“……!”
Rachel glanced to her side. When Illya Ingrave stepped forward and spoke, the eyes of the Marquis and Marchioness widened so much they looked ready to tear. Unable to bear it any longer, the Marchioness finally shouted.
“Illya, what are you talking about? The Marquis ordered Rachel’s assassination?!”
“I didn’t come here by chance. The deputy butler told me that Father and Mother were planning to harm my sister, so I looked into it myself. While I was trying to stop them, Duke Valencia offered to help me. Otherwise, how could I possibly be standing here today?”
“……!”
For a moment, the Marquis looked flustered. He must have had his doubts when he saw Illya.
But he probably never imagined that his only heir would do something like this.
Rachel slowly lowered her gaze.
There was no need.
‘……You didn’t have to step forward yourself.’
Could that persistent man really have failed to anticipate this situation?
He must have prepared additional evidence as well. But perhaps Illya thought he needed to see this through with his own hands. As he respectfully addressed the emperor, his posture remained firm.
“Your Majesty, I tried to stop my parents on my own, but I wasn’t strong enough. Fortunately, Duke Valencia, who was investigating my parents’ suspicious activities, learned what I was doing and offered to help. With his help, I was able to rescue my sister from the assassins today. However, it is true that the Ingrave family dared to disguise themselves as remnants of the North and commit such a terrible act. I humbly ask that you punish them severely.”
“Illya!”
It was an accusation from a direct family member, no less. Just then, a man entered the hall. Escorted by the Imperial Guards to the steps, he prostrated himself on the floor.
“I greet His Imperial Majesty. I am Ton, deputy butler of the Ingrave family.”
“……!”
It was over. The faces of the Marquis and Marchioness Ingrave finally turned pale. This time, they had evidence they couldn’t escape by blaming the butler.
Then Nathan Valencia presented additional evidence.
“Oh, I almost forgot something. We have evidence that the butler was murdered. I’ll submit it now as well.”
“…….”
Anyone could see that he had deliberately waited until now to present it.
The emperor’s cold gaze settled on the Marquis and Marchioness.
“Do you have anything else to say, Marquis? Marchioness?”
“……Please spare us, Your Majesty!”
That day, the emperor stripped the Marquis and Marchioness Ingrave of their titles. They were exiled to a remote island in the eastern region.
Illya Ingrave inherited the title of Marquis, and it was decided that Rachel would serve as acting marquis until he came of age.
It was an unexpected chance to finally become completely independent.
The incident in which the former Marquis and Marchioness Ingrave were stripped of their titles overnight stirred up the entire Empire.
They had dared to attack a carriage bearing the imperial flag and tried to make it look like the work of the North’s rebels.
To make matters worse, they had been caught and punished by their own son and Duke Valencia, so it was only natural that they became the laughingstock of the entire Empire.
On top of that, the emperor’s actions were unusual.
He ordered Duke Nathan Valencia, Minister of Inspections, to investigate the Ingrave family.
He also ordered that any remaining accomplices be arrested.
Meanwhile, he had Rachel, who had gone from Baroness Easton to acting Marchioness Ingrave, and Marquis Illya Ingrave stay at the Imperial Palace.
Everyone knew where this kindness was coming from.
The eyes of high society and the court were all focused on the Violet Palace, where Rachel Ingrave was staying.
Rachel gazed at the emperor, who had arrived early and was having breakfast with her.
“Your Majesty.”
“Hmm?”
After the King of Borza returned home, the emperor had regained some peace. Every day, he came to the Violet Palace, had a meal, and even stayed for tea before leaving.
It had already been three days.
Rachel glanced at her younger brother, who looked a little intimidated, then spoke calmly.
“Aren’t you busy? You come here every day, and I’m worried about what people might say.”
“That’s exactly the point. If I visit you every day, won’t that stop people from trying anything foolish?”
“…….”
He knew that wasn’t what she meant.
The emperor smiled casually and pushed toward her a dish that the head chef had supposedly created.
“Here, try this. Didn’t you like delicious food?”
