“As the victim’s heart slowly stopped beating, a great change also took place in the witch’s body. To put it simply, traces of power draining away were left behind. If I may dare to speculate, that maid’s body will bear indelible marks.”

“What are these marks?”

The empress asked in an impatient voice. Emlyn replied, gazing at the empress with a meaningful look.

“Examine the inside of that maid’s arms. You will surely discover something very strange.”

The empress immediately ordered the chief attendant.

“Chief attendant, roll up that maid’s sleeves at once.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The chief attendant answered firmly. At his gestures, the maids standing by grabbed Belladonna’s arms and legs as if tying her up. Belladonna let out a short scream and struggled, but she could not escape the maids’ strong grips. The chief attendant drew the dagger at his waist and tore her dress sleeves, glaring at her with a contemptuous gaze.

Small, densely written letters in deep green were revealed on the maid’s arms. The chief attendant spotted a familiar name among those letters that looked like beautiful tattoos at a glance. Elliot Francis Haven. It was the duke’s name. The chief attendant cried out in shock.

“Duke Haven’s name is engraved here!”

“What?”

The empress shouted, springing to her feet. Emlyn turned to them and spoke again.

“The goddess would not have stood by and watched as you arbitrarily cut short a life that was meant to continue according to divine providence. Those tattoos are the brands of sin the goddess bestows upon those who dare defy the great laws of nature. It is also the goddess’s warning to never forget, until death, the name of the one you harmed with your own hands.”

“……Ha.”

“If the duke had died as scheduled, that maid probably planned to magically conceal the duke’s name and feign ignorance. In the worst case, she may have been prepared to cut off that arm. After all, one arm is enough to use a witch’s powers.”

At his words, Belladonna hurriedly tried to cover her exposed arm, shrinking into herself. The empress glared at her, giggling incessantly, her eyes filled with an indescribably intense anger. Heaving rough breaths, the empress shouted at the chief attendant and the soldiers.

“Drag that impudent wench to the underground prison at once! And until she tells the truth about why she committed such a treacherous act and who is behind it, do not give her a single sip of water or a piece of bread! Do not let her sleep a wink!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

The chief attendant answered in a loud voice. Soon soldiers came running and tied up Belladonna with ropes. She cried out, wailing.

“This is a false accusation, Your Majesty! I never put poison in Duke Haven’s tea! Please have mercy on me!”

“Have mercy on you? Ha! Even in this situation where the evidence is plain as day, you still spout such vicious lies!”

“It’s not a lie! Please believe me, Your Majesty!”

“Silence! I don’t need your excuses, so hurry up and get this criminal out of my sight! I can’t stand the sight of her!”

The empress ordered, raising her voice. The soldiers covered Belladonna’s mouth with their strong hands and dragged her out of the Goddess’s Chamber. The maid’s mournful cries and shrieks gradually grew distant. The empress sat on the throne, staggering as if unable to control her anger. Her frigid gaze turned to the empress dowager who had been defending her maid until a moment ago. Lady Meredith grabbed her arm and pleaded as if begging.

“…… Your, Your Majesty. I, I did not know. Truly.”

The empress coldly shook off Lady Meredith’s arm and said icily.

“Oh really? For someone who claims ignorance, you sure went to great lengths to shield that impudent thing. Judging from your behavior, it looks as if you, Empress Dowager, instigated Duke Haven’s assassination.”

“Your Majesty! How can you say such a thing!”

“I will return those words right back to you, Empress Dowager. Your maid, whom you treat as your own limb, dared attempt to assassinate an imperial relative, so how can you make excuses that you knew nothing about it in this situation!”

At the empress dowager’s words, the empress finally exploded in fury. She glared at the empress dowager and the prince in turn with an icy gaze and continued.

“Until the criminal Belladonna Iris tells the whole truth, I am confining Prince Louis and Empress Dowager Meredith to the palace and banning all social activities. During that period, you cannot use the palace budget either, so keep that in mind.”

“……!”

“Also, to hold you responsible for this incident, I am stripping the positions of the prince’s palace’s chief attendant and chief maid. Lastly, all attendants and maids serving the prince and his wife will also be expelled from the palace, so from now on, attendants and maids under the chief palace attendant will serve you two.”

