Chapter 150

Proofreader: somnium

Hayley returned to Grand Duke Evron’s residence, like a withered salad.

At that time, when she said she would meet Artizea, Alice opened her eyes in an angry glare, but her affairs were urgent and she had no choice.

Artizea wasn’t asleep yet. The doctor and maids urged her to rest quickly.

But she couldn’t sleep because she had slept for several days. She was sitting on the bed, and she was sorting things out and thinking.

“Is Bishop Akim dead?”

“Yes. He had a vial in his hand. There was poison in the vial.”

Hayley replied so.

The guards said it was a suicide, and it seemed so on the surface.

“The Guards seem to think it was suicide by poison.”

“Considering the pride of Bishop Akim, it’s not impossible, isn’t it?”

“But it is strange.”

Hayley said.

“There was a half-touched meal left. If he was going to commit suicide, he wouldn’t have eaten at all. He could have killed himself after eating a meal, but even then, there is something strange about it.”

“There must have been something in the meal.”

“But, just in case, all the food and water were thoroughly inspected and sent in. I did ask them to check it again.”

“It’s not poison, it’s a weak paralytic. Then, even if people eat it and get checked, it cannot be confirmed.”

Artizea said indifferently.

“Bishop Akim knew he was in danger. What would he think if his neck and tongue were paralyzed in such a situation?”

“Are you saying he looked for the vial because he thought he was poisoned?”

“It is most likely. Perhaps they had swapped out the vials before this happened. It’s hard to notice things unlike regular medicines because you don’t usually touch them.”

Artizea asked.

“What about the servant who brought the meal?”

“We are looking for him now.”

“They must have lost the servant already.”

It’s one step late.

Marchioness Camellia and her craftsmanship was known to be the best. There will be no evidence, no witnesses left.

So she was trying to catch the fish on the spot.

Hayley bowed her head.

“I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s okay. It’s because I didn’t wake up earlier. It was impossible for you to stop.”

“Your Grace…….”

Artizea thought for a moment.

Before she collapsed, she never imagined that a word like treason would come out.

It was a plan that was made in haste according to the sudden situation in the first place. It was a luxury to hope it would happen without any problems.

As soon as she opened her eyes, it occurred to her that she should have taken care of Bishop Akim first. But he had already passed away, so she couldn’t help it.

Even what she planned early and carefully is often ruined due to variables when carried out.

This was out of Artizea’s control.

“I can’t help it. Let’s stop this here.”

“Your Grace.”

Hayley was restless and lowered her head.

“It’s just that I wasn’t as lucky as I thought. It would be better not to delve into this any further. It’s not the time to ignore the odds and persist.”

Perhaps the Emperor had his hands on Bishop Akim in his own way. If she digs the wrong way, she will touch it.

There was originally a separate plan for dealing with Grand Duke Roygar. It would also be better to push it, too.

Hayley wasn’t completely convinced. But she nodded.

“Understood, Your Grace. Do you have anything else to order?”

“What about Lord Cedric?”

Artizea asked without agitation. This is because it was not a personal question, but a question to understand the situation.

“Did you deliver him this news?”

“Yes. A person from the Knights of Evron departed in order to report immediately. Even if it was hasty, I made a separate note of the facts and passed it along to him.”

“Alright. Wait there for a while.”

Artizea brought a pen and paper, and wrote a short letter on the spot.

If you continue your now hardline attitude, and no evidence emerges, you will return as a political failure. You took most of the gains you could get. Now is the right time to put an end to this situation before you regret that His Majesty gave you too much power.

Artizea simply wrote it like that.

In the signature line, she pondered for a long time. But in the end, she wrote nothing.

Then she folded the letter in half and put it in an envelope and gave it to Hayley.

“Please deliver this letter to Lord Cedric. You must hand it over yourself.”

“Yes.”

“After that, you can rest without having to come to report to me. I must go to rest now.”

“Yes.”

Hayley bowed politely and walked away.

Artizea stared blankly into the air for a moment.

Her stomach was throbbing. She crawled under the blanket. And she tried to sleep.

＊＊＊

Cedric remained in the Imperial Palace until this moment.

With him were the Archbishop, as well as the representative of the temple and the judges appointed by the Emperor. The guards and the elders of the nobility also attended.

In front of him were the priests who tried to kidnap Artizea.

