ITIF Chapter 56

Catching the Tail

The Emperor and Empress sat on chairs positioned several steps above where Kavelaseth stood, and Joshua stood beside the Empress, glaring in his direction.

Outwardly, it appeared that Kavelaseth was positioned below them. But psychologically, Kavelaseth held the upper hand.

The reason the Emperor had brought not only the Empress but Joshua as well was surely to apologize to Kavelaseth for the previous incident.

“I received the petitions well. I lost quite a bit of time because of them.”

“Is that so.”

“They seemed to be your handiwork. Not just the southern and western nobles, but even the northern nobles. You managed to persuade quite skillfully those who rarely agree on anything, didn’t you?”

The Emperor spoke in a tone of reproach.

Since it was indeed Kavelaseth’s plan to have petitions flood the Imperial Palace simultaneously, he simply smiled slightly instead of offering excuses.

“It was an incident deserving enough of public outrage that everyone readily lent me their support.”

The Emperor’s brow furrowed, displeased by his answer. Then he looked at Joshua with an even more dissatisfied expression.

“My son seems to have something to say to you regarding that previous matter.”

The Emperor himself clearly disliked this entire situation. So he appeared intent on keeping it brief.

“…….”

Joshua, who had hesitated momentarily under the Emperor’s gaze, soon descended the steps. And he stood before Kavelaseth.

His tightly clenched fists trembled violently, as if this situation was utterly humiliating to him.

“I heard you have something to say to me?”

Kavelaseth asked quite gentlemanly. His expression was also fresh and plain. But rather, such an appearance seemed to irritate Joshua.

Sure enough, Joshua’s cheek twitched for a moment. Though his expression showed surging anger, Joshua held it back and spat out words he didn’t mean.

“……I went too far that day. I admit it.”

“I have no idea what you mean by ‘too far’ or how.”

When Kavelaseth asked innocently, Joshua’s cheek flushed red in real-time. Judging by the heat rising to his face, he was barely restraining his rage that had risen to the top of his head.

“……I apologize.”

The Emperor turned his head away with widened eyes, and the Empress also let out a light sigh and lowered her gaze. Both seemed to judge that Kavelaseth would not simply let this level of apology pass.

But Joshua’s situation seemed somewhat different.

At Joshua’s shameless expression asking if this was enough, a snicker escaped through Kavelaseth’s teeth.

“……?”

Joshua raised one eyebrow and glared at Kavelaseth.

Kavelaseth took one step toward Joshua. And whispered softly enough for only him to hear.

“Joshua, you should be grateful even now that I didn’t lay hands on you right then and there.”

Joshua’s shoulders stiffened instantly.

He seemed flustered by the informal speech he had never once heard from anyone who wasn’t royalty in his entire life.

But that was only momentary. Joshua’s expression contorted, apparently deciding that Kavelaseth had committed an unacceptable rudeness. Joshua glared at Kavelaseth with murderous eyes as if he would tear him apart at any moment.

“How dare you…….”

Instead of continuing the war of words, Kavelaseth quietly raised his arm and firmly gripped his half-brother’s shoulder.

“……!”

The knights hastily drew their swords. Kavelaseth quietly sent them a warning glance.

Then he applied force to the hand gripping the shoulder. Under the tremendous force pressing downward, Joshua’s shoulder tilted to one side.

“Kugh…….”

A groan filled with pain burst from Joshua’s mouth.

The startled Empress bolted up from her seat and looked at the Emperor. But the Emperor merely turned his head away with a furrowed brow.

Only when Joshua’s knees were about to touch the floor did Kavelaseth release the shoulder he had been gripping. And he said.

“This is how you apologize. Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

Without even blinking, Joshua, who had been glaring at Kavelaseth, soon uttered words of apology.

“……I’m sorry about that matter. Duke Cardia.”

Kavelaseth stared intently at the face that bore faint resemblances to himself and the bloodshot eyes filled with vivid capillaries.

While thinking that there was no one more qualified than Kavelaseth himself to teach this foolish Crown Prince that there are things those in power may do and things they must not do.

“I’ll end it at this much today, but next time it won’t be settled so easily with just an apology. Always remember that there’s someone else Your Highness the Crown Prince truly needs to apologize to.”

“…….”

“Nod your head if you understand.”

Joshua nodded slightly.

Only then did Kavelaseth show a bright smile and look at the Emperor.

“I will handle things well so that no more petitions arrive at the Imperial Palace.”

