If the Emperor had sent knights based only on the newspaper article and then a correction was published saying it was false news, his reputation would have been greatly damaged. Outwardly, the Emperor criticized the newspaper company, but he was greatly pleased.

“Your Majesty was so anxious. But you trusted the Grand Duke until the end.”

“The report was delayed, but fortunately it was false news.”

When the Empress chimed in from the side, Kaien responded gently.

The Count and Countess also praised Kaien, elevating him highly.

“How could you hold a festival at exactly that moment! If it weren’t for the Black Knights, there would have been a disaster just as the newspaper reported. You are amazing, Your Grace.”

“How could that newspaper publish such an article without proper reporting? I couldn’t even walk the streets because of the anxiety.”

“Come to think of it, I heard commoners bought interesting things out of anxiety. I heard purchases of medicine and long-lasting food increased, and farm tools were also sold a lot. In the capital.”

There is almost no farmland in the capital.

“Farm tools are weapons that ordinary people can purchase cheaply. In Lindal too, when emergencies arose, territory residents helped by wielding farm tools.”

“Are swords expensive?”

Kaien answered, but the Empress asked Rebecca sitting next to her.

The Countess’s expression hardened.

‘So this is how the Empress torments her.’

How would a noble lady know whether swords are expensive or not?

It was a dismissive remark implying Rebecca had lived as a commoner.

Just as before, Rebecca answered with a smiling face. Judging by her expression alone, she didn’t seem to mind at all.

“Even a low-quality sword costs 10 times the price of a hoe.”

“Oh, I see. That’s quite a difference. Still, a sword would be more effective.”

“Farm tools can be resold to neighbors even if they end up unused. Swords can be sold too, but people are reluctant because they sell at a loss compared to the purchase price.”

“The Lady certainly knows well.”

“Since Lady Hemington knows so much, she will be a great help to the Prince. A country becomes prosperous when its people live well. I hope you will help the Prince well in the future.”

“You flatter me, Your Majesty.”

Fortunately, the Emperor helped Rebecca.

The Empress smiled, but her eyes did not. Soon she lowered her gaze to her plate and cut the meat.

“It’s truly strange. Doesn’t it seem like the Grand Duke knew that village would be attacked?”

Duke Teian poured cold water on the Emperor’s good mood.

“In an urgent situation, he alone was leisurely telling us to wait. And then, as if he knew demonic beasts would appear in the village at that exact time, he held a festival at the perfect moment to evacuate people.”

At his sharp tone, everyone stopped eating and one by one looked at the Duke.

The Duke did not stop his attack on Kaien.

But Kaien was not one to take it quietly.

“It takes two days of non-stop riding from Lindal to the capital, yet an incident from the previous day appeared in the capital’s newspaper. That’s a suspicious situation.”

“That’s after the incident occurred. How do you explain holding a festival at exactly the right time?”

Duke Teian seized on Kaien’s explanation.

“It seems you want to say I orchestrated this whole affair, Duke.”

“Not at all. You’re the Grand Duke after all, that couldn’t be. But isn’t it too perfect a match?”

Kaien twirled the glass in his hand. The dark wine rippled.

“You’re right. I knew demonic beasts would appear in Roksia village.”

When Kaien readily agreed, even the Emperor was taken aback.

“Grand Duke?”

“You knew? And you didn’t prevent it?”

“I did prevent it, which is why the damage was reduced to that extent.”

Kaien’s corner of his mouth began to rise at the Empress’s hasty words.

I stroked his arm to keep him from getting irritated with the Empress, and his furrowed brow gradually returned to normal.

“I predicted that those plotting conspiracies would move once we touched the temple.”

“What does that mean? Are you saying the temple and demonic beasts are related?”

The Emperor reacted sensitively to the mention of the temple.

He was in the midst of investigating the temple after catching a priest attempting to assassinate the Princess.

Kaien’s gaze turned to the Duke.

I heard that the investigation results were proceeding toward Priest Homer acting alone with no involvement from the temple.

“Wouldn’t you know better than I do, Duke? Since you’re investigating the temple.”

“There was no such evidence, Your Majesty. Everyone in Ingmier knows that demonic beasts fear holy power. It makes no sense that the temple would control demonic beasts.”

“Can you guarantee that?”

“The temple has been disrespectful to the imperial family, but there is still no evidence they did such a thing.”

Duke Teian responded firmly.

If he was investigating the temple, corruption unrelated to Priest Homer should have been found, but his faith in the temple was deep.

Kaien brushed my hair and swept it behind my shoulder, then lightly touched the decoration on my choker. His eyes narrowed as his gaze traced my neckline.

‘What are you thinking during this conversation?’

I lightly hit his thigh for having improper thoughts.

Then Kaien blurted out.

“There is.”

“……What?”

“That evidence exists. Thanks to that evidence, I knew Roksia village would be attacked by demonic beasts and was able to minimize the damage.”

“Is it really the temple’s doing? Don’t cause anxiety with unfounded speculation.”

“Duke, you’re defending the temple. You, who are responsible for investigating it.”

Duke Teian’s expression distorted.

As the conversation content became serious, the Emperor’s face also hardened.

