ITIF Chapter 106

Division

Young Marquis Antares had deployed even more personnel than usual at the date and location written on the piece of parchment he had received from the Empress.

Even though considerable time had passed since Baron Cypress was imprisoned, the surveillance system seemed to remain intact, so they had to move very cautiously.

Then, to witness Duke Cardia and Marquis Latse together.

‘Why are those two together?’

Although he had been suspecting the Marquis Latse household of betrayal, he still couldn’t hide his bewilderment.

Young Marquis Antares observed the two from a distance.

He couldn’t hear their conversation due to the distance, but they seemed to be having a serious discussion.

Duke Cardia particularly hated wasting time, and was someone who did nothing trivial beyond necessary words and actions.

So it was roughly predictable what the two might be discussing right now.

For instance, matters related to Baron Cypress…….

That’s when Young Marquis Antares had that thought.

Suddenly, Duke Cardia turned his head in this direction.

It seemed he had felt the gaze.

He quickly hid behind a statue.

Then Marquis Latse’s voice could be heard faintly.

“What’s the matter?”

“I felt a gaze and looked back, but I must have been mistaken.”

“I hear wild animals occasionally appear in this area since few people pass through…….”

The two men’s voices gradually grew quieter. It seemed they had decided to move locations.

Young Marquis Antares watched the two departing figures for a while before eventually walking back toward the Imperial Palace.

****

“You’re saying it was Marquis Latse and Duke Cardia? The people who appeared at the location written on the parchment?”

The Empress’s sharp voice rang through the quiet reception room.

“That’s correct. I saw them clearly just moments ago.”

Suspicion had become reality.

The Empress, reminded of this fact again, was outraged. Young Marquis Antares felt the same way.

“You must cast them out before they ruin things further.”

The Empress agreed. She intended to collect the price of betrayal with interest—double, no, more than that.

No matter how long she had kept them by her side, she couldn’t simply overlook knowing that the dog she had raised had bitten its master.

“Of course that’s what must be done.”

The Empress nodded with narrowed eyes.

However, she did not immediately issue an order to arrest Marquis Latse and his family.

‘When exactly did it start?’

The Empress had always given Marchioness Latse only the best.

And that wasn’t all? She had long entrusted her with the role of head lady-in-waiting.

Even while Countess Minster coveted the position of head lady-in-waiting at every opportunity, it remained unchanged.

If Joshua became Emperor without incident, she had planned to sweep away the existing dukes who wouldn’t listen and allow the Latse household to take their place.

‘But…… why!’

Though she agreed with the opinion that the Marquis Latse household should be eliminated, Young Marquis Antares carefully prompted the Empress, noticing her somewhat hesitant attitude.

“……Your Majesty the Empress?”

Worried that she might not be able to cast out Marchioness Latse due to their past affection, Young Marquis Antares persuaded the Empress.

“Do you remember when internal information started leaking?”

Only then did the Empress turn her gaze toward Young Marquis Antares.

“It was right before the news of the engagement between Duke Cardia and Lady Amaterasu was announced.”

“…….”

“There’s a strong possibility that the Marquis Latse household secured evidence that the two families were working behind the scenes and felt threatened. Or perhaps the two families approached the Marquis Latse household first.”

At Young Marquis Antares’s logical reasoning, the Empress’s eyelashes trembled slightly.

“So you’re saying they were gauging which side to align with, then solidified their decision after the alliance between the two families became certain?”

Young Marquis Antares nodded with deeply furrowed brows.

“Moreover, His Majesty the Emperor detained my father after the report about Baron Cypress was submitted. There must have been content related to our family in it…….”

He couldn’t find any other reason.

The documents about Baron Cypress that were to be submitted to the Emperor had been manipulated by the Antares household.

The Marquis Latse household also knew this fact.

And if manipulation was possible, someone else might have intentionally changed the contents once again.

In a way unfavorable to the Antares household.

Young Marquis Antares’s eyes blazed.

His anger was so evident that it wouldn’t be strange at all if he went to the Marquis Latse household right now and started a knife fight.

Trembling his tightly clenched fists, Young Marquis Antares continued.

“……Your Majesty the Empress, a situation may arise where even His Highness the Crown Prince must undergo investigation.”

