The room immediately shook at the maid’s accusation. Countess Rubina screamed in a shrill voice.
“It’s a blatant lie! It’s all a lie! That woman has only been my maid for two years at most!”
She knelt in front of Leo III and repeatedly touched her forehead to the floor, pointing at the maid who was prostrating herself.
“You, even if I had a secret plan, how could you know that you’re a rookie maid who’s not even my confidant? Are you just going to take everything that comes out of my mouth?”
However, the maid answered bluntly, trembling as if she had prepared in advance.
She knelt in front of Leo III and repeatedly touched her forehead to the floor, pointing at the maid who was prostrating herself.
“You, even if I had a secret plan, how could you know that you’re a rookie maid who’s not even my confidant? Are you just going to take everything that comes out of my mouth?”
However, the maid answered bluntly, trembling as if she had prepared in advance.
“I have evidence, Your Majesty the Wise King. There are two types of arsenic found in Countess Rubina’s room. The one in the white bottle is Salvarsan, which the Countess uses on her affected area. However, the one in the blue bottle is arsenic for poisoning!”
Indeed, the arsenic that the guards confiscated from Countess Rubina’s room was two bottles.
With Etruscan alchemy, it was impossible to tell which was arsenic and which was salvarsan using the samples. They reacted the same way.
However, if you feed it to animals or prisoners and see how fast they die, you’ll know the answer right away. Countess Rubina’s face turned pale and her whole body trembled like an aspen tree.
She was caught.
But she didn’t give in despite her pale face and cried out.
“No! It really wasn’t me! It really wasn’t me!”
Countess Rubina pushed away the maid who was prostrated on the floor and threw herself down on the spot, grabbing Leo III’s trouser leg and begging him.
Indeed, the arsenic that the guards confiscated from Countess Rubina’s room was two bottles.
With Etruscan alchemy, it was impossible to tell which was arsenic and which was salvarsan using the samples. They reacted the same way.
However, if you feed it to animals or prisoners and see how fast they die, you’ll know the answer right away. Countess Rubina’s face turned pale and her whole body trembled like an aspen tree.
She was caught.
But she didn’t give in despite her pale face and cried out.
“No! It really wasn’t me! It really wasn’t me!”
Countess Rubina pushed away the maid who was prostrated on the floor and threw herself down on the spot, grabbing Leo III’s trouser leg and begging him.
“Your Majesty! If I was going to poison Her Majesty Queen Marguerite, I should have done it a long time ago. Why did I wait until now?”
She sobbed, tears streaming down her face.
“If I wanted to be Queen, I would have done it when our Cesare was young, when Her Majesty Queen Marguerite, who was still a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and had no heir, was pregnant!”
She sobbed, tears streaming down her face.
“If I wanted to be Queen, I would have done it when our Cesare was young, when Her Majesty Queen Marguerite, who was still a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and had no heir, was pregnant!”
Countess Rubina did not soften her attitude at all and insisted on her innocence.
“Your Majesty! Why should I, now that I am old and seeking wealth and honor, come here and now to have ill feelings toward Her Majesty the Queen? I am not! I am absolutely not!”
She pleaded her innocence to a degree that anyone could see as pitiful, but Leo III’s eyes, filled with rage, saw nothing.
“You wicked woman! You don’t know what’s important! You turn a blind eye to the clear evidence? I have cherished you for nearly thirty years, and I never dreamed that you would be such a vicious and wicked woman!”
Although he verbally condemned the attempted poisoning of his wife, he was truly angry when Countess Rubina mentioned Salvarsan in public.
“Your Majesty! Why should I, now that I am old and seeking wealth and honor, come here and now to have ill feelings toward Her Majesty the Queen? I am not! I am absolutely not!”
She pleaded her innocence to a degree that anyone could see as pitiful, but Leo III’s eyes, filled with rage, saw nothing.
“You wicked woman! You don’t know what’s important! You turn a blind eye to the clear evidence? I have cherished you for nearly thirty years, and I never dreamed that you would be such a vicious and wicked woman!”
Although he verbally condemned the attempted poisoning of his wife, he was truly angry when Countess Rubina mentioned Salvarsan in public.
‘The King’s health is a state secret!’
Leo III called out to the captain of the guards roughly.
“Excuse me!”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
“Throw that wicked woman into the dungeon immediately!”
“I will obey!”
The guardsmen rushed in two on each side and grabbed Countess Rubina’s arms.
“Your Majesty!”
Countess Rubina looked at Leo III with a bewildered expression. However, Leo III glared at Rubina with an expression full of anger.
