Chapter 10 – The Master of the Northern Social Circle (Part 10)

Many nobles and knights who swore loyalty to her, the sister of the late Grand Duke, remained. Using that as a pretext, she gathered her forces. It was also easy to backstab Tartenon, who roamed around leading the knights under the pretext of guarding the northern borders. Tartenon had no interest in money.

She didn’t stop him when he said he would bring a lady from the capital to marry because she thought it would allow her to manage the North’s finances if a lady unfamiliar with the North sat as the Grand Duchess.

But the situation changed.

She thought of using Tartenon’s power to protect the northern borders after deceiving him into handing over the Grand Duke’s title. At least his power was real. However, everything changed when Reubellina appeared.

Viverna’s plan to gain the upper hand fell apart, and Reubellina, who received Tartenon’s affection, was not an easy woman. She let her guard down, knowing Reubellina was the fiancée of that foolish Inferno.

Viverna, who frequently contacted Crown Prince Monterno, knew well what kind of person Inferno was. So she used him as a weapon. Viverna had documents proving that Inferno hired an assassin to kill Tartenon. If she ever got implicated, she planned to use those documents to corner Inferno.

Once she became the Grand Duchess, she wouldn’t need the imperial family’s restraint. So, she began preparations to strike them down.

Viverna’s lips curled up. The Grand Duke’s chamber was right in front of her. Beyond that door was the throne she had longed for.

“Lady Viverna.”

Paddington called her from behind, but Viverna didn’t stop. In fact, her pace quickened. She wanted to burst through that door immediately, but she had to maintain her dignity as a member of the Speraum bloodline.

“Open it.”

Viverna commanded Paddington. Hearing the command, Paddington stepped forward.

“Open it now.”

Viverna’s eyes, filled with joy, were fixed on the door. Her eyes were full of stubbornness, seeing and hearing nothing else.

“Lady Viverna is coming in!”

As soon as Paddington finished speaking, the firmly closed door opened before her.

Viverna entered the chamber as soon as the door opened. Though the bright light made it hard to see, it didn’t matter. Now that light belonged to her.

“Welcome, Aunt.”

If not for Tartenon’s cold voice, she would have immediately sat on the Grand Duke’s throne. Viverna froze in place.

“I hoped you wouldn’t walk through that door, but here we are.”

Tartenon rose from the throne. Only then could Viverna see his surroundings. Key nobles of the North, including the Marquis of Istorium, stood by his side. These were the nobles who didn’t show up despite her requests.

‘It’s not too late.’

Even now, she could deny everything. Viverna quickly rolled her eyes.

“…I came because I was worried.”

“I know that’s not true.”

“Tartenon.”

“You have no right to say such things, Aunt.”

Viverna bit her lip. Her eyes turned to Neon. Neon couldn’t speak under her accusing gaze. Heather and Hemil, standing behind him, restrained him.

“I really came because I was worried…!”

“You said the same thing to my father before handing him the poisoned drink.”

Viverna’s mouth shut.

‘Could he possibly know?’

It couldn’t be. If he knew, Tartenon wouldn’t have stayed quiet. He would have tried to kill her the moment he found out, as he cherished his father deeply.

Viverna decided to deny it to the end.

“It’s a common story of a sister offering a drink to wish her brother good luck in battle.”

“But a sister poisoning the drink is a different story.”

“Tartenon!”

“You committed such an act, Aunt.”

“No!”

“Denying it won’t erase what you did.”

Tartenon was resolute. There was no opening. His words flowed without hesitation, as if he had been waiting for this moment.

Viverna briefly considered how to escape this situation. But she saw no way out.

Seeing Viverna’s pale face, the Marquis of Istorium stepped forward.

“Is it true?”

“What are you talking about, Marquis!”

“The rumor that Lady Viverna received poison from the Emperor.”

It was a rumor that had died out. If it became known that someone from Speraum poisoned the Grand Duke, the north’s loyalty would crumble. No one knew who spread the rumor, but it left a strong impression on the Marquis of Istorium, so he remembered it vividly.

Tartenon didn’t take his eyes off Viverna, whose eyes were shaking as she looked at him.

It was a question he had always wanted to ask. He wondered if he should thank the Marquis of Istorium for raising it or resent him for bringing up the past?

The North was now united around Tartenon. His father’s death was painful, but the situation was very different from then.

Viverna was already a fading star. The documents she had hidden were already secured. Hemil, who had followed Neon, had obtained them.

“I could tolerate you trying to kill me. I’m not someone who would die easily. But touching Reubellina was a mistake.”

A cold voice was directed at Viverna. Hearing the words of condemnation, Viverna’s eyes narrowed.

