For the heart - Chapter 42

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 42

A mage from the Magic Inspection Bureau is coming. Does this mean the results are already out?

The Magic Inspection Bureau has a backlog of cases to examine, so I expected it would take at least two weeks even if it came from the Imperial Palace.

* * *

The attendant guided Nina to the Emperor’s office in the Main Palace.

“The Inspection Mage and Count Puaco are also here together.”

It seemed Count Puaco had pulled strings to get the inspection results out quickly.

But even so, the Magic Inspection Bureau was an independent institution, so the results wouldn’t change due to someone’s influence.

The fact that the Inspection Mage came directly to the Imperial Palace instead of sending the results by letter was probably to avoid unnecessary controversy since this was such a serious matter.

Three people were already seated in the Emperor’s office.

“I greet His Majesty the Emperor, the light of Arsed and glory of this land.”

“Sit down.”

The Emperor’s face showed clear displeasure, as if he hadn’t heard the results yet. Count Puaco’s expression wasn’t good either.

And there was someone I was seeing for the first time.

The mage from the inspection bureau, who appeared to be over sixty, had a long white beard and looked quite stubborn.

“Now that all parties related to the case and evidence are present, I will announce the inspection results.”

The mage took out a paper from his robes and placed it on the table.

Inside the carefully unfolded paper, two golden strands of hair were placed on either side. Below them, I could see long rods displaying different colors.

“According to the inspection results, these two strands of hair do not belong to the same person. If all the hair strands belonged to the same person, both rods below would show the same color—”

“Lies! That’s nonsense! You must have tampered with it, Your Majesty!”

Count Puaco shot up from his seat, glaring at the Inspection Mage with blazing eyes.

The mage frowned and stared back at him steadily.

“I have worked as an Inspection Mage for over thirty years. For this case too, I conducted the inspection without knowing who the client was, according to inspection bureau law. I only found out after the results came in when the bureau director informed me. Since this matter involved a member of the imperial family and a count’s daughter, I came personally to deliver the results to avoid any other misunderstandings.”

“Then, then who killed my daughter?!”

Count Puaco screamed as if he absolutely could not accept this.

The Emperor watching him also had a troubled expression.

It would have been a headache if it was Nina’s hair, but if it wasn’t Nina, the investigation would have to continue until the real culprit was found.

The Emperor would have no choice but to appease Count Puaco and provide support in every way possible.

“I cannot accept these results!”

“Even if another Inspection Mage examined it, the results would be the same.”

The mage didn’t hide his displeasure at the count’s refusal to believe his inspection and unreasonable behavior.

Count Puaco whirled around to glare at Nina.

“Who knows? Perhaps Your Highness the Princess pulled some strings?”

“The inspection bureau is not a place where results change due to someone’s influence. Please refrain from words that insult the inspection bureau.”

“Ha, originally it was supposed to take another two weeks, but I contacted the bureau director asking them to do it as quickly as possible. That’s how the results came out so fast, wasn’t it? Your Highness the Princess is someone who can swing a sword at anyone. That’s how my daughter died! The bureau director might have been threatened for his life too.”

Nina inwardly scoffed.

Count Puaco knew better than anyone that I wasn’t receiving the kind of treatment in Arsed that would allow me to wield such power.

Yet he was making such unreasonable claims.

“Count, calm down. If we look for more evidence, we might be able to find the real culprit.”

“No, Your Majesty. This inspection is clearly fabricated. That day, the day my daughter died, there was someone who saw Princess Nina jumping from my daughter’s bedroom window!”

Count Puaco clenched both fists and shouted angrily, breathing heavily.

Nina let out a soft sigh.

I never left the Imperial Palace that day. Yet they’re saying I jumped from Michelle’s bedroom window.

It seemed they had planned this more meticulously than I expected.

‘It’s certain it didn’t come from Lillien’s head.’

* * *

The next day, Nina departed as scheduled to conquer the Six Small Nations.

Count Puaco gritted his teeth, saying he would find the man who claimed to have seen Nina and disappeared mysteriously, securing reliable testimony.

“Commander. What if they really do find a witness who saw you that night? The absurd situation might arise where you have to prove his perjury yourself.”

“That won’t happen.”

Casian’s confident voice cut through.

When Bern and Nina turned their heads toward him, Casian spoke while still looking straight ahead.

“Originally, the side that needs to prove something is the one claiming ‘they were there.’ By the time we return, the perjurer who claimed to have seen Your Highness will have been caught. The only question is whether he’ll be alive or dead in prison.”

He too was already expecting that the mastermind behind Michelle Puaco’s murder was Lillien.

On the day Tila was injured, Emil had also brought news that Lillien’s maid had her hair cut by Nina who came with a sword.

He had already witnessed the confrontations between Nina and Lillien several times.

Lillien, unable to bear the humiliation she received from Nina, must have committed acts she shouldn’t have, and the person who became her hands and feet in her plan was probably…

Casian smiled slightly at the end of his thoughts.

The more he observed Arsed’s imperial family, the more interesting a place it became.

* * *

The Arsed Knights led by Nina passed through the Blanche Duchy, which bordered the Six Small Nations across the widest area, without any problems.

“It’s really fortunate that Blanche, which was an ally of the Six Small Nations, turned to Arsed’s side. Previously, we couldn’t pass through this duchy territory, so didn’t it take another two weeks?”

“Right. We don’t need to take detours anymore. I think the vice-commander brought back the declaration of submission.”

“That’s correct. Duke Blanche is young but no ordinary person. At the time, instead of submitting obediently, he secured every condition he wanted without fail.”

Nina nodded.

Three years ago, Cezar Blanche, who was the king of the Blanche Duchy, read that the pace of conquest for continental unification had become incomparably faster than before as soon as Nina Arsed took the position of knight commander.

Instead of submitting to Arsed voluntarily, he demanded various conditions.

That he would be guaranteed the position of Duke in exchange for stepping down as King. And that even under Arsed’s rule, the duchy would be allowed to maintain its autonomy.

If those conditions were guaranteed, he promised to open the duchy’s territory wide to the Arsed Knights.

The Blanche Duchy, which bordered the Six Small Nations in difficult-to-conquer mountainous terrain, was itself a strategic stronghold.

To be able to pass through such duchy territory and enter the Six Small Nations.

Rayner readily accepted his conditions.

Taking advantage of this, Nina set out this time leading more cavalry than ever before.

And she divided them into three groups, having them carry Arsed’s banner at the front.

It had been six months since she sent reconnaissance teams to thoroughly survey and record the terrain of the Six Small Nations.

With terrain surrounded by mountains like solid fortresses and the Six Small Nations united in resistance, breaking through was itself difficult.

Based on what the reconnaissance teams had recorded, Nina planned to strike at the center, Hamer, and the two flanks, Nurban and Beltia, from both sides.

It was a method of finding weak points and advancing by bypassing through places that had never been breached before.

Seeing them attack three countries simultaneously, their united forces would scatter to defend their respective nations.

“I will first lead a small force to conquer Nurban. If successful, I’ll send up smoke signals and head straight to Beltia. Vice-Commander, monitor Hamer’s movements and wait within striking range, then when conquest smoke rises from Beltia as well, lead the knights to advance on Hamer. I’ll also join at Hamer directly from Beltia.”

“Yes, Commander.”

Nurban and Beltia, with their forces dispersed, would fall easily.

Even Hamer, which would see the most fierce combat, wouldn’t be able to exert its former strength once the other two nations’ forces were gone.

Once these three nations fell, the inner territories of Eos, Silvak, and Lucentio would be powerless.

The final war for continental unification was at hand.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————