CHAPTER 059
A chilling silence persisted.
But soon, a small voice was heard among the women.
“I-I saw it, Your Majesty. Clearly… that man jumped down from Lady Grace’s second-floor balcony.”
“Your Majesty, I also witnessed him coming out of Lady Grace’s bedroom.”
Two maids, trembling and stepping forward, testified. They were the maids of Princess Lilibet. The women gathered outside the bedroom stared at them, mouths agape.
“You…!”
The faces of the Duchess and Grace twisted in anguish as they glared at the Empress Dowager and Lilibet with seething anger. The Empress Dowager, who had been laughing and celebrating with them just moments earlier, was no longer present. Now, she stood there, ignoring the Duchess’s gaze with a sinister smile.
The Empress Dowager, who quickly understood the Emperor's intention, began to calculate her next move. Though the plan to expel Arabelle had fallen through, another great opportunity to eliminate a thorn in her side had presented itself. Her eyes glinted maliciously as she looked at Lilibet’s maids.
“They are lying! Those women are lying!”
Grace screamed, but as more maids came forward, one after another testified.
“The truth is… we saw it too. We saw this man escaping from Lady Grace’s bedroom balcony…”
The maids here were from the empire’s and kingdom’s top families, chosen to serve the ladies in hopes of them becoming empresses. These experienced and quick-witted maids quickly grasped the situation. Seeing the Empress Dowager’s signal to Lilibet’s maids, they realized the tide was turning unfavorably for Grace. To benefit their own mistresses, who also viewed Grace as a strong competitor, they chose to act now, especially with the Emperor promising a great reward.
Suddenly, the sound of boots was heard from the stairs, and several soldiers stepped forward and bowed to the Emperor. Among them was a female investigator.
“After searching all the annexes…”
The female investigator held up a cloth bundle.
“We found a man’s underwear in Lady Grace’s mattress. We’ll investigate if it belongs to the captured soldier.”
Once again, the unexpected twist left everyone holding their breath, eyes on the Emperor. A satisfied smile crept onto the Emperor’s lips as he nodded.
“There’s no need for further investigation. We can ask the person directly. Is this yours?”
The Emperor turned to the soldier, who nodded slowly.
“Yes, it is.”
“Lies! They’re all lying to incriminate me!”
Grace, eyes wild, lunged at the soldier, grabbing his collar and screaming.
“Tell them you were in Arabelle’s bedroom! Tell them!”
The soldier, shaking under Grace’s grip, slowly opened his eyes and replied.
“It’s all over, my lady. Our… relationship is now exposed to the world.”
Grace’s face contorted with disbelief at the soldier’s outrageous lie.
“No! This is a conspiracy. It’s all a conspiracy!”
She snatched the cloth bundle from the female investigator’s hands, pulling out the underwear and clutching it desperately.
“This should have been found in Arabelle’s bed. I gave it to her! I did! Why would I hide this in my own bed? I told you to hide it in Arabelle’s bed!”
Her words were incoherent in her rage.
“You wretches! How could you have seen a man escaping from my bedroom when he didn’t even go near Arabelle’s bedroom and escaped over the wall?”
She pointed accusatorily at two young women standing in the middle, who were staring in shock. They were old friends of Grace and had been her accomplices, aiding her malicious deeds under the Duchess’s influence.
“You know the truth! Why don’t you speak it? You were the ones who hid a man’s underwear in Lady Esther’s bed during the last selection! This man has nothing to do with me!”
The faces of the two ladies turned pale as Grace dragged them into the mess.
As Grace ranted, it was the Duchess who interrupted. She slapped Grace so hard that she fell to the floor. Grace clutched her bruised cheek, staring in disbelief at the woman standing over her.
“I’ve known about your vile and wicked nature for a long time, but I tolerated it because you were my only niece. But to commit such unforgivable acts… You’re a disgrace to the LeSang family!”
The Duchess looked down at Grace with cold eyes, her lips curling in disdain.
Stupid girl. So full of herself, yet powerless. I can’t fall with such a pitiful fool.
The Duchess’s eyes showed not a trace of affection or pity as she gazed at the quivering Grace.
