Ch#217
The next morning, rumors spread like wildfire through high society that the doctor and priest who had treated the Emperor had been summoned to the Imperial Palace. It was such an unprecedented event that everyone they encountered wore a look of utter bewilderment. What on earth could have happened inside the coffin to cause even the funeral to be suspended? A situation of this magnitude was unheard of in history, yet frustratingly, nothing had been officially revealed.
Unable to bear the suspense, the nobles gathered in their drawing rooms to converse quietly. Since social events could not be held due to the Emperor’s death, they resorted to these private meetings.
However, no matter how much they talked, there was no substantial news to be found. This was true for both the Empress’s faction and the Crown Prince’s faction. On the contrary, they were confused, stating they hadn't received a single word from their respective leaders.
Some sighed, wondering how foreign nations would perceive this. Indeed, handling matters in this way while mourners had already arrived from abroad could be considered a great discourtesy. It was a national disgrace.
Of course, some likely knew the truth but were feigning ignorance and keeping their mouths shut. Yet, because it was impossible to distinguish who was hiding what, the frustration only intensified.
It was around that time that the question was raised: could something have happened to the Emperor’s corpse? The person who brought it up was someone close to the Empress’s family, adding that it must be true given the grave expressions of the Empress and the Crown Prince when they looked inside the coffin.
However, they were soon laughed at, with others calling it nonsense. The body had been kept under ironclad security throughout the funeral preparations.
With Michael Aires and the elite knights surrounding the room, there was no way anything could have happened.
But by the afternoon, whispers that the Emperor had been poisoned began to circulate secretly among the people. They said the tips of the Emperor's fingernails and his lips had turned black, and despite the application of preservatives, the stench of a decaying corpse was already wafting through the air.
While there was no way to verify the truth of those words, the fact that they supposedly leaked from someone working at the Imperial Palace made it a foregone conclusion. The silence of the Imperial Family despite these rumors also gave everyone certainty. The fact that the Emperor’s will was not being immediately disclosed was enough to amplify the nobles' suspicions.
It was equally strange that the Empress was with the Grand Duke instead of the Crown Prince.
People whispered that it was odd for the Grand Duke, whose physique had changed, to suddenly flaunt his intimacy with the Empress. They discussed whether he was truly the real Grand Duke.
Some even argued that the Pig Grand Duke had been eliminated and this man had been brought in as a shadow to replace him.
However, since it was highly unlikely they would bring in someone so noticeably different as a replacement, voices claiming the current Grand Duke was the real one were growing louder. This controversy was settled when the Pig Grand Duke everyone knew was suddenly arrested.
“I heard he was the Grand Duke’s childhood milk-mate? The child of his wet nurse. They say he carried out the fraud by taking advantage of the years the Grand Duke spent recuperating in another region due to a deep illness.”
In an instant, public opinion shifted from the Emperor’s death to the Grand Duke’s imposter. Since the mysteries regarding the funeral remained unsolved, people turned their attention to the spectacle with clear details.
The fierce reaction of the nobles who had grovelled and flattered the fake Grand Duke also played a part.
In particular, the backlash was strongest from those whose daughters had been toyed with by him but who had remained silent, suppressed by the status of a Grand Duke.
Perhaps because of that, despite it being a time to lie low and remain silent, some shouted daily for the fake Grand Duke’s head to be taken—even before the treatment of the foreign mourners had been decided.
“But did His Grace really not know? Even if it was another region, where exactly was he recuperating that he didn't hear the rumors about himself? He surely would have been contacted by those who served him.”
“Exactly. It’s also suspicious that he only appeared now after staying hidden all this time.”
Of course, there were those who harbored doubts about the Grand Duke. The main reason was that the stigma of the Grand Duke being a lecher with a hideous face was stamped across the entire Empire, so there was no way he could have been ignorant of the rumors.
Even the street storytellers ridiculed and caricatured him, so how could he not know? It was strange not to find it suspicious.
