Chapter 92

"Evidence?"

Grandfather's expression suddenly twisted.

I knew through Conrad that Grandfather was investigating the Fertility Festival incident.

'The palace knows, so Grandfather can't be unaware.'

However, since I had recovered all the herbs that the former princess had put in during the Fertility Festival, it must have taken time to find evidence.

Moreover, with so many incidents happening afterward, it would have been impossible to focus on the Fertility Festival.

But he wasn't someone who would let it go easily.

'It seems he thought of fabricating evidence if necessary...'

But for me to have the evidence, how surprised he must have been.

I pretended to be nervous and fidgeted.

The Emperor and the Empress Dowager stiffened.

Even Empress Ophelia frowned.

The Emperor hastily called out,

"This is a different matter. That issue can be discussed later."

Grandfather frowned and argued,

"If the drug the former princess gave to her granddaughter is indeed a truth serum, this is something that cannot be overlooked. We must verify the cause and effect."

'Right.'

I chuckled to myself.

The nobles also agreed with Grandfather.

Grandfather asked me,

"What is this evidence?"

"Me..."

"You don't need to be afraid with your grandfather here. Speak frankly about what you know."

I pretended to fidget and smoothed the edge of the ledger.

"The former princess had an incident with my monster, Ragon, when she was at the Astra Manor."

The nobles nodded.

It was a well-known incident, so everyone was familiar with it.

"I was almost punished for endangering the royal family, and there was talk of a restraining order. I was almost transferred to the palace."

In response to my words, Duke Phaunt said,

"I know about that. Was the young lady actually wearing a restraining order during the Fertility Festival?"

"Yes. But that... it was all a setup by the former princess."

"What?"

"What?"

"......!"

The room immediately became chaotic.

The Empress Dowager closed her eyes tightly.

Anatoly, the former princess, shouted,

"No, no! It's a misunderstanding! Mother, Your Majesty—!"

She screamed, but I quietly lifted the ledger.

"Because of that incident, the former princess made things difficult for my father, and I was so sad that I told my father when they were together."

"......"

"I told him not to do that, to trust me. But..."

"......"

"The former princess seemed upset. She asked a maid at the duchy if I had any other monsters."

"......"

"The maid recorded everything... even the money she received."

Pretending to be scared, I spoke hesitantly and then looked directly at the former princess, emphasizing each word.

"And the maid, on the former princess's orders, brought in some herbs."

"......!"

"At the time, the maid didn't know what they were, so she brought them in. Those were the herbs used to summon the monsters during the Fertility Festival."

"You, you—!"

"I have the herbs that were not burned in the brazier during the Fertility Festival."

"Shut up!"

"If we trace the herbs, we can determine who put them in the brazier."

"No! No, it's not true!"

The former princess, clutching her skirt, shouted.

The nobles were astonished.

Although similar rumors had circulated, most people had dismissed them as unlikely.

No one could have imagined that she would do such a crazy thing during the Fertility Festival.

Empress Ophelia's face turned pale.

"What did you do...! Former Princess, the First Prince was there!"

The First Prince, Salvatore, the only known child of the Emperor, was almost in danger when the monsters flew in.

The former princess, pale with fear, didn't know what to do.

She bit her lip, looking at the Emperor and the Empress Dowager.

Then she glared at me and shouted,

"Why are you suddenly bringing this up here!"

"......"

"Were you waiting for this? Yes! You were trying to corner me! That's why you did those things...!"

The former princess shouted like a mad person. I pretended to be scared and hugged the ledger.

"I was so scared, but I didn't tell anyone... not even my father."

At this, Uncle Grimié frowned.

"Why did you do that? You should have spoken up. You should have asked for help from an adult."

"But if this became known, it would cause trouble for the Empress Dowager and the Emperor."

"......"

"Grandfather and Father would be angry, and Astra's relationship with the palace might worsen."

"......"

"I thought I could bear it alone. I could endure the fear, the anger, the sadness... if I did, everyone would be at peace."

I bit the inside of my mouth.

The pain made my eyes water.

'Ah, perfect timing.'

With the added tears, the nobles looked at me with pity.

If I had a fourth life, I would definitely join the theater.

I chuckled to myself, but the former princess looked like a corpse.

Her face, devoid of color, twitched.

"Your Majesty, let me explain. I can explain everything. So, a private audience...?"

"What do you mean by 'explain'?"

Grandfather's low voice filled the room.

People flinched.

With his years of experience, his voice was intimidating and filled with anger, making it impossible not to be afraid.

Even Anatoly, the former princess, flinched and looked at Grandfather.

Grandfather looked at the former princess with a cold gaze.

"Did you feel threatened when my granddaughter came to the capital and tried to blackmail the former princess?"

"No, I wasn't really blackmailing...!"

"So, you fell into the delusion of blackmailing the royal family and gave a ten-year-old child a drug to reveal the incident to the public."

"That... that's..."

"Is any of this incorrect?"

A piercing gaze focused on the former princess.

She couldn't say anything, only moving her lips.

Then,

"Your Majesty...!"

She clung to the Emperor.

The Emperor sighed, looking exhausted.

But what could he do, even if she clung to him?

Even the Emperor couldn't resolve this.

Empress Ophelia was already furious with the former princess, and the Empress Dowager had a cold expression, her lips tightly sealed.

The Emperor sighed.

"Remove the former princess from the royal family, confine her to a mansion in Iplando, and ensure she never leaves a 2-kilometer radius."

"Your Majesty...!!"

The former princess clung to the Emperor.

"What are you saying? Iplando...! It's practically a prison!"

Iplando is essentially the end of the world.

It's a place filled with monsters, where no one would ever go.

Grandfather added coldly,

"The grain supply will be limited to 20 kg per year, and the weight of vegetables and meat will also be restricted. No servants will be allowed."

