Chapter 57
Chapter 57
Translation: godsn
The residence of Count Etienne.
A coffin containing a corpse and a letter from Duke Claudio's household arrived.
"Do they take me for a fool?!"
Minister Etienne, furious to the core, tore the letter to shreds before even finishing it.
The scattered fragments roughly conveyed this:
The true culprit who poisoned the drink wasn't Virna, but her close maidservant. Upon seeing her mistress humiliated at the banquet, the enraged maid had tampered with the nobles' beverages.
When the situation grew dire, the frightened maid allegedly took poison to atone through death.
"Now that the true mastermind has been found, we sincerely hope your anger will subside and our former friendship be restored... What absolute nonsense!"
The Minister, allied with the Regent, had no intention of severing ties completely either.
He'd planned to withdraw at an appropriate juncture where neither side would lose face.
But when the Regent sent a fake culprit while spiriting away his own daughter, Etienne's fury ignited.
"Do you really think you can treat me this way, Regent?"
It seems you consider me lacking, someone who clings to your side out of desperation.
"Let me show you who stands to lose more."
Etienne acted without hesitation.
Baron Brega, a vassal of the Regent, had been slated to assume the soon-to-be-vacant position of Southern Tax Collector.
This was a lucrative post overseeing tax collection in the relatively fertile southern regions of Valdina's territory, where substantial spoils could be gained.
Yet Etienne dredged up Baron Brega's longstanding corrupt practices to have him dismissed, installing Sir Petch—the son of his own mentor—in the position instead.
As Minister of the Imperial Household, he'd wielded his influence to pressure his ally the Regent. It was virtually a declaration of war.
"Etienne, you bastard! How dare you!"
The Regent slammed his fist on the desk.
From that moment, the once-solid Regent faction began to fracture.
"Since when do we take orders from His Grace the Regent?"
"We're not your retainers—we're officials fed by Valdina's coffers. Why should we obey?"
"Oh? You didn't say that when lining your pockets with His Grace's money, did you?"
The Regent's vassals schemed to oust the Minister's subordinates, while the Minister's faction stalled administrative processes by questioning the vassals' conduct.
They traded accusations, beginning to tear at each other.
As a hereditary noble, the Minister had both deep-rooted vassal networks and personal connections. This was precisely why the Regent had sought to recruit him initially.
That the Minister's strengths would instead become his own obstacles was something the Regent had never anticipated.
Both the Regent and the Minister, as leaders of their factions, found their pride preventing any retreat.
The back-and-forth strife continued, yielding more losses than gains.
When arrows once aimed together began pointing at each other, the situation grew increasingly troublesome.
Among all, Siseo welcomed the growing conflict between Regent and Minister most eagerly.
"To think this day would come!"
So this was what the Princess meant about opportunity arising?
"Could Her Highness truly be... aiding us?"
Siseo paused abruptly.
The spy Medeia had recently captured surfaced in his thoughts.
"Please kill me, my liege! I'll never betray you again."
The maidservant sent to the Princess's palace had returned sobbing, confessing everything—from realizing the Princess had fed her poisoned tea, to her son being held hostage.
Uncovering the spy was startling enough, but the Princess's subsequent methods of silencing her shocked Siseo further.
"If you want forgiveness, keep reporting to the Regent. Tell him I'm still drinking this poisoned tea."
Now he understood why she'd entrusted the maid's punishment to him. The Regent's misperception would create their opportunity.
The transformed Medeia was breathing life into the faltering royal authority.
"So, Sir Siseo, set aside your worries and consider how we might bring down the Minister who's broken from your uncle."
"Bring him down... Indeed, we do have something prepared for the Minister."
Siseo murmured.
For the first time, color returned to his ashen, exhausted face.
Siseo's movements soon reached the Regent's ears.
"Your Grace, the Chancellor's subordinates are investigating Minister Etienne's misconduct."
"Siseo? Ah. Seeing the rift between me and the Minister, he's trying to pick one off?"
