Estelle Will Not Forgive a Second Time: The Condemned Noble Lady Returns in Elegance to Dance with the Incompetent Prince - Chapter 18

“I found it…!”

The next morning—

I couldn’t help but raise my voice as I sat at my desk, staring at a mountain of financial documents.

I sifted through the stack of papers, double-checked the figures, and jotted down fresh notes with my pen.

As I suspected… this wasn’t just a simple mistake on my part.

Even after experiencing an attempted assassination, I’d spent the past few days relatively composed, undisturbed by the rumors swirling around me—thanks in no small part to Lord Leonhardt’s reassuring presence as my guard.

Yet despite everything, a nagging sense of unease over the estate’s financial records refused to leave my mind.

In the House of Grandiel, I assist my father in managing the family’s finances.

It’s not merely a chore—it’s a chance to see with my own eyes what’s really going on.

At first, I thought the discrepancies I’d noticed were due to my own inexperience, or perhaps just minor calculation errors.

But now that the assassination attempt had passed and I could breathe a little easier, I took the time to comb through the documents again—and there it was.

Hidden very carefully.

“This… someone’s been embezzling our estate funds by disguising them as part of the tax payments to the royal family.”

The documents in front of me detailed income from the Grandier estate and our taxes to the Crown, broken down with meticulous precision.

On the surface, the numbers appeared to line up—but every figure was just slightly off. As though someone had been siphoning off small amounts little by little.

Not only that, but the funds were being funneled somewhere else.

And because it looked like the taxes had been paid properly on paper—if discovered, it could easily be framed to make it look like our house was embezzling funds through falsified reports.

“There’s no way… Father would never do something so reckless. I know his character—he’d never commit fraud like this.”

I know my father well.

He’s kind. Even when rumors surrounded me, he stood firm and said, “I believe in my daughter.”

Even during Clarissa’s conspiracy, he tried to protect me until the very end.

There’s no way that same man would willingly get involved in something so dangerous.

“Then… who?”

I held my breath as I read deeper into the documents.

A portion of the estate’s income had been rerouted into a stream connected to Gustav, the Minister of Finance.

Gustav controls the national treasury.

He’s also a known ally of Prince Victor’s faction—one whose name has often surfaced in relation to embezzlement and misappropriated funds.

But—Gustav wouldn’t have direct access to our estate’s finances.

It would be nearly impossible for someone outside the household to hide the evidence this skillfully.

“This couldn’t have been done without someone on the inside… but it’s not Father. So who?”

A relative? A member of the household staff?

Whoever it was had to not only understand estate management and tax procedures, but also have the ability to connect with someone like Gustav.

That narrows the possibilities significantly.

With a heavy sense of unease, I made up my mind to consult Lord Leonhardt.

He’d helped me once before with matters related to the estate. And as a member of the royal family, he might be able to gather more conclusive evidence through his own channels.

“I’ve reached the limit of what I can uncover on my own.”

I gathered the documents and stepped into the hallway, hugging the papers to my chest.

The annex where Lord Leonhardt was staying was a short walk away, and I set off quickly—but just then—

“Estelle. How unusual to see you here. What are you doing?”

A familiar voice stopped me in my tracks.

It was my cousin, Miriam.

She was well-known in high society for her graceful demeanor and warm smile.

She had been a close companion when we were younger—though with both of us busy lately, it had been some time since we’d had a proper conversation.

Seeing me burdened with such an unnatural number of documents, Miriam blinked in surprise.

“Miriam… Oh, I was just going over some financial matters. I’ve been helping Father with the accounts.”

“I see. You’ve got your hands full. If there’s anything I can do, don’t hesitate to ask.”

That same gentle smile.

It was easy to understand why the servants often said, “Lady Miriam brings such a calming presence whenever she visits.”

I almost let myself feel relieved—yet something caught in my throat.

Why? Why this sudden tightness?

There was nothing unusual about chatting with Miriam… and yet somewhere deep inside, alarm bells were ringing.

“…Thank you. That means a lot. Are you staying here at the estate, Miriam?”

“Yes, for a little while. I’ve been helping Uncle out too—I just want to be of some use. Anyway, those documents look heavy. Let’s talk again later, alright?”

With a graceful wave of her hand, she turned and walked away, her steps as elegant as ever.

I tried to smile back, but my lips felt stiff… and the expression wouldn’t quite come.

