CHAPTER 114
Translator: Rae
***
Report
Whitney stirred and opened her eyes. She recalled going to the terrace to sober up, but everything after that was a complete blank, as if someone had cut away the memory.
"Are you alright?"
"Oh, Aunty."
She immediately tried to compose herself. As she pushed herself from the sofa, her aunt handed her a glass of cold water. Whitney’s face flushed with embarrassment—she must have shown an unsightly side of herself.
“You were quite impressive earlier. Thanks to you, the nobles have set aside their suspicions. And—there’s someone who wishes to meet you.”
"Me?"
Her aunt nodded and glanced toward the door. Once Whitney straightened her posture and adjusted her appearance, the door swung open. The person who entered the private lounge was a figure she never expected.
"Lady Ephirenne."
“I apologize for coming so suddenly. My father sent me in haste… Please don’t ask why.”
Whitney had considered meeting the Baron of Ephirenne eventually, but she had planned to seek him out after another banquet had concluded. Yet, since his daughter had come to find her first, it meant the matter was urgent.
“It’s fine. Please have a seat. What is this about?”
“...I have something to report regarding the Leonhardt Family.”
Report?
Whitney immediately thought of Yohareim. The Ephirenne Family, though cousins to House Leonhardt, had never been on good terms with them. If anyone held a weakness over the Leonhardt Family, it might be them. Sensing the situation, her aunt tactfully excused herself.
Facing each other, Whitney waited for Weilin to speak first. After a brief hesitation, Weilin reached into her coat and carefully pulled out a small envelope, extending it toward Whitney.
“This is a record of the Leonhardt Family’s financial transactions. A significant amount of money has been flowing in continuously from a single individual.”
What Weilin handed over seemed to be a transcribed version of the Leonhardt Family’s financial ledger. The next page contained information related to the diamonds.
“...Diamonds, huh.”
“Your Grace recognize it?”
Weilin’s eyes widened. Since it was coded language they used, she must have assumed no one else would understand. But Whitney was beginning to grasp why Weilin was offering her this information.
The Leonhardt Family’s alignment with Carl must have solidified in their minds, leading them to conclude that siding with Prince Cheston was the only way to protect their family. The growing influence of the Orléans Duchy and the king’s ambiguous stance—subtly favoring Cheston yet refusing to officially crown him—left the nobles in a perpetual state of uncertainty, constantly evaluating which side to take.
Although the Ephirenne Family had chosen their side rather quickly, Whitney welcomed the materials Weilin had provided.
“Would you be willing to testify regarding this matter?”
“...My father has stated he would do anything Your Grace ask of us. However, there is one condition.”
Nothing in this world comes for free, and she had expected that they also would have their own demands. If it was something she could accommodate, she would gladly agree, but if not, things might get complicated.
“A condition, you say?”
“Please… at the very least, spare our lives. The Ephirenne Family had no part in this, I swear!”
"Your lives? Who is threatening you?"
“Ah, it’s nothing. Please forget I’ve ever said anything.”
Weilin’s demeanor was somewhat unusual, but protecting a single noble house wasn’t a difficult task. Since she had claimed they were not involved, as long as that much was certain, there should be no issue.
“If that’s your condition, I will accept it.”
“R-Really?”
“I swear on the name of House Orléans. Then, once the banquet ends, we should draft a contract. There’s no harm in making things official.”
It felt as though the downfall of Carl and the queen was drawing near.
***
Cheston arrived at the private lounge where Whitney had slept. He had intended to carefully move her to the duke’s estate, but instead, he found her wide awake, intently reviewing some documents.
"You're up."
"Your Highness Prince Cheston, please come and sit here. You'll be surprised when you see what I’ve got my hands on.”
Hearing the excitement in her voice, Cheston took a seat beside her. Carl had already been moved to a room by the royal guards, and Cheston had reported the incident to his father.
Fortunately, thanks to Violet’s decision not to make an issue of it, the situation hadn’t become more complicated. However, the queen’s expression had crumbled beyond words. Her uneasy, wavering gaze made it clear—she had realized that he had no intention of stopping here.
“I was debating whether to take you to the duke’s estate since you were sleeping so soundly.”
“If you’d like, Your Highness, you’re welcome to take me back yourself.”
“If I do so, I might not want to return to the royal palace, so it’s best to leave it for another time.”
Cheston hadn’t expected Whitney to agree, and for a moment, he was caught off guard. But he quickly masked his expression—he liked how honestly she expressed herself.
“I finally got my hands on evidence. Irrefutable evidence.”