This was the first time they had officially testified, but it was already after they had suffered enough when questioned by the Knights of Evron and the Guards.

The priests, terrified, took an oath in the name of God and testified that it was Bishop Akim’s order.

Bishop Akim himself did not attend, but it was a de facto trial.

There was no separate trial for treason. He will be executed as is. The reason why this procedure went through this process was because the other party was a bishop.

The news of Bishop Akim’s death was delivered near the end of this process.

The knight that came to report to Cedric was the fastest. In addition, information was delivered through their respective routes.

The bishops’ countenances turned pale. Judges and nobles also murmured.

“What’s going on here? Is it a suicide?”

“Are there any suspicions of suicide by poisoning?”

Several voices of conversation with the person next to them were carefully combined to become a murmur, in a low voice so as not to be heard by others.

Cedric ran his hands up to his face. He had a headache.

Amalie spoke to him in a muffled voice.

“Things are a mess, Grand Duke. No suicide note was found, was it?”

“Initially, that’s the news.”

“Then the chances of suicide are low.”

“But it appears that the poison vial was originally owned by Bishop Akim. He drank it himself.”

“Suicide is more difficult than murder. If he died suddenly..….”

Then Bishop Nikos, who had spoken with the Archbishop, approached Cedric.

“The temple will thoroughly cooperate with any investigation. Please do not misunderstand, Grand Duke.”

Bishop Nikos’ face was pale and tired.

“Bishop Nikos, do you think Bishop Akim committed suicide?”

“Akim is a very proud person.”

Bishop Nikos lowered his eyes.

“I see what you mean.”

“Grand Duke.”

“But right now, I cannot readily promise that there will be no more issues with the temple.”

It was time to tell them that.

Hayley arrived.

Cedric was not surprised. But he felt a little sad.

‘Even though I told you to rest.’

But he knew very well that Artizea couldn’t do it, and that he couldn’t stop her.

That’s what she’s been doing so far. Just because she has a child doesn’t mean she’s suddenly excluded from everything and reading a storybook in a quiet, safe bedroom.

Realistically, Artizea’s advice was also needed.

Hayley quietly delivered Artizea’s letter to Cedric.

Cedric skimmed it and read it.

“I see.”

“Shall I tell something to Her Grace?”

“…… Tell her to rest well and not to worry. I’ll be late tonight.”

Hayley politely bowed again and walked away.

“What did she say?”

Amalie asked curiously.

“Now is the time to stop.”

“Her Grace is also wise. It is only speculation that Bishop Akim is behind it. Right now, there is nothing that can be concrete. It’s the same whether it’s suicide or murder.”

“Right.”

“If we drag it for a long time without result, you will likely touch His Majesty’s judgement.”

Cedric nodded his head. He too knew what Artizea and Amalie were talking about.

He folded Artizea’s letter four times and put it in his inner pocket. It was also a letter to be burned.

The murmur grew louder as Cedric stood up.

“Let’s call it a day.”

Cedric said. If Bishop Akim died and even after listening to the testimonies of the priests, nothing would happen.

He went out first. Then the nobles moved hurriedly.

It was going to be a night where no one sleeps.

＊＊＊

The salon of Marchioness Camellia was also still lit until this moment.

News of the death of Bishop Akim has not yet been made publicly available. Only a few major nobles, including Grand Duke Roygar, heard the news quickly.

Grand Duke Roygar got out of the conversation and poured his own cool sparkling wine into two glasses.

And he approached Marchioness Camellia.

“The weather is getting hotter, have a drink, sister-in-law.”

A happy smile hung on his lips.

“I feel very refreshed.”

It would not have been easy because of the strict security, but Marchioness Camellia handled the matter lightly. She left no evidence to link even to herself.

Even if it turns out that Bishop Akim was poisoned, it would not be known who did it.

All guesses are just guesses. The charge of treason with Bishop Akim is over.

Now all the facts that remained for Grand Duke Roygar was that Miraila’s actions were treason.

And this, on the other hand, was something that Cedric could not claim to be wrong.

There is no reason to attack each other. It was an unwinnable board, so it was overturned.

Marchioness Camellia smiled.

“I will tell you in detail later.”

This was not a story to be told here.

That was then.

“His Grace, Grand Duke Evron, has come.”

The servant entered the salon with hurried steps.