Chapter 29

Chapter 29

"Is that true?"

"Of course. I clearly heard that His Majesty flew into a rage on the day the Empress went to see him."

"And you're only telling me this now?"

A curved smile appeared on Marquis Hutlen's lips.

"If things go well, we may be able to get rid of both nuisances at once."

"You mean the Empress and the Imperial Princess?"

"Tell the palace physicians and mages we've already brought over to our side that if they stay with us until the end, they'll be generously rewarded."

"Yes!"

The Imperial Library was as busy as ever.

At the center of it all stood a boy in a perfectly fitted uniform, his elegant frame long and graceful.

"Your Highness!"

Life filled Melance's violet eyes as he approached with a rare bright smile.

He was hardly the type to run or raise his voice.

But today was an exception.

"I heard that you returned safely, but I assumed you would be exhausted, so I didn't come to see you."

"You're right. I was completely exhausted and slept all day. Did anything happen to you, Melance?"

"As you can see."

Fair enough.

Managing the library alone was more than enough work.

When would he have time to worry about everything happening in the Imperial Palace?

Still, Melance's expression darkened.

"I'm sorry about His Majesty. I don't know what I could possibly say to comfort you."

Riena delayed her answer.

She was sad.

But she hated him too much to simply grieve.

He had tried to kill his only daughter and failed.

Then, when the succession became uncertain, he had tried to place the son of the woman who killed the Empress onto the throne.

Even so, because he was her father, Riena had set aside the truth Kanter told her and given him a chance.

A chance to correct what was wrong.

That's why I gave Trinia two baby blankets too.

She had desperately hoped that even if Trinia made the wrong choice, Francio would stop her.

But Trinia had used the blanket reserved for an Imperial Prince at the Harvest Festival.

And Father forgave her as if it were nothing.

That wasn't all.

After Riena gave Trinia the children's storybook, he had suddenly appeared in Riena's room, acting cheerful and saying he'd read her a story.

Even if it wasn't enough, I gave them every chance I could.

To Father.

To Trinia.

She had hoped they wouldn't repeat the exact same mistakes from her previous life.

And yet they had done exactly that.

Riena swallowed the sob rising in her throat and forced her lips into a smile.

"Thank you for worrying about me, Melance."

"...I'll attend the coronation with you."

The sudden statement made Riena laugh.

"Isn't that backward? I'm the one taking Melance with me."

"Let's say that's what happened."

"Sometimes I think you're surprisingly shameless too."

When Riena teased him with a bright smile, the stiffness around Melance's mouth finally softened.

Considering the situation, there was little laughter.

Still, relief could be seen on the faces of the nobles.

What happened to the Emperor was tragic, but as long as the Empress remained strong, they believed there was nothing to fear.

One after another, they filled the spacious coronation hall.

"Marquis! Are you really going to stand by and let this happen?"

"Do you have another way? How exactly do you plan to stop someone who's already determined to become Emperor?"

"Determined...?"

The faces of the nobles following him turned ashen.

Marquis Hutlen was a man well practiced in twisting words.

Creating a misunderstanding this small was nothing to him.

"...His Majesty believes the Empress is behind what happened."

"!"

"But without evidence, what can be done?"

Hutlen slowly shook his head and clicked his tongue.

It was a masterful performance.

"We should tell Her Highness the Imperial Princess...!"

"Yes. If we tell Her Highness, perhaps the Empress's coronation can be stopped."

"Good grief. She's only a child. How could you casually suggest making the Imperial Princess oppose her own mother?"

"Then we make her step forward. She's young now, but once she turns ten, she can ascend the throne. If we endure just a little longer...!"

"Enough. It's already over."

The Marquis tried to cut them off.

At that exact moment, a noble burst through the doors of the coronation hall, gasping for breath.

The timing was almost too perfect.

"Marquis! His Majesty is on his way here!"

"!"

If the Emperor was following them all the way to the coronation hall, then he had surely lost all reason.

He firmly believes all of this is the Empress's doing. I can hardly wait to hear what comes out of his mouth.

Hutlen's smile was unpleasant, thick and sticky like blood.

"I greet Your Highness the Imperial Princess."

Riena entered the coronation hall beside Melance.

The gloomy nobles bowed.

Here and there, she heard murmurs pitying the young princess.

Riena sat down with every trace of a smile gone from her face.

"The coronation will begin shortly. Please take your seats."

Her clear voice rang through the hall.

The murmuring gradually died away.

At the same time, the deep blare of enormous trumpets filled the room, announcing the beginning of the coronation.

Click.

The heavy doors opened.

Chernuier slowly entered.

