The Obsessive Male Lead Is Obsessed With Me! - Chapter 158

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 158

The Temple’s knights actually began roaming the Imperial Palace and the capital, claiming they would investigate the Former Emperor’s death.

The entire capital fell into panic at the clearly visible situation.

Honestly, it was a situation that couldn’t help but be shocking.

After all, wasn’t it almost a full year since the First Prince had ascended to the throne!

“Why on earth did His Holiness the Pope announce this will only now?”

If the Pope had announced this will on the day of the Former Emperor’s funeral, Cayen would never have been able to ascend to the throne in the first place.

More than a few people found this puzzling. As those voices grew louder, the Pope stepped forward before everyone to explain.

“There are two reasons why I’m announcing this will only now.”

First of all, the oracle that His Highness the Grand Duke received – we couldn’t know whether the ‘supreme position’ that God had arranged for him was the imperial throne or the papal throne.

And second.

“Though I called myself Pope, I failed to recognize who the true master of the destiny God had arranged was. Therefore, I seek to correct this even now…”

Just as the rumors had spread long ago, just as everyone had expected.

“The true owner of this oracle – ‘you shall bear a sage king who will be remembered throughout history’ – is none other than Her Highness the Grand Duchess Frost.”

Everyone had expected this much.

But then.

“And Her Highness the Grand Duchess Frost is currently pregnant, and the child she carries has already received God’s blessing.”

This was something truly no one had expected!

“Therefore, the Temple declares that according to God’s will, to place the destiny God has arranged on the correct path, it is right for His Highness the Grand Duke and Her Highness the Grand Duchess to ascend to the positions of Emperor and Empress.”

People murmured in surprise.

In fact, the Temple pushing a specific successor to the throne for the fulfillment of an oracle had been a fairly common occurrence.

But declaring that someone else should ascend to the throne instead of an already enthroned Emperor was, without a doubt, the first time in history.

“But… is this even allowed? Does it make sense to depose someone who has already ascended to the throne?”

“What wouldn’t be allowed? The will was fake, and the oracle belonged to someone else.”

The Former Emperor’s will and the Empress’s oracle.

It was because of these two justifications that the current Emperor was able to ascend to the throne.

But now that both were said to be fake, no matter how much he was the Emperor, it was right for him to step down from that position.

“But will His Majesty the Emperor willingly step down from the throne…?”

“What if he doesn’t step down? When everyone from His Holiness the Pope to all of us knows he has no legitimacy, how could a mere Emperor hold on?”

While the people, unaware that the Emperor was already confined somewhere, were in confusion expressing their various opinions.

“Extra! Extra!”

“Extra? What extra?”

Amid the people’s attention, a newspaper boy shouted with a booming voice.

“Her Majesty the Former Empress! Has been revealed to be the assassin who murdered His Majesty the Former Emperor!”

“What, what did you say?”

It was truly a massive shock.

People who opened their mouths so wide their jaws nearly dropped looked at each other speechlessly, then rushed to buy newspapers one after another.

The Former Empress murdered the Former Emperor!

And that wasn’t even all.

“The appearance of the giant wolves during the hunting competition several years ago was His Majesty the Emperor’s scheme! To assassinate His Majesty the Former Emperor!”

Looking at the article that recorded everything truthfully without lies, people sighed.

What did it matter that he was the current Emperor.

Since he had planned and schemed to assassinate the Former Emperor when he was still a prince, he was a traitor. A traitor who never even had the qualifications to ascend to the throne in the first place.

* * *

The Former Emperor’s Maid Manager presented the half-burned wooden box as evidence and testified that the Former Empress had burned the Emperor’s will before his very eyes, and the court physician who had nearly been killed by the Former Empress also testified that he had discovered head trauma when examining the Former Emperor’s body.

“I swear to God that there are no lies in this testimony!”

The Former Emperor’s assassination and will forgery.

And even harming witnesses to hide those facts.

The crimes were too great. Even as the Former Empress, there was no room for excuses. Moreover, the Pope was present there. The Pope who could bring down divine punishment if one swore falsely before God.

