Chapter 25
(25) I Will Protect Your Majesty (17)
“Is there any reason to bother others with our issue? All it’ll do is make the rumors worse.”
Eleanor tilted her head slightly.
“I don’t mind if bad rumors spread, but it seems you do, Your Highness?”
“What’s that supposed to mean? I don’t care either, okay?”
“Then there’s no problem. Sir Bastid?”
Eyo, who had been standing back and observing, quickly stepped forward.
“Yes, Lady Snow. I’ll comply with your request.”
***
Fortunately, the Third and Fourth Consorts sent their attendants without much resistance. Despite the spectacle, they didn’t come to watch—whether because they were simply disinterested, afraid of being caught up in something, or because they had other plans, was unclear.
The Blue Knights went to search each of the palaces, while Eleanor, the First Consort, the Second Consort, and Cecily entered a room near the Tulip Palace for a body search.
People waited with curiosity about how things would unfold.
“I thought from the rumors that Lady Snow might’ve poisoned the consort’s cosmetics, but after hearing her speak, something seems off, doesn’t it?”
“Yes. If His Majesty had brought her into the Tulip Palace, she would’ve become Empress eventually without doing anything. There’s no reason for her to harm a consort.”
“Or maybe she’s trying to eliminate all the troublesome consorts before becoming Empress herself.”
“Even so, if that were the case, wouldn’t she have used something lethal? Not something that just ruins someone’s face and causes a commotion without actually removing her.”
Eyo stood with his arms crossed, leaning against a wall, listening to the murmurs.
‘The Second Consort came boldly, even bringing the First Consort along. Looks like they hid the poison in Lady Snow’s room. But judging from Eleanor’s attitude, she probably managed to return it.’
As far as Eyo knew, Eleanor had gone outside the palace in the morning to meet Heraith.
‘She was outside the whole time—how did she do it? Don’t tell me she used that assassin lurking in the corners of Tulip Palace all day? But that assassin didn’t look easy to handle. How…?’
“Kyaaah!”
A scream rang out just then.
“W-why is this here?!”
The owner of the flustered voice was Calliope.
The onlookers knew right away: the verdict had been reached.
“No! That’s not mine! Something’s wrong! Give it back!”
Calliope seemed to be trying to destroy the evidence.
The maids responsible for her search muttered something, but it was hard to hear.
Just then, Eleanor strode out from another room and flung open the door where Calliope had been searched.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
Calliope had been grabbing the hair of a maid trying to keep the evidence from her, but upon seeing Eleanor appear, she screamed and backed away.
Despite her outburst, the maid from the Third Consort’s palace, who hadn’t let go of the evidence, held it out with a pale face.
“We found this inside the Second Consort’s skirt.”
In the maid’s hand was a piece of folded white paper. Just looking at it, it was unclear what was inside—it could’ve passed for a meaningless note.
‘She was foolish,’ Eyo sneered inwardly.
‘She should’ve denied knowing anything. Her reaction makes it obvious she knows exactly what’s inside.’
Even if something had been found during the body search, there were plenty of ways to deflect suspicion. But Calliope had panicked that something Eleanor should’ve had was found on her and revealed her hand entirely.
As Eyo stepped forward to take the evidence, Calliope lunged again.
“G-give it to me!”
He quickly snatched it up and stepped back. Calliope lost her balance and flailed.
The one who caught her was Eleanor.
“Compose yourself, Second Consort.”
To those watching, the scene had different meanings. To those unaware of the truth, Eleanor seemed magnanimous, protecting Calliope even after being framed.
But Eyo saw through it.
‘She even boosts her own image in this mess. She’s no pushover. If Lady Snow were my enemy, even His Majesty would find her hard to deal with.’
Realizing how many people were watching, Calliope finally regained some awareness and changed her expression.
“This isn’t… No. I don’t know what’s in there. I don’t know why that was hidden in my clothes. I’ve never seen it before.”
But it was too late. Too many people had seen and heard too much for such excuses to work.
“First Consort, say something too!”
Aurelia had just finished her own search and was quietly observing. As Calliope dragged her in, she frowned slightly.
“What can I say? I only trusted the Second Consort and caused trouble for innocent Lady Snow. I’m sorry, Lady Snow. I was too preoccupied with gardening to notice the Second Consort trying to turn me against you.”
Aurelia smoothly distanced herself from the mess.
Calliope turned red.
“H-how could you do this to me, First Consort?!”
“I should be the one asking you. Why would you put poison in your own cosmetics just to frame Lady Snow? That’s not something a sane person would do.”
“Why would I poison my own cosmetics? I didn’t do it!”
“You keep saying you didn’t, but the poison came from your own body.”
Now the fight had shifted entirely between Calliope and Aurelia.
Eleanor, who had orchestrated it all, now stepped back as if she were just an observer, watching them with a faint smile—elegant, like a swan gliding across a clean lake, untouched by the mud.
“In any case, this act of disrupting the imperial family caused by the Second Consort is unforgivable. I will report this to His Majesty.”
“There’s no need for that.”
The reply came swiftly.
At the dark, heavy voice, everyone instinctively bowed their heads.
Even the shouting Calliope and the scolding Aurelia.
The only two who didn’t bow were Eleanor and Eyo.
Eyo was watching Heraith approach from the hallway.
And Eleanor was watching Eyo.
‘A knight not bowing before the Emperor?’
When Eyo finally noticed Eleanor’s gaze and hurriedly lowered his head, her suspicion deepened.
‘Who is he really? Eyo Bastid—is he not an ordinary knight?’
Setting her thoughts aside, Eleanor turned to face the approaching Heraith.
Step, Step.
The only sound in the now-silent hallway was the wet footfalls of Heraith.
He was dripping blood from head to toe.
His hair, his face—everything was soaked, making him look like a mad emperor drenched in slaughter.
Bloody footprints marked every step he took.
The closer he got, the stronger the smell of blood, something not quite human.
Someone gasped upon seeing the blood on the floor and lowered their head even further, fearing the emperor’s wrath.
“While people were dying outside…”
Heraith stopped next to Eleanor.
“You were all having quite the entertaining time in here. Eyo.”
At the mention of his name, Eyo quickly spoke.
“There were rumors that Lady Snow had poisoned the Second Consort’s cosmetics, so we conducted a search. But the poison turned out to be on the Second Consort herself…”
“I-it wasn’t mine, Your Majesty! It’s a setup!”
Calliope jumped in recklessly. She had been holding her head high, but the moment Heraith’s eyes turned to her, she flinched and bowed her head again.
“Y-you saw my face. Would any woman ruin her own face just to frame someone? Someone else must’ve done this to hurt and frame me!”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“…Pardon?”
