Flinch, Eren’s shoulder muscle twitched slightly.
Just as she felt that he tensed up and became uncomfortable, he slowly adjusted himself to Liselotte, moving subtly so as not to be noticeable.
At once, she felt his consideration, and yet it was also a little frightening.
It meant that he changed in response to her actions.
No one could be certain whether that was the right path.
Above all, Liselotte didn’t think she herself was so perfect in every respect.
If it were only a moderate influence, it wouldn’t be a burden, but abandoning even one’s principles was something that needed to be considered from a distance.
Thinking it was indeed a pointless thing to do, she was about to lift her body.
Eren quietly wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
“Just for a moment.”
His low voice, holding her tightly, echoed softly.
“I do not mind, so just stay like this.”
It wasn’t a particularly strong force, yet for some reason Liselotte couldn’t push him away.
***
Late at night.
Diana paced anxiously around her room.
She repeatedly bit her nails, looking at the communication magic stone and then stopping.
Judging by the faint light rising from it, the magic stone’s power hadn’t been depleted.
Diana muttered as she forced herself to calm her ragged breathing.
“Why is there no word from her?”
Mirkena, who had boldly claimed she would look into it, hadn’t contacted her for several days.
Even when Diana reached out first, she didn’t answer, and the scheduled date for their regular check-in had long since passed.
“Was she taken? Or was it discovered that I sent her?”
Rumors had been circulating that security in the North had tightened recently, so it wasn’t impossible.
But if that were the case, the Northern side wouldn’t stay still.
Shaking her head, she recalled Miro, who had been the only one showing any composure lately.
“No. If it were Liselotte, she would have immediately turned even that into evidence and brought it to the trial.”
She had been thoroughly and meticulously tearing through the East, after all.
Just as she picked up the communication magic stone again to contact Mirkena.
Bang, the door flew open without so much as a knock.
Startled, Diana hurriedly hid the communication magic stone behind her back.
“Diana. It has been hard to see your face lately.”
Anix entered with a gentle smile, unlike his usual self.
It was completely different from the way he always snapped irritably and behaved arrogantly. If anything, it felt unfamiliar.
Usually, the only times he pretended to be kind were when there were eyes watching.
Diana reached her hand behind her.
The moment her fingers caught the handle of the decorative side table’s drawer, she slowly opened it while smiling.
“I haven’t been feeling well. What brings you here?”
“Mirkena hasn’t been seen.”
After safely slipping the magic stone into the side table drawer, Diana closed it and feigned ignorance.
“Really?”
“Do you know where she is?”
“Who knows. She became an aide, so I wouldn’t know. She is not even my maid anymore.”
Tap. Tap. Anix approached slowly.
A strange sense of pressure could be felt.
No matter how insignificant he might be, he was still the Head of House Gloria, and a man stronger than the physically weak Diana.
Diana swallowed hard inside.
Now, she found herself hoping that Mirkena, whom she had desperately wanted to hear from just moments ago, wouldn’t contact her.
Before she knew it, Anix had approached her, smiling as he leaned in close.
He even bent his upper body to match her eye level, but it was consideration she didn’t need.
“You know this, don’t you? That the fact you’re an adopted child has spread throughout the Empire, so you have nowhere you can go.”
“I know. Better than anyone!”
“So don’t harbor foolish thoughts.”
Had he found out that she went to beg that person to save her?
There was still no word from the one who had promised to rescue her.
Given her situation now, pretending ignorance was her only option.
“There is nothing like that. Rather, should I not be clinging to you, Father? At least you have blood ties to House Gloria, but I am a complete outsider.”
“That’s right. Very excellent, Diana.”
His eyes crawled unpleasantly over Diana’s face.
Tap, tap. Anix patted her head and spoke as if granting a favor.
“So you must become the daughter I truly love. One who understands that blood can be thicker than water.”
“If the late Duchess were to hear that, she would be saddened.”
“Ah, she was a good woman. Though she didn’t live like you.”
He let out a scoffing chuckle, full of mockery.
As if he had come to keep watch on her, he slowly swept his gaze around the room and murmured quietly.
“If you see Mirkena, tell her to come to my office. If there are fewer maids, then the one who used to be a maid should work, shouldn’t she?”
“…If I happen to see her, I will pass along the message.”
With that, Anix left the room without a trace of hesitation.
The moment the door shut with a click, a ding rang out from inside the drawer.
Startled, Diana hurriedly flung the drawer open.
Light was spilling out from the magic stone. It was a communication from Mirkena.
When Diana hurriedly picked up the magic stone, a familiar voice flowed out.
— I’m sorry I’m late, my Lady. Things in the North were so hard that I couldn’t contact you.
“It’s fine, forget it. What happened with what I told you to look into?”
— Well…
Mirkena hesitated for a moment.
Wondering if it was because she hadn’t found anything, Diana first soothed her.
Since she was a rather simple girl, coaxing and appeasing her was the more effective way to use her.
“It’s fine even if you couldn’t find out. It’s your first time doing something like this, so you can’t do well right away.”
Only then did the hesitant Mirkena carefully open her mouth.
— I think I found the man you told me to look for, my Lady. They say he cannot speak.
“Are you sure?”
In the rebuttal sent by House Keilos, it had clearly been written that there was a victim related to Gelloa Village.
They claimed that this was clear evidence, and that it was also proof that the East had failed to properly fulfill its role as a ruling House all this time.
Mirkena nodded.
— Yes. While working, I overheard things, and they said he throws objects at the servants and makes them stand around, which makes things difficult.
In that moment, Diana felt a sense of relief.
It was a state she knew better than anyone.
Most of those who had tried to walk the same path as Diana had ended up that way, and the final form of those who had lost their minds matched Mirkena’s description exactly.
The fact that Mirkena, who knew nothing, was describing something so familiar meant it was the truth.
“Haha…”
A laugh slipped out of Diana.
‘Liselotte. She put on such a show of pressure, but it really was nothing more than a bluff!’
It was clear that they had rushed in with speculation, knowing that House Gloria wouldn’t be able to properly explain it.
When she asked Miro, he explained that it seemed to be an effort to plant a negative image of House Gloria in the minds of the presiding officials who would deliver the verdict.
Since a verdict was ultimately rendered by people, he said that swaying their hearts was what mattered.
‘No wonder. If that man could speak, they would have put him up as a witness right away.’
This was precisely the North’s weak point.
Wasn’t it the perfect material to drive the claim that all their assertions were riddled with lies?
Diana laughed out loud now, giggling.
“This is great. Well done, Mirkena.”
At Diana’s praise, Mirkena gave no response.
Diana continued, her voice laced with laughter.
“I should tell Miro to apply to have that man called as a witness. Liselotte still hasn’t fixed her habit of lying.”
— Yes…
“Good. No other problems?”
At Diana’s question, Mirkena fell silent for a moment.
Pretending to look around to avoid her gaze and stalling for time, she finally nodded reluctantly.
— Yes, yes…
“Good. Soon I will have one of my people send over some medicine. You know what I mean, right?”
It meant she would put poison in it.
As a maid, she would have an easier time getting close to Liselotte than as an aide.
Mirkena replied reluctantly, her face drained white.
— Th-that… yes. I understand, my Lady.
“Good. We will talk again.”
After ending the communication, Diana moved quickly.
She needed to meet Miro immediately and share this joyful news.
***
“Princess Liselotte. The East suddenly submitted a request to call a witness.”
A few days later.
Hedmilton handed over the notice that had arrived from the Central Court.
It stated that the other side intended to call the man found in Gelloa Village as a related witness.
Liselotte smiled brightly.
“The notice has already arrived. Then it cannot be helped.”