However, most felt sympathy for the Grand Duke, who had been betrayed by someone he trusted during his illness. Even if his face was hidden by a mask, his sturdy build—taller and more trim than the fake—his well-fitted clothes, and his elegantly long neck stimulated everyone’s imagination. He was exactly the image of the Grand Duke everyone had hoped for.
In particular, the rich, lustrous blue hair flowing over his shoulders and the sharp jawline visible beneath the mask were enough to make many women’s hearts flutter.
The comment, ‘He would have been perfect if only his face were intact,’ didn't come out of nowhere. Thus, a wave of generosity toward the Grand Duke surged.
The Crown Prince grumbled about this, calling it a calculated move. He said that since there was no better way to capture the nobles' attention, he had no choice but to watch as public opinion of the real Grand Duke gradually improved.
“It’s a very strategic method. He used his head well. He is a formidable uncle.”
Until now, he had used the fake Grand Duke as a shield to avoid the eyes of high society. But now, with the Emperor’s death, he had to step to the forefront of the social world, so he was seeking a reversal of his image by putting forward a plausible justification.
The suspension of the funeral also reportedly served as an excellent platform for him to meet various nobles and gather public opinion.
“Everything is flowing in my uncle's favor.”
The Crown Prince’s face looked very tired as he spoke. His expression had grown sharper, and a cold aura lingered around him, as if things were not going well.
Even when Lady Roshan offered him tea, he barely acknowledged it, pressing his temples with his fingers in a way that betrayed his irritation.
His closest aide, Knight Aires, was still standing guard over the Emperor’s coffin; the Empress was refusing the Crown Prince’s visits citing physical and mental discomfort; and the Grand Duke was openly meeting those who could be considered his own forces. It was only natural for him to feel this way.
“Thanks to that, the rumors about His Majesty being poisoned have quieted down. I don’t know who leaked it, but I was so startled when I first heard it. It should have been revealed after the will was disclosed. Now we have to stall for time somehow, and I’m quite worried.”
“It’s because of my mother. If not for her, the will would have been made public as early as this morning.”
I was startled to hear the conversation between Lady Roshan and the Crown Prince. In their natural exchange, the fact that the Emperor had been poisoned was being uttered as if it were nothing.
It was appalling that they didn't sound like they had just discovered it through this incident, but rather hinted that it had been planned for a long time.
For a moment, it felt as though a short scream might escape my lips, but I held it in. Right now, the only thing I had to do was listen intently.
The Crown Prince and Lady Roshan continued their private conversation as if I weren't even there.
“Strange signs were showing since the funeral hall. To think she would put on such an act when she knows perfectly well how His Majesty died. Thanks to her, I had no choice but to follow suit. It seems she intends to use this as a pretext to buy time, but that simply won't do.”
The Crown Prince said the Empress was insisting on continuing the investigation into the Emperor’s death. She was stubbornly holding out, saying she would do nothing otherwise.
She was exploiting the Imperial law which stated that the wife and the eldest son must hear the will together, regardless of status.
Of course, according to the principle of primogeniture, there was no problem with him becoming Emperor, but if the Empress or the Grand Duke used this as a pretext and a justification for rebellion, it would inevitably be a headache.
“Will the Kiran Family stay quiet?”
“What more can my mother’s family do here? The problem is my mother. Her resistance is fiercer than expected. But she won't be able to hold out for long. I’ll make sure of it.”
The Crown Prince snorted as if it were nothing, but in reality, it wasn't so light. If things had gone according to the original goal, the Emperor’s funeral should have been completed smoothly and the will disclosed immediately. But now, everything had come to a halt.
Furthermore, under normal circumstances, the Empress's family should have stepped forward by now to help enthrone the Crown Prince. Looking at the history of the Imperial Family, that was only natural. Yet, far from helping, they were obstructing him, a situation frustrating enough to make one grind their teeth.
“It’s a dilemma. It’s a problem if I disclose it, and a problem if I don't. It seems they’ve been preparing thoroughly for a long time to use His Majesty’s death in this way.”
As the Crown Prince sighed and leaned back against the sofa, Lady Roshan quickly placed a cushion behind him. She then gently stroked his hair and continued speaking cautiously. If one ignored the content of the conversation, they were as comfortable as lovers resting.