"Unbelievable! You're trying to starve me to death?! How am I supposed to live without servants!"

"Your Majesty, according to precedent, the exiled Prince Akalix also received such a punishment."

"Your Majesty!"

The Emperor pondered.

'But there's no choice.'

This incident involves the Fertility Festival.

Moreover, given Grandfather's character, it's fortunate that he only demanded this much.

If he had demanded the death penalty, the relationship between the palace and Astra would have been uncontrollable.

The Emperor nodded.

"Let it be done that way."

"Of course, she will wear a restraining order for life and will not be allowed to discuss this matter for the next 30 years."

"Your Majesty—!!"

The former princess was now crying.

'The fact that she cannot discuss this matter for 30 years means that the punishment cannot be reduced for 30 years.'

'Since the former princess is 30, she will have to live in poverty until she is 60, worse than a commoner.'

It was a very satisfying punishment.

Especially the part about wearing a restraining order for life!

'I know from experience that it feels like you want to die.'

Your head feels numb, and you feel nauseous all the time.

The pampered former princess won't be able to think properly with a restraining order.

The Emperor nodded.

"Let it be done as you say."

"Put it in writing and have the Emperor's seal on it."

"Agreed."

"Agreed."

"When will Anatoly's departure to Iplando be?"

Now that she's been deposed, they're calling her by her name.

I smiled inwardly, and my father's lips curled up.

Anatoly was sitting on the floor, crying.

"Your Majesty... Oh, Brother! How can you do this to me? I've been a loyal servant to you...!"

"Shut up."

The Emperor warned coldly, and Anatoly crawled over and clung to the Emperor's legs.

"What would the former Emperor say?! He entrusted me to you, saying that we should protect the palace together as siblings!"

"......"

"Your Majesty, please. How can I live in Iplando without servants—!!"

Anatoly cried like a child.

Despite being 30, she could act like this...

Well, even in Korea, where awareness is higher, there are many people who do strange things well into their 30s.

Just looking at the news, there were plenty of people who made you wonder, 'Can they really do that at that age?'

'And she's always been a bit crazy.'

The Emperor was firm.

"Prepare to leave for Iplando as soon as this meeting ends."

"Your Majesty!"

No matter how much Anatoly cried, nothing changed.

In the end, her name was removed from the royal family, and she became a commoner, destined to spend 30 lonely and hard years in Iplando.

It was a very satisfying outcome.

* * *

The meeting ended.

The nobles quickly left the palace.

Grandfather, Father, and Uncle Grimié had a separate conversation with the Emperor.

'Anatoly's punishment is one thing, but we need to receive compensation for what happened at the Astra Manor.'

I approached Grandfather.

"Grandfather."

"......"

Grandfather's expression was not good.

I hesitated and said,

"I'm sorry for not speaking up."

"......You must not let this happen again."

"Yes... Ah, and this."

I handed the ledger to Grandfather.

It was a document recording the former princess's actions, written by the duchy's maid, Hilda.

This would be a great help in negotiations with the Emperor.

Uncle Grimié patted my head.

"I'm glad to have a smart niece. But being too clever can worry adults."

"I'm sorry... "

"Go inside and rest."

"Yes!"

Then I held Father's hand tightly.

"Don't yell at the Emperor."

"I know."

"Don't get too excited."

"Okay."

"The former princess, or Anatoly, will receive sufficient punishment. Now, the important thing is the compensation, right?"

"Right."

"Viscount Debussy said that when something happens, it's better to receive proper compensation rather than getting angry."

Grandfather, who had been listening, chuckled.

"Damn, Daemon, your child is a blessing."

Uncle Grimié also smiled.

"I should have had a child or two."

Father said with a proud expression,

"Do you know how hard it is to have a child like this?"

"True. You're right."

After Grandfather, Uncle Grimié, and Father left, I smiled in the corridor.

'I can get a lot from this.'

If possible, it would be great if something like a magi-railway could be built soon.

Construction on the magi-railway will begin at the end of this year.

It's essentially a train, but it runs by magic.

The nobles, who have carriages, thought the magi-railway was not significant.

The cost of riding the magi-railway was so high that commoners couldn't afford it, and the nobles, with their fine carriages, didn't need to ride it.

So, in the early stages, there were few areas with railway lines.

'The nobles probably don't want to bring in the magicians sent by the palace to their territories.'

They might be used as spies, and the territories would be in chaos due to the construction.

The nobles, who were loyal to the Emperor, only reluctantly agreed to the railway construction.

'But in the end, they will benefit greatly.'

Areas connected by the magi-railway will flourish, while those not connected will decline.

Astra will also lay railway lines eventually...

'If we had laid them from the beginning, we could have made a lot of money.'

After the shopping town was built in Icandor, the railway was laid, dividing the empire's shopping areas into two.

'But if we had laid the railway before that...'

I heard the sound of gold coins falling.

I chuckled but then flinched.

'This isn't the time for that.'

I had other things to do, so I quickly ran.

My destination was the Empress Dowager's palace.

"Your Majesty!"

As I shouted and ran, the Empress Dowager, who was about to enter the palace, frowned.

"What is it?"

"Your Majesty... "

"Yes."

"I'm worried that you might be upset because of today's events."

"......It's not your concern."

She looked a bit tired.

'Understandable, given the situation.'

The palace had been disgraced.

I couldn't afford to lose the Empress Dowager's favor because of Anatoly.

I said, "Your Majesty..." and looked up at her.

Then I handed her something.

The Empress Dowager, seeing the neatly wrapped item, asked,

"What is this?"

"It's a feather that Ragon shed when he molted!"

"Feather...?"

"Let me explain."

This is something the Empress Dowager would be extremely happy to receive.

"Let me explain... "