254: Traitors beneath the crown (part 2)

Traitors beneath the crown (part 2)

"I am not uttering words carelessly, Lady Adelaide; be aware that I possess evidence," Sasha declared.0

"Please, speak plainly," Kaiser implored, his patience wearing thin.

Sasha took a deep breath and then exhaled as she began to reveal, "Before his murder, Emanuel de Lanark attempted to take your daughter's life, Kaiser."

Despite the growing ringing in Adela's ears, she sensed a collective pause in the room's breathing. The silence held until the Princess chose to continue.

"Let us return to the beginning," Sasha declared, her gaze locked onto Kaiser's. "There was a confrontation at the mana gate."

"Not that again!" Leopold interjected.

"I am not referring to the one between your nephew and the murdered King. I am speaking of the encounter between the King and Lady Adelaide."

Adela regarded Sasha with a perplexed expression.

"Wasn't the deceased Monarch attempting to accuse you of treason for standing by Egon, whom he had ordered to be taken away by guards for refusing to bow to him?"

Adela, seeing the situation from a new perspective, blinked as she tried to grasp Sasha's point.

"…He was infuriated about the industrial zone. When he arrived for the investigation, I had prepared a speech to present to him," Adela explained methodically, providing context to the Princess.

"Emanuel de Lanark's purpose in coming wasn't to engage in rational discourse. He came with the intention of taking your life, one way or another, and I possess the evidence to support this claim."

Adela swallowed hard, her gaze sweeping across the room, taking in the reactions of everyone present. What struck her as even more peculiar than Princess Sasha's revelation were the unflinching expressions on the faces of the men surrounding her. Finally, her gaze settled on her father, his eyes revealing a guarded tension.

Sasha redirected her attention to Duke Rauul. "You were aware of this as well, weren't you? It's why you hastened to Lanark, to protect Lady Adelaide."

"The Dukes and I were summoned by the Archduke to serve as witnesses to the late King's inquiry," Rauul responded.

Sasha arched an eyebrow. "But was that summons actually prompted by your intelligence? The same intelligence that led you to urgently inform Kaiser, acting upon a coded message from your ally, the Crown Prince?"

Rauul's lips curled into a smirk. "The Empire's spies are indeed exceptional. Princess, I must commend your audacity for intercepting those messages."

"Our audacity is hardly a match for the calculated act of premeditated regicide committed by you and the Dukes of Emoria, Duke Rauul."

"Sasha," a pallid Kaiser spoke with a strained tone, "that's quite the accusation you're leveling at my daughter's knight and two of my most trusted comrades."

"Come on, Kaiser! You must have had your doubts too. Did you not gather them around you to protect your daughter?"

Kaiser lifted his chin, "Indeed, that's exactly what I did. I was aware of Emanuel's intentions, and I called upon the Dukes to witness his investigation. Had he taken a malicious step against my daughter, I would have stripped him of his throne on the spot, and I required the pillars of Emoria around me for legitimacy."

As Adela's lips parted in shock at the revelation, Sasha let out a sigh.

"You truly do hail from a different world, Kaiser, don't you realize?"

"You mentioned having evidence. Please, continue," Kaiser demanded, unwilling to remain passive while being indirectly demeaned by another member of royalty.

Sasha complied, her tone resolute. "I retrieved two items from your chamber, Lady Adelaide. Your husband's jacket, which provided him with an alibi solely due to your corroborative statements, and an unopened bottle of champagne that was sent to you by the late Monarch and delivered to your room by two servants." She glanced down at Adela, seeking confirmation.

Adela nodded. "Yes, that's correct."

Sasha continued, her voice steady. "According to the statements in my possession, the box they brought from Kolhis contained fourteen sealed bottles and one that was already opened."

The two Dukes visibly paled, while Rauul maintained a stoic demeanor.

Sasha began to pace the room, her eyes tracing the contours of the crime scene in her mind.

"Emanuel de Lanark departed from the von Conradie residence and arrived at this manor accompanied by the Crown Prince and the Commander of the Second Order. Two servants accompanied them, carrying a box of alcohol. He claimed to be fatigued and proceeded directly to the Archduke's private chambers within this estate. The door was closed, with Emanuel and Claude de Lanark inside along with the servants. The Commander positioned himself as a sentinel at the entrance, joined by three other knights stationed at different points along the corridor."

Her gaze shifted to Arkin, her expression probing. "The King requests the servants to pour him a glass of alcohol from the opened bottle, which they do. Then, he asks for another bottle to be opened, to pour a glass for the Princess, and a third bottle to remain closed! Did this strike you as peculiar, Commander?"

Adela felt the need to defend her brother, who looked completely out of place inside the room.

"It's a tradition his late Majesty followed on more than one occasion, sending a glass of alcohol with a closed bottle to accompany it, usually to mark a celebration."

Sasha's eyes flared, "Ah, yes. Emanuel de Lanark, always one to meticulously plan and strategize. After all, habitual actions are the least likely to raise suspicion."

A rush of blood surged in Adela's ears as Sasha paused, her gaze fixed on the three Dukes.

"In instances where nobles conspire against their Monarch, they often present a united front to prevent the royal family from taking action. The blame would be distributed across numerous shoulders, adversaries too plentiful to hold accountable. Furthermore, the potential for conflict is minimized, as it would pit the Archduchy against the three Dukedoms."

"Sasha," Kaiser's voice took on an angry tone, "focus your analysis on what transpired, rather than speculative scenarios that are highly unlikely. The Dukes of Emoria are my loyal subjects."

"No doubt in my mind about that, Kaiser. Every single person in this room, without exception, played a part in a conspiracy against Emanuel, each in their own way, but all driven by the desire to protect her."

As Sasha's eyes locked onto Adela, a sense of foreboding crept over her.

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