Dawn broke.

Though Ion hadn’t slept at all, he was brimming with energy.

He ate a simple breakfast with Erika.

The day ahead would be long, but he felt more than prepared.

“Nobles have been gathering at the palace since early morning.”

“Father-in-law must have contacted them in advance. Those who live far away won’t arrive on time, though.”

“True. How do you feel?”

“Good. Like I can accomplish anything.”

Erika gazed fondly at Ion, who was overflowing with confidence.

After pouring magic into him all night, his wounds were now barely visible.

“Your Highness, the Duke of Sparta has arrived.”

“Tell him to come in.”

As soon as Erika finished speaking, the Duke of Sparta and Hermes walked in.

Unlike last night, they were dressed in formal attire.

“Are you ready, Your Highness?”

Hermes asked him playfully.

Ion nodded with a grin.

As Ion rose from his seat, Erika straightened his clothes.

“I stand behind Your Highness. Handle this decisively.”

“Father-in-law, why so formal……”

“No, I must set an example.”

Ion was about to become Emperor.

Though the Duke of Sparta had treated Ion casually until now, he believed that should change going forward.

No matter that Ion was his son-in-law, the Duke needed to acknowledge Ion’s authority first and uphold it to prevent complaints from other nobles.

Ion bowed his head to the Duke of Sparta, filled with gratitude.

“I will never forget your kindness, Father-in-law.”

“Your happiness with Erika is all I need.”

“Indeed, Your Highness. We desire nothing else.”

“Dad, thank you.”

Erika embraced the Duke of Sparta with both arms.

Hermes slipped behind them and hugged both Erika and the Duke at the same time.

The three family members looked at each other and smiled brightly.

Ion watched Erika’s supportive family with envious eyes.

Though he no longer doubted that he was now part of their circle, he still felt envy.

At the same time, he was grateful that Erika had such a wonderful family.

The more things that made Erika happy, the better.

“Shall we go now?”

When Ion extended his hand, Erika placed hers on top.

It was time to enter the hall where the noble assembly would be held.

As Ion and Erika walked out majestically, the Duke of Sparta and Hermes followed behind.

※※※

The assembly hall was packed with nobles.

They had rushed over without even eating breakfast after hearing about the night’s events.

Though Gerick’s rule had been tumultuous, no one had predicted such an overnight reversal.

Above all, they hadn’t expected Ion, who had quietly accepted the results of the imperial succession battle, to overturn everything.

“Duke Adam von Sparta and Young Duke Hermes von Sparta.”

When the Duke of Sparta appeared in the assembly hall, the murmuring crowd fell silent.

Everyone knew the Duke of Sparta had helped Ion last night.

The Duke’s influence had always been formidable, but now he had become the most powerful figure of all.

Those who had maintained close relationships with the Duke couldn’t hide their smiles, while those who had allied with Countess Rose couldn’t conceal their dismay.

“Grand Duke Ion Kaiser and Grand Duchess Erika Kaiser.”

All the nobles rose to greet the grand ducal couple.

Until now, they had preferred to stay quietly in their territory, but they had stood against Gerick’s tyranny and achieved victory.

The nobles instinctively knew which side to take.

Ion and Erika took the highest seats in the assembly hall.

Normally, this was where the Emperor sat.

An additional chair had been placed beside the Emperor’s throne for Erika.

“Bring in the criminal.”

At Ion’s command, knights dragged in Countess Rose.

Her clothes were disheveled and her hair was tangled, but her eyes still burned with venom.

Ion nodded slightly, and Count Royer, the Minister of Justice, rose from his seat.

Count Royer was among those who had seriously considered retiring to the countryside after Gerick became Emperor.

The Empire had clear laws, but Gerick, despite being Emperor, had treated them with contempt.

He frequently broke laws and tried to change them at will.

Count Royer, a principled man, suffered every time Gerick did this.

Lamenting the disorder in administration and the loss of principles in the country, Count Royer had pleaded with the Duke of Sparta.

Perhaps he was the one who most welcomed Gerick’s removal from the imperial throne.

Count Royer looked around the assembly and unrolled a scroll.

It detailed all of Countess Rose’s crimes.

“……Thus, Count Rose met his end at the hands of Countess Rose. Furthermore, she is suspected of poisoning and strangling the late Emperor.”

“My goodness!”

Everyone was shocked as the secret of the late Emperor’s death was revealed.

Only Countess Rose remained composed.

“Do you admit it?”

“Ha!”

Countess Rose snorted at Count Royer’s question.

She surveyed the assembly with cold eyes.

