"How?!"
The question, “How?” was replaced by a look of bewilderment in her amber eyes. Limona spoke cautiously.
“Do you remember the opening ceremony of the Summer Festival? When I saw Sir Agneto’s face..."
"Ah!"
The realization was followed by a question: did that mean he was singing me a lullaby in the carriage, even though she knew everything? Then, Limona started to speak her honest feelings.
“I figured if you don't want to reveal it, you don't have to reveal it... I know it sounds like I'm rambling, but there are times when I just want to throw it all away and be comfortable.”
Besides, if you look at things like gossip, it seems like you must be really tired and exhausted every day at the palace.
“My impression is that it's pretty much a battlefield... Anyway, I figured if I could give you a break occasionally, that would be enough. Everyone needs a place to rest.”
As I listened, I felt sad. To hide it, I responded in a sulking tone.
“...What? Why are you saying that? It’s okay to be angry. I was prepared to feel resentful.”
For some reason, it was becoming increasingly difficult to say why.
“You just saved me, so I’m so shameless if I get angry.”
“That and this are separate things.”
“It’s not a separate matter. Even though you knew that it would be a situation where you would have to say regretful things to me, you willingly came forward.”
Limona smiled faintly as she took my hand.
“Thank you. I was really scared earlier, but thanks to you, I survived.”
“Well, thank you..."
I responded cautiously, although it seemed a bit opportunistic.
“Please continue to be my friend.”
“Of course. If it’s okay with you, I’ll be happy to be Your Highness’s resting place.”
I was so happy, but my throat was sore. I felt like I couldn't speak, so I hugged Limona's neck tightly.
After a while, I felt a hand reaching out to embrace me.
Warm, soft hands stroked my back for a long time as if soothing a crying child.
Various newspapers and gossip magazines have been making headlines about the scandalous banquets held regularly by the aristocracy.
A few conscientious journalists have done their own investigations into nightclubs and have even uncovered human trafficking cartels. Of course, their track record was based not only on competence but also on a little luck. I and First Prince Rubio had been deliberately slipping information to them.
Meanwhile, there was a newspaper article that covered the dramatic relationship between me and Limona. The report caused a huge stir.
The people were thrilled by the friendship that transcended class, and the theater companies, already tired of imperial and knightly love stories, immediately began writing plays about the friendship.
Some troupes that had been preparing to jump on the bandwagon with their forbidden sisterhood were forced to rewrite their plays in tears. Of course, some troupes stuck to their guns, vowing to hold out until victory.
The entire capital was so excited, but there was only one person who had a sad look on her face, clutching the Daily Hadelamide in her hand.
“Not only the night rose, but even Limona Lund. This is too much, Your Highness! Please create a scandal with me too!”
“Really?”
“Yes, seriously.”
“But who is that Lady Night Rose? Even Lady Arpel didn’t tell me, I’m curious.”
“...There is a kid like that.”
“Yes, I won’t ask about the past. Just make sure you sort things out.”
“Welcome. You didn’t go to work today. Where have you been?”
“Yes. I stopped by the Potion Guild headquarters for a moment.”
Seeing Alben's lips curl into a vulgar smirk, I expected good news.
Alben had found a deeply hidden vault and had brought back several document, proudly displaying the loot before me.
“We have all the evidence we wanted.”
"Ah."
I smiled and savored the scent of the tea. Memories of the past briefly flashed through my mind.
His confession exposed the true nature of the Night Society and the human trafficking cartel to the world.
Desmond II was so enraged that he set up a full-fledged Inquisition and Tribunal to investigate those involved.
'It's not a bad thing for you, too. The more you upset the aristocratic social circles, the less the people will care about the fire. Besides, setting an example to the nobility at this time would further consolidate the imperial power.'
But the desire to protect Brigitte remained strong.
Chancellor Chansley was at the top of the list of human trafficking cases, right up there with the sale of the spirit stones, but the investigation into him had been put on the back burner in the name of special management.
Instead, she took advantage of the situation to pressure Count Naval and Count Jigolo.
I met each of the inmates in secret and spoke to them indirectly.
"Ah, is it because Chansley is the 3rd Princess's confidant?!"
"Yes. And if you exclude Chansley, your actions are quite prominent."
"It seems like he's trying to pin all the blame on your family by making them the masterminds."
