After finishing his letter, Umberto looked relieved.
And then he calmly rejoined the scene.
"Hurry and delete it!"
"What can I do without tearing up documents?"
"Stop moving! Anyone who moves from now on will be considered an accomplice. Everyone is moving to the palace!"
In the chaos of the confrontation between the royal knights and the Count Etienne family, Umberto disappeared without a sound.
***
Because Umberto lightly ignored the correspondence, news of the Count reached the Prince Regent much later.
"They say the royal knights came in and kidnapped Minister Etienne!"
The royal knights had already swept away the Count's family.
"What? What brings you here?"
The Prince Regent's face turned red when he learned of the minister's crime. If nothing else, grab his tail by lifting a toy?
"Damn you. Etienne! If you wanted to let you play the way you like, you should have cleaned up after you properly!"
Prang!
The ornament that the Regent threw was broken.
If it had been in front of him, it would have been unpleasant even if he changed it.
However, this incident was not entirely the minister's fault.
"When I was investigating the minister's slush fund, I found traces of black money flowing to the top of the eye. As the investigation continued, they even discovered the sale of children. We should have stopped it from the beginning when we found out..."
"Oh my God!"
The Duke of Regent's heart ached as he realized that he could have covered it up if he had not pretended not to notice because he had a pointless argument with the Minister.
"Now is not the time to fight among ourselves. First, I have to see the minister. Where did you say he was taken?"
"The situation is not good. The minister was immediately transported and quarantined. Access is not easy from here either. Father, it looks like he was well prepared this time."
Samon reported. As soon as he heard the news, he also sent his subordinates to find out the situation.
Each of the charges hanging around the minister's neck was heavy.
"It's a violation of military law. Father, this bastard used a trick!"
Even if the first two sins could be considered his eccentricity, the crime of selling to a foreign country could be seen as treason against the royal family. They were even preparing for a real rebellion. This means that the plan is to secretly raise the rebels and attack the capital.
"We are continuing our investigation by clearing the Minister's residence. Father, they won't be able to catch the devil, right?"
"For now, since they have all scattered and disappeared, they will be waiting until they communicate."
But there was no benefit in wasting time. They had to get the minister out of jail as quickly as possible.
"What is the situation at the palace?"
"Pinatelli, that woman has weeded out so many of my contacts that I have no contacts left in the palace. It looks like the minister is embarrassed and doesn't know what to do."
The Prince Regent frowned. There were deep wrinkles between his eyebrows that could not be erased.
"Father, there's no way that cunning bastard would miss this opportunity."
At that time, Samon raised the corner of his mouth in a mean manner.
"But don't we have Medea?"
***
The butterfly effect of Sissair pulling out his sword was great.
In a wartime situation where even a single piece of information could determine the outcome of a war, the crime of stealing dozens of people who worked in the royal palace was an extremely serious crime.
Ministers on a large scale and officials, nobles, and merchants who helped or stood by him were all arrested one after another.
Naturally, most of them were Duke Claudio's forces.
As Etienne's fate became as precarious as a candle in the wind, Duke Claudio looked for his favorite savior.
"Your Highness. Duke Claudio has arrived."
"Medea! We're in big trouble!"
Claudio even wiped away tears and took the situation in an exaggerated tone.
In short, Minister Etienne was innocent, and he had fallen into a vicious trap aimed at slandering him.
He said all his sins were lies.
"Here, put your seal, so that you can help the poor man. Your seal will be a bit of salvation."
Ah, uncle...
Medea once truly admired him.
There was a time when she thought those flashy words were a belief and truth.
However, now that she had returned from an eventful past life, she was able to penetrate the true nature of her uncle, or rather, the Prince Regent.
'Claudio is just a big-mouthed idiot.'
Medea looked down at the stiff paper the Regent held out with an indifferent expression.
"What is this?"
"It means pardoning innocent people. They are Valdina people too. As a Princess, will you reject the people of Valdina? The King's representative is not in that kind of position. On behalf of Peleus, you must show mercy-"
"Uncle. Slush funds, violations of military law, and other difficult things like that, I don't even know. But this time I learned something."
Medea cut off her uncle's words and covered the paper he handed her.
"The old head maid Cuisine. Minister Etienne, and even the maid who took care of me all my life, they pocketed their back pockets. I actually have nothing left after helping and saving them."
Medea waved her signet ring-wearing hand in front of Claudio.
"Just like you said, I can do anything with this seal. Trying to take this precious and powerful power for nothing... Ha! How ridiculous have I looked all this time?"
She turned away coldly.
"Go back, uncle. If they want to get back to their place through my uncle, tell them to know. I, Medea, will no longer overindulge in cheap sympathy."
"Huh, Medea? That means..."
The Prince Regent had prepared several repertoires to persuade Medea, but he had never expected this.
He heard that Medea became strange after falling from a horse. Is she really crazy?
He asked, barely hiding his embarrassment.
"Well, how much do you mean you need it?"
"Well. How can a helpful person put a price on a secret favor? I guess it's the job of the person asking the favor."
Saying that Medea brushed the trash box next to the table.
"Nowadays, they say gold bars are stored in chests like this... It was a precise request to put the gold in the chest."
The Duke of Regent was astonished.
"...So how many chests are there...?"
Instead of answering, Medea picked up the pen on the table.
The Duke of Regent, seeing the number, jumped up and stood up.
"Isn't thirty chests too much...?"
'A stupid girl with a stomach full of greed-!'
But Medea's power was absolutely necessary to stop the incident.
The Duke of Regent smiled awkwardly, trying to suppress his rising anger.
"Hmm, I understand what you mean, but I don't know how much a person who has had his family property confiscated can save up. Don't expect too much."
“Ahaha.”
Medea snorted.
If it weren't for the innocent smile that burst from between her well-shaped lips, Claudio would have thought his niece was laughing at him.
"Uncle, all their property is mine. No, this country's Valdina's money. If my brother comes back, Etienne will lose his head, let alone preserve his position. How much would it be a waste to say that I would willingly cover it for him?"
The last sentence was pronounced word by word.
"...But thirty chests are too many. No matter how noble and wealthy the minister is-"
"Ha, uncle. Do I have to show proof in person? Exactly how much did he steal?"
"..."
The Prince Regent, who had given up on persuasion, tried to at least lower the amount of the bribe, but even that was not feasible.
It seemed as if the meek and gentle Princess had gone somewhere and had he come face to face with a usurious miserable.
'This child wasn't like this... Could it be because of Cuisine?'
She had to sell her jewelry because she had no money, so it was worth it.
"Ah, I understand... Your Highness."
The Prince Regent nodded, cursing the dead Cuisine.
Medea smiled and patted the Prince Regent's arm affectionately as if asking when she had been cold.
"Uncle, please tear this thing away from Etienne as much as you can. You're on my side, right?"
In the end, Duke Claudio returned without earning anything.
Comments
Post a Comment