Before setting out for Isabelle’s manor, Edith was able to talk to Rosaline.
Realizing they were under surveillance, Lexion’s informants had moved Rosaline and her child to the Duchy’s maids’ quarters.
『 Rosaline was convinced that Claude was the child of another man and not the previous Emperor.』
However, all paternity tests conducted so far have yielded results showing that Claude is of Imperial Blood.
If Rosaline’s claim is true, it means that Patricia falsified all the paternity tests.
As Edith’s thoughts reached that point, something caught on in her mind.
“Elizabeth, tell me everything you’ve done in the last few days as Patricia’s lady-in-waiting.”
“If it’s everything…”
“Tell me what you were told to do, what you were asked for, things like that. Please tell me without leaving anything out.”
Edith’s voice was more serious than ever. Elizabeth rolled her eyes and began to carefully recall memories from a week ago.
“And late yesterday, she stopped by the Health Bureau to say she was nervous about the trial, and she waited outside while I explained her symptoms to the doctors and asked for some medication.”
Edith’s eyes narrowed as she listened.
It was a bit strange that Patricia, who used to simply describe her condition to her lady-in-waiting, followed her to the Health Bureau and waited outside.
『 Rosalyn said the same thing. Patricia, who’s about to go to trial, complained of a nervous breakdown and visited a doctor in person…』
Was there something in the Health Bureau used to manipulate the paternity test results?
Edith decided to delve deeper into her reasonable suspicions further once she returned to the manor.
“Elizabeth, I’m glad you’re working as a lady-in-waiting. The power that Patricia built up through lies will definitely crumble.”
“I’m glad I could help. Oh, and by the way, you mentioned the other day to go to Gilbert and gather useful information.”
Elizabeth, who uttered Gilbert’s name, was calm, without any agitation.
“I don’t think it was a coincidence that the Imperial Consort sent me to Fortrion.”
“What does that mean?”
“That’s what Gilbert said. The Imperial Consort had been sending mages and assassins to various territories for some reason, and among them, those heading to Fortrion seem to have discovered something.”
Following Rosaline, Elizabeth was also saying the same thing.
“Elizabeth, do you know what the Imperial Consort discovered?”
“I don’t think I do, and I don’t think Gilbert does either. The Imperial Consort always half-trusted Gilbert, so she did not say anything very important information to him. But Count Gerturk might know.”
“…”
Edith thought for a moment.
She had thought there might be a reason Patricia had sent Elizabeth to Fortrion and had asked her to investigate.
But now that she heard from Rosaline that Patricia was both envious and jealous of Mrs. Leah, it all felt like a plan, not a coincidence.
──────────✿◦•
“Claude, you don’t have to shiver. No matter what anyone says, you have the bloodline of the Imperial Family.”
“Yes, Mother…”
“If you understand, just go back, eat, and get ready to go out. Make sure to remember the faces of those who put you on trial today.”
Patricia patted her nervous son on the shoulder. Although her touch was burdensome, Claude left the room without saying anything.
Only now, with Count Gerturk alone, Patricia sighed irritably.
“Gilbert… if that stupid bastard hadn’t made a mistake, this trial wouldn’t have happened… Count, I assume you caught Rosaline, right?”
“…”
Count Gerturk lowered his head, unable to reply.
“I apologize. The vigilance of the Lexion people was too strict that we couldn’t get to her.”
In fact, if the assassination squad that he had invested so much effort in cultivating had remained, he might have been able to somehow take Rosaline out.
However, it was Patricia who discarded Aizen, who was the leader, like a dirty napkin.
Furthermore, due to acting under Patricia’s orders secretly, many knights were injured or killed, and the morale among the knights was not as high as before.
However, unable to express all these facts out loud, the Count slurred his words.
“You’re so incompetent that you can’t even take away a woman with a child.”
Patricia spoke irritably and extended her hand toward the Count. It was to receive the item she had previously requested.
Count Gerturk checked once again that there was no one around and then took out a small dagger from his embrace, offering it to her.
Shiiing—
Patricia examined the blade with indifferent eyes. She really liked the fact that, unlike ordinary swords, it had a bluish glow.
“As you commanded, the blade was made using only the magicites. However… may I ask what purpose you intend to use it for?”
Patricia burst out laughing at the Count’s question.
『 Leah Lexion was born with immense magical power and lived a terminally ill life. Her son wouldn’t be any different.』
Patricia did not know who Walter’s father was. But with the help of the mages, she realized that at some point since returning to the capital, Walter had stopped using magic.
