"Hehehe, that's the deciding factor."
Alben's face looked ecstatic as if his heart was pounding just thinking about it.
Then, after coming to his senses, he asked me a question.
“Do you intend to submit the evidence to His Majesty right now?”
"What do you think?"
"Haha, my heart is melting now that it's just me and Your Highness watching this goodness, but I think you should watch it a little longer."
Unfortunately, Desmond II had no intention of disposing of Brigitte at this time. Hadelamid is not a fully legalized state, but an empire ruled by the Emperor. Even justice was to be obediently administered in the presence of the Supreme Being.
“I was given the position of Minister of Special Affairs to cover up Brigitte's scandal, and I can't change my demeanor now and make it seem like I'm attacking her.”
"So, after my Father's heart has completely left Brigitte, I will have to tell her through someone else."
The original plan is more complete the more it is carried out with the help of others.
“Hehehe, you are indeed wise. I will take good care of it.”
Alben nodded vigorously as if he understood everything. As expected, he was a capable subject.
I looked out the window. The branches of the trees were bare, their leaves falling in the late autumn wind.
“Winter is coming soon. Time really flies.”
"Winter will pass quickly."
“I guess so. You must have a lot to do.”
I had no intention of waiting for time to pass and for Desmond II's heart to drift away.
'Time is not something to wait for. It is something to be created.'
I put down her teacup and asked Alben.
“What about the tasks you instructed Balteor and Lamekal to do?”
“It's going smoothly.”
"Let's slowly prepare to light the fuse."
'I will definitely keep my promise to send you out in disgrace, Sister.'
The criminals were lined up according to their social status and the severity of their crimes and taken to the execution grounds.
The one at the very front was definitely Chansley.
After a month of imprisonment and door chains, the old man was not a pretty sight. Skinny and gaunt, he looked like a raggedy old man, but none of the people in the square pitied him.
'Time is not something to wait for. It is something to be created.'
I put down her teacup and asked Alben.
“What about the tasks you instructed Balteor and Lamekal to do?”
“It's going smoothly.”
"Let's slowly prepare to light the fuse."
Now it was time to stir up Belteor, the house of Brigitte's fiancé, and strike down Lamekal, the house of her relatives. In my mind, I sent a message to Brigitte.
Three days before the winter rainy season. More than a hundred criminals linked to the human trafficking cartel were publicly executed. Since the majority of them were nobles, it was a mass purge.
The one at the very front was definitely Chansley.
After a month of imprisonment and door chains, the old man was not a pretty sight. Skinny and gaunt, he looked like a raggedy old man, but none of the people in the square pitied him.
Chan, whoever he was. He was the man responsible for everything from the Magic Stone concession stand to the Great Fire of District 13 to the human trafficking cartel.
As he hobbled up the thirteen steps to the gallows with creaking joints, he was met with curses and insults, as well as rotten eggs and tomatoes flying at him from all sides.
The choice of execution was between beheading and burning, and it was decided on beheading. The idea was to avoid setting fire to the city out of respect for the families of the victims of the fire.
Chansley died on the seventh axe blow. He met his end in terrible pain and terror, but even that would not be enough to assuage the resentment of his many victims.
He was followed by a series of beheadings of other notable noble families, including Naval, Zigollo, Hadenfolk, and others.
In the square, the screams and groans of the dying did not cease until sunset.
All of the families involved were stripped of their titles, estates, and property. In all, over half a hundred noble families were erased from the Empire.
Many nobles who could not pay the fine also gave up everything, including their titles, and prepared to pay the price in prison.
With the central political world being cut off from the leaders of the capital, it became barren as a field after the harvest.
The vacancy had to be filled. Despite the cold season, nobles from all over the empire were flocking to the imperial capital.
The summer rainy season signaled the end of the superheated season, while the winter rainy season signaled the beginning of the harsh season.
From the day of the full moon in November, a cold drizzle gently drenches the world, and when it turns to sleet and finally snow, it's the beginning of winter.
