The Emperor’s gaze moved from Liam to Belmont’s subordinate.

“Is it true that you tried to harm this person?”

At the Emperor’s question, Belmont’s subordinate rolled his eyes around before bowing his head deeply. Though he couldn’t properly answer due to the gag, he didn’t seem to want to reveal anything himself.

“You answer.”

The Emperor asked Liam again.

“Is this man the one who attacked you?”

Liam checked the face of the man forced to kneel. On the night he jumped into the river while being chased, this man’s face had been clearly visible even in the darkness.

“Yes.”

Silence fell at Liam’s answer. Did Belmont really orchestrate all of this? Lloyd and the Empress had nothing to do with it? Honestly, it was hard to believe.

“Then who ordered you to attack Prince Aidan?”

At the Emperor’s question, Liam’s gaze naturally turned to Lloyd. While Lloyd had clearly ordered him to attack Aidan, why was it Marquis Belmont’s subordinate who tried to kill him? Liam was confused too. Until now, he had believed Lloyd had betrayed him. He believed Lloyd had tried to kill him once his usefulness ended. But was that not the case? His mind was in chaos from the confusion.

“Liam.”

He flinched at Aidan’s soft call. When he turned, he saw dark brown eyes steadily gazing at him.

‘Just tell the truth. Then I’ll guarantee the safety of you and your family.’

Aidan’s words from last night echoed in his ears. Liam stuck out his tongue to wet his parched lips. Even if Belmont’s subordinate had tried to kill him, it was still true that Lloyd was lying now. Of course, he wouldn’t willingly admit that he had tried to kill Aidan. But he had definitely acted under Lloyd’s orders.

He squeezed his eyes shut and swallowed hard.

“As I said before, I… acted under Prince Lloyd’s orders. Now… I sincerely regret it. I will gladly accept punishment for daring to try to harm Prince Aidan.”

The ministers stirred again, divided into two sides at Liam’s answer. They were confused about which side was telling the truth.

Lloyd suddenly knelt down and pleaded to the Emperor.

“I don’t understand why this person keeps trying to deceive with lies. While it’s true he was my subordinate, I never ordered him to attack Aidan. If I had really given such an order, shouldn’t I have been the one trying to kill him, not Marquis Belmont?”

“Everyone knows that you and Marquis Belmont, or more precisely, Her Majesty the Empress and Marquis Belmont are particularly close.”

Lloyd frowned at Aidan’s pointed remark. The Empress stepped forward to shield Lloyd.

“Aidan! Watch your words! Do you realize you’re targeting me with those words?”

The fight between the princes seemed to be spreading to include the Empress.

“Enough! Everyone be quiet!”

The Emperor shouted while holding his forehead with one hand as if having a headache.

“Have Marquis Belmont arrested immediately. Since it’s certain this man is Belmont’s subordinate, we need to hear why he tried to kill Lloyd’s knight.”

Finally, Belmont’s testimony became necessary.

“Aidan.”

The Emperor called Aidan.

“Are you certain that Lloyd’s knight you captured attacked you? Did you clearly see his face on the night of the attack?”

Aidan took a long breath at the unexpected question.

“I… couldn’t see his face. He was wearing a mask so I couldn’t identify him.”

“Then how are you certain Liam Smith ambushed you?”

“Liam’s lover was the servant who cleaned my bedroom, and she was killed first. He probably learned that I had left the palace that day from her. While investigating people around Emily, we found Liam Smith, and confirmed he had disappeared from the palace and was on the run.”

“Did you hear the confession about attacking you directly from Liam Smith?”

“Yes.”

“So you pursued Liam Smith based on the premise that Lloyd would have tried to harm you.”

He hadn’t expected the Emperor to interpret it this way. Thinking things were taking a strange turn, he clenched his jaw without answering.

“The only evidence that Liam Smith attacked you is his confession?”

So what? Are you trying to say I fabricated everything? He felt anger surge at how the Emperor was handling this judgment. This was why he hadn’t properly investigated even when there were suspicions his wife had been poisoned.

“If I had threatened Liam Smith to make a false confession, why would Belmont’s subordinate try to kill him?”

That part didn’t add up if this was all orchestrated by Aidan to frame Lloyd. Judging by Belmont’s subordinate’s reactions, it seemed clear that he had indeed attacked Liam.

“The Empress’s words might be right.”

