Everyone was staring at the Grand Madam with faces full of shock.
It was understandable.
Just moments ago, my words could have allowed her to escape the charges and receive a light punishment if she had kept quiet.
Yet she chose to acknowledge her guilt.
‘Why on earth is she saying that?’
As I looked at the Grand Madam with trembling eyes, she continued.
“I also acknowledge that I was aware my daughter-in-law could be harmed in the process.”
Her successive confessions twisted my face in disbelief.
This was not part of my plan.
‘What is she trying to do? What does she hope to achieve by admitting to her past mistakes…?’
At that moment, she gazed at me.
“I…”
Her lips trembled, but then she firmly closed her mouth.
Seeing this, I furrowed my brow.
‘What on earth is her intention?’
Just then, the Emperor’s stern voice broke my thoughts.
“Bianca Blant, do you admit to the charges against you?”
“Yes, I do.”
Her willingness to admit it made the Emperor narrow his eyes.
Eventually, he asked the question I had been curious about all along.
“What was your reason for wanting to harm your grandson?”
At that, the Grand Madam glared at someone.
It was Erich.
‘Why has she been looking at Erich like that since earlier…?’
At that moment, she raised the corners of her mouth.
“That’s because my son originally…”
Just as the Grand Madam was about to continue her words—
Bang!
Erich slammed his hand on the table and stood up.
I looked at him in surprise, but his gaze was fixed on the Grand Madam.
Then, a fierce voice rumbled from his lips like a growling beast.
“Enough.”
The moment those words left his mouth, silence fell over the conference room.
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
Reinhardt was barely holding back a smile as he watched the Grand Madam.
‘Is it finally starting?’
The Grand Madam, who had made her initial confession, continued to speak.
In a direction that was unfavorable to herself.
‘I don’t understand why she’s talking about harming her instead of murder, but it doesn’t matter. As long as the Grand Madam tried to kill the heir to the throne, she won’t be able to escape severe punishment.’
On the other hand, Erich was staring at the Grand Madam with a nervous expression.
‘Why is my mother…’
No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t understand her.
Why would she incur losses and say such things?
‘Could it be that the antidote didn’t work…?’
Just as he clenched his fists in anxiety, his eyes met the Grand Madam’s.
She was looking at him with an intense gaze, but then her face twisted into a grimace as she raised her lips.
And the moment Erich felt the deep emotions reflected in her vacant gaze, he recalled a memory from the past.
<Bring my real son!>
It was a memory of her fiercely cherishing her true son.
In that moment, Erich had a gut feeling.
‘Perhaps she’s trying to reveal my identity here.’
There were many reasons she might feel that way.
However, the biggest reason would likely be that he had turned his back on her during the trial a few years ago.
‘She must have resented me. Even if she knew I was her biological son, it wouldn’t have mattered.’
And perhaps she viewed his actions as an attempt to take everything away from her beloved only son, “Erich.”
‘No, if she were in her right mind, she wouldn’t say something like that.’
Just as Erich was trying to shake off his anxiety, Bianca spoke up.
What was she about to say?
That his real son hadn’t returned from the war, and that a fake substitute was needed?
That she couldn’t leave behind a child who wasn’t of her true firstborn’s bloodline?
He tried hard to dismiss those thoughts.
But Erich could no longer shake off his unease.
Ultimately, his anxiety spilled out through his lips.
“Enough.”
The surroundings fell silent, but Erich’s nerves were solely focused on the Grand Madam.
‘If Cornelia learns the truth, she might…’
Still, at least now, their relationship had improved slightly from the worst.
However, that thought only filled Erich with fear.
‘So I have to stop her. I have to make sure she doesn’t say anything ridiculous.’
While Erich was consumed by such thoughts and lost his composure, Reinhardt was smiling.
‘This idiot is going to self-destruct on his own!’
Finally, Reinhardt opened his mouth.
“Duke, what are you doing right now? Don’t you realize we’re in the middle of interrogating a criminal…”
At that moment, Reinhardt couldn’t continue his words.
