Chapter 234

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Hmm.


That’s not right, is it?

Rubica read the written instructions thoroughly and nodded.

These are all done with the same person’s handwriting… but this initial is used for different meanings in this record and that record.


You should also look at the habits of using frills and laces.

Clothes designs may appear similar, but they all have each designer’s unique habits like fingerprints. Such habits are clearly shown in written instructions, so Rubica couldn’t help but ask Gabriel,
Are you sure these are all from Christopher’s shop? I think they were all written by different designers.




I knew you would see through it. But the handwriting is consistent, so Christopher must have copied it in his handwriting. It took us a long time to realize it.


Actually, we didn’t realize it. We asked a tailor and he told us.

Gabriel shrugged at recalling the tailor who easily told them his suspicions for a piece of cake.
If they hadn’t known each shop used a totally different initial for the same frills, they would have never been able to notice it.

Actually, I’ve always thought Christopher was strange. He would change like a chameleon and come up with totally different dresses every time a new trend came… I just thought he was a genius.

Gabriel sounded quite angry, probably because of all the money she had paid him.

Anyway, according to what we could find out with these records, Christopher’s designs have been changing approximately every two years.


Then… he has been doing some kind of ghost-designing, just like ghostwriting?


Yes, kind of.

It was extremely shocking, but Rubica thought the man was capable of doing far worse, considering what he had done to Khanna. She just found it surprising he hadn’t been busted after all those years he had lived as the greatest designer of the kingdom’s capital.



Then, we must find the people who did his designs for him.

There had to be other victims than Khanna. If they agreed to testify, they would be able to reveal everything Christopher had done.
Then, everyone would get to know the truth about the scandal that still followed Khanna to haunt her.

Well, um, we thought so too, but… the current ghostdesigner is quite satisfied with the money Christopher pays him and we couldn’t even approach him.


Then, what about looking for his previous designers. I think it won’t be that hard to convince them, now that they are no longer paid by Christopher.

It couldn’t have been that hard, as there had to be at least four ghostdesigners. However, Tatiana didn’t say anything. In the end, Gabriel had to speak instead of her.

We couldn’t find two of his former ghostdesigners. And as for the other two… one is missing, and the other is dead.


Dead?


Yes. The two never went to a design school. They were just tailors who worked at Christopher’s shop. But they were quite talented designers, so Christopher offered to fund their studies abroad in Sharman. Of course, it was a lie. When they were no longer needed, the family of one of them received a letter saying he died in an accident, and the other just went missing.

This was sounding more and more dangerous. Rubica had this feeling that the other two they didn’t know about yet couldn’t be safe. Perhaps they were all dead.


It was so scary that it gave her chills in her back, but now that she had come this far, she didn’t want to get out of this, not at all.

But he’s just a designer, he couldn’t have been able to do all that on his own.


Yes, it would have been impossible without a powerful conspirator. We had a source spy on him for two months, but we couldn’t find out anything, and then we started to think about what we had missed.


And then we realized although we knew about everything he did outside the king’s palace, we didn’t know who he met and what he talked about in there.

Of course, they could easily have a source find out who often met Christopher or what kind of orders they met, but a source couldn’t tell them who he met in hallways and what kind of conversation he had.

That is why I disguised as a maid! We knew trying to put a spy in the king’s palace would only let the king find out about us. If he ever finds out about what we do, he will have us put a poem in praise for the queen in our magazine as punishment, and it will be the end of The Little Bird’s News!

It sounded like a joke, but Gabriel sounded serious, so Rubica couldn’t tell.

But Gabriel, were you planning to try again tomorrow if you didn’t find out anything today? If anyone finds out you dared to sneak into the king’s palace, writing a poem wouldn’t be the end of your punishment. The king’s guards will be punished severely for neglecting security, and they might become enemies with your family.


Um, I do admit that might happen, but I wasn’t going to do it again tomorrow. I did it today for a good reason.


A good reason?




I asked a detective to analyze Christopher’s routine, and he told me he seems to always meet his conspirator at the palace first before he meets his ghostdesigner. And now, he is on his way to meet the ghostdesigner.

The carriage stopped as soon as she finished saying that. They were at Argot Street. Tatiana opened the window just a little to take a look.
John already knew where Christopher’s secret place was, so he parked the carriage on the opposite street so Christopher wouldn’t be able to see them.

Just as we thought, he’s going to the ghostdesigner’s workroom. We should wait for a little before we get out so that we won’t run into him.

Gabriel nodded. Tatiana quickly took off her hard leather shoes and got changed into a pair of soft silk shoes.

You should take this carriage and go home after we go.


What are you talking about? This is clearly dangerous. I can’t leave you to do this on your own.


But… okay, then you should wait here. He will hear us if you go in your shoes with a metal bottom.

However, Rubica threw her shoes off before Tatiana could finish saying that. She didn’t need shoes made of silk. Her socks were enough. She had walked with her bare feet before.
Of course, her feet were now much softer, but she could handle it.



I can do better than you girls. Right, Gabriel?


Oh, um, yes.

Gabriel was surprised to be called so suddenly and she nodded before she could process the question.

Well, to be honest, she is better than our sources. If there is a genius in following in secret, it’s her.


What?


She will be helpful if she comes with us, she’ll never get us busted.


But the duke will be worried…

Actually, Tatiana was trying to make Rubica go home mostly because of Duke Claymore than her inconvenient dress. Everyone at the capital knew how dearly he loved his wife.
Tatiana knew well what kind of end people who had spoken wrong things about her met, so she hesitated.

Don’t worry. Edgar will compliment you when he gets to hear what it was about.

Rubica assured them, but the duke was famous for being like that in front of his wife and showing his true rage when she wasn’t around.

Please just tell him that you… like us a lot.


Of course, he knows well I like you girls.

The duke was extremely jealous of the people his wife cared about, but he just couldn’t mess up with them.
He punished people severely only when he could immediately get rid of the punished so that his wife would never be able to find out about it.
He could just become a nice person instead of pretending to be one, but that was just impossible for his nature.

Tatiana, we should get out now.


Okay.

They had waited long enough. Tatiana started to run into the building lest they might lose Christopher, but then Rubica grabbed her.

There are guards.


Where?


There, and there.

Rubica pointed at two people who appeared to be ordinary, but they had swords on their waist and were constantly looking around.
They had never been there before when the girls spied on the hideout.

But how did you know?

Rubica just smiled awkwardly to the question. She had thought she had forgotten all of her old habits after months of safety, but now they were kicking in again.

I think we need a diversion.


Okay. John, you heard it, right?


Of course.

John climbed down the driver’s seat as if he was used to this. He took a horse from the carriage, mounted it without a saddle, and rode it straight to the biggest guard.

Are you crazy? You almost killed me!


Well, you should have gotten out of my way when seeing a horse coming!

John wasn’t afraid at all, even if the man was at least three times bigger than himself. Soon the guards all went after John.