Chapter 134 – My Standards Are High (1)

Navier had said she would go to Wirwol immediately, and Sovieshu had been unable to catch her when she left. He was frustrated that she had rejected his offer to accompany her, but there were a few other things he had to take care of while she was away.

“Where is Viscount Roteschu?”

“He’s receiving treatment in the southern palace.”

“Is he incapacitated?”

“No.”

“Very well. Bring him to me.”

Sovieshu summoned Viscount Roteschu and questioned him about his relationship with Rashta. The viscount was smart enough to know that it was the Emperor’s men that saved him. He assumed that the Emperor already knew what he said to Koshar, and he cried out and repeated what he had confessed.

However, Sovieshu’s response was cold.

“So you were blackmailing Rashta in return for hiding her baby.”

“No, Your Majesty!”

“Then why would Rashta keep looking after you? She loathed you to the point of running away.”

Viscount Roteschu looked at Sovieshu, and realized that the Emperor had just as much interest in hiding Rashta’s past. The viscount was unsure if the Emperor was doing it out of love or because Rashta was pregnant with his baby, but his attitude was clear. Viscount Roteschu quickly flipped through his thoughts and told a lie.

“Miss Rashta keeps in touch with me because I’m raising her baby.”

He bowed his head and huddled his shoulders to look as humble as possible.

“I wanted to be helpful to her, of course. But blackmail? It was nothing of the sort. Our relationship is like…well, it’s more like a deal.”

Sovieshu narrowed his eyes. Viscount Roteschu’s words seemed to align with the facts. Rashta didn’t