"T, t, that can't be! Chansley ate more!"
'The fact is that Brigitte was deeply involved in the human trafficking cartel through Chansley.'
I smiled as I looked at the pile of papers before my eyes.
No matter how much Desmond II tried to cover up Bridgette's mistakes, it was no use.
The crucial piece of evidence fell into my hands.
I put down my teacup and glanced at the end of the document to gauge its thickness.
“Is this the evidence?”
“Yes. It is enough to support what the vicious criminals confessed.”
There are three core parts to a human trafficking cartel.
But there was a hidden story here.
“It’s the exact same method as when I bought and sold the magic stones under the name of the Count of Burun.”
“Anyway, he is a consistent gentleman.”
What mattered was the process of taking over the company. The same dirty tricks Brigitte had used to take down the Luciard Architectural Council and give it to Chansley had been applied to the Potions Council.
Drug manufacturing is strictly forbidden as black alchemy. The Hadelamid imperial family has a long history of using alchemy to polish the stone.
But what would happen if it became public knowledge that a member of the imperial family was involved in black alchemy, disrupting and endangering the lives of tens of millions of people?
The higher the power, the more justification and cause play a role in maintaining it.
Therefore, the imperial family, which had suffered serious damage, could no longer function as the heir to the throne.
'Brigitte will be overthrown.'
As the heir to the throne, forever.
The question, “How?” was replaced by a look of bewilderment in her amber eyes. Limona spoke cautiously.
“Do you remember the opening ceremony of the Summer Festival? When I saw Sir Agneto’s face..."
"Ah!"
On the only day she attended a moot, an unplanned event occurred and she recognized Michael's handsome face, which she could never forget.
“I figured if you don't want to reveal it, you don't have to reveal it... I know it sounds like I'm rambling, but there are times when I just want to throw it all away and be comfortable.”
Besides, if you look at things like gossip, it seems like you must be really tired and exhausted every day at the palace.
“My impression is that it's pretty much a battlefield... Anyway, I figured if I could give you a break occasionally, that would be enough. Everyone needs a place to rest.”
I was at a loss for words. Limona's confession was so full of kind words for me that I wondered if she was defending me.
“...What? Why are you saying that? It’s okay to be angry. I was prepared to feel resentful.”
For some reason, it was becoming increasingly difficult to say why.
“You just saved me, so I’m so shameless if I get angry.”
“That and this are separate things.”
“It’s not a separate matter. Even though you knew that it would be a situation where you would have to say regretful things to me, you willingly came forward.”
Limona smiled faintly as she took my hand.
“Thank you. I was really scared earlier, but thanks to you, I survived.”
“Well, thank you..."
I responded cautiously, although it seemed a bit opportunistic.
“Please continue to be my friend.”
“Of course. If it’s okay with you, I’ll be happy to be Your Highness’s resting place.”
I was so happy, but my throat was sore. I felt like I couldn't speak, so I hugged Limona's neck tightly.
After a while, I felt a hand reaching out to embrace me.
Warm, soft hands stroked my back for a long time as if soothing a crying child.
With so many nobles arrested, what happened in the secret mansion of Hardenfork was not something to be hidden. The events set the capital ablaze.
A few conscientious journalists have done their own investigations into nightclubs and have even uncovered human trafficking cartels. Of course, their track record was based not only on competence but also on a little luck. I and First Prince Rubio had been deliberately slipping information to them.
My exploits as a special assistant to the head of the department and my arrival at the scene of a horrific crime were as exciting as a hero's tale, so I was a media darling.
Not to mention the sensationalized gossip. The Magic Today ran a story about my allegedly sleeping with five noble soldiers while on a mission, accompanied by an ad for an aphrodisiac, and the Sage Times, an emerging powerhouse of gossip, cashed in on the story that the noble soldiers suffered from unexplained erectile dysfunction, accompanied by an ad for a male enhancement pill.
Meanwhile, there was a newspaper article that covered the dramatic relationship between me and Limona. The report caused a huge stir.
The people were thrilled by the friendship that transcended class, and the theater companies, already tired of imperial and knightly love stories, immediately began writing plays about the friendship.
Some troupes that had been preparing to jump on the bandwagon with their forbidden sisterhood were forced to rewrite their plays in tears. Of course, some troupes stuck to their guns, vowing to hold out until victory.
