Old Duke Zemensia was at a crossroads.
He had to choose between him or his daughter.
If he made the decision thinking only of his own life, he would not have hesitated. Of course he would save his daughter.
The problem was that if he admitted that he had intentionally prepared food to harm the imperial family, his entire family would also be in danger. His wife, his son, and even his two charming grandchildren….
"Your Majesty is truly ruthless."
The old duke muttered in shock.
Although he had prepared food harmful to the baby in her womb, he didn't even know for sure that she was pregnant.
Even if he had been sure she was pregnant, he would not have done it with the intention that she would eat it.
He just wanted the Emperor and Empress to suffer a little public humiliation. He wanted everyone to realize that behind the emperor's sweet cover there was only poison.
Although this was also not a good thing, wasn't this revenge milder in comparison to what his daughter suffered from being locked up in a desolate mansion like an animal?
This was nothing more than a usual dispute between high society nobles. However, this ruthless emperor threatened to kill a human being to appease his momentary displeasure.
'How could he be so indifferent when it comes to a human life?'
To old Duke Zemensia, accustomed to the indulgent and kindly former king, Emperor Heinley seemed a despicable tyrant who would devastate the country.
He would have preferred Heinley to wield the sword. But this emperor forced him to wield the sword and choose who to stab. Wasn't that from a cruel person?
When their eyes met, the corners of the emperor's mouth turned up slightly.
The old duke's expression twisted.
With that face, the Emperor made people think, 'His Majesty is being too mild.'
With that face!
But the old Duke had to choose. He had to choose between sacrificing Christa or his family.
"That letter… it wasn't written by me."
His eyes were bloodshot with anger.
"It's a shame."
Emperor Heinley whispered under his breath, "It is truly a shame," and pushed away the statue on the desk with one hand.
The statue shattered as it fell to the floor.
My father, who had finally stopped crying, was now completely focused on choosing a gift for the baby.
Before I knew it, designers were here, and fashionable baby clothes filled the room. There were also many albums of baby clothes designs.
As I looked at the clothes closely, I barely managed to escape the enveloping temptation.
Since the palace doctor told me that I should rest well, now I had nothing to do. Yesterday was the same. But it made me feel bad that Heinley was working while I was enjoying myself.
"His Majesty is inside?"
However, McKenna's expression in front of the office was strange. When he saw me, he became suspiciously nervous and smiled awkwardly.
"Well, His Majesty is very busy at the moment. He seems to have a lot of work to do. Hmm… Anyway, the pregnancy has already been announced. Huh… What's that? Is that His Majesty Heinley's clothes?"
"It's baby clothes."
"Oh, the baby clothes are similar in size to His Majesty Heinley's. You understand what I mean, right? When he's in bird form."
No, I think Heinley's is bigger. In any case, it was an absurd comparison if only to pretend.
'Why is he acting like this?'
When I saw the man who came out of the office door a few moments later, I knew the answer to that question.
The old Duke Zemensia…
It was about Christa's father, the man who yesterday lashed out at us in public for hiding the fact that I was pregnant in an attempt to set a trap for the nobles.
McKenna was worried that I would run into him.
Old Duke Zemensia, who took a few steps slowly, looked in my direction.
His eyes fixed on me, and on the basket of baby clothes I was holding.
Then his gaze turned fierce as his big eyes narrowed.
He stared at me as if I were the enemy who had driven Christa out. Once McKenna coughed, he shook his cloak vigorously and reluctantly left.
Viscount Langdel, who stood behind me, said in a low voice,
"His gaze is not good. We need to reinforce your guard for the time being, Your Majesty."
"Yes…"
I wonder if Heinley pressed him severely because of yesterday. His expression became totally fierce within a day.
As I watched his distant back, Heinley also came out of the office.
"My Queen!"
Calling me affectionately, he hurried to my side, pulled out clothes that were in the basket, and asked me.
"Is this mine?"
What was going on? What did Heinley talk about with the old Duke to make everyone act so strangely?
327"My baby, hold mommy's hand…. my baby, my sweet baby…"
A murmur came from the bushes.
Viscount Roteschu was about to enter the Western Palace when he suddenly heard the voice.
"Rashta?"
It sounded like Rashta's voice.
Viscount Roteschu turned around and headed for the source of the sound.
