat.

He was staring straight at me with a horrified expression. Like he had seen a ghost.

“Lord Hayden? Are you okay?”

The butler observed Hayden with worried eyes. Hayden opened his mouth in an attempt to say something, then sat back down in his chair.

I glanced at Amon. He was also eyeing me.

'It's true. Julia was here.'

Our initial doubt on the trail was eventually replaced with confidence. Julia and Hayden have previously met at this mansion.

Moreover, Hayden's attitude was far from natural. It was as if he witnessed the return of someone he thought was literally dead.

'It's not like we were simply saying hello when we met.'

Amon spoke before I had a chance to consider my next move.

“I am Amon Spencer, the leader of the Blue Knights. Today we are visiting under the murder of Duke Russell Bolev.”

Hayden looked up at Amon with a pale face. A strand of limp, golden hair clung to his pale cheeks. Overall, the lack of pigmentation gave him a fragile appearance.

After the butler prepared the tea and left, we took seats opposite Hayden. I noticed that as I sat down, he flinched and then quickly averted his gaze like he wanted to ignore my presence.

“Are you okay? You seem unwell.”

Hayden quickly nodded in response to Amon's question. As if he wanted to rectify his reaction when he saw me earlier.

"What…”

His voice cracked slightly. Hayden cleared his throat quietly, then continued,

“What are you curious about?”

Maintaining a high level of vigilance without any consideration for politeness, like a wounded wild animal.

"This investigation is a courtesy. You are one of the individuals who was closest to the victim."

"We weren't close at all!"

Hayden's response was delivered in a sharp tone. As if being close to Russell was a huge insult.

“Is that so?”

It was a sensitive reaction to anyone's eyes, but Amon was consistent with his indifferent attitude. I glanced at them alternately.

'Is Amon planning to make Hayden even more nervous?'

It was unclear whether Amon intended to coerce Hayden into revealing the information we needed. It seemed his mind had already collapsed from the moment he saw my face.

“Where and what were you doing on the day the incident occurred?”

“I-I don’t know anything.”

“Are you saying you don’t recall the evening of the 17th? If so, we have no choice but to treat you as a prime suspect.”

Hayden's gaze fixed on Amon with a mix of emotions evident in his eyes. The bloodshot whites and trembling lips were unsettling, despite his small and non-threatening stature.

“I will ask again. Where were you and what were you doing the day the incident happened?”

Hayden avoided answering his question and kept glancing at me. I maintained my composure and met his gaze. It appeared that my mere presence was enough to make him feel uneasy.

“I, I…”

"Did you happen to visit the Duke of Bolev's residence?"

"No!"

Hayden, still trembling, shouted in exasperation.

“…I can't even leave this mansion. I mean, I can't visit the island."

“Can anyone prove your claim?”

“The butler and servants know. If you call them right away…!”

“The employee's testimony is not credible. It could be perjury to cover after their master. Are there any other witnesses?”

"Other?"

Hayden's expression contorted as if he had taken offense to something.

“Who else would visit a mansion like this? Who, who would wish to see something like me…”

“You mean there are no witnesses.”

Amon scribbled something in his notebook. Hayden shifted his hips, seemingly trying to catch a glimpse of what Amon was writing.

"Ah!"

He lifted his head as if a thought had just occurred to him.

“I need a carriage to get there! There is no carriage in this mansion, so I can't go the residence, that's proof!”

“You don't own a carriage? There may be occasions when you need to go, such as the upcoming funeral of Duke Bolev."

At the mention of a funeral, Hayden's face turned blue once again.

“Lord Hayden?”

Amon pressed for an answer.

“Well, for that kind of thing… We'd assign a carriage under the Duke's family. There will be records, records! The records will prove I didn't rent a carriage!”

"Right. But if you ask the butler, renting a carriage someplace else wouldn't pose a problem."

“Why would I go all the way—”

"Well…”

Amon deliberately blurted his words and maintained eye contact with Hayden, his expression cold.

“To murder Duke Bolev?”

“No, no. I am… I…”

Hayden started shaking his head like a madman. If Amon kept persisting like this, I had the feeling this fragile man would fall off his chair.

"Wait a minute."

I couldn't take it any longer. I intended to calm Hayden, otherwise, something big was going to happen. However, it appeared that he was more afraid of me than anything else.

“Huu, Huu.”

Hayden began to take small puffs of air as his face paled. He winced in pain as his hand tightened around the armrest.

“You, you really…”

I exchanged glances with Amon. Hayden was about to say something.

“It wasn't an illusion… How do you... You, you definitely…”

His gray eyes lost focus and swayed to and fro. I hesitated before opening my mouth.

"Illusion? Why did you think I was an illusion?”

“You, you… You shouldn't be here.”

"Why?"

Despite his incoherent words, I asked calmly.

“You said it with your mouth.”

“What did I say?”

Hayden appeared half-conscious by now. His reflexive responses to my words were very weak.

“You said you would surely die.”

What?

“Die. I said I was going to die?"

“Yes, you would kill my brother. After that, you would die too… So don't worry, like that... you said it like that.”

Hayden's pupils dilated, and then his gray eyes shut.

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