The voting for the electors has been moved up by a week.
In response, each faction has begun its busy behind-the-scenes activities.
The electors, who hold the voting rights to elect the next emperor, swore to avoid any contact with the grand dukes until just before the voting, and the imperial court hastened preparations for the vote.
While Karl appeared to be calmly preparing for the elector vote, this outward appearance belied the fact that he was actually the busiest of all.
Firstly, he needed to investigate how Grand Duke Toskur had amassed slush funds, what illegal dealings he had with several nobles, and the extent of the resulting victims. This required an immense amount of labor.
Additionally, he was busy examining the connections of those captured in the Kellever black market, those who had harmed Celeste in the square, and even those related to the explosion incident in Urentum, revealing that Karl was overwhelmed by the time required for this task.
Fortunately, the hectic investigation yielded fruitful results.
He discovered that the magic stone that caused the explosion in Urentum had been sold in the Kellever black market and obtained statements from an elderly woman who sold illegal magic stones to Celeste, revealing that the perpetrators bore tattoos identical to those who had tried to attack Celeste and abduct Valerie.
Now, discovering who the true orchestrator is will unveil the identity of those who had attempted to murder Celeste.
Moreover, he uncovered two significant truths: the same kind of magic stone used in the attempts on Celeste was also found at the scene of the Duke of Schwaben’s murder and Emperor Maximilian’s death.
With the help of the Ministry of Magic, Karl confirmed that the magic stones used to kill or attempt to kill Celeste, the Duke of Schwaben, and Emperor Maximilian were all mined and processed in the same location.
This implies that the person who killed the Duke of Schwaben also aimed to kill Count Luisette while assassinating Emperor Maximilian.
It was a colossal event. Who wanted to kill the emperor, and why? The direction of suspicion was already clear.
Those who could benefit from the emperor’s death.
Or those who wished to ascend to the throne by killing the emperor.
When combining both conditions, the suspects pointed towards two grand dukes, but only Grand Duke Toskur had a compelling ‘motive’ for it.
Although Grand Duke Albrecht resembled his father, who had rejected the opportunity to ascend to the throne, he would sacrifice his life for the emperor rather than take his cousin’s life to claim the throne.
“There are significant charges against the Toskur faction. This is truly…”
Monica gasped as she reviewed the endless charges and victims.
“I knew he was vicious, but not to this extent.”
Did he have any sense of guilt or a scrap of conscience at all?
Monica shuddered at Franz’s behavior, seeing lives as mere tools to fulfill his own ambitions and greed. Karl felt the same way.
“But that will soon come to an end.”
Heaviness washed over him. Monica, overwhelmed, closed the papers, leaned back in her chair, and rubbed her temples, but her headache persisted.
“The evil deeds of those will truly come to an end once the Grand Duke ascends the throne.”
A person’s blind love and the misguided judgments stemming from it have led to the deaths of so many innocent people for so long.
“…In the end, it comes back around like this.”
Monica’s words carried a heavy significance. It was a reflection on the long struggle for the imperial throne that had begun from the time of Karl’s father.
Monica’s husband, the former Grand Prince of Bavaria, had constantly faced threats to his position and doubts about his abilities. Now, two generations later, the persistent and bitter conflict seemed poised to finally conclude.
What if Bavaria, who had been frail from the start, had had his brother—Karl’s father—succumb to the throne instead? Perhaps, in that case, Bavaria might not have died. Maximilian might not have either…
What use is it to dwell on and regret the past? Monica quietly shook her head.
It is best to focus on what can be done now, even if that means seeking blood-soaked revenge.
“Turning back around… you say, Aunt.”
Monica’s cryptic words resonated deeply within Karl as well. His thoughts were not much different from hers.
If his father had given up his rights for his sibling and ruled in his stead, if he had firmly inherited the throne instead of the weak elder brother…
In that scenario, wouldn’t both his uncle and father still be alive? They would have closed off any opportunity for the enemy to attack from the outset.