“What’s wrong with killing someone who tried to kill me? The late Emperor violated me when I was young and even got me pregnant. Then he refused to take responsibility. The late Emperor destroyed my future. Count Rose? He was a man who found joy in abusing me and inflicting violence. Was I supposed to continue living with my life held hostage? No, I just wanted to reclaim my life!”

“So you killed them?”

“I had no choice but to kill them to survive!”

“That’s sophistry. Count Rose was angry because you deceived him. You hid your pregnancy and married him. And he was old and frail. He collapsed right there when he was venting his anger at you. He only laid hands on you that one day.”

“What do you know!”

“Shall I talk about the late Emperor too? You presented your son Gerick to people without the late Emperor’s permission. Though surprised, the late Emperor still did his best for you and your son. He even granted you the unique privilege to come and go from the palace. You used the late Emperor’s power to increase your wealth and gain influence. Yet your greed was never satisfied. In the end, you poisoned the late Emperor to put your son on the throne. And as if that wasn’t enough, you strangled him yourself.”

“……”

“You thought no one knew, but unfortunately, someone saw what you did in the late Emperor’s bedroom. That person had to live in hiding, trembling with fear.”

“If you knew so well, why did you stay silent until now? You couldn’t make a sound when my son was Emperor, but now that you’ve joined hands with that traitor, you found your voice? Hypocrite.”

At the accusation of hypocrisy, Evelyn, standing to one side, clenched her fist.

She had clearly seen Countess Rose strangling the Emperor to death but remained silent—all to receive Gerick’s love.

But now she realized it had all been an illusion.

Only Ion and Erika, who knew Evelyn was the informant, noticed her reaction.

Count Royer carefully rolled up the scroll again.

He seemed unwilling to deal with Countess Rose any further.

He glanced at her indifferently and immediately pronounced the sentence.

“I sentence Countess Rose to death.”

“I approve.”

Ion accepted Count Royer’s recommendation.

Murmurs arose from various corners, but no one seemed particularly dissatisfied with the sentence.

As knights took Countess Rose away, other knights brought in Gerick.

Gerick, haggard after a sleepless night, stared endlessly at the throne where Ion sat.

Words could not describe how he felt about losing the seat that had been his just a day before.

“Count Royer, state the next criminal’s charges.”

“Yes.”

Count Royer unfolded another scroll.

Soon, his clear voice resonated throughout the assembly hall.

“……Failed to fulfill his duties as Emperor and plunged the people’s lives into misery…… Harassed and kidnapped a married woman, and even tried to kill her husband…… Conspiring with Countess Rose to kidnap and imprison a young child constitutes a serious crime……”

While Count Royer read through the list of charges, Gerick stared blankly at Ion and Erika as if listening to someone else’s story.

At this moment, what Gerick regretted most was not prioritizing Erika.

There was a time when Erika had been Gerick’s top priority.

From meeting Erika until their engagement, Gerick had considered her the most important and had done his best for her.

But once he realized she was already in his grasp, his heart grew lax.

Around that time, he met Evelyn.

Unlike the rigid Erika, Evelyn was soft and warm like a cotton ball.

The problem was that with Evelyn, he mixed bodies before their hearts connected.

Gerick lost all reason the moment he fell for her body.

He sought out Evelyn at all hours, spinning ever more lies to Erika.

Erika was cautious with her heart, but once she gave it, she trusted completely. Gerick knew this better than anyone.

Confident that he had claimed her affection, he allowed himself greater freedom.

His fatal mistake was assuming Erika would stay, even if he married Evelyn first.

He never doubted as he dreamed of wedding Evelyn, convinced that a plausible excuse might wound Erika but not drive her away.

There was no pressing reason to marry Evelyn first; Gerick simply wanted the liberty to be with her without restraint.

He was exhausted from secretive, fleeting encounters while always mindful of Erika.

When the late Emperor suggested marriage with Evelyn to strengthen ties with the Papal Office, Gerick saw a perfect excuse.

He wasted no time and announced his marriage to Evelyn, moving forward without hesitation.

At first, when he could freely unite with Evelyn, he felt like he owned the world.

He was elated, as if holding treasures in both hands—Evelyn and Erika.

But everything changed when Erika turned away.

Erika, whom he thought would never leave, boldly chose Ion over him.

Only then did he realize something had gone terribly wrong, but Gerick thought he could return to the way things were with a little effort.

However, he had crossed a river from which there was no return.

The price for his wrong choice, made in a moment of pleasure, was too high.

“Do you admit it?”

Gerick snapped out of his thoughts at the sharp voice and looked at Count Royer.

What was he supposed to admit?