8. Individual Cracks, Individual Solutions (1)

“Madam!”

“Darielle, did it go well?”

“Yes. They say today was the last.”

Darielle, who had gone through several interviews regarding that incident, had returned. Although Constantine had put pressure in advance, they worried there might be coercion or intimidation, but Darielle’s expression was bright, suggesting there hadn’t been any.

Saena arranged for Darielle to return first, saying she had done well. She and Constantine remained to discuss the results with the Princess.

There were no major twists in the investigation.

As rumored, the Prince had tried to force himself on Darielle, and it was exposed due to her resistance. Both were pushed outside from the second floor due to the force that burst out during her resistance, and both fainted.

The Princess seemed to believe it happened because Darielle, who had become a new Oathkeeper, was still inexperienced in controlling her power.

Although who exactly the new Oathkeeper was still hadn’t been officially announced, everyone implicitly assumed it was Darielle, so they naturally made such assumptions.

It was also questionable how Darielle had entered the inner terrace where only high nobles could go, but that was revealed to be Duke Aberdeen’s doing.

He had met her by chance outside the hall and suggested she take a look, which Darielle accepted.

Then after a while, Duke Aberdeen said he would go get something to drink and briefly left his seat, and during that time the Prince appeared.

The Prince immediately tried to seduce Darielle with all sorts of sweet talk, and when she, who had been continuously refusing, tried to leave, he suddenly started using force.

The subsequent situation was as people had witnessed.

However, from what Saena heard, what actually happened was slightly different.

The Prince was already unconscious before being pushed out of the terrace. When he was making advances on Darielle, Commander Wesley had quietly snuck up behind him and knocked him out.

The person who had covered Darielle’s mouth and dragged her inside was also Commander Wesley. More precisely, it was a masterpiece created by their collaboration.

But the Prince’s attempt to force himself on Darielle was definitely real.

Therefore, they felt no remorse. It was his own doing.

In the first place, this plan wouldn’t have been put into action if the Prince hadn’t done anything.

“How will you announce the investigation?”

Constantine asked the Princess.

“Even if he is the empire’s Prince, forcibly trying to violate a noble woman…”

The Princess sighed in the middle of her sentence.

“But if we announce it as is, I’m worried about the repercussions…”

The imperial family’s authority would plummet.

“Still, what needs to be done must be done.”

The Princess looked troubled.

Actually, they hadn’t expected the Princess to be put in charge of the investigation.

‘That Prince probably won’t understand his sister…’

Despite his own wrongdoing, he seemed like the type to hold a grudge and take revenge later. If he ever ascended to the Emperor’s throne, he was the kind of person who would *buse his position to harass others.

Looking at it this way, she felt worried again.

While Darielle was precious, Saena also considered the Princess a close friend, so she was concerned.

‘Isn’t there some way?’

She felt she needed to discuss this with Constantine on their way back.

So as she was about to get up,

“Do you perhaps have a bit more time?”

The Princess carefully asked. The question was directed at Saena.

“Yes?”

“Duchess, I mean. If you have more time, could you stay just a bit longer?”

“May I ask why?”

Constantine anxiously inquired about the purpose.

“There’s something I’d like to get your wife’s help with.”

At the Princess’s gesture, Saena remembered something.

“Ah, is this about what you mentioned before?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

She’s going to show that now, whatever it is?

Given the Princess’s personality, she had naturally expected her to set a separate time later. It was unexpected.

“I’d like to ask if you’re not too busy.”

She looked like she really wanted to confirm something, whatever it was.

“Alright.”

Saena accepted.

Thinking about it, this might be better than making a separate visit to the palace later.

He said he would wait rather than leave first.

The Princess didn’t stop that either.

“It won’t take too long.”

“Yes. I’ll wait here.”

Leaving him in the reception room, Saena followed the Princess out.

After quite a while…

While walking beside the Princess, Saena felt puzzled.

‘This way is…?’

They were heading deeper and deeper into the Princess’s palace. Usually with this kind of structure…

“This is my bedroom.”

