I’m Going to Change My Husband With a Predatory Marriage - Chapter 78

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 78

“Treason? What on earth are you talking about?!”
The Emperor reacted with bewilderment, and the others echoed his sentiment.
They interpreted the Empress’s words as the petulant grievance of an offended woman, nothing more than baseless accusations.
Yet the Empress had come prepared with her own logic. She had no intention of backing down.
She pointed her finger at the Grand Duchess and the Western nobles gathered around her, then began to speak.
“Among those present, are there any who received permission to enter the Imperial Palace today, or who underwent body searches by the Imperial Knights?”
“….”
“….”
A heavy silence pressed down upon the Hall.
The Empress’s accusation was not without merit.
Naturally, the Imperial Palace maintained strict security protocols.
When meeting directly with members of the Imperial Family, even more rigorous procedures were required.
Authorization for entry and a preliminary body search were standard procedure.
And according to imperial law, allowing anyone into the Palace without these procedures was punishable as treason.
This law had been established during the early days of the Empire, forged through several upheavals, and remained valid to this day.
It was then that Hillia stepped forward.
“Please don’t speak so harshly, Your Majesty the Empress. They simply came at my invitation to attend the banquet.”
She still wore a smile, though tension flickered across her features.
The Empress sneered at the young woman.
‘This foolish girl thought she could outmaneuver Evangeline and acted recklessly, and now she’s made a mistake.’
Yet here she stood, preening herself surrounded by the Emperor and the Prince.
It was absolutely unbearable to watch.
As those around them began to find the Empress’s argument persuasive, murmurs of agreement rippled through the crowd.
“W-well, the Empress does have a point, doesn’t she?”
“That’s right. Matters that could endanger the Imperial Family’s safety must be thoroughly examined.”
“I had thought the Crown Princess was composed and thoughtful, but perhaps her judgment was lacking in this instance.”
An unmistakably hostile atmosphere began to form around Hillia.
As Hillia found herself cornered, the previously silent Duchess of Axion stepped forward.
She took Hillia’s side against the Empress.
It was also a defense of her own entourage.
“If that is the case, then are you saying that we Western nobles, myself included, who entered this place in secret, are traitors?”
The Empress slowly turned her head toward the Grand Duchess.
“You who have deliberately avoided entering the Imperial Palace all this time—now you slink in like thieves. How can you claim you harbor no treacherous intentions? Duchess of Axion?”
“…!”
At being directly named, the Grand Duchess’s eyes trembled visibly.
Meanwhile, a clear glimmer of triumph shone in Empress Isabel’s gaze.
The Duchess of Axion was the Grand Duchess’s former mistress, whom Empress Isabel once served.
Moreover, she was the very person who had opposed Empress Isabel’s ascension to the throne and led the nobles who followed her in resistance.
The ability to speak down to such a person—this reversal of their relationship was quite satisfying to the Empress.
It was positively exhilarating.
The last time the Duchess of Axion had resisted the Empress and left the palace, there had been no direct confrontation.
‘That’s why I never heard her call me “Your Majesty the Empress” from her own lips. Not even formal speech.’
Now it was different.
The Duchess of Axion was forced to use formal speech with Empress Isabel.
After all, Isabel’s current position was that of Empress.
‘Perhaps I should be grateful to that child for at least that much.’
But the Grand Duchess did not back down easily.
“If you truly doubt the loyalty of the Western nobles, shouldn’t you arrest all of us as traitors first, rather than scheming to ruin this banquet?”
The Empress laughed mockingly at the Grand Duchess and replied.
“That I do not is my mercy—be grateful for it. That people of your age and standing, who should know honor, have attached themselves to a child’s power games and displayed such shamelessness.”
The Empress clicked her tongue.
The Grand Duchess’s wrinkled face flushed crimson with humiliation.
“This…!”
The Empress ignored the Grand Duchess.
Then Evangeline drew near and interjected.
“Exactly. The Empress made a perfectly valid point. Truly befitting of Your Majesty the Empress!”
She seemed to have judged the situation as favorable to herself.
Her gleaming eyes were unsettling—like a hyena that could not miss the opportunity to tear into prey caught by a predator.
And Evangeline, with confident tone, moved to the heart of the matter.
“Can someone who committed such acts out of personal desire for recognition of their position truly be qualified to be the Empress?”
It was the Duchess of Axion who spoke in anger on behalf of the cornered Hillia.
“Watch your words, Evangeline Roux, the Viscountess!”
But Evangeline had completely regained her usual composure.
Her gently smiling, sarcastic tone grated on the nerves of those who heard it.
“Well, of course the Grand Duchess would speak that way—you’re a conspirator. You wouldn’t want to face punishment alongside her, would you?”
“Enough, Eva.”
“But…!”
The Empress stepped forward once more.
“Still, Evangeline has not spoken falsely. Even if there was no intention to harm The Emperor, this is clearly a problem.”
She swept her gaze across the other nobles filling the hall, speaking as she fixed each one with her stare.
“I find it difficult to believe that no one in this room pointed this out.”
The central nobles who received the Empress’s gaze shrank their shoulders in embarrassment and discomfort.
“We… our perspective was too narrow….”
“How could we possibly match the broad insight of Your Majesty the Empress?”
Some hastily scrambled to make excuses.
“It is unthinkable to overlook such an important procedure. All the more so when the one leading it is the Empress. She cannot be said to have the qualifications.”
Growing ever more confident, the Empress made an earnest appeal to The Emperor.
“As the Empress who presides over the Imperial Palace, I humbly request that Your Majesty make a wise decision.”
Everything would change depending on how he responded to this.
Everyone’s eyes were fixed solely on the Emperor.

* * *

The Emperor finally spoke.
“The Empress is mistaken.”
“…Pardon?”
A genuinely bewildered question.
The Empress seemed unable to imagine that the Emperor would flatly deny her request.
After a moment of stunned silence, her head tilting in confusion, she soon twisted her expression and spoke.
“No matter how fondly you regard your daughter-in-law and take her side, the wrongs she has committed do not disappear.”
The Empress’s eyes, which resembled Evangeline’s, blazed with unmistakable hostility and jealousy.
The Emperor then slowly shook his head.
“No, this is not about me being fond of my daughter-in-law or taking sides. All procedures were properly followed in this matter.”
“…What?”
As much as she had been confident moments before, the Empress’s expression now appeared utterly vacant.
The Emperor summoned the Scribe to bring forth documents.
“Review them. This is the list of Western nobles who attended today’s banquet, submitted to me for prior approval.”
The Empress’s eyes widened in shock.
She snatched the documents from the Scribe’s hands and read through them.
The Emperor was right.
The names of all the Western nobles present, beginning with the Duchess of Axion, were listed there.
And at the bottom of the document were the Emperor’s order permitting their entry and his official seal.
The date on the document was four days prior.
“Then… the body search for entry into the Palace…!”
It was Arpard who answered instead.
“The Imperial Knights belonging to the Prince’s Palace have completed all procedures. There are no procedural issues whatsoever.”
The Empress’s face drained of color.
Beside the Emperor and Prince, who stood like an unyielding wall, a small head suddenly popped into view.
Pink hair swayed charmingly.
Their eyes met.
The Empress saw it.
Hillia’s mocking expression directed at her.

* * *

Naturally, this was entirely orchestrated by me.
‘If such a large contingent were to slip into the Imperial Palace undetected, it would inevitably raise questions.’
No—it would have been strange if no one questioned it at all.
And that very fact became the bait I needed to draw the Empress into my trap.

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