“Did she know that Your Highness was adjusting the dosage of the medicine?”
“It seems she didn't know at first. But she found out later. Someone we missed must have cooperated very well with them.”
“That’s strange. To think the dosage didn't increase even though she knew. Though, of course, it’s also because Your Highness inspected it personally every day.”
“They utilized the unique property of the medicine. We didn't know that while the medicine itself is incredibly toxic, its power doubles when it meets something else, did we? We took them too lightly. Well, since they’ve been preparing for a long time, I suppose this level of reversal is only natural.”
“In the end, adjusting it wouldn't have mattered.”
“Still, we managed to buy quite a lot of time.”
In that moment, a question occurred to me, and I cautiously spoke to the Crown Prince.
“When you discovered it, wouldn't it have been better to just throw it away while pretending to take it?”
The Crown Prince’s eyes turned toward me. He was smiling as if he had heard something amusing.
“It’s a highly addictive drug, so if it isn't taken consistently, it shows immediately. The person taking it goes nearly insane. Isn't it a wicked poison? You die if you keep taking it, but you suffer terrible pain if you don't. So, there was no choice but to make him endure by adjusting the dosage.”
On the surface, it sounded as if he hadn't known at all until the Emperor became addicted to the medicine. However, I didn't believe those words at face value. Because he was the Crown Prince, I felt there might be some hidden scheme.
As I always realized, the man before my eyes was someone who would commit even parricide without hesitation if necessary.
Nevertheless, the reason his actions were understandable was that I, too, in the past, had done all sorts of things to plunge Roena into the abyss. It was because I knew that to get what one wanted, one had to be filled with greed and malice, not goodwill and understanding. Otherwise, the world of nobles was a place where everything would be taken from you.
“Then what will you do?”
At Lady Roshan’s question, the Crown Prince tapped his fingers on his knee and withheld his words. He appeared to be in deep agony, but seeing his perfectly smooth brow, it seemed he had already finished his thoughts. It was just a matter of how to implement them.
“I’ll have to strike first, I suppose? Since it seems she wants to frame me as an immoral son.”
“That means...”
“Exactly what I said. I will act according to my mother's wishes. I have no need for a will that isn't helpful.”
“But can it really happen like that?”
At my question, the Crown Prince nodded lightly. His attitude suggested there would be no problem at all.
“I just need a plausible excuse. Of course, it will yield a favorable result for my uncle, but ascending the throne is the priority, so it can't be helped. Besides, no matter what reason is given, a traitor is a traitor, is he not? I might as well take this opportunity to pull the rebellious sprouts out by the roots.”
Striking first against the accusation of being an immoral son, doing what the Empress wants. Everything was full of unknowns, but since the Crown Prince spoke so confidently, I had no choice but to play along.
After all, I wasn't the one carrying out his work. Since my value lay with House Bischwaldz, I just had to maintain this line well.
And within a few days, the meaning of the Crown Prince’s words was revealed. It was officially announced that something strange had been discovered in the Emperor’s body, and it appeared to be poisoning.
And the Empress was pointed out as the culprit. Since the Emperor had not only overlooked Shatoru’s insults to the Empress but had even joined in the mockery, the motive was sufficient.
This was also why rumors circulated that her flight upon seeing the Emperor’s body during the final funeral procedure was due to fear that her crime would be discovered.
Gossip also spread that the Empress had fallen for her brother-in-law, the Grand Duke, and was pressuring the Crown Prince in order to put the Grand Duke on the throne. That was why she was supposedly holed up in her bedroom, opposing the disclosure of the will.
None of these were things that could be easily ignored, and high society quickly reached a boiling point. From fighting over whether it was a lie or not to finding out who spread such scandalous rumors, the entire social world was in an uproar.
Thanks to that, the fact that Roena had returned to the Bischwaldz Mansion weeks after her kidnapping wasn't even worth mentioning. And I had no intention of doing so either. Much to the regret of some, I'm sure.
Shards of the Broken Glass Shoe