Aidan swallowed a bitter laugh at the words the Emperor muttered. That Belmont, not Lloyd, had orchestrated this? While it wasn’t impossible, if Belmont had tried to kill him, the initial ambush should have been carried out by Belmont’s subordinate, not Liam Smith.

Is the Emperor an idiot? Or does he not want to believe Lloyd gave the order? Maybe he wants to protect Lloyd since he’s also his son.

“I’ll withhold judgment until Marquis Belmont is arrested. Lloyd’s knight, Liam Smith, and Belmont’s subordinate will be imprisoned in the palace dungeon for conspiracy in the attempted murder of Prince Aidan.”

“Your Majesty.”

Aidan stepped forward at the Emperor’s decision.

“I will hand over Belmont’s subordinate. However, I will take custody of Lloyd’s knight, Liam Smith.”

“I object! Why should he take custody of my knight? Rather, I should…!”

“I was the one who was attacked. Liam Smith has admitted to attacking me himself. Also, he has faced death threats from ‘someone.’ Whether it’s Lloyd or Marquis Belmont, it’s clear there’s someone trying to kill him to destroy evidence, so I cannot hand over his custody to anyone else.”

Though he put it politely, he was essentially saying he couldn’t trust the Emperor either. The Emperor couldn’t have missed the meaning he implied. The Emperor silently stared at Aidan. Aidan met his gaze without avoiding it. If he handed over Liam now, he couldn’t guarantee his survival. He absolutely couldn’t back down.

It was unexpected that Belmont’s subordinate had tried to kill Liam. There must have been some deal between Belmont and Lloyd, but the Empress and Lloyd were trying to sever their connection to Belmont like cutting off a tail. Regrettably, he had to back down this time. Without definitive evidence, pushing further would only lead to the conclusion that he had tried to frame Lloyd.

“It’s obvious you’re trying to frame me, yet you want this man handed over to you? Don’t be ridiculous!”

Lloyd grabbed Aidan’s collar. Instead of pushing away his hand, Aidan stared at him with cold eyes.

“I don’t play such games with my life. Frankly, it would make more sense to think you planned this with Marquis Belmont.”

“Lloyd, remove that hand.”

The Emperor intervened between them and made Lloyd step back. Though Lloyd ground his teeth, he obediently followed the Emperor’s command.

“The truth will surely come to light when we confront Marquis Belmont. Until then, I will not make any judgment.”

Though neither Aidan nor Lloyd could accept this conclusion, the Emperor prevented any further discussion.

“Your Majesty!”

The Empress stepped forward.

“This is strictly treason against the imperial family. It’s an attempt to harm the noble blood of the imperial family. You absolutely must not let this pass lightly.”

Aidan was dumbfounded at the Empress’s words. First she had claimed he was framing Lloyd, and now she was going on about noble imperial blood.

“The matter with Marquis Belmont… though it deeply pains and saddens me…”

The Empress’s eyes reddened. Those who knew how close she and Marquis Belmont were fell for those tears. To Aidan, her display only appeared detestable.

“If Marquis Belmont truly tried to harm Prince Aidan…, if he committed such a terrible act, you must never forgive him. Please restore discipline to the imperial family with appropriate punishment.”

Even the ministers grew solemn at the Empress’s plea. They seemed to believe she truly had the imperial family’s interests at heart.

What was this about? Hadn’t Marquis Belmont been called her strongest ally? What had twisted to make her try to cut off her closest ally herself? He couldn’t understand her intentions at all.

His grasp of the enemy was insufficient. This failure clearly lay in the lack of information. There really hadn’t been enough time.

“I will entrust Liam Smith, Lloyd’s knight, to Aidan until Marquis Belmont is captured. As the Empress wishes, if Marquis Belmont truly ordered the attack on Aidan, he will be punished according to law without exception. Also, Lloyd.”

The Emperor looked at Lloyd, and his chest heaved as if swallowing a sigh.

“Regardless of how this matter will be judged, Prince Lloyd will spend some time in self-reflection in his palace.”

“Your Majesty! Why should I…!”

Lloyd tried to protest why he should reflect when he had done nothing wrong, but swallowed his words at the Emperor’s glare.

“You should know this isn’t just about Aidan.”

At that quiet warning, he belatedly realized it also referenced the matter with Kate Spencer. As though he no longer wanted to deal with it, the Emperor rose from his seat. Watching the Empress follow behind him, the ministers also stood up one by one and left the council chamber.