The freckled girl with greenish-brown hair was Bennet’s maid. She was also the one who had repeatedly asked Elise to take her in.
“Greetings to Your Majesty. I am Hira, servant of Queen Bennet.”
“Tell me everything you know about this flower in detail.”
Hira glanced at the bouquet fallen on the floor. “It’s a bouquet Queen Bennet sent to Lady Elise.”
“What did she say when sending this bouquet?”
“She ordered to make sure it’s placed on the bedside table next to the bedroom.”
“Did you relay that message?”
“I did not convey those words.”
“Why not?”
“Because I knew that flower was a dangerous item.”
“Isn’t it just a pretty flower?”
After a moment of silence, Hira knelt down. “I have done wrong, Your Majesty.”
“That’s not an answer fitting my question.”
“I will tell you everything. Please, just spare my life, Your Majesty.”
Hira acted as if she had committed a grave sin. It didn’t look like an act. She was even breaking out in a cold sweat.
“Wait, Your Majesty. This is slander. Whatever comes out of that child’s mouth is all lies! Hira! You wench! What are you up to?”
Bennet rushed at Hira. Before anyone could stop her, she grabbed Hira by the hair.
“Who told you to do this?”
Bennet’s eyes looked like they were about to pop out. Her eyes were bloodshot as she glared at Hira.
“…Didn’t Your Majesty order it?”
Hira, her neck bent backwards, barely finished speaking through choked breaths.
“When did I ever…No! Your Majesty, this wench is lying right now. We must drag her out and behead her immediately.”
“We’ll have to listen to see if your words are true or if that child’s words are true. Look here, the Queen is very agitated. Bring a chair so she can sit down.”
On the surface, the words seemed considerate towards Bennet, but in reality, they were not. Two warriors grabbed Bennet’s arms and sat her down in the chair, almost as if imprisoning her.
“Let go!”
“I’m sorry, please calm down.”
Every time she tried to get out of the chair, the warriors’ hands pressing down on her shoulders grew stronger. Bennet gritted her teeth. For mere warriors to lay hands on her body! There was no humiliation like this.
“Your Majesty!”
“Please be quiet, Bennet! Do I have to gag you as well?”
Bennet was so shocked she couldn’t even breathe. As she gaped like a fish out of water with a pale face, Elise approached her.
“His Majesty is very angry, Queen Bennet. Won’t His Majesty give you a chance after interrogating Hira? So please just…”
Elise bent down, pretending to fix Bennet’s disheveled hair. “Keep your mouth shut for a bit.”
Bennet’s eyes slowly rolled to meet Elise’s. Her gaze was fierce, as if she would bite and tear Elise’s neck right then, but there was nothing she could do.
“Speak. You must have a reason for begging me for your life! What were you planning to do with this flower?”
Hira’s body trembled slightly.
From her mouth, Bennet’s planned actions poured out.
“Lady Elise, she said to infiltrate Lady Elise’s bedroom at night after seeing the flower placed on the bedside table. And to set fire. T-that flower has anesthetic properties…”
Elise smiled inwardly. It was exactly as she had expected. It had to be.
Everything Hira was saying was what Elise had told her to say.
Yesterday, Elise had failed to figure out when Bennet would act. So she decided to make the first move.
Elise called Hira and instructed her to testify about a plan Bennet might have devised.
And this morning, she requested an audience with Tyllo, carrying the flowers.
Under the pretext of introducing Leber, Elise said she brought the flowers because they were too beautiful to enjoy alone and gave them to Tyllo. Of course, Leber warned to be careful of those flowers.
Elise had used Bennet’s plan in reverse.
“Is what I’ve heard true?”
After hearing Hira’s statement, Tyllo held his forehead.
As he waved his hand, feeling dizzy, an aide rushed to support him.
Tyllo firmly grasped the hand that he would have usually pushed away immediately.
The shock seemed considerable.
It hadn’t been long since he heard about Bennet’s misdeeds from Elise. Tyllo had also guessed that Bennet was making several dangerous plans.
But knowing and seeing it executed were worlds apart.
Bennet was determined to eliminate anyone she saw as even a slight obstacle.
It might be Elise now, but he realized it could be himself next.
In the silence as Tyllo kept his mouth shut, all that could be heard was Bennet’s labored breathing and Hira’s crying.
Elise calmly surveyed the situation.
When would be a good time to step in? Or would it be better not to step in at all?
Elise thought deeply and decided not to intervene.
Because that would make her look kinder.
It was something she had learned from Iris.
“Huff… Confine Bennet… Don’t let her take even one step outside her bedroom!”
Tyllo’s judgment began.
“All the budget allocated to Bennet! Transfer it all to Elise.”
“Your Majesty!”
Bennet cried out. Tyllo strode over and grabbed her by the collar.
Bennet’s legs dangled in the air. She pulled at Tyllo’s hand, choking.
“Ack, kuh.”
Tyllo just stared at her silently, breathing.
“I was wrong… Your Majesty, I was wrong…”
Bennet, now pale, belatedly tried to apologize, but the damage was already done.
Tyllo’s trust in Bennet was completely shattered.
Tyllo’s grip tightened. At this rate, Bennet’s neck would break.
“Your Majesty, we’ve only heard the maid’s testimony. Given the gravity of the situation, we should consider this more deeply.”
Elise had to intervene. If Tyllo killed Bennet here, they would lose the chance to sweep away all her remaining supporters.
Elise intended to thoroughly investigate this incident to bring down everything Bennet had.
Tyllo’s face contorted fiercely. He exhaled as if venting his anger and threw Bennet down. Bennet clutched her throat, coughing.
