Chapter 14
Why didn’t the wyverns head to the mountain’s entrance like before and instead attack the base camp at the festival grounds?
Why…
Was it mere coincidence? To dismiss it as chance felt too convenient—there were too many suspicious inconsistencies, too many deviations from the past.
A sound came from the door.
“Your Highness! It’s Jeanne.”
It was my head maid, Jeanne.
“What is it?”
“As you instructed, I’ve looked into the matter…”
“Come in.”
Jeanne opened the door and stepped inside.
Three hours earlier, in the Emperor’s study.
The quiet room held only the Emperor, his chief attendant, Count Maron, and a single knight.
The Emperor sighed heavily, fixing his gaze on the knight standing before him. The knight couldn’t hide his unease under the Emperor’s piercing stare. Finally, the Emperor spoke bluntly.
“So, you’re saying you suspect the Empress?”
“I cannot name anyone specifically, but if someone left the scene before the wyverns appeared and returned after the incident, they should be investigated.”
“That’s the same thing. The only ones who left the camp were the Empress, her maids, and her guards.”
The Emperor openly displayed his irritation, his brow furrowing. The knight’s expression grew even more sheepish.
“Seeing a hulking knight like you shrink like that is almost comical. Why can’t you just say, ‘The Empress is suspicious’?”
“Well, that’s…”
The knight felt deeply wronged. How could he, a mere knight, dare say, “The culprit behind this grave incident might be Her Majesty the Empress,” without concrete evidence, based solely on circumstantial suspicion?
“When the Emperor’s safety is at stake, you’re suggesting this wasn’t an accident but a planned crime. That’s what you mean, isn’t it?”
The Emperor’s voice carried a heavy weight. The knight, tensing, replied.
“Yes.”
“And it’s your job to narrow down the suspects.”
“…Yes, that’s correct.”
The knight braced himself, sensing what was coming. As expected, the Emperor took a deep breath and roared.
“You useless, salary-stealing lout! Cough up last month’s pay!”
Unable to bear it, Count Maron stepped to the Emperor’s side, trying to calm him and offering a glass of cool water.
“Your Majesty, please calm yourself! Have a sip of water and compose yourself…”
“Calm? Calm, my foot!”
The Emperor shot up from his seat, jabbing a finger at the knight and continuing his tirade.
“You say it seems like a planned crime? You investigated who arrived at the festival when, who left and why, and who returned. And you found only the Empress! So why can’t you just say clearly, ‘The Empress’s movements are suspicious, and she should be investigated’? Why?”
He grabbed whatever was at hand and hurled it at the knight. It turned out to be a paper knife, but figuring an imperial knight could dodge it, he threw it anyway.
The knight hurriedly twisted his body to the side. The paper knife grazed where his shoulder had been, struck the sofa, and fell to the floor.
“Your Majesty! Please calm down! I’ve erred…”
“If you’ve erred, I’ll form a special investigation team. Summon the Empress and her palace staff for questioning before any evidence is tampered with.”
“Yes, understood.”
The knight fled the room, lest the Emperor call him back.
“Phew!”
The Emperor released the hands gripping the desk and slumped into his chair as if collapsing.
He covered his face with both hands, tilting his head back, then grabbed the glass of water Count Maron had placed on the desk and gulped it down.
“Count.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“By my command, select investigators from the 14th Knight Division for this case. Prepare the necessary appointment documents. And designate Marquis Serpis as the investigation leader. Summon him.”
“Yes. …Pardon?”
Count Maron, answering mechanically, flinched, slightly surprised.
“Is there a problem?”
“I know my words may be presumptuous, but why not Duke Croizen?”
“Croizen is too prominent. Appointing him would be as good as declaring I’m targeting the Empress and House Cherie. Likewise, the Empress’s natal family, House Papiran, is out of the question.”
The Emperor paused, twirling a quill between his fingers. He stroked his beard, smacked his lips, and continued.
“The investigator must be of high enough rank to probe the Empress and House Cherie without yielding, yet not so prominent as to openly humiliate them. Marquis Serpis, from the same rank and the family of the late Crown Princess, fits perfectly.”
“House Cherie might claim Marquis Serpis is behind it.”
“Would the Marquis say something so foolish? Melly nearly died that day. The only imperial blood relative House Serpis has is Melly, and with Eonel setting the precedent as Crown Princess, they’re likely desperate to see Melly as the next Emperor. Would they put her in danger? If they made such a claim, no neutral noble would believe it—it’d only draw more suspicion.”
“I see.”
Count Maron replied respectfully.
“I’ll prepare the documents promptly.”
