However, Ustia’s situation was different. Ustia, who had been trembling with fear, suddenly rushed towards Terot.

“Your Majesty. How dare you tie my maid like this and call her a criminal.”

“Do you really not know, Empress?”

“Your Majesty, I don’t know what this is all about, but it must be a misunderstanding. My maid, Terot, is an excellent servant who always remains loyal to me. So, please release Terot…”

“As expected. I’ve been watching. Even without this, I had suspicions. The Crown Princess of the Empire died of poisoning in the Empress’s palace. I can’t imagine anyone other than a big shot doing such a thing in my palace.”

At the sudden mention of the Crown Princess, Ustia’s body stiffened. It was a situation she had anticipated well enough, but experiencing it firsthand brought a fear beyond her imagination.
“Fortunately, as soon as the Crown Prince ordered confinement when the incident occurred, I thought that anyone related to the poisoning of the Crown Princess would show movements to escape from the Empress’s Palace soon.”

“…Your Majesty.”

“I was planning to observe for exactly one week without doing more or less. Imprisoning the Empress for more than a week is a disrespectful treatment to the Empress, and I thought that even a week would be a dreadful time if the real culprit remained in the Empress’s Palace.”

Following Guardro’s words, Ustia closed her eyes tightly. She thought someone would be watching her. That’s why she had silently guarded only the bedroom.

So that more attention wouldn’t be focused on her side. She thought she could move Terot when as much attention as possible had dissipated over time.

However, Guardro had already seen through her thoughts.

Ustia couldn’t even breathe. The fact that she had eventually put Terot in danger was unbearable for her to bear.

“As there was no significant movement for a few days, I was planning to come and sincerely apologize to the Empress soon. I was talking about suspecting the Empress as the Crown Prince’s wife.”

“……”

“But today, the criminal revealed themselves like this. I can’t express the disappointment in words.”

Guardro said it as if expressing regret. However, Ustia also knew that it wasn’t sincere.

From the beginning, Guardro must have thought of her as the culprit. He might have been waiting for anyone related to him to appear.

But to thrust Terot in like this…

Ustia was angry, but since Terot’s life was at stake, she had to act cautiously. With that thought in mind, the desperate Ustia kneeled hurriedly. Then, she lowered her head in front of Guardro.

“Your Majesty, please spare her. Terot… Terot didn’t know such a thing. She just prepared the tea for the Crown Princess and me at my order, and it happened to be poisoned. So, if you’re looking for the culprit, start with the person who sent me that tea as a gift…!”

“Then, why is the Empress perfectly fine?”

“Uh…?”

Suddenly asked a counter-question, Ustia looked up at Guardro with a bewildered expression.

“If, as the Empress said, the tea prepared by the Empress’s maid already had poison mixed in it, why did only the Crown Princess get poisoned and collapsed? I’m asking why.”

“Well, that is…”

Ustia, with a half-dazed face, stammered. Watching her like that, Guardro let out a short sigh.

“I won’t ask for the reasons behind why you did this. So, Empress, stop making excuses. The more the Empress does that, the more difficult it will be for only this maid. If you insist on lies, I’ll have no choice but to torture you to reveal the truth.”
“Your Majesty, I have done wrong. I deserve to die, Your Majesty. I won’t do such a thing again. I will live as if I were dead, as Your Majesty mentioned. I won’t cause trouble like this again. So, please, please…”

“Sorry, but it seems I can’t grant the Empress’s wish. There is no pardon for attempting to poison the Crown Princess, among other things.”

Guardro firmly rejected Ustia’s plea. Then he gestured to the knights standing behind him toward the kneeling sinner.

The knights who understood the meaning seized Terot’s arms and lifted her to her feet.

“Take the sinner to prison. We will soon make a fair decision regarding this incident.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The knights, who greeted Guardro decisively, unceremoniously dragged Terot out of the bedroom. Ustia, who stared at them in bewilderment, belatedly chased after them in a hurry.

It was when she almost reached them, within arm’s reach. Terot, who was being led away peacefully by the knights, suddenly struggled and started running somewhere.