“Get out of the dungeon immediately!”
At their master’s shout, the guardsmen dragged Countess Rubina’s arms even more roughly as if to show him, and dragged her out of the banquet hall, while the Countess’ screams and the loud footsteps of the soldiers’ boots filled the hallway.
Countess Rubina, the King’s favorite concubine who had dominated the era, was imprisoned in the dungeon. It happened in an instant.
In a state of shock, people gathered around Queen Marguerite and began to console her, while some of the more greedy ones approached Leo III to praise his wisdom and determination. Before the crowd gathered, the captain of the guard quietly asked Leo III,
“Your Majesty, what should we do with that maid?”
“Hmm.”
Leo III, who had not thought about anything, groaned for a moment. The King’s secretary, Sir Delpianosa, who was standing next to him, briefly explained the situation to Leo III.
“Your Majesty, that maid has the merit of turning herself in, but she has been a co-conspirator in the plot to kill Her Majesty the Queen. It does not seem right to let her go without punishment.”
Leo III groaned as he was caught thinking about letting the maid who had pulled out his aching tooth go, but the maid’s disposition was not something he, as the King, had to worry about for too long. What is admirable is admirable, and what is paid for by a person of low status is paid for.
“Then send her to the dungeon for now. We’ll think about it later.”
“That’s what I’ll do with her.”
The guardsmen, including Sir Delpiano and the captain of the guards, bowed and retreated, and the captain of the guards made a gesture to the guardsmen. At his signal, the guardsmen rushed in and this time, they grabbed Countess Rubina’s maid and dragged her into the dungeon.
‘No matter how I look at it, it’s strange...’
In the bustling crowd, Ariadne stood upright like a statue, motionless, observing the whole situation.
The maid was dragged away by the guardsmen silently. Unlike her master, who had been dragged away while crying, she showed no sign of resistance.
‘Even if the maid were to report Countess Rubina here today, she would not be able to get away with the crime of cooperating with the countess all this time.’
The maid had nothing to gain by reporting Countess Rubina.
Leo III called out to the captain of the guards roughly.
“Excuse me!”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
“Throw that wicked woman into the dungeon immediately!”
“I will obey!”
The guardsmen rushed in two on each side and grabbed Countess Rubina’s arms.
“Your Majesty!”
Countess Rubina looked at Leo III with a bewildered expression. However, Leo III glared at Rubina with an expression full of anger.
“Get out of the dungeon immediately!”
At their master’s shout, the guardsmen dragged Countess Rubina’s arms even more roughly as if to show him, and dragged her out of the banquet hall, while the Countess’ screams and the loud footsteps of the soldiers’ boots filled the hallway.
Countess Rubina, the King’s favorite concubine who had dominated the era, was imprisoned in the dungeon. It happened in an instant.
In a state of shock, people gathered around Queen Marguerite and began to console her, while some of the more greedy ones approached Leo III to praise his wisdom and determination. Before the crowd gathered, the captain of the guard quietly asked Leo III,
“Your Majesty, what should we do with that maid?”
“Hmm.”
Leo III, who had not thought about anything, groaned for a moment. The King’s secretary, Sir Delpianosa, who was standing next to him, briefly explained the situation to Leo III.
“Your Majesty, that maid has the merit of turning herself in, but she has been a co-conspirator in the plot to kill Her Majesty the Queen. It does not seem right to let her go without punishment.”
Leo III groaned as he was caught thinking about letting the maid who had pulled out his aching tooth go, but the maid’s disposition was not something he, as the King, had to worry about for too long. What is admirable is admirable, and what is paid for by a person of low status is paid for.
“Then send her to the dungeon for now. We’ll think about it later.”
“That’s what I’ll do with her.”
The guardsmen, including Sir Delpiano and the captain of the guards, bowed and retreated, and the captain of the guards made a gesture to the guardsmen. At his signal, the guardsmen rushed in and this time, they grabbed Countess Rubina’s maid and dragged her into the dungeon.
‘No matter how I look at it, it’s strange...’
In the bustling crowd, Ariadne stood upright like a statue, motionless, observing the whole situation.
The maid was dragged away by the guardsmen silently. Unlike her master, who had been dragged away while crying, she showed no sign of resistance.
‘Even if the maid were to report Countess Rubina here today, she would not be able to get away with the crime of cooperating with the countess all this time.’
The maid had nothing to gain by reporting Countess Rubina.
‘If she thought that her crime would be covered up by the reward that His Majesty the King would give her, she should have been surprised and squirmed when she was dragged away.’
