Chapter 28
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Chapter 28
[But why are you helping me?]
[Oson is my superior. I know him better than anyone. That's why I find this situation truly suspicious. I want to help the Empress.]
The Empress wasn't particularly clever, but she was far from foolish either.
[So according to you, I drag out time by stubbornly insisting this man is suspicious without rhyme or reason.]
[Yes.]
[That solves nothing. I'd only look more suspicious myself. Suddenly singling out some unknown civil servant for a trap investigation? Me, who's never even seen an official document before?]
[That's true.]
I pressed another scroll into her hands as if to soothe her, speaking gently.
[But the future is uncertain, and if you buy time, perhaps a miraculous opportunity will arise.]
[Hmm?]
[Your Majesty has family, after all. Family who would do anything to help you, family who loves you.]
Speaking the word "family," my heart clenched painfully.
I had exactly one person—one family member—who would do anything for me.
And I intended to do anything for them.
At my words, the Empress lowered her eyes.
[I'm doing this so I don't burden those beloved family members.]
[Perhaps. But rather than fearing causing trouble, wouldn't it be true Imperial duty to persevere and uncover the mastermind behind the Crown Prince's assassination attempt?]
When I answered, the Empress laughed heartily.
Then, saying "Let me trust you once," she accepted the scroll I offered.
[According to your words, this Oson fellow is indeed suspicious. I don't mind bearing false accusations, but this accusation obscures the true culprit in the Crown Prince's assassination and muddies the investigation.]
[Yes. There seems to be some force behind my Team Leader. He's absolutely not someone who would stand for the Imperial Family. An investigation is necessary.]
And so we became a team.
'For now, I just need to prevent a verdict from being reached. Buy time. That's all.'
My plan was never to create a perfect alibi.
Everything had already happened—such a thing was impossible.
I rose slowly from the now-chaotic courtroom during the recess, thinking.
'His Majesty the Emperor will arrive soon.'
In the original story, he returns to the Capital around this point.
The moment he receives news that Crown Prince Kiaros is dead.
'People will be absolutely shocked.'
Because the Emperor appears at the Imperial Palace just one day after news of Crown Prince Kiaros's death spreads.
'In reality, it would take a month of carriage travel to reach here, but...'
A special ability of the Yonin that he reveals to no one—not even fellow royalty.
'The Emperor's special ability is long-distance teleportation.'
No matter how far the distance, he can travel anywhere in a single day.
He conceals this ability all along, until Crown Prince Kiaros's death forces its revelation.
'And so he returns to the Capital, rules for about a year, then passes away.'
Crown Prince Kiaros surely reported the Empress's situation to the Emperor yesterday.
Then the Emperor, who loves the Empress, will come rushing back at once.
What happens next... I suppose the Emperor will handle it on his own.
'The Empress must be using this as an opportunity to uncover whoever is behind this.'
The Empress had taken my hand not for her own safety, but to ensure a proper investigation.
As long as the Empress didn't confess, the Emperor would protect her by any means necessary.
'How he accomplishes that isn't really my concern...'
What mattered was that the verdict didn't come down before then.
Once a verdict was rendered, not even the Emperor could overturn it.
'In any case, he's someone who loves his family dearly. When it comes to family, he'd even publicly reveal special abilities he'd never disclosed to his own children.'
And so the Emperor's ability was revealed in the original work as well.
Young Prince Jayden, being the protagonist, had his special abilities described frequently enough...
'Now that I think about it, I don't know Crown Prince Kiaros's special ability.'
There had been no opportunity to describe the ability of Crown Prince Kiaros, who died young.
Since it was kept strictly confidential, Young Prince Jayden didn't know his older brother's special ability either.
'What could it be? Since he's a dragon-blooded, it must be something incredible, probably.'
I glanced at Crown Prince Kiaros, who was maintaining his position in the Trial Court.
'Your Highness, the Crown Prince...'
Speaking with the Minister of Justice, he was absolutely beautiful.
He looked so strong that one couldn't possibly imagine he was in a dark period.
'He seems like as good a person as he is handsome.'
Someone who had even made sure I had meal privileges and wanted to properly express his gratitude.
But the distance between us was truly immense.
So vast that I couldn't dare exchange even a single word with him.
'It's so difficult to get closer.'
I slowly turned my gaze away from Crown Prince Kiaros.
The Trial Court was in disarray as people bustled about and stood up.
I too mixed into the crowd and left the Trial Court, visiting the Restroom once.
After leaving the Restroom, I checked the time and there was still quite a bit of break time remaining.
'Well, there's no need to go back in early, is there?'
I glanced into the Trial Court from a distance.
Crown Prince Kiaros was also standing up, seemingly heading to the Restroom.
Going back in would just mean sitting there bored, waiting anyway.
'Should I take a walk around the area instead?'
It was just as I stretched and stepped out into the Garden beyond the entrance of the Trial Court.
"Miss Namia Loapi?"
Someone suddenly grabbed my wrist from behind.
The unexpected contact and unfamiliar voice sent chills down my spine.
"What is it?"
I spun around in surprise, startled.
The person gripping my wrist was a middle-aged man I'd never seen before.
He didn't appear to be a civil servant, so I wondered if he was a nobleman who had come to watch the trial.
"This is the first time we've had a proper conversation like this, haha."
He continued speaking without any intention of releasing my wrist.
"I am Howard Alten."
"I'm sorry?"
"Well, I mentioned it to Baron Loapi. Perhaps he didn't tell you?"
"...I'm sorry?"
Alten? He'd spoken to Baron Loapi about this?
My mind raced to piece it together.
[The eldest son of the Olten Merchant Guild... he says he's quite taken with you.]
I could guess this man's identity well enough.
Was this the old man Baron Loapi had tried to marry me off to, the one who'd supposedly taken a liking to me?
As I blinked, he grinned, revealing yellowed teeth.
"I've seen you several times coming and going from the Loapi Marquessate. Your hollow eyes and that dull, troubled complexion—they're exactly my type."
"Good heavens."
I stared at him with weary eyes and muttered.
"So you're saying your type is a woman over twenty years your junior who looks like she's been sold off to pay debts...."
I wrenched my wrist away with all my strength and shot back at him.
"Didn't Baron Loapi tell you? I made it perfectly clear I wasn't interested."
The man who'd introduced himself as Howard Alten seemed to think my opinion was of little consequence.
Well, you'd need that level of audacity to propose marriage to a woman young enough to be your daughter.
He shrugged his shoulders and replied coolly.
"Then your father will simply go bankrupt. As his daughter, you're just going to stand by and watch?"
"I'll applaud and enjoy the show. Thanks to you, I've already severed ties with him."
At my firm response, his brow furrowed.
"Then forget about your father. I still find you charming, Miss Loapi."
"Listen... get a grip on reality. If you took out a hand mirror and looked at yourself, it might help you understand the situation."
"Haha, well, I recently purchased a Marquess title. I'm a nobleman with considerable wealth. Surely that's enough to sway you?"
"I think what I ate this morning is about to come back up...."
He was truly repulsive and infuriating. In the distance, Imperial Palace knights were passing by.
'Assault of a public official and obstruction of official duties—he deserves prison time. The relevant statutes are....'
Just as I was about to cry out for help with all my might.
A cool voice of a young man came from behind.
"Let her go."
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