Inside the Duke's office in the castle.
Iana was sitting with Charles, Mulle, and a senior knight, discussing matters.
“Oh my….”
Iana looked shocked as she glanced at the several empty bottles of alcohol placed beside the desk.
“Your Grace, the Duke, did you really drink all of that?”
“I had to drink that much for it to show a little on my face.”
Charles replied with a perfectly composed expression.
Iana looked at the senior knight, as if asking whether he was really okay, unable to believe it.
“That’s not too much to drink.”
The senior knight chuckled lightly.
“Still, having dampened the spirits of the investigation team, they won’t dare to act recklessly.”
“...Yes.”
Charles spoke soothingly, but Iana's expression remained heavy.
It was because she couldn’t predict how Liel, who was skilled in schemes, would attack.
‘Should I tell them that Liel is going to become the Empress?’
Iana contemplated bringing it up under the pretense of foresight magic.
But Liel was the woman from the treasonous family that had attempted to poison the current Emperor's brother, the Crown Prince.
At that time, the current Emperor had commemorated the Crown Prince every year, so in that atmosphere, Liel could never become the Empress.
Charles, sitting next to her, cautiously asked as he observed Iana's expression.
“Why are you worried?”
“Pardon? It’s not that….”
“Then is it uncomfortable for you?”
Iana understood the meaning behind his short words perfectly.
Her ex-husband had come with the government.
He was asking if she felt uncomfortable seeing that.
The serious expression she had was for another reason, but she didn’t want to cause Charles unnecessary worry.
“Your Grace, the Duke, can I speak frankly?”
“Yes. It’s fine. Please feel free to say anything.”
Iana subtly pinched her nose with her hand and complained in a distressed voice.
“It smells too much like alcohol.”
“Pardon?”
“I can’t breathe.”
Charles laughed at Iana’s unexpected response.
The senior knight quickly approached the window and opened it.
“You can’t stand the smell of horse dung, and you can’t stand the smell of alcohol! With such a weak stomach, what use are you?”
Mulle, sitting across from them, clicked his tongue.
“Is it really that distressing?”
“...Yes.”
When Charles asked, Iana nodded vigorously.
“Then you shouldn’t drink anymore from now on.”
Charles's voice was gentle, as if soothing a child.
Though it was a considerate remark, it felt like a promise one would make to a lover, making Iana feel embarrassed and shy.
In the strange atmosphere, both Mulle and the senior knight glanced at Iana.
As their gazes combined, her pale cheeks turned red.
Knock, knock, knock.
At that moment, there was a hurried knock on the office door.
When the senior knight approached and opened the door, a guard entered.
“The investigation team has designated Iana as the first investigator.”
“...!”
All eyes turned to Iana.
“On what grounds?”
Charles asked with a sharp gaze.
“As a victim attacked by the magic hound of the First Knight Brigade.”
A little while later, Iana walked alongside Charles down the castle corridor.
Duke's knights were controlling access at every entrance of the castle.
With the Emperor's investigation team arriving, the already strict security measures of the Duke's castle had been reinforced.
“I expected they would call you under the pretext of an investigation, but I didn’t think you would be the first to be investigated.”
“...I see.”
“After all, there’s the matter of public attention.”
“Karion doesn’t care about the public’s attention when he’s angry.”
When Iana replied, Charles stopped in his tracks.
“I know you’re used to it, but….”
“...?”
“Perhaps it would be better not to refer to Count Dietrian in such a familiar way anymore.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. It just slipped out.”
Iana bowed her head politely.
“It’s nothing to apologize for. I’ll say it again, at first, act as if you’re strangers.”
As Charles whispered in her ear, Iana responded softly, her face flushed.
“I remember you saying that drawing suspicion would make it easier to find evidence.”
“Mulle and I will be nearby.”
Charles seemed worried about her emotions exploding and her magic erupting, just like when Masel had come.
“Well then, I’ll be off!”
Iana answered cheerfully on purpose and headed towards the tower.
The Emperor's investigation team needed a prison to hold those they would apprehend. So the investigation was conducted in the tower, which had a dungeon.
A little while later, Iana descended to the basement, guided by the Imperial Army.
They took her to the room where she had spoken with Masel.
Creak-.
As the Imperial soldier opened the iron door, Iana stepped into the investigation room.
Karion was sitting in the place where her brother Masel had been.
“Sit.”
He gestured with his chin towards the chair across from him.
Iana sat down silently.
Karion crossed his arms and stared at her with a slow gaze.
Silence filled the investigation room.
