HPBUY Chapter 116

Unfiltered breathing escaped through Dahlia’s teeth.

Meanwhile, the man still hadn’t noticed her presence and didn’t turn around. He was moving quite busily. Belatedly, Dahlia’s gaze moved to the man’s hands as he rummaged through her belongings.

After assessing the situation, instead of immediately stopping the man, Dahlia quietly moved her frantically trembling hands. Only after carefully closing the door completely did her body slowly collapse.

Even after slumping to the floor, Dahlia couldn’t move for a while. The fear that the man might barge into her bedroom had taken over her mind.

Consumed by terror, how much more time passed? She vaguely heard the sound of a door opening and closing from beyond the wall.

It was only after a considerable amount of time had passed that Dahlia opened the door again.

With trembling hands, she gently opened the door, and after confirming no one was there, Dahlia urgently opened the drawer where the man had been standing.

Fortunately, her clothes and other belongings were still in place. The only difference was that the folded clothes had changed in shape and direction.

Though a minor change, it was something that Dahlia, who had lived her life constantly on edge, couldn’t fail to notice.

Her hands began to shake more as she picked up her clothes. Suspicious thoughts started to fill her mind.

Gasping for breath and stepping backward, Dahlia ran back into her bedroom. Then she began frantically pulling open the drawers.

But the drawers in her bedroom were no different. At first glance, the clothes appeared to be neatly arranged, but the way they were folded was clearly different.

“Haaa……”

Upon confirming this, all strength left her body. Dahlia slid to the floor.

She finally released her held breath and breathed heavily.

It was terrifyingly creepy to realize that someone had not only searched through the other rooms in her quarters but had even rummaged through her bedroom while she slept. She considered calling for soldiers immediately, but that would probably be useless now.

After all, there was only one person who would do such a thing. Someone who had something to find from her. Someone who knew she possessed something so dangerous that it needed to be recovered even through such means.

Only Duke Lowell.

****

“Useless things……”

Duke Lowell muttered as he strode roughly. Despite sending Dahlia medicine laced with sleeping pills, there had been no results.

He had searched every room but found nothing, not even a speck of dust. His fierce expression, looking as if he would behead anyone who crossed him, only settled once he reached the venue for the formal dinner.

Almost all the nobles were present in the hall where the dinner was held, including the Grand Duke, the Princess, and Dahlia.

The Duke moistened his parched mouth with his tongue and took his seat.

As he exchanged greetings with other nobles as usual, he tried to rationally organize his current situation.

Just because he hadn’t found evidence from Dahlia didn’t mean he had failed. Although things were getting a bit complicated, he still had plenty of room to maneuver. He barely managed to calm his seething insides.

If she hadn’t brought the items to the Hunting Festival, the will and the ring would most likely still be in Monferrato territory.

The Duke ruled out the possibility that the Princess or Dahlia would have brought them to the Hunting Festival. He arbitrarily concluded that this wasn’t the place to assert one’s rights by bringing up such weighty items.

‘Unless they want to hasten their demise in the Sendelk Mountains.’

The Duke smirked slightly.

Then this might be a fortunate turn of events.

If he could persuade the Emperor well and discover those items in an empty house without an owner, the suspicion the Duke was bearing would shift entirely to the Grand Duke and the Princess.

After moistening his throat with wine, the Duke immediately called for the chamberlain and requested an audience with the Emperor after the dinner. When an affirmative answer came back, his expression softened considerably.

Sienna, watching from a distance, saw the Duke’s faint smile after his brief conversation with the chamberlain, then slowly turned her gaze away.

On the walls of the dining hall hung the masterpieces of past Hunting Festival champions as hunting trophies. Foxes, bears, wolves, and more. The heads of all sorts of mountain beasts were displayed in a row.

Sienna, who had been looking up at a proud stag with magnificent antlers, turned her gaze away at the sound of the bell marking the hour. As the dinner time arrived, Joseph, seated at the head position, rose from his seat.

“Everyone has worked hard this year.”

Joseph opened with greetings as he looked over the crowd before him. He then acknowledged and highly praised the nobles’ contributions in managing state affairs throughout the year.