“Your Majesty the Former Empress. Can you prove your innocence?”

“I, I…”

It was a situation where the Former Emperor’s real will had been revealed. Moreover, there were two crucial witnesses right before her eyes whom she thought she had perfectly silenced.

There was no way to escape with any words.

Then…

“…Yes, I did it. I killed the Former Emperor. Because that man put poison in my teacup first!”

The Former Empress screamed in a tone that was unclear whether she was laughing or crying out.

“What did I do wrong? It was self-defense! I only killed him because that man tried to kill me first! If you want to blame me for crimes, bring that Former Emperor who’s already dead and collapsed before me. Judge that man’s crimes first!”

The Former Empress deliberately screamed and caused a commotion as if she had gone mad. It was to focus everyone’s attention on herself.

“I killed him! To get revenge on that man! I, I…! Aaaaah!”

“Catch, catch her!”

Belrose caught and knocked unconscious the Former Empress who had drawn a nearby Imperial Knight’s sword and attempted self-harm.

“Let’s confine the Former Empress for now!”

“She must be afraid of bearing the consequences of the crimes she committed! If we leave her alone, she’ll try to harm herself again!”

“We can’t let her die before putting her on trial!”

Anyone could see that the Former Empress’s crimes were clear.

Therefore, the Former Empress’s attempt to escape from her crimes through death drew everyone’s public anger, and people were so busy condemning her that no one thought of the Emperor who wasn’t present.

The Former Empress’s maternal love in trying to protect her son even when things had reached this point was heartbreaking.

But unfortunately, the moment her downfall was decided, people who were afraid that sparks might fly to them rushed to the Temple one after another to confess their crimes.

“If anyone said even slightly bad things about His Majesty the Emperor, Her Majesty the Former Empress would immediately drag them to prison…”

“There were quite a few court physicians who were dragged out whenever His Majesty the Emperor collapsed. No one knows what happened to them.”

“Th-there are special favors that Her Majesty the Former Empress promised to several ministers in exchange for supporting His Majesty the Emperor…”

In fact, these could be considered relatively light crimes compared to the grave crimes of the Former Emperor’s assassination, will forgery, and throne usurpation.

But there was one testimony that could not be taken lightly or overlooked.

“That… the incident where giant wolf packs appeared during the hunting competition that occurred several years ago.”

“We already received testimony about that from a palace maid. That too was a scheme the Former Empress devised to harm His Highness the Grand Duke, who was a strong contender for succession.”

“No, that’s not right… Actually, it was His Majesty the Emperor who first devised that scheme.”

“Is that really true?”

“Yes. Summon Count Riam and ask him. He was the one who carried it out.”

When the Emperor was the First Prince, living like a king under the Former Empress’s protection, he had carelessly babbled about schemes to harm Lionel in places where many people could hear.

Therefore, there were two more people giving the same testimony, and Count Riam was immediately summoned.

But at this time, Count Riam was already in a dazed state.

“Count Riam? What’s wrong with you?”

“Ah…”

It had happened yesterday morning. Count Riam, who had briefly gone out, received news that his wife and child had disappeared simultaneously.

“It seems your wife and daughter have been kidnapped by unknown assailants!”

Several years ago, as revenge for the Former Emperor’s promise to give Lionel the crown prince position if he successfully resolved the monster wave, the Empress had exposed Count Riam’s embezzlement.

After losing one arm along with half his wealth, Count Riam had entered a life of seclusion and lived quietly.

All he had left now was his family. But suddenly this had happened.

Count Riam had no time to wonder who had done this or why, and ran around everywhere searching for his wife and daughter.

“Honey! Lika!”

He searched the entire streets all day but couldn’t find his wife and daughter anywhere.

While wandering the streets with his whole body a mess from tears and sweat, Count Riam was attacked by someone in a dim alley where he had found his wife’s handkerchief and collapsed unconscious.

When he opened his eyes, the person standing before him was none other than Lionel.

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