But now, these thoughts were futile. Karl sighed briefly and glanced at the documents he had yet to sort.
“Oh right, when is Minister Linke departing?”
“He should have left by now.”
“I see. I hope he arrives safely.”
“Yes. He will return without incident, Aunt.”
“And we should get moving soon, too.”
Monica’s eyes sparkled with renewed interest, shaking off her weariness.
It wasn’t just to check on the Grand Duchess’s condition that Karl’s aide, Clovis, and Minister Linke of the Magic Department, were heading to the Duchy of Otaka with soldiers.
“Yes. We should be able to return before the electoral assembly of the princes.”
The electoral assembly. Celeste had gained the rights of a prince as a substitute for the Duke of Schwaben. If the vote were to take place, Celeste would naturally need to be present.
With the vote being moved up much earlier than expected, Celeste and Valerie hastened their return to the capital.
“They may raise objections regarding the fairness of the eligibility of the prince, given that one of the candidates is the Grand Duke’s wife.”
“That is certainly a possibility I’ve considered.”
“What are your plans if an official dispute arises?”
“In the records of past imperial law that specify the electoral process for the Electors, there is no condition that the person obtaining the rights of an Elector must not be a family member of the voters, so we should use that to our advantage.”
“And another thing. Wasn’t the Grand Duchess recently suspected of being involved in the assassination of the Duke of Schwaben? That could spark further controversy as well.”
“We have discovered clear evidence regarding that matter.”
“Evidence?”
“Illegally processed magic stones.”
“Magic stones…”
“I apologize for not reporting this earlier, but a thorough investigation is currently underway for these magic stones.”
“When you say ‘thorough’, you mean it’s not limited to the incident involving the Duke of Schwaben?”
“Yes. We have also captured evidence suggesting that someone who used the magic stones may have also attempted to harm the Grand Duchess.”
“My goodness.”
Monica covered her mouth with her sleeve. Although she didn’t speak, her thoughts likely converged on the identity of the ‘someone’ who used the magic stones.
“We plan to conduct a meticulous investigation into all of this and reveal everything on the day of the Elector vote.”
“Reveal? On the very day of the Elector vote?”
“Yes. From the announcement to the arrest of the culprit, it all should take place in one day. That way…”
“You won’t give the culprit a chance to escape. Understood.”
It was clear what his intention meant—arresting the one who had assassinated the Duke of Schwaben and attempted to harm Grand Duchess Albrecht on the day of the Elector vote, implying that the culprit was Franz.
“And, Aunt.”
Karl hesitated for a long time, pondering whether to say this or not, but finally decided to speak.
“There is another place where those magic stones were found.”
“Another? Those despicable people are working quite diligently. Where is it?”
“…In His Majesty the Emperor’s bedroom.”
Monica’s hand fell in shock. It could have been the shock from the unexpected, or perhaps feared truth being confirmed.
“Wha… what did you say?”
“In the bedroom where Emperor Maximilian stayed, we found the same type of magic stones.”
“No, do you even understand what you’re saying right now?”
“Yes.”
It meant they had found the culprit who had assassinated the Emperor.
Monica had never thought her son could have died of natural causes, but what mother in the world could be okay with being told that her son had been murdered by someone, as I suspected. Monica’s face paled.
“Nu, who…….”
No. You don’t need to hear it to know who. Monica’s blue face flushed with an eerie anger.
It wasn’t just anger; it was a mother’s grief for her child, mingled with the unforgiving anger of never being able to forgive.
“……When you arrest the killer, you’ll have a lot to investigate.”
Monica gritted her teeth and barely managed to get each letter out. Part of her wanted to lead the soldiers and slit the man’s throat, but she couldn’t let her anger get the best of her.
“If we arrest them, will you give me the right to investigate, Grand Duke?”
“Of course. Aunt.”
My children, my beloved husband, and the others who lost their lives. I will not let this end so easily.
I will reveal everything, over and over again, and I will make you suffer so terribly that you will say you would rather be dead.
Monica bit her lip. She could taste her own blood.
