Chapter 73
As Dad trudged through the hall, the eyes of the sitting nobles turned to us.
However, because it was an official event, I felt like they were trying to kill their attention.
The victims of the building collapse gathered with Vallois as the last one.
As we sat down in the empty seats, we felt the Empress, who was standing on a platform not far away, smiling at us.
Compared to her raised lips, her eyes were as cold as midwinter.
Even though I didn’t hear it, I was reminded of the sarcastic tone of voice, asking if we had come here because we were victims.
“… Anyway, what was the cause of the building collapse?”
“We’re not sure. What’s important is that Her Imperial Majesty the Empress has a great contribution to this incident. If it weren’t for divine power, we would still be trapped in the ward.”
The Empress had a very good reputation.
Perhaps treating the injured person must have had a positive effect on public opinion.
I quietly played with the cuddly cat doll on my lap.
While Isilis was being praised here and there, the Emperor entered from the left side of the podium.
All nobles were polite.
The Emperor saw this and sighed lightly.
He seemed glad that public opinion wasn’t bad, but there was a shadow around his eyes, perhaps because he was tired from solving the case itself.
“This building collapse must have been mentally and physically difficult, but I feel grateful that we made it this far. First of all, it’s being investigated that the collapse of this court-style building was caused by an accident when two pillars on the side of the podium collapsed.”
The Emperor, who had hardened his face as if he were sad, changed his expression and smiled.
“But even though the building collapsed, thanks to the Empress’ divine power, not only the casualties but also the injured were completely cured within a day.”
When all the nobles clapped their hands at those words, Isilis laughed as if she was embarrassed.
‘It’s so easy to sway public opinion.’
Would they really applaud if they knew that the amazing Empress even planned the collapse of the building, I wonder.
“Anyway, as a result of the Imperial Family’s investigation into the accident, it was revealed that this accident was caused by an inexperienced check by the manager in charge of regularly checking the safety of the building. So our Imperial Family holds the building manager responsible…”
“…Excuse me…”
It was then.
I was watching the situation as if I was eating popcorn when I heard a cautious voice next to me.
He was a boy about the same age as me.
Looking at him sitting neatly dressed, he seemed to be the son of a noble who had attended the trial ceremony at the time.
The boy looked at me and whispered with his mouth, full of curiosity.
“…That doll is cool.”
I flinch.
The cat doll that was trying to respond to my praise barely kept its stamina.
It was obvious that moving here would cause a disturbance, so I ordered the doll not to move before coming here.
“My maid made it herself. There is only one in the world.”
“How envious. Our maids don’t make things like this…”
“Do you want to touch the doll?”
I smiled softly.
As if luring by clapping one’s hands.
“Is that okay?”
“There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“…Wow…”
When I handed the doll to the hesitant boy, he played with the soft doll with his eyes turned into a rabbit.
For reference, the cat doll’s regeneration function was activated when its stomach was pressed.
The boy’s fingers barely touched the tip of the doll’s stomach as he touched it with curiosity.
“Should I ask them to make one for me too?”
“Mmhm. That’s okay.”
I stared at that scene quietly and whispered in my friend’s ear.
“If you press the doll’s stomach, it makes a meow sound, you know?”
“Really?”
Curiosity flashed in the boy’s eyes.
“…Therefore, our Imperial Family resigned the building manager, Sir Thor, who caused the collapse of the building…”
Even as the Emperor’s words rang out, we continued to whisper.
“Do you want to give it a try?”
“…Can I press it?”
“It’s up to you.”
“…Oho.”
As the boy, unaware and excited, pressed the doll’s stomach, the corners of my lips went up.
It was from this time that the full-scale planning began.
“Those involved in the building collapse should be held accountable and victims’ psychological damage compensated…”
Crackㅡ
[…Even if Bella becomes a counterweight to Billishia’s black magic, she won’t be in danger.]
“…?”
The Emperor, taken aback by the sound of the recording that cut off his words, raised his head.
It was the same for Isilis, who was quietly laughing.
“…M-Mom!”
“U-Uaakh!”
When the doll’s stomach began to regenerate, the startled boy turned white.
“Eh. It’s clearly supposed to be a meow sound, but why does it suddenly sound like a human sound?”
I made an embarrassed expression, played with the doll, and ended up crying.
“…There’s no stopping. What should I do? I think the doll is broken!”
Either way, the playback continued.
[The building collapse is progressing as planned, but how do you plan to handle it?]
[Only two pillars were knocked down on purpose. I don’t know if it’s Vallois, but the nobles who came to watch won’t die, so I can restore them with divine power.]
“The collapse of the building was planned?”
“Restore with divine power? What does this all mean?”
The nobles, realizing that the point of the conversation was strange, began to whisper.
“Everyone be quiet!”
The embarrassed Emperor hurried down the stage and shouted, yet they couldn’t calm down.