There was a small circular space cleared between the bushes with short grass. Rashta was sitting there in a large nest chair, holding a doll in her arms and murmuring.
"My baby…"
Seeing Rashta murmur while stroking the doll (as she stroked the doll), Viscount Roteschu clicked his tongue in astonishment.
"Has she really gone crazy?"
Suddenly, Rashta stopped and looked up.
When she saw Viscount Roteschu, her dull eyes came alive again. Then, she pushed the doll away with a frown.
"I was practicing how to hold a baby."
Viscount Roteschu felt calmer as he heard her sharp voice full of resentment.
"I couldn't hold my baby. I couldn't hold her well, so I have to practice. I can't drop her again. Otherwise, I won't be able to see her face anymore."
"What nonsense are you saying?"
As he was listening to her talk, Viscount Roteschu quickly approached her. Looking around him, he said in a low voice,
"Wake up. I have information about the daughter of the Isqua Family you asked me to find."
"Don't look for her, there's no need. Do you think I'm interested in finding someone else's daughter?"
Rashta, who spoke decisively, stared at Viscount Roteschu and let out a laugh,
"In fact, you're looking for someone else's daughter even though your own daughter is also missing."
Viscount Roteschu's eyes reddened for a moment at the mockery.
Rashta reached up, slapped him twice on the cheek, and smiled.
"You're being punished. I lost my child because of you, so you lost your child too."
"Have you really gone mad?"
"I don't care what you think. Rashta is busy, so speak at once and then leave."
Viscount Roteschu snorted with a frown.
'What on earth had happened to make her change so much while I was away?'
Although he hated Rashta, he considered her as sly as a fox, even though she was at times naive and clumsy. However, in the current Rashta he did not see that at all.
Still, Viscount Roteschu did not care about Rashta's suffering.
Instead of asking Rashta about what was going on, he hastened to tell what he had discovered,
"She is most likely the real daughter of the Isqua Family."
"She? Navier?"
"Evely! The mage who stays in the Southern Palace!"
"Evely? The mage?"
Anger seeped into Rashta's eyes, who seemed to have lost her spirit.
"It's her?"
"Yes!"
Rashta dropped the doll and grabbed Viscount Rostechu by the throat.
"Are you sure? You're not doing this to make fun of Rashta?"
"Why would I make fun of you? What would I have to gain…?"
'You are my source of money!' Viscount Roteschu said inwardly to himself.
Why would he come to pass on this information when he was so busy trying to find Rivetti? Because Rashta was indeed his source of money and the future of his family.
However, it angered him that Rashta, who had to win the emperor's heart to get money out of him, was not focused.
Finding Rivetti was all about money, money, and more money.
"No way."
Rashta squeezed Viscount Roteschu's neck, pushed him back, and muttered,
"It can't be her! It can't be her among so many people! The test, did you do the test?"
"I couldn't do the test. In the temple they refused even though I got her blood. They say that the people involved to be tested must go personally. There have been so many irregularities, such as blood exchange, that nowadays no tests are done unless the people involved are present."
"Then it's false. It's false."
Although Rashta said it with a smile, inside she was nervous.
"It can't be true that the girl who used to call me sister is their real daughter."
"Rashta, you can't just say it's false. You have to check it properly, even if it means forcibly taking her to the temple."
"What's the point of checking it out? You know it's no use for me to try to check it!
Rashta, who shouted loudly, burst out laughing, pointed her finger at Viscount Roteschu and spoke sarcastically as if she understood his intentions.
"You're lying to hurt Rashta, aren't you? Isn't it strange that you have found in a few weeks the daughter that Viscount and Viscountess Isqua couldn't find for years? Yes. It's a lie. It can't be true."
"I also don't know why they weren't able to find her in years. Was it because they searched in other countries, or because they searched superficially, or else because they simply have no brains? In any case, I'm telling the truth. I don't know if Evely is really their daughter, but there's definitely a high probability."
The corners of Rashta's eyes began to redden.
Despite her pitiful appearance, Viscount Roteschu had no time to worry about her now.
He stretched out his hand quickly.
"Give me some money. I have a very skilled informant, but he demands a lot of money."
"…"
"You also send money to the mansion so Alan can stay well. He is raising your son."
When Rashta removed the jeweled bracelet from her arm and handed it to him, Viscount Roteschu accepted it without hesitation. Then he turned away as if his business was over.
