IDTRAFTML 130 💥

~Chapter 130~

“The horse feed brought in consists of alfalfa, fescue, and ryegrass.”

“All of them are common grasses.”

After hearing the aide’s report, Bastian put down the pen he had been holding.

“When all three types were burned, there were no special characteristics?”

“Yes. They simply burned like ordinary hay.”

“I thought something would turn up… this won’t be easy.”

For a moment, the atmosphere in the office sank heavily.

Richard and I both let out deep sighs.

I thought carefully, wondering if we had missed something.

“What if something was done to the hay piles?”

If there had been no problem when the hay was brought in, it was possible that something was done after it was placed near the barracks.

It was a small hope—but Bastian shook his head with a grim expression.

“Even when you were away, knights were guarding the barracks. No one approached, and all of them are Richard’s trusted men. There’s no chance they were bribed.”

“Then how did such a huge fire start…?”

“At this point, the only option is to summon everyone who handled the inspection.”

At Bastian’s signal, the aide nodded and left the office.

“Amelie, go back and rest now. If anything comes up, we’ll let you know.”

“Yes. You should focus on recovering—there’s no need for you to struggle like this.”

“No, it’s fine. Since it happened where I was, I should help as much as I can.”

“You’ve already done everything you can. It’s just that fires don’t leave evidence easily.”

Leaning back against his chair, Bastian let his shoulders slump as if all strength had left him.

In just one day, his face had grown noticeably worn.

News of yesterday’s incident had already spread throughout the Empire.

They knew it was the Empress’s doing—but there was no clear way to stop her.

How did stories like this get resolved in romance fantasy novels?

That was all I had left to rely on now.

I searched my memory, recalling schemes villains had used in similar situations, and how the protagonists uncovered them.

“The fire pattern being different only around Amelie’s barracks means something was definitely done to the hay.”

“I agree. But those who inspected the hay were more careful than usual. I can’t figure out what trick was used.”

A trick… wait. A trick?

Bastian’s words made something flash through my mind.

“What if grass that looks very similar was mixed in?”

“Similar grass?”

“Yes. Something hard to distinguish by sight or touch.”

It was a method revealed in a story where a villain tried to poison the heroine.

They used a poisonous plant that looked almost identical to the tea leaves she drank every day.

With that kind of deception, they wouldn’t even need to approach the barracks.

“…The Marchioness of Riorn studied botany.”

Richard, who had been listening quietly, spoke up.

The Marchioness of Riorn?

The unfamiliar name made me listen more closely.

If she studied botany, she could be connected to this.

“The Marchioness of Riorn… you mean the Empress’s younger sister?”

“Yes.”

“If she studied botany, then she could have been involved.”

“The Marchioness passed away several years ago. But since my mother grew up with her, she could have learned plant knowledge as well. It’s entirely possible.”

“Oh… she passed away.”

I had thought the Marchioness might be an accomplice, but that wasn’t the case.

Still, Richard’s words gave my theory more weight.

Bastian immediately ordered the aide to secretly summon trustworthy botanists.

“But I heard the Empress and the Marchioness didn’t get along.”

“When they were young, they were inseparable. Later, I heard the Marchioness had feelings for the Emperor, and that caused their relationship to break.”

“I didn’t know the Marchioness was connected to the Emperor as well.”

Bastian gave a bitter smile, likely thinking of his own mother who had loved the Emperor.

The Empress’s sister must have married someone else, but even so, the story left a bad taste.

“Anyway, thanks to the wise Crown Princess, things may finally move forward. Thank you for the great help.”

“You’re welcome. I just hope I wasn’t mistaken.”

I spoke modestly, but in truth, I was almost certain.

This was the confidence of a seasoned romance-fantasy reader.

Of course, instincts could be wrong sometimes—but still.

“I’ll gather the botanists this evening and have them investigate. Once we have results, I’ll inform you.”

“Yes, thank you.”

I sincerely hoped this would be resolved quickly so Bastian could finally rest easier.

With that wish, I bowed lightly.

Hoo—

After slowly exhaling the herbal smoke she had inhaled, the Empress lifted her wine glass.

“I never thought she’d escape that. The fire should have engulfed the barracks all at once.”

She clicked her tongue and swallowed the wine.

The candlelight reflected in the glass made yesterday’s fire feel all the more regrettable.

With every window covered by curtains, the room was as dark as the dead of night. The few candles burning inside flickered fiercely in the Empress’s eyes.

“I told you. She wouldn’t go down so easily.”

From across the Empress, a figure emerged.

The person sat on the sofa and removed a dark crimson robe.

Platinum-blonde hair, stained red by candlelight, fell over her chest.

In the dim light, Yvonne revealed her face, wearing a cold expression.

“I don’t want to hear that from someone who couldn’t even carry out the plan properly.”

“And who said it didn’t go as planned?”

Yvonne sneered at the Empress’s sharp words.

This is why she’s nothing more than a villain.

Yvonne was tired of the Empress’s stupidity—but for now, she had no choice but to cooperate.

“Did you find him?”

“Of course. He’ll arrive in the Empire in two days.”

“He ran for his life, yet you still caught him.”

“If he tries to run once he enters the Empire, I’ll tear his mouth open. Even with a torn mouth, people can still be killed.”

Yvonne spoke these chilling words without blinking and drank straight from the bottle.

The Empress frowned, then quickly covered it with a smile.

If it meant getting rid of Amelie Garnet, she could tolerate a woman’s bad mood.

But allowing someone with such a cruel nature to have interest in Richard was unacceptable.

Still, dealing with Yvonne Medinal would come after she had been fully used.

“Fine. As long as I can use you, do as you like.”

“Did Your Majesty clean up yesterday’s matter perfectly?”

“What’s there to clean up? Everything burned down. There’s no evidence.”

“I meant—did you eliminate everyone involved?”

Despite her calm tone, there was clear criticism in Yvonne’s words.

Startled, the Empress had to drink more wine to steady herself.

“Kill everyone who helped prepare this incident. Even if the culprit isn’t identified, it’s only a matter of time before it’s revealed that this was a scheme.”

“How could they possibly—! …Fine. I’ll do it.”

The Empress suppressed her anger and agreed.

Yvonne Medinal had never been wrong before. Following her advice was the safer choice.

“So then—is there anything else I need to do?”