What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 241

#241

Starting the Cleaning (4)

“…I will discuss the story of the divine artifact, ‘Blessing of the Azure Sea,’ later. That’s not the main point today.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Emperor Frederik swiftly handled the unexpected situation.

The audience members respectfully bowed their heads.

Even if they were bewildered and curious, it was only right to wait since the monarch had spoken.

My teacher advised Isabel and Christel to rest in one of the Emperor’s drawing rooms, but they politely declined.

The two mothers said they would watch Simon de Sarnese’s trial to the end.

They also wanted to show respect for those who had committed crimes.

So, they remained beside JoAnn, the Dium siblings, and the Berang family.

Chamberlain Laura brought warm quince tea for everyone. Lady Elisabeth continued the proceedings.

“Next, we will bring in a witness, Your Majesty. It is Duchess Cecile Blanquer, the mother of the recently deceased Robert Blanquer.”

After that, the trial proceeded smoothly.

Not only informants but also witnesses who provided crucial clues to solving the case appeared one after another.

The Duke of Sarnese answered all questions obediently, his eyes vacant as if his soul had left his body.

It seemed Isabel’s scream had lodged in his heart.

Whether it was belated regret or guilt, or whatever it was.

“The nanny found this in the hands of the deceased Robert. It is part of an envelope sent by the Duke of Sarnese.”

The Duchess of Blanquer, dressed in all black mourning attire, held up a small magical artifact glass box with gloved hands.

Inside were mottled pieces of paper.

As the Emperor’s sister-in-law and the Crown Prince’s aunt, she had been staying at the Stroda Palace, not the Tuar Palace.

Beside her were the Little Duke and the Duke’s consort, also dressed in black.

It was difficult to read their expressions as the father and daughter wore black veils.

I couldn’t take my eyes off Eva, worried about her.

She seemed fine when I saw her the day before yesterday, but the emptiness of losing family could strike without warning.

It would be even harder to endure in a place like this.

“Right before his death… he seemed to sense something was wrong. He retrieved the envelope he had thrown into the fireplace with his bare hands.”

“Goodness.”

“Both hands of the deceased were burned crimson black. He held on so tightly that it was difficult to open his grip even before rigor mortis set in.”

“How could such a death occur?”

The Duchess of Blanquer testified quietly, and the nobles covered their mouths or looked up at the ceiling, sighing.

The archbishops closed their eyes and quietly offered prayers.

The Duke of Sarnese was now drooping his head, his shoulders shaking.

I gritted my teeth, thinking I was glad I didn’t bring the little ones.

Robert Blanquer’s end was miserable.

Seeing the Duke, who had come up with such a ‘disposal method’ and then spent an elegant day as usual, gave me goosebumps all over my body.

The 8th-circle mage who dueled with Crown Prince Cedric last summer. His specialty was magnetism.

The Duke used the ill will the Young Master harbored toward me to use him as a messenger.

I didn’t feel sympathy for the deceased.

I had no intention of regretting his talent just because he died young.

The letter he supposedly sent to Eva last was full of curses and greed.

Even while confined to the villa, he often abused the servants. But…

“A trace amount of poison was found on the Young Master’s envelope fragments. It is a type that is highly volatile, leaving no trace within three or four days unless stored in a sealed container. Fortunately, the reaction was clear. It was not an easily detoxified plant poison but a potent poison from a magical beast.”

Lady Elisabeth’s father, Sir Michel Mutet, a witness, reported.

He was a renowned botanist and surgeon who provided crucial assistance in this case.

The Emperor raised one eyebrow.

In short, the Duke of Sarnese did not trust Robert even while using him.

Because he was frivolous and liked to be arrogant. So, he wanted to use people as ‘disposables.’

He applied poison to the entrance of the envelope sent to him and waited for death.

He thought that by the time the Young Master replaced the outer envelope and burned what he had sent, his breath would naturally stop.

The prediction soon became reality. But the Duke overlooked Robert’s inherent venom.

He never imagined that he would rummage through the flames with his bare hands, spitting blood, sensing his death.

“That is… that is impossible. Young Master Blanquer received my divine decree. He was not allowed to do anything that could harm the Duke of Sarnese and me!”

‘Was the evidence fabricated?’ A raspy voice questioned.

Everyone’s gaze turned to the woman.

Another culprit who had been quiet until now, Eugenie Keshier.

