CH 89

“Please save my mother. His Majesty Father… to my mother…”

Charelize quickly understood what Royal Princess Veloche meant. The one who tried to kill her mother seemed to be asking her a favor to bring down Harbert IV. It seemed that this was the reason why she told Charelize that the wine had been ordered to be poisoned by Harbert IV.

“…I hear footsteps.”

“Pardon?”

Charelize picked up the bottle of wine and dropped it on the floor. It was so loud that it couldn’t even compare to when the glass was broken.

“Can I come in for a minute?”

“Who is it?”

Then someone knocked on the door. Charelize, who answered sharply, put the discolored accessories nearby under the sofa.

“My name is Sera who serves Her Royal Highness. There was a loud noise, and I worried about what was happening…”

“Hailey, are you outside?”

“Did you call for me, Your Highness?”

“Bring me another glass. Her Royal Highness’s glass is broken.”

“I understand, Your Highness.” Hailey quickly observed the situation and bowed her head.

“A-are you okay, Princ…”

Sera, who came with Hailey, freaked out and ran to look after Royal Princess Veloche.

“You.”

“Yes…?”

“Did I give you permission to come in?”

“…”

“If something happens, I will call someone. Who are you to come recklessly and interfere with my conversation with Her Royal Highness? How dare you?”

“I… apologize.”

Sera’s body trembled as she immediately bowed her head. Charelize looked at her and winked at Royal Princess Veloche.

“Sera, get in the carriage first. I’ll be there soon.”

“I-I understand, Your Royal Highness.”

Sera, who was wary of Charelize, hurriedly left the room.

“I have brought what Your Highness said.”

“Good work. There seems to be something important that will be talked about, so stay close and keep a close eye so that no one is secretly listening.”

“I understand, Your Highness.”

Hailey, who set the new glass on the table, went outside and looked around to ensure Charelize didn’t get into trouble.

“Why does the emperor’s person serve Your Royal Highness?”

“He said she would be helpful and sent her to me. But how did you know that Sera is His Majesty’s person?”

“I already memorized all the faces of the servants belonging to Bachelat Palace. By the way… Does what Your Royal Highness said mean that His Majesty intends to kill Queen Salome?”

Royal Princess Veloche nodded her head as Charelize’s guess was right.

Queen Salome. She was the woman who gave birth to Royal Princess Veloche, the only direct descendant of the imperial family of the Elioter Empire. Harbert IV favored her to such an extent that he made her become Viscount’s family’s adopted daughter and brought her as his queen. It was surprising that Harbert IV was trying to kill Queen Salome.

“Because I don’t have the imperial symbol, the Senate does not support me. Even the succession to the throne is only a facade.”

Royal Princess Veloche told a story that could have been sad.

“His Majesty Father wants to kill my mother and adopt me as Her Majesty’s adopted daughter.”

She added that Viscount Ramed acted as the informant between Empress Lireet’s father, Marquis Rebraze, and Harbert IV.

Viscount Ramed was the person that Harbert IV had originally intended to make into Marquis Luxen. Since the birth of Royal Princess Veloche, Marquis Rebraze, and his wife had stopped socializing, so it was easy to see why they went through Viscount Ramed.

“So, was it already arranged that Marquis Rebraze had to come and go to the top run by Viscount Ramed?”

“Yes. In the first place, His Majesty Father never really thought of giving the title Marquis Luxen to Viscount Ramed. Because he has known Iris for quite some time.”

“Well… if your mother becomes the future emperor’s mother, then it makes sense to some extent… I understand why Marquis Rebraze accepted it.”

It was as if the twisted gears were snapping back together as what Charelize had thought strange was resolved.

“That’s why Queen Salome didn’t come to the succession ceremony of Grand Duke Innovestin.”

“… That’s right.”

Royal Princess Veloche put a bitter smile on her lips.

“The only way to save your mother that your father was about to kill… You have no choice but to kill your father. It’s unlikely that Your Royal Highness, who came here telling me to save her, doesn’t know about that.”

“…Yes. I know.”

“What I just said wasn’t a joke. Can Your Royal Highness kill the emperor?”

“…”

“If you feel like you can’t do it right now, give up. Then I’ll pretend I didn’t hear anything today.”