“What are you all doing? Carry out my orders immediately!”
At Tyllo’s roar, the warriors dragged Bennet away.
“What about this child!”
“I will take responsibility, Your Majesty. She risked her life to testify for me, so it’s only right that I take care of her.”
“Do as you see fit.”
Tyllo didn’t want to think about anything. He was rather glad that Elise was taking on this troublesome and dirty task.
“Everyone, leave.”
At the dismissal, everyone hurriedly moved.
Rumors about Bennet spread quickly inside and outside the palace.
“Should we realign ourselves?”
“Destroy all documents related to Queen Bennet!”
A wind that changed the game had blown. It was at the level of a storm.
****
The procedures for Bennet’s downfall progressed quickly, along with Karan’s investiture as crown prince.
But to avoid tainting Karan’s investiture ceremony, Bennet’s downfall was handled very quietly internally.
While no edict of dethronement was issued, Bennet’s palace was emptied, her assets were confiscated, and her family, who had most actively supported her, was dismantled.
Those who helped Bennet, those who introduced others to help her, and those who knew of her wrongdoings but didn’t speak up were summoned one after another. Depending on the severity of their crimes, they were either erased from Tetris’s history or had to leave far away.
But Cowett survived. He was comfortable even in the midst of the storm.
At Elise’s plea, Tyllo decided to take in Cowett.
“He could become a seed of trouble. Are you still willing to keep him close?”
One never knows what flower will bloom. He’s still just a seed, after all.
Elise vowed to cherish Cowett like her own brother.
The first step was to honestly tell him about Bennet’s situation.
Elise called Cowett separately and explained his mother’s downfall as simply as possible.
“Is… is mother going to die?”
“No. It’s actually just for show.”
Cowett said that was enough, dropping tears with his head bowed low.
Elise hugged Cowett for a long time, and the next day Cowett moved to Karan’s palace.
A few days later, Karan’s investiture ceremony as crown prince was held modestly.
Instead, a celebratory feast was held for the people of the Tetris kingdom.
They announced to other countries that the succession of Tetris had been firmly established.
“Her Highness Ilaria has sent a gift.”
“His Highness David has sent one too.”
Regina and Ruo appeared, carrying an armful of gifts.
Ilaria sent a pair of albatrosses sculpted in gold, saying they resembled Karan and Elise.
“Her Highness Ilaria, you know. Her gift sense is amazing! Albatrosses mate for life, don’t they?”
Fiona was delighted as if it were her own gift. Elise placed the pair of albatrosses on the bedside table.
Only seeing each other.
She really liked the meaning behind the gift.
“Let’s open His Highness David’s gift too!”
Elise smiled and opened David’s gift box.
“…!”
“It’s an incredibly old book, isn’t it?”
Regina, Fiona, and Ruo craned their necks to look inside the box.
Elise carefully picked up the book. It was the book that had the illustration of the djinn who restored Karan’s magic.
–[To the future Crown Princess, as you seem to lack nothing, I send this last remaining book. I hope it pleases you.]
She had been curious about why Karan’s magic was blocked. From her brief look before, it seemed related to Ragnaros, but she had given up finding an answer due to lack of clues.
But with this book, she might be able to find the answer.
She was very pleased with David’s gift as well.
Elise put the book back in the box.
“I’ve received wonderful gifts. I should write back. Could you prepare pen and paper?”
“Before that, let’s open the other gifts too!”
There were several others who had sent gifts besides David and Ilaria.
Although she wanted to write letters first, Elise nodded, not wanting to disappoint Fiona who was beaming with anticipation.
“Yay!”
Fiona excitedly put the gift boxes on the table.
“Even if I write the letters later, I should record who sent what.”
Elise wasn’t someone who only received. She planned to return as much as she received.
“Understood!”
Fiona went off happily to fetch pen and paper.
Because there were many gifts, the process of checking them felt like a sort of task.
Regina would untie each box’s ribbon, Elise would open it and check the contents, and Ruo would organize them.
Finally, Fiona would write down the name of the gift-giver and the contents.
Their teamwork was so smooth that it didn’t take long to check all the gifts that had filled the table.
“Finally, the last one.”
Fiona’s voice was noticeably different from when they had checked Ilaria’s gift.
“I didn’t know that checking gifts could be such hard work. I thought it would just be enjoyable. I guess moderation is best in everything.”
Elise, thinking Fiona had gained a good insight, opened the last gift.
“There’s no name, Miss. That’s why I left it for last,” Regina said as she untied the ribbon.
“Did they forget to write the name?” Ruo asked.
Elise shook her head.
“Usually, one might forget the contents, but they always write their name.”
“Why?”
“These gifts are sent to make their presence known. It’s a kind of bribe and a way to leave an impression, so they wouldn’t forget to include their name.”
That’s why Elise didn’t just receive gifts, but planned to return them. She disliked feeling indebted, and there were some people she didn’t want to be deeply involved with.
“Then… what could this gift be?”
“We’ll know when we open it.”
“Could it be dangerous? Let me open it, Miss!”
Ruo stepped forward, but was too late. Elise had already opened the gift box lid.
“Oh my!”
“Goodness…”
“Miss, don’t look!”
Fiona, Ruo, and Regina hurriedly tried to remove the gift. Elise grabbed Regina’s hand as she was holding the gift box.
“Leave it.”
“Miss…”
Inside the gift box was a dead rabbit. Along with a note.
–[This will be your fate soon. See you soon, my sister.]
It was a gift sent by Iris.
