Mercedes was wearing a neat black dress that came up to her neck, and her hair was also tied back in a simple manner.

On top of that, her face looked pale to anyone who saw her. It seemed like an appearance meant to evoke sympathy.

‘Is she really trying to hook people with just that?’

It was a sight that made one want to sneer, but the irritation was unavoidable. The empress dowager, who still didn’t know much about Mercedes, looked at her and lowered her eyes.

There was nothing good for her image in glaring here.

But regardless of image management, what the empress dowager was thinking, others were thinking as well.

The merit of pushing the emperor, who held strong imperial power, this far and making the nobles take a light attitude was largely due to the old Duke Bennett, who wanted to put the empress dowager and his own granddaughter on the empress’s seat no matter what.

It was thanks to his considerable skill in manipulating people and sowing discord between the two.

Naturally, the eyes of those who had spent three weeks slandering Mercedes and making her out to be a femme fatale who would ruin the country were not kind. They felt that even her haggard appearance was a show put on to be seen.

The empress dowager, who should have been seated at the head of the table, deliberately moved her seat a little to the corner and killed her presence as if neutral, expressionless. It was a calculation not to get involved even if things went wrong, but in the eyes of others, it looked like a wise example of an imperial family member who was not easily swayed.

And the emperor and empress were seated at the head of the table facing the Marquis’s family.

Mercedes, who barely sat with her eyes closed and leaning on the emperor, looked like a corpse.

Across from them, the Marquis’s family members sat as pitifully as possible, hiding their greedy eyes.

‘Hmph. As expected, there’s no way that wench could endure something like this.’

The image of the girl’s face gradually losing expression as she grew up was still vivid in the Marquis’s mind.

That child was never smart. All she had was her looks, so she must have had no countermeasures either.

She must have been anxious for three weeks and ended up like this.

The Marquis gloated inwardly and predicted victory.

Meanwhile, Mercedes squeezed Carlos’s hand tightly under the table and gave it a strong grip.

As if to say let’s be strong together, since it’s the moment to start fighting.

It was a feeble grip, but somehow it felt like a force that made his heart swell. Carlos steeled his resolve and hardened his expression.

Then he slowly opened his mouth.

“I am grateful that so many of you have gathered here to charge me with something. I didn’t know there were so many nobles who cared about the country. I thought you were only interested in the position of empress or your own wealth.”

It was a tone that seemed to mock them, saying that they usually only talked about lowering taxes or subtly pushing their own daughters into the position of empress, but suddenly they were pretending to care about the country.

The tension in the conference room was palpable.

It wasn’t wrong, and it was because the emperor seemed more at ease than expected. It was the moment when the expectation that he would be anxious after not responding at all for three weeks was shattered.

Carlos chuckled.

“Why is everyone so tense?”

When he openly pointed out the tension, there was nothing to say.

“You all seem to want me to come out with an anxious face. Is that right?”

Carlos was pressing on things that could be passed over one by one, as if he had been waiting for today.

Everyone became confused. Was this the emperor’s usual way of confidently manipulating people, or was it a bluff, or did he really have some kind of plan…?

“Well. Since you came to criticize, you can’t help but be tense at my words. Now. Pour it all out to me. About the development of the empire. What I have done wrong.”

Who could respond to Carlos’s overwhelming presence and excessive frankness?

The conference room, where the air had turned cold, held silence for a moment.

And the only one capable of breaking that silence was old Duke Bennett, who was skilled at such things.

“Your Majesty. I understand that there have been constant concerns about the imperial family recently. I assume Your Majesty is also aware of this.”

“The Duke is the first to speak up again today. I believe everyone has the right to speak at a meeting, but does no one else have a mouth except the Duke? We’ve already held two emergency meetings in half a year.”

Carlos mocked sarcastically.

The old duke momentarily felt enraged, but he calmed his heart. This was an opportunity. To dethrone the empress who had appeared out of nowhere, join forces with the nobles to put pressure on, and put his granddaughter on the throne as empress!

So today, he had to be calm. He had to side with Cromwell, the empress’s father, and push the issue.

“They are all people who know etiquette, so it seems they have yielded the first remarks to this old man. Please do not be too angry.”

The old duke answered stiffly. Carlos grinned.

“The Duke receives quite good treatment, I see. I should treat you with respect too, but… According to recent rumors, it seems I am an emperor who lacks the decency to treat the Duke with respect and has even gone blind. I suppose you’ll understand that I don’t show courtesy even in the face of your years.”

“…We will have to clarify the rumors today.”

The old duke tried to maintain his composure in front of the emperor, who seemed to be constantly mocking and trying to provoke something.

And soon, other nobles also spoke up.

“Your Majesty. The rumors about Her Majesty the Empress are only growing.”

