Xiliya didn’t hide it away. She boldly opened the room door in front of everyone and retrieved something from a tricky spot in the bookshelf.
She had hidden the device in a very clever angle, obscured by the Ceramic Doll that Ximo had previously given her. Only the lens peeked through a gap between the doll’s body and arm, perfectly positioned to capture the entire room without obstruction.
Ximo took a closer look and confirmed it was indeed something resembling a camera, though compact and unobtrusive—clearly designed for covert recording.
This was the second time. Just like when she had pulled out the Magical Camera before, the Surveillance Monitor’s design gave Ximo a strong sense of familiarity, differing only in material from what she remembered.
However, as Xiliya operated it, Ximo realized its principle was completely different from modern-world surveillance devices.
Inside the Surveillance Monitor were two Magic Crystals: one ordinary crystal for power, and another engraved with runes and magical circuits as the core. Xiliya manipulated something inside, and both crystals emitted a faint glow.
Then, a beam of light shot from the lens onto the wall, forming an image like a projector.
…Alright, it seemed this world’s inventions operated on entirely different principles from the modern world—at least, Ximo couldn’t make sense of it.
Once the surveillance footage played normally, Charles’s face turned green not far away, though he forced himself to stand still.
Since it was surveillance from a private room, Xiliya only demonstrated that it worked before checking the content alone.
When she reappeared, a smile tugged at Xiliya’s lips as she glanced at Charles on the edge of the crowd, her face showing feigned surprise.
“Oh my, this is truly unexpected… Well, see for yourselves.”
Xiliya displayed the footage publicly. It showed the moment she had changed clothes and left the room. No sooner had she stepped out than, about half a minute later, the door slowly creaked open, and a figure slipped inside stealthily.
“Is that… Young Master Charles?”
Someone couldn’t help exclaiming, then quickly shut their mouth.
The footage was crystal clear: it was unmistakably Charles. He scanned the room, swiftly placed something in the cabinet, and left just as quickly.
Xiliya paused the image at the second Charles pulled out the item. The glint of gold in his hand was unmistakable—it was Selina’s missing Pocket Watch.
“Strange, Young Master Charles. Wasn’t it Ximo who stole the Pocket Watch? How did it end up in your hands?”
Everyone instinctively turned to Charles. His face alternated between green and pale as he stumbled back two steps, stammering.
“I-I… No! You’ve all been fooled! This… this footage must be fabricated by Xiliya!”
Charles erupted in a burst of guilty ferocity, glaring viciously at Xiliya as if he wanted to devour her alive.
“This surveillance… Xiliya installed it herself, and she checked the footage alone just now—who knows if she tampered with it!”
“You’re framing me! The whole thing is fake!”
With a “pfft,” Ximo couldn’t hold back her laughter. Charles’s ability to bite back under these circumstances caught her off guard; his quick face-change rivaled a master performer. Annaer shot Ximo a glare, signaling her to stop, and she did.
But Ximo’s mocking laugh still stung Charles, who had been scanning the crowd for support. He gritted his teeth and addressed everyone.
“You… you don’t believe me? Who installs surveillance in their own room for no reason? Xiliya! You’re deliberately framing me!”
Xiliya shrugged, eyeing him playfully. “Young Master Charles, aren’t you overstepping a bit? I installed it to check my sleep condition in the mornings—who in Camberlan City doesn’t know about my congenital illness?”
“You’re the one accusing me of framing you right off the bat. If anyone’s framing, it’s you.”
The truth was instantly clear. How could Selina not understand what had happened by now? Disgust crept into her gaze toward Charles.
“Young Master Charles, it seems our previous agreement is off. I can’t befriend a petty thief with such low character.”
As an envoy from the Imperial Capital, Selina was someone Charles, as a merchant, knew he needed to curry favor with. Before Ximo arrived, he had used the opportunity to connect with her and discuss dumping Textile Merchant Guild goods in the inland trade.
Selina had politely suggested they could talk more if the chance arose, but now that was impossible. Worse, the Textile Merchant Guild might never do business in the Empire’s interior again.
Selina was royalty; offending her meant alienating half the Empire’s nobility. Crossing such esteemed powers spelled doom for a commercial group like the Textile Merchant Guild.
Selina saw it all clearly: stealing was one thing, but framing someone else was another. Charles was now branded “untrustworthy” in her eyes.
Charles clearly understood too. His face drained of color as he staggered, nearly falling—only for Sifuke to steady him.
“Young Master Charles, come with us?”
“What do you mean?” Charles eyed the approaching City Guard soldiers warily. “What are you doing? I’m the young master of the Textile Merchant Guild! I warn you—don’t touch me lightly!”
“You can’t play favorites like that, Young Master Charles,” Xiliya said with a smile. “Earlier, when I said we’d punish the culprit no matter who it was, you agreed enthusiastically. How come it’s different when it’s you?”
“Xiliya!” Charles’s eyes bulged in rage. “You planned this! You schemed it all from the start!”
Xiliya just shook her head, too lazy to explain further. “Theft, framing… oh, and add trespassing to private property? That should keep Young Master Charles busy with the City Guard.”
“You… let me go…”
Charles struggled fiercely, but against the fully armed City Guard soldiers, it was futile. Pinned by two guards, he looked as wretched as a drowned rat.
“Take him away,” Xiliya waved. “Oh, right—don’t forget about the apology, Young Master Charles.”