Beyond the old woman’s disheveled hair, her eyes gleamed.

“I was about to point that out, Archbishop.”

Lady Elisabeth omitted the title ‘Silver River,’ and Keshier glared sharply.

The Little Countess continued, unconcerned.

“You testified before coming here that you gave divine decrees to several people to help the Duke of Sarnese. Reveal here and now to whom, when, and where you cast the spell, including Young Master Blanquer.”

“…If I do, promise not to impose the death penalty.”

“Oh.”

At the old woman’s answer, the archbishops groaned and shook their heads. Some took off their bishop’s hats and fanned themselves, as if frustrated.

The Emperor’s blood-red gaze was silent, as if he hadn’t heard any nonsense.

‘Understand the situation, Archbishop!’ Someone shouted, but Keshier glared at this side with venomous eyes.

I was flustered and checked the Crown Prince and attendant next to me, but I wasn’t mistaken.

It was a gaze aimed at me, not someone else.

Why? Could it be that the ‘check’ Benjamin mentioned was this?

“When I was dragged here, there was definitely such a hint. If I cooperated willingly, you wouldn’t impose the death penalty…!”

-Whirr, thud!

“Aaaagh!”

Something flashed! Keshier screamed.

‘Heok!’ The terrified audience members retreated in droves.

I was horrified and leaned back, craning my neck.

A familiar dagger was stuck in front of the old woman’s knees,

“…Your Highness?”

Is it you again?

“That mouth could hasten your death.”

The man glared at the archbishop like a hungry black panther.

“Does a lowly bat wish to live in the land of the sun?”

When I hurriedly lowered my gaze, the dagger that should have been decorating the side of his boots was nowhere to be seen.

Since magic couldn’t be used indoors, he must have pulled it out and thrown it directly.

But not only the two adults but even my teacher, Sir Johann, didn’t have scolding faces.

I opened my mouth and then closed it.

She received such thorough home education that I couldn’t even advise her. This is what she saw and learned…

“B, Blanquer Young Master made contact at the masquerade ball. On the day the sky opened and the golems rampaged.”

Even that worked! Lady Elisabeth pulled out the dagger with a familiar face and pocketed it.

Keshier continued her statement like a babbling brook.

“The Duke of Sarnese first met the Young Master on the balcony and proposed the scheme. After he was captured by the Blanquer ducal family, I volunteered to interrogate him. Since there was no archbishop in the lord’s castle, he thought there was no reason to refuse my power. So, pretending to listen to his confession, I cast a divine decree in a private setting. The rest met secretly in the Sarnese lord’s castle…”

Each time the old woman added a word, layers of astonishment piled up on the faces of the listeners.

Starting with the commander of the Imperial Capital Defense Force, most of the elite soldiers and knights that the Duke of Sarnese had personally trained and offered had undergone her divine decree.

With the archbishop’s powerful brainwashing combined with loyalty to the Duke, it would have been virtually impossible to break free from the bondage.

So, the Imperial Guard did not hesitate to kill us, and the Defense Force unhesitatingly launched a preemptive strike on the Dium territory.

It was like fearlessly attaching the Emperor’s name tag to the two people’s puppet dolls.

Suddenly, scenes witnessed at the masquerade ball flashed through my mind like flashbacks.

The guests spinning around to the music. Lions and witches, angels and demons gathered in the ballroom.

The chandeliers shining dazzlingly.

‘Did you plant the tulip bulbs well?’

That was the clue I heard from Robert Blanquer.

‘It was different from ordinary foresight. My vision darkened, and the stench of intrigue wafted.’

Bakarai’s prophecy was the second clue. It was never enough. And…

‘Silver River. Why are you suddenly like this?’

‘Suddenly? I told the Duke I was leaving even last night.’

Archbishop Eugenie Keshier, who caused a commotion by saying she would leave the castle when the dungeon suddenly opened and the lord’s castle was sealed off.

I now realized why she wanted to get out of there.

She must have finished her work and didn’t want to be in a dangerous area anymore.

If she valued her life so much.

“Do you not know how the dying Robert Blanquer broke the divine decree?”

The Emperor suddenly asked. Keshier trembled her lips and looked at her.

“Because he was different from you.”

“…”

“He was a notorious troublemaker that everyone in the Imperial Capital knew. He gave the Duke a lot of trouble. But he knew how precious honor was. Because there was something instilled in him throughout his life.”

