Chapter 334
The Emperor looked down at him coldly and said,
“I permit it.”
“…It is true that my granddaughter, Duchess Nord, acted rashly, but this was not done to damage Your Majesty’s dignity. Rather, it was to root out those who ruined the event and uphold Your Majesty’s prestige.”
Who would not know that if a riot occurred during an event hosted by the Imperial Family, it would interfere with establishing His Majesty’s achievements?
‘…He isn’t stupid, so why is he repeating something similar to what Rebecca said? What is he plotting?’
Nina’s eyes narrowed.
“Continue.”
“The rumor circulating in society that Duchess Bayern mentioned earlier. Isn’t the one who spread that rumor the true culprit behind this situation?”
How absurd.
‘Is he trying to pin what he did on me right now?’
Sure enough.
“And the only one who made a name for herself through this commotion is Duchess Bayern. Is that not so?”
Marquis Crewe smiled meaningfully and met her eyes.
As if probing whether she was not the true culprit behind the incident.
‘Is he saying I spread that ridiculous rumor to raise my own reputation?’
So dumbfounded that she let out a hollow laugh, Ash, who had been standing still until now, spoke in a voice filled with murderous intent.
“…Marquis Crewe, can you take responsibility for those words?”
When the man, who was a head taller than him, pressed him with undisguised killing intent, Marquis Crewe flinched for a moment.
But as though he could not let this momentum slip away, Marquis Crewe stiffened his neck and continued speaking.
“There are clear circumstances suggesting that the Duchess used an Imperial event to raise her own reputation. The fact that praise for her is widespread in the slums is proof of that. Did she not try to play tricks to spread her reputation, only to fall into her own trap?”
Ash scraped his vocal cords and lowered his voice.
“My wife’s virtue is clear even without embellishment. Rather, it seems you are trying to shift responsibility onto my wife in order to escape this situation…”
Then, he petitioned the Emperor.
“Your Majesty, please permit me to investigate the truth of this incident, so that I may protect my wife’s honor.”
The capital was the Imperial Family’s domain.
The authority to investigate the truth belonged to the Emperor.
“You will investigate the truth personally?”
When the Emperor asked back with a frown, Ash nodded.
“Yes, please grant me temporary authority to command the Imperial investigators.”
“Temporary…”
No matter how fond he was of Duke Bayern, a request to be permitted to investigate the Imperial Family’s domain could only be displeasing.
However, surely there was a reason Duke Bayern had made such a request while risking the Emperor’s displeasure.
Recalling the request made earlier to lend strength to his words just once, the Emperor soon nodded and permitted it.
“I permit it.”
Marquis Crewe scowled.
He could not guess Ash’s intentions.
But his question was soon answered.
“Marquis Crewe, if the investigation is conducted in the presence of Imperial investigators, you won’t be able to question its credibility.”
He was making such a sensitive request of the Emperor for merely that reason?
As Marquis Crewe’s eyes shook in disbelief, Ash pulled up one corner of his mouth crookedly.
“If my wife’s innocence is proven, you will have to kneel and beg for forgiveness.”
Marquis Crewe hurriedly looked up at the throne.
At Duke Bayern’s declaration, the Emperor was silent with an intrigued look in his eyes.
There was no way he could fail to realize that the Emperor had no intention of withdrawing the permission he had given moments ago.
Since he had been driven this far anyway, he could not demand that it be withdrawn.
That would be no different from denying the argument he had presented earlier.
Marquis Crewe nodded, his fists trembling.
‘Thinking about it, this is actually for the better.’
While Duke Bayern investigated, Rebecca’s punishment would be delayed.
If he fabricated evidence, shifting Rebecca’s guilt onto Duchess Bayern would be no difficult task.
Marquis Crewe thought he had gained an opportunity to break through the situation and calmed his heart with a deep breath, but only for a moment.
“Duchess Nord, hear me!”
“…Give your command, Your Majesty.”
“The cause of the disturbance has yet to be determined, but it is certain that you threatened the people who have uttered praises in the name of the Imperial Family. Therefore, you will be confined until the truth of this matter is revealed.”
At the Imperial command that followed, the eyes of Marquis Crewe and Rebecca trembled in disbelief.
