Chapter 238: Accusations of Treason
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 238: Accusations of Treason
The Emperor spoke, his voice laced with considerable shock.
“I do not wish to doubt the Grand Duke’s loyalty lightly, but has this not gone too far?”
Duke Kyle, his hand gripped tight around his sword, issued a warning fueled by rage.
“Sheathe your swords this instant, or this shall be deemed an act of treason!”
A suffocating tension hung in the air, spilling out from the lounge and into the corridor beyond.
Yet, the Grand Duke remained cold and composed as he issued an order to his men.
“No one lower their blade.”
The Imperial Knights exchanged frantic glances, but the Blenheim Knights didn’t so much as twitch an eyebrow, standing firm upon their master’s command.
“What is the meaning of this?”
Duke Kyle’s voice dropped, heavy with menace.
“Do you truly intend to cross the line?”
“I received word that the Grand Duchess was in danger and came to rescue her.”
Ignoring Duke Kyle, the Grand Duke looked down at the Emperor with an arrogant gaze.
“Therefore, I will not order my knights to stand down until I am certain the Grand Duchess is completely safe.”
The only man in the lounge who had sheathed his sword was the Grand Duke of Blenheim himself.
He even held the Grand Duchess’s hand in one of his.
And yet, despite that, he remained the most dangerous presence in the room.
“The Grand Duchess was in danger?”
The Emperor glanced at the Empress, feigning ignorance.
“It was merely a misunderstanding,” the Empress replied, her face flushing as if embarrassed. “There was a minor spat between the ladies-in-wed… but the Grand Duchess is simply so delicate of heart.”
The Grand Duchess nodded submissively at the Empress’s words.
“I was simply so terrified because she drew a knife and threatened to slash my maid’s face…”
At those words, a thick vein throbbed in the Grand Duke’s neck.
“Slashing a face with a knife? Is this true?” the Emperor asked, his brow furrowing.
One of the Empress’s maids stepped forward.
“It is all my fault. Her Highness the Consort’s maid ignored Imperial etiquette and behaved with such arrogance that I attempted to advise her, but my emotions got the better of me and my words went too far.”
The maid bowed low, making excuses that it had been nothing more than a verbal warning.
Watching the scene unfold from behind, Cadellina swallowed a sneer.
A verbal warning, my foot.
The maid who had stepped forward was exactly the type of person who would have actually followed through on carving up a woman’s face.
“As a maid of the Imperial Palace, I have brought shame upon Her Majesty the Empress through my reckless words and actions. Please, I beg you to punish me.”
The maid drew a sharp line between herself and the Empress.
“No matter how insolent her attitude was, how could you behave with such a lack of dignity?”
The Empress rebuked the maid as if to drive the point home, then turned back to the Emperor.
“However, Your Majesty, even so, the Grand Duke’s response is excessive, is it not?”
Her sharp eyes turned toward the Grand Duke.
“If we allow someone to storm the Imperial Palace on such a trivial pretext, what will become of the Empire’s security?”
It was then that the Grand Duke spoke, his voice low and heavy.
“That is not a matter for the Empress to decide.”
“If the Grand Duchess felt even the slightest bit threatened, it is no different from a crisis for the entire North,” the Grand Duke stated firmly, gently pulling the Grand Duchess closer to his side. “Whether a matter is ‘trivial’ or not is not for anyone else to judge.”
The Empress fell silent, momentarily lost for words.
The Grand Duke showed no sign of even pretending to fear the Imperial Family.
“I see. Any man would lose his mind upon hearing that his wife was in danger.”
The Emperor spoke up, siding with the Grand Duke in an attempt to save face. It was then that one of the maids whispered something into the Empress’s ear.
“Ha!”
The Empress’s eyes flashed brilliantly, as if daring them to try and escape this next point.
“Now that I think about it, Commander of the Knights—how exactly did the Grand Duke enter the Imperial Palace?”
Duke Kyle grit his teeth before answering slowly.
“…He used the Imperial Palace Gate.”
“The Imperial Palace Gate?”
The Empress raised her voice in feigned shock.
“Are you saying he forced the gate open?”
The Emperor’s expression hardened.
Forcing the Imperial Gate open was as good as proving that the Grand Duke could invade the Imperial Palace whenever he pleased. Once this fact became known, the capital’s nobility would undoubtedly flood the palace with demands for the Grand Duke’s punishment.
“Opening the gate without permission… is that not an act of treason?”
The Empress pressed a hand to her chest as if reeling from the shock.
“Your Majesty. If the Grand Duke does not harbor treacherous intent, then order him to lay down his weapons immediately and submit to the Knights’ command.”
Duke Kyle added his support.
As the Emperor’s lips hovered, unsure of what to say, Cadellina took a deep breath and shouted.
“I opened it for him!”
“What?”
The Emperor and Empress frowned simultaneously.
“I opened the gate using my authority as the Crown Princess.”
Cadellina stepped forward with a confident smile.
“I was worried when I heard the Grand Duchess was in danger. The Grand Duke requested urgent entry to the palace, and I granted it.”