Cheston quickly skimmed through the documents Whitney handed him. The figures labeled as diamonds were recorded with remarkable precision—when compared to the number of missing persons, the numbers seemed to match exactly.
‘It looks like giving them a scare paid off. Though, there’s one name that stands out.’
He glanced at Whitney. Her eyes sparkled with anticipation, making it difficult for him to voice his concern. However, if she later found out that he had withheld something from her, she would surely feel disappointed.
“This could serve as evidence that the Leonhardt Family carried out human trafficking under the queen’s orders. But one thing bothers me—the name of the person who received the money.”
“Her Highness the Queen’s name isn’t directly written down, but look closely. Doesn’t this seem familiar?”
At Whitney’s words, Cheston examined the name once more. Cassis. It was an unfamiliar name, and for a moment, he was lost in thought. But soon, something about it felt oddly recognizable.
“...Cassis. Cass…ius?”
“Yes! The Marquis, Cassius Aroche! He’s been funding House Leonhardt, House Dvitz, and House Eddington. But what’s even more shocking—”
She tapped the next page with her fingers, directing his attention to it. Cheston’s gaze flicked between the signature at the bottom of the document and the signature on the following page.
“The handwriting is different. It’s definitely changed from the first one. They did a good job imitating it, but handwriting isn’t so easy to replicate.”
“Certain habits always remain. Do you think the real Marquis of Aroche is still alive?”
“Who knows? Up until a few days ago, it seemed like he was, but I can’t be sure. Especially with Maurice d*ad now.”
“Now that everyone knows about Princess Violet’s broken engagement, I think we can proceed quickly.”
“I agree. Besides, the Kingdom of Luowen now has a strong ally to stand against Cerulo.”
Princess Violet siding with them had come out as unexpected to her. It was thanks to Carl’s foolish actions, but at this rate, even his father would likely make up his mind.
“How about staying at the annex tonight instead of returning to the duke’s estate?”
“Hmm, that doesn’t sound bad. There’s a lot to discuss anyway. Do you think I could speak with His Majesty the King?”
"Whenever you request his audience, he’ll agree anytime.”
Whitney’s green eyes sparkled once again. Though inviting her to the detached palace wasn’t meant to suggest an all-night strategy meeting, he suddenly felt like he was the only one having improper thoughts out of them, so he refrained from adding anything further.
***
“I never expected them to be embezzling the assets of the Kingdom of Luowen on such a scale.”
The king stated that he would interrogate Jane based on the evidence. However, he added that the interrogation wasn’t proceeding smoothly, as Jane was incredibly tight-lipped and refused to say anything regarding the queen.
“With such clear evidence, Jane will have no choice but to talk. Furthermore, the people of Yohareim have already agreed to testify. I also have a gift for Your Majesty—one I hope you will receive with joy.”
“Oh? A gift, you say. The Duchess Regnant never fails to delight me. I look forward to seeing what it is.”
“He is a man hired by a family related to the winery. We have obtained his confession, so Your Majesty may use him as you see fit.”
The king’s face lit up with satisfaction. Stroking his chin, he turned to Cheston and spoke.
“I plan to detain the man impersonating the Marquis of Aroche. There is a witness who saw him leaving the queen’s palace, so we should be able to hold him for a few days.”
“Please examine his handwriting. I am certain it will match the one on the documents.”
The king summoned the Commander of the Royal Guard and handed over the evidence he had received. As Cheston observed the scene, he took a step forward and earnestly appealed to the king.
“Your Majesty, we must sever the lineage of the families involved in this matter. Leaving behind any remnants will only lead to future trouble.”
“Do you think I will show them mercy out of pity?”
Cheston shook his head. If it were his father, he would ensure not a single one was left alive.
Both people turned their gazes toward Whitney, curious about her opinion in this matter.
Carefully, Whitney began to express her opinion.
“It’s only natural for Your Majesty to possess such authority. However, as a wise ruler, I don’t believe you would extend even the slightest mercy to those who are worth less than insects. We must ensure that Her Highness the Queen can never seek aid from the Kingdom of Cerulo.”
Otherwise, this matter could escalate into war. Though it began as the struggle of succession, foreign nations would remember this event for generations, marking it as a disgrace in Luowen’s history. A queen who turned against her own country, selling its people and raising an army elsewhere—this was more than mere internal conflict.
It was an outright rebellion against the crown, a direct threat to the Kingdom of Luowen itself. The queen’s actions were not merely to secure the throne for her son; they were a means to seize power for herself.
“A traitor is not to be left alive. That is my law.”
***
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