It was strange—almost too strange—to think that Miriam had been staying at the Grandier estate lately just to help my father.

The Estelle I used to be, before I died, would have likely been delighted, thinking, “How kind of my cousin to support Father.”

But now… I couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right.

With Clarissa, it had started the same way—with the faintest sense of unease.

I’d learned from the assassination attempt, too.

When something feels suspicious, don’t hesitate—dig deeper.

Especially for someone like me, who has already tasted death, caution is a necessity.

I shook off my doubts and picked up my pace, clutching the documents to my chest as I made my way toward the annex.

In one of the annex rooms—our usual meeting place—Lord Leonhardt was already waiting when I knocked.

“What’s wrong? You look flustered.”

“I’m sorry. It’s just… something has been bothering me. I came to show you this.”

I spread the papers out on the desk and summarized my suspicions.

There were unusual discrepancies in the Grandier estate’s financial reports. Tracing them led to a stream of funds connected to Minister Gustav, the royal treasurer.

On paper, it looked like standard tax payments to the royal family. But upon closer inspection, small amounts were being siphoned off and funneled into another account—a classic embezzlement scheme.

“If this is exposed, the Grandier family will be the one held responsible. It’s like someone’s trying to frame us—frame my father.”

“I see. If Minister Gustav is involved, and he’s aligned with my brother’s faction, then this money is almost certainly being used by Victor’s camp. But the question is—how are they using your family to do it?”

Lord Leonhardt narrowed his eyes as he studied the documents, occasionally tracing numbers with the tip of his pen.

Not only is he well-versed in financial fraud, but as royalty, he also has access to official records. He’d helped me expose Clarissa’s schemes before.

With his help, I might be able to find conclusive proof again.

“I ran into my cousin Miriam in the hall just now. But… something about her felt off. She said she’s been staying here at the estate recently.”

“Lady Miriam, your cousin? I see. If she has access to internal affairs and some knowledge of finances, it’s not impossible she could orchestrate something like this.”

A sharp glint flickered in Lord Leonhardt’s gray eyes.

He may be mocked as the “useless prince,” but beneath that label, he’s been steadily outmaneuvering Prince Victor from the shadows. This sort of investigation is where he excels.

“I’m sorry… I don’t have any solid proof yet. But if it isn’t my father, then it could be her.”

“It’s alright. It’s important to question things. I’ll cross-check the royal records on my side. If Lady Miriam has had any contact with Minister Gustav, I should be able to trace it. But let’s not act prematurely—we don’t want to tip our hand.”

His offer of help eased the weight on my chest.

I handed over a copy of the documents and went over the numbers and the suspected routes in detail.

And with that, we decided to adjourn for the day.

But the very next day, Lord Leonhardt returned with the results.

As soon as we met again in the annex, he spoke quietly—

“To be blunt: the culprit is your cousin, Lady Miriam.”

“…So it was Miriam, after all.”

A sharp pain gripped my heart—not the kind I’d felt with Clarissa, but something else entirely.

Miriam had always carried herself with grace. She was kind to the servants, and for a time, both of us were seen as the “pride of House Grandiel.”

I never imagined she’d be involved in a scheme to bring down my father.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you… But the evidence is conclusive. She’s had contact with Gustav and is clearly acting on behalf of Prince Victor’s faction.”

“I see. No… thank you. I’m glad we found out sooner rather than later.”

I struggled to keep my voice steady.

“Are you alright, Estelle?”

Lord Leonhardt lowered his gaze, looking genuinely apologetic. I forced a small smile.

If I broke down now, someone would use it against me. Again.

“I’m fine. Even if it’s Miriam… I won’t show mercy. Especially because she’s family.”

I’ve been through too much—death, an assassination attempt, betrayal in my past life.

That’s why now, I’ve made up my mind. I will have my revenge.

“…This time, I’ll claim victory with my own hands. I won’t lose anything ever again.”

I was no longer the naïve noble girl I used to be.

This is my second life—and I will live it on my terms, no matter the cost.

Lord Leonhardt was silent for a long moment. Then, he slowly nodded.

“Alright. Then I’ll help you however I can… That’s what partners do.”

He smiled quietly as he said it.

Now that I knew Miriam was the enemy, there was no room for sympathy.

I would track her down. I would bring her to justice—my way.

I won’t let this second life end in helplessness.

Anyone who stands in my way—no matter who they are—I won’t hold back.

That’s the life I’ve chosen to live.