159. The Investigation Begins (1)

A temporary office for Duke Anderman’s investigation was set up on the first floor of Abella Palace. Larael looked around it once before returning to her bedroom.

Edward had suddenly expressed opposition yesterday evening about Larael taking charge of Duke Anderman’s investigation. The situation had changed from when he first assigned her the task. He was concerned that Larael might be shocked in her pregnant state, but Larael wanted to complete the task Edward had entrusted to her. So she obtained his permission on the condition that she would rest whenever she wasn’t working.

For this reason, she was restlessly lying in bed during her free time. In the afternoon, the Marchioness Argen arrived with the twins.

“I greet Your Highness the Empress Consort!”

After formally greeting Larael, Beatrice rose before completing her greeting and embraced her.

“Your Highness, congratulations!! I’m distressed to see your face so worn. You must have suffered greatly.”

The excitement in Beatrice’s voice was directly conveyed to Larael. Larael looked at the twins being held by the nurse who had accompanied Beatrice.

“Oh my!!”
As Larael exclaimed with eyes full of emotion while looking at the children, Beatrice gave a signal to the twins’ nurse. The nurse stepped forward, holding one of the twins so Larael could see clearly.

“May I hold the baby?”

“Of course, Your Highness.”

Larael carefully held one of the twins. The small mouth pouted as if about to cry. Larael pursed her lips and made a whooshing sound to soothe the child. Her hand, steadily holding the baby, patted its bottom.

“Your Highness, your skill with children is remarkable. It’s as if you’ve raised children before.”

Larael looked at Beatrice and smiled gently at those words.

“I hope when my child is born, they will become good friends with the twins.”

Larael said while unable to take her eyes off the child’s bright eyes.

“How beautiful will Your Highness’s child be? With both of you being so handsome and beautiful… When I heard about your pregnancy from Jayden last night, I screamed with joy. This is wonderful news. I was worried you might suffer emotionally like I did, but I’m truly glad.”

“Thank you, Beatrice.”

Larael handed the baby back to the nurse and picked up the other child lying in the basket. The tiny eyes, nose, and mouth wriggling were so adorable. Larael placed her finger in the baby’s tightly clenched hand. She watched with an emotional expression as the child gripped her finger tightly. After seeing the Marquis Argen’s twins, she looked forward even more to the day her own child would be born. Larael handed the baby to Beatrice and gently caressed her own belly.

***

News of Larael’s pregnancy spread throughout the empire. It was featured prominently as a front-page article in the newspapers.

Herwen crumpled the newspaper and threw it on the floor. His sudden surge of anger wouldn’t easily subside. His fury at the news of Larael’s pregnancy had exceeded its limit.

“Is there no word from the Kingdom of Hashiya?”

“Not yet… sir.”

His assistant swallowed dryly as he answered.

“And Duke Nox?”

“No.”

“Is that crazy old man asking to die with me, or what?”

Herwen stared at the newspaper discarded on the floor. After meeting the Emperor, the direction of Duke Anderman and the Empress Dowager’s fate seemed all too clear. Having lost Duke Anderman and the Empress Dowager who had strongly supported him, Herwen now faced a seriously disadvantageous situation. Currently, Herwen was secretly gathering northern forces under the pretext of monster subjugation. If necessary, he would have to make a crucial decision, risking everything.

For now, he had informed the Kingdom of Hashiya and Duke Nox, who still harbored great hatred toward Edward, of his plan and requested their cooperation. Once the positions of these two powers became clear, he planned to meet and persuade the nobles who had sided with Duke Anderman.

However, there was no news at all from those two most important parties. He was growing increasingly anxious.

After meeting Herwen and hearing his plan, Duke Nox had angrily declared that he would take Ariella and return to his duchy.

“This is treason, Grand Duke.”

Herwen ground his teeth as he recalled Duke Nox’s harsh words that began with this statement.

