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"Seulanka. The poison you used when you killed Raul, the sculptor's assistant."
"......!"
Riel's eyes flickered slightly at Iana's unexpected words.
The incident of Riel poisoning Raul while enjoying the Emperor's favor had been overlooked.
Under the leadership of Duke Havel.
Iana deliberately brought up Seulanka from the Empress's food to bring the incident to the surface.
"You have to pay the price for all the sins you've committed. Don't you think?"
At Iana's words, Riel scoffed with a brazen face.
"What did I do wrong? I just killed someone who deserved to die."
"......"
Iana quietly stared at Riel.
Riel kept her gaze on Charles and the Empress, who were conversing in front, and murmured in a low voice.
"If I hadn't killed him, he would have killed me first. It was just a legitimate act of a person whose life was threatened."
Iana pondered how to respond to Riel's words.
Then, she suddenly remembered what Riel had said at the monastery on the last day of her previous life.
"Riel, you probably don't remember, but you said this to me."
"......?"
"People don't see the truth, but what they want to see."
"So?"
"What would people want to see more? The struggles of a noble-born maid trying to save her life, or......"
"......"
Riel's face contorted fiercely at the word "maid."
"The downfall of a villainess who stole her friend's husband to become a Count's mistress and tried to poison the Empress to take her place."
"But Seulanka is also the chemical Iana, you used to ruin the Goddess of Pain at the Count's estate. Out of jealousy for Lady Chloe."
Riel retorted without backing down.
Iana stepped closer to Riel and spoke with an arrogant face.
"Then bring me the evidence that I ruined the Goddess of Pain."
"......"
"Because I have evidence that you did."
Iana and Riel glared fiercely at each other.
Just as Riel was about to speak, Charles and the Empress approached them.
"Greetings to Her Majesty the Empress."
Iana and Riel bowed to the Empress.
"The two of you were together."
"Then I'll be on my way. It seems like the three of you need to talk."
At the Empress's words, Riel left meaningful words and walked leisurely down the hallway.
Clack, clack.
Riel straightened her back and moved her steps with ease.
As if she had nothing to hide.
As Riel walked away, the Empress opened her mouth in a low voice.
"Lady Riel seems like a very impressive person in some ways. Seeing her so confident even in this situation."
Iana watched Riel's back with sharp eyes.
"She's scared, that's why. Riel pretends to be confident when she's scared."
Riel stopped in front of the Emperor's office and looked at Iana.
The two women's eyes met once again.
Iana thought as she looked at Riel.
'Riel, the trajectory of the life you've lived will suffocate you. From now on......'
✦ ✦ ✦
Iana headed to the Empress Palace's reception room with Charles and the Empress.
Under Charles's orders, knights of The First Order of Knights stood guard throughout the Empress Palace.
The three sat around the table and talked.
"I did as Iana Archmage said, but I don't know if it will be alright."
The Empress seemed bothered by the fact that she had lied to the Emperor.
Iana reassured the worried Empress.
"The only thing that can protect His Majesty right now is public sentiment."
"......"
"If everyone's eyes are on His Majesty and Lady Riel, they won't be able to act rashly."
Charles continued Iana's words.
"If the Rubena Empire changes to a theocratic political system and His Majesty the Emperor gains immense power, he won't even fear public sentiment."
"......Instead, Iana Archmage will be caught up in controversy because of me?"
The Empress looked at Iana with an apologetic face.
Iana expected to be caught up in controversy.
Before the divorce, she pretended to have ruined the Goddess of Pain for Vera, who had been unfairly framed.
But she had handed the small amount of Seulanka that Marcel had brought to the Empress, and the Empress had coordinated with the servants to secretly put Seulanka in the soup.
"Since Seulanka came out of His Majesty's food, a thorough investigation will be inevitable. I just hope that in the process, Riel's misdeeds using Seulanka will be revealed."
"......"
"Even if I get caught up in controversy."
Iana answered calmly.
The Empress stopped trying to say something and finished her words.
"Then I will make sure that no innocent people are punished in this matter."
Charles, who had been listening quietly, spoke in a low voice.
"If the rumor that Lady Riel will become the Empress and the fact that poison came out of Her Majesty the Empress's food are combined and spread to the world......"
"......"
"It will cause a huge ripple."
✦ ✦ ✦
Meanwhile, Riel entered the office and stood blankly.
The Emperor kept his eyes on the documents and didn't say a word.
Riel didn't bother to speak first either.
An icy silence flowed.
Rustle-.
How much time had passed? With the sound of turning paper, the Emperor opened his mouth in a low voice.
"Riel, is this your doing?"
"......"
"I asked if you did it."
The Emperor raised his head and urged for an answer.
'You have to take the lead when you feel a crisis.'
Riel realized the Emperor's intention and calmly continued her words.
"If I say it wasn't me, wouldn't Your Majesty ask what I knew you were asking about and answering that it wasn't me?"
"......"
"If you have something you want to ask, I would appreciate it if you would ask me directly without testing me."
Riel bowed politely and raised her head. Her eyes were confident, as if claiming innocence.
"Then how did you know what I was going to ask?"
"I happened to meet Iana Archmage in front of the office and heard the story."
Riel emphasized the word "happened."
"Iana Archmage?"
The Emperor was lost in thought for a moment and then asked in a subdued voice.
"Alright. Is it your doing that you put poison in the Empress's food?"
"If I were to assassinate Her Majesty the Empress, I would disguise it as an accident or hire an assassin."
"What?"
The Emperor frowned as if he was dumbfounded when Riel spoke so freely about the Empress's assassination.
"Those methods are risky, but I wouldn't have carried out the plan in a way that my family has failed."
"So you're saying that someone did that to frame you. Is that what you want to say?"
Riel slowly approached the Emperor and said.
"God must be a flawless being. Isn't Your Majesty about to be revered as a god soon? But if I am unfairly framed like this......"
"......"
"People will think that Your Majesty's choice to bring me into the Imperial Palace was wrong."
Riel and the Emperor's eyes met.
Knock, knock.
At that moment, the secretary's voice was heard along with the sound of knocking on the door.
"Your Majesty, the ministers are all gathered in the conference hall."
"Tell them to wait a moment, I'll be there soon."
The Emperor ordered the secretary and then got up from his seat.
"Riel, I understand what you mean, so you can go now."
Riel greeted him and immediately left the office and headed to the annex.
She could feel the passing maids and guards glancing at her as she walked.
At that moment, Riel had a good idea.
'Yes, there was such a way.'
Riel arrived at her residence and gave instructions to the maid.
"I have a headache, so call a healer right now."
"Yes, Madam."
A moment later, the healer entered the room with a flustered face.
"Madam, I heard something strange just now. Poison came out of the Empress's food?"
"It seems that our plan has been leaked somewhere."
"Then what should we do?"
Riel gestured for the healer to come closer.
As the healer approached, Riel said in a meaningful voice.
"Tell Duke Havel, who is in the conference hall right now."
"Now?"
The healer seemed burdened by moving in a situation where people's attention was focused.
Riel's eyes turned sharp.
"Then are you just going to sit here and be defeated?"
"Ah, no."
"Tell him this. The investigation of this incident......"
"......?"
"Have Count Dietrian, who was the Emperor's investigator, take charge."
The corner of Riel's mouth went up after she finished speaking.
'Count Dietrian, who is under Duke Havel, will never take Iana's side.'
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