“Your Majesty!”

“He didn’t want to die so disgracefully. Even if his hands were burning, he wouldn’t want his name to be tarnished. He didn’t act out of revenge against you. So, he was not affected by the divine decree.”

“…”

“I am not a clergyman. It is ridiculous that an archbishop understands less than I do.”

Keshier bit her lip and lowered her head. A moment of silence passed.

The Emperor glanced at the scribes who were diligently recording below the stairs and then winked at the Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guard.

It was a signal to continue.

“…Yes. On the day of the Young Master’s death, the surgeon of Blanquer territory performed an autopsy, and poison was detected in his body. We have also secured testimony and records that it matches the magical beast poison that Sir Mutet found in the envelope.”

“But that also came out of the body of the deceased Young Master Andreji.”

“What!”

The Little Countess and her father explained in turn.

The nobles buzzed loudly at the suddenly emerging ‘Andreji.’

The Young Master was the culprit in the founding ceremony terrorist attack at the military academy.

The Emperor and the cardinals waited for the rest of the story with calm eyes.

Sir Michel’s gray eyes sank deeply.

“His Highness the Crown Prince, suspicious of the foam on the lips of the dead terrorist, requested an autopsy from me. The examination revealed a toxic reaction. The shock of the magical artifact explosion is the direct cause of death, but it seems that the Young Master was given poison before carrying out the terror attack in preparation for the event that he survived. It must have been to hide the mastermind.”

“Oh my!”

“How can a person think of such a thing!”

“He was only fifteen, fifteen! What did such a child know!”

“Don’t make excuses about your great-grandmother. Aren’t you also a devil!”

“…”

Everyone, nobles and clergy alike, loudly criticized the Duke of Sarnese. The Duke lowered his gaze and silently received the finger-pointing.

I gripped the warm sacred stone bead tightly. It was almost the same situation as then.

Even at the trial of the Andreji count family, who had abandoned their sick child for generations, the audience chamber had this atmosphere.

I thought everyone here that day was of one mind.

I believed that the faces that were angry at the evil deeds and mourned Grandma Forme and Henriette were full of sincerity.

But it wasn’t.

Simon de Sarnese, even at that moment, was planning to use the count couple’s underage son.

He incited a child whose judgment was not mature to commit suicide.

I shuddered, squeezing my eyes shut.

Perhaps it was my imagination, but I felt the flame in the bead become even warmer.

“You intended to cause a terror attack by using a child whose eyes were clouded by misguided faith and to undermine public sentiment toward the prince. Furthermore, you became a victim yourself and stepped down from the list of suspects early on. You thought there would be no repercussions because the Young Master’s parents were in prison.”

“…Yes.”

A rough voice answered the Emperor’s question. Sighs flowed from various places.

The middle-aged man stared intently at the one who was once his confidant.

“Your plan would have been perfect if Young Master Blanquer hadn’t sprinkled ink on the envelope he sent to Sir Beliard. No, if Beliard hadn’t brought it to me.”

The Duke raised his head sharply. His chin trembled and opened.

It was an unexpected reaction. Cardinal Boutier added.

“That’s your mistake, Simon. You don’t see people as people. You don’t consider that humans show various reactions to various variables. You just thought of them as pieces on your chessboard?”

“Why, why did that go to Your Majesty,”

“Because Sir Beliard owed the Prince a favor. It was a cause and effect you didn’t know.”

“…”

“Isn’t it simple? You must be feeling empty.”

Indeed, emptiness spread across the Duke’s face.

Conversely, the smile disappeared from the Emperor’s mocking face.

“You not only betrayed me and turned your back on your country but also dared to insult my subject and a great noble with royal blood flowing through his veins. Also…”

It was then.

-Koo-oong!

The audience chamber door opened without warning, and an Imperial Palace knight in silver armor appeared.

The Emperor and Crown Prince’s eyes narrowed simultaneously. All eyes were on him.

The man walked quickly, making clanking sounds, and then knelt in front of the stairs with a thud.

He was very breathless, as if something had happened. Suddenly, I had a bad feeling.

“Your Majesty, please kill me! I have disturbed your precious time with an urgent message that I dare not speak.”

“What is it?”

Then the young man slowly raised his head, panting.

It seemed like our eyes met for a moment.

“The Princess of the Theocracy of Fenetian… has sent an urgent message. The scroll bears the symbol of the ‘King’s Proxy.’”