The maid was dragged into the dungeon with an attitude that was unusually calm for her status. As if she had known it would happen.
'In my previous life, there has never been a maid like that.'
It was terribly, terribly unnatural. All the evidence pointed straight at Countess Rubina, but the circumstances of their appearance were utterly artificial.
"Now, today's luncheon is over!"
While Ariadne was lost in thought, Leo III announced the ladies' dismissal in a harsh tone.
"Palagio Carlo will continue the investigation to thoroughly interrogate the detained criminals and reach the right conclusion! And you, the esteemed nobles of San Carlo, be especially careful not to talk outside until the conclusion is reached! I will chase you to the end!"
The maid was dragged into the dungeon with an attitude that was unusually calm for her status. As if she had known it would happen.
'In my previous life, there has never been a maid like that.'
It was terribly, terribly unnatural. All the evidence pointed straight at Countess Rubina, but the circumstances of their appearance were utterly artificial.
"Now, today's luncheon is over!"
While Ariadne was lost in thought, Leo III announced the ladies' dismissal in a harsh tone.
"Palagio Carlo will continue the investigation to thoroughly interrogate the detained criminals and reach the right conclusion! And you, the esteemed nobles of San Carlo, be especially careful not to talk outside until the conclusion is reached! I will chase you to the end!"
After saying this, Leo III stormed out of the luncheon in a bad mood. Sir Delpianosa, who had been following Leo III behind him, shouted loudly.
“It seems difficult to receive any more guests today, so I hope you all get home safely!”
After saying this, Lord Delpianosa hurriedly followed Leo III out of the banquet hall.
As soon as Lord Delpianosa finished speaking, the servants and maids rushed in and began to clean up the banquet hall, and the rest of the people, except for the noble ladies who had gathered around Queen Marguerite, were politely escorted by the servants and led to the family carriage they had come in.
As soon as Leo III left the hall, Countess Marquez, who was standing nearby, grabbed Ariadne with a face full of surprise. Marchioness Chibo was also standing next to her.
“Lady de Mare! How did you know that Countess Rubina had Salvarsan?”
“It seems difficult to receive any more guests today, so I hope you all get home safely!”
After saying this, Lord Delpianosa hurriedly followed Leo III out of the banquet hall.
As soon as Lord Delpianosa finished speaking, the servants and maids rushed in and began to clean up the banquet hall, and the rest of the people, except for the noble ladies who had gathered around Queen Marguerite, were politely escorted by the servants and led to the family carriage they had come in.
As soon as Leo III left the hall, Countess Marquez, who was standing nearby, grabbed Ariadne with a face full of surprise. Marchioness Chibo was also standing next to her.
“Lady de Mare! How did you know that Countess Rubina had Salvarsan?”
It would be difficult to find out the exact rumor, but it would not be difficult to wash the source of information that was already known as fact.
Ariadne lowered her voice and spoke to the two ladies, pretending to tell a secret.
“When I was volunteering at the Rambouillet Relief Home, I had the opportunity to have in-depth conversations with some of the commoners.”
“Commoners?”
“Not all of those who are currently housed in the relief home have always been the poorest of the poor. There were a few who worked as maids in the palace, and even more so who knew someone who worked as a maid in the palace.”
“Oh my!”
Countess Marquez covered her mouth with both hands, guessing what Ariadne was going to say. The Marchioness Chibo, who still hadn’t understood, stared blankly at Ariadne.
Ariadne turned her upper body toward Countess Marquez and nodded.
“They say it’s a story that goes around among the palace’s domestic servants. It’s not something you can say at an official event, but we were lucky.”
Countess Marquez and Marquise de Chibo seemed shocked by the fact that house servants, and not even ladies’ maids but domestic servants, could spread such a story.
It was because they had never deeply thought that people other than the nobles could engage in intellectual activities other than simple labor.
Countess Marquez was furious.
“I’ll go home and have them swear their teeth right away!”
Marchioness Chibo interjected.
“That’s right! How could such a story be circulating among the housemaids?”
“They completely forgot their duty as servants!”
They were nobles to the core. They were furious that their subordinates had crossed the line, even though they knew that ‘the political crisis was avoided thanks to the servants’ slander.’
Ariadne silently prayed to the servants of the Marchioness Chibo and Countess Marquez, who would have made the work atmosphere worse for no reason. She's sorry. She couldn’t help it.
After Countess Marquez and the Marchioness Chibo quickly left the banquet hall, thinking that they would go home and question their servants, Ariadne looked around anxiously. The area around Queen Marguerite was bustling with people.
'I missed my timing because I was held back for no reason.'