Once Viscount Roteschu came out from the bushes, he could hear behind him again, "My baby, hold mommy's hand…"
Viscount Roteschu inexplicably got goosebumps, so he rubbed his arms.
"Has she really lost her mind?"
"The mana necklace was stolen?!"
"Yes."
"You have no idea who did it?"
"I was very attentive to security, but someone took it without a trace."
Next to Marquis Karl, the court mage looked like he was on the verge of tears.
He had barely begun to investigate the one clue that was found to the phenomenon of mage decline. The necklace had disappeared, so he was very upset.
Sovieshu recalled that Heinley used birds to exchange letters with Navier.
"They are able to control the birds."
Marquis Karl asked,
"What shall we do, Your Majesty?"
Sovieshu did not respond immediately, but instead looked at the court mage and asked,
"Clearly, it is very difficult to continue the investigation at this time. What can we do to reduce our damage right now?"
"Not for sure, but it will be better to stay away from mana stones for now."
"Don't mana stones make it easier to use magic?"
"That's right. Even Miss Evely recovered her lost mana with the help of a mana stone. There have also been a few cases of sudden mana increase. However, my assistant lost his mana because of a mana stone. Since then, I kept him near the mana necklace, but the mana did not return…"
The court mage, who was saddened at the thought, managed to finish his words a moment later.
"We don't know under what conditions mana disappears and increases, so it's best to stay away from mana stones."
"You're right. We'll do exactly as you say. Marquis Karl, also contact the magic academy to have them prevent their students from using mana stones in the meantime."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Marquis Karl glanced for a moment at Sovieshu's side of the desk as he left the office together with the court mage.
Emperor Sovieshu had not brought the princess for several days. Before, he had always tried to have her by his side. What made him change his mind?
He did not remove the cradle, but the empty cradle made it seem even stranger.
Once outside the office, the court mage asked as if he had a similar thought in mind.
"Doesn't His Majesty take the princess with him of late?"
"The princess is still very small and sometimes cries, which must interfere with his work."
The court mage asked this time in a dubious voice.
"Well, it's normal for babies to cry. Is it not rather because of the news that Empress Navier is pregnant?"
In response, Marquis Karl flatly denied it.
"By no means."
Since very few people knew for sure that Sovieshu filed for divorce due to Navier's infertility, the court mage nodded instantly,
"Yes. You are right."
However, Marquis Karl's complexion turned darker. In fact, he was really worried that Sovieshu would stay away from the princess for that reason. And that worry was correct.
Sovieshu first wandered around the office while looking at the empty cradle, then wandered around the corridors. In the end, he could not resist going to the baby's room.
There, the princess slept peacefully in her comfortable crib.
"She is a very calm baby."
Viscountess Verdi said quickly.
Sovieshu waved her away and walked over to the crib. He looked at the sleeping baby's face and gently touched her cheek.
The baby opened her eyes slowly, recognized his face, smiled sweetly and made some sounds.
With a wrenching pain in his chest, Sovieshu picked up the baby with a frown.
The baby only giggled lightly, tugging at Sovieshu's cheeks and ears.
Sovieshu struggled to find a corner of the princess that looked like him as he let her play with his face.
Eyes, nose, mouth, hair, hands, feet, skin…
But there wasn't. The baby looked nothing like him.
There were only two people who looked like the baby. Rashta and her first child.
Sovieshu remembered Rashta's first child, whom he had barely observed. It was his understanding that Viscount Roteschu was raising him.
'I need to take a closer look at that child.'
To Sovieshu, that child was only Rashta's first child, so when he saw the child for the first time he did not pay much attention to him even though he noticed his resemblance to Rashta.
But now…
After placing the baby in the crib, Sovieshu returned to his office and called a knight who acted in the shadows.
"Go at once to Viscount Roteschu's Mansion and bring Rashta's first child, along with Viscount Roteschu."
328As Sovieshu awaited the knight's return, he was so nervous that his lips were dry. Unable to sit up, he wandered between the drawing room and the baby's room, occasionally checking the princess's face.
Time passed very slowly. But unlike the impatient Sovieshu, the baby slept comfortably.
Finally, he heard a heavy voice call out to him.
"Your Majesty."