Yes. Usually, this is where the bedroom would be.

Her bedroom? Why would she want to show such an intimate and private space?

“About that time during the Blessed Eve.”

“The Blessed Eve? You mean during the Blessing Night?”

“I wonder if you remember the conversation we had back then.”

Saena searched through her memories.

In truth, it wasn’t completely vivid since it was already several months ago.

“Well, Madam Willef’s lecture and…”

They had discussed very intimate topics vividly.

‘I still haven’t tried on that l*ngerie set I received as a gift.’

But looking at the Princess’s expression, this didn’t seem to be the topic.

“The circumstances leading to my marriage and…”

This wasn’t it either.

“About Sister Evian kissing her childhood friend…?”

That wasn’t it either.

What could it be then?

They had talked about so many things while staying up all night that it was hard to pick just one.

“Do you remember when we talked about the family motto?”

“Family motto? Ah… yes, that’s right.”

Somehow they had gotten onto the topic of family mottos.

A family motto was a sentence that summarized a family’s origins and identity, like a kind of preface briefly emphasized on the very first page of a book.

Macfeyden was the Empire of the Guardian Spirit succeeding Arles-Promesa.

Therefore, the more traditional the family, the more their family motto was passed down in the original Arlesian form and pronunciation, and the more direct the lineage, the more one had to memorize those letters, pronunciations, and meanings.

In many cases, it was especially crucial for the head of the family and the heir to commit it to memory.

The Imperial Family was no exception.

‘All members of the Imperial Family must memorize it. There’s even a ceremony to prove it during the coming-of-age ceremony.’

The Princess had shared her experience of struggling with the unfamiliar pronunciation when she was young.

“I didn’t think much of it then…”

The Princess silently reached out her hand and pointed at something.

Saena followed the Princess’s fingertip with her gaze.

It was the arch part of a very antique-looking, classical design bed.

Befitting a bed used by the Imperial Family, it was very large and tall, with posts at each corner, and each post was connected by arches with beautiful engraved patterns—undoubtedly a high-end piece of furniture made by a top craftsman who had invested considerable time.

“This is engraved on every Imperial Family member’s bed.”

“…Pardon?”

Saena, who had only been admiring the furniture itself, now narrowed her eyes and focused on the arch portion. What had appeared to be beautiful patterns was, upon closer inspection, Arlesian text.

“…Arlesian?”

“Yes.”

The Princess recited it in a calm voice. Apparently, this passage was the Imperial Family’s motto.

“One day, I suddenly had a question. While all Imperial Family members must memorize this motto, Mother didn’t know it.”

“…Really?”

“Yes. Mother said she followed Father, who was then the Crown Prince, in reciting something during the Hebeta ceremony. I think it must have been this motto.”

“……”

“Then recently, I had occasion to look closely at Imperial ceremonial procedures. There’s a procedure to recite this motto during the ceremony when a Prince and Hebeta are elevated to Crown Prince and Crown Princess. It’s also present in the Emperor’s coronation ceremony.”

Saena nodded. It was similar in regular noble families when succeeding titles.

“However, there’s no motto recitation procedure during a Princess’s wedding ceremony.”

“……”

“Then why did I have to memorize this?”

This was indeed strange.

If all Imperial Family members must memorize the motto, why does a Princess only need to prove it once during her coming-of-age ceremony? And why is it engraved on all their beds?

Something felt off, but she couldn’t pinpoint exactly what.

Was it discrimination? Because a Princess would eventually leave through marriage? Then why make her memorize it in the first place?

“What law is it based on that all Imperial Family members must memorize it?”

She asked, thinking there must be some foundational law behind this practice.

“I heard it was the first Emperor’s command.”

“Ah…”

The first Emperor. That made sense.

It was natural for ceremonial forms to change over time, so there must be quite a difference between then and now.

Saena stepped forward, replaying the pronunciation she had just heard in her mind. The sentence engraved on the arch was combined with vine patterns in a kind of cursive style, making it difficult to read at a glance.