Chapter 69

Within less than a week, Count Lackl exposed the secret ledgers of Count Kurd’s merchant guild. The reality of the guild, which had pretended to be noble with the backing of Duke Gabriel, was far uglier than anyone had imagined.

The guild was involved in kidnapping children and selling them as slaves. Those who couldn’t be sold were forced to work without pay.

They would record cheap gemstones as genuine jewels and sell them with slaves bundled as if they were part of the deal. They even attempted to inflate the value of those cheap gems by using some dirty tricks, eventually leading to information leaking from within.

Liliana thought Duke Gabriel might at least pretend to defend Count Kurd. After all, shouldn’t he try to reassure the other nobles who were aligned with him?

But Duke Gabriel was more arrogant than she had imagined and seemed to lack any inclination toward appeasement.

Duke Gabriel did nothing. Even as Count Kurd was dragged away to prison, kneeling on the ground and wailing, Duke Gabriel remained silent.

Yet, despite everything, Count Kurd never once mentioned Duke Gabriel’s name.

He claimed that everything had been his own doing and even expressed regret that Duke Gabriel might be misunderstood because of this incident.

It was clear that Duke Gabriel had a firm grip on Count Kurd, even without lifting a finger.

“Duke Gabriel is a coward,” Liliana muttered angrily as she sipped her tea on the balcony of the Emerald Palace.

At first, she opposed Duke Gabriel’s faction because she believed that bringing them down was the only way she could live peacefully.

But now, she found the entire Gabriel faction horrifying. They were not just a central pillar supporting the Empire but also the parasites eating away at it from within.

“I agree they’re cowardly, but please don’t get too involved. I’m afraid you might provoke their wrath,”

Sophia, who was standing nearby, spoke cautiously, clearly concerned. Perhaps the original Liliana had agreed with that sentiment and chosen to live quietly.

But the Gabriel faction was far from merciful. Liliana smiled bitterly as she inhaled the scent of her tea.

“Don’t worry. Even if I just breathe, they’ll want to kill me.”

“Oh, don’t say such frightening things.“

It’s true, Sophia.

As Liliana was about to say this, a long gust of wind brushed past, carrying the smell of something burning with it. The acrid scent smeared against her cheek, and Sophia also noticed it, lifting her head to look toward the distance.

“What is that smell?”

“Could there be a fire in the palace?“

“No way…”

Liliana dismissed the idea, but a chill ran down her spine. Sophia excused herself to find out what was happening, leaving Liliana to stare in the direction of the rising smoke.

It was the same direction from which Helio always approached the Emerald Palace.

Liliana stood up, gripping the balcony railing. She stretched her neck out, trying to see where the fire was coming from, although she knew it wouldn’t help. She leaned out as far as she could until Minelli came over to stop her.

“Your Highness, no one would dare set fire to the imperial palace,“ Minelli said as if she understood Liliana’s concerns. Startled by the perceptiveness of the comment, Liliana clasped her hands together and tried to appear calm.

But her gaze kept drifting back toward the source of the smoke. Feeling guilty, she tried to justify herself.

“I don’t think anyone would commit arson, but if there’s an accident and palace staff get hurt…”

Liliana sat back down as if she wasn’t too concerned but couldn’t bring herself to sip tea.

She could see knights and workers hurrying about in the distance, though it was still unclear where they were heading.

It was long after the workers had disappeared before Sophia finally returned to the Emerald Palace, walking quickly.

Sophia’s steps toward the balcony seemed so slow that Liliana almost broke protocol by getting up to meet her halfway. Not that it would have made a difference.

“Sophia, what happened?“ Liliana asked urgently the moment Sophia stepped onto the balcony. Sophia, looking visibly distressed, replied,

“Your Highness, Count Kurd’s eldest son has been arrested as the arsonist!”

Both Liliana and Minelli were shocked. Committing arson in the imperial palace was a grave crime.

Even if a servant accidentally started a small fire and it was quickly contained, their life would still be in jeopardy—let alone someone deliberately setting it.

“Did they catch the arsonist?“ Liliana asked.

“Yes, but… When he was caught trying to flee, he immediately took poison and killed himself. An order has been issued to arrest all members of Count Kurd’s household,“ Sophia reported, her voice trembling slightly from the gravity of the situation.

Everything Sophia said was crucial, but Liliana was most curious about one thing.