“Grand Duke, are you really saying the temple moved demonic beasts to create this disaster? You must have definitive evidence.”

“I do. I cannot announce it yet, but evidence that demonic beasts were moved to attack Roksia village. And I have already secured those related to the temple.”

“Could the temple really……”

The Empress’s face turned deathly pale. The Emperor slammed his fist heavily on the table and shouted at the Duke.

“Duke Millers Teian! How have you been conducting the investigation that you didn’t know about this! While the Grand Duke was collecting such evidence, how could you, the one responsible for this matter, not know!”

“Your Majesty, this is an unconfirmed speculation!”

“Wasn’t the newspaper article false just as the Grand Duke said! The Grand Duke has evidence enough to speak with such certainty, yet you only defend the temple? Is that how you conducted the investigation!”

“No, Your Majesty! I absolutely did not approach it carelessly! Even if there’s evidence, it’s false!”

“Your Majesty.”

At the Emperor’s thundering, the Duke’s face turned bright red as he waved his hands in denial.

At that moment, the Duchess rose from her seat and bowed her head respectfully toward the Emperor.

“The Duke has been diligently investigating, staying up nights. Since the investigation is not yet complete, please give us a little more time. I will ensure he pays even more attention.”

With even the Duke’s wife bowing and intervening, the Emperor could no longer stay angry.

The Duke’s wife was present, as were the Hemington people who would become family in the future. The Duke’s dignity had to be preserved in front of them.

The Emperor’s eyebrows twitched in displeasure at the Duke who only stared at his wife.

After looking down at the Duchess who kept her head bowed, the Emperor clicked his tongue and sat in his chair.

“The Duke shall be more thorough in investigating the temple.”

“I will do my best to ensure this never happens again, Your Majesty.”

“Right now!”

“Yes!”

The Duke, scolded in front of Kaien, turned red and blue in the face and hurriedly left the banquet hall.

The Duchess also bowed politely according to etiquette and followed her husband.

The Emperor gulped down three glasses of wine in succession and glared at Kaien.

“Why didn’t you report this?”

“We don’t know where eavesdropping mice might be hiding. The fewer people who know, the better, so I couldn’t report it.”

With a deep sigh, the Emperor rubbed his forehead.

“When the results come in, report without a single falsehood.”

“I will.”

The joyful banquet atmosphere instantly sank to the bottom.

The high priest of the temple presided over all imperial family events, showing how closely Ingmier was connected to it, almost like a state religion.

There were people like me who didn’t believe in God, but most people in Ingmier believed in Roarania.

There were occasional incidents where one or two priests deviated and caused trouble, but faith in God never wavered.

Based on that faith, the Emperor had ordered the investigation of the temple. Because the temple wouldn’t collapse from just that much.

But the temple moving demonic beasts was an entirely different matter.

It meant they had committed fraud by instigating people’s fear to draw out faith.

“The temple controlling demonic beasts, how horrifying.”

“Could the temple really…… No, that can’t be. The temple that serves Roarania couldn’t do such a thing.”

The Countess mumbled with a colorless face and shuddered.

The Empress soon regained her composure and calmly instructed the Countess.

“I know the temple closing its doors has no effect on nobles. Please let me know if priests show strange behavior. For Roarania’s sake too, we must stop the priests’ seditious acts.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I will gather information with the ladies.”

“The Countess is a brave person.”

The Empress turned her gaze to Rebecca and me and urged us.

“Lady Hemington, this is an important matter, so please be careful with your words until it is confirmed.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I will keep that in mind.”

The Countess’s eyebrows twitched.

‘She’s subtly targeting Rebecca.’

“Your Majesty, I heard the Princess has been recuperating without receiving visitors for a while. Is she unwell?”

When I brought up the Princess, the atmosphere that had sunk with heavy conversation brightened.

No longer concerned about the Princess, a smile appeared on the Empress’s face.

“The Princess is fine. I told her to recuperate in the annex until the priest investigation is confirmed.”

Rebecca and I made eye contact.

Receiving my signal, Rebecca joined the conversation.

“Um, I would like to be a companion for the Princess. Would it be alright to visit the annex?”

“You, Lady Hemington?”

“Lady Hemington is the Prince’s fiancée, so she’s family to the imperial household and would be comfortable sharing her anxieties.”

“I will try my best to be helpful to the Princess.”

“I would appreciate that. Lady, please observe and learn the imperial atmosphere while staying by the Princess’s side.”

I almost let out a sigh. It wouldn’t be possible to win the Empress’s heart from the beginning, but it wouldn’t be easy.

When Rebecca met my eyes, she seemed only grateful, with no darkness in her expression.

‘I’ll help you as much as I can until we go down to the grand duchy, Rebecca.’

Although the Empress sometimes attacked Rebecca, she accepted the Empress’s words with dignity.

An attack is only effective if the other person feels hurt.

As she accepted it like water, the Empress’s attacks decreased as the conversation continued.

Just as Rebecca needed time, Kaien was also handling the Grand Duke well, so I thought everything would be resolved well with time.

However, the next day, demonic beasts appeared again.

In the middle of the capital.