Chapter 62

On the other hand, as soon as the maid closed the door, Lionel ordered Henri.

"Go and bring the doctor yourself."

At Lionel's command, Henri quickly headed downstairs. He ran down the corridor, careful not to make a sound, and turned toward the stairs. However, the person who had gone to call the doctor appeared. But the doctor was nowhere to be found. Before Henri could ask, the person spoke.

"The doctor is nowhere to be seen."

Instantly, an eerie silence fell. Henri and the knight ran down the corridor toward Lionel.

"The doctor has disappeared."

At these words, all the knights looked at Lionel with a cold, dead gaze. Lionel clenched his teeth and whispered.

"Prepare."

The knights, as if on cue, drew their daggers with one hand and turned toward the door. As they pressed themselves against the corridor walls, Lionel, without hesitation, burst open the door. The assassin, who had just pulled the queen's chin back, was startled and turned around. Flames of fury shot from Lionel's eyes. The assassin had no time to pour the poison into the queen's mouth. In the blink of an eye, the assassin dodged Lionel's charge and hastily retreated.

"That woman killed the governess!!"

The maids, who had been too frightened to speak, finally burst into tears and shouted. Meanwhile, the assassin discarded the vial and fled in the direction he had planned. But it was in vain. The corridor, the terrace, and even the small windows were densely lined with knights. The assassin had expected the security to be tight, but not to the point where all escape routes were completely blocked. It was as if they had known the assassin was coming and prepared for it! Cornered in an instant, the assassin swung his dagger at Lionel. But there was no way the assassin's attack could succeed against Lionel, who was known as the best of the knights. There was no place to run. If captured here, it would be worse than death. In a split second, the assassin rolled the poison pouch hidden under his tongue with his tongue and bit down hard. Lionel immediately grabbed the back of her neck and forced her mouth open, but the poison had already flowed down her throat.

"Damn!!"

The last thing the assassin saw was the man's eyes, sharp as a blade and cold with murderous intent, even as he writhed in excruciating pain.

"Ugh."

As the assassin's body went limp, Lionel swallowed his curse and roughly rubbed his face.

* * *

The Viscount's mansion was in an uproar. The Viscount and his wife, who had been caught off guard, rushed out, their faces pale. An assassination attempt on the queen in the Viscount's mansion! It was a disaster on par with a tower collapsing. In the main hall of the mansion, armed knights stood in a menacing line.

"Sir Lionel!"

The Viscount, with a flustered look, ran to Lionel, who turned to face him. The Viscount's eyes widened at the cold, black eyes that seemed to have no warmth. The Viscountess, who had narrowly avoided Lionel's gaze, finally regained her composure and stepped forward.

"What on earth happened? Someone tried to assassinate Her Majesty the Queen...!"

At that moment, loud footsteps echoed, followed by a furious roar.

"Who dares!!! To attempt the assassination of Her Majesty the Queen of this Ekhmont Empire!!!!"

All eyes turned to the source of the noise. Duke Despoina, looking extremely angry, stormed into the hall. After scanning the room with a fierce gaze, he stopped at the sight of the assassin's body on the floor and turned to the Viscount and his wife.

"The clothes this person is wearing. They are the uniform of the Viscount's maids, are they not?"

The Viscountess, sensing the worst, took a deep breath and stepped forward.

"Though she is wearing the uniform of the Viscount's maids, she is not one of the staff here. I swear on the honor of the House of Vieta and my own House of Saxen."

"Do you think a vague oath will prove anything, Viscountess?!"

"Please believe us, Your Highness!"

Ignoring the desperate pleas of the Viscount and his wife, Duke Despoina turned to Lionel.

"Listen, Minister! As an elder of the Ulrich royal family, I cannot let this matter slide easily!"

"..."

As Duke Despoina's voice echoed off the walls, Lionel remained expressionless and silent, his eyes fixed on the Duke.

'You insolent brat, how dare you?'

Just as the Duke's eyes blazed with fury, Lionel raised his right hand.

"There are people we need to investigate. Bring them here."

At the calm command, several knights immediately left the hall. Duke Despoina and the others watched the knights leave, the Viscount and his wife particularly tense. A moment later, the knights returned with two disheveled maids.

"!!"

The Viscountess covered her mouth with her hand and her eyes widened, while the Viscount let out a thin, suppressed breath. The two maids, led by the knights, stepped forward.

"M, My lady..."

"Please save us!"

Duke Despoina, furious once again, struck the floor with his cane several times.

"They must have conspired from the beginning!!!! I will interrogate them myself!!!! Bring them to me immediately!!"

Duke Despoina's words sent the hall into chaos. But Lionel, undisturbed, observed the surroundings sharply. He carefully examined the Duke's attitude, tone, and gaze, his eyes narrowing.

"What are you doing?! Can't you hear me?! Immediately, bring these people to me!! I will interrogate them myself!!"

"Enough."

At the low voice, the raging Duke Despoina stopped. Lionel, looking directly at the Duke, spoke.

"Forgive me, but I am the Queen's advisor and the Minister of Defense responsible for the safety of this journey. Therefore, interrogating these people and uncovering the plot is also my responsibility."

Before the Duke could protest, Lionel explained the assassin's movements in the Viscount's mansion clearly.

"Then... the governess is dead?"

The Viscountess, her voice trembling after hearing the story, asked. Lionel nodded slightly.

"A, Ah..."

The Viscountess, tears streaming down her face, slowly sank to the ground. The Viscount, supporting her, pleaded again.

"The governess was someone my wife brought from Saxen. She was like a sister to my wife! We only learned of the Queen's arrival today. What benefit would we gain from assassinating Her Majesty?! Minister, Your Highness, please consider this!"