Moments later, the knight entered with a man holding a small child in his arms.
Although the man the knight brought was not Viscount Roteschu, neither was he a completely unfamiliar face.
"You must be…"
Sovieshu remembered the man who came to the audience chamber to ask for the child to be blessed. Yes. It was the same man who had held Rashta's first child in his arms.
"Alan Rimwell, Your Majesty. Viscount Roteschu's son."
But it wasn't this man he wanted to see.
"Did I send for you?"
Alan responded in a fearful voice to Sovieshu's words.
"My sister has not returned for several weeks… my father is away because of it."
"Sister? Ah. Yes, your sister."
Sovieshu, who was about to reprimand Alan, softened at his explanation. Certainly, Viscount Roteschu must be very busy now.
'It's okay. Anyway, it didn't make much difference whether Viscount Roteschu or Alan came.'
After some reflection, Sovieshu ordered,
"Come closer with the child."
Alan looked at Sovieshu in terror and took two steps back, startled at the sudden order.
"What for?"
Hugging the child firmly, Alan asked,
"What for, what for…"
He had found it strange that Emperor Sovieshu suddenly asked him to bring the child. But he found this even stranger.
"I have something to check."
When Alan took another step back, Sovieshu's eyebrows rose accordingly.
He didn't intend to hurt the baby, he just wanted to look at him closely for a moment.
'Why was he running away?'
Viscount Roteschu had told him that he didn't know who the child's father was, so he had no idea it was Alan. Both Alan and Viscount Roteschu only cared for Rashta's child.
But that protective attitude seemed strange enough to raise suspicions.
"I ordered you to come closer."
Sovieshu repeated the order slowly and clearly.
Only then did Alan realize that he could not oppose the emperor, so he went over and handed the baby to him.
'What a strange young man.'
Sovieshu accepted the baby, disgusted with Alan for how he treated him.
But as soon as Sovieshu saw the baby, his thoughts about Alan disappeared. His face turned darker. The baby looked more like Glorym than he remembered. Then a slight suspicion arose.
'How can they be so similar? Is this child's father the same as Glorym's…?'
Sovieshu inwardly denied it.
'It is absurd. Glorym and this child only look like Rashta. No wonder Glorym doesn't look like me. Due to the dates, it is impossible for the first child of Rashta and the princess to be from the same father.'
Sovieshu tried his best to think positively.
He had no other choice. In fact, the only way to dispel this doubt would be to go to the temple to take a paternity test. To take a paternity test was embarrassing, even for nobles who considered it natural to have concubines.
Moreover, he would have to go in person to take a paternity test. If the emperor went to the temple with his daughter to take a paternity test, the image of the imperial family would be completely destroyed.
He would if there was a situation where he had to prove it, but it would be shameful to do so when no one distrusted.
Sovieshu was horrified to see his daughter reflected in a strange child, so he hurried to return him to Alan.
Ordering Alan to wait a moment, Sovieshu entered the baby's room and held the princess lying in the crib. When Sovieshu brought the princess, Alan's eyes widened.
His eyes, which wandered over the lavish decorations of the Imperial Palace, now fixed on the face of the princess.
However, Alan's eyes soon stopped on the princess' clothes. A comfortable baby dress made from the highest quality fabrics, which were only produced a few per year, and soft socks on her pretty feet. The socks were adorned with small pearls.
Alan compared the princess to his son. He made an effort to dress him well, but there was a distinct difference from the princess' clothes.
Even a child from an ordinary noble family could compare better with the princess. Since Viscount Roteschu, who managed the economic part of the family, did not want his grandson, Alan could not even raise his son like those of other nobles.
Besides, he had raised his son alone, isolated in a mansion. Two identical babies, with completely different lives… he couldn't stop comparing them as a fire slowly grew inside him.
But his disturbed mind crumbled at Sovieshu's question.
"That child. Who is his father?"
Alan looked at Sovieshu in surprise.
"What?"
"I asked who the father of that child is."
"Ah, that…"
Alan lowered his head at Sovieshu's fierce stare. His father had told him that the emperor didn't know who Ahn's real father was.
'Was the Emperor asking that question because he had found out something? Or was he just curious because Ahn looked so much like the princess?'
Although he felt uneasy, Alan soon spoke exactly as Viscount Roteschu had told him.
"That I don't know."