“How dare you speak to me like that? Ignoring your aunt to defend that woman from the capital?”

“She is the queen of Speraum that I have acknowledged.”

“A country bumpkin from the capital as the Queen of Speraum! Ha!”

Viverna’s scoff echoed in the chamber.

“Do you think you’ve become the true ruler of the north just because you sit on the throne!”

“Yes.”

Tartenon answered calmly.

“I was the king of the North before, I am the king of the North now, and I will be the king of the North in the future.”

“Tartenon!”

“And you are no longer my aunt.”

Tartenon handed over a document. The expressions of the nobles who had already seen the document before Viverna arrived were grim. It was a shocking document stating that Viverna had conspired with the imperial family to bring about the death of the late Grand Duke.

There was also a letter sent by Inferno, but Tartenon did not bother to bring it out now. No, there was no need to. That letter would be appropriately used to dethrone Inferno and weaken the imperial family’s power once he returned to the capital someday.

“Viverna Speraum used poison to take the life of my father, the late Grand Duke, and continuously conspired with the imperial family to endanger the North.”

“No!”

A shrill voice echoed in the chamber, but Tartenon paid no heed.

“Therefore, I, Tartenon Speraum, ruler of the north, propose to strip her of the Speraum name.”

Tartenon’s verdict was delivered. The nobles gathered in the chamber stepped forward one by one and bowed. No one raised their head. It was a unanimous agreement to strip Viverna of her name. Even the nobles who had stood behind her in support bowed in the same manner.

They bowed to Tartenon, and their heads did not rise. Tartenon looked down at all those who bowed to him. Only Viverna stood pathetically in place. Neon, bound by the knights, closed his eyes as if he had given up on everything.

“Since she has been stripped of the Speraum name, she can no longer live in the territory of Speraum. Imprison her in Pietrie, the most barren place in the North.”

“The punishment is too light for the crime.”

The Marquis of Istorium objected to Tartenon. The assassination of the late Grand Duke was an unforgivable crime. The Marquis of Istorium, who had harbored dissatisfaction with Viverna’s actions, felt that Tartenon’s punishment was too lenient.

“The crime of driving a blood relative to death should be dealt with more severely.”

“Marquis of Istorium.”

“I understand Your Grace’s feelings, but think of the future heirs to be born.”

The Marquis of Istorium targeted Tartenon’s weakest point. However, Tartenon did not change his mind.

“My decision remains unchanged.”

“…Understood.”

The Marquis of Istorium, bowing once more to Tartenon, stepped back. However, his bowed eyes gleamed coldly. It was the look of someone harboring a significant resolution.

“Take her away.”

Though Viverna screamed in injustice, she was dragged out by Bruelin and other knights.

As she completely disappeared beyond the doors of the chamber, Tartenon’s sharp gaze turned to the nobles. Specifically, to the nobles who had come with Viverna, claiming to support her.

“I clearly gave you all a chance.”

“Your Grace! Please spare us!”

“Yes! We are guilty only of listening to Lady Viverna!”

“Lady Viverna held the Speraum title! We had no choice but to follow!”

Their desperate voices were filled with urgency. However, there was no trace of emotion in Tartenon’s eyes. The remaining nobles, seeing Tartenon’s cold gaze, were relieved that he hadn’t drawn his sword yet.

His patience had reached its limit. Especially knowing that among these nobles, there were those who had conspired to take Reubellina’s life, made it unbearable for him.

Tartenon finally drew his sword and swung it. Though no one was cut, the nobles trembled in fear.

As nobles of the North, they were all skilled in swordsmanship, but Tartenon was on a different level. When he swung his sword again, a long line was drawn on the floor.

“Not only did you rebel against me, the Grand Duke of the North…”

Tartenon swung his sword again towards the nobles. This time, the hair of the trembling nobles scattered in the air.

“You even tried to kill the Grand Duchess.”

“Y-Your Grace! It’s a misunderstanding.”

“Misunderstanding? Nonsense.” 

Tartenon’s blue eyes glimmered with murderous intent.

He could not forgive them. He had tolerated Viverna because she was his blood relative and his superior, but he could not forgive those who turned their backs on the Grand Duke they were supposed to serve.

“Treason. It’s the word I hate the most.”

As his sharp sword cut through the air, the nobles could not stand and fell to their knees. As they tried to lift their heads, the sword came down, leaving a red line on their foreheads.

Seeing the long red line, the nobles gasped. Tartenon’s eyes, filled with darkness, spoke volumes. There would be no more forgiveness. This was the end of his leniency.

Just as the nobles were about to speak, Tartenon spoke first.

“So now, you can offer up your lives, right?”