ITIF Chapter 16

Evidence Destruction

 

The pride he felt at being chosen after that arrogant Duke Cardia was short-lived.

 

Her attitude of changing the object of her love as easily as flipping one’s palm was incomprehensible to him.

 

Even if she truly had grown fond of him, there were still questions.

 

After all, he and she had met for the first time today.

 

Of course, the reason she had followed him was ultimately different…

 

And to Count Frederick, who had been lost in thought for quite some time, the words of Duke Amaterasu’s daughter only added to his confusion.

 

[Do you think all of this is merely a coincidence?]

 

In truth, Count Frederick had been secretly investigating the inside story of Princess Trinity’s murder case.

 

With her death, the losses to Count Frederick’s house, which had been at the center of the forces supporting the princess, were immeasurable, and personal anger was added to that.

 

Certainly, there were many suspicious aspects to Princess Trinity’s death.

 

Count Frederick moved quickly before the evidence could completely disappear.

 

After investigating Princess Trinity’s bedroom, the scene of the crime, he went to the underground prison to meet Baron Oppenheimer’s daughter.

 

As he had expected, meeting Baron Oppenheimer’s daughter was not easy due to the thorough surveillance, but after much difficulty, when he finally faced her, she protested her innocence.

 

[I’m truly innocent. Think about it, Count. Why would I have done such a thing? I would have been caught immediately. Besides, you know how much I respected Her Highness Princess Trinity…]

 

Due to Baron Oppenheimer’s daughter breaking down in tears, they couldn’t have a long conversation, but it didn’t seem like she was shedding false tears.

 

Count Frederick considered the possibility that Baron Oppenheimer’s daughter was not Princess Trinity’s murderer.

 

Perhaps she had been wrongly framed, and there might be someone behind the scenes who had orchestrated it.

 

Of course, solid evidence had emerged showing she wasn’t the culprit, and there was currently no way to overturn it in the trial.

 

It was in this situation that Duke Amaterasu’s daughter appeared.

 

Saying that Princess Trinity’s death needed to be investigated.

 

[I want to meet Baron Oppenheimer’s daughter directly and talk with her. Count Frederick, I think you could make that possible.]

 

Recalling the request Duke Amaterasu’s daughter had made earlier, Count Frederick furrowed his brow.

 

He had already been planning to visit Baron Oppenheimer’s daughter once more before the trial anyway.

 

That day, he had to leave immediately because Baron Oppenheimer’s daughter had made a loud commotion, so there were still things he needed to confirm.

 

****

 

Meanwhile, the Amaterasu family’s carriage, having left Count Frederick’s estate, soon passed through a wide plaza and entered the townhouse district.

 

Giselle Grante’s gaze was fixed beyond the carriage window, but her thoughts were elsewhere.

 

‘I wonder if Count Frederick will accept my proposal?’

 

Somehow, she felt that he would already be investigating Princess Trinity’s death.

 

That’s why she had deliberately followed him clumsily after encountering him at the Grand Temple. So that he would notice he was being tailed.

 

Afterward, she had tried to obtain the information he had gathered. Furthermore, she intended to participate in his investigation herself.

 

In the end, Count Frederick had said he would consider her request to help her meet Baron Oppenheimer’s daughter.

 

The fact that he hadn’t refused outright was fortunate for her.

 

But she couldn’t just wait around, relying only on Count Frederick.

 

‘If I don’t get an answer from Count Frederick within a few days, I’ll have no choice but to find another way…’

 

By the time she finished her deliberation, she had already arrived at Duke Amaterasu’s townhouse.

 

“Welcome, Miss.”

 

“Where is Father?”

 

“The Duke and Young Master Mikhail have not yet returned.”

 

“I see. I need to rest for a bit.”

 

“Yes, Miss.”

 

Having finished her long outing from the Grand Temple to Count Frederick’s estate, Giselle Grante lay down on her bed.

 

She was on the borderline between sleeping and waking when it happened.

 

Tap.

 

She heard the sound of something hitting.

 

“…?”

 

At first, she thought she might be mistaken and ignored it, but then again came the sounds: tap, tap. The sound of small objects hitting glass.

 

Giselle Grante sat up in bed and immediately lit up her bedroom brightly.

 

‘Ah, it was the sound of someone tapping on the window.’

 

Giselle Grante hurried to the window and looked outside.

 

A tall man was standing outside the window.

 

It was dark outside, so she could only make out his silhouette, but she soon realized it was Count Frederick.

 

In the past, when he had urgent matters to convey, he had used this method before.

 

Giselle Grante opened the window and poked her head out slightly. Count Frederick gestured for her to step aside.

 

As soon as she stepped back, a small stone rolled into the bedroom.

 

Giselle Grante hurriedly unfolded the note tied to the stone.

 

-[If you still wish to meet Baron Oppenheimer’s daughter, we should hurry.]

 

After signaling her understanding to Count Frederick outside the window, Giselle Grante hastily put on her outer garments.

 

Before leaving the bedroom, she left a short memo.

 

Just in case she was delayed, to prevent Lindsey from turning the entire mansion upside down searching for her.

 

Her steps were urgent as she left the bedroom.