If she was going to avenge half-heartedly, it would be better just to stop her. Charelize’s grudge against Harbert IV wasn’t shallow enough to end just like that.

“I can do anything… if only I could save my mother.”

Even though Charelize’s expression stiffened as she gave a warning in a low voice, Royal Princess Veloche didn’t change her mind.

“Your Royal Highness… you’re in the same situation as me.”

Charelize carefully swallowed the fact that Duke Marsetta killed her mother.

“Everyone makes judgments based on how luxuriously the princess’s palace is built and treated well. Even though I have never lived a comfortable life?”

“May I ask why?”

“His Majesty Father never loved me as his daughter. Maybe if I had a sibling… who is better than me, or who was born with the symbol of the imperial family, I wouldn’t be alive today.”

Charelize understood why Royal Princess Veloche was so determined. There was a time when she struggled in a similar context. She knew better than anyone else how desperate the royal princess was to save her mother. Charelize felt a strange sense of sympathy when she said that she had never loved as his daughter.

“…Are there any duchy servants who are colluding with His Majesty?”

After pondering for a while, Charelize asked in a sign of agreement. When she thought about it, there was something strange about dismissing the fact that wine was served to her at Grand Duke’s Innovestin’s succession ceremony as just a coincidence.

“That… I don’t know. I will take a closer look.”

“There are still people who are loyal to the emperor.”

“What do you mean…?”

“A few months ago, someone sent an assassin in the middle of the night. Even he recruited Baron Ite, the old vassal of Duke Marsetta.”

“No way… His Majesty Father…”

Royal Princess Veloche’s pupils shook greatly. Charelize’s attitude in saying such things was also shocking.

“Rather than running away, where his tail would be caught, he brainwashed them to get rid of the witness… As soon as I saw the knight, I knew he belonged to the emperor after checking that he bit his tongue.”

“…”

“Then, who is loyal to Your Royal Highness in the imperial palace?”

“…In the imperial palace, I’ve saved his life once. I also saved his wife and children once. So I’ve saved him twice in total. His Majesty Father was angry and tried to cut off his limbs, and furthermore, tried to rape his wife.”

Royal Princess Veloche lowered her gaze as if she was ashamed even though she was speaking about herself.

After a long time of agonizing over it, Charelize took a small bottle out of the drawer. “Take this to the emperor…”

The poison was extracted from the root of the Vallesium flower that Baron Alec had given her.

“Is it… Vallesium flower?”

As soon as she saw the bottle, Royal Princess Veloche, with her face turned blue, asked if the poison in there was a Vallesium flower.

“How did you know?”

“A while ago… I overheard His Majesty Father making a deal with Duke Marsetta. If the duke gets rid of the duchess… His Majesty said he would allow Princess Lillian to be registered…”

“…Is that true?”

Charelize wanted to kill Harbert IV more than Duke Marsetta, who had poisoned her mother.

“I’m sorry. I know that even if I apologize on behalf of His Majesty Father, little Duchess’s feelings will not be relieved. Still… I’m sorry.”

“The day I found out my mother died of injustice… I was determined to ensure the man who poisoned my mother suffered the same pain.”

“…”

“Tell the imperial doctor to add Vallesium flower to the emperor’s medicine. I will avenge my mother. So Your Royal Highness, save Queen Salome.”

Silence passed. In the midst of the suffocating atmosphere, Royal Princess Veloche spoke first. “…What are you going to do with the chief of chamberlain? Chief chamberlain always serves His Majesty by his side, so he might discover it before we even try.”

“Don’t worry. He is not on the emperor’s side.”

Chief chamberlain. He was the one whose life was saved by the previous emperor. He was serving Harbert IV only because he was the bloodline of the previous emperor.

Charelize recalled a time when she was waiting for her mother, who had entered the imperial tomb alone. She was greeted by the chief chamberlain, who had been passing by. Although the chief chamberlain greeted her, Charelize kept her mouth shut, fearing that her words would be conveyed to Harbert IV.

“What did you do to princess!”

“I didn’t do anything, Royal Princess.”

“Royal Princess? Am I still a princess to Chief Chamberlain? How can I believe the words of you who held that filthy man’s hand?”

