There was no reason for him to wait for Lord Siren’s command.

“I will take full responsibility for everything. Guide me to the side gate.”

The vice-captain swallowed dryly and obediently responded to Icarus’s brief order, “Yes.”

Moving towards a small group of knights separated from the others, the vice-captain explained, “Elite knights who will enter the chapel.”

Icarus glanced at them.

Their gazes were sharp and seemed capable.

Icarus nodded, and the vice-captain signaled to the elite Siren knights.

Icarus moved seamlessly with the elite knights towards the rear of the chapel.

“Here, Your Majesty.”

At the mention of “Your Majesty” from the vice-captain, the knights were surprised and began exchanging glances with each other.

Icarus, indifferent to their confusion, walked inside.

Then, he gestured for the knights to wait, as he had done during the Siren Knight’s training.

…

With each person brought out of the prison, the maids returned covered in blood.

Despite the serene horror in their eyes, Empress Hwangbi couldn’t completely relax.

…

As they approached the spring festival in full swing, a thumping sound came from beyond the door leading to the chapel.

Icarus did not hesitate and, making a gesture for a charge, pushed open the door and entered.

In the chapel, some pirates who seemed to have been defeated by Lord Siren were lying on the floor.

Lord Siren, unarmed, was confronting several pirates.

Suddenly, seeing Icarus and the knights rushing in, the pirates looked around as if bewildered.

Realizing they were completely surrounded, they seemed to grasp the situation and attempted to flee, but Icarus and the knights were blocking both the entrance and the previously unknown side gate.

“Is this… Lord Siren, did you… lie to us?”

The largest pirate, while expressing disbelief, seemed not to have any intention of attacking Lord Siren.

At that moment, a smaller-built pirate, brandishing a dagger, swiftly tried to plunge into Lord Siren’s embrace.

“It seems they haven’t grasped the situation yet.”

Icarus muttered irritably and threw a dagger from his hip.

It hit its mark.

Without even a chance to scream, the pirate collapsed to the floor.

Soon, the knights who had entered the chapel swiftly dealt with the remaining remnants of pirates.

“Your Majesty…?”

Seeing Icarus, Lord Siren blinked his eyes slowly, seemingly unable to believe.

One by one, as they were brought out of the prison, the maids returned, covered in blood.

To survive, they needed information from outside, even though the terrified eyes of the maids made Hwangbi uneasy.

…
Hwangbi, holding onto the suffering maids who couldn’t speak properly, interrogated them in detail.

“Did I plan a rebellion, and is the reason to take Siren Viscount’s military and elevate Lucius to the throne?”

All the questions about why she was imprisoned in the underground dungeon, why she tortured the maids, and what confessions she sought were answered.

However, that was not enough. The biggest question had not been answered yet.

Why did the emperor believe and act on such things without proper evidence?

Time had passed, and though he had dulled a bit from his youth, the emperor was still the emperor.

Without substantial evidence, he would not engage in such actions.

Furthermore, if the noble factions supporting Hwangbi and the families of the maids turned their backs on the emperor together, it would be difficult for him, no matter how much of an emperor he was.

“When the truth is revealed, how will he look at my face?”

With such thoughts, Hwangbi raised her eyebrows.

Footsteps echoed into the prison cell.

Hwangbi stared silently beyond the bars.

Soon, a familiar man’s side profile appeared in her line of sight.

Hwangbi approached the bars slowly.

“… Duke?”

With a somewhat gaunt face that she hadn’t seen in a while, the Duke sighed deeply and spoke.

“Something terribly wrong is undoubtedly happening.”

Hwangbi closed her eyes tightly and just nodded.

“Hwangbi, His Majesty believes that you and I have had continued meetings with impure intentions.”

“What…?”

“Not only that, but His Majesty also seemed to doubt the lineage of Prince Lucius…”

“…!”

Hwangbi widened her eyes, shocked.

“What nonsense, unbelievable lies! Are you saying that His Majesty believes in such absurd falsehoods?”

“Since rumors spread that His Majesty was behind the assassination of Siren Viscount, public opinion has not been favorable. To quell the rising resentment toward the high imperial power, it seemed necessary to frame an innocent scapegoat.”

As the Duke spoke, Hwangbi’s hands gripping the bars began to tremble with anger.

At that moment, a knight behind the Duke intervened.

“Until all the facts are revealed, there is an imperial order to prohibit your conversation.”

It meant to stop the idle talk and move on.

After exhaling another deep sigh from a secluded place, the Duke finally took faltering steps.

Hwangbi, beyond confusion, pressed her lips in continuous bewilderment.

Then, the maids who had just been lying there as if they were about to die began to rise one by one.

They were the ones who knew better than anyone that Hwangbi’s power came from the emperor.

Therefore, Hwangbi, abandoned by the emperor, was now nothing.

“I’ve become like this because of you, because of your arrogance.”

The maid, with a completely changed attitude, questioned Hwangbi.

“N-no…”

Though she denied it was the truth, another maid approached her this time.

“Now, what are you going to do? Because of you, not only me, but my entire family is in danger!”

“I told you it’s not true! Why, why are you all like this…?”

In an uneasy atmosphere, Hwangbi, beyond confusion, took hesitant steps backward. However, there was no escape in the narrow prison cell.

“This is retribution. Do you know what this is?”

As Hwangbi shouted for the last time, a maid, indifferent to her outcry, grabbed her by the hair and forcefully pulled her in.

Soon, other maids also rushed toward her.