The collapse of the building, which was thought to be a simple accident, was intentional.
Even the nobles looked shocked as they realized that the voice of the Empress, whom they had been praising as an angel without wings, was sharp.
“It was clearly the voice of Her Imperial Majesty the Empress. Did I hear something wrong?”
“But why would she make the building collapse…?”
“Anyone can tell it’s Her Imperial Majesty’s voice. Divine power was even mentioned!”
One of them, a noble, jumped up with a red face, perhaps overcome with emotion.
The sitting nobles became agitated and began to stand up one by one.
I, surrounded by angry nobles, grinned at the Empress.
[If you defeat Duke Cassis, please release Bella’s black magic.]
[By the way, what will happen to Bluebell now?]
[From now on, the Bluebell family will outperform Vallois wherever you go. I guarantee you.]
Isilis stood like a corpse.
Pale green eyes were shaking viciously in a face that wasn’t even warm as if the blood had gone away.
Then, after struggling to come to her senses, the Empress hurriedly came down from the stage and shouted.
“His Imperial Majesty was speaking. It would be nice if you could remain quiet!”
“With all due respect, does the recorded voice belong to you, Your Imperial Majesty?”
“Please explain the situation!”
“Fifty people were injured in this building collapse!”
However, there was no way the people who were already very angry would listen.
Amidst ever-increasing criticism.
“…Kai, Bian. You guys take Billie outside. Agasa and the knight commander will be there to meet you in advance.”
As Cassis quietly stood up amidst the chaos, the nodding brothers took me with them and walked through the angry crowd.
Cassis approached the bewildered Emperor.
While they were talking quietly, I saw the Emperor from afar putting his hand on his forehead as if he was in trouble.
He also had no idea that the Empress had planned the collapse of the building.
The Emperor sighed heavily and closed his eyes.
After the conversation with Dad, he seemed to have chosen to silence public opinion for now rather than the Empress.
“…First, take the Empress away.”
“Your Imperial Majesty!”
The Empress was greatly surprised by those words, and the nobles were greatly pleased.
“Your Imperial Majesty! If you ask them to take me away so recklessly, do you think I’m a criminal, Your Imperial Majesty?”
“Take her with you.”
The knights who tried to approach Isilis flinched at her defiance, but at the Emperor’s command, they disappeared, taking the Empress with them.
“And you, have a talk with me.”
That was the last time I saw Dad and the Emperor.
I glanced at the disappearing Empress, held my brothers’ hands, and left the hall.
***
“The Imperial Family can’t give up on the Empress.”
A few minutes later, the throne room.
The Emperor, who had been tapping on the desk, lowered his upper body and wiped his tired face.
A sense of silence lingered in the audience room, where no one was present.
Cassis had no answer.
“…It’s natural that you don’t like it. I have my own reasons.”
The Emperor, who had been lowering his head, glanced at the Duke subtly.
At first glance, Cassis seemed to be thinking about something.
The dark, sunken gaze was directed towards the Emperor.
If it were like usual, he has the temperament that if he doesn’t like something, the first thing he does is break things.
‘What made him change, I wonder.’
It was good to be calm, but watching Duke Cassis thinking sent shivers down the Emperor’s spine.
Of course, Cassis was barely holding back his anger, as was his nature.
The current Empress was targeting Vallois.
In the meantime, the fact that he called him into the throne room to talk meant that he could negotiate with the Emperor anyway.
Cassis knew that, so he didn’t show any complaints.
However, it was none of his business that the Emperor was sweating because of the blatant gaze.
“…Goodness. Alright, alright. I’m revealing the secret. Follow me.”
In the end, the Emperor, unable to overcome Cassis’ gaze, led him somewhere as if he had lost.
After leaving the throne room and walking for about 10 minutes, a large door appeared beyond the outdoor garden connecting the building.
That was the bedroom.
Cassis’ thick eyebrows slowly rose as he grasped the situation.
“…Are we coming to Your Imperial Majesty’s bedroom?”
“Since you’re such a serious person, I believe you will control your mouth.”
The Emperor closed the door and sighed deeply.
He continued speaking with a bewildered expression.
The late emperor, who was sleeping without knowing anything, had a peaceful look on his face.
“Currently, His Imperial Majesty the late Emperor is suffering from a chronic illness of unknown cause. Actually, as with this incident, I’m also puzzled by the Empress’s behavior these days. At first, it was a prophecy and all… ”
“Prophecy.”
When Cassis asked about the unfamiliar word, the Emperor shook his head.
“N-No. By the way, the problem is that the Empress is taking care of His Imperial Majesty the late Emperor’s chronic illness. I have thoroughly investigated the late Emperor’s illness, but they say there is nothing that can cure it for now except divine power.”
“If she had used divine power, he would have made a full recovery long ago.”
“Is that what you think too?”
The Emperor furrowed his brow as if Cassis had made a keen point.
“That’s what I think too.”
