……You have proof?”
That was Franz’s response to the accusation that he had killed an innocent man. Doesn’t he know that when an accused person cries for proof, doubt turns into certainty?
The tense atmosphere made it difficult to breathe. The first move would break the tension.
It couldn’t last long anyway, but depending on who broke the tension and how they moved, things could be very different.
More and more knights dressed like Franz surrounded the polling place. The public’s excitement now bordered on fear. Suddenly, the voting for the next Emperor was a confrontation.
“Enough. I wouldn’t mind dragging you out of here and imprisoning you.”
All respect is gone. Karl’s muzzle is clearly pointed at Franz.
Franz, sensing the threat, seemed to be mentally preparing to strike. His brow furrowed, his eyes rolled back and forth as if he were pondering something, and then his gaze turned to me.
As one unnerving thought after another came to mind, Franz reached out and began muttering in Moorish.
“Truccio, Ferrago.”
Despite my lack of knowledge of the dark arts, I could recognize that he was chanting a black magic incantation.
The obvious life in his eyes was directed squarely at me. ‘Truccio, strangle,’ he said. Franz seemed intent on eliminating Celeste before launching a full-scale assault.
But alas. I am not the Celeste they cursed.
“Archduke Toskur, your black magic spell is useless now.”
I said his name in a low voice. A look of panic crossed Franz’s face. He probably expected to see me spit up blood and fall flat on my face as soon as he cast the spell.
The killing intent in his eyes was more than just a scare or a warning; he seemed intent on killing Celeste right then and there.
“Your curse is over, and you can no longer hold my life by the rope.”
Something was wrong, Franz’s face showed it. He sighed in frustration at the way things had turned out, then clamped his mouth shut and thought.
His plans to sacrifice Valerie to get rid of Karl just before the pre-emptive vote, to kidnap me and take me away from Karl once and for all, had all failed.
He had reached a dead end, then, and there was only one course of action left.
“Attack!”
Struggling with all one’s might, whether by mobilizing force or using any possible dark magic, they would resist being captured here without hesitation.
However, regrettably, Karl had anticipated all possible scenarios and prepared countermeasures up to this moment. There was no way for Franz to escape.
“…I suppose I should thank you for moving as expected.”
Karl, muttering softly to himself, soon summoned the knights to evacuate me to a safe place.
I hesitated for a moment, not wanting to leave his side, but in reality, my absence would benefit him and the imperial investigators.
A roaring cheer filled the air, shaking my eardrums. Leaving that commotion behind, I headed toward the shelter with the knights.
***
A person who is too caught up with misguided obsession and makes narrow and unilateral preparations is no match for someone who has prepared for everything.
Franz and his knights were all captured by the imperial investigators, who were stationed in advance to prepare for an attack, and were swiftly neutralized.
Did Franz truly not realize that the more he flailed about, the more numerous charges would be added to his list of offenses?
In a moment when all his wicked deeds, done solely with the intent of seizing the throne, returned as futile efforts, Franz roared, unable to accept the reality unfolding before him.
His knights were gradually captured and forced to kneel by the elite knights of the imperial investigators, and although Franz hurriedly drew his weapon, he failed to attack.
In a desperate measure, he even drew a dagger to swing at Karl, but his hasty movements only scattered into the air.
The malicious deeds of Duke Toskur, who was regarded as a half-blood prince due to his humble origins despite carrying the blood of the emperor, came to an end.
Franz’s heart-wrenching cry, born out of frustration just before reaching the throne, lingered in people’s memories for a long time.
The arrest of Franz did not mean an immediate end to everything. Karl had to keep busy for quite a while longer, claiming the need to sort out the situation.
With continuous contact with the knights sent out to Septfera, he confirmed the complete capture of Marina and her associates, focusing on bringing them to Lahart as quickly as possible.
To fully expose Franz’s crimes, Marina was essential.
Most of the illegal activities were planned and executed by Marina, while Franz simply turned a blind eye and reaped the benefits. Each charge involved at least two or more people.
Though the sudden disturbance halted the voting, in effect, all power of the imperial family had now transferred to Karl.
The reason was that the two ballots that could not be publicly announced both contained Karl’s name. Given the circumstances, Karl decided to postpone his coronation as much as possible and focused all his efforts on punishing the villains first.
Until Marina’s safe transport was completed, it was crucial to establish proof of Franz’s crimes alone.
To achieve this, I took on the role of a key witness and victim in the abduction case of Archduchess Albrecht and did my utmost to testify.
Thanks to the testimony of an injured party, Franz’s detention gained legitimacy. Unexpected help arrived during this process.
Another crucial witness appeared before Franz, who claimed, “How could I know the whereabouts of the archduchess? It was purely coincidental that I encountered her party on the road.”
Laila Tooper, who appeared looking noticeably gaunt, revealed that she had been secretly colluding with Archduke Toskur.
Her distant kinship with Archduke Albrecht and the fact that Lady Pulcheria cherished her like a daughter shocked many, as it was revealed she had been involved with Archduke Toskur.
However, it subsequently came to light that even this relationship had been orchestrated by Franz, and instead of pointing fingers, people looked at her with sympathy.
As Laila Tooper, confessing that unknowingly she had revealed the whereabouts of Archduchess Albrecht while colluding with Archduke Toskur, collapsed on the ground weeping loudly, it was heart-wrenching to see her.
She lamented that she never expected things to turn out this way, and she did not even know if the Archduke was truly using her. Her distress was palpable.
Even those who despised women trying to evade responsibility with tears felt sympathy for Laila as she sobbed uncontrollably.
Perhaps it was her previously good reputation that elicited pity from others until this incident occurred.
Regardless of her ignorance, a crime is still a crime. Laila had to remain imprisoned until the investigation into the archduchess’s abduction was complete.
It must have been difficult for her to betray her lover, and although I wanted to thank her for her courageous decision, Karl ensured I wouldn’t go near the prison.
His overprotectiveness was excessive, but understanding his intentions, I quietly complied with Karl’s wishes.
As time flew by, the next day, the royal investigation team’s knights returned from Septfera.
The arrest team, composed of two units, arrived with a large contingent, as they had captured all of Marina’s illegally hired soldiers and brought them back.
A caravan escorting a prisoner stopped in front of the imperial palace. Instead of heading straight for the prison, the carriage was halted in front of the palace to humiliate the criminal in front of the crowd.
A knight of the Imperial Inquisition opened the carriage door and pulled Marina out.
As she was dragged staggering down the aisle, the crowd was stunned. Some screamed and fainted at the sight of her hideousness.
She was called the Emperor’s favorite concubine, a deadly wicked woman who could make anyone fall in love with her, but she was not in human form.
Her knees bent to her mouth, her waist bent to her hips, her joints jutting out here and there, her skin rotten and tattered……. Rather than human, she was more like a demon, or a hideous fiend cursed by the devil.
The knight who had dragged her from the carriage had forced her to walk at gunpoint without any mercy.
Marina’s steps were slower than a baby’s at the start of the device, as every step she took was met with terrible pain, as if she were being cut with a blade.
“Kill the wicked woman!”
“Devil’s bane, tear that horrible devil apart!”
“Burn her to death now!”
One after another, the angry crowd’s insults flew. Whatever she was thinking, Marina continued to walk slowly, even as she listened to the unspeakable insults.
