Episode 28| The Investigation of the Scott Twins
A few days had passed since the Royal Banquet.
Yet Duke Edward White found himself unusually distracted.
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The image of Riley Scott dancing beneath the golden chandeliers lingered in his mind far longer than it should have.
Her smile.
Her voice.
Her warmth.
And somehow—
the exact same feeling surfaced whenever he looked at Ryan.
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It made no sense.
None at all.
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The Duke sat inside his office quietly, fingers tapping lightly against the mahogany desk.
Outside the windows, rain drizzled softly over the capital.
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“…This is becoming ridiculous.”
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A knock echoed through the room.
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“Enter.”
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The door opened and a man casually walked in without the slightest bit of formal tension.
Brown hair.
Sharp eyes.
A permanently unimpressed expression.
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Rick.
The Duke’s personal investigator.
And unfortunately—
his best friend.
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Rick dropped lazily onto the couch without invitation.
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“You called for the great Rick, the Empire’s finest shadow investigator?”
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The Duke didn’t even look up.
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“You gave yourself that title.”
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“And it fits perfectly.”
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Edward sighed.
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“I need you to investigate someone.”
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Rick immediately narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
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“…That tone already sounds troublesome.”
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The Duke finally leaned back in his chair.
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“I want you to investigate the Scott family.”
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Rick blinked.
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“…The future Crown Princess?”
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“And Ryan.”
The Duke’s eyes darkened slightly.
“…And their father, Gerald Scott.”
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Rick sat up slightly now.
Actually interested.
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“I need to know everything about them.”
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The Duke’s voice lowered.
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“Their upbringing.”
“…Their past.”
“…Anything suspicious.”
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A pause.
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“…Anything you can find.”
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Rick stared at him for several seconds.
Then—
very slowly—
his eyes widened.
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“…No way.”
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Edward frowned.
“…What?”
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Rick pointed dramatically.
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“I’ve never seen you this interested in someone before.”
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Silence.
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“…Or in this case…”
Rick’s expression turned horrified.
“…the pair of twins.”
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Edward already looked exhausted.
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“…Rick.”
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“Why are you so fixated on them?”
Rick leaned forward dramatically.
“…Did you somehow fall in love with them?”
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Silence.
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Edward did not answer.
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Rick froze.
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Then his eyes widened to an almost terrifying degree.
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“…OH WAIT.”
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Edward closed his eyes slowly.
Already regretting this conversation.
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“DON’T TELL ME—”
Rick stood up immediately.
“…YOU FELL IN LOVE WITH BOTH OF THEM YOU SCUMBAG?!”
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Edward immediately frowned.
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“You’re making it sound bad.”
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Rick pointed accusingly.
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“Because it IS bad!”
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Edward rubbed his temples.
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“It’s not that I like both of them.”
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Rick folded his arms.
“…I’m listening to this disaster.”
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Edward sighed deeply before finally speaking honestly.
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“…It’s like…”
He paused carefully.
“…I’m interested in them…”
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Another pause.
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“…As one person.”
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Rick stared blankly.
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“…What?”
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“I know it doesn’t make sense.”
Edward frowned slightly.
“That’s why I need this investigated.”
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His silver eyes lowered slightly.
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“Maybe…”
A quiet pause.
“…I’ll be at ease once I know everything.”
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Rick continued staring.
Then finally—
he sighed dramatically.
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“You nobles really live complicated lives.”
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Edward ignored him completely.
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“Can you do it or not?”
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Rick smirked confidently.
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“Please.”
He placed a hand on his chest proudly.
“I am Rick.”
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He pointed toward himself dramatically.
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“The Empire’s top shadow investigator.”
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Edward deadpanned.
“…Again, you gave yourself that title.”
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Rick waved dismissively.
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“Details.”
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Then he turned toward the door confidently.
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“I’ll be back in a few hours.”
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Edward blinked.
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“…That quickly?”
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Rick grinned proudly.
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“I am Rick.”
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A dramatic pause.
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“The top shadow.”
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And with that—
he disappeared.
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Silence filled the office again.
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Edward leaned back slowly.
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Then quietly muttered to himself—
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“…What exactly are you two hiding?”
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A Few Hours Later
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The office doors swung open again.
Rick entered casually holding a thick stack of papers.
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Edward immediately looked up.
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“…Already?”
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Rick smirked smugly.
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“Did you doubt me?”
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“…Constantly.”
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Rick ignored that and tossed the files onto the desk.
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“Well.”
He sat down comfortably.
“…Your mysterious twins are surprisingly normal.”
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Edward frowned slightly.
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“Explain.”
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Rick opened the file.
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“Riley Scott and Ryan Scott.”
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“Children of Gerald Scott.”
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“A merchant from a small town in the Eastern region.”
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“Mother deceased several years ago.”
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Edward’s eyes narrowed slightly.
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“…Cause of death?”
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Rick sighed softly.
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“She was denied healing assistance from the temple because they were commoners.”
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Edward froze slightly.
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Because—
that story—
he had heard before.
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From Ryan.
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Rick continued reading.
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“After the mother’s death, Gerald Scott struggled financially for years while raising the twins.”
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“Eventually his merchant business stabilized recently.”
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“Nothing suspicious.”
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Edward frowned deeper.
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“…Nothing?”
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Rick shook his head.
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“No hidden noble lineage.”
“No criminal activity.”
“No political affiliations.”
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A pause.
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“…Honestly?”
Rick shrugged.
“They look painfully ordinary.”
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Edward stared silently at the papers.
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Something still felt wrong.
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“…And Raymond?”
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Rick raised a brow.
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“What about him?”
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Edward’s gaze sharpened.
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“…He knows something.”
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Rick leaned back.
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“You think the Crown Prince is hiding information?”
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Edward immediately replied—
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“Yes.”
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Too quickly.
Too confidently.
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Rick whistled softly.
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“That serious huh…”
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Edward looked toward the rain outside the windows.
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“…Raymond is many things.”
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A pause.
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“…But he’s never careless.”
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His silver eyes darkened slightly.
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“If he became engaged to a commoner woman…”
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“…Then there’s a reason.”
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Rick tilted his head.
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“…Maybe he genuinely loves her?”
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Edward went silent.
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Because somehow—
that answer irritated him the most.
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Rick noticed immediately.
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“…Oh this is bad.”
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Edward frowned.
“…What now?”
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Rick pointed dramatically again.
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“You’re jealous.”
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“…I am not.”
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“You absolutely are.”
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Edward sighed heavily.
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“…Just continue investigating quietly.”
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Rick blinked.
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“…Even after finding nothing?”
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Edward looked down at the files once more.
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“…Yes.”
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Because despite the perfectly clean history—
despite the completely ordinary records—
his instincts still screamed otherwise.
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And Duke Edward White trusted his instincts.
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Meanwhile—
far away inside the royal palace—
Raymond casually flipped through another report before tossing it into the fireplace.
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The papers burned slowly.
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Every forged document.
Every altered trail.
Every manipulated record.
Gone.
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Raymond smirked faintly.
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“…Too predictable.”
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Because the moment Riley became his fiancée—
he had already anticipated this.
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Someone would investigate her.
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And unfortunately for them—
the Crown Prince had rewritten the game before they even started playing.
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As the flames consumed the evidence completely—
Raymond leaned back lazily.
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“…Good luck digging, Duke White.”
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His crimson eyes gleamed slightly.
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“…You won’t find the truth unless Riley wants you to.”