The Regent snorted derisively.
"So even Valdina's so-called 'young genius' is all talk. The brat lacks the boldness to make a proper move."
An aide chimed in agreement while subtly gauging the Regent's expression.
"Your Excellency speaks truly. It seems they're digging into the Minister's hidden slush funds. Should we inform the Minister?"
After all, regardless of their internal conflicts, they couldn't let their common enemy Siseo gain the upper hand.
The Regent was about to give the order when he suddenly paused and shook his head.
"...Hmm, no. Leave it be this time. Let the Chancellor's faction continue their investigation."
"Pardon?"
"Only after the Minister gets properly trampled will he finally realize how much he needs me. Etienne seems to have forgotten who's been protecting his ministerial position all this time."
"But... what if Siseo uncovers something crucial?"
"Don't worry. Even if he succeeds, Siseo won't last long."
A sinister smile spread across the Regent's face.
Over half a year had passed since he'd begun serving the madness-inducing poisoned tea. The symptoms should be manifesting soon.
"Let's see how long that brilliant mind of his stays intact."
Once the madness takes hold, any punishment for Etienne would become irrelevant.
"Since we already know the outcome, there's no harm in letting the insolent old man get a taste of his own medicine. What's the big deal?"
The Regent chuckled darkly.
On a certain sunny afternoon.
"What insolence is this!"
Knights stormed into Count Etienne's residence.
Their epaulets bore the crest of the Valdina Royal Family.
"Do you not know who I am? How dare you palace knights barge in here?"
Before the Minister could finish his indignant roar, he was forced to his knees with both arms restrained.
"Larc E. Etienne, you are under arrest for human trafficking, murder, and violation of military law."
"Let go! Unhand me! What is the meaning of this?"
"You wouldn't claim ignorance about the children who disappeared from the palace along with Head Maid Cuisine, would you?"
The sharp-eyed knight captain unfurled a densely written scroll listing the missing.
"You abducted royal wards to satisfy your perversions—killing some and selling the survivors to create your slush fund. Even hell would vomit forth something as vile as you."
'How did they—!'
The knights moved with practiced efficiency, presenting evidence without hesitation.
Cold sweat briefly glistened on the Minister's face before he regained composure, his expression turning brazen.
"Ha! Do you really think you can touch me over some dead commoner brats?"
A fine could be paid, punishment delegated to servants. His wealth and influence were limitless.
As if anticipating his argument, the knight captain smirked.
"Minister, I mentioned violation of military law earlier. Are you aware the children sold here were resold abroad through the Black Eye Merchant Guild?"
"W-what?"
"The Black Eye Merchant Guild funded your slush fund. Meaning you exported palace personnel to foreign nations during wartime."
Wartime violations of military law carried immediate execution. The Minister's face turned ashen.
"We'll now transport you to prison. Seize him."
The noose Siseo had meticulously prepared tightened around his neck in one swift motion.
Not even this cunning Minister could see an escape.
Resisting arrest, he was dragged away with both arms firmly grasped by knights.
"Claudio! Inform Duke Claudio! Tell him I've been taken! Do you hear me?"
At the threshold, he twisted his body with all his might to shout at his attendant.
"Now! Immediately!"
"Y-yes! D-don't worry, my lord!"
Umberto nodded repeatedly, barely containing his terror.
Between flashes of silver armor, the Minister's figure soon disappeared.
"W-what just happened?"
Chaos engulfed the Count's household.
Not only had royal knights abruptly arrested their master, they were now ransacking the estate.
"Why are they tearing our home apart? Why was our lord taken?"
"Found another! One more body here!"
"Collect all remains!"
Amid the turmoil, Umberto calmly attended to his duties.
"I'll leave matters here to you, steward. I must draft a letter to Duke Claudio and visit the prison where our lord is held."
"Understood, Umberto. You're our only hope now."
As the steward departed, Umberto muttered while scribbling on parchment—not the message his lord commanded, but his own words:
"Car...ma...you...fucking...bastard..."