“During the Hunting Festival, I hope everyone can forget the complicated thoughts of the capital and enjoy a pleasant time.”

Joseph concluded his toast concisely and raised his glass. The nobles, one by one, followed the Emperor’s lead and raised their glasses. When Joseph finally delivered a trite toast, the nobles laughed heartily and gulped down their wine.

The warm atmosphere was not a bad start.

The only one who couldn’t enjoy this gathering was Dahlia.

Her face still lacked color. Instead of holding her cutlery, she compulsively touched around her neck.

Unlike the festive atmosphere around her, Dahlia couldn’t blend in. Though her body sat here alone, her soul felt as if it were still stagnant in the dark shadows of her quarters.

The shock and fear she had felt earlier still hadn’t subsided. Though she tried to act as if nothing had happened, her still-trembling fingertips caused her knife to scrape against the porcelain plate several times with a chilling sound.

Because of the surrounding commotion, no one paid attention to Dahlia’s unusual behavior.

Dahlia’s gaze, which had been scanning the table extensively, turned toward Duke Lowell, who was seated not far away. He was chatting with other nobles as if nothing had happened.

Seeing the smile across the Duke’s face, Dahlia suddenly felt a terrible disgust at her situation.

Her eyes, which had been wandering aimlessly in the air, now directly fixed on the Emperor. The conflict was brief.

“Your Majesty, I have something to say.”

Amidst the noise, Joseph somehow heard her voice and turned his head. Since his much younger sister rarely initiated conversation, he smiled briefly as if something unusual was happening.

“Speak.”

“There is a conspirator who participated in the late Empress’s rebellion.”

The buzzing sounds abruptly stopped.

Sienna looked at Dahlia with a face subtly tinged with anxiety, but she remained steadfast.

Bewildered by this sudden confession, the Emperor asked in an unrefined voice.

“Rebellion? Who on earth……”

“Duke Lowell, Your Majesty.”

Dahlia reported without a hint of wavering. The Emperor’s gaze immediately turned toward the Duke.

The Duke’s face, which had been peaceful until just moments ago, showed clear cracks. The smile that had been lingering on Joseph’s lips gradually faded.

“Duke, explain yourself.”

“This is slander, Your Majesty!”

The Duke stood up angrily, looking genuinely wronged.

“How dare I dream of rebellion? How could I, who has served two Emperors all my life, dare to do such a thing!”

While he was surprised by Dahlia’s sudden accusation, he knew it was a baseless claim without evidence. Moreover, he had no doubt that the Emperor would take his side.

“You must believe me, Your Majesty.”

As the Duke proclaimed his innocence, he went further and began to attack Dahlia.

“Hasn’t that Dahlia stayed at the Grand Duke’s residence for a long time? Surely this Imperial Princess must be conspiring with the Grand Duke to frame me!”

In the midst of this, he didn’t even show proper respect to Sienna. Sienna, who had been caught in the crossfire while staying silent, frowned.

“Did I have any occasion to harbor ill will toward the Duke?”

Then, as if suddenly enlightened, she exclaimed.

“Ah, there is one.”

Her lips, which had muttered softly, curved into an oblique smile.

“You dared to steal my father’s real will, didn’t you?”

As the Duke’s face froze like ice, Joseph’s hand, which had been resting on his chair, flinched.

As the hall gradually began to stir, Joseph said with a cold face.

“Princess. Refrain from making statements you cannot take responsibility for.”

Despite the seemingly sharp response, Sienna wasn’t intimidated at all. Instead, with a crooked smile, she pulled out a paper from inside her coat.

The sight of her waving the paper before the Emperor, held between her index and middle fingers, was highly disrespectful.

“A will with the late Emperor’s seal was found in the Duke’s study. What do you think about this?”

“…What?”

Joseph momentarily froze. He couldn’t immediately respond and stared at Sienna with a frozen expression. Or more precisely, he was staring at the paper fluttering between her fingers.

Baron Vermont, who had been rolling his eyes like the other nobles, approached Sienna tactfully and took the paper from her. After reading the will while fiddling with his monocle, he carefully reported to the Emperor.

“I… beg your pardon, Your Majesty. The seal matches exactly with that of the late Emperor.”