Dimidius Belial was the winner of the hunting competition. He ascended the large platform prepared in front of the forest and received the treasure of the deep sea from the emperor. The treasure consisted of precious lapis lazuli earrings, a necklace, and a bracelet.

Olentia felt proud seeing Dimidius receiving the treasure of the deep sea in front of numerous nobles. She also remembered how he had said he wanted to give her that treasure before the hunting competition began. She couldn’t distinguish whether her pounding heart was due to that or the imminent revelation by Dimidius.

Standing in front of the platform, Dimidius surveyed the faces of the nobles and spoke.

“Thank you for congratulating me on my victory. However, my wife, Olentia Belial, was nearly killed by an assassin’s attack today. It seems the culprit has already noticed and left their seat.”

At Dimidius’s words, all the nobles were startled and chattered among themselves, looking at each other. Upon hearing about the assassin, the emperor, who had handed the treasure of the deep sea to Dimidius, spoke to him with a serious expression.

“Have you identified the culprit? Who in the world is it!”

Hearing the emperor’s angry voice, Dimidius stepped down from the platform and dragged up the assassin that the knights had been holding. The assassin had lost their weapon and had their mask removed, hanging their head low.

It was a truly perplexing situation.

Dimidius grabbed the assassin’s head, lifting it up, and spoke in an intimidating voice.

“Speak the name of the one who ordered you to kill my wife.”

At that, the assassin tightly closed their eyes and shouted.

“Ah, it was the Countess of Armeniaca!”

Their words caused a stir among the crowd. Especially Sokol, who had been searching for the missing Kikozellia, was shocked and trembled his lips.

Everyone looked at the frozen Sokol, and Olentia frowned, feeling like one of her arms was hurting more for no reason. In this way, the prestige of the Armeniaca family had fallen. The honor her parents had somehow maintained. Olentia was only heartbroken.

Since the countess had committed a grave crime, Count Sokol would also not be able to actively engage in political activities for the time being. And although Kikozellia had noticed her failure and fled, it didn’t seem like it would be too difficult to catch her. She had been living a luxurious life in the count’s family, so it was clear she wouldn’t be able to endure a tough life for long.

The emperor, greatly enraged, ordered the imperial knights to capture Kikozellia. After the knights left, the chaotic atmosphere continued.

At that moment, Dimidius took out a small, hairpin-like image stone from his trouser pocket and spoke to the noisy nobles.

“And a few days ago, there were assassins who attacked the Grand Duchy to kill me.”

The nobles gasped and instantly fell silent. They all had shocked expressions.

Olentia noticed the empress standing beside her on the platform looking visibly flustered. The empress seemed to not understand what was happening at all.

Dimidius fiddled with the hairpin-like image stone and said to the emperor.

“The masterminds behind the assassins who attacked the Grand Duchy are contained within this image stone. Please allow me to reveal it here.”

As the emperor with a serious expression was about to speak, the empress suddenly intervened.

“What are you doing on this good day? Does this place seem like it’s only for the Grand Duke? You can just show that to the investigator.”

At that, Dimidius smirked and said to the empress.

“The scenes are too precious for just the investigator and me to see. I think everyone should know about this person’s evil deeds.”

“Grand Duke! Step down from there at once! This is a hunting competition, not a courtroom.”

“Why are you so agitated? Almost like someone who’s been caught.”

Dimidius no longer needed the permission of the emperor or empress, so he displayed the image from the image stone in the air. Then, just as he had seen with Killen in the office, the empress’s true nature was revealed.

The empress looked truly vicious and had no dignity befitting an imperial family member.

While the video played, the empress only let out rough breaths while holding the hem of her dress. She couldn’t say anything at all. After all, a video clearly showing her face had been presented as evidence.

Once the video ended, the empress stepped down from the platform, seething, and the crown prince followed after her.

And as the emperor staggered from the shock, Dimidius, who was next to him, grabbed him and said.

“Are you alright? Your Majesty.”

The emperor was not affectionate towards Dimidius, but at least he didn’t ignore or abhor him. Knowing him, Dimidius hoped he would properly handle the empress’s punishment.

The emperor held his head with one hand and said to Dimidius.

“You must have been quite startled by the attack. I never thought the empress would do such a thing either.”

Dimidius thought the emperor’s words were likely true. Still, the empress was his niece, and even considering his deceased older brother, James Belial, the emperor probably hadn’t been able to deal with the empress’s actions because he was truly unaware of them.

But that didn’t mean he wasn’t furious.

Dimidius answered in a strong voice.

