Reborn To Change My Fate-Chapter 163 - Hundred And Sixty Three

The market square was alive with the mundane, rhythmic hustle of daily life, a stark contrast to the quiet tension that radiated from the small group of men moving through the stalls. Derek stood near the central fountain, his arms crossed over his chest, his posture rigid. He watched as Captain Odis’s men approached vendor after vendor, holding up a small, framed portrait of Marissa that was painted quickly but accurately from memory.

"Did you see this lady here during the festival?" a guard asked a woman selling apples.

The woman squinted at the painting, wiping her hands on her apron. She shook her head. "No, I haven’t."

The guard moved on. "Did you see her?"

"A hundred people come to my shop to buy things every day," a shopkeeper snapped, clearly annoyed by the interruption to his business. He waved a hand dismissively. "I can’t memorize each and every one of their faces. Do you think I have nothing better to do than stare at customers?"

Another merchant, overhearing, chimed in from across the aisle. "The day of the festival ended two days ago! It’s going to be hard to recall a specific face in that crowd. Everyone was wearing flowers and some had their face painted!"

Derek’s jaw tightened. Every "no," every shrug, every dismissal felt like a stone being added to the wall separating him from his wife. He looked at the fountain, remembering how Marissa had laughed there, how she had looked at the children braiding hair. It felt like a lifetime ago.

Captain Odis stood beside him. The man was calm, professional, and infuriatingly patient.

"Don’t worry, Your Grace," Odis said, his voice low. "If the Duchess is innocent, she’ll be out sooner rather than later. The truth has a way of surfacing."

He paused, glancing at Derek. "His Highness, Prince Liam, has instructed me to make sure I investigate thoroughly. He is... very concerned for her safety. He wants to ensure justice is done."

Derek didn’t say anything. He just nodded stiffly, keeping his eyes fixed on the guards.

But inside, he was boiling.

"How dare he?" Derek thought furiously, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. "How dare Liam worry about my wife? He put her in that cell. He is the one enjoying this. He is the one pulling the strings. I’m sure of it. He wants Marissa closer to him even if it means being in a cell."

The image of Liam touching Marissa’s hand at the ball, of Liam’s cold, possessive gaze, burned in Derek’s mind.

Just then, the guards approached a small game booth near the edge of the square. It was the ring toss stall, run by a cheerful man with a bright red vest.

The guard held up the portrait.

"Have you seen her?" the guard asked, sounding tired and defeated. "Did you spot her here during the festival?"

The shopkeeper looked at the painting. His face lit up with instant recognition.

"Oh yes," the man replied with a wide, beaming smile. "I remember her. A real beauty, that one. And her aim isn’t really that bad!"

Immediately, Derek heard that. His head snapped up. He didn’t wait for Odis. He rushed over to the man’s shop, abandoning his post by the fountain.

"You saw her?" Captain Odis asked, his voice urgent, breathless from running. "Are you sure?"

The man pointed a finger at Derek, his smile widening even further.

"She came with him!" the man announced happily to the guard and Odis. "I remember him too. He has a good arm. Won the big prize."

He looked at Odis, eager to share his story, proud of his memory.

"I was generously paid for the game they played," the shopkeeper said. "He threw one ring and hit the center bottle. Perfect aim. He even won her a hairpin. A little silver one with a blue stone. She put it on right here."

Derek felt hope surge in his chest for the first time in two days. It was a physical sensation, like a weight lifting off his lungs, allowing him to breathe again.

"You heard the shopkeeper," Derek said, turning to Captain Odis. His voice was strong, triumphant. "The Duchess was with me that day. At the exact time the girl died. She couldn’t have been at the establishment." 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

He stepped closer to Odis, his presence looming.

"Release her now," Derek commanded.

Odis looked at the shopkeeper, then at Derek. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"It is a good witness," Odis admitted. "A credible one."

"It is proof," Derek insisted.

"But..." Odis said slowly. "It is only you and this shopkeeper who confirmed her presence."

"Is that not enough?" Derek asked, his hope turning to frustration.

"We can keep asking," Derek insisted. "I bought things from other stalls. Jewelry. Cider. I’m sure some will remember. We just need to find them."

Odis sighed. He looked apologetic, but firm.

"It’s not that easy, Your Grace," Odis replied.

He gestured toward the direction of the Golden Swan.

"Now it appears she was at two places at the same time," Odis explained. "Here, buying hairpins. And there, dragging a girl to her death."

Odis looked Derek in the eye.

"She was seen by dozens of people in the establishment," Odis said. "Dancers. Patrons. They saw her face. They saw her actions with their own eyes. They are swearing to it."

He shook his head.

"Two witnesses here against twenty witnesses there," Odis said. "The weight of evidence is still against her. The court will see a preponderance of proof."

Derek stared at him. "But it wasn’t her! It is impossible!"

"We know that," Odis said quietly. "Or we suspect it. But the law needs proof. We will need to find out who is telling the truth, and how one woman can be in two places at once."

Derek looked back at the shopkeeper, who was now looking confused by the serious turn of the conversation.

The hope faded, replaced by a grim determination.

"Then we keep looking," Derek said.