Chapter 54
“Is that true?”
In someone’s study, where rows of tightly packed books lent a solemn atmosphere, a middle-aged man sat at the desk in the center, occupied with his work. Standing before him was Maili, dressed in a knight’s uniform, her long golden hair tied high and cascading down her back.
“Yes, I saw it with my own eyes, and I have secured witnesses as well. I could even swear on our family’s name.”
The middle-aged man had deep brown hair and green eyes. His neatly tailored clothes did little to conceal his robust physique, and his sharp gaze carried the air of a seasoned warrior who had survived countless battles between life and death.
Maili, standing at attention in her knight’s uniform, bore an uncanny resemblance to him.
“Father, His Majesty the Emperor is in danger.”
“I investigated alongside my sister after hearing her out. We even found evidence that d***s have been circulating within the imperial court…!”
From behind the bookshelves, where he had remained out of sight, Josef suddenly poked his head out and added to the conversation.
Maili’s eyes were filled with conviction. Their father, Helmut, who had been sitting in front of her, raised a hand to his temple as if nursing a headache.
If Josef, who was normally terrified of their father, was speaking up so boldly, then the matter must be certain. Maili had been unusually quiet for longer than expected—only to bring forth a massive disaster.
“Maili, I told you before—if you insist on causing trouble, you should just take over as heir.”
“I have no interest in succession.”
Maili swiftly cut off Helmut’s words. He let out a short sigh, then glanced past his resolute daughter to his unreliable son, who was peeking out from behind her. Josef hunched his shoulders and quickly retreated into hiding once more.
Helmut had half a mind to give his son a swift kick. If the boy had even half the courage of his sister, many of his worries would disappear.
The Marquessate of Amasto had flourished through estate management and commerce, but at its core, it was a knightly household. As the ruling family of a border territory, they bore the responsibility of defending the frontier. Should war break out at any moment, the lord himself would have to take up his sword and lead his troops into battle.
“And now, after making yourself an unappointed lady-in-waiting, you’re digging up the imperial family’s disgrace…?”
“So, are you going to turn a blind eye to this?”
Maili tilted her chin up slightly, feigning a touch of innocence. The deep lines of Helmut’s face, like those of an old tree, furrowed even further.
Slowly, he rose to his feet, then reached for the sword hanging behind him. With a heavy thud, he struck the floor with the sheathed blade.
“My sword has always remained by my lord’s side. I am a knight who swore to wield my blade for my lord for all my life. Naturally, I cannot turn a blind eye to His Majesty’s plight.”
With those words, he let out a sigh.
“The problem is that I’ve raised my children too well. Now, bring it here. If something like this happens, shouldn’t you have come to me right away?”
Josef watched the scene unfold and thought to himself.
‘Ah, like father, like daughter… How can their words and actions be so identical…?’
Letting out a sigh, he carried over the stack of documents he had prepared. Deep down, he had held onto a faint hope that their father might try to stop them. After all, he was the head of a noble house. Wouldn’t he at least make a careful decision?
But at this rate, their entire family was boarding a runaway train with no way to stop, unsure whether the final destination was heaven or hell.
Josef swallowed a sigh and stepped forward. His uncharacteristic action made Maili raise an eyebrow in mild surprise before flashing a smirk, while a glimmer of curiosity flickered in the Marquess of Amasto’s eyes.
‘Seriously… In the end, she made me say it. That witch.’
Josef shot a resentful glare at his sister.
“Father, Sister, this isn’t a decision to be made so hastily. You need to assess all the risks first.”
Maili looked at her younger brother with satisfaction. Though he always tried to stay out of things, she had no doubt that the one who would bring greater prosperity to their house wasn’t her—it was Josef.
The young boy hesitated for a moment, gauging their reactions, but in the end, he spoke his mind with clear resolve.
“…So, while there are several concerning factors, the one you must be most cautious about right now is—”
He raised a finger and pointed to a name written on one of the documents.
{ Veronica Eckhardt. }
“Eckhardt.”
***
After falling under the Imperial Crown Prince’s spell, Veronica had been in seclusion at a ducal residence near the capital.
She was the only one who could rebuild the fallen Eckhardt family. Now that the power of House Amasto had grown excessively, the imperial family saw value in strengthening Eckhardt through marriage.
Even as an unknown black force constricted her throat, that fact remained unchanged.
She could not properly swallow food, and even when she did, she soon vomited it back up. She suffered from a persistent fever and would collapse if she let her guard down for even a moment. If the servants of the ducal residence had been the slightest bit loose-lipped, rumors would have spread that the duke’s only daughter had contracted the plague.
Veronica constantly questioned. Why? Why was this happening to her?
Humans have always distorted the truth to endure their misfortunes. Veronica was no different.
Amidst excruciating pain, she thought—perhaps this was a test from the Imperial Crown Prince. Surely, he had chosen her specially.
One morning, she woke up feeling refreshed and suddenly realized that the pain tormenting her had vanished.
She lifted her hands and gazed at them. The sensation was unfamiliar. Pale, beautiful skin. The life of a noble lady, honored and revered.
“Bring me a mirror.”
Unlike usual, Veronica looked around in alarm, her voice slightly trembling as she gave the order.
When the mirror was brought to her, she examined her own face. She touched it here and there, even pinched herself. Her actions were certainly unusual, but the well-trained maids said nothing.
“Could this be… that thing I’ve only heard about? A novel possession?!”
Though everyone saw her shriek in bewilderment, they all remained silent.
After all, pretending to be blind and mute was what they did best. Doing otherwise was as good as signing their own death warrant.
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