Chapter 265. The Possessive Attitude Begins To Appear In Silence (2)
Translator: Aura / Editor: SaWarren
An official contract was required to become the emperor’s concubine.
In principle, it was only the emperor who could write this concubine contract of his own free will, but as it was a delicate matter, Christa’s case had been referred to the State Council.
Unexpectedly, Heinley agreed all too easily to take Christa’s case to the State Council.
Could it be because he was prepared?
In any case, several nobles, officials, and I attended the meeting.
Even Christa. Christa was dressed neatly in black, as if she were at a funeral.
Heinley had a sullen expression beside me, but when the meeting began, he became so calm that I could not read his expression.
The officials expressed different positions,
That it has come to Christa having to become his concubine, that this matter was ridiculous, that even if there was something between Christa and Heinley a concubine contract could not be made, among others…
However, since several ladies saw Christa and Heinley together at the wedding reception, most seemed to believe Christa.
Although it was strange that Old Duke Zemensia remained silent when it was about his daughter, everything went as expected.
I knew how much this situation affected Heinley, but he acted throughout the meeting as if he didn’t care.
It hurt me to see him like this, but I decided not to comfort Heinley in front of those present.
This matter had not yet been resolved, if those present saw me comfort Heinley, they would think I was trying to provoke Christa.
Heinley acted like he didn’t care because I had asked him to beforehand. I could tell that he really ‘acted like he cared’ rather than ‘didn’t care’ because he wouldn’t stop ruffling his hair and looking into my eyes.
In any case, I had to wait until everyone was fired up to definitely turn the situation around, so I waited like a crouching beast about to attack. I considered that that moment would be when the criticism against Heinley would increase the most.
A few days ago, two of Christa’s ladies-in-waiting informed me that they would testify.
When I gave the signal, the two would step forward and let everyone know that Christa was not with Heinley on the night in question.
“The former king directly asked Emperor Heinley to protect Christa. It was even his last will on his deathbed, but Emperor Heinley disrespected his sister-in-law right after he got married!”
“What are you trying to say?! Watch your words, Marquis Ketron!”
“Then I should say that it was not a disrespect, rather an honor?”
As I was about to give the signal, a foreign language that was difficult to understand was heard.
It was the language of Rwibt.
At the sudden foreign language, the officials who argued loudly fell silent at the same time.
Everyone turned their heads towards the place where the voice came from.
As those present looked on in silence, Grand Duke Kapmen slowly walked to the center.
I looked at him in bewilderment.
Although I used the list he gave me to contact Christa’s ladies-in-waiting, I did not ask him to help me in this.
It was unexpected that the Grand Duke would show up now.
But the surprising part started here.
“I tried not to meddle in other countries’ affairs as much as possible, but since this is also my business, I must intervene.”
“Is it also the Grand Duke’s business? What are you talking about?”
At this point I became slightly nervous.
Is he thinking of revealing the whole truth?
But in the current situation, this truth was even worse.
Talking about the ‘love potion’ would stimulate the imagination of those present.
Unconsciously, I also nervously awaited his words.
“Emperor Heinley was with me that night.”
“!”
However, Grand Duke Kapmen’s words were accurate. He only took advantage of what happened.
“Really? Grand Duke Kapmen, aren’t you lying to make yourself look good in the eyes of the Emperor?
Marquis Ketron asked coldly, but Grand Duke Kapmen actually lied quite calmly.
“Many people must have seen me leave the ballroom with His Majesty that day. I don’t know if His Majesty met Christa as I went elsewhere for a moment, but—”
The Grand Duke glanced at Christa before continuing,
“I then met with His Majesty again to discuss the trade.”
He seemed to have read Christa’s mind and determined with certainty that they parted ways after a moment.
The fact that Grand Duke Kapmen left the ballroom with Heinley was something that many witnessed. Even those on Christa’s side recognized this part.
Of course, that did not change their opinion about what happened later between Heinley and Christa.
However, Grand Duke Kapmen himself stepped forward and claimed that he had been with Heinley the entire time.
Christa’s face darkened as she watched the situation without saying a word.
She also didn’t know where Heinley had gone after the meeting between them, so she also seemed to wonder if this was true.
Oh my. Come to think of it, Grand Duke Kapmen had met Rashta.
If the first person he saw after drinking the love potion was Rashta, then Grand Duke Kapmen hadn’t met anyone else before.
Grand Duke Kapmen’s whereabouts were unknown, so he took advantage of that.
Rashta, who knew that Grand Duke Kapmen was not with Heinley the whole time, was not here.
In any case, it went well.
Quickly, I winked at Christa’s two ladies-in-waiting to step forward.
The two ladies-in-waiting immediately walked to the center. But they were not just two. There were three other ladies-in-waiting.
No way. Did they change their minds?
As the number increased more than expected, I felt uncomfortable.
Even though the five were the ladies-in-waiting I called to testify… there was still a possibility that they might choose to defend Christa at the last moment.
At that instant, I clenched my fist nervously.
“Christa came back early that day.”
The ladies-in-waiting who stepped forward said what I was waiting for.
‘Good!’ I shouted inwardly.
“She didn’t look good when she returned to her room. She didn’t look like someone who would have enjoyed a secret meeting.”
“She went back out about two hours later.”
“But she didn’t take long to come back, then she stayed in the room.”
Even the other three ladies-in-waiting were all quick to talk about the events of that day.
McKenna smiled and gave the last blow to Marquis Ketron.
“While Christa was outside, His Majesty was meeting with his secretaries. As I explained earlier.”
“…”
Marquis Ketron immediately looked at Heinley with a twisted face, but Heinley’s expression was hard to read.
Heinley remained that way throughout the meeting, rather than defending himself.
When the place fell silent, all attention naturally turned to Christa.
Christa was pale, but still held her head up proudly.
***
The next day in the office, one of my aides approached me and gave me the news that Christa had left for Compshire.
I nodded quietly and I continued with what I was doing.
I felt my aide looking at me strangely, but I deliberately kept an inexpressive face.
Though inwardly I sighed in relief several times.
Christa’s gamble over this scandal ended up forcing her to leave, but if things had gone as she planned, my Heinley would have carried the stigma of having seduced his sister-in-law.
Just thinking about it made my heart shudder.
As soon as I met Heinley at dinner time, I hugged him around the neck tightly.
“My Queen?”
“… You’re mine.”
“Huh?”
I put my head on his shoulder and caught his scent. It was so familiar and comforting that it calmed my heartbeat a little.
“My Queen, you’re not angry anymore?”
Taking advantage of the occasion, the sly bird asked, with a smile, to know if everything was now all right. Rather than answer, I kissed him.
