At the same time, Illei noticed a small crack on Rodrigo’s face.

“Viscount Rodrigo, confess to the head of the guards as you did before.”

Following Akia’s words, Empress Tai-hoo’s face quickly changed.

‘Confession…! Gerald is not one of mine!’

Empress Tai-hoo turned towards Rodrigo with an inexplicable face.

“I… I have commanded the assassin group under the Empress for over twenty years. Under Empress Mama’s orders, I attempted numerous assassinations on Duke Heidern.”

Sighs erupted from various places at Rodrigo’s continued words.

“The injuries to the Duchess and the arson at the Velerus Duke’s residence were all deeds of the assassin group.”

“…”

“Not only that. The Empress there also ordered the assassination of the former Empress Mama.”

“Gerald! What kind of absurd accusation is this!”

When the assassination of the former Empress was mentioned, Empress Tai-hoo, unable to endure any longer, shouted at Rodrigo.

However, Rodrigo snarled at Empress Tai-hoo.

What! Assassinated the former Empress Mama too?

Back then, there were many rumors surrounding the death of the former Empress Mama, but now to think those rumors were true…

The mourners were in turmoil. They had dedicated their lives to Empress Tai-hoo, yet she had tried to kill her.

Viscount Rodrigo was only motivated by the determination to pull that cunning and crafty old woman out.

“How dare you! What is this nonsense! You spout such ridiculous claims without any evidence, and now you want to punish me for the crime of insulting the nobility…”

“I, I have evidence.”

At Rodrigo’s claim of having evidence, Empress Tai-hoo’s pupils shook.

Assassins were known for their thoroughness, leaving no evidence behind.

‘But there’s evidence?’

Rodrigo handed a crumpled piece of paper to the head of the guards.

“Th-there is evidence. A letter sent to me by the Empress. Whenever she wanted to command assassinations or issue orders through the assassin group, she used letters.”

At the mention of a letter, Empress Tai-hoo squeezed the edge of her skirt. It was an unspoken rule among them to read the assassination orders and then burn the evidence to erase any traces.

‘But she had kept it until now…!’

“In the letter, she always places a seal. She uses it instead of her name.”

At Rodrigo’s continued words, Empress Tai-hoo erased her astonished expression and turned back with a blank face. Yes, there was no recipient or sender in that letter.

Everything was conveyed by the stamp, revealing only who had sent it.
The empress smirked at the thought that there was no evidence pointing to her. The desperate air surrounding her, like one cornered in a dead-end alley, dissipated with a newfound composure.

“There is no name, which means there is no evidence that I sent it anywhere, isn’t that right?”

In response to her nonchalant attitude, Akia approached Empress Tai-hoo, holding the letter received by the head of the guards.

“You mentioned a seal, didn’t you? This is what Viscount Rodrigo’s seal looks like.”

Akia presented Rodrigo’s seal to Empress Tai-hoo and the others. It was a very small wooden emblem. Empress Tai-hoo snorted upon seeing the seal.

“So what? I’ve never seen such an item before.”

“Empress Tai-hoo must have such a seal as well. The seal of Tai-hoo’s assassin group.”

Empress Tai-hoo was now more confident. Even if her palace was thoroughly searched, her seal would not be found.

“Go ahead and look. It won’t be found anywhere. I don’t have such an item!”

Since the seal was in an impossible-to-find place, Empress Tai-hoo thought of the hidden location of her seal, smiling maliciously.

“Thank you for suggesting to search first. How grateful I am.”

‘Smile?’

But Akia was smiling endlessly with an infinite composure. The sensation emanating from her laughter was unsettling to Empress Tai-hoo.

There was something unsettling about that laughter. Akia approached her, who seemed uneasy, and spoke.

“Important items are usually carried on the body. Like that necklace.”

“!!!”

Akia pointed to her necklace.

Despite having a luxurious personality and owning numerous gems and accessories, Empress Tai-hoo rarely changed her necklace.

It was always strange that she cherished that item so much among all the other possessions. At Akia’s words, Empress Tai-hoo’s pupils widened.

To the point where the tip of her hand holding the skirt trembled visibly.

“Strangely, Empress Tai-hoo has never taken off that necklace.”

“This is a family heirloom that I value dearly in our household…”

“Your Majesty.”

Akia turned away from Empress Tai-hoo, who was making excuses in embarrassment, and looked at the emperor.

“May I request permission to search Empress Tai-hoo’s person?”

“What, what?! Your Majesty! This is absurd! I am the Empress of this empire! I am the person you call grandmother!”

Illei stared at the two with an expression that revealed nothing. After maintaining silence for a while, the emperor finally spoke.

“…Conduct a search of Empress Tai-hoo, maintaining decorum.”

“Your Majesty!!!”

Frightened by the emperor’s decree, Empress Tai-hoo was surrounded by the palace guards.

Sensing the crisis, as Empress Tai-hoo tried to tear off the necklace and put it into her mouth, the guard captain snatched the necklace away.

The guard captain examined the emblem on Empress Tai-hoo’s necklace and shouted.

“The emblem matches!”

Empress Tai-hoo sat down, closed her eyes tightly.

‘How did this happen…!’

Looking at the emblem handed over to the captain, Akia approached her. Then, slowly kneeling down in front of Empress Tai-hoo, she whispered.

“Did you think I wouldn’t know? You sent assassins to kill my mother and tried to poison me every year through the assassins.”

“…Akia!”

“Not satisfied with being just an assassin, you also planted people in my mansion to poison me whenever there was an opportunity.”

Akia approached her, whispering in a voice only she could hear. Meeting her eyes, he was more malicious than ever.

“Hell is too good for you.”

With a flash of a malicious gaze, Akia added chilling words, one after another.

“I’ll make you beg for death in excruciating pain.”