There was a call from Desmond II.
“Hello, Father. How have you been? ...I hope you are doing well.”
As if it were their first reunion in a long time, Brigitte pretended to sound affectionate.
But Desmond II, sitting on the lofty throne, did not have his father's face.
“Betty, I've called you to release you from your confinement.”
“I am so touched... Father.”
Desmond II did not tell her to step aside, even though she was bowing her head in respect.
It was when Brigitte was nervous that Desmond II suddenly brought up the topic after a while.
“Chansley was sentenced to death.”
“I'm not surprised. Well, even if I ordered him to be vigilant, I don't think his ears would have been completely blocked.”
“...You misunderstood. If you commit a crime, you should be punished. I just thought it was an appropriate punishment to hold him responsible for the great fire.”
“Really? Then it's a bit surprising that not only Chansley, but also many members of the Night Society were executed together?”
"Yes?"
Brigitte raised her head reflexively.
“More than one hundred people were charged with participating in a human trafficking cartel.”
Suddenly, Brigitte's eyes widened and her shoulders shook. It was hard to tell whether she was genuinely surprised or surprised to be caught.
"Yes."
“How do you do that...”
“I had Rubio and Eve investigate, and it turned out that three groups were in cahoots: the Church of the Night, the Eclipse Posse, and the Back Alley Guild.”
At the second name, Brigitte gritted her teeth. Beneath her politely bowed head, the walls glowed with a chilly, eerie glow.
“Yes, really..."
“Brigitte Agnes Hadelamide."
Before Brigitte could respond, a stern voice came down. She straightened her back with a long bow.
Desmond II asked.
"Do you know anything about this incident?"
“No. I don't know.”
“Yeah. I knew you'd say that.”
Desmond II's response was puzzling, and Brigitte's body broke out in a cold sweat as she tried to figure out if he'd caught a hint of something. But on the other hand, King Desmond II's tone was cold and dry. As if there was nothing to be disappointed about by not expecting it in the first place.
“Chansley was put to death without questioning, and the nobles with whom he mingled were also killed, so whatever you did will be kept secret forever.”
“Oh, Father!”
Brigitte exclaimed, realizing she had lost his trust and forgetting how young she was.
“I do not know what I have done. Why don't you believe me?”
“Because it doesn't help my politics to trust you.”
"It's injustice!"
“Injustice? No, it's a bruised ego, but if you're going to have a bruised ego, you've got to earn it.”
“Oh, Father.”
Brigitte gritted her teeth. She dared not speak in front of the head of the Empire, but Desmond II would not reprimand her. Instead, he admonished her for something more punishable.
“Ha, I've been raising you to be my heir for so long. Why the hell can't you be like Eve?”
It was a slap in the face.
The insults and humiliations were bottomless. The color drained from Brigitte's face.
By this time, Desmond II had a headache and waved his hand in the air.
“You may leave.”
“...Yes, I'm leaving.”
Brigitte stood frozen in place for a moment after leaving the room. There was a suspicious vibe in the air, and Elijah was hesitant to speak.
“Ha.”
Brigitte's face twisted into a grimace as she came to her senses. The anger she'd been suppressing, unable to show in the presence of Desmond II, rose to the surface.
“Eve!”
A murmur of flesh, darker and more sinister than the turbidity of the demonic Ambroxa, oozed from the creature's entire body.
Brigitte spoke through clenched teeth.
“Let's go back, Elijah.”
She felt like she would go crazy if she didn't get back to her quarters and stop trampling all the fragile and beautiful things. So Brigitte hurried away.
Eve was approaching from the other side of the hall, like an enemy meeting on a wooden bridge.
The one thing Brigitte wanted to destroy most right now was getting closer. Her lips twisted of their own accord, her grip tightened, and her eyes threatened to form.
But showing emotion in the palace was low class. Brigitte waited with her chin held high, like the high and mighty Princess she was, and waited for Eve, the younger Princess, to behave according to the law.
Eve walked past Brigitte as if she hadn't seen her.
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