"Be quiet!! The Queen almost met her end!!"

Despite the Viscount's tearful plea, Duke Despoina remained unmoved.

"Minister!! What are you doing?! Hand over the investigation to me immediately!!"

Lionel, with a calm gaze, firmly replied.

"As the Minister of Defense appointed by His Majesty, and as the advisor entrusted by Her Majesty, I cannot casually hand over this responsibility to you. As I said, I will personally interrogate these people and uncover the plot, leaving all possibilities open."

"Y-You...!!"

Duke Despoina's purple eyes blazed red with fury. But Lionel, turning away as if he hadn't noticed, gave an order.

"Bring all the relevant people in."

* * *

While the 1st Regiment of the Royal Guard protected the Queen, the investigation led by the 2nd Regiment, centered around Lionel, began. The knights led by Henri Jacal thoroughly searched the entire Viscount's mansion. The mages were not exempt from the investigation. Meanwhile, Duke Despoina, who had returned to his room, clenched his fists so hard they turned white.

"What a damn mess..."

His chest felt as if it were on fire. He wanted to scream and destroy everything in sight, but reckless actions were out of the question with the knights searching the mansion like hounds. A moment later, when Renox, who had completed the investigation, approached, Duke Despoina glared at him.

"How could you handle things like this?!"

Renox quickly bowed and apologized.

"I am sorry."

"How much money did we spend, and you couldn't even take care of one unconscious woman, causing this mess?!"

In response to the Duke's scolding, Renox, after a moment's hesitation, began to defend himself.

"However... as you know, Lionel Valdr's security was extremely tight... But at least she died without leaving any loose ends..."

Duke Despoina, agitated, ran his hand through his hair. He plopped down on the sofa and nervously tapped his cane on the floor.

"To have checked the faces of the maids in advance... It's as if he expected the assassination to happen."

Renox, feeling guilty, cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably. Duke Despoina, rubbing his smooth chin, tilted his head and called out.

"Renox."

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Have you ever done anything behind my back to the Queen?"

Renox, jumping up, denied it.

"How could I?!"

"Did Dian not ask you to kill the Queen?"

"Dian is pregnant! There's no reason for her to take such a risk!"

As Renox protested, Duke Despoina, looking at him suspiciously, warned him.

"The moment you prioritize Dian's orders over mine, you are betraying me. I do not tolerate traitors."

"Of course, Your Highness."

Renox quickly bowed. Duke Despoina, looking at Renox with a dispassionate expression, turned his gaze. Through the window, he could see the knights moving busily.

"Lionel Valdr. He is a constant hindrance. We cannot leave him as he is."

If the Queen had died here, it would have been beneficial in many ways.

"Those knights will clearly side with the Queen. I told you not to bring the Queen here!!"

Duke Despoina, unable to contain his frustration, struck the armrest of the sofa hard.

* * *

Despite searching the Viscount's mansion throughout the night, Lionel and the knights could not find any decisive evidence to uncover the plot. The assassin, who was both a criminal and a witness, was already dead, and apart from the two maids and the murdered governess, no one had come into contact with the assassin. Even the two maids testified that they had not heard anything significant from the assassin. The darkness, like a thick fog, began to lift from the ankles. As the pale dawn began to color the world, Lionel went to find Adel. Some knights were on standby inside the room to protect the Queen, in case any of the assassin's accomplices remained. The knights, who were changing shifts, respectfully greeted Lionel, who had appeared unexpectedly. Although it would have been enough to just ask about the Queen's condition, Lionel was already stepping into the room.

"I will see Her Majesty the Queen for a moment."

Given the gravity of the assassination attempt, no one paid attention to Lionel's actions. The maids, who had been busy, scurried to the corners at Lionel's appearance. He was breathtakingly handsome, but the overwhelming aura of authority made it difficult to look at him directly. Lionel, muffling his footsteps, approached and silently looked at Adel. She was sleeping peacefully. Her calm appearance was so serene that Lionel, after staring at her face, unknowingly sat down in the nearby chair.

"Ah..."

Only then did he let out a long breath. Since arriving in Vieta, this was the first time he had sat down. Despite spending the previous night guarding Adel's tent and starting the day early, he hadn't felt tired. His chest had been uneasily churning since she collapsed, spitting blood. The memory of the blood droplets splattering red made his chest constrict. Sitting in the chair, looking at her peaceful face, he felt a wave of fatigue wash over him. It felt dreamlike, hazy. Lionel's gaze gently traced Adel's serene face. Looking at her like this made him feel as if he were wandering through an endless desert, suffocating. He recalled the moment when their breaths had almost mingled and shook his head to clear his thoughts. But like waves that recede and return, Adel's vulnerable face kept dominating his mind. Lionel roughly rubbed his eyes. Adel was a flooding river. Being near her, Lionel felt like a dam on the verge of collapse, trembling precariously, and ultimately retreating in a state of utter defeat. Should he resign as her advisor? As he bitterly mused, he noticed Adel's forehead, glistening with sweat, in the pale dawn light. Lionel instinctively picked up a towel but couldn't bring himself to wipe her forehead and let his hand fall. The Emperor had wiped her forehead, but he, a mere advisor, dared not. His heart, which had momentarily calmed, was once again thrown into turmoil. A sticky, dark feeling settled in his chest, crawling like a snake. It was both repulsive and suffocating.

'Just because he is the Emperor, does he have the right to be by her side?'

At the unconscious whisper that pierced his rationality, Lionel abruptly stood up. He looked up at the ceiling and then, with