“Opening the gate is not within your authority,” the Empress said, her voice trembling at the absurdity.
“Of course, I intended to seek His Majesty’s permission separately. That is why I came to the Annex with the Grand Duke, but somehow things turned out like this.”
“And why on earth would the Grand Duke make such a request to you?” the Emperor asked, looking skeptical.
“The Grand Duchess and I are closer than you might think.”
“With the Grand Duchess?”
“While preparing for the Expo, I realized that the North has been far too marginalized lately.”
Cadellina glanced at the Grand Duchess, explaining that they had begun interacting and found they were of like mind. Though her expression was a bit sour, the Grand Duchess was wise enough not to contradict her.
Emboldened, Cadellina squared her shoulders.
“Furthermore, the Blenheim family has promised to invest heavily in this Expo.”
A faint look of delight crossed the Emperor’s suspicious face.
“That is the best news I’ve heard in a while.”
“Isn’t that right, Grand Duke?”
Cadellina looked at the Grand Duke, her lips curling into a satisfied smile.
Instead of answering, the Grand Duke glanced at the Grand Duchess. It was a look that seemed to be asking for her permission.
Good grief, he even checks with her for something like this?
After a moment of thoughtful consideration, the Grand Duchess gave a slight nod.
“…That is correct.”
Just as Cadellina was about to breathe a sigh of relief at the Grand Duke’s slightly delayed response, the Grand Duchess suddenly added more.
“Because Her Highness the Crown Princess has agreed to lift the Gate Blockade Order.”
Cadellina’s eyes widened, caught off guard.
The Empress’s sharp gaze shot upward.
“Lift the blockade? You mean you’re going to open the Blenheim Gate?”
“As the Crown Princess said, the North’s participation is crucial for the Expo’s success. It will be much easier for the Northern nobles to participate if the distance is shortened.”
At the Grand Duchess’s nonchalant answer, the Empress pressed Cadellina.
“There was a clear reason why the Blenheim Gate was kept closed.”
Cadellina bit the inside of her cheek.
To think she’d attach a condition like that.
However, in this situation, she had no choice but to take the Grand Duchess’s side.
“Is there anyone in or out of the Empire who can surpass the martial prowess of the Grand Duke of Blenheim?” Cadellina countered with a shrug. “As long as the Grand Duke is there, there’s no chance the North will be breached and the capital threatened, is there?”
In reality, they were probably more afraid of the Grand Duke himself invading. But no one in this room would dare utter those words out of pride.
“…That is true,” the Emperor added, his voice lacking confidence.
As someone plagued by financial troubles, it would be difficult for him to turn away Blenheim’s investment.
“Still, this cannot be allowed!”
Venom filled the Empress’s eyes.
“To decide such a grave matter so easily!”
It was then that Cadellina saw it clearly.
The Grand Duchess, who was still holding the Grand Duke’s hand, gently tugged on it and gave him a small instruction.
After sharing a tender look with her, the Grand Duke nodded and straightened his posture.
He cleared his throat and spoke.
“It makes no difference to Blenheim.”
“…Are you saying it doesn’t matter if the gate isn’t opened?”
“In exchange, I will not invest.”
“Grand Duke!” Cadellina cried out urgently.
Regardless, the Grand Duke swept his arrogant gaze across the room.
“No matter how much money I have… I am not a fool who throws gold into the air for no gain.”
“It’s an investment, in the literal sense!” Cadellina raised her voice in frustration. “As much as the Expo succeeds, the profit will return to you. I am trying to give you an opportunity.”
“I find it curious that no other family is coveting such a ‘wonderful opportunity.’”
While Cadellina was left speechless, the Grand Duchess slipped in her own words.
“The Northern nobles are also very dissatisfied with not being able to travel freely to the capital. Without that level of compensation, there will be a backlash.”
The Grand Duchess looked toward the Emperor, suggesting that the sentiment of the Northern people was also important for the Empire’s peace.
“If the gate opens, won’t the capital’s commerce flourish even more? Blenheim shares borders with Rondoris and Arsen, after all.”
“That is true.”
Having finally found a pretext to save face, the Emperor looked at the Grand Duchess with a satisfied expression.
“The North is also land I must look after. I have indeed been neglectful.”
Cadellina also received unexpected praise.
“The Crown Princess is finally playing her part quite well.”
With that, the entire situation was settled in an instant.
“By all means, let the Grand Ducal couple lend their strength so that the Expo can be well-prepared.”
The Emperor hurried away, treating the Blenheim Knights’ intrusion as if it had never happened.
“Move!”
The enraged Empress and her maids pushed past the knights and stormed out of the lounge.
As the Grand Duchess left under the Grand Duke’s protection, Cadellina called out a joyful farewell, promising to send someone soon.
It was the first taste of victory she had experienced as the Crown Princess.
* * *
Adrian hurried his steps, fueled by anger.
In the distance, he saw the Grand Duke leaving the Annex with his arm around the Grand Duchess’s shoulders.
“Stop right there!”
At his shout, the couple and the Blenheim Knights came to a halt.