Chapter 166
Nicholas, looking at Killian who had grabbed him by the collar, spoke.
“If you had explained even a little why you had to be the Black Moon, what the illegitimate child was, and why the Empress was so wary of you.”
“So, you tried to kill Sophia?”
Killian ground his teeth at Nicholas’s resentful words.
Whatever the circumstances, Nicholas’s attempt to harm Sophia was unforgivable.
Nicholas laughed weakly.
“You still don’t trust me.”
“How can I trust you?”
“I received an order to kill her. But I had no intention of killing her.”
Nicholas glanced at Sophia standing behind Killian.
“Of course… I would have kidnapped her. I still can’t defy the Empress’s orders. I’ve been trained too well.”
Nicholas scoffed.
The Empress had ordered him to stage Sophia’s death as a carriage accident.
But he was no longer a mindless dog following orders.
So, he secretly kidnaps Sophia and plans to cover up the incident with another body.
Though it might quickly be discovered by the Empress, it was a decision he made on his own.
“And you expect me to believe that?”
“At least… I still believe in you, Your Grace.”
I believe you wouldn’t chase after the matter of the illegitimate child without reason.
Killian’s fists trembled at Nicholas’s words. At that moment, Sophia grabbed Killian’s arm.
“I’m alright, Killian.”
Sophia looked up at him quietly. She knew he couldn’t kill Nicholas on the spot.
She knew how much Killian had liked and trusted Nicholas.
The depth of his betrayal matched how much he had cared for him.
Thus, he couldn’t kill Nicholas.
With his archery skills, Killian could have already killed Nicholas with a single arrow.
Even now, he could punish him.
But all he did was grab Nicholas by the collar, unable to do anything else.
“But, Sophia…!”
“If Sir Nicholas truly has a purpose, he will show us by making different choices from now on.”
Sophia turned her gaze to Nicholas as if telling him to prove his sincerity.
* * *
“The Empress commanded me to stage Lady Sophia’s death as a carriage accident.”
Nicholas testified in a trembling voice before the people.
Beatrice glared at Nicholas with a flushed face.
“How dare you try to defy the royal family! Accusing me falsely and deceiving people with a fake death is also treason.”
At the Empress’s command, the Orhelin knights drew their swords.
Killian, pulling Sophia behind him, drew his own sword.
The two factions stood in tense opposition in the chapel.
Beatrice, keeping her eyes on Killian, ordered her servants,
“Collect every piece of paper and remove everyone.”
She couldn’t risk any more spectators who might spread rumors about what had happened.
Beatrice aimed to suppress any potential fallout from the Black Moon flyers.
She expelled everyone from the chapel and rigorously ensured that no flyers left the premises.
“Empress, admit to all your crimes and step down.”
Killian warned Beatrice, who was trying to cover up her guilt.
“I raised you like a son, and yet you overstep your bounds and rampage, Killian. Do you not realize how foolish your actions are?”
Beatrice sneered at Killian. Killian seemed to think he had a chance because the knights she brought were only a few for protection. But Killian’s current actions were nothing but foolish self-sabotage.
“To present yourself as a traitor in front of everyone.”
His poorly calculated decision made her lament all the patience he had shown thus far.
“Do you think I would draw my sword without any preparation?”
Killian quietly took something out of his coat.
“The leader of the Empire is His Majesty the Emperor, not the Empress.”
What Killian revealed was an edict bearing the Emperor’s seal.
“His Majesty has commanded an investigation into this incident and to severely punish the guilty, no matter what.”
Seeing the edict, the angles of the Orhelin knights’ swords wavered.
“That can’t be…!”
Beatrice had also planted her people around the Emperor.
The Emperor’s attendants were her eyes and ears, and she kept track of everyone he met.
According to her knowledge, the Emperor hadn’t met Killian recently.
But she forgot that she wasn’t the only one capable of plotting behind the scenes.
Unfortunately, she had too much faith in her people.
