As promised, Kitturian returned the fake Star to Madam Nerivava, who inspected it with a critical eye. Julie watched, barely breathing, as the moment of truth drew closer. But Madam Nerivava moved through the moment, untouched by any hint of suspicion.

  Kitturian went on to explain how the entire thing was all Breechy’s doing, and that was that.

  “You mean to say that this entire affair was caused by Lyrana's absurd pet? ” Madam Nerivana said. “That...creature? I confess, I have always found it utterly insufferable. Why my daughter insists on doting on it, I shall never understand. However, I suppose this does exonerate the maid, Rose.”

  “Yes, Rose is innocent,” Kitturian said. “Which makes your earlier theory awkward, doesn’t it?”

  “When a valuable object vanishes and a particular individual had access, it is only logical to consider them a suspect.,” Madam Nerivana said. “Now that the truth has been revealed, her confinement is, of course, no longer necessary. She is free to resume her duties.”

  “An apology might be the logical next step, don’t you think?” Kitturian said.

  “Apologize? To a servant? I think not, Mr. Kitturian. Such a notion is entirely preposterous. My actions were guided by logic and the available evidence. There is nothing to apologize for.”

  And with these parting words, Kitturian and Julie took their leave from Madam Nerivana’s study. If Julie needed further proof that returning the fake Star was the right decision, well, she got it.

  “Excellent work today,” Kitturian said. “You’ve proven yourself to be a surprisingly capable assistant.”

  “Really? You think so?”

  “Well,” Kitturian said. “Your deductions need sharpening, and your observations are lacking. And your emotions? They’re a fog on your lens. But, all in all, well done.”

  Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

  “Was that… a compliment?”

  “That’s for you to decide. Meanwhile, if you’re up for it, I could use someone like you on a full-time basis.

  To say that Julie was surprised would be the understatement of the century. She was overjoyed, delighted, and every other positive adjective that could be used in this situation.

  “Are you serious?” she said. “But… I mean, I’m just a servant. I don’t know if I’m qualified…”

  “Spare me the self-pity,” Kitturian said. “Today you showed you could be useful. That’s all I need. Plus, it saves me the trouble of interviews, and to be blunt, you’re cheaper than the alternatives. It’s logical, not charity. Unless you’d prefer going back to scrubbing floors?”

  “No, no, full-time assistant sounds great.”

  “Perfect. You start next week. Use the time to leave your current job and pack,” Kitturian said. “I’ll let you be now. Your cousin is waiting, isn’t she? Congratulations, Julie.”

  §

  With that, he strolled off, leaving Julie feeling like she had just been part of a strange but delightful dream.

  Next, she hurried back to her quarters to fill Rose in on the outcome of the investigation. Of course, she left out the part about Jonas and Mrs. Lyrana’s involvement. Instead, she stuck to Kitturian’s version of events - it was all Breechy’s doing.

  “Thank you,” Rose said. “You believed in me the whole time, didn’t you?”

  “Always,” Julie said. “But hey, now it’s official. Don’t hold your breath for an apology from Madam Nerivana, though. ”

  “Oh, I wasn’t holding my breath. Honestly, I’m just relieved this whole thing is finally behind us.”

  “Actually… there’s one more thing.”

  “What is it?”

  “Mr. Kitturian offered me a full-time position as his assistant.”

  “Assistant? For a detective? I didn’t even know that was a job people could get.”

  “I didn’t know it was a thing either,” Julie said. “But when someone believes in you, you take the leap, right?” ”

  “Well, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking while I was stuck in here,” Rose said. “I’m quitting. I mean, they treat me like I’m some kind of… I don’t even know what! And yes, maybe I don’t have everything figured out yet, and maybe that makes me a little nervous - okay, a lot nervous - but you know what? I deserve better than this.”

  “Totally!” Julie agreed. “You know what makes the unknown so great? Every step forward is a new discovery! And I’m ready to take those steps with you. We can handle anything together!”