As the Count withdrew, the Emperor alternated his gaze between the towering stack of papers on his desk, the imperial seal beside it, and the maddeningly clear sky beyond the window, letting out a heavy sigh.
“Ugh, I envy the former Duke Croizen. I want to pass the throne to Eonel soon and travel on a fine day like this. Alas!”
A knock sounded, and Jeanne entered.
“Nanny, could you step out for a moment?”
Confirming Nanny’s exit, I closed the book I’d been reading. As she shut the door, the carpet brushed against it, and the lock clicked softly.
Swish—click!
I set the thick velvet-covered storybook on the table and looked at Jeanne.
“Speak.”
“His Majesty has ordered an immediate investigation into the incident. The special investigation team will be drawn from the 14th Knight Division, and the leader will be Marquis Serpis.”
“My grandfather?”
“Yes.”
What was Grandpapa thinking? If he’d deemed it a simple accident, he’d have appointed a knight commander to investigate the circumstances and be done with it. Thankfully, there were injuries but no deaths.
Yet naming my maternal grandfather, Marquis Serpis, as the leader meant Grandpapa wasn’t letting this pass lightly.
“He doesn’t think it was an accident…”
Jeanne’s eyes widened as she looked down at me.
“What?”
“Oh, nothing.”
Right, I’m eight years old.
Since I was five, I’d unintentionally startled those around me. My deep thoughts and subtle distrust of others sometimes slipped out, unbefitting my age.
My maids and Nanny, who attended me around the clock, couldn’t miss that I was distinguishing between political allies and enemies.
But that’s fine. I’ll just play the genius. I’m not some lowly royal under threat; I’m the Emperor’s legitimate granddaughter. Being a prodigy can only help.
“So, the investigation leader is my grandfather, and the 14th Knight Division will form the special team?”
“Yes.”
This was getting interesting.
In my past life at this time, Grandpapa was comatose from excessive blood loss, barely clinging to life. Empress Kiyen had taken charge of the investigation, appointing one of her loyal counts as leader and her younger brother’s 12th Knight Division as the investigators.
The incident was concluded as wyverns, threatened by the hunt, avoiding the knights and nobles and descending the mountain to attack the Emperor’s party.
“Hmm… I wonder how it’ll turn out this time.”
“What do you mean?”
Jeanne asked. Three years ago, she’d have brushed off my mature remarks with a puzzled look, pretending not to hear. Now, though startled, she no longer ignored them.
“What the adults will do.”
Grandpapa launching a serious investigation meant he’d caught a whiff of something suspicious.
The wyvern attack itself already diverged from my past life. That alone made me suspect foul play.
I could doubt based on my past life’s memories, but what grounds did Grandpapa have to suspect this was deliberate?
Though I didn’t elaborate, Jeanne nodded slightly, understanding.
“Jeanne, did you find out anything else?”
“Yes. His name is Ar, no surname. He’s an apprentice knight in the 14th Knight Division, set to be knighted in two years.”
Two years from now, when he’s fifteen—the year we met in my past life.
“Anything else?”
“I thought it odd for a commoner without a surname to join the imperial knights, so I tried to dig deeper, but… even the knight overseeing his training doesn’t know how he got in.”
“Is that possible?”
“Only the knight commander has access to personnel records, and Ar never speaks about himself. Should I investigate further through the commander?”
A commoner without a surname as an apprentice in the 14th Knight Division…
“Could you look into how he joined the imperial knights?”
“Yes. But, Your Highness, why are you looking for him? If you wish to commend his actions that day, you could summon him and grant a reward. Is there something specific you need?”
“I want to nurture his talent. As a royal, I should repay kindness.”
This time, let him shine freely, unbound by me.
“Are you planning to make him your guard?”
“Just investigate what I asked.”
“Understood. I’ll prioritize his origins and any backers he might have. Good night.”
After Jeanne bowed and left, I extinguished the magical lamp on the table. She’d likely assume I was going to sleep as the light no longer seeped through the door.
I held my breath for a moment, then slipped out of bed. Using pillows, I arranged the blankets to look like I was sleeping.
My gaze kept drifting to the door Jeanne had exited. My palms grew sweaty.
Grabbing the unlit magical lamp, I hurried to the dressing room. I pulled out leather pants and a soft cotton blouse used for fencing lessons.
Tonight, I’d confirm something I’d long suspected. My heart pounded as if it might burst.
Why had I been sent back to the past? Why did that dagger always appear in my dreams? If I found it tonight, would I finally uncover why I’d regressed and the truth behind those dreams?
