MHC 23

Chapter 23

Currently in Lia’s room were Lia, Kartian, Freya, Freya’s maid Lina, and finally the maid who had chosen the tiara and dressed Lia.

The maid stood there with a frightened expression after the Emperor’s sudden summons.

“I have something I want to ask.”

At Lia’s words, the trembling maid looked at her.
Her hands were tightly clasped together in tension.

It was hard to tell whether this fear was simply because the Emperor had called her, or the fear of the person who had caused the incident.

“This tiara—you were the one who chose it, correct?”

“Pardon? …Yes.”

The maid hurriedly nodded.
Even as she answered, she looked terrified, as if worried that this reply might place her in danger.

“Then where did you get this tiara?”

“W-where did I get it… I… I only chose the most beautiful one from the jewel box… that’s all…”

“Are you certain?”

Kartian spoke coldly at the maid’s words.

“…Y-yes.”

The maid nodded with trembling eyes.

“If that is a lie, you had better be prepared.
It will not end with simply being expelled from the Imperial Palace.”

“I-it’s really the truth!”

The maid spoke desperately, as if swearing she was not lying.

She truly had only chosen the ornaments from the jewel box that would make the Empress shine the most.
There had been no special intention in choosing the tiara.

“A-as expected…”

Freya murmured quietly.
Hearing that, Lia’s expression turned cold.

Freya had said as expected.
Just moments ago, she had claimed Lia was not the kind of person to steal a tiara and that she did not suspect her—so this was contradictory.

Well, that was not what mattered most right now.

What mattered more was confirming whether Freya had manipulated this situation based on her intuition, or whether it had been arranged by the past Liarna.

“So you’re saying this tiara was simply in my jewel box, and that’s why you chose it?”

If the maid’s words were true, then this was not Freya’s scheme but Lia’s own fault.
However, something about the maid’s attitude was suspicious.
Her shaking eyes clearly suggested she was lying.

It did not seem like she had merely chosen the tiara and handed it over.

“Th-that is…”

The maid carefully opened her mouth while watching Kartian and Lia.

“One maid… recommended this tiara to me.”

“And who is that maid?”

At Lia’s question, the maid soon spoke a name, and Kartian ordered a knight to bring that maid as well.

The newly arrived maid was also extremely frightened by the Emperor’s summons.

“I heard you recommended this tiara… What was your reason?”

Lia asked with a cold smile.

Since she had recommended this tiara, she must be connected to whoever had planned this entire situation.

“Th-that is…”

The maid could not answer and trailed off.
But for a moment, her gaze shifted toward one place.

“Are you daring not to answer the Empress’s question right now?”

Since matters concerning the maids had been entrusted to Lia, Kartian had not intended to step in.
But seeing the maid hesitate instead of answering Lia, he could not remain silent.

“If you do not answer any further, I will apply the crime of insulting the imperial family and execute you here immediately.
Yes… where would you like to be cut?”

Kartian asked coldly.

The maid trembled and glanced between the Emperor and Empress.
Even then, her eyes kept drifting toward one place.
At last, she spoke with difficulty.

“That is… Lina asked me to do it.”

Not Freya, but Lina?

Lia’s gaze turned toward Lina, who stood beside Freya.

At the maid’s answer, Lina frowned.
Yet she still looked proud.

“Is that true?”

Lia asked, her gaze ambiguous—whether directed at Freya or Lina.

“Th-that… can’t be…”

Hearing her maid’s name from another maid’s mouth, Freya denied it with a shocked expression.

“Then is this maid lying?”

At Lia’s question, Freya looked at Lina as if urging her to tell the truth.
Lina, who had not reacted to Lia’s gaze at all, wavered at Freya’s eyes.

This was not the situation Lina had wanted.
But now that things had flowed this way, there was nothing she could do.

Without clear evidence, they had tried to make it seem as if Lia had stolen Freya’s tiara.
There was neither proof she stole it nor proof she did not—but the situation itself had been unfavorable to Lia.

However, now that the maids had spoken, that suspicion disappeared.

The one placed in that situation now was herself.
No—she would rather the suspicion fall only on her, but if this continued, it might reach her master, Freya.

This had been entirely her own plan, not something Freya ordered.
Freya knew nothing about it.

“No. It is true. I did it. Everything was planned by me alone.”

Lina said, squeezing her eyes shut.

She was not worried about what punishment she would receive.
She was only worried that the gentle and kind person she served would suffer because of her.

“You planned it alone?”

Just as Lina was about to answer, her eyes met Freya’s.

Freya shook her head painfully, telling her not to.

“Yes.”

Ignoring Freya’s attempt to stop her, Lina answered firmly.

“You dared to frame the Empress.
This is a crime greater than insulting the imperial family.
Even if I kill you here, you would have nothing to say.
But before that—are you truly saying you did this alone?”

Lina was Freya’s maid.
So it might not have been her plan alone.

“I secretly brought Freya’s tiara and placed it in the Empress’s room.
I also deliberately made the maid who helped dress the Empress choose that tiara.
Freya knew nothing of this.
This was entirely my doing.”

Even after Lina’s words, Kartian did not easily believe her.

His gaze briefly turned to Freya, as if judging truth and lies.
But Freya’s expression truly seemed unaware.

Even after losing his memory, his ability to judge sincerity remained sharp.
And his judgment told him the maid was telling the truth.

Moreover, since the maid insisted she acted alone, there was no other evidence.
He could torture her to find out more, but judging by her attitude toward Freya, she would never speak.

So Kartian decided to deal with the woman before him first.

This maid was like Freya’s hands and feet.
Eliminating her alone would be a warning to Freya.

What the maid had done was not simple disrespect.
It was a clear act of hostility meant to bring down the Empress.

Last time, he had spared the maids because the Empress stopped him.
But this time was different.
The crime was far greater.

“P-please… Your Majesty. Lina did it for me.”

Freya pleaded with teary eyes.

But Kartian coldly shook off her hand.

“Are you daring to take the side of the one who did such a thing to the Empress?
Or did you conspire in it as well?”

“N-no… I would never do such a thing to Her Majesty.”

Though saddened by her maid’s death, Freya shook her head firmly.
At the same time, she looked at Lina with sorrowful eyes, knowing she could not help her.

Her eyes were filled with apology.
Lina had been someone precious to her—like a friend in this lonely palace.

“…I’m… sorry…”

Seeing Freya’s gaze, Lina apologized.

Her face was miserable, knowing she had caused Freya pain again.

“I have always respected and followed you.
Freya, you were more radiant and brilliant than anyone.”

Watching Kartian’s sword slide from its sheath, Lina spoke calmly, as if sensing death.

The sincerity of someone who had given up everything was deep.

In the end, Kartian’s sword cut Lina’s neck, and blood burst from the wound.

At the series of events, Lia frowned.

It was the first death she had witnessed.

But this time, she did not stop it.
Even though she had lived over twenty years in Korea, she understood the rules here.

This time could not end lightly like before.