CHAPTER 93……………………..
Dawn — the sun had only half shown its face over the horizon.
The face of Duke Penelope, walking through the still dim, quiet imperial palace, was as pale as could be.
He’d gotten himself into quite a predicament because of that woman who’d been running around the whole newspaper office and spilling secrets about the Jaegers.
Of all times, the Emperor had summoned him this early.
What if they began interrogating him about the Jaegers?
“I must say it’s a lie.”
He had no choice but to dismiss it as the slander of that scheming woman.
It was odd to begin with that she had any knowledge of the Jaegers to blab about.
How on earth did she know all of that?
“If I’d known she’d know those secrets, I should have definitely killed her!”
How could not one person have succeeded? The Duke’s lips trembled as he thought of the Jaegers — never before had any of them failed at their duties.
Had that old man already found out and planted someone with the heir?
“No, that can’t be…”
No one could sense the movements of the Jaegers.
Yet when he remembered that announcement the old man had made at the banquet a few days prior about the will, it had felt as if the man knew all of his plans.
“Jacques Lorenzo.”
Of course—this was clearly that man’s doing.
So the Duke had long since locked him up in the underground where the divine beasts were kept.
“I meant to interrogate him, but perhaps I should just kill him.”
A cold murderous glint flashed in the Duke’s eyes. Standing tense in front of the audience chamber, he knocked.
“I have come, Your Majesty.”
At those words, the emperor’s steward opened the door.
The Duke’s eyes widened when he stepped into the reception chamber.
The Emperor was not alone.
“…Marquis Blake?”
It was odd enough that he was here — but why on the Emperor’s right-hand side?
To be given the seat on the right meant the Emperor regarded you as his right arm; it was a mark of trust.
And that seat had usually been Duke Penelope’s.
“This is not a good sign.”
Moreover, Marquis Blake was not empty-handed.
He held a small basket in his arms.
At a glance it looked like a cradle to lay a baby in.
Normally the Duke wouldn’t have even paid it any mind, but today that basket made him feel strangely uneasy.
He stood rooted to the spot.
“Duke, don’t just stand there—sit.”
The Emperor smiled slowly and nodded toward the empty seat on the left.
As Duke Penelope sat opposite Marquis Blake, his attention was drawn inevitably to the cradle.
“Long time no see.”
Marquis Blake snorted a laugh. But his look toward the Duke carried a chill colder than frost.
“Duke, I’ve heard an interesting story recently—would you like to hear it?”
The Emperor swirled his cup as he spoke.
Although smiling, his eyes were not, and that made him feel even colder. The Duke forced a smile and replied.
“Yes… Your Majesty, I am curious, too.”
The Emperor took a sip and began speaking slowly.
“I heard Jacqueline nearly became the target of an assassination, did she not? Those loud mouths are making such a fuss — you must have heard it too. And the reason for it is…”
A trace of poison flashed at the corner of his mouth.
“They say Jacqueline found out that the Duke had lost his divine beast and tried to have her killed. They even sent specially raised children to do it.”
“….”
Duke Penelope swallowed dryly.
“I was about to dismiss it as foolish gossip, but it keeps coming up and I couldn’t ignore it. Why don’t you tell me yourself, Duke? Is this true?”
“No. That’s slander! I would never have tried to kill Jacqueline.”
The Duke denied it fiercely. The Emperor watched the trembling hand the Duke could not hide and lifted a corner of his mouth.
“Well, I don’t care that much if some woman gets killed. That’s not the issue.”
Clack. He set his cup down; a murderous light settled in his pale blue eyes.
“Why is it that I always have to hear these things through reporters?”
“I will correct that. I will take measures immediately so false reports cannot be published.”
“Then is the story about losing a divine beast also false?”
The Duke hesitated.
He closed his mouth for a moment and then opened it again.
“Of course it’s false! There’s no need to pay heed to mere sensationalists, Your Majesty!”
“Is that so…?”
The Emperor’s gaze, which had been fixed on Duke Penelope, turned sharply.
