Chapter 173

“Indeed,” Patrizia replied in a dry manner. “I did.”

“You mean that is not the case now?”

“I still hate Your Majesty.”

“However?”

“At the same time, I am also compassionate towards you.” Patrizia said with an unshakeable look on her face. “It is just a feeling of pity. To the point that you might be offended.”

“No, I am not offended.”

Patrizia stared at the man who said that he was not offended, when he could certainly feel that way as the man wielding absolute control over the Marvinus Empire. Before she could ask that question, his words continued, “Just the fact that your eyes no longer contain pure hatred is enough.”

“…”

“I am glad. Very glad, at that.”

“… I will be taking my leave now.” The flustered Patrizia slowly stood up from her seat, and walked to the doorway with steady footsteps. She put her hand on the door handle, and muttered to herself internally, No more… Do not be concerned.

Whatever it was about…

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“Your Majesty, the Empress, you have arrived?”

When Patrizia entered the Empress Palace, Mirya welcomed her by making a big deal, which was unusual for her. Patrizia smiled brightly, showing that she was perfectly fine.

Mirya spoke in a crying voice, “For you to place me on pins and needles like this every time, Your Majesty is too much.”

“Looking at the results, everything has gone well, Mirya,” Patrizia replied in a relaxed voice, and quietly confirmed, “His Majesty granted me the full power over the investigation. The two assassins…”

“I have prepared for it, Your Majesty. I had them locked in the dungeon.”

The assassins had all died, and could not come back to life again, so of course the two were planted by her. Patrizia thought it did not matter anyway. She did not want to drag out this fight any further. It was too tiring to do so.

“It is already so late at night, but she might be up to plotting another scheme. Mirya, take the maids of the Empress Palace to Vain Palace right now. In the name of the Empress, arrest Marchioness Ethyller, along with her maids. His Majesty will serve as the witness, and if necessary, it will be the end if we prepare the assassins’ testimonies.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Mirya disappeared quickly, leaving only those words behind.

Rafaella asked after a short time passed, “Your Majesty, are you alright?”

“Of course, I am alright. What about you?”

“I am alright too,” Rafaella said it like that and smiled, revealing her white teeth. “I called for the Imperial court physician. Surely, the physician of the Imperial Palace is quite skilled?”

“I am worried it might scar.”

“What is the point of a knight having good skin?” After Rafaella giggled as she laughed, she approached Patrizia’s side, and sat down next to her. She asked Patrizia, holding her hand tightly. “Is everything finished now?”

“Not yet.”

“Still.” Rafaella murmured while leaning her head on Patrizia’s shoulder. “It was very difficult for us, right?”

“We have to endure and work hard until the end.” Patrizia’s voice had no energy left as she said these words.

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“What do we do… What do we do…” Rosemond muttered to herself nervously. Like a patient with neurosis, she wandered around the room in a hectic manner.

Glara was watching this in the middle of the night, and said to her carefully, “Even if the assassination failed, all the assassins would have ended their lives. So the evidence that we did it is nowhere to be found…”

“If you made up evidence, that would be the end of it. For this situation to get so big!” Rosemond chewed on her fingernails. Why was this going so wrong? She ordered Glara in an angry voice, “Write a letter to January right this instant. This situation…”

At that moment, the door opened with a loud crash, and Rosemond froze. Mirya and the other maids of the Empress Palace came in quickly.

Glaring at them, Rosemond demanded, “”What is this rudeness? What kind of education did you all receive to do something like this?!..”

“Your words are too harsh, Marchioness.” Mirya coldly cut off Rosemond’s words. “At the very least, these are not words that the Marchioness should say.”

“What?”

“What are you all doing? Arrest them all right away!”

As soon as Mirya’s words came out, the maids of the Empress Palace seized Rosemond, Glara, and other maids. Naturally, Rosemond resisted as if she was full of momentum.

“What are you doing! It seems you brats have finally gone crazy!”

“The crazy one, is not one of us, but you! Without any fear, you dared to attempt to assassinate Her Majesty twice!”

“You dare act like this towards me! Do you all think you will be safe? Daring to do this to the Emperor’s concubine…!”

“It seems that you are greatly mistaken, Marchioness.” Mirya gave a stern warning to Rosemond, who had an incredulous look on her face.

“Her Majesty was targeted with an assassination attempt while she was outside of the Imperial Palace, and of course His Majesty knows about it.”

“So what?! Doing this to me right now without any proof…!”

“The Emperor has delegated authority over the investigation to Her Majesty, and the captured assassins are giving their confessions below in their prison cells. When the confession comes out, the Marchioness will not be safe.”

“Is there any evidence that I am the culprit?” Rosemond asked with a twisted smile. “When you have not gotten any confession from the assassins yet! With what evidence you dare do this to me?!…”

“His Majesty overheard the conversation between the Marchioness and the maid of Vain Palace. The content of the discussion was about daring to assassinate the Empress of the Marvinus Empire.”

“That…” Rosemond was aghast. Then the feeling that someone was there earlier…!

“Is there anything left that you still have to say?”

“You…!”

“Save what you have to say. Right now, no matter how much you shout here, no one will listen to, or advocate for you in any way. Drag her away right now!”

Mirya’s shout made the maids move faster. Rosemond did not let out meaningless screams. Instead, she quickly began to turn the wheels in her head. In a situation like this, where she had fallen into the grave she had dug, she was constantly looking for a way to save herself.

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Translated by Haeli

Edited by RED