How To Get Revenge On My Sister Who Stole My Husband - Chapter 71

“You’ve worked hard, Emulin. Now please go straight to Duke Haven’s house. Please tell the Duke that he should do as I instructed.”

Emulin sobbed and pecked, then bit my hair once with her beak before flying out through the open window.

I leaned back on the bed with a soft, satisfied sigh.

In a few hours,

After reading the letter saying the Duke might soon die, the Empress will summon Princess Ella and Prince Louis’ couple, and the heads of the ducal families. And they will discuss which family will take the ‘Duke’s position’ that will be vacant after the Duke’s death.

‘The Crown Princess will try to make her home, the Klein Ducal family, into a ducal family then. With a face as if she’s got the whole world.’

However, that won’t happen.

I smiled happily, imagining the faces of the pale Crown Princess, Duke Yusten, and Danae.

* * *

The capital’s imperial palace. The Goddess’ Room.

The Empress with a gloomy face sat on the imperial throne. Visibly aged in just a few days, she looked over Prince Louis and Crown Princess Merediths sitting in chairs to her right, their attendants, and the five dukes looking up at her respectfully below the platform. Her gaze lastly turned to the empty chairs of Princess Ella and Duke Haven to her left. The Empress spoke in a sorrowful voice.

“You all know well, having heard the news. …That Duke Haven, poor Elliot, is now on the brink of death from an unknown illness.”

At those words, the prince and princess, as well as the five dukes, bowed their heads with stern expressions. The Empress placed her wrinkled hand on her chest and continued.

“My heart truly feels like it’s being torn apart, unbearable. Not only did I send Lizz the Princess ahead, but now this child too… I don’t understand why the Goddess doesn’t take this old one’s life first, instead of taking the lives of my young children first…”

“It is devastating, Your Majesty. Please withdraw such words.”

Prince Louis said, firmly grasping the Empress’s hand. Her eyes reddened at the gentle comfort of her beloved son. The Empress gently shook off the grasped hand and then used that hand to rub away the forming tears, composing her emotions. Soon she opened her mouth with a dignified attitude.

“But this is merely my personal sorrow. As the Empress of this empire, I cannot just grieve over that child’s misfortune. That is why I called you, the five dukes, here today. To decide which family will be given the vacant ducal position after Duke Haven’s death.”

At those words, a glint appeared in the eyes of the five dukes who were listening with bowed heads. They waited silently for the Empress’s next words. At last, the Empress spoke.

“After careful consideration, I have judged it best to newly bestow the ducal title on the Crown Princess’s home, the Klein Ducal family.”

Then Duke Klein’s face, with his head bowed, filled with joy beyond words. Duke Yusten, who had been tipped off by the Crown Princess beforehand, remained silent with a stern expression, while the other three dukes glanced enviously at Duke Klein.

The Empress gestured to the chief attendant standing beside her and said.

“Chief Attendant, bring the medal.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The chief attendant bowed in response and then held out a cushion with a platinum medal studded with various jewels in front of the Empress. As the Empress picked up the medal, the smile on Crown Princess Merediths’ face deepened.

“Please wait a moment, Your Majesty!”

Just then, the huge doors of the Goddess’ Room opened and Princess Ella entered. She strode up to the platform and said to the Empress, panting slightly with somewhat rough breaths.

“It is too early to award that medal, Your Majesty!”

“What do you mean? Too early?”

The Empress asked in confusion. Princess Ella gave a meaningful smile and then turned around and shouted.

“Come in!”

At that moment, Duke Haven entered the Goddess’ Room along with Toth, the imperial palace magician, and a suspicious man in a robe. With his short hair swept back stylishly, wearing a black ceremonial robe with embroidery, Duke Haven Elliot looked so healthy it was hard to believe he had been on the brink of life and death until just recently. Crown Princess Merediths’ eyes widened in surprise at the sight of him, while Prince Louis and the dukes hastily drew in sharp breaths.

The Empress rose from her throne, exclaiming loudly.

“Elliot! What on earth is going on!”

The Duke smiled at the Empress and calmly said.

“I apologize for causing unintended worry, Your Majesty.”

