~Chapter 83~
‘There’s no way she’ll welcome me.’
Camilla shivered from the cold. The hall was beautifully decorated, but thinking she might die made her mind go blank and her body tremble.
“Last time, in the beast-filled arena, I owed you a debt.”
The fierce knights behind the Empress Dowager glared at Camilla, ready to strike at any moment.
“A debt, Your Majesty? It was only my loyal effort to bring you pleasure.”
“Ho, ho! You speak well, even though you’ve been captured!”
Camilla’s flattery was only a survival tactic, but the Empress seemed pleased.
‘I have to survive.’
She could not die now. To meet Dane safely and take down the baron, she needed to protect herself first. That meant submitting to her captors for now.
“Ah, it was fun, really. It’s been so long since something this thrilling happened.”
The Empress smiled, recalling the near-death thrill from the arena. A sensation she rarely felt otherwise.
“It was interesting that such a scheme came from Glamis’ worthless half-breed.”
“…I am honored, Your Majesty.”
‘Ares brought me here, and it seems they don’t want to kill me immediately.’
Camilla wondered what the Empress really wanted.
“It reminded me of Stella from fifty years ago.”
Camilla’s fingers twitched.
“That girl almost became Grand Duchess, even though she was a half-breed. Hmph, I destroyed her in the end.”
‘Meisa… So the Empress has been plotting since my mother’s betrayal.’
“Of course, that doesn’t mean I don’t find you contemptible.”
The Empress’ voice sharpened suddenly. Camilla bowed low.
“You insolent child. You tried to cut my important source of income. Bold, but overstepping.”
It was a rebuke for trying to destroy Glamis. Camilla had to choose her words carefully.
“…Your Majesty, if an organization could be toppled by a half-breed girl’s scheme, perhaps it was never suitable to serve as your hands and feet, with all due respect.”
Silence followed. The cold in the palace seeped through her wet clothes. Camilla swallowed hard.
Tap!
The Empress struck her golden armrest with her fan and laughed.
“Ho, ho, ho! You speak well!”
The silk fan tore, but she didn’t care.
“Yes, that’s right! My hands and feet must not collapse so easily!”
Her lips stretched into a wide smile, pleased by the words.
“So tell me, child. Raise your head.”
Camilla obeyed and looked up at the Empress.
This was the power behind the throne for over fifty years, the hidden enemy of her enemies.
“Would you like to become the new head of Glamis?”
The unexpected question made Camilla’s eyes widen.
Hans swallowed nervously. Reporting to his new master, Dane, now Grand Duke, felt intimidating.
“The maid?”
“…She insists she knows nothing, despite the torture. She knows how to resist.”
Dane turned to Hans with a cold gaze and handed him a wax-sealed letter.
“Deliver this to the head of the Everitt family. I will personally interrogate the maid.”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
Creaaak.
The interrogation room opened. The maid, disheveled, raised her head.
“…Grand Duke.”
Unlike before, she acknowledged Dane’s new title.
“I have served the Grand Duke’s family for decades. If it was my fault Lucy was endangered, I will accept punishment. But I know nothing else.”
Her weak, trembling voice was pitiful. Dane observed her carefully.
She was the second daughter of a noble house, strict in manners. Could she truly serve the baron?
She was closer to the Empress. If she showed hostility, she would never speak again.
“Release her and treat her with respect.”
“Yes?!”
“She is the Empress’ person. The Empress commanded that she be cared for. Now she is an ally of our family, so treat her well.”
Dane noticed a fleeting hope in Esther’s face, but it vanished when their eyes met.
‘She wouldn’t be personally cared for by the Empress.’
The Empress was merciless to mistakes. If discovered, she would be eliminated, not cared for.
“So your master was the Empress after all.”
‘No.’
“Thank you, Esther. Truly the head maid of the Grand Duke’s family.”
‘No!’
Dane spoke with sarcasm and left the interrogation room. Esther’s regretful cries followed, but he ignored them.
“Grand Duke!”
Back in his office, Carrie and now former Grand Duchess Renelia waited. Dane immediately ran to her.
“Mother, you’re not well…”
“The girl was just kidnapped in the front yard. Lying down won’t help.”
Renelia showed Dane a velvet bundle.
“What is this?”
“A note she left before disappearing.”
Dane nodded. It was related to the research Camilla had been working on, entrusted to her mother.
“She left hints and we located them in the lab.”
“Which means…”
Renelia whispered instructions to Dane and Carrie.
“Yes. In the chemical cabinet, bottles were hidden at the bottom in a small groove.”
Camilla had left valid hints in the note.
“I will work with Carrie to study the red herb. It will become strong evidence of rebellion. You focus on your task.”
“…Please, take care of it.”
“Of course. It’s related to my own poisoning as well.”
Renelia left with Carrie, preparing to overturn the palace’s rebellion and rescue Camilla.
‘Please wait just a little longer.’
Meanwhile, Hans returned with Dane to report. Dane also obtained information about the palace. Soon Hans returned with Kabul Everitt and his heir, Romulus Everitt.
“We heard you became Grand Duke. Congratulations!”
Romulus greeted formally, unlike his father. Dane responded briefly.
“As I wrote in my letter, this is not the time to celebrate.”
Dane led them to the meeting room.
“Did you bring what I asked for?”
“Yes. A map of the secret passages used when I served the Emperor’s secret knights.”
Dane examined the map carefully.
“To check this… I assume my guess is correct? The evidence isn’t fully gathered yet.”
It had not been long since Camilla began her collusion.
“Camilla left an important clue before being kidnapped.”
“It seems the Empress is behind it.”
Dane looked at the Everitts.
“I called you to plan the next steps after the evidence is collected.”
Though newly Grand Duke, Dane acted as if the position had always been his.
“Everitt family, are you willing to unite with the Escalus family to strike the palace under the shadow of the Empress?”
