The Abandoned Empress Chapter 217

Chapter 217: Chapter 217

I narrowed my eyes when he hesitated. Given that he usually had few changes in his expression, he must know sothing about the blessed criminal.

“I ca to hear about him from others by chance. All of them showed so strange reaction like you.”

After hesitating a bit, I ntioned an assumption that had been lingering in my mind all along.

“Does he have anything to do with my family?”

“… ”

“Baron?” When I asked, tilting my head, he kept silent for a mont, then said, “Well, yes, but…”

“… ”

“Sorry, my lady. That’s all I can tell you for now. It’s because your father gave a gag order.”

“My daddy?”

“That’s right.”

As he nodded heavily, I didn’t ask further and got to the point. If my father wouldn’t tell about it even when I was curious, there must be so reason for it. And I understood him.

“Okay, did you find out anything new this ti?”

“Yes, but…”

“Hummm…Did sothing go wrong?”

When I asked with a puzzled look, he hesitated for a mont, then picked up the docunts and handed them over to , asking to review them first.

They were the docunts that he obtained from Viscount Apinu that he had succeeded in bringing into my fold recently. Organized in chronological order, the docunts recorded various intelligence tips such as the noble faction’s need to cajole the foreign princesses by using all kinds of ends and ans, actively supporting the princess of the Eet kingdom that decided to cooperate with the empire in return for its economic aid such as lower tariffs and increasing the export of iron ores by citing the in-law relationship between the two countries as soon as Princess Eet beca the crown prince’s concubine.

If the docunts were written in soone’s handwriting, I could double check it against sobody else’s and find out who composed the docunts, but I couldn’t. Given the curvy handwriting, it was obvious that these were secret docunts that sobody ordered an illiterate man to copy from the original docunts to cover up his handwriting.

When I put aside the docunts with a sigh, I suddenly noticed a seal on the edge.

A shield and a sword and the phrase engraved under the rose were none other than Volente Castina.

What the heck is this?

I opened my eyes wide at that. Why is this seal here?

“What the heck is this?”

“Well, I’m kind of in a difficult situation because of that. Unless I have any specific evidence including the handwriting, I can’t prove Volente Castina’s connection to the Jena family, right?

Besides, as you know, Volente Castina is…”

“Yes, that’s actually Sir Lars’s seal. That gives a headache.”

I sighed long. Of course, I didn’t know if Earl Lanier kept docunts hidden to save him later, but in this situation it was useless to obtain the secret docunts of Earl Lanier. Unless I could prove that the seal was the sa as that of the Jena family, the heat would be on the Duke Lars family.

While pressing my stinging temper, I turned over other docunts. It was a report about things like no big progress in finding additional information about Earl Lanier despite continued monitoring, no progress in the investigation of the poisoning incident since the last report, no one noticed anything, and the temple’s plan to hold a massive event to make Jiun the true child of God’s prophecy, as she was relatively unknown to the people.

“Oh, is this all?”

When I was about to close the last page of the docunt, Baron Carot nodded with a very regrettable expression. He seed to be bothered by the fact that his findings contained nothing valuable.

“Thanks for your hard work. I think it was very difficult for you to obtain the information as much as this, but I’m sorry to keep adding your assignnt.”

“That’s fine, my lady. I’m sorry I couldn’t bring you so good news. ”

“Oh never mind. Well, they would not have committed this cri if we could catch them easily. Let tell my butler about this, so please handsoly compensate your informants working hard right now. Also don’t forget to push them a little more.”

When I spoke with a bright smile, the baron expressed gratitude by bowing, feeling more or less relieved.

“Thank you, my lady.”

“By the way, do you have any further information on Countess Dias’s volunteer work?”

“Oh, I’ve been paying special attention to that matter, but I put it on hold because I was not sure yet. Let report to you as soon as I get more specific information.”

“Got it. Good. Shall we wrap it up now? I think I should go out to practice. ”

“Oh, I was told that they put up an official announcent about the knight selection. Cheer up! ”

“Thank you, Baron.”

After letting him out, I imdiately headed to the training field with a sword.

I had only one month to go before the test.

I was determined to do my best to improve my fencing skills until that day because this was one of the few precious opportunities I had.

The next day I headed straight to the training center of the 2nd Knights Division as soon as I was done with my morning assignnt. When I was about to go back ho after hard training, I saw a woman in a dress pacing up and down at the entrance of my house.

The woman with blonde hair, who I saw sowhere a lot, was Grace, the daughter of the Whir family. She greeted gladly, “Hello, Lady Monique, it’s been a while.”

“Yes, it’s been a long ti, Lady Whir.”

When I nodded slightly, she paused a mont before saying, with an embarrassed look, “I’m here to tell you sothing. Could you please spare so ti? ”

“Sure. Can you wait for a minute in the break room? ”

“Will do.”

After politely bowing to Grace, I headed to the building of the 2nd Knights Division.

‘I wish she visited my house if she had sothing to say. Why is she here?’

I giggled when I thought about it. I didn’t think she ca to the Imperial Palace just to see . As the candidate for the empress’s concubine, she might have visited after returning from the palace to see the emperor.

When I entered the break room after taking a shower, Grace, who was waiting for there, hurriedly stood up. I said, looking around the lounge which was empty because of the upcoming reorganization of the knights division.

“As you can see, this place is a knight building, so I don’t have any refreshnts to treat you. Do you want tea?”

“Oh, no thanks. I’m fine.’

“Okay, then.” When I sat down, slightly nodding at her, Grace sat down, tidying up the hem of her dress.

“I visited you to apologize because I didn’t say hello to you at your coming-of-age ceremony. Please accept my late congratulations on your coming of age.”

“Thank you. In fact, I received your letter that you wouldn’t be able to attend it because you were in bad shape. Are you okay now? ”

“Yeah. I’m alright now thanks to your concern. ”

“What a relief!”

Was she really sick? It was definitely her best and most plausible excuse, but she looked too good for a person who was in bed.

In fact, it was rumored that the Whir family was openly challenging the Monique family because Grace didn’t attend my coming-of-age ceremony. So of my family vassals were very upset, asking how a re earl’s family could compare to my family, even though I withdrew my na as the candidate for the empress.

At first, the banquet was intended to filter out those who were friendly to my family, but I didn’t feel good when I actually went through it. It was who initially promoted her for that position.

Did she appreciate my efforts? She hesitantly presented with a little box, with an awkward smile and said, “I’ve brought it to you to express my apologies. Please accept it as a small sign of my appreciation.”

“Oh thank you… I appreciate it.”

After exchanging formal greetings, silence fell again. I sat down with her for a while in awkward silence and let out a sigh, feeling pitable about myself.

Co to think of it, I didn’t have to feel bad. As the saying goes, as one sows, so one reaps.

“Oh, it was a long ti ago, but I don’t think I appreciated your help at last year’s National Founding Day festival. You helped a lot at that ti. Thank you for your help back then, Lady Whir.”