“Enough! It is only natural for a grandmother to worry about her grandson! Ah, Elliot! How are you feeling? Are you alright now?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. There is no need to worry.”

Elliot paused for a moment. Then he continued in a meaningful voice.

“I have successfully treated the poison that was used in an attempt to intoxicate me and drive me to death.”

At those words, everyone except Princess Ella, the Duke, Sir Toth, and the suspicious man in the robe gasped in shock.

The Empress, her face flushed red and blue, looked at her beloved grandson’s face and shouted loudly.

“Treated the poison? Are you saying someone dared to try to poison the Duke?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. And the culprit is right here in this room.”

The Duke replied. The Empress let out a loud, hollow laugh and then asked, striking the armrest of the throne hard with her wrinkled hand.

“Who is this heinous person!”

The Duke looked straight at the Crown Princess and answered.

“It is Lady Belladonna Iris, the baroness who is an attendant to Crown Princess Merediths.”

Then one of the attendants standing behind Crown Princess Merediths dropped the fan she was holding. With common features of dark brown hair and eyes and a thin build, she was pale-faced and trembling all over. Everyone’s gaze turned to the Crown Princess and her attendant. The Crown Princess bit her lower lip hard once, then jumped up from her chair and shouted.

“Ha! What nonsense is this, Duke Haven! Why would my attendant attempt to poison you! Can you make such an accusation against an innocent person without evidence?”

“…Duke Haven, if your claim is true, show me the evidence. You must also explain to me in detail how that attendant could dare to make such an attempt on you.”

The Empress commanded the Duke, trying hard to maintain her composure. The Duke bowed his head briefly, then said to the two magicians standing behind him.

“The explanation of that matter and the proof of my claim will be provided by Sir Toth and Sorcerer Emulin here. Sir Toth, you report to Her Majesty first.”

“Very well.”

Duke Yusten flinched at the name Emulin. He glared at the robed man with murderous eyes.

Meanwhile, the imperial palace magician Toth stepped forward in front of the prince and knelt on one knee. He looked up at the Empress and explained the circumstances clearly. The Empress, who had been letting out hollow laughs while listening to his words, finally couldn’t hold back and shouted loudly.

“Ha! To dare commit such an act at a tea party I hosted! Moreover, to have not only Duke Haven but also the Prince and Princess drink that poison! I simply cannot believe it!”

“It may be hard to believe, but it is all true, Your Majesty.”

Toth replied with a cautious attitude. Princess Ella heaved a big sigh, and Prince Louis kept dry heaving while staring at his wife sitting beside him with fear. Crown Princess Merediths, her face deathly pale, spoke as if screaming.

“Sir Toth! You are now accusing my attendant of being a criminal without evidence! If your words are true, show that evidence at once!”

Toth countered the Crown Princess’s words in a polite but cold voice.

“That evidence will be shown to everyone not by me, but by Sorcerer Emulin here.”

“…What?”

“Now, let’s begin, Emulin.”

After that, he turned to Emulin standing beside him and spoke. Emulin removed the hood he was wearing and then nodded slightly to the Empress in a somewhat impertinent manner as a greeting. Then he said to the Empress in a youthful boy-like voice.

“As Toth here just said, Duke Haven drank a poison made from witch’s blood. That poison is a powerful one that only affects magicians and sword masters who gather and utilize mana by borrowing the power of nature, created by exploiting the fact that a witch’s power and a magician’s mana are opposites. The two powers repeatedly clash endlessly in the heart until they completely subdue and eliminate each other, causing the owner of that body to die. And that collision always leaves traces on the body. …Both on the one who drank the witch’s blood, and on the witch who made them drink it.”

“Are you saying that if that attendant did such a thing to the Duke, traces of it would remain on the attendant’s body as well?”

The Empress asked, looking at Emulin with wide eyes in surprise.

“That’s right. As the witch’s blood fights to the end to overcome the mana already settled in the victim’s heart, it gradually steals away the owner’s magical power in the process of clashing. That’s why that attendant Belladonna has become emaciated. It would have required a great deal of power to stop the heart of a strong sword master like the Duke.”

At those words, the Empress glared at Belladonna with a sharp gaze. Belladonna trembled all over with her head bowed. Emulin glanced at her before continuing.