ITIF Chapter 73

Enemy from the Past

‘It was truly fortunate that I went straight to find Lady Greykin after the trial.’

If she hadn’t moved Lady Greykin to Duke Cardia’s residence yesterday, there was a very high possibility that she too would have been silenced through a staged accident, just like Lady Zimmer.

[Be wary of the Empress. If what you’re trying to do is what I think it is.]

Why, at this particular moment, did the words Lady Greykin had said come to mind?

The Empress had no idea that the person orchestrating this entire situation was Amaterasu’s fool, Giselle Grante.

Nor that the person within that shell was Princess Trinity.

****

When Giselle Grante visited Countess Tarel’s salon after a long while, the atmosphere was already heated.

It was because of those who were speaking passionately with veins bulging in their necks—they were talking about Princess Trinity’s maids who had disappeared.

Instead of joining them and adding to the conversation, Giselle Grante sat at a distance.

And she listened to their voices.

It was to gauge how public opinion had begun to flow.

“I believe His Majesty the Emperor himself should step forward and delve deeply into this matter.”

A young noble looked around at the gathered aristocrats and made his assertion.

Giselle Grante looked at his face.

The man making the passionate argument was Young Master Zimmer.

“That’s right! The reason for the recess during the trial was because of testimony that was completely different from before, wasn’t it?”

The one who came forward to agree with Young Master Zimmer’s words was Young Master Greykin.

The two joined forces to appeal to the other nobles.

That the case must be properly investigated.

This was to gain the agreement of other nobles and add strength to their argument.

Just as Kavelaseth had previously urged nobles to submit petitions to pressure the Emperor.

Giselle Grante took in the expressions of the other nobles watching the two young masters who had lost precious family members on the same day, one by one.

‘Did she calculate this far? Or has an unexpected situation unfolded?’

Wondering just how far the Empress’s plan had gone.

At that moment, someone came forward to refute the two men’s words.

“These seem like dangerously reckless statements at a point when nothing has been revealed. How about you refrain from excessive speculation in front of everyone?”

Giselle Grante’s gaze naturally turned toward the man who had just spoken.

And the moment she saw the man’s face, Giselle Grante’s brow furrowed deeply.

‘……Young Master Flerino?’

His father, Viscount Flerino, had once been in charge of Trinity’s military education.

The Empress had said she searched the empire and selected the most outstanding person to assign to her.

But thinking about it now, that was wrong.

The proof was Viscount Flerino’s current position.

Typically, the military education of the next emperor was handled by knights with abundant combat experience.

However, Viscount Flerino didn’t even have experience participating in war.

He was simply the son of a count, receiving the title of viscount as the count’s second son.

That meant the Empress had intentionally assigned someone lacking in ability as her education supervisor.

If the Emperor were to take issue with this, she could avoid responsibility with just a word saying she didn’t know better and would find a new teacher.

And the Emperor was someone who didn’t consider the ability of his daughter’s education supervisor particularly important.

Viscount Flerino occasionally brought his son to the imperial palace under various pretexts, and because of that, she had to encounter Young Master Flerino several times whether she wanted to or not.

Back then, she was young and didn’t realize, but now she could read Viscount Flerino’s all-too-transparent intention.

Why he had brought his son to the imperial palace under various excuses at his workplace.

‘He must have wanted to build rapport between his son and the princess who would become the next emperor while they were still young.’

If Viscount Flerino hadn’t become Trinity’s military education supervisor, if he hadn’t brought his son to the imperial palace, Trinity and Young Master Flerino would likely never have had the chance to exchange even a single word in their entire lives.

Knowing this fact well, Viscount Flerino had abused his position as military education supervisor.

At first, he may have just hoped to build rapport, but as they grew older, changes came.

Young Master Flerino would subtly grope her body with those narrowed eyes of his.

When she became aware of that gaze and began avoiding being with Young Master Flerino, he started visiting the imperial palace during sword training hours.

It was an opportunity to freely view the leg lines revealed by her tight-fitting training attire, or her budding chest…….

Of course, after Viscount Flerino was dismissed from his position as military education supervisor, she no longer had to face him.