Erich was glaring at him with eyes that seemed ready to kill.
At that moment—
“Honey, I’m okay!”
With those words, Cornelia grabbed both of Erich’s hands.
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
I had always thought of Erich as a calm and rational person who never lost his composure.
But now, as he looked at the Grand Madam, he was definitely different from usual.
‘Yes, he looks like… a child who doesn’t know what to do out of anxiety.’
I didn’t understand why he was so anxious.
What was clear was that he had lost control of his emotions to the point where he couldn’t think rationally.
‘For him to say ‘enough’…’
The target of his words was clear.
‘Erich is afraid of what the Grand Madam might say.’
The problem was that his words could be interpreted as telling the Emperor to stop, as if he was trying to protect his mother.
‘If I want to resolve this, it would be better to change the target.’
I gazed at the Grand Madam. She was grimacing as she looked at Erich.
And Erich was looking at her and everyone else with a hostile gaze.
As if she were a lonely person with no allies at all.
Suddenly, his hand started to bother me.
Though it was wrapped in a glove, that long, large hand was still filled with scars.
‘Well, since I’ve decided to help, I might as well do it properly!’
Having made up my mind, I grabbed his hand.
“Honey, I’m okay!”
I felt the attention of those around me shift toward me at my sudden words.
And Erich, seeming to come to his senses, was looking at me with a surprised expression.
“Cornelia?”
I heard his voice calling my name softly, as if in confusion, but I ignored it and continued my act.
“Are you worried that your mother might speak ill of me here? That she might say she couldn’t acknowledge my child because I’m inadequate…”
I could see the people around me getting caught up in my performance.
“Yes, it’s true that the conflict between the Grand Madam and the Princess is quite deep.”
“Still, do you think she would say something like that here?”
“Either way, I understand that the Duke spoke those words with the princess in mind.”
Just as I sighed in relief at the intended reactions, I turned toward the Emperor.
“Your Majesty, the Grand Madam, has acknowledged the charges. However, since this matter involves personal family affairs, I believe the testimony should be conducted privately…”
At that moment, someone interjected.
“That is not acceptable, Your Highness.”
It was Reinhardt.
I glanced at him, slightly furrowing my brow before raising the corners of my mouth.
“Do you believe that my family matters should be made public here?”
“I understand that you’ve had a difficult past. However, revealing the truth will prevent future troubles, just as you have suffered.”
Just as I was about to refute that statement…
“Princess, the Archduke is right.”
The Emperor nodded in agreement with Rainhart, likely due to the pressure of public opinion and the desire for fairness.
‘I suppose I was being a bit unreasonable.’
Still, it was a relief.
The strange looks directed at Erich had somewhat subsided.
‘But the problem is the Grand Madam.’
Erich’s patience and composure were such that he didn’t even blink when I shattered expensive porcelain and caused a scene.
Yet that same Erich had lost his reason and tried to stop the Grand Madam.
And he did so in front of everyone.
‘It’s clear that she’s trying to say something, but I’m not sure what.’
In any case, I couldn’t warn her in front of everyone, so I spoke to the Grand Madam.
“Very well. However, I hope you won’t bring up anything that might hurt my husband or me.”
This was a warning to her.
I had intended to reduce her punishment, but it was she who rejected the opportunity I offered.
So, if she brought up unnecessary topics, I wouldn’t let it slide.
She looked at me and raised the corners of her mouth.
‘Is she smiling?’
As I glared at her for a moment, I felt Erich slightly flinch beyond the hand I was holding.
‘He’s still anxious.’
I had thought of him as a perfect man without any weaknesses, yet right now, he resembled my younger self in a surprisingly uncanny way.
‘He must not have wanted to show any vulnerabilities, just like me.’
According to the contract, we were bound to divorce anyway, so I could have just left him be.
But I didn’t want to do that anymore.
I gently squeezed Erich’s hand and whispered,
“Don’t worry. No matter what that woman says, I’ll be on your side.”
