Chapter 47

The Empress, who'd been laughing for a good while, suddenly lifted Seira's chin with the tip of her riding crop.

"Y-Your Majesty!"

"What a glib tongue you have. If you think you can deceive me the way you puppeteered my featherheaded daughter, it's your head that rolls first. Understood?"

The murderous aura radiating from the Empress drained the color from Seira's face.

"D-deceive you...? That's absurd, Your Majesty."

"You're the one who told my daughter to fake morning sickness and retch on cue, aren't you?"

Startled, Seira dropped to her knees before the Empress at once.

"That — that was thoughtless of me! I only meant to help Her Highness, and I let it get ahead of me."

The Empress waved a hand as though the subject bored her.

"Never mind that. I looked into it — Stone's posting as a diplomat was requested by the late Marquis himself. There…