Though it was humiliating, the Emperor thought it fortunate that the situation was resolved with just an apology, but unlike him, the Empress’s eyes as she watched Kavelaseth’s departing back were quite venomous.

****

The Emperor, who had returned to his office, gazed out the window with his hands thrust into his trouser pockets.

Watching Duke Cardia board his carriage, the Emperor called out.

“Chamberlain, Chamberlain!”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The chamberlain came running into the office in a hurry.

In truth, the Emperor didn’t properly know what had happened on the night of the Imperial Palace ball.

He had only received a brief explanation of what mistake Joshua had made with Duke Cardia.

Because he didn’t have the time.

But from Duke Cardia’s reaction today, he could tell that he was thoroughly angry with Joshua.

Since he had properly received an apology, this matter could pass as is, but it was uncertain whether Duke Cardia would forget it cleanly without holding a grudge.

“Explain everything that happened on the night of the Imperial Palace ball in detail, leaving nothing out.”

“……Yes, Your Majesty.”

The chamberlain reported not just the key points of the incident as before, but everything he had heard, including testimonies from the nobles, knights, and Imperial Palace employees who had been present at that place and time.

Even after the chamberlain’s rather lengthy explanation ended, the Emperor remained silent for quite a while.

The chamberlain merely swallowed his dry saliva and watched the Emperor’s mood from the side.

The Emperor was speculating about all possible situations that could have occurred.

‘Is it a memory error, or was the story distorted in the process of being relayed, or did someone lie……’

There were of course matching testimonies, but there were parts where testimonies didn’t match despite experiencing the same situation.

Particularly, claims that Lady Amaterasu was seen on the terrace conflicted with claims that she was not seen, and the Emperor focused on that part.

After imagining various possible situations for some time, the Emperor reached one hypothesis.

Along with the fact that the Empress had recently assigned a bedroom attendant to Joshua.

“The person Joshua tried to assault might not have been Duke Cardia.”

The Emperor muttered as if talking to himself.

“What do you…… Ah!”

The chamberlain, who had been tilting his head, suddenly opened his eyes wide.

“Lady Amaterasu. Was her brother a fellow academy classmate of Duke Cardia?”

If it was true that Duke Cardia had stepped forward for Lady Amaterasu, there needed to be grounds for that.

The Emperor found that cause in the friendship between Young Duke Amaterasu and Duke Cardia.

After blinking for a moment, the chamberlain nodded.

“That’s right! I definitely remember hearing that.”

Burying his face in his palm, the Emperor let out a long sigh.

“Chamberlain.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Keep watch to see if there are any suspicious signs from the House of Amaterasu.”

Not immediately grasping the meaning, the chamberlain tilted his head.

Having spent a long time together, the chamberlain knew the Emperor well.

He thought that there must be a good reason for him to suddenly give such an order.

Soon, a low sigh burst through the chamberlain’s teeth.

“……Your Majesty, surely not?”

“Yes. This has become quite a troublesome matter.”

Dealing with Duke Cardia alone was already troublesome enough, but if the two houses were to ally, it would truly become difficult.

“Prohibit Joshua from leaving the Imperial Palace for the time being.”

The chamberlain nodded repeatedly.

“Yes, understood, Your Majesty.”

****

The news that Duke Cardia had received the Crown Prince’s apology was also conveyed to Giselle Grante through the Radcliffe Trading Company. It was thanks to Count Frederick’s informant who had infiltrated the Imperial Palace.

Since it was a matter of the Crown Prince’s humiliation, it didn’t seem like it would become known to the outside, but Giselle Grante couldn’t understand Kavelaseth’s actions.

‘Why would he go that far……. To make the Crown Prince kneel…….’

And that too, in front of the Emperor and Empress.

No matter how she thought about it, Kavelaseth’s actions were excessive.

‘Could it be for my sake?’

She briefly had that thought, but Giselle Grante soon shook her head.

She judged that he, who had firmly expressed his refusal toward her, wouldn’t flip his attitude like turning over a palm now.

‘Then could he be planning to usurp the throne before Joshua even inherits it?’

Recalling that the changed current situation could affect the future, she briefly had that thought, but she soon concluded that couldn’t be it.

It would be more advantageous to pretend to follow the Emperor as much as possible and then overturn everything in one fell swoop when the time came.

‘But why?’

While trying to guess at Kavelaseth’s psychology that she simply couldn’t understand, she wandered aimlessly through the shopping district.

And a tail was still attached behind her.

To respond to Baron Cypress’s invitation in place of Count Frederick, who had left to handle territorial affairs, she needed to shake off that tail following her first.