Chapter 15 – The Fall of the Imperial Family (Part 2)

“Grand Duke, do not try to obscure the essence of this matter.”

The Emperor’s stern words brought everyone, including Reubellina and the gathered nobles, back to the present situation. The conflict, returning to its starting point like a broken record, showed no signs of resolution.

At that moment, Bellaruse spoke up.

“The one who ordered me to kill the Second Prince was indeed the Grand Duchess.”

“What nonsense!”

Tartenon stepped forward directly. Everyone knew Bellaruse’s words were false, but no one pointed it out. They knew what Inferno had done to Bellaruse, but bringing it up in noble society was considered disgraceful.

To say out loud that a prince, the Emperor’s son, had beaten a noble lady, leading to such an incident, would be the ultimate embarrassment. If this news spread to other empires, the Freynante Empire would face international ridicule, so the nobles kept silent.

Instead, they saw this as an opportunity to weaken the North and use this political incident to purge the noble society, specifically targeting the northern nobles.

“It seems everyone has forgotten something.”

Reubellina clapped her fan against her palm, making a sound as she stepped forward. Bellaruse rolled her eyes, meeting Reubellina’s sharp gaze.

“What benefit do I gain from killing the Second Prince? And why would I do it through Lady Zeraon?”

As she stepped forward, the room fell silent.

“I was so dumbfounded that I didn’t want to say anything, but I can’t believe Lady Zeraon is dragging me into this. Do you think I would order a baron’s daughter to commit such an act? She’s not even a professional assassin.”

Her scoffing echoed through the banquet hall. She spoke boldly, saying things other nobles couldn’t dare to voice.

Before the atmosphere could shift, Monterno shouted,

“What nonsense are you spouting before His Majesty!”

“The nonsense is coming from Lady Zeraon. Or should I say, the lies.”

No one could stop Reubellina, who spoke with a deliberately tilted head and a defiant attitude. With the Duke Asillious absent and Tartenon not intervening, it was inevitable.

“It seems the North is being seen as a pushover.”

“What is this!”

“I’m not finished yet.”

Reubellina haughtily raised her chin. She had no intention of losing this battle of justification.

It seemed the imperial family’s goal was to either force the North into submission or eliminate the Speraum family.

‘I can’t lose.’

She couldn’t afford to lose in terms of justification. It was clear to everyone that they were using Inferno’s death to manipulate the North.

Moreover, they chose to stage this at a banquet because Reubellina, as the Grand Duchess, could only be held accountable here, not in a noble council meeting where women without titles couldn’t participate.

“The North has done so much, yet the nobles here show no gratitude.”

“Ahem!”

“Humph!”

“Ahem! The Grand Duchess’s words are too harsh!”

The nobles tried to silence Reubellina, but she paid no heed.

“Trying to frame me as a murderer without any contribution is something I can’t stand by and watch.”

“And if you can’t stand it?”

Monterno scoffed, as if asking what she could do. Bellaruse, sensing the atmosphere, stepped forward again.

“They promised to compensate me if I weakened the imperial family’s power by killing the Second Prince.”

“Compensate? What compensation?”

“They promised me money.”

No one took Bellaruse and Monterno’s claims at face value. Everyone was part of a well-orchestrated play.

‘This is ridiculous.’

This couldn’t end here. As Reubellina slowly looked around, the noblewomen who had been watching her avoided her gaze one by one.

But then, Princess Selena Freynante stepped forward.

“Brother! Something feels off to me.”

With an innocent expression, Selena looked like she knew nothing. Monterno sighed, as if wondering what she could say. He always expected her to spout nonsense.

“It’s well-known that Lady Zeraon has no money.”

“That’s true. So, didn’t she fall for the Grand Duchess’s persuasion?”

“But I heard that Baron Zeraon came into some money recently.”

“Yes, that money must have come from the Grand Duchess.”

“No. I gave it to her.”

“What?”

Monterno, taken aback by Selena’s unexpected words, asked again.

“I said I gave it to her. So, does that make me the one who ordered the Second Prince’s death?”

“Why did you give money to Lady Zeraon!”

“Because I felt sorry for her.”

Selena, blinking innocently, acted as if she had given alms to a beggar.

“I felt sorry seeing her stay by my brother’s side even after being beaten. And it was pitiful to see her struggling to attend social events despite having no money.”

For the first time, someone mentioned the truth that everyone knew but kept silent about. The nobles were surprised that it was Selena who brought it up.