“Your Royal Highness, my master hasn’t changed.”

“What…?”

“My master is still the previous emperor. It was also because of his command that I am holding his hand.”

“Chief Chamberlain! Are you mocking me now!”

“Princess also inherited the blood of the previous emperor. I’d rather die than make fun of his blood.”

The way he bowed his head to her angry mother, who came out just in time, was so polite that Charelize remembered everything the chief chamberlain had said.

Charelize had the emperor’s seal left by the previous emperor. Clearly, the chief chamberlain would choose her if he hadn’t abandoned his will.

“Do you know the symptoms of being poisoned?”

“I don’t know the details, but… I heard that it severely affects one’s health, and the more you consume it, the more your condition does not improve.”

“Even if he sent Your Royal Highness on his behalf… I don’t think he would believe that I drank the wine. So, tell him that the little duchess accidentally missed it while pouring the wine, and both the glass and the bottle were broken, and tell him I asked to bring the new ones. Then what Sera saw and what Your Royal Highness said would be the same.”

“So… that’s the reason you acted like that…”

“And as soon as Your Royal Highness enters the carriage, tell them to bring the antidote and act like you’re drinking the wine. Ah, the emperor must have asked why you drank it. Tell him it was because of his order, so you have to follow it somehow, but I was determined not to drink it until the end if you didn’t drink it first. As soon as you get rid of his doubts, you will be able to earn his trust.”

“…”

“Don’t forget to say that you saw the little duchess drink the wine with your own eyes.”

Royal Princess Veloche was amazed by Charelize, who came up with all these things in that short moment.

“I think it would be dangerous to have a meeting with me separately. Sooner or later, I will make a separate excuse to enter the imperial palace, so I’ll see you then.”

Charelize held out her hand to Royal Princess Veloche. Royal Princess Veloche picked up the bottle of Vallesium flower, put it deep into her arms, and held Charelize’s hand.

“…Yes, I’ll be waiting.”

Royal Princess Veloche rose from her seat after those words. Charelize even sees her off. She then bumped into Chenia in the hallway on her back. Chenia, who was startled and at a loss for what to do, trembled as Charelize’s steps got closer.

“G-greetings… to little Duchess.”

“Where on earth did you master go, and why are you here?”

As she saw off Royal Princess Veloche, she saw that Lillian’s carriage was missing. Still, it was strange that Chenia, Lillian’s exclusive maid, remained at the duchy.

“…P-princess went to the Schubertine March.”

“Schubertine March?”

“The eldest daughter… Lady Esmeralda and the princess are on good terms, so they often spend time together.”

“How can the master and maid not understand each other like this? I was asking why you are here instead of leaving with Lillian?”

“I-I don’t know. I was only told by the princess not to follow her…”

“Really? Come to think of it… you… no. Just go.”

Suddenly, Charelize remembered what she had heard from Marquis Pasimello. Chenia tried to sell the information to Lebanon. Chenia is Lillian’s exclusive maid. This means that what Chenia did was Lillian’s will. Thus Lillian became guilty of it.  

“When your master returns, be sure to tell her what I said.”

“…Please speak, Your Highness.”

“Don’t be too revealing about being stupid.”

“Yes…?”

“Don’t you find it amusing to see her crumbling before I even get started?”

Charelize passed Chenia as she wanted to collect all the evidence and explode them all at once.

* * *

“…Scary person.”

“Your Royal Highness? What’s wrong?”

Riding in the carriage, Royal Princess Veloche muttered in a low voice. Sera, who sat opposite her, tilted her head.

“W-why would she be watching me getting on the carriage?”

“To be honest, I was a bit startled earlier. There was a loud noise, so I wondered if something had happened to Your Royal Highness… But it’s just that… well, forget about what I said.”

“…Can you bring me the antidote as soon as we arrive at the imperial palace?”

“D-did you drink the wine?”

“I couldn’t help it. I didn’t want to disappoint His Majesty Father. Still… I’m glad I can tell His Majesty that the little duchess drank the wine.”

Royal Princess Veloche forcibly raised the corners of her mouth.

“Your Royal Highness…” Sera felt sorry for her, who had to drink the poison for the sake of Harbert IV.