"You don't know?"
"That's right. I, I just…"
"If you went to the audience chamber to ask for this child to be blessed, you must have a genuine bond. But don't you know that?"
"I grew attached to him as I raised him. He's such a lovely little boy…"
"Did you grow attached to him?"
"Yes. Yes, Your Majesty."
Unable to overcome the pressure exerted by the emperor, Alan lowered his head again. His hands, with which he held his son, did not stop shaking.
Fortunately, Sovieshu let him go.
"It's okay. You can go."
"Thank you. Thank you."
Alan bowed and hurried out of the room, not knowing what he was thankful for.
As soon as Alan closed the door, he lost the strength in his legs and almost collapsed. He felt suffocated in that room. Once he stepped out into the corridor, he finally caught his breath.
But Alan would not have been relieved if he had seen the fierce expression with which Sovieshu looked at his back as he walked away. He had begun to suspect that Ahn's real father might be Alan.
From the moment Alan left the room where he found it difficult to breathe, his thoughts of Sovieshu faded with every step he took.
Instead, his mind was filled with thoughts of Rashta and Ahn.
Alan went straight to the Western Palace and told the knight at the front of the palace that he wanted to meet with the Empress.
329Once my parents and ladies-in-waiting calmed down a bit after the shock of my pregnancy news, I took a day off and went to visit Grand Duke Kapmen to deal with the magic issue.
I used magic twice unconsciously. Both times with bad results. The first time I froze Heinley's hair, which was dangerous, and the second time I messed up the doorknob by freezing it.
So far, I hadn't had any major problems because I had rarely touched other people directly, but once my child was born I would want to caress it. In the worst case scenario, I could freeze the baby, so I had to resolve this as soon as possible.
"Did you use magic?"
Grand Duke Kapmen asked with a puzzled expression upon hearing my words.
"Your Majesty?"
He couldn't seem to believe it.
Certainly, it was rare for someone who never had any talent for magic to suddenly become a mage. Although there were cases of people who manifested as mages after adulthood, it wasn't common.
"Yes. It was like ice. Maybe it's water magic."
"From freezing my heart to freezing everything around me, what can't you do?"
"Hmm."
"… Ignore the first half… the second too."
"I know it's hard on the Grand Duke."
"I just hope that one day the effects of the potion will wear off."
"I'm sure it will be so."
"Will you pray for me, my angel?"
"Hmm…"
"Ignore that too."
"I will."
Fortunately, the awkward atmosphere slowly dissipated as we began to talk about magic.
Although Grand Duke Kapmen was off topic at times, he was one of the top graduates of the magical academy. When I told him about my past experiences, he immediately explained calmly.
"It's not that difficult. It's not that Your Majesty made a mistake."
"Then I'll be able to handle it?"
"Of course. In fact, you'll be able to control it naturally over time. That's how it is in most cases."
"I can't wait for it to happen naturally."
"I understand. You mentioned that both times the magic came out of nowhere, right?"
"Yes."
"Even when you can't control mana, magic doesn't come out of nowhere. You must have been driven by something you wanted to get or know."
I remembered Heinley's lovely head and the closed doorknob.
I wondered what was going through Heinley's head, and I wondered what they were talking about on the other side of the door… ahh.
Grand Duke Kapmen moved his lips slightly as if he had read my thoughts. However, he seemed to refrain from saying, 'You see,' because it would be too obvious what he had done.
"I get what you mean. But if magic arises every time I'm interested in something, isn't that a more serious problem…?"
"First, let me teach you how to distinguish the flow of mana. Magic has no rules, it's related to instinct, so you have no choice but to feel the mana and control it by yourself."
Once he finished speaking, Grand Duke Kapmen approached me and raised his hand. As if he wanted to grab my arm. However, he didn't and hesitantly lowered his hand.
When I looked up wondering what was wrong with him, he muttered with an awkward expression.
"I have to grab your arm."
What?
"It's okay?"
His question was not easy to answer. I wouldn't mind if it was someone else who was teaching me. But being Grand Duke Kapmen, it was a little uncomfortable…
As I hesitated, Grand Duke Kapmen sighed and said,
"Ask the Emperor, maybe he can do it too."
"Can't all mages do it?"
"No. In my case, I learned it working as a teacher's assistant when I was in the magical academy, usually no one pays attention to other people's mana."