Unable to endure Karion's unpleasant gaze any longer, Iana spoke first.
“Count Dietrian, if you’ve come to investigate, then please do so.”
“Alright. Then let me ask you one thing.”
“...?”
Karion asked bluntly.
“Did you sleep with him?”
“What?”
Iana questioned in disbelief.
“Did you sleep with Duke Ervin?”
Karion, who had thrown the question, observed Iana's expression.
“What does that have to do with the investigation team?”
“It has to do with it, so I’m asking. So answer me properly.”
“Don’t insult the Duke with such ridiculous rumors.”
Iana deliberately averted her gaze, pretending to be flustered. Karion's eyes darkened.
“Disgusting.”
“What did you say?”
“I said you, Iana, who committed adultery, are disgusting.”
“Adultery was committed by you, Karion, or rather Count Dietrian, with Chloe and Liel.”
Karion stood up and walked over to Iana's side.
She looked at him with a tense expression.
“Iana, let me give you a piece of advice as your ex-husband.”
“I don’t need advice from an ex-husband.”
Karion brushed aside her fallen hair as if he were a caring husband.
Smack-.
Iana slapped Karion's hand away.
“What are you doing?”
“Iana, you will soon be discarded. By Duke Ervin.”
“...?”
“When a man takes a woman’s body, his heart quickly cools.”
Karion knew well that he was saying this to insult her. But the words about being discarded pierced her painfully.
“Why, do you think Duke Ervin is serious about you? Did he promise to make you the Duchess?”
Karion continued with a mocking tone.
“Do you think the royal family would accept a woman with a history of divorce and who is ill, unable to guarantee an heir?”
“...?”
“A divorced woman is just easy to take advantage of.”
Iana's hands trembled with indignation. But she couldn’t let herself be swayed by the hurtful words meant to wound her and ruin everything.
After a moment of thought, Iana spoke calmly.
“Your words, Count Dietrian, hold an answer.”
“...?”
“Why would someone like me be liked by Duke Ervin? A woman with a history of divorce and who is ill, unable to guarantee an heir.”
“So stop deluding yourself and get a grip.”
Karion sneered, but Iana continued undeterred.
“I asked to be disowned by the Lechels family. Because my history of divorce would be a hindrance to my brother becoming a great magician. But I had nowhere to go.”
“Who would think you wouldn’t know? You fought a war to take the position of Duchess after your divorce.”
“I was accepted by Duke Ervin when I had nowhere to go. He even gave me a job as a magic scribe because I’m the daughter of a magician’s family.”
As Iana spoke, she recalled everything that had happened.
Looking back, when she couldn’t trust anyone and had nowhere to turn, Charles had been by her side.
“I’m so grateful that he accepted me when I had no one to rely on….”
“Stop your tricks!”
Karion grabbed Iana's cheeks roughly with his large hands.
“If Duke Ervin wants it, I want to give him my body and heart.”
“Iana….”
He looked at Iana with a shocked expression.
With desperate, tear-filled eyes, she said,
“I don’t care if I’m discarded.”
She returned the words to Karion, like a dagger of betrayal.
At that time, in the secret room next to the tower's investigation room.
Charles and Mulle had come down through a secret passage to eavesdrop on Iana and Karion's conversation.
This was to prepare for a situation where her magic might explode or Karion might harm her.
But every word they heard through the wall was like a knife and poison.
“Is that crazy Count holding a knife in his mouth? How can he say such things….”
Mulle was at a loss for words, shocked.
“I can’t listen any longer.”
As Charles was about to stand up from where he was perched on the desk and head out the door,
“Stop your tricks!”
Karion's irritable voice rang out. Then Iana's voice pierced Charles's heart painfully.
“If Duke Ervin wants it, I want to give him my body and heart.”
“Iana….”
“I don’t care if I’m discarded.”
“...!”
Mulle was left speechless, his face filled with shock.
Bang! Bang!
Suddenly, there was a sound of something breaking from the investigation room.
“...!”
Charles and Mulle exchanged glances. The two of them turned and walked towards the corridor leading to the investigation room.
“Your Grace, the Duke, we are currently in the middle of an investigation….”
The Imperial soldiers guarding the front of the investigation room were startled by the sudden appearance of the Duke and tried to block him. But Charles pushed through with a fierce determination.
Bang-.
The iron door of the investigation room swung open violently as Charles entered.
Karion was standing with Iana pushed against the wall.
“Your Grace, the Duke, what are you doing?”
Karion shouted sharply.
In that moment, Charles's eyes fell on Iana. There was red blood smeared on her pale cheek.