“Quite foolishly. Evan, this is my final warning. Step aside. Allow me to maintain the last bit of dignity as a duke. So, be wise and withdraw without a fuss.”

“No, this is a false accusation. No one has the authority to search my house, the duke’s residence. No one!”

“There seem to be quite valuable and secretive items inside. Judging by the commotion, it seems so. Well, no emperor has been able to search the duke’s residence until now. It stood as a stronghold exclusive to them.”

Leonardo continued calmly.

“In fact, I was quite troubled by this.”

“…In the end, did you want to search my house? What excuse are you making?”

“An excuse, you say. Actually, yes. It’s true that I wanted to conduct a search. I thought Butler Belzel might be inside. Those who tried to act on their own with my son, the ones who gave them orders, were likely right there, but there was no pretext. But now I’ve found one. The person who invaded the Star Palace, the residence of the Empress, had traces leading to the duke’s residence.”

“Those sinister magic tower people are slandering me! There can’t be such a person.”

“They reported it risking their lives. So, you should believe them. But, Evan, Duke, what can you offer? Can you risk your life like the magicians did, claiming there is no one inside here?”

Of course, he couldn’t risk his life like that.

“Well…”

“Without such determination, I don’t know what you can do, Duke Evan.”

“Why do I have to go to such lengths?”

“I didn’t ask you to present anything. Those who claim to be trying to slander you are risking their lives to assert their stories. I’m just asking what you can do.”

It was a harsh statement, even without that level of determination.

Evan, the Duke, had nothing to offer here. He could risk his life as the magicians of the magic tower did.

But even if he did, it wouldn’t mean they wouldn’t investigate. Through the investigation, they would determine which side was telling the truth.

And even then, there was nothing advantageous for him. There must be a reason why, despite being under the Emperor’s order, no one dared to invade this much.

“Then let’s begin the investigation.”

Leon raised his hand. In response, the knights quickly entered the duke’s residence. If the duke genuinely resisted, they could have resisted.

Not all the empire’s knight orders came here. Yet, the people in the duke’s residence did nothing.

Because the duke did nothing.

It was a situation where the duke could no longer stop it.

“Oh, Evan. It’s better for anyone not to try anything sneaky. Hundreds of knights and soldiers are surrounding your house.”

“…”

“Well then, please, Evan. I hope I haven’t had to release you as my friend.”
It was a cold and indifferent expression and tone. Dac-dac, the horse carrying Leon, made a noise as it passed by the duke’s residence. The cold and chilly air passed between them.

If he blocked any further, it would be considered rebellion. Preventing the Emperor’s actions should never have been allowed in the first place.

In the end, the duke had to just let the investigation of the duke’s residence proceed.

All the duke could do was stand there with a flushed face.

Due to the enormous size of the duke’s residence, the investigation took a full two days. Finally, they wrote fake recommendation letters for the palace staff there and found Belzel, who had been giving them various tasks.

And this matter quickly spread among the imperial nobility. Until now, he was considered a powerful figure on par with the Emperor, even praised as untouchable by the Emperor himself.

Although there is currently an empress, those who thought that the duke’s only sister would become the empress and that the current empress is just a temporary measure turned away one by one.

In the end, they said he was just a noble. In front of the Emperor’s order, he stood there doing nothing.

The fact that the identity of the person brought out from the duke’s residence was not revealed made the duke more disadvantageous.

The rumor that the duke had instigated the attack on the Star Palace, where the Empress and the Crown Prince were, could not be dispelled.

Feeling that the situation was not going as he wished, the duke ultimately made the final choice.

The child currently recognized as the Crown Prince by the Emperor is his sister’s child. Anyway, the next emperor will be his nephew, so those who follow him became firm again.

The duke, who had been as uneasy as a candle flame swaying in the wind, seemed to have found his place, even if only temporarily.

“In the end, it turned out that way.”

Leon, who had been talking about the results of the investigation, looked at me with a tired expression.

“I was late because I had to finish that work. I wanted to come sooner. The duke’s residence is so huge.”

Leon looked at me with a face full of apologies. I reached out to him. It was the maximum contact towards him as one hand was still caressing Ridel.

Whether he liked it or not, Leon placed his cheek on my palm. His unusually cold cheek felt in my hand.