The entire capital was so excited, but there was only one person who had a sad look on her face, clutching the Daily Hadelamide in her hand.
“Not only the night rose, but even Limona Lund. This is too much, Your Highness! Please create a scandal with me too!”
It was Julia, the forbidden jade leaf of the Marquis of Ameloth. I soothed her with a loving touch, smoothing out her red hair.
“Shall we set our sights on the next masquerade ball, then? I'd love it if the scandal of the night rose love affair became the scandal of the red rose love affair.”
“Yes, seriously.”
“But who is that Lady Night Rose? Even Lady Arpel didn’t tell me, I’m curious.”
“...There is a kid like that.”
“Yes, I won’t ask about the past. Just make sure you sort things out.”
And so it was that I was enjoying afternoon refreshments with Julia in the parlor of the Fresh Green Room. Alben, always a welcome sight, arrived.
I left Julia in Cedella's care for a moment to be alone with Alben.
“Yes. I stopped by the Potion Guild headquarters for a moment.”
Seeing Alben's lips curl into a vulgar smirk, I expected good news.
On the same day that I searched Count Hardenfork's secret mansion, First Prince Rubio also raided the Back Alley Guild and the Potions Guild headquarters.
“We have all the evidence we wanted.”
"Ah."
I smiled and savored the scent of the tea. Memories of the past briefly flashed through my mind.
It was only two weeks ago that a terrified Count of Hardenfork confessed his crimes in full.
Desmond II was so enraged that he set up a full-fledged Inquisition and Tribunal to investigate those involved.
This led to the ouster of many of the central aristocracy, many of whom had been supporters of Brigitte, including the Marquis of Chansley.
But the desire to protect Brigitte remained strong.
Chancellor Chansley was at the top of the list of human trafficking cases, right up there with the sale of the spirit stones, but the investigation into him had been put on the back burner in the name of special management.
Of course, Desmond II wasn't necessarily trying to save Chansley from the great crime of treason; it was clear that he wanted to keep him out of the way, lest he should be caught in the act and his connection to Bridgette should be revealed.
'Perhaps my father will put him to death with the other nobles. As if he were a murderer.'
I didn't expect much from Desmond II on this matter, so I didn't feel too bad.
I met each of the inmates in secret and spoke to them indirectly.
"We need a strong example to console people. It's always better to punish the ringleader than to punish the group, but as you know, His Majesty hasn't touched Chansley."
"Yes. And if you exclude Chansley, your actions are quite prominent."
"It seems like he's trying to pin all the blame on your family by making them the masterminds."
"T, t, that can't be! Chansley ate more!"
Naval and Jigolo cried out in anguish at the subject, and then confessed to a certain transaction between Brigitte and Chancellor Chansley, for they felt that they could not die alone.
I smiled as I looked at the pile of papers before my eyes.
No matter how much Desmond II tried to cover up Bridgette's mistakes, it was no use.
The crucial piece of evidence fell into my hands.
'Sister Betty, I guess I was meant to run over you after all.'
“Is this the evidence?”
“Yes. It is enough to support what the vicious criminals confessed.”
There are three core parts to a human trafficking cartel.
One of those responsible for manufacturing the drug was the Potion Guild, a Fallen nobleman's potion shop that was home to an illegal manufacturing facility.
“We were secretly acquired two years ago. The buyer is Baron Revel. If you look into the money flow, it's definitely in the Chancellor's name.”
“Anyway, he is a consistent gentleman.”
What mattered was the process of taking over the company. The same dirty tricks Brigitte had used to take down the Luciard Architectural Council and give it to Chansley had been applied to the Potions Council.
“Once again, you've thrown the imperial commission business under the bus. To bankrupt one of our commissions so that Chancellor Charnley can eat it raw is the epitome of master and servant.”
“The fact that he specifically instructed them to make the purchase under a second name suggests that he had an illegal purpose in mind from the beginning, and the evidence is clear.”
But what would happen if it became public knowledge that a member of the imperial family was involved in black alchemy, disrupting and endangering the lives of tens of millions of people?
The higher the power, the more justification and cause play a role in maintaining it.
Therefore, the imperial family, which had suffered serious damage, could no longer function as the heir to the throne.
'Brigitte will be overthrown.'
As the heir to the throne, forever.
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