“Aunt…”
As Grace realized the Duchess would abandon her, she stammered, but the Duchess cut her off sharply.
“Don’t even speak my name! Taking in an orphan like you was a mistake. You’ve become a knife in our family’s back.”
The Duchess turned and bowed deeply to the Emperor, pleading.
“I have no excuse, Your Majesty. This is entirely my fault, and I lack the virtue to handle it. Please conduct a thorough investigation and punish those responsible. But know that this incident has nothing to do with the LeSang family.”
The Emperor nodded, observing the scene with a smile that seemed almost benevolent.
“Take Lady Grace, those three candidates, and their maids to the interrogation room immediately. It seems that Lady Esther, who was wrongfully expelled last time, might have been falsely accused. Investigate thoroughly and restore her honor.”
At the Emperor’s command, the Imperial Investigation Unit swiftly moved to arrest the dozen or so women. In an instant, the number of empress candidates dropped from eleven to eight.
“There’s no need for anyone to stay any longer.”
The Emperor’s cold voice sent the remaining women scurrying out of Arabelle’s annex, terrified of being caught in the fallout.
As the bowed Duchess sighed in relief, the Emperor thought, The reason I’m letting you go now…
The Emperor glanced briefly at the Empress Dowager, who was smiling in victory, then looked away.
…is so that you two can tear each other apart.
The Duchess’s eyes flashed with a murderous glint, sensing the Emperor’s intention. She bit her lip hard enough to taste blood, vowing to herself. She swore to make the Empress Dowager pay and never allow Lilibet to become Empress. The fragile alliance between them had shattered.
With everyone gone, the Emperor turned to Arabelle’s maids and Milli, speaking kindly.
“You’ve all done well. Go and rest now.”
The maids hurriedly descended to the first floor, trying to avoid the Emperor’s benevolent yet intimidating gaze. Surprisingly, Arabelle was unaware of what had transpired that night.
The maids and Milli had agreed with the Emperor’s assessment that it was better for Arabelle not to know what had happened tonight. The innocent lady, who was unaccustomed to deceit, would only draw suspicion from her enemies.
The maids and Milli sat in the kitchen, calming their racing hearts.
“I never imagined His Majesty would hide underwear in Lady Grace’s room.”
“Neither did I. When the soldier confessed to being in a relationship with Lady Grace, I almost screamed.”
“We were just supposed to make a scene by the pond and then come in to block the soldiers. I thought our only role was to protect Lady Arabelle’s honor. But His Majesty had planned even beyond that.”
“My heart is still pounding. Suddenly, there are only eight candidates left.”
They whispered, casting nervous glances at the staircase.
***
In Arabelle’s bedroom.
“Were you very frightened?”
The Emperor gently pulled Arabelle closer, his arm around her waist, and asked kindly.
“No, I wasn’t. With Your Majesty here, I wasn’t scared at all.”
Arabelle shook her head, her voice sincere. She had been a little surprised, but knowing the Emperor was with her, she felt no fear.
As promised, the Emperor visited Arabelle’s bedroom that evening. He held her close, assuring her not to be afraid of what was to come while satisfying his desires. Then, the loud footsteps and voice of the Captain of the Guards were heard.
[Open the door,] he requested, as the Emperor gently adjusted Arabelle’s clothes and then suddenly began stripping himself.
By the time the second request was made, Arabelle was seated on the sofa, and the Emperor, almost completely undressed, lay leisurely on the bed.
“I’m glad that the honor of Lady Esther, who was wrongfully accused and sent to the convent, can be restored. And the knight who was expelled with her too.”
Arabelle said, resting her head against the Emperor’s chest. The Emperor thought to himself.
At the time, it hadn’t concerned him. When he heard about it, he briefly thought those wicked people might have played a trick, but he didn’t pay it much attention. The idea that Arabelle could suffer such an injustice made his blood boil. The lady who had been falsely accused and her family, as well as the knight and his family, must have suffered greatly.
In the past, the Emperor wouldn’t have cared, but holding Arabelle now, he thought they deserved proper compensation.
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