Chapter 53
"Your nanny and Count Heyrun persuaded Viscountess Meriel. She gave us permission to bring these here."
"F-for me...?"
Just as Riena was about to continue, Cartes frowned at her.
Tears began cutting paths down his mud-covered cheeks.
Overwhelmed by despair, he spoke in a low, grief-stricken voice.
"...Your Highness, even you can't do this to me.... These are all lies. Do you truly intend to abandon our family? Do you have any idea how much I've done, how hard our family has worked...?"
It was almost as though the words coming out of his mouth carried the murky smell of ashes.
Riena chose to remain silent.
She wasn't such a benevolent Crown Princess that she would indulge a madman in conversation.
Cartes, now terribly gaunt, turned his gaze toward Kanter.
His eyes were filled with violence.
As Kanter endured that gaze, pain spread through his chest as though his heart were being crushed between needles and shards of glass.
He unconsciously pressed a hand against his chest.
If he continued staring at that bloodthirsty face, he felt as though something inside him might burst or turn to stone.
Cartes pointed an accusing finger at Kanter.
"Fine.... When you die, don't expect a peaceful death.... Just like your mother."
He wrinkled his nose and laughed as soon as he finished speaking.
"......"
Kanter looked at him.
Then his stiff expression slowly relaxed.
He pressed his trembling lips together, determination filling his eyes.
His gaze moved toward the journals arranged before him.
Warmth spread through his heart, as though something that had stopped beating had finally come back to life.
There were so many people who had worked tirelessly for him.
So many people who cherished him.
Kanter clasped both hands tightly over his chest.
...I'm scared, but I'm not alone.
He squeezed his eyes shut.
His heart finally felt peaceful.
"You can fall into hell with your mother!!"
At Cartes's shout, Riena could no longer restrain herself.
She gripped the armrests of her chair.
But at that moment, Kanter walked steadily toward her and bowed his head.
Then his small mouth opened.
"...Please kill him."
Determination shone in his green eyes.
"Hah! Hahaha...!"
Cartes laughed at Kanter as loudly as he pleased.
"You think they can cut off my head just because I deceived a commoner into believing I'd marry her? Stupid brat! You're as lowborn and stupid as your mother! Hah!"
His voice was so unpleasantly excited that Melance's brow tightened.
He wanted to shut that filthy mouth immediately.
But Riena had asked him to hold back, so he restrained himself.
"Kill him. Hang his head in the Cartes territory."
"?"
Cartes sprang to his feet.
"Over a mere commoner?!"
"A mere duke dares to insult me, the Crown Princess?! You've brought disgrace upon House Cartes yourself. Even your ancestors will probably thank me for this. Get him out of here."
"Y-you can't do this! You can't!"
"You dare tell the Crown Princess what she can and cannot do?"
Riena glared at him fiercely.
Then a cruel smile spread across her face.
"Cut out his tongue and throw him to the Imperial citizens. We should offer some comfort to the souls of those who lost their lives in the forest fires."
"!!"
Cartes's face turned ashen.
His eyes wandered aimlessly, like the pendulum of a broken clock.
Suddenly, he stretched out both arms and lunged at Riena like a wild animal.
Thud!
Ruth subdued him instantly.
Then he murmured in a low, murderous voice.
"We should cut off his arms and legs and throw those to the Imperial citizens as well, Your Highness."
The Crown Princess's orders were absolute.
In accordance with her command, Duke Cartes had his tongue removed and was thrown outside the Imperial Palace into the Cartes territory.
Officially, however, it was presented as the Emperor's consideration in allowing the Imperial citizens to decide what to do with him.
The citizens rejoiced at this decision.
Some nobles, on the other hand, criticized the Emperor as a cruel female ruler.
It was actually the Crown Princess who had ordered the punishment.
But they probably couldn't imagine that such a young child had made the decision herself.
"Was there really any need to go that far? Of course the Duke committed serious crimes, but why deliberately disgrace the nobility? And at the hands of those uncultured commoners, no less! Bah!"
"The person who disgraced the nobility was Cartes, not Her Majesty! Get your facts straight."
"Hah! Do you have any idea how many people have died since she became Emperor?"
"Of course I do. I know very well. Why, would you like me to add your name to the list, Count?"
"Good grief! Why do you insist on picking a fight with everything I say?!"
"When the thirteenth Emperor Fontriche took the throne, he eliminated every influential member of the anti-Imperial faction. Yet he's still praised today as an Emperor who established powerful Imperial authority, isn't he?"
"Because that's true, and naturally worthy of praise. Ahem!"
"Then are you saying Her Majesty should forgive and embrace those who plotted treason? If she'd done that, you'd have attacked her for being too soft simply because she's a woman!"
"Watch your language! Attacked her? What am I, a dog?"
"Dogs are cute, obedient, and loyal. They're far better, if you ask me."
The nobles who had been listening to the argument began adding their own comments.
"Please, just stop. Count, why did you have to make such a fuss by saying all those unnecessary things?"