This was remarkable, considering that those who could use magic usually did so several times a day for convenience.
『 Unless he inherited great power from his mother and is worried about a magic outburst, he had no reason to be so restrained.』
In that case, it could be easily solved with this dagger full of magic.
The moment the dagger made out of magicites penetrates his skin, all of the magic power that the Little Duke possesses would be disturbed, and a magic explosion would begin.
If she were to win because of his outstanding magical power, it would be a reward for getting to this position through hard work without any support or support from her family.
“You could say it’s insurance in case the mages you prepared fail to do their job.”
“…”
“You should go, Count. Keep alert until the end so that the mission doesn’t get disrupted.”
She wouldn’t have considered such measures if the Little Duke and his men hadn’t laid a hand on Rosaline.
However, since Rosaline was stuck with Lexion and knew whose son Claude was, she could not waste any more time.
“If this rebellion is successful, no one will be able to ignore House Gerturk or me again.”
Treason. Count Gerturk stepped back, feeling his heart throb with fear and anticipation because of that word.
When he went out the door, two older mages were waiting for him. They were all hired by Patricia, ready to act.
“Count, we have planted the magicite bombs at the location you mentioned.”
“Did you install them at all the locations without missing any?”
“Of course. As soon as Lady Patricia gives the order, the capital’s major buildings will be blown down. Everyone will point out the mages of Lexion as the culprits.”
Count Gerturk quietly nodded.
Bombs made from magicites had considerable power. The ability to cast magic of such range in the capital was exclusive to Lexion and its relatives.
『 When the bomb explodes, the magicites would also be completely destroyed. No one will know that we, who did not inherit any magical power, used the stolen magicites.』
People will say that Lexion, who confirmed that Claude was of Imperial Blood, made a hasty plan to take the throne by force.
All that was necessary for them to be able to take advantage of the confusion and solidify Claude’s succession to the throne.
Count Gerturk clenched his fists. He could only hope that the Goddess of Victory would smile at him since things had already progressed to the point of no return.
──────────✿◦•
“Take care, both of you.”
Theos saw Edith and Walter off as they boarded the carriage. As he was about to return to the lab, Cassius stopped him.
“Theos, how is the research on the Emperor’s blood?”
“Sir Cassius, you didn’t go with them today?”
“I can’t go into details, but my role today is to protect Young Master Adrian. When will the Little Duke’s magic outburst be fixed?”
The sight of Cassius impatient as if it was his job reminded Theos of himself, who worked himself to death to earn money for his younger sibling’s medicine.
So Theos wanted to give the most positive answer he could give.
“I think the Little Duke’s magic will be stabilized just by injecting him with the magic extracted from His Majesty’s blood.”
“Was it a problem that could be solved that easily?”
“Hmm… The problem is that the Little Duke’s magical power is too solid. So to put it into words, it’s like trying to fit a log into a castle made of bricks.”
“Then you’re saying that even if you had a cure, we couldn’t give it to him. Don’t torture my hopes, kid.”
“But I… Ah, it hurts!”
Cassius gently pulled Theos’ left cheek and then released it.
“I’m getting all impatient wondering when we can fix his magic outburst and when he’s going to find his lost memories.”
The happier Walter was with Edith and Adrian, the more anxious Cassius, watching from the side, became.
If Walter, who had crawled all the way up here from the bottom, were to lose both memories and magical power again, it would be painful for Cassius as well.
『 Nicholas Fortrion said he could get his memories back if he burned something, but… I should trust someone we can rely on.』
In the current situation, Cassius had no choice but to trust this little boy, who was said to be a genius and Lexion’s doctors.
Meanwhile, Edith and Walter were heading to court in a carriage. The reason they were attending in person at a place where only the lawyers could participate was because there was something they needed to see with their own eyes.
To be precise, Walter was going to put Rosaline on the stand as a witness, to see if she would testify properly.
Although physical evidence could not be secured, she had been Patricia’s lady-in-waiting for a long time, so it was believed that her testimony alone could cause a considerable stir.
However, his wife, who did not come to the bedroom all night and diligently went back and forth between the library and the laboratory, said something that could easily shake up the trial.
⋙“So… you found out how Patricia manipulated the paternity test results?”⋘
Edith nodded her head towards Walter, who was double-confirming once again.
❀.°• ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ •°.❀