“Where did the fire start? Was anyone hurt?“

“In Aris Palace! A knight suffered a minor burn while trying to apprehend the arsonist, but it’s a small injury. It’s a relief that Aris Palace is mostly abandoned. The few servants there managed to escape quickly, and the fire wasn’t huge.”

Sophia spoke quickly, still visibly excited. Aris Palace. Liliana sighed in deep relief and leaned back in her chair.

“Thank goodness.”

For a moment, she had feared that some lunatic might have set fire to the emperor’s palace. But once she realized Helio was safe, her mind started working quickly again.

Why would Count Kurd’s son set fire to Aris Palace? Was it an act of revenge against the royal family? No, that didn’t make sense.

First of all, setting fire to that decrepit palace wouldn’t cause any harm to the royal family.

Secondly, the Kurd family’s genuine hatred likely targeted Count Lackl, not the royal family itself.

Thirdly, Count Lackl would have been a much easier target for revenge.

Therefore, the conclusion was clear: Count Kurd’s son was given an order to set fire to Aris Palace, an order he couldn’t refuse. There was no need to debate who gave it; it had to be Duke Gabriel.

Without Gabriel’s help, Kurd’s son wouldn’t have even set foot in the imperial palace.

Liliana needed to uncover why Duke Gabriel ordered the arson at Aris Palace.

A devil like him wouldn’t take such a risk without reason. What did Gabriel hope to gain from this?

The smoke thickened as the fire at Aris Palace seemed to die down, signaling the last desperate flames. Liliana’s eyes darkened as she watched.

Without looking, Liliana groped around the table and accidentally knocked over her teacup.

“Your Highness, are you alright?“ Sophia rushed over and quickly wiped the bit of tea that had spilled from Liliana’s dress. Liliana stood up slowly.

“I should change clothes. Will you assist me?“ Liliana was eerily calm, considering she had just spilled tea. She took only Sophia with her to her chamber to change.

As Sophia approached behind her and draped a thick shawl over her shoulders, Liliana whispered so softly that her lips barely moved.

“Sophia, from now on, whenever His Majesty visits the Emerald Palace, prepare the tea with extra care.”

It sounded like she instructed Sophia to treat the emperor with utmost reverence. But Sophia understood Liliana’s true meaning immediately.

She was to mix contraceptives into Liliana’s tea whenever Helio visited.

“What? All of a sudden?”

Liliana had prepared contraceptives in advance but had never taken them. There had never been a need. But now, Liliana realized something.

There was no longer any place to retreat.

“Yes. Duke Gabriel is pushing the emperor by sacrificing Count Kurd.”

Sophia didn’t argue but didn’t fully grasp Liliana’s intentions either. Liliana smiled bitterly at Sophia’s puzzled expression.

“Duke Gabriel is unbearably arrogant. He set fire to the palace to emphasize the importance of a successor.”

Gabriel would undoubtedly use this incident to pressure Helio to quickly take an empress, but Helio wouldn’t want that.

And the only card Helio could play… was Liliana herself.

* * *

“We must arrest the entire Kurd family to set an example.”

That was the only sound in the vast council chamber. The other nobles didn’t dare make a peep, their eyes flicking nervously between Helio and Duke Gabriel like frightened mice.

Helio, on the other hand, sat slouched on the throne, leaning one arm on the armrest, radiating boredom as if he found the entire situation tiresome.

He rested his forehead on his arm, surveying the room with drowsy eyes.

“Count Kurd and his son are already dead.“

“The bloodline of those who dared set fire to the imperial palace must not be allowed to continue.“

“Are you suggesting we annihilate their entire family?“

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

At that, Helio lifted his head and smirked.

“The Duke is a man who knows how to separate public and private matters. Weren’t you quite close to Count Kurd? I sense no sympathy from you.“

“This is for the safety of the royal family. How could I let personal feelings interfere?“

“No one is more loyal than you, Duke. The Empire is fortunate to have you.”

If this exchange were recorded, it might go down in history as a conversation between a loyal subject and an emperor who appreciated him.

But everyone present could feel the palpable tension between the two.

Helio straightened up and gestured at Ternz with a flick of his finger.

“The Kurd family’s titles will be stripped, their assets confiscated, and they will live as commoners. The Kurd’s merchant guild will also be absorbed into the royal treasury.“

Ternz recorded every word Helio said, but Duke Gabriel wasn’t satisfied with this outcome.

“Your Majesty, we must not allow the seeds of evil to take root.”

TL NOTE: A more advanced chapter of this story is already up on the site. Visit dusk blossoms for more advanced chapters and stories.