“You say that, but what does the Marquis think? Should I believe this story?”
Marquis Blake, leisurely sipping his tea beside him, opened his lips slowly.
“I would urge Your Majesty to trust only the truth you can see.”
“The truth you can see?”
Duke Penelope, thrown by the odd flow of the conversation, felt confused — but then he realized what the Marquis meant.
Marquis Blake suddenly set the basket in his lap and folded back the cloth covering it.
“…!!!”
Duke Penelope’s eyes widened when he saw inside the basket.
At first glance it looked like an ordinary white cat, but the Duke recognized it at once.
“This… this is—”
“Is that a cat the Duke knows?”
“Ah, no.”
At the Emperor’s casual question, the Duke flinched. He should have pretended ignorance, but his shocked reaction had already revealed him.
He belatedly denied it, but it was too late to undo the damage.
He bit his lip in panic. Watching him, Lennox spoke calmly.
“If it is a lie, then Duke, perhaps you should bring the real white-tiger divine beast here.”
Duke Penelope’s expression hardened.
“You can’t expose a divine beast to the outside so carelessly.”
“In that case I will go myself. Come, show me the way, Duke.”
The Emperor winked at him with a smile.
“It’s a good opportunity to see if the divine beasts are well after a long time.”
“But—”
“Duke, are you refusing?”
“It’s just that the place is too squalid and dirty to receive Your Majesty.”
“Then bring them here.”
The Emperor made a sound of realization, as if remembering something he’d forgotten.
“Ah, you said it couldn’t be exposed. Then I have no way to check?”
A cold sweat rolled down Duke Penelope’s forehead.
He was trapped between a rock and a hard place.
There was one more worry.
His gaze went to the white-tiger divine beast in the basket.
The creature’s eyes were closed as if in a deep sleep.
‘If that beast is only pretending to be asleep…!’
“You look like you wonder whether it’s truly asleep.”
Marquis Blake spoke. It seemed he already knew what the Duke was anxious about.
“The white-tiger divine beast.”
At his call, Mion climbed down from the basket and stood with his back to the window.
His leg still ached, but he masked it and assumed a human form.
At that moment a dazzling radiance wrapped around the cat’s body.
- whoosshh.
White hair streamed in the breeze blowing through the open window.
Though the beast took on human form in the sunlight, there was nothing human about him.
His pupils were not like a human’s; they clearly showed catlike features.
Mion looked at the Duke and spoke plainly.
“The Duke ordered me to read the memories of the Emperor, you know.”
“What nonsense are you spouting!”
“And he asked me to tell him your weaknesses.”
At the same time the Emperor slowly rose to his feet.
In his hand was not a cup but a sword in its scabbard.
With the sword dangling toward his throat, Duke Penelope hurriedly protested, pale-faced.
“Your Majesty! This is slander!”
“Is there any way to prove that?” the Emperor asked. Mion, expressionless, opened his mouth.
“The Jaegers are behind the recent murder of Count Ruspine. The Count, who was not involved in any plot to kill the Emperor, was silenced to cover things up.”
“You—this blasted feline must have truly turned mad!!”
The Duke’s eyes bulged at this, his face turning blue rather than red with fury.
“Count Ruspine was surprisingly loyal for his youth…”
the Emperor muttered.
Sensing the murderous gaze fixed on him, the Duke quickly dropped to his knees.
“Your Majesty, this is all slander!! Do not be swayed by these plots!”
His voice, shaking the reception chamber, sounded bitter and grievous. The Emperor let out a sigh.
“From the start I must choose between believing the lies of my relative who keeps denying everything, or the testimony of a divine beast.”
He spoke slowly.
“This is quite the predicament, Duke.”
The angle of the sword at the Duke’s throat shifted.
Clack.
As the scabbard fell and hit the floor, the hidden sharp blade slipped free and revealed itself.
The Duke realized the Emperor meant to kill him; fear washed over his face.
“I hate lies, Duke. And especially lies from those close to me…”
The smile had long since gone from the Emperor’s lips.
“They make me very uncomfortable.”