“Let’s see if the old man still acts that way when I send his daughter’s finger. Cut off one of Ariella’s fingers and send it nicely packaged to the Nox duchy.”

“…Yes, sir.”

Duke Nox wanted to place Ariella on the throne as Empress. Herwen couldn’t understand what the problem was when he was offering to put her in that position. Herwen looked down again at the crumpled newspaper with Larael’s article. Ariella’s finger along with that article would significantly provoke Duke Nox.

“Ah, I should include a letter to my fiancée’s father.”

Herwen sat at his desk. It seemed like a good decision to have met Ariella on the day she was scheduled to leave for the duchy, using a long farewell as an excuse, and then imprisoning her in the basement of his mansion. He hummed a tune as he took out stationery from his desk drawer.

After quickly writing a few words and completing the letter, he handed it to his assistant and rose from his desk.

“Should I claim that I’m the father of the child in Larael’s womb?”

Herwen snorted at his startled assistant and added:

“I’m joking, just joking.”

***

“Your Majesty, Her Highness the Empress Consort has sent the schedule for Duke Anderman’s investigation.”

“Give it here.”

Edward’s eyes were quite serious as he scanned the document. After reading it, he placed it on the desk, called for Marquis Argen, and quietly asked:

“What if the shock harms the baby?”

“Your Majesty, children are surprisingly resilient. I think excessive worry might be worse than not worrying at all.”

“Is that so?”

Marquis Argen, speaking as a senior in parenting, shook his head at Edward’s excessive concern for Larael. Larael had endured difficult times while pregnant. He could already tell how things would progress, seeing Edward so nervous now.

“Ah, and I will issue an imperial order. Imprison Duke Anderman and the Empress Dowager.”

Edward spoke in a casual tone after being lost in thought for a while. At his words, the actions of all the assistants in the office froze. As always, it was Marquis Argen who broke the silence.

“But the investigation isn’t complete yet, and they aren’t officially criminals. Imprisoning them in this situation will cause significant backlash.”

“Who says they aren’t criminals?”

Edward asked him with narrowed eyes.

“Until the trial is conclusively…”

“Who doesn’t know that? Has there ever been a case where people like them were allowed to stay so comfortably before trial? Will we conduct the investigation by respectfully inviting them? Because of their high status? This is what we call preferential treatment.”

Indeed, there had never been such a case. But everyone thought it was natural for them to be investigated this way. They had always been above the law. Because they were people who could make even existing crimes disappear, no one could definitively call them criminals before the results came out.

“This is an imperial order.”

“…Yes, I understand.”

The news that an imperial order had been issued to immediately imprison the two reached Larael’s ears as she was strolling in the garden of Abella Palace.

“The opposition won’t be insignificant…”

Larael was worried about Edward but also relieved in a way. When the investigation began, she would need to meet Duke Anderman, but they wouldn’t allow her into the duke’s residence, and she didn’t want to forcibly enter using the imperial knights surrounding his mansion. Nor could she forcibly bring him to the interrogation room. Edward’s decision would make interrogating him much easier.

Larael looked at Berser who was following behind her and turned her head.

“Your Highness, may I be excused for a moment?”

After hearing about the imperial order, Berser, who had been staring blankly at his feet, came forward and asked for her permission. Larael looked at him intently. This was the same Berser who had told her to use even the secret of his birth for her benefit.

“I’ve always had something I wanted to say to her, and I feel that if not today, it will be difficult to do so.”

Larael quietly observed him. The concern on his face seemed profound. No matter how much he hated her, she was still his mother. He must have at least one thing he wanted to say. She couldn’t promise to arrange a meeting with the Empress Dowager for him.

“Alright. Be careful.”
Berser briefly bowed and turned toward the Empress Dowager’s palace. Watching his retreating figure, Larael called for Joy who was waiting behind her.

“Joy, follow Sir Berser in case something happens.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Larael tightly gripped the cloak wrapped around her body as she watched Joy follow after Berser.