Grand Duke Kapmen's explanation was not a boast, but a fact.
I waited until lunchtime to go explain the situation to Heinley. I thought he might as well, but he waved his hand in a surprisingly tense manner.
"My Queen. I don't think that's a good idea."
"You can't?"
"I wouldn't have let you go to the academy alone if I could… If I tried I could do it, but I feel it's dangerous."
"Why?"
When our eyes met, Heinley averted her gaze and murmured,
"There was one time I tried to do something like that and it didn't work as expected…"
What is wrong with him? He seemed to have some trauma related to this.
In the end, I decided to have Grand Duke Kapmen help me feel the mana in front of Heinley.
"Empress Navier, hold out your hand."
Although Heinley didn't know that the Grand Duke fell in love with me after drinking a potion, he couldn't hide his unease when Grand Duke Kapmen grabbed my hand.
While I tried hard to pretend not to be aware of his expression, I turned my attention to my hand held by Grand Duke Kapmen.
"Please focus on the sensation going up along the length of your arm."
"All right."
It was hard for me to concentrate at first because I was worried about Heinley. But once I closed my eyes completely, I felt a tingling around the palm of my hand.
"Huh."
"Can you feel it?"
"Just a little…"
After a while, I felt it again. This time around my wrist.
It was a strange sensation. It was like a very faint electric shock. It wasn't painful, but it was definitely felt.
"I can feel it. It's a tingling."
"It's because of the nature of my mana. Now I'll put some more in."
Just as I was about to nod to concentrate on my arm, someone suddenly pulled my hand away from Grand Duke Kapmen.
As soon as I opened my eyes in surprise, I saw Heinley in the middle of the Grand Duke and me with a flushed reddened face.
With one hand gripping mine and the other gripping Grand Duke Kapmen's forearm.
"Heinley?"
Looking at him with a quizzical expression, Heinley said with a stiff smile.
"My Queen. I myself will learn it from the Grand Duke and do it."
"It could relive your trauma…"
"Jealousy seems to suppress the trauma."
Grand Duke Kapmen chuckled as if he had read his thoughts.
In any case, it was convenient for me. I preferred Heinley to do it, so I quietly stepped aside.
Heinley stood where I was a moment ago, the two of them hesitated and joined hands.
Wait… what the hell were they doing? I unconsciously bit my lower lip as I watched the scene.
It was very funny. Why did they both have that expression? It was a face of utter displeasure.
But I couldn't laugh because they would both feel embarrassed, so I looked at them with a deadpan face.
Just then, the door burst open and McKenna ran in.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!"
He had a very serious expression.
McKenna had permission to freely come and go from Heinley's office. He seemed to have rushed in on urgent business…
As soon as he saw Heinley and Grand Duke Kapmen with their hands clasped together, McKenna was perplexed.
"Wait, what are you guys doing?"
His expression got even worse when he saw me standing off to the side.
"Empress, what are you looking at?"
McKenna's pupils quivered rapidly.
"Why, why do our Emperor and the Grand Duke hold hands so amicably, and why does Your Majesty look at them so happily…"
Belatedly, Heinley and Grand Duke Kapmen let go of each other's hands. Taking about five steps back.
"It's because of me."
When I stepped forward to try to fix the situation, McKenna said with narrowed eyes,
"Ah, of course, it's because of the Empress. Well, the basics are bread and coffee, but if it's coffee with milk so much the better."
He spoke in a very solemn tone. However, what kind of metaphor was that?
"I don't care what the three of you do by mutual agreement. But don't ask me to play the role of jam."
Jam?
"Ah, this isn't the important point."
McKenna patted his own head before grimly exclaiming,
"Christa has committed suicide!"
330After Navier and Grand Duke Kapmen left, Heinley sat back in his desk chair and asked McKenna.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, the knights confirmed it."
"Why so suddenly? I thought she might get bored, so I added an entertainment area. I also let some of her friends in to keep her company. She was given all the food she liked. Why did she commit suicide? It's a large mansion, right?"
"Maybe it's because of the letter you sent her?"
Heinley let out an "Ahh," at McKenna's words. Although he knew why McKenna said it, he didn't agree.
"Because of the letter in which I said that old Duke Zemensia decided to abandon her for the sake of her nephews?"