 

Meeting Baron Oppenheimer’s daughter, who was imprisoned for first-degree murder, in secret would not be easy.

 

That’s why Count Frederick had come to find her in the middle of the night.

 

When she exited through the back door of the mansion, Count Frederick was waiting for her.

 

“Since this is a trial that has captured the attention of all the empire’s citizens, it seemed we couldn’t delay, so I urgently arranged the schedule. Let’s talk as we go.”

 

“I understand.”

 

Looking alternately at the two horses beside Count Frederick, Giselle Grante mounted the smaller horse.

 

“Do you have an interest in horseback riding?”

 

Count Frederick said, awkwardly lowering the hand he had extended to escort her.

 

“A little. Going to the nearby imperial palace is no trouble at all.”

 

“That’s fortunate then.”

 

With those words, Count Frederick leaped onto his horse. Then he pulled the reins.

 

Similarly pulling her reins, Giselle Grante glanced at Count Frederick’s shadowed profile.

 

‘What was his reason for suddenly deciding to help me?’

 

She couldn’t know the reason at present, but that wasn’t particularly important.

 

Count Frederick, though quite hot-tempered, was fundamentally upright and good-natured.

 

She had faith that as long as she didn’t greatly offend him, he wouldn’t harm her.

 

****

 

“They’re not dead, are they?”

 

Entering the prison, Giselle Grante looked back at the guards who were sprawled on the stone floor like wet laundry.

 

“They’re not dead. They’ll be sleeping soundly until the next shift change, so don’t worry.”

 

Nodding at Count Frederick’s words, she walked down into the damp underground prison.

 

“Here it is.”

 

Inside the cold iron bars was Baron Oppenheimer’s daughter, so haggard that her face was barely recognizable.

 

Baron Oppenheimer’s daughter, who had been leaning her head against the hard stone wall, slowly turned her head upon sensing their presence.

 

Watching this, Count Frederick let out a quiet sigh.

 

“…….”

 

At first glance, it seemed she had suffered terribly.

 

Baron Oppenheimer’s daughter merely looked beyond the iron bars with weary eyes, neither speaking nor approaching closer.

 

“We meet again. We’ve met once before, haven’t we? …I came because I have some questions for Lady Oppenheimer. Could you tell me truthfully what happened that night?”

 

“…….”

 

Though no answer came, Giselle Grante immediately continued speaking.

 

“I want to help you. To do that, I need to know about what happened that night. I know it’s difficult, but I’m asking you.”

 

Despite her quite sincere approach, Baron Oppenheimer’s daughter slowly shook her head.

 

“…….”

 

Count Frederick whispered quietly in Giselle Grante’s ear.

 

“It seems she’s been tortured to prevent her from speaking carelessly about what happened that day.”

 

Given Baron Oppenheimer’s daughter’s current state, anyone would think the same thing, so Giselle Grante hesitated for a moment.

 

But she needed to know.

 

Something that only Baron Oppenheimer’s daughter, who had been at that place on that day, would know. Furthermore, evidence of some kind.

 

“You said you were wrongfully accused, didn’t you?”

 

“…….”

 

“If you want even a chance to overturn the trial, you’ll need help. Isn’t that right?”

 

Giselle Grante’s voice rose slightly.

 

This wasn’t because she was angry at Baron Oppenheimer’s daughter for deciding to keep silent out of fear.

 

If Baron Oppenheimer’s daughter was suffering terrible hardships while wrongfully accused, then Giselle Grante had a duty to help her.

 

She felt a certain sense of responsibility.

 

Baron Oppenheimer’s daughter was someone she had chosen and decided to keep by her side.

 

Even if she had been discarded by the Empress after her usefulness was exhausted.

 

Of course, at this point, she couldn’t tell whether Baron Oppenheimer’s daughter had sided with the Empress, or had suffered harm while trying to protect Trinity.

 

“…….”

 

But Baron Oppenheimer’s daughter only shook her head slowly once again.

 

“Wait, Miss. Something is strange.”

 

At Count Frederick’s words, Giselle Grante held her breath and listened carefully to the sounds around them.

 

‘Have the sleeping guards awakened?’

 

But she felt no particular sounds or presence of others.

 

Unlike other prisons that held multiple prisoners, this place held only Baron Oppenheimer’s daughter.

 

“Lady Oppenheimer. Perhaps…”

 

Count Frederick furrowed his brow deeply as he chose his words.

 

“…?”

 

“Have you been rendered unable to speak?”

 

At Count Frederick’s question, Baron Oppenheimer’s daughter nodded with such a forlorn look that tears seemed ready to fall at any moment.

 

“…!”

 

Giselle Grante gasped and covered her mouth with her hand.

 

But her shock was brief.

 

“Did they cut her tongue to prevent her from protesting her innocence at the trial?”

 

“…It seems so. If that’s the case, even if it takes some time, we’ll have no choice but to communicate through writing…”

 

Before Count Frederick could finish speaking, Baron Oppenheimer’s daughter shook her head again.

 

‘Is this a refusal, indicating she doesn’t want to communicate?’

 

At first, she thought so.

 

But with a sudden thought, Giselle Grante lowered the lantern Count Frederick was holding slightly.