CH 134

The Duke’s home, business, shops and hideouts were all seized and searched. Duke Lance, who was in the midst of enjoying a secret tryst with his lover to suppress his anxiety, was shamefully dragged out of bed.

All the Duke’s employees were arrested, and all those associated with him were also investigated.

The aristocrats kept their mouths shut at the overwhelming evidence of treason. There was the smuggling of magic tools to open a gate and then there was the planting of spies. All of nobility quickly turned their backs on the duke in an effort to save themselves.

The Duke of Card took the lead and supported Lyle. This is because the place where the magic tools came from was the Empress’s Palace.

Duke Card, who had been obsessed with mixing the blood of the Card family with the imperial family, became furious when a disturbance came in at the moment that his dream came true.

Most of the high-ranking nobles know that the Emperor enters the Empress’s Palace every day, so he took the lead and accused Duke Lance as attempting to assassinate the Emperor.

What Medea had expected was to uncover his connection with Prince Rowendal, who was the final villain, but Duke Lance remained silent.

‘Sheesh. Was I being too hopeful, wanting to strike two birds with one stone?’

There were four villains in the novel. The first was Duke Lance, the second was the Marquis of Bermon, the third was Grand Duke Prince Rowendal, and the Dark Tower came out as a group that was defeated in the process of defeating Grand Duke Rowendal.

The magic tools that Duke Lance smuggled into the Imperial Palace were made in the Dark Tower.

Medea was expecting that information about the Dark Tower would come out, even if it was too much for Grand Duke Rowendal, but it was not even mentioned yet.

‘Would Ashd know? But if I ask, Lyle will ask where I got that information from… … .’

Medea’s body was only possessed by an average citizen. She did not know what role she was to play as the Empress, how to manipulate people and how to maneuver and use her power. She was the mistress and master of the Empress’s palace, with numerous servants, maids, and knights, but she did not know where to start on who to trust and what instructions to give.

In both the main palace where the Emperor dwelled to the palace of the empress, there must be plenty of spies planted by nobility, and information leaked out little by little. There would also be times when Medea’s orders were delivered differently.

That’s why Medea could only rely on her memory of the novel and summoned sub-protagonist 3. Because no matter what feelings he had for Medea, he would be a man that was basically good and not swayed by power.

‘He was unexpectedly kind to me.’

As soon as she spotted him, she recalled Ashd proposing to her, and Medea smiled.

She had intended on sending him back to the Mages Tower after his assistance after this but Lyle seemed taken and impressed by his accomplishments. Thus, whether he wanted to or not, he would be working in the administrative palace. She had an ominous shiver run up her spine.

‘I hope Luke won’t lose to Ashd, but… … I hope Seira and Ashd never meet.’

Lyle would have heard that he had proposed to Medea at first sight, so in the future he was unlikely to come near the Empress’s palace. So, she hoped he would hardly ever run into Seira, who worked at her Palace.

“Could I… … Make Luke work in the Empress’s Palace? Is that possible?”

***

Duke Lance was dragged into the courtroom with his hair loose and bloodied. As soon as he entered, several of the nobles covered their noses with handkerchiefs and frowned from the bloody smell.

The criminal was chained to the prisoner’s seat in the middle of the courtroom, and other high-ranking nobles entered and began to sit down.

The courtroom was divided into two sitting areas. The aristocrats led by the Duke of Card, who is famous for maintaining a neutral position, took the left, and nobility of the Imperialist faction who supported Emperor Lyle were on the right.

When the nobles were all seated and the commotion had subsided to some extent, the judge who led the trial came and sat down. And… … .

“His Majesty, The Emperor, arrives!”

When the attendant shouted loudly, all the nobles present in the courtroom rose from their seats.

Lyle, accompanied by his aid Sid and several subjects, came out and sat higher than the other nobles and judges.

The Duke of Lance, who was on his knees, chained to the prisoner’s seat, cried out.

“Your Majesty the Emperor! Your Majesty, —I am being humiliatingly and unfairly falsely accused!”

Lyle’s eyes sank coldly at the sound of his outcry.

Originally, it was common for crimes related to assassination of the royal family to be adjudicated without a full trial. But Lyle held this trial in order to intimidate the other nobles.

‘It’s a pity that my uncle is not here. No, my uncle might have actually ridiculed me.’

With the help of the empress, the fire was put out before it even sparked, but no clue was found as to who was the mastermind that  instigated the flame.

“I don’t know what is so humiliating. Is it unfair to be found out before you even tried? Or… … .”

Thinking of Grand Duke Rowendal, who had not yet returned from exile, Lyle stroked his chin.

“Is the grace I’ve bestowed upon you to give you a courtroom undeserved even though you dared to harm the Imperial family?”

“No, Your Majesty! All of this is a conspiracy!”

Perhaps he had squeezed out his last remaining strength, and a dry, cracked voice echoed through the courtroom. Lyle glared at Duke Lance with cold eyes.