“Why is the Princess speaking up?”

“So, the rumors in the capital were true. They said the Princess had been keeping a low profile.”

“They say she genuinely cares for the citizens of the empire.”

“To think it applies even to a noble lady. Truly an imperial.”

The murmurs were quite loud. Though they flaunted their splendor at the banquet, they knew they could fall like Bellaruse. Even now, the great Grand Duke of the North is helpless against the pressure from the Emperor and the Crown Prince.

The Emperor’s plan to pressure Tartenon was impressive, but it couldn’t garner genuine support. The nobles knew the imperial family’s stance was wrong. However, they feared the Emperor’s power to designate heirs and being ousted from noble society like the Grand Duke of the North.

But to them, Selena showed the ideal image of an imperial.

“As an imperial, I have a moral responsibility. So, I gave her money.”

For the first time, Selena brought to light that what happened to Bellaruse was unjust. Monterno, flustered by the unexpected situation, tried to stop Selena, but she continued.

“Think about it, Brother. We are imperials. So, it’s natural.”

The nobles, who never expected such words from Selena, looked at her with surprised eyes. Their gazes were filled with goodwill.

But Monterno was different. He saw Selena’s sudden words as a threat to his position. His narrowed eyes turned to Selena.

“Selena.”

“Yes, Brother.”

“This isn’t about whether you gave money or not. It’s about whether you gave Lady Zeraon such orders.”

“Yes, I agree. That’s why I said it. Isn’t it possible that Lady Zeraon, in her despair, drove the Second Prince to his death?”

The nobles nodded at Selena’s words. Monterno saw them but deliberately didn’t mention it. Acknowledging it would undermine the imperial family’s legitimacy.

If the nobles’ suppressed discontent exploded, it would destabilize the imperial family’s position. Monterno, pretending to be a wise older brother, spoke kindly.

“But an imperial must also be cold-hearted. What you showed Lady Zeraon wasn’t kindness, but hypocrisy.”

“Hypocrisy?”

“Yes, hypocrisy. Would you give money in the same situation to another noble?”

“Yes.”

“If there are ten such nobles? Twenty? Would you still give alms to them? And leave the other citizens of the empire behind?”

It was a contradiction. Monterno’s response was merely wordplay. Yet some nobles nodded in agreement. These were nobles who had experience rejecting the pleas of other nobles. They justified their cowardice in this way.

When Selena remained silent, Monterno nodded, as if to say, ‘I knew it.’

“That’s why your thinking is short-sighted.”

“But I believe that such a princess is the most imperial.”

The voice belonged to Reubellina.

As she stepped forward, Monterno realized that Selena, who had hidden her claws until now, had allied with Reubellina.

Though anger surged within him, he did not show it. There was no need to display his wariness of Selena in front of the gathered nobles.

“Isn’t it true that noble ladies often face such ordeals?”

“What do you mean…?”

“Doesn’t His Highness the Crown Prince know quite a bit about it? Some of the ladies who were around before my marriage are not here now.”

It was a subtle insinuation that something might have happened to those ladies as well. Everyone understood that while Bellaruse was the only known victim of Inferno’s actions, there could be others.

“What happened to those ladies?”

“Stop trying to divert the topic! This gathering is to uncover the hidden forces behind Inferno’s death!”

Monterno shouted at Reubellina. Though his attitude raised suspicions, the nobles dared not speak out. The power struggle between the North and the imperial family was still ongoing. Selena’s intervention had slightly shifted the balance, but that was all.

The endless, tedious conversation needed to end. Having shown Selena’s imperial demeanor, Reubellina decided it was time to put a period on this matter.

“Show us the evidence that Bellaruse was ordered by the North to kill the Second Prince.”

“That’s really…!”

“Not baseless claims.”

Her cold words filled the banquet hall. Reubellina could not accept using someone’s death for political purposes, especially if it was to threaten her and the North.

“Present clear evidence, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

Reubellina unfolded her fan, adding that the North would not stand idly by if there was no clear evidence. Monterno, smiling as if he had been waiting for this moment, stepped forward. Reubellina’s eyes twitched at his demeanor.

“If you’re looking for evidence, here it is.”

He unfolded a document. It detailed the profits from selling Stella Stones from the North to the capital through Musen Trade. It showed how much money had flowed from the capital to the North and how some of it ended up with the Zeraon family.

Of course, it was a forgery. Upon closer inspection, one could see that the seal used was different from the one Reubellina used for Musen Trade.