“Fortunately, no one was seriously injured, but please ensure such a dangerous incident doesn’t occur again, Your Majesty. I absolutely cannot forgive the empress! Not only myself but also my wife and everyone in the Grand Duchy were put in danger!”

Perhaps not expecting Dimidius to take such a hard stance, the emperor showed a momentarily surprised expression.

“Yes. I understand your words well. I will strictly punish the empress for her crimes.”

“I implore you, Your Majesty.”

The emperor nodded with a pale face and, supported by the knights, descended from the platform. Now it seemed the imperial palace would be in an uproar. The empress had committed the crime of instigating murder. No matter how much she was an imperial family member, she wouldn’t be able to escape punishment.

Dimidius looked at the shocked nobles talking among themselves. They would play the role of spreading rumors throughout the entire empire. It seemed good if the empress’s wicked deeds spread to every corner of the Bonus Empire.

Dimidius approached Olentia, who had a bandage wrapped around one arm. Olentia smiled faintly and embraced him.

“You’ve had a hard time, Your Highness.”

He didn’t know why he felt so choked up when Olentia hugged him. The times when his life had been threatened in the Grand Duchy and on the train felt so distant. It felt that way because Olentia was by his side.

Amid the chaotic atmosphere, Sokol approached Olentia, who was about to leave the imperial forest. Sokol’s face was pale and drained. His eyes were slightly loose, and his lips kept trembling. It was the first time Sokol showed such a weak and broken appearance.

He had maintained his arrogant and brazen appearance even when Olentia married Dimidius instead of Duke Luxus. But now, it seemed like he thought everything was over, with a desperate look.

Sokol spoke to Olentia with empty eyes.

“I apologize on her behalf. I’m sorry, Olentia.”

It was quite unexpected. Because she thought Sokol would never apologize to her.

Olentia felt somehow awkward and scratched the back of her head.

“It’s fine. It was elder sister’s unilateral decision.”

“Kikozellia’s will was my will. You could have suspected me too.”

Of course, there were many cases where Kikozellia’s will had been Sokol’s will. But Olentia at least didn’t think Sokol would kill her. For some reason, that belief still remained.

Olentia let out a deep sigh.

“Did elder brother have the courage to kill me? I don’t think so.”

Sokol lowered his head and trembled his shoulders. He must have worked tirelessly to become like his parents, but now he felt like he had ruined everything.

Olentia turned around after saying one last thing to the crumbled Sokol.

“Firmly protect the Armeniaca family.”

Kikozellia should be caught and receive her due punishment, and Sokol had a duty to protect the family as the head of Armeniaca.

Sokol didn’t answer, but Olentia thought he would handle it well.

“Mother! What will you do now?”

Regallis, who had followed the empress out, asked her urgently. The empress’s face was stiff with anxiety even as she headed towards the imperial carriage.

“There’s no way for now. We can only wait for the punishment handed down by His Majesty the Emperor.”

“You will end up in court and become a deposed empress! You may be imprisoned for a long time!”

Regallis felt like he would never be able to forget today. To think Dimidius had clear evidence. In the midst of his aching heart, immense anger towards Dimidius rose up. He would never forgive Dimidius.

Regallis ground his teeth as he returned to the imperial palace with the empress. His teeth hurt as if they would shatter, but he couldn’t stop his actions.

Upon arriving at the imperial palace, the empress was eventually seized by the knights and imprisoned. It was the emperor’s order.

Regallis entered the emperor’s office and knelt down. The only person who could lighten the empress’s punishment even a little was the emperor.

Regallis bowed deeply and said to him.

“Your Majesty the Emperor. Please forgive my mother.”

At that, the emperor looked at his son Regallis with sympathetic eyes.

“I want to, but numerous nobles have already witnessed the empress’s evil deeds. If I lightly punish the empress, there may be a flood of protests and a major upheaval, saying it goes against fairness.”

“Such an upheaval can be sufficiently suppressed with the imperial palace’s military force. The empress is not someone who can endure a cold prison. Don’t you know that well, Your Majesty!”

At the emperor’s words, Regallis flinched for a moment. Regallis had known about the empress’s plan to attack the Grand Duchy in advance, so he was just as guilty.

‘Has His Majesty the Emperor noticed that…?’

In the end, Regallis had no choice but to leave the emperor’s office. The emperor seemed to have plans to severely punish the empress for her crimes. To protect himself, the crown prince. Regallis bit his lower lip and put his hand on the corridor wall. He felt so dizzy, as if he would collapse at any moment.