Given That I've Become a Villainess, I'd Like to Live Freely

William POV

[Will]: "Ah, so you've come"

Yesterday Miss Erina pushed Rose, someone I see as a little sister, down the stairs. Having witnessed the incident, I had her immediately arrested and taken to the castle prison. Normally I would never take such drastic actions on the spur of the moment, but with several other questions and issues surrounding Miss Erina, my hand was forced.

Today I asked Rudolph to bring Miss Erina to a room inside the castle. I wished to hear more about yesterday's incident and confront her about the other harassment that had been happening before.

Also in attendance was Rose, the accused's victim, Prince Routh, the one who saved Rose from Count Damiel, as well as Rose's personal butler and maid, Allen and Anna.
The Duke and Sophia wished to attend as well, but I thought things might become bothersome if we had too many people present.

[Will]: "So then, do you understand why it is that you have been imprisoned?"

[Erina]: "......"

By now, she's given up trying to act as a pitiable woman or trying to ensorcell one of us into feeling bad for her.

[Will]: "If it was just the matter of yesterday's incident, you would have been simply confined to your house, but there are numerous other accusations being lodged against you."

[Erina]: "......what are you talking about? Haven't I been saying since yesterday that you have no evidence!? Even that thing yesterday was just because I accidentally bumped into her. ......and you're just being paranoid."

Miss Erina glared at me from her seat before proceeding to mock Rose sitting next to me.

[Rose]: "If it's proof, then we have it."

Having remained tight-lipped until now, Rose slowly parted her lips.

[Erina]: "Then show me."

[Rose]: "Allen"

At her call, Allen procured a thick stack of documents and set it down on the table between us. It was the list of buyers I had given Rose before.

[Rose]: "We have records listing everyone who had bought the type of stationary and curse doll that was sent to me. When we compared the two lists, your name appears on both of them."

[Erina]: "Hah!? I don't know anything about that!"

[Rose]: ".....well, it's true that this alone doesn't prove anything definitively. But you do have a cute face. I wonder if the clerks will remember it."

[Erina]: "......."

[Will]: "My turn? The harassing letters Rose has been receiving were all written in blood. We believe this blood comes from the rabbit you captured with your father's help. We've received accounts that you secluded yourself in your room with it afterwards, eventually asking your cooks to serve it for dinner one night once some time had passed. We've also compared the embroidery done on the curse doll to what you've done in class. The stitchwork is quite similar. Of course, calling it embroidery would be a stretch."

"Thanks to that, no curse ever fell on Rose's head," I made sure to add on with a sly smirk.
Seeing me like that, Erina's eyes opened wide before turning down towards the floor.

[Will]: "We also investigated the numerous smaller accounts of harassment and eventually found several students who witnessed some of them. I'm almost disappointed at how easily they folded. They were all students who used to adore you after all. Some of them did hesitate at first, but even they caved when I informed them in detail about your, butterfly-esque demeanor."

During the course of my investigation, we discovered that Miss Erina had been spending her nights with various other men. Thankfully my brother's name never came up during the course of that investigation, allowing our family to save face.
Someone who is 'butterfly-esque' sounds beautiful on paper, but it carries with it a negative connotation, usually applying to loose women.

Not the type of behavior you'd want from a prospective member of the royal family. Well, I don't think it's at the point where my younger brother was in love with her, but it does go to show that he is a terrible judge of character. He'll need to be retrained when this is all over.