The conflict between the commoners was dealt with in the crude commoner courts where local residents served as jurors, and cases involving nobles were handled by a temporary judge dispatched from the ‘Palace Court’.

However, a murder case that occurred in the palace was a direct matter of the king. The king could handle it at his discretion. It meant that there was no procedural guarantee.

Elko, who was taken away by the royal guards, suffered severe torture and beatings.

“Speak the truth! Who paid you to assassinate Duke Mireiyu!”

“……There was a suspicious person walking around in the disguise of a palace coachman. I intended to chase him as he looked like an outsider, but he resisted so fiercely that I had to kill him, there was no bribery or conspiracy.”

Whack!

The interrogator lashed Elko’s back. He bit his lip and did not let out a groan.

“So you killed a person just because they seemed suspicious? What’s the reason for the carriage being completely destroyed?!”

“……”

The royal guards were tenacious.

With the spotlight on this case, the guards, who resented the prince’s knights strutting around the palace in their splendid armor, saw this as an opportunity for revenge and interrogated Elko even more doggedly.

However, Elko insisted firmly on his statement. Furthermore, there was no force that could be behind him if he claimed he was not a lone perpetrator.

If this was a planned conspiracy, the act was likely to be from someone opposing the strategic marriage between Prince Alfonso and the Gallico Kingdom. If one were to search for such a person within the kingdom, it would be Count Cesare and Countess Rubina.

But Count Cesare was a wastrel who loved drinking, dancing, and parties. Count Cesare did not yet have the capability to attempt a political assassination.

The same was true for Countess Rubina. Her influence mainly lay in whispering flattery into the king’s ear and allotting privileges to the nobles, but she did not have the power to employ someone for such a task.

“Evidence of foreign involvement……we couldn’t find it either.”

Another power that would dislike the collusion between Etruscan and Gallico could be the Asereto Commonwealth. However, no evidence had emerged that the people of Asereto were making a big fuss in San Carlo. Only Gallicans appeared.

And Elko was one of the confidants of Prince Alfonso, who should be more than happy about the marriage negotiation with the Kingdom of Gallico. Politically speaking, Prince Alfonso had no reason to kill Duke Mireiyu and undermine this marriage negotiation.

“……Therefore, Your Majesty, this incident is an unfortunate accident where a royal knight, who was maintaining security while the Duke of Mireiyu was causing a disturbance in the palace, did not recognize him and assassinated him……”

“Does that even make sense!”

King Leo III was flabbergasted.

“The chief envoy has just died inside the Palazzo Carlo, and you want me to send such a response to the Kingdom of Gallico now?”

“Your Majesty, it is undeniable that Duke Mireille was wearing the palace’s groom outfit without permission at the time of his death and was driving the palaceowned carriage without authorization.”

At the report of the captain of the guards, the diplomatic envoy of the Curia Regis who was gathered together, Count Marquez, carefully added his opinion.

“…… Your Majesty, we might be able to find another reason that would not upset the Gallico Kingdom. The investigation is being conducted by us, so something might come up if we dig deeper. However, even if it does not upset Gallico, there is no guarantee that it will only have a positive effect on the marriage negotiations.”

“Oh?”

King Leo III, who finally heard the story he wanted, allowed the remark, albeit annoyingly.

“Count Marquez. Speak up.”

“If we have to find another reason, there is a high possibility that the story will flow towards Duke Mireille being innocent and our side being greatly at fault.”

Actually, what King Leo III was looking for was a story like this. Either Duke Mireille was a very bad guy, and we could shift the blame to the Gallico Kingdom, or conversely, the death of Duke Mireille had to be an unfortunate accident.

Unless there is undeniable evidence that Duke Mireille planned a serious crime in the court of a foreign country, the Etruscan Kingdom had no choice but to take the latter stance.

“…… When we obediently acknowledge that Duke Mireille died due to our country’s fault, will the marriage alliance negotiations proceed smoothly?”

“Um.”

King Leo III made a grunting sound.

“This marriage alliance is not intended to form an alliance itself. ……The purpose is to acquire a strategic weapon.”

As there were people other than the Curia Regis members, including the guards, in the room, Count Marquez didn’t use the word ‘gunpowder’ and beat around the bush.

“When we acknowledge our fault, will they really conclude the contract as per the original conditions?”

It was a reasonable argument. King Leo III gritted his teeth.