The noble ladies who had been hanging out with the Queen gathered to stamp their faces and say a few words of encouragement and consolation before leaving.
Now that Countess Rubina has left, it is Queen Marguerite’s time, she seems to have made a quick judgment.
Ariadne lowered her voice and spoke to the two ladies, pretending to tell a secret.
“When I was volunteering at the Rambouillet Relief Home, I had the opportunity to have in-depth conversations with some of the commoners.”
“Commoners?”
“Not all of those who are currently housed in the relief home have always been the poorest of the poor. There were a few who worked as maids in the palace, and even more so who knew someone who worked as a maid in the palace.”
“Oh my!”
Countess Marquez covered her mouth with both hands, guessing what Ariadne was going to say. The Marchioness Chibo, who still hadn’t understood, stared blankly at Ariadne.
Ariadne turned her upper body toward Countess Marquez and nodded.
“They say it’s a story that goes around among the palace’s domestic servants. It’s not something you can say at an official event, but we were lucky.”
Countess Marquez and Marquise de Chibo seemed shocked by the fact that house servants, and not even ladies’ maids but domestic servants, could spread such a story.
It was because they had never deeply thought that people other than the nobles could engage in intellectual activities other than simple labor.
Countess Marquez was furious.
“I’ll go home and have them swear their teeth right away!”
Marchioness Chibo interjected.
“That’s right! How could such a story be circulating among the housemaids?”
“They completely forgot their duty as servants!”
They were nobles to the core. They were furious that their subordinates had crossed the line, even though they knew that ‘the political crisis was avoided thanks to the servants’ slander.’
Ariadne silently prayed to the servants of the Marchioness Chibo and Countess Marquez, who would have made the work atmosphere worse for no reason. She's sorry. She couldn’t help it.
After Countess Marquez and the Marchioness Chibo quickly left the banquet hall, thinking that they would go home and question their servants, Ariadne looked around anxiously. The area around Queen Marguerite was bustling with people.
'I missed my timing because I was held back for no reason.'
The noble ladies who had been hanging out with the Queen gathered to stamp their faces and say a few words of encouragement and consolation before leaving.
Now that Countess Rubina has left, it is Queen Marguerite’s time, she seems to have made a quick judgment.
‘There is no way we can dig in there right now...’
Ariadne hurriedly looked for another way to convey her message to Queen Marguerite.
Just then, Madame Carla appeared. Madame Carla, who would normally have been furious, saying, ‘This is a royal palace event, but Lord Delpianosa hastily declared the end of lunch,’ was keeping her mouth shut with a pale face in helping the servants clear the table.
“Madame Carla.”
Ariadne called her. Madame Carla, with a pale complexion, turned around quickly.
“Oh, I was surprised. It’s Lady de Mare.”
Ariadne expressed concern at Madame Carla’s particularly unpleasant expression.
“Madame Carla, are you okay? Your expression is very bad.”
She took out a handkerchief and wiped her forehead as she answered.
“The assassination of Her Majesty the Queen... I’m so surprised...”
‘Well....’
Madame Carla came down to the Etruscan kingdom with only Queen Marguerite from a foreign country. She had no other family in this country and lived looking only to Queen Marguerite.
‘When Her Majesty the Queen goes wrong, Madame Carla really has no answer.’
It was surprising. Ariadne grabbed Madame Carla’s sleeve, pulled her away from the people clearing the table, and whispered in a low voice so that others wouldn’t hear.
“Madame Carla. Please pay special attention to Her Majesty the Queen for the next few days.”
“Yes?”
Ariadne grabbed Madame Carla’s shoulder, who was startled, and made sure she didn’t reveal anything. Madame Carla also quickly came to her senses and listened.
“What do you mean?”
“Could Countess Rubina really be the sole mastermind behind the assassination of Her Majesty the Queen?”
“No way...! Then who on earth is...! Our Queen has never been resented by others!”
“I don’t know about that. However, there are some suspicious parts.”
Ariadne glanced around and gave a request to Madame Carla.
“For the time being, please take good care of the food and drinks that Her Majesty the Queen eats and drinks. They must never be touched by outsiders.”
The palace servants had almost cleared the tables and were now sending people out, almost to the point of dragging away the invited guests. Most of the people near the exit of the banquet hall had already left, and it seemed that Ariadne’s turn was not far away.
“Palagio Carlo will keep a close watch, but do not let anyone except the closest aides approach Her Majesty the Queen, and keep a close eye out for anyone suspicious.”
Ariadne added after a moment of hesitation.