At that stern command, the complexions of Prince Louis and Empress Dowager Meredith turned as pale as corpses. Then Duke Klein and Duke Yusten, who had been silenced by the empress’s force, protested loudly.

“Your Majesty! That is too harsh a measure against the innocent prince and empress dowager! Please retract it!”

“Indeed! Right now Your Majesty is excessively condemning the two of them based only on the words of that suspicious mage and Sir Toth!”

Duke Yusten’s eyes burned with hatred and anger towards Emlyn as he said that. The empress pounded the throne with her fist in fury.

“Ha! The fact that you are so desperately defending that maid makes me suspicious of your motives! Could it be that you two are the ones who ordered that maid to carry out the assassination? Is that why you’re acting this way now?”

The two replied in alarm.

“N-no, that’s not it!”

“Th-that can’t be! We simply thought Your Majesty had lost composure and wanted you to regain a cool head……”

“I don’t want to hear it! From now on, anyone who defends that impudent thing will be considered an accomplice in this matter, so keep that in mind!”

The empress cut off their protest, glaring at them each in turn. Then she rose from the throne and looked around at everyone.

“Since Duke Haven survived, there is no need to appoint the next duke! So I will adjourn this gathering for today. Prince Louis, take your wife and return to your palace.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I obey your command.”

“Princess Ella and Duke Haven, follow me to the reception room. I will brew you some tea that is good for your health. Chief attendant, politely see off Sir Toth and that mage called Emlyn out of the imperial palace. The reward for saving my grandson’s life will be decided at a later meeting.”

With those words, the empress left the Goddess’s Chamber, leading her maids. Duke Haven silently bid farewell to Toth and Emlyn with a nod, then followed after the empress. Princess Ella muttered in a barely audible voice towards Empress Dowager Meredith, who sat with a hollow expression.

“Do not be so distraught over a matter like this. This is only the beginning.”

The empress dowager clenched her fists, gritting her teeth. A deep anger and sense of defeat clouded the ashen faces of Duke Yusten and Duke Klein. The princess gave them a cold sneer, then left the Goddess’s Chamber. She soon caught up to Duke Haven walking ahead and said softly.

“The young duchess helped you greatly once again.”

“Indeed. If not for her, I would already be a dead man, and you would have suffered great harm as well, Your Highness.”

“…… I don’t know how to repay this debt. Elliot, do you happen to know what she likes? I’d prefer to give her something she enjoys.”

The duke replied with a bitter smile.

“I want to know even more. What she likes. …… And what kind of person she fancies.”

“Huh? …… Oh my, Elliot. …… Don’t tell me you…!”

Princess Ella covered her mouth with her hand and let out a short exclamation. The duke pretended not to notice the princess’s reaction and silently followed the empress into the reception room.

* * *

Duke Yusten, utterly enraged that everything had come to naught, returned to his estate constantly grumbling under his breath with a grim expression. After alighting from the carriage, he shouted at the butler who came to greet him.

“Where is Danae now!”

“…… She should be in the annex. But why are you looking for the young lady?”

“Bring her to my study at once!”

The butler bowed with a dumbfounded expression. After a short while, Danae entered the duke’s study with a triumphant look. She said in a lively voice.

“What is it, Father? Did something come up that you need to discuss with me ag……”

“You stupid thing!”

However, before she could finish, the duke glared at her ferociously and shouted. Danae opened her eyes wide in surprise and said.

“Why are you suddenly yelling? What did I do wrong?”

“That bastard Emlyn betrayed us! He revealed to the empress that Belladonna tried to assassinate Duke Haven!”

“…… What? That crazy old man did?”

“Damn it! What the hell did you do to that old fart that made him do such a thing, when he was head over heels for you until a few days ago! Danae, you! What did you do to that old man again, huh!”

“…… Wh-what are you saying I did? I didn’t do anything!”

The duke stared at his daughter suspiciously for a moment. He shouted towards the closed door.

“Butler! Where are you!”

The butler entered, opening the door.

“Did you call for me, master.”

“Has Emlyn visited my estate recently to see Danae?”

The duke asked point-blank. The butler hesitated to answer, glancing at Danae. The duke snorted and said.