I Possessed The Immoral Empress

Chapter 31

I Possessed The Immoral Empress - Chapter 31

‘Ha! Are you planning to bring down even the nobles lurking in the shadows?’

Valliere, who didn’t know the exact situation, thought that Ermedeline, who was boasting about her high status, was showing her true colors.

To vaguely mention someone behind the scenes when they hadn’t even apprehended the person who officially handed the dagger to the boy? Surely, there must be a hidden agenda to point fingers at someone.

‘Surely she won’t point fingers at me, will she? Even if she’s the empress herself, how could she casually accuse someone without any evidence? Anyway, this whole thing isn’t something I orchestrated.’

Valliere glanced at Henry, trying to predict for a moment who Ermedeline might point fingers at.

Although he had mentioned bestowing titles and territories, seeing Henry avoid her afterward started to irritate Valliere again.

To be honest, Henry had been blatantly avoiding Valliere for the past few days.

He rarely went to places where Valliere might find him, and it seemed like he handled meals and rest in places other than his own room, secretly.

‘That hypocrite. A mere talker. After the trial, I will definitely hear the truth today!’

Meanwhile, Henry kept feeling a prickling sensation on his cheek.

Deep down, he was conscious of Valliere, so he could keenly feel her gaze.

However, he still didn’t want to face Valliere.

Although she eagerly awaited titles and territories, his desire to bestow them had disappeared.

Henry was afraid.

She was afraid that the joyful and radiant smile Valliere would have upon receiving titles and territories wouldn’t be directed toward him.

People change. Depending on the situation and environment, one’s tendencies and character can change significantly.

But people do not change. Emperor Henry had never witnessed a change in the fundamental values that make up one’s soul, not even once.

So, no matter how much Valliere had recently transformed into a materialistic person, she must remain virtuous.

Even if Ermedeline had recently done some kind acts, she must remain wicked.

Their core should never change.

However, recently, both women have changed too much.

Valliere acted as if she had never been a good person from the start, and Ermedeline behaved as if she had never been a bad person from the beginning.

‘To save the boy? Are you willing to give up any benefits you can gain for that?’

Henry had silently accepted Ermedeline’s request, but in reality, he had been doubting Ermedeline’s motives for saving the boy up to this moment.

Henry felt confused by how his values were constantly shaken and awaited Ermedeline’s response.

“Then, Your Majesty, do you have any suspects among those who purchased the poison for being behind this?”

*Gulp.*

Everyone in the courtroom, except Ermedeline and Félio, audibly swallowed.

Henry didn’t show any emotion, but he couldn’t help but feel tense, fearing that the madwoman might give up on saving the boy and mention Princess Viella.

“While I cannot confirm, there are some clues.”

Ermedeline, in a tone devoid of any pitch, stated her opinion and then turned her head to gaze in the direction of Duke Ilyenian.

Afterward, she slowly rose from her seat, took a deep breath, and exhaled loudly.

Although it was a brief moment, the people in the courtroom experienced an extended silence, as if time had come to a halt.

“Would you like to make an accusation now?” asked Félio.

A faint smile appeared on Ermedeline’s lips in response to Félio’s question.

However, her eyes did not share the same amusement, making her smile appear rather ominous.

“I do not wish to make an accusation.”

Murmurs erupted once again.

The unexpected response had thrown the courtroom into a small commotion.

‘What sinister plot is she weaving now?’ Valliere muttered, growing increasingly irritated by Ermedeline’s actions that consistently defied expectations.

Valliere was among the latter group.

Of course, Valliere had never met the previous Ermedeline, but she admitted that the current Ermedeline was a more formidable opponent than she had initially thought.

‘I can’t just leave her alone. It’s difficult to kill her, and she’s meticulously covered her tracks regarding her misdeeds...’

Valliere glanced at Henry for a moment, finding him still expressionless.

‘I need to deal with this quickly and decisively. If that’s impossible... well, evidence can always be manufactured.’

As she was about to leave the courtroom, someone approached Ermedeline.

Rooney and Félio, who had experienced a few unfortunate events, quickly blocked Ermedeline’s path.

“Who are you?!”

Fortunately, it wasn’t an assassin. It was a young couple carrying a baby. There was no sign of hostility or ill intent from the couple.

“Could it be... step aside, step aside!”

Ermedeline urgently squeezed through the gap between Rooney and Félio to look down at the baby.

“Is that the child from back then?”

Ermedeline, recognizing the child she had saved with artificial respiration in the real world, looked surprised as she gazed at the couple. The couple smiled slightly and nodded.

“Yes, that’s correct. This is our child, whom Empress saved. We wanted to thank you so many times, but we never had the chance. When we heard about the public trial today, we decided to come and find you.”

Seeing the chubby arms and legs of the baby wiggling, Ermedeline couldn’t help but let out a shriek.

“Aaaah! So adorable!”

Rooney, without any restraint, shook her fists in excitement but eventually gave up trying to stop Ermedeline, who was thoroughly delighted by the baby she liked so much.

Ermedeline’s expression of not knowing what to do with her overwhelming joy made her look like an adorable, carefree little girl.

“Would you like to hold her?”

At the couple’s words, Ermedeline’s eyes widened with anticipation.

“I-is it really okay?”

Most people would avoid her like the plague, fearing they might incur a curse just by making eye contact with her. So, the couple’s willingness to offer their baby to Ermedeline filled her with gratitude.

As she held the tiny life in her arms, her heart swelled with emotion.

‘I saved, I saved you! I saved you this time!’

Tears were now streaming down her cheeks as Ermedeline spoke. Watching her, Rooney quickly fetched a handkerchief to wipe her tears and looked at the baby.

“She’s grown so much, hasn’t she?”

“Yeah, she’s grown a lot. She used to be so tiny.”

Still shedding tears but smiling brightly, Ermedeline looked at the baby, who responded with giggles.

“Oh! It seems like you know that Her Majesty the Empress is a lifesaver?”

“Is that so?”

Ermedeline raised her head to look at the couple, who nodded in agreement.

“Thank you. I was curious about how things had turned out, and I’m grateful that you showed me.”

Ermedeline gently kissed the baby’s forehead, took a deep breath, and then handed the baby back to the couple.

‘Baby smell is always nice, no matter when you smell it!’

“No, we should be the ones thanking Your Majesty the Empress.”

As the couple was about to leave with the baby in their arms, they hesitated for a moment before speaking again.

“Um, Your Majesty the Empress.”

“Yes?”

“What you said today, we believe you.”

The couple’s confident, good-natured gaze made Ermedeline forget her words for a moment.

“.......”

“Even without invoking the names of the gods, we believe Your Majesty would not do such a thing.”