The Antares household, the Empress, and the Crown Prince were entangled in many incidents like one body.

So it meant that, like what they had tried to do with Baron Cypress, cutting off the tail alone wouldn’t be enough to shake off the dust.

“Haa…….”

Eventually, a long sigh flowed from the Empress’s mouth.

“I’ve understood well enough that despite being fed on time, they bit their master. Don’t worry. I won’t just let this pass.”

****

Following the movement of the teaspoon, the red tea swirled around and around in circles.

After stirring the tea appropriately, Giselle Grante put down the teaspoon and picked up the teacup.

“If this matter is resolved well, the Empress will have to deal with her own allies by her own hand.”

Lady Greykin, who had been adding sugar that clumped arbitrarily in the hot tea, cautiously raised a question.

“I hope it turns out that way, but……. is that really possible?”

Having worked as Princess Trinity’s lady-in-waiting for a long time, Lady Greykin had many opportunities to encounter the Empress and Marchioness Latse up close.

Though it seemed like a love-hate relationship at first glance, the bond between the two was strong.

So she wouldn’t think the Empress could easily cut off Marchioness Latse.

“We’ll have to watch and see for now.”

Sipping the warm tea, Giselle Grante gazed beyond the window.

The sky had already been dyed black long ago.

Though she hadn’t written a specific time on the parchment she had sent to the Empress’s hands, since Kavelaseth was to make contact according to Marquis Latse’s departure time from work, it meant there was still a long way to go before he returned.

“You’ve been looking out the window this whole time.”

“I’m just a bit concerned.”

What Kavelaseth was to do wasn’t the kind of thing that carried danger.

However, considering Young Marquis Antares’s unstable psychological state recently, she couldn’t be at ease.

“What aspect concerns you?”

“Marquis Antares always devised ways to solve problems, and putting them into action was Baron Cypress’s role. But now Young Marquis Antares has to handle everything alone. The stress from that must be extreme.”

It wasn’t said out of concern for Young Marquis Antares’s mental health.

It was simply a concern about whether a person backed into a corner could think rationally.

“That makes sense. He seems even younger than me…….”

Though she said that, Lady Greykin’s expression also showed no compassionate feelings toward Young Marquis Antares.

Lady Greykin had nearly died at their hands, and because of them, was still known to be missing.

It had already been several months since she was confined to Duke Cardia’s residence, unable to take even one step outside.

Her family was still wandering around searching for their missing daughter and sister.

So rather than feeling sorry for the tragedy that befell the Antares household, if anything, she would be pleased about it.

“But how exactly did you do it? I never imagined a day would come when the Antares household would fall out of the Emperor’s favor.”

At Lady Greykin’s question, Giselle Grante explained step by step.

“It was thanks to someone slipping documents about the Antares household’s embezzlement into Baron Cypress’s report that was going up to the Emperor.”

Finding her story interesting, Lady Greykin’s eyes lit up and she nodded for her to continue.

“Until now, the Antares household had uniformly raised salt prices to take the difference, and hadn’t reported this separately to the Emperor.”

“Isn’t that tax embezzlement?”

“That’s right. It can be called an act of deceiving the Emperor.”

The Emperor was someone with a strong desire for control above all else.

He particularly couldn’t stand things running wild beyond his control.

The Antares household’s behavior revealed this time was enough to anger the Emperor.

“Ah, so that’s why he kept Marquis Antares detained at the Imperial Palace even though he knew it would upset the Empress.”

When Giselle Grante nodded, a maid entered the reception room. When she gave her attention, the maid spoke.

“His Grace the Duke has returned home. He asked if Lady Amaterasu would be available to see him briefly if it’s all right. What should I do?”

Giselle Grante turned her head toward Lady Greykin. When their eyes met, Lady Greykin spoke first.

“Go ahead and see him. You’ve been eagerly waiting for Duke Cardia to return this whole time.”

Those words sounded as if she alone had been anxious to see Kavelaseth.

At that, Giselle Grante’s brows narrowed slightly when Kavelaseth’s voice was heard.

“To think you were eagerly waiting to see me, I’m deeply honored.”

Soon Kavelaseth strode into the reception room.

Glancing at his appearance, Lady Greykin whispered softly in Giselle Grante’s ear.