A deep blue mantle rested across her shoulders, the Imperial crest embroidered across it in golden thread.

The sight was imposing.

Chernuier had always possessed a calm and dignified temperament.

Her expression looked no different than usual.

She calmly approached the throne and sat.

Then she slowly looked across the coronation hall.

"Her Majesty will do well. I have no doubt."

Warm, approving laughter spread quietly through the hall.

They knew better than anyone how hard she had worked for the Empire.

"Then, the corona..."

Bang.

The coronation hall doors flew open violently.

Cold wind rushed through the room.

Riena instinctively shot to her feet and looked toward the person who had opened them.

"F-Father?"

For a brief moment, she saw his unfocused eyes.

Perhaps unwilling to let anyone see them, he closed them.

"Who gave you permission to hold a coronation?!"

His furious roar shook the entire hall.

Hatred and anxiety were tangled together in his voice.

Riena tried to rush forward.

Melance grabbed her wrist.

"Let go!"

"Wait."

At that moment, the mages and palace physicians who had accompanied Francio stepped forward.

"Empress Chernuier, step down from the throne."

"Drag that woman down immediately!"

Francio snarled so viciously that even those listening felt chills.

Most of the nobles looked at one another in confusion.

"Strip Empress Chernuier of her title for attempted regicide and the murder of a member of the Imperial Family. Then imprison her in the underground dungeon immediately!"

Chernuier said nothing.

She merely looked down at them.

"I said drag her down!"

Count Shilton added his voice from beside him.

He, along with several nobles who followed him, had personally brought Francio to the coronation hall.

At Shilton's signal, Franco immediately stepped forward.

"A magical poison, not one made from ordinary poisonous herbs, was detected in the bodies of His Majesty the Emperor and Lady Trinia!"

Chernuier gave a slight nod.

This time, a mage wearing a hood spoke.

"P-poison created with magic... is much more difficult to detect than poison made from herbs, which is why we discovered it late."

"But what evidence is there that Her Majesty used that poison?!"

Count Heyrun's voice rang through the hall.

Francio snorted as though he'd been waiting for that question.

"Evidence? Who would be happiest if Trinia and I died? Isn't that right, Chernuier?"

Chernuier, who had been silent until then, looked at Francio and let out a long sigh.

Her expression held the kind of dismissal one gave something too unpleasant to even argue with.

"Circumstantial suspicion cannot serve as evidence, Francio."

Francio's face twisted.

"If you confess now and beg on your knees, I'll spare your life. Who knows? For old times' sake, perhaps I'll only lock you away in the tower of the snowy mountains."

"Francio, do you truly believe I planned this?"

"How dare you call my name so casually!"

Francio shouted.

Shilton immediately stepped forward.

"What are you doing? Speak!"

"W-well... when poison is created through magic, traces of the caster's mana remain behind. And that mana carried traces belonging to Empress Chernuier...."

The coronation hall erupted into loud murmuring.

"How strange. I can see it quite clearly."

A pair of violet eyes appeared as Melance unfastened the button at his sleeve.

His gaze pierced straight through Shilton.

"Y-young Lord, stay out of this!"

"Count Shilton, you seem to be far angrier than necessary. Ah. Is that why you're so close to Lady Trinia?"

Melance murmured so only Shilton could hear.

The Count's face turned gray.

But Melance continued casually.

"Do you remember the day we met?"

Of course he remembered.

It was the day Shilton walked out of Trinia's room and ran directly into Melance.

A sudden chill ran through Shilton's body.

He trembled and avoided those violet eyes.

"Then shall I personally trace the mana now?"

"......W-well...."

"The Grand Duke's heir has no business involving himself in this! Focus on the task assigned to you!"

Francio waved his hands through empty air.

Melance looked at him lazily, as though he were nothing more than an irritating insect.

"I came here in place of His Highness Grand Duke Jeremier. There is nothing inappropriate about me assisting with this matter."

"Enough! I said that's enough! Even the Grand Duke's heir is ignoring me now! I would love to see what expression Grand Duke Jeremier would make if he saw this!"

Unable to endure it any longer, Riena pushed through the people in front of her.

But not a single person moved aside.

"You all want to die? Why are you blocking my way?"

"Y-Your Highness!"

The nobles who had been happily watching the spectacle hurriedly cleared a path.

Riena immediately stepped forward.

Just as she reached Melance, a familiar set of heavy footsteps echoed through the open doors.

"Young Lord Melance isn't wrong. But since it's come to this, I'll examine it myself."

A deep voice filled the coronation hall.

Count Shilton's face turned deathly pale.