“You better be careful with what you say. Even if you are Sir Galileo, if you come out like this without evidence, I’ll formally protest to the Lord….”

“Your halfsibling. The hired assassin. Does this ring a bell?”

Pause.

For a moment, as Charlotte met Galileo’s confident eyes, she realized that he definitely knew something.

And that he had come here because he wanted something.

‘If that weren’t the case, he wouldn’t have visited like this. He would have met Vlady and spilled the truth.’

From the Turner family’s standpoint, needing to win over the majority of the elder council, the prestigious Ripel family was nothing short of a thorn in the side.

It was a moment when the scales of an uncomfortable balance that had been tacitly maintained for generations began to tip to one side.

“You better not think of shirking this. I have the contract and ledger written by Charlotte’s halfsibling. Even the identity of the assassin and the witnesses.”

“……You’ve dressed up nonsense quite specifically. The Ripel family has nothing to do with this matter. I don’t even know the whereabouts of my sibling, who has severed ties long ago.”

“I’m sorry too, but your sibling left too much evidence. This is proof that financial support from the Ripel family continued even recently. The usage details are all written down, so please check.”

My goodness.

How did Galileo get these things, when she thought she had scraped together all the documents and burned them?

As she took the envelope filled with documents detailing her sibling’s expenditures on unsavory deeds in the back alley and the crumpled, handsigned papers, she trembled.

‘Wait, something’s strange.’

To Charlotte’s knowledge, her sibling was not the type to leave such meticulous records.

If someone was manipulating all this behind the scenes……?

That would be the sly man smiling serenely before her eyes.

“Sir Galileo, what is your real intention? What are you doing using my sibling?”

“Oh my, you are indeed a wise person, Charlotte. Worthy of the heir of a prestigious family. Your sibling, perhaps because they were a bastard, was so crude and stupid. Every time I saw their face, I felt like dying of nausea.”

It would have been better to die in your hands, Galileo mumbled, smirking and curling one corner of his lips.

A moment ago, he looked gentle, but now there was a cold glint in his slender eyes.

“I’ll say it again, Charlotte, I’m on your side. Otherwise, I would have collected this evidence and presented it to the Lord right away.”

“That child has nothing to do with our family. Whatever you did with my sibling, it’s none of my business, Sir Galileo.”

“But killing the assassin and taking away the evidence, that must be your doing, right? Charlotte. Plus, you even hid that sibling in a place where nobody knows.”

“It’s an absurd thing to say. I never did such a thing….”
“For your information, there are many people I have planted in the Ripel family. Just as you have planted spies around me. It would be wise to abandon the foolish thought that I would act this far on mere suspicion.”

Feeling backed into a cliff, Charlotte gritted her teeth.

Somehow, somehow, she must escape this crisis.

So that the old snakelike man could never find Vlady.

“I’m not planning to stay still either. What if Galileo testifies that he bribed my naive younger brother to attempt the princess’s assassination? Who do you think the Lord will believe? Anyway, I’m married to him and have even seen his posterity. Besides, Ripel is a strong supporter of the Tzepes family.”

“Oh, poor Charlotte. How long do you think he will take your side? You’re not foolish enough to harbor the idea that Prince Wilhelm will naturally become the next Lord, are you?”

“……What exactly do you want to say?”

“The one who subdued the assassin was not Sione but Princess Bella. It hasn’t been made public yet, but she is said to possess incredible magical skills. Since she is the daughter of the Lord and his consort, it would be correct to see her as superior in terms of legitimacy.”

“……!!”

“The Lord must have noticed her potential when he first saw the princess. That’s why he named her himself and invited her to the banquet.”

Shocked, Charlotte wobbled with dizziness and leaned on her desk.

A few papers in the corner fluttered and fell to the floor, but she was too upset even to pick them up.

“There’s no need to be so distressed, Charlotte. I have a way, after all. Again, I sincerely want to help you. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have come to spill the truth.”

She frowned at Galileo.

In fact, Galileo had indirectly admitted to orchestrating everything using her younger brother.

What was the real reason for openly divulging information that was only detrimental to himself?

“I want to be your partner, Charlotte. To achieve great things, you need a good friend by your side.”

“Stop talking nonsense and tell me what you’re really after.”

“I don’t want Princess Bella to ascend to the position of the next Lord. Her mother was of fairy descent. The Lord made a big mistake.”

Charlotte finally realized what he was thinking.

The extremist pureblood advocate Galileo had always argued that other races shouldn’t mingle with the Elder Council he belonged to.

He couldn’t stand to see Princess Bella take the seat of the next Lord.

To eliminate the princess and install a successor to his liking.

That was the plot Galileo was planning.

“Trust me, Charlotte. If you join hands with me, I’ll keep all the deeds your brother has done a secret. The Ripel family will still enjoy glory. And, I can crown your son as you wish.”

Galileo, having finished speaking, extended his hand for a handshake.

It was an eerily pale and thin hand, reminiscent of a white snake.

Charlotte hesitated for a moment and reached out to him, asking,

“……What do I need to do?”