“Please tell Her Majesty the Queen that the situation is not normal, so please do not lower your guard for the time being. Do you understand?”
Queen Marguerite didn’t want to worry unnecessarily, but there was a difference between knowing and being careful and going about things as usual, and only the subordinates being bothered.
Madame Carla looked very surprised. She nodded her head vigorously with her mouth shut.
“Yes?”
Ariadne grabbed Madame Carla’s shoulder, who was startled, and made sure she didn’t reveal anything. Madame Carla also quickly came to her senses and listened.
“What do you mean?”
“Could Countess Rubina really be the sole mastermind behind the assassination of Her Majesty the Queen?”
“No way...! Then who on earth is...! Our Queen has never been resented by others!”
“I don’t know about that. However, there are some suspicious parts.”
Ariadne glanced around and gave a request to Madame Carla.
“For the time being, please take good care of the food and drinks that Her Majesty the Queen eats and drinks. They must never be touched by outsiders.”
The palace servants had almost cleared the tables and were now sending people out, almost to the point of dragging away the invited guests. Most of the people near the exit of the banquet hall had already left, and it seemed that Ariadne’s turn was not far away.
“Palagio Carlo will keep a close watch, but do not let anyone except the closest aides approach Her Majesty the Queen, and keep a close eye out for anyone suspicious.”
Ariadne added after a moment of hesitation.
“Please tell Her Majesty the Queen that the situation is not normal, so please do not lower your guard for the time being. Do you understand?”
Queen Marguerite didn’t want to worry unnecessarily, but there was a difference between knowing and being careful and going about things as usual, and only the subordinates being bothered.
Madame Carla looked very surprised. She nodded her head vigorously with her mouth shut.
“Lady de Mare.”
The palace servant who had come close called her name.
“Thank you for attending the luncheon at the palace today. Please go to the family carriage.”
It was an order to evacuate guests. Ariadne glanced at Queen Marguerite. There were still about a dozen noble ladies lined up around the Queen.
Even if she asked the palace servant to say goodbye and leave, it wouldn’t work.
“Madame Carla, don’t forget what I told you.”
“Don’t worry, Lady de Mare.”
Madame Carla nodded her head once with a firm expression. Madame Carla was the Queen’s closest confidant, chosen by the Queen herself and with whom she had been with for over 30 years. If she couldn’t trust her, there was no one she could trust.
Only after hearing Madame Carla’s assurance once more did Ariadne follow behind the palace servant.
“Please... Let nothing happen...”
The palace servant who had come close called her name.
“Thank you for attending the luncheon at the palace today. Please go to the family carriage.”
It was an order to evacuate guests. Ariadne glanced at Queen Marguerite. There were still about a dozen noble ladies lined up around the Queen.
Even if she asked the palace servant to say goodbye and leave, it wouldn’t work.
“Madame Carla, don’t forget what I told you.”
“Don’t worry, Lady de Mare.”
Madame Carla nodded her head once with a firm expression. Madame Carla was the Queen’s closest confidant, chosen by the Queen herself and with whom she had been with for over 30 years. If she couldn’t trust her, there was no one she could trust.
Only after hearing Madame Carla’s assurance once more did Ariadne follow behind the palace servant.
“Please... Let nothing happen...”
***
“Count Cesare! We’re in trouble!”
“What happened?”
Cesare answered in an irritated tone from his early afternoon position on the deckchair on the terrace of the Count de Como’s mansion. The deckchair was an exotic rattan import, freshly brought in from the Moorish Empire.
“I haven’t had my wine yet. What does my mother want me to do, come see her right now?”
He was about to start his day with sparkling wine, and he didn’t seem too happy about being interrupted.
“Oh, Count. That’s not the problem.”
The male servant of Palazzo Carlo, whom Countess Rubina used as a messenger to her son, relayed the situation in a fidgety voice.
“Countess Rubina has been thrown into the dungeon!”
“What?!”
Count Cesare jumped up from his seat.
“What happened?”
Cesare answered in an irritated tone from his early afternoon position on the deckchair on the terrace of the Count de Como’s mansion. The deckchair was an exotic rattan import, freshly brought in from the Moorish Empire.
“I haven’t had my wine yet. What does my mother want me to do, come see her right now?”
He was about to start his day with sparkling wine, and he didn’t seem too happy about being interrupted.
“Oh, Count. That’s not the problem.”
The male servant of Palazzo Carlo, whom Countess Rubina used as a messenger to her son, relayed the situation in a fidgety voice.
“Countess Rubina has been thrown into the dungeon!”
“What?!”
Count Cesare jumped up from his seat.
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