Killian, as he had done for over a decade, tried to resolve everything on his own.
She assumed the foolish emperor would remain ignorantly passive.
“So… what’s different now, Killian?” Beatrice asked shamelessly, even while clenching her fists.
“You think Sir Nicholas’s words prove my guilt? Isn’t it obvious he falsely accuses me? Besides, you know testimony alone is insufficient evidence.”
Beatrice spoke.
When Killian was in the underground prison, he hadn’t been dealt with completely because the Emperor insisted on ‘direct evidence.’
Therefore, as Killian was released, mere testimony wouldn’t suffice to prove the Empress’s guilt.
“Are you planning to deny it to the end?”
Killian was speechless at her brazen attitude, despite speaking as if she knew about Sophia’s death.
At that moment.
“Wait…”
Mikhail stepped between the tense standoff of Killian and the Orhelin knights.
Standing behind Beatrice, he couldn’t comprehend the situation.
Why Sophia, presumed dead, reappeared as the Black Moon, why his mother tried to kill Sophia, and why she and Killian were suddenly at each other’s throats.
Mikhail looked at them with confused eyes.
“Killian, lower your sword. Your Majesty, order Orhelin to withdraw their swords.”
He spoke while standing amidst the gleaming blades. Though he couldn’t grasp the situation, he knew it could escalate into civil war if left unchecked.
However, Beatrice refused to order her knights to lower their swords.
“Mikhail, can’t you see? Killian is plotting treason.”
“That’s impossible!”
Mikhail looked at Killian for confirmation.
He wouldn’t do this.
Killian bit his lip as Mikhail looked at him with pleading eyes.
One reason he hadn’t dared to draw a sword against Beatrice was Mikhail.
He didn’t want to ruin his relationship with Mikhail or become enemies because of Beatrice’s crimes.
But it had come to this after all. After delaying and almost losing Sophia.
“I can’t lose any more loved ones.”
“So you must lower your sword…! If this continues, we might all lose— you, me, and Her Majesty.”
“…You must have heard the Empress mention Sophia’s death in a carriage accident, even though I didn’t notify anyone.”
Killian reminded him of undeniable evidence.
Mikhail trembled.
“…Your Majesty, what does this mean?”
Mikhail’s question turned back to Beatrice.
Though he couldn’t know all the details, he sensed something was amiss in her reactions and demeanor.
Mikhail also received the news of Sophia’s death from Killian but never learned how she died.
Even the obituary in the newspaper mentioned only ‘Frauss family’s eldest daughter’s tragic death.’
He had been curious but unable to ask. Killian had refused to meet any visitors until the funeral, leaving Mikhail to grieve and worry about him.
So why was Sophia alive, and why had his mother said she died in a carriage accident?
“Please explain, Your Majesty. What did you mean by Sophia’s carriage accident?”
Mikhail asked, and Beatrice replied.
“It was a slip of the tongue.”
Mikhail’s blue eyes wavered.
“…Is that all?”
“Yes, it was a mistake.”
Beatrice answered, and Mikhail’s expression twisted.
He had hoped for a better explanation.
The mother he knew wouldn’t make such careless mistakes in serious, crowded events like a funeral.
Even if she misspoke, she would explain the reason. But now, his mother was avoiding responsibility with evasive words.
“I… wanted to believe in you, Your Majesty.”
Mikhail spoke in a trembling voice, looking at her.
“I wanted to believe you had nothing to do with Logan.”
Beatrice’s lips parted at Mikhail’s words. Logan was a pseudonym Beatrice used for the courier of the Rosarphi. How did that name come from Mikhail?
“I thought I was mistaken, confused with something else.”
Since receiving the Black Moon documents from Killian, Mikhail had diligently pursued the case.
He tried to uncover the identity of ‘Logan’ that Sophia found.
He discovered Logan was in the palace.
“Logan? What are you talking about, Mikhail?”
“The gardener, Mother.”
