“What do you mean…”
Marquis Schultz still seemed relaxed. A slight smile also appeared.
I really didn’t want to watch any longer as someone tried to grasp and shake things up without any fear or significant preparation. I guess he was lucky enough to discover Rudbihi’s secret, but it wasn’t a threat to me at all.
Ian had already visited last night. During the few days given, he had checked what had been missing among the things reclaimed as the Rudbihi family was exterminated.
Contrary to my expectations, the secret taken by Marquis Schultz was not something remarkable. At most, it was just a part of what the Duke Rudbihi, that is, my mother, had committed against the previous empress. And the evidence that I had been adopted was cleverly found. Actually, I didn’t even know that they had that evidence, so I thought it was quite impressive. But that was all.
If that fact became known to the public, there might be some confusion for a while, but if that were frightening, would I still be here?
It had been confirmed that the person to rebuild Bei was definitely related to Marquis Schultz. However, my expectation that Marquis Schultz himself was involved was slightly off. It was actually Viscount Orion, a collateral relative of the Schultz family, who had lent his name, with Marquis Schultz backing him. And the fact that Zerod was joining hands with Viscount Orion.
In fact, I had learned this from documents that were beside my bed this morning. It was obvious who left it there.
Valery had left it, pretending not to hear my instruction to ignore it. If it were up to Valery’s character, he would have altered the fate of the marquis’s family today by his command alone. But now, I hoped he wouldn’t become a tyrant, as I once saw in a distant future.
“I wondered what great thing you had brought.”
“…”
“I turned a blind eye once, yet you still plan to bring it to me again.”
“Your Majesty.”
“What else does Marquis wish for?”
Regrettably, Marquis Schultz, who had diligently gathered my faults, knew one thing and was unaware of another. Or, it was unknown to anyone how much Valery had decided to endure it for me.
“Marquis has already deceived me several times.”
“…”
“That is precisely because you see me not as the empress but as Carbella Rudbihi.”
The marquis looked very embarrassed for the first time as if he hadn’t expected that I would mention my name myself.
I clicked my tongue openly. It was almost the first time I expressed such displeasure in front of someone. Looking at the marquis’s expression in front of me, I felt more at ease.
Before long, the marquis had completely dropped his guise and was looking down on me.
“Haha…”
Marquis Schultz bowed his head slightly as if dropping it and then let out an inexplicable laugh. When he raised his head again, there was a slight fierceness in his eyes. It felt like looking at a disobedient child.
“You misunderstand, Your Majesty.”
“Misunderstand?”
“I only wished to speak words that would be helpful to Your Majesty. And I was confident I would certainly succeed. I also had the mercy to cover it all.”
“Mercy?”
I scoffed, and the marquis’s eyes sharpened even more.
“Your Majesty, you will regret this decision. If you had listened to my request, it wouldn’t have come to this.”
“It might be. Sorry to say, Marquis, but I don’t think I have words to say to you anymore.”
I gave a faint smile as the marquis got up from his seat. And then he took a ring from the table as if snatching it away, even though I hadn’t even touched it. Marquis Schultz had been somewhat angry that the conversation hadn’t concluded properly, but still, he bowed respectfully to me before quickly leaving the room.
“Your Majesty.”
At the same time, I called for a maid, and the maid I had deliberately sent away quickly came back.
“The tea has gone cold. Could you bring me another warm cup?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The maid, looking worried just from my expression, nodded and soon brought me a fresh, warm cup of tea.
It was definitely the same tea I drank earlier, but somehow, it felt much more fragrant.
* * *
It had been very quiet since Marquis Schultz’s visit. The marquis, as if he had disappeared, did not enter the imperial palace and was as quiet as a dead mouse. He wouldn’t be threatened by me, and given his nature, he wouldn’t just sit still. He was clearly busy trying to use my weaknesses.
“Your Majesty, I have returned.”
“Welcome back.”
Ian, who had been busy gathering the information I had asked for, had not yet gone down north. Instead, he remained here, busily coming and going with free access to the imperial palace.
The time he spent in the palace was always about ten minutes or so. But the problem was that he spent this brief time reporting to Valery instead of to me.
I encountered Ian after a long time, and my usual tone slipped out. “Why did you tell Valery everything I asked for?”
“When I arrived, you weren’t here. You said it was okay not to hide it, so I did as instructed.”
“Well, shouldn’t you have waited then?”
“His Majesty the Emperor asked me to verify something additional.”
I glanced at Ian, who gave a blatantly brazen answer. He’s really something. Strictly speaking, I’m still his master. It was because he wouldn’t leave when I said I’d let him go. I did feel sorry for putting Ian back to work, but it was unavoidable since it involved Bei, which no one knew better than Ian and me now.
“But you did well to come today. There’s something I really wanted to tell you.”
I opened a drawer I had prepared in advance and took out a key. This was something I hadn’t given to anyone.
A long time ago, so long ago I hardly remember, Shubart Rivaho himself had given it to me. I had told Valery about it before, but even his mother would know about it.
“Zerod is involved, so it’ll be easier for you to handle Bei. It’s time for Marquis Schultz to make a move. I think he might disrupt the upcoming banquet.”
“…”
There was no way Marquis Schultz would just disappear quietly. He seemed likely to cause trouble at the palace banquet, which would be held in two days.
“Valery, no, I got permission from His Majesty too. Well, not that he would refuse it. Take it.”
“What is this?”
“The key to Bei’s vault. It has an address attached. I don’t know how they plan to rebuild Bei, but this is real. The seal is of no use.”
The seal was just like a token. It seems that Marquis Schultz thinks he has something great and is gathering Bei’s minions again.
“Why are you giving this to me?”
Ian looked unexpectedly surprised. Since I had never mentioned it to Ian before, it was a natural reaction.
“Now you should take over Bei.”
“…”
“It’s better you become the owner than it falling into someone else’s hands and getting ruined. All the power you need is in that vault. Sir Shubart said so. Unless he was joking with me.”
Since they were showing signs of moving, I couldn’t just sit still. Having finished checking who was involved, it was time to eliminate the nuisance.