“We must examine their truth, and if the rumors are true… neither the imperial citizens nor the nobles will be able to follow Her Majesty the Empress any longer.”

“Today, please listen to Marquis Cromwell’s story and look at the evidence. If Her Majesty the Empress has truly betrayed the natural order, and disturbed Your Majesty’s mind! We believe it is right to decide on dethronement for the sake of the country.”

“That’s right. Your Majesty! We implore you, who are always fair and just, to also take this matter seriously. We beg of you.”

Refined words poured out wildly. Since the old duke had opened the floodgates, everyone rushed in.

Carlos listened quietly, and at the peak of the heated atmosphere, he spoke.

“I understand your concerns. I am very level-headed at the moment, so I will listen to your opinions fully today. I came prepared to even consider dethroning the empress, so do not worry.”

Just seeing how tightly they were sticking together, it seemed like he was blinded by love, but the words that came out of the emperor’s mouth were unexpected.

And the one who was surprised by those words was the empress as well.

The nobles, who did not know that the two of them had deliberately put on such a united front, were somewhat flustered and then looked at each other.

Right.

The Emperor of Death, who had handled all matters so far without a single error.

He could give his heart to a woman, but it seemed he had not lost the wits to give away the country. Above all, seeing the empress so surprised, it seemed like it was something they had not even agreed upon.

Thus, a trial-like meeting began.

“…It pains my heart to engage in such a confrontation with my own flesh and blood.”

Marquis Cromwell spoke with a gloomy face.

He even had a bandage around his wrist.

“What is the injury from?”

Someone deliberately asked.

“Her Majesty the Empress pushed me… I stepped back, hoping Her Majesty would not get hurt, and fell badly. That is all. It is not a major injury.”

“Oh my…”

Seeing them ask again about a story they had already thoroughly interviewed, it was truly no different from a farce.

With a somewhat depressed look on his face, the Marquis began to redden his eyes as he looked at the empress.

“As a father who loves my daughter, no, who loves Her Majesty the Empress. I really wished such a thing would never happen… But Her Majesty the Empress.”

The Marquis paused for a moment as if choking up.

The Marchioness grasped his arm by his side and slowly comforted him.

Flora and Frederick also sat meekly with hardened faces, their heads bowed.

The Marquis recited the things Mercedes had done.

Starting from the assassination of the crown prince, to pushing him away while pretending to help him, not inviting him to the coronation ceremony, how much evil she inflicted on Flora and Frederick, and yet how high her self-esteem was because of her beautiful appearance.

In between, he read out his interviews that had filled the newspapers for three weeks, about how much he loved his youngest daughter who had ruined the family…

“The damage to our standing in the capital… Sending knights to Your Majesty while flattering you, and making the knights flee so that we would lose the territorial war. I want to believe it was all unintentional… Surely, Her Majesty the Empress couldn’t have killed the crown prince with that delicate body. It must be a false charge. That’s what I thought. But…”

“Let’s exclude that for now. The most problematic part of your remarks is the story that you received support from my knights. Through Mercedes.”

“Yes.”

“I have never received such a request from the empress.”

Carlos replied, twisting his lips. Marquis Cromwell answered with a hardened face.

“You may not… remember. Also, there is no evidence to prove that Your Majesty’s words are true, as that knight ran away with the letters between Your Majesty and Her Majesty.”

“Then is the Marquis now insulting the emperor’s prestige and insulting the empress without evidence?”

Carlos replied in a slightly angry voice. The Marquis laughed inwardly.

Is the emperor quite simple-minded too? He thought.

“How dare I insult Your Majesty the Emperor without basis! Please take back those words. I am only sorry to have created such an unpleasant situation.”

“But right now, the Marquis is saying there is no evidence!”

Carlos raised his voice a little more. Everyone gulped.

The Marquis confidently stood up and knelt on one knee in front of Carlos. He did not forget to let out an ‘ugh’ sound and stagger for a moment, as if he had been badly hurt.

As soon as he did so, Frederick ran over and pitifully supported him, calling out, “Father”.

It was a truly tear-jerking display of family love.

“However. I do have the new insignia Your Majesty bestowed upon the knights! Please accept this as evidence!”

The conference room became greatly agitated.

At the same time, the Marquis pulled out the insignia from his bosom and held it up high. The nobles all rose and strained their eyes to see the insignia.

And at the same time, they all had to admit it.

Anyone could see it was the emperor’s crest.

And Mercedes’ head drooped. As if acknowledging it.

“Then did… Your Majesty’s knight really fight such a shameful war?”

“Her Majesty the Empress was not the empress at that time. She was being treated as a concubine… In such a state, she gave away Your Majesty’s precious knight directly under you…?”

“Unbelievable.”

The grand conference room was in an uproar.