“……This is advice for the sake of you two. I think everyone gathered here knows well that the Sun of the Empire is also deeply concerned about this matter.”

Seeing that the nobles seemed to be focusing on his words, Young Master Flerino began to lay out his argument in earnest.

Even while pretending to care for Young Master Greykin and Young Master Zimmer.

“As such, the claim that there’s a separate mastermind behind this, as you two suggest, could be called slander against the Sun of the Empire.”

At Young Master Flerino’s statement, the gathered nobles began murmuring among themselves.

Because if, as he said, Young Master Greykin and Young Master Zimmer intended to slander the Emperor, just being present at this gathering could become dangerous for them.

There was a possibility they too could be falsely accused of agreeing with their opinion.

Young Master Flerino’s single statement led to the strange situation of instantly turning two victims who had lost precious family members into perpetrators.

Thinking that he had become quite eloquent in speech, taking after his father Viscount Flerino, Giselle Grante raised a question.

“Something is strange.”

Young Master Flerino calmly responded and turned his head toward Giselle Grante.

“……Strange, you say? What is?”

However, the moment he confirmed her face, a slimy smile hung on Young Master Flerino’s lips.

He seemed to be recalling the rumors about her that were rampant in high society.

“Of Amaterasu’s……young lady.”

Amaterasu’s fool.

Even without saying the rest aloud, everyone knew it.

So Young Master Flerino had rather cleverly insulted her—just by pausing after saying “Of Amaterasu.”

Sure enough.

Laughter of unknown origin began to be heard here and there.

Some giggled while covering their mouths with fans, others turned their heads slightly and snickered.

In an instant, Giselle Grante became the laughingstock of the salon.

“Lady Amaterasu. A pleasure to meet you for the first time.”

Young Master Flerino strode toward Giselle Grante and extended his hand before her.

It was a gesture meaning he would show courtesy by kissing the back of her hand.

Giselle Grante smiled slightly and turned her body just enough to pass by him.

And as she approached the gathered nobles, she said:

“I think what Young Master Greykin and Young Master Zimmer said is reasonable. Rather, wasn’t it Young Master Flerino who was trying to defame them by imposing a strange frame?”

At her assertion, the nobles began murmuring again.

Paying no mind to this, Giselle Grante continued.

“And agreeing with him would be committing secondary harm to the victims’ families.”

“No. Not at all. Would I dare presume to do such a thing?”

Young Master Flerino jumped up, saying it was absurd. Then he quickly added:

“I merely suggested being cautious of dangerous statements. I only raised one ‘hypothetical’ that harm could come to both young masters and everyone present here.”

Emphasizing a particular word, Young Master Flerino shrugged his shoulders.

Then he looked at the nobles with an expression wondering why she was getting so heated when he had merely raised a ‘hypothetical.’

Giselle Grante didn’t respond immediately, only slightly raising the corners of her mouth.

Glancing at her, Young Master Flerino added one more thing.

“Since you’re not refuting it, I’ll take it that you also agree with my opinion.”

The moment a victorious smile appeared on his face, Giselle Grante opened her mouth.

“As I thought, it’s strange.”

“What now?”

Viscount Flerino looked at her with an annoyed expression.

“Young Master Greykin and Young Master Zimmer. These two only appealed for help in revealing the mastermind while discussing the harm to their families.”

“It seems you still don’t understand what I’m saying…….”

Before her words were finished, Young Master Flerino interrupted. Making an expression that found her quite frustratingly slow to understand.

But paying no mind to Young Master Flerino’s reaction, she said:

“Neither of them said a single word. That the mastermind of this matter is related to the Sun of the Empire. Rather, it was Young Master Flerino who brought up that story. Am I wrong?”

Giselle Grante looked at the nobles and shrugged her shoulders.

Several nobles nodded as if in agreement.

Carefully taking in the nobles’ reactions, she quickly added:

“Why, instead of comforting the pain of the victims’ families, do you bring up a great power figure to prevent them from even speaking? Your intention is highly suspicious. Young Master Flerino.”