"It must have been very shocking. Even on the day of the state council, she seemed very disappointed in the old Duke."
"That's why I don't understand."
"Huh?"
"Did she think her father, who abandoned her once, would not abandon her again?"
"Well, each person thinks differently."
McKenna clicked his tongue as if a little sorry and asked,
"In any case, the dead can't be revived. It's over. What do you plan to do now?"
"She didn't leave a will before she committed suicide?"
"No, Your Majesty."
"Make one up and bring it."
"!"
"In it she must blame her father."
After a moment's reflection, Heinley added as if a good idea had occurred to him,
"The ladies-in-waiting who were incarcerated with my sister-in-law will be given one last chance."
"What the hell are you saying?! Christa committed suicide!"
Old Duke Zemensia jumped to his feet. The plan he was working on right now flew off the desk.
The subordinate, who brought the news, looked down in sorrow. Old Duke Zemensia shook his head as his hands trembled.
"It can not be, it's a lie! My daughter is so strong she would never take her own life!"
Soon after, his shocked eyes turned menacing with a fiery fury.
"Heinley, that damned emperor killed my daughter and disguised it as a suicide!"
Through the open window he could hear the voices of his two grandsons fighting over a little foal.
"Brother, don't touch what is mine."
"You never want to share, you're too greedy."
Each one raised their voice to point out the injustice. The old duke walked over to the window to close it.
Then, his subordinate said with a shrug.
"Master, there has been found… a will."
The old Duke, who was watching the two children run freely around the private fields, turned around.
"A will?"
"That's right…"
"What does the will say!?"
"Christa says in the will that being abandoned by the old Duke broke her heart. Of all people, she expected to receive support from the old Duke. She was so hurt that she had no reason to live anymore."
The old Duke's eyes twitched, feeling a stabbing pain deep in his chest. Tears clouded his eyes, he lost his balance and writhed.
"Master!"
The subordinate quickly held up the old Duke.
"Sit over here, over here."
Once the old Duke sat down in the armchair, the subordinate shifted back and forth impatiently.
The old Duke leaned back in the armchair in astonishment. After a moment, he shook his head.
"Fake! It's a fake will!"
"The ladies-in-waiting who went to Compshire with Christa claimed the will was true."
"What!?"
"They also said that Christa held a grudge against you ever since she came to Compshire. When she was doing well, you stood by her side as a person willing to do anything for her, but as soon as she became useless, you abandoned her for the sake of your status and grandchildren."
Duke Zemensia's eyes twitched again.
"No! Impossible! It's a lie!"
The old Duke's bellow stopped the laughter coming from the other side of the window. Then, he got up from the armchair, pulled his sword from the wall and shouted,
"This was all done by Emperor Heinley."
A fire burst from his eyes..
Did he not warn me that he would hang my daughter? Even if Christa really had committed suicide, couldn't she have been influenced by Heinley?' He felt strongly that Heinley was behind this.
'How else could Christa have found out that I had decided to abandon her again if she was confined?' As far as the old Duke knew, only the two of them were aware.
"Damned Emperor! I'll never leave him alone! Never!"
The furious old duke's blood pressure shot up, then he staggered and collapsed back into the armchair.
"What about Ketron? What is he doing? His cousin is dead, but I haven't even seen him!"
"Although Marquis Ketron is despicable and a bit careless, he's smart."
Heinley casually sipped his tea and continued indifferently.
"He didn't even show his face when he spread the infertility rumor, just fanned the flames behind the scenes. Now that my sister-in-law died, he won't step forward either."
"Well. he's stepping forward in another direction."
"What do you mean?"
"I heard that Marquis Ketron sent the Empress a cradle imported from the Hwa continent."
"What? Now?"
"Yes."
"Huh? He's changing sides faster than I expected."
"It could be an arbitrary action by the Marquise Ketron. The time the Marquis tried to take advantage of Your Majesty's alleged affair with Christa, it backfired on him. Since then, the relationship between the two has deteriorated."
Heinley nodded, saying that might be the case.
In any case, this incident produced a complete break with the old Duke.
Since this was a family that had cemented its reputation over generations, it would not fall immediately. However, the relationship between Heinley and the old Duke had reached a point of no return.
"How does Your Majesty intend to act now? The old Duke won't believe that Christa has committed suicide."