And then, he didn’t say anything more. It was clear that whatever he said would be a foolish remark. Ru could easily guess what he swallowed.

She thought the magic contained in an item that had been around for hundreds of years would be stronger than the young emperor.

“I don’t know. Ask Jocelyn. She accused my mother of instigating. She got mad because of that Plache Viscountess, making a scene and ruining the family just because she couldn’t get a dowry! But the lawyer, when is my lawyer coming?”

Having been dragged out while searching for the lawyer, the next in line was Jocelyn Moiquetpel, the deputy head of the central headquarters and also the daughter of the Viscount.

“That was decided by the Duke! It’s something the head of the family decided, so what can I do!”

She shouted with a voice full of anger and venom, but she seemed to have lost a lot of strength.

“We didn’t just think that way! The entire east wants to kill the emperor! Are we the only ones who think so?”

Her eyes were bloodshot, and her hair was disheveled. She shouted with a hoarse voice.

It looked as if a dog cornered in a difficult situation was barking madly, revealing its teeth.

But the interrogator just looked at her without any movement. Those working here were all as cold as machines, doing only what they needed to do. No mercy or sympathy was shown.

“I incited the Duke? Who said that? What kind of guy! I didn’t do that! I stopped it!”

The testimonies contradicted each other. Someone is lying. The interrogator, without a hint of hesitation, continued to ask questions. Why did they try to harm the emperor? Why did they use magic?

“It’s our family’s treasure! It’s an ancient and noble family! The name of Moiquetpel is commanding the entire east. The emperor, who hasn’t been seen for hundreds of years, can’t do this to us!”

Useless. Ru thought all that shouting was useless.

There was no clear justification, just shouting about how she felt. Look at her pale face and trembling hands. See that Jocelyn Moiquetpel herself is talking nonsense, maybe she already knows.

“That… that was a sure thing! It definitely wasn’t traced… Aunt said so…”

Jocelyn Moiquetpel was extremely tired. Always a lady of high poise, she had been tormented mentally by the ruthless interrogation in prison, so it was only natural that she would be tired. When exhausted, even inner thoughts come out unknowingly.

“If it’s magic… if it’s magic, isn’t something older stronger? That’s what she said, she said it like that…”
Ru thought there was no need to see more, and it seemed that the interrogator shared the same thought, concluding at this point. Next was Duke Moiquetpel.

“Everyone assumes it was the Duke who did it.”

Jacqueline Moiquetpel sat upright, tightly sealing her lips. It had been a long time since she exercised her right to remain silent. After hearing the news that her title had been revoked for the crime of stealing the imperial jewel set, she seemed to have completely given up.

“Why did you try to assassinate Emperor Your Majesty using that item?”

After removing all the jewels and sitting with her bare face, she tried not to lose her dignity, but her wrinkles appeared deep. She seemed filled with sorrow. Her face looked dark and unhealthy. But she didn’t say a word.

Having roughly observed the interrogations of major figures involved in the case, Ru blinked for a moment and came to a conclusion.

“Everyone was too ignorant.”

They knew nothing. They believed in vague faith even though they had no knowledge of magic. People tend to have vague awe for powers they cannot control.

“Melpius used to say that all problems arise from ignorance.”

Ru, who came from the naturally magical Kaletta, could immediately recognize magic when she saw it. Hayden, whether Melpius or Opelia, is an existence that can’t be approached at all. The idea of killing him should have been abandoned from the beginning. But the people here were different.

“430 years ago, magic was just an old tale or a fairy tale. So, magic was forgotten, and people didn’t know much about it.”

After murmuring with his chin in his hands, Hayden stood up. Ru also stood up and followed him.

“I’ve seen too much of this, Your Highness. They scorn what they don’t know, and while scorning, they have curiosity, but they also don’t know the way, so the cycle of scorn continues. Everyone perceives magic in their own comfortable way.”

“So, because of the vague belief that the item with the imperial magic from 430 years ago would harm Emperor Your Majesty, they thought like that.”

“That’s what the belief was. Vague beliefs are originally without a plan and unreasonably strong. The less you know, the stronger the belief becomes.”

They didn’t know about magic, and they didn’t know much about the emperor. Then what belief did Duke Moiquetpel hold? Ru tried to sit up straight, recalling the old and stubborn face of Duke Moiquetpel, who hadn’t said a word.