“…….”
For now, Rachel didn’t want the food to get cold, so she continued eating. The new head chef of the Violet Palace, whom the emperor had personally brought in, was far more skilled than the previous one. He could almost rival the head chef of the Sun Palace.
“……It’s delicious.”
“I knew you’d think so.”
Still, this wasn’t the time for this.
For the past three days, Rachel had been facing all kinds of advances from the emperor. Once he learned that she had already sent her belongings to her new residence, he immediately bestowed jewelry, dresses, shoes, and everything else she might need upon her.
He even subtly tried to act like a brother-in-law toward her younger brother.
Most of all, rumors had been spreading that the emperor was refusing to grant Lady Aisha Labelyn’s requests for an audience.
Was the emperor really no longer interested in continuing his relationship with Aisha Labelyn?
When their eyes met, the emperor smiled gently.
“There’s something I want to talk about. How about taking a short walk after breakfast?”
“……Yes, Your Majesty.”
Lowering her gaze, Rachel continued eating until she finished. The food was still delicious.
The emperor chose the garden behind the Violet Palace as their destination. Although it was winter, magic covering the entire Imperial Palace kept the gardens filled with all kinds of flowers.
As he quietly escorted Rachel along the path, the emperor began to speak.
“I’m sorry.”
“……Pardon?”
“I didn’t realize the problems within the Ingrave family were this serious. Without knowing anything, I casually told you that I would mediate things for you. But at the time, you must have been struggling with whether you would live or die.”
“…….”
The emperor seemed to regret what he had done. It was as if he thought he had pushed his own feelings onto her without understanding anything about her situation.
His violet eyes, a head taller than her, quietly turned toward her.
“So this time, I’m going to wait a little longer. Once you’ve had time to collect yourself, think about me too, Lady. I can at least hope for that much, can’t I?”
“…….”
For the emperor, this was a considerable concession. Was there ever a time when the emperor, who ruled half the continent, had to wait and be patient?
Rachel also realized that his feelings might be stronger than she had expected.
That made it even harder to reject him outright right now.
……It seemed she wouldn’t be able to give up on Aisha Labelyn so easily after all. Rachel obediently nodded.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Good.”
The emperor smiled with satisfaction. Just then, his chief attendant approached and respectfully announced,
“Your Majesty. Acting Marchioness. Duke Valencia has arrived.”
“What brings the duke here?”
“He says the investigation into the Ingrave family is complete. The people involved have been brought to the Imperial Palace, and he appears to have brought the report.”
“Oh, he didn’t have to come all the way here.”
The emperor clicked his tongue as he turned to leave, but then paused for a moment. His gaze shifted back to Rachel.
“Last time, you tried to leave the palace without even telling me you were going.”
“……But I informed you beforehand.”
“That’s right. And didn’t I let you off without scolding you?”
The emperor approached and looked down at Rachel from close range.
“You’re safe now, so you can leave whenever you like. If I had to guess, you’ll slip away like the wind today or tomorrow. Won’t you?”
“…….”
He was right. Rachel was planning to pack her things and leave the Imperial Palace as soon as the emperor went back.
The emperor smiled faintly, as if the corner of one eye had narrowed.
“Well, what do you have to say to me?”
“……Thank you for taking such good care of me, Your Majesty. May I leave the palace now?”
“Very well. I permit it. Come visit often. I’ll be waiting.”
The emperor lightly brushed the tips of Rachel’s hair, then turned away. Looking at him now, she couldn’t help thinking that even the emperor in this life had changed a lot.
Perhaps even if she rejected him, the extreme situation she imagined might not happen after all.
Once she returned to her palace, Rachel instructed the chief attendant to prepare for her departure. Since the only belongings she had were the items the emperor had bestowed upon her, it didn’t take long.
“Sister, are we going home now?”
“Yes. The investigation is over. I requested two carriages, so you can go straight back to the Ingrave residence.”
“Ah…….”
Illya looked at her in surprise for a moment, but Rachel didn’t budge.
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