As the beautiful melody reached its climax and finally ended, Melish opened her eyes. 

With a cold smile, she murmured softly, 

“Yes… Kylance is my son now. He’s truly become my son.” 

There was a hint of madness in her voice. 

If her brother Alex were to see her, he would surely call her mad. But what did it matter? He was long gone from this world. 

And soon that thorn in her side, Ariel Blante, would be gone from this nation as well. 

When that happened, Kylance would be even more perfect and stronger – strong enough to take the imperial throne. 

Feeling an overwhelming sense of fulfilment for the first time in ages, Melish put her hands back to the strings of the harp.

This time with the piece her mother loved most.

Just as Melish closed her eyes again and prepared to pluck the harp strings, a soft knock echoed through the room. 

“Ma’am, it’s Caroline.” 

Melish’s fingers froze. Her eyes opened as her eyebrows knitted in displeasure. 

She had specifically instructed Caroline not to disturb her today unless it was truly urgent. Caroline wasn’t stupid enough to disobey such a clear order. 

This could only mean that something urgent and important had come up. 

A feeling of unease washed over her and the smile vanished from her face. Slowly, Melish removed her hands from the harp strings and rose from her seat. 

“Come in.”

As soon as Melish was seated on the sofa, the door opened. Caroline approached her mistress, but before she could bow properly, Melish spoke. 

“What is it?” 

Caroline straightened slightly from her half-bow and delivered the crux of the matter with precision. 

“This morning, Lady Blante met with the headmistress of Rembleu Academy, Countess Forte. I’m told that Countess Forte has offered to assist Lady Blante.” 

“Countess Forte… assisting Lady Blante…” 

Melish quietly repeated the information Caroline had just relayed, her tone ominous. 

That uneasy feeling she’d had earlier? It hadn’t been for nothing. Something unpleasant had indeed come up. 

Countess Forte wasn’t just any noblewoman. She was a strategist, so renowned that she was often called a sage. The Emperor himself had once offered her the position of Chancellor of the Pentium Empire, but she had refused. 

She had refused, citing her distaste for the noisy world of politics. Instead, she had vowed to devote herself entirely to nurturing talent for the good of the Empire, and accepted the lifelong role of Headmistress of the Rembleu Academy. 

Her unwavering principles only deepened the Emperor’s trust in her. 

Even now, the Emperor hadn’t given up on Countess Forte, occasionally hinting at his desire for her to return to the political sphere. 

That was how much he valued and trusted her. And now it was Countess Forte who had decided to help Lady Blante. 

It was clear what Lady Blante had wanted. She must have asked for the Emperor’s heart to be moved and for the case of the Blante Marquisate to be reopened for investigation. 

Lady Blante had been making the rounds of the nobility in recent days, trying to uncover information about the case. 

“…I hadn’t considered Countess Forte.”

It was true. She hadn’t considered the Countess. Countess Forte had long since distanced herself from politics, and her ties with the Blante family had been severed years ago. 

A bitter smile tugged at Melish’s lips as she reflected on her oversight. 

“Countess Forte was once very close to the Marquise of Blante…”

“From a very young age, their bond ran deep,” Melish murmured. “After all, the Marchioness of Blante’s maternal family, the Count of Varnia, took in and raised the Countess of Forte when her family was drowning in debt.”

“Yes, that’s right. The Marchioness of Blante was not only a dear friend of the Countess Forte, but also her benefactor. Even if His Majesty has already removed the family name from the honorary plaques… the Countess won’t give in.

No, she would try even harder to persuade him…

For the sake of her benefactor’s child.

Melish clicked her tongue in irritation and rose from her seat. She began pacing the room with deliberate steps as she spoke aloud, “And with her principles, there’s no chance she’d agree to work with me.”

Caroline asked cautiously, “What are we going to do? If His Majesty were to yield to Countess Forte’s persuasion, there’s a real possibility that the case of the Blante Marquisate… might actually be reopened.”

“That cannot happen. A re-investigation? Absolutely out of the question.”

Melish stopped mid-step, cutting Caroline off sharply.

Her gaze became razor sharp as she continued.

“If that happens, His Majesty will discover that the evidence was fabricated by Kylance. Once it is revealed that the Marquis’ treason was a lie, what do you think they’ll investigate next?”

Carol lowered her head, swallowing the answer that immediately came to mind, unable to say it.

“We must ensure that the Countess cannot overturn His Majesty’s decision.”

But how?

The question gnawed at her.

After all, she had no direct means of stopping Countess Forte. Even if His Majesty dismissed the Countess once, given Kylance and Alex’s standing, he might hesitate if she persisted in her persuasion.

His Majesty loved Kylance, but he also trusted the Countess deeply.

What should I do? 

Deep furrows formed on Melish’s forehead. It was all so close – soon the name Blante and the fox-like girl who had ensnared Kylance would be nothing but memories, or so she thought. 

She couldn’t let it all fall apart just when her revenge was about to succeed. 

And then she had an idea. 

“If Countess Forte can’t be stopped, then… we’ll have to make the one involved give up instead.” 

Before Countess Forte’s persuasion could succeed. 

Melish called for her trusted aide, who was waiting for orders. 

“Caroline.” 

“Yes.” 

Melish turned to Caroline with a soft smile. 

“Send a letter to Lady Blante tomorrow. Tell her I’d like to see her.” 

* * * 

Three days later. 

Ariel, who had collapsed in the lobby of the Blante estate, regained consciousness. She had been unconscious for two full days, suffering from a high fever. 

Despite her confidence in her physical endurance, the news of Kylance’s petition to expel the Blante family had finally overwhelmed her, leaving her utterly defeated. 

Not to mention the fact that she hadn’t had any real rest since her father’s death. 

In retrospect, it was perhaps a miracle that she hadn’t collapsed sooner. 

As Ariel pondered bitterly, the maid at her side spoke softly. 

“My lady, please try to eat some more. You need to regain your strength.” 

Ariel looked at the small table above her bed. On it sat a bowl of finely pureed vegetable soup and a spoon. 

It was her first meal in three days. But Ariel only lifted the spoon a few times before putting it down, prompting the maid to express her concern. 

But Ariel still had no appetite. She had regained consciousness, but nothing about her reality had changed. If anything, things might have gotten worse in her absence. 

With a faint smile, Ariel gently pushed the table away. 

“It’s all right. I’ll eat more later. This will do for now.” 

The maid, her eyes filled with concern, hesitated for a moment before removing the table from the bed. Ariel leaned back against the headboard and called softly to her. 

“Mila.” 

“Yes, my lady?” 

“Has His Majesty… issued a decree regarding the Blante family?” 

“Ah…” 

Mila hesitated, her words trailing off awkwardly. It was clear that her aunt and cousin had instructed her not to share any troubling news with Ariel, especially given her condition. 

Her aunt in particular must have been adamant. Even in her hazy state of consciousness, Ariel clearly remembered her aunt’s tearful pleas for her not to give up and to fight through the illness. 

Ariel understood her aunt’s concern, but time was not on the Blante family’s side. 

If, during her collapse, His Majesty had indeed issued a decree stripping the Blante family of their title, Ariel would have to take immediate action and appeal to the Emperor himself. 

After all, as the only direct heir of the Blante family, it was her responsibility to fight for their name. Ignoring the situation wouldn’t make it go away. 

“Mila, I am the head of this house, not my aunt. So tell me.”

Mila lowered her eyes, her lips moving slowly as she finally began to speak. 

“…His Majesty has not yet issued a formal decree. And there’s been no further news on the matter.”

“Is that so? That’s a relief.”

Ariel sighed softly, a hint of relief slipping through her composed demeanour. Despite trying to appear calm, she had been holding her breath in anticipation. 

‘So, despite the removal of the name, no official order has yet been issued.’

Could this be due to Countess Forte? 

‘I will visit His Majesty the day after tomorrow.’ 

The Count certainly mentioned it. If she were, she wouldn’t retreat so easily, even if she knew that His Majesty had removed the name from the records. 

It was evident that her love for my mother was extraordinary.

‘In that case… should I meet the Countess first?’ 

‘This will help me understand His Majesty’s true intentions,’ Ariel thought. ‘And after that… I’ll have to write to Kylance.’

It was the last thing she wanted to do, but at the moment Kylance’s help was essential. 

As Ariel began to organise her thoughts and plan her next steps, she turned to Mila, ready to order her to prepare for an outing. 

But something seemed wrong. Mila’s expression was anything but reassuring, her lips parted slightly as if she had more to say. 

“Mila, it’s all right. Just tell me. Did something else happen in the household?” 

“Well… I’m not sure if this is good news or bad news, but… Lady Argen specifically told me not to mention this to you.” 

“What is it?”

“A letter arrived from the Duke of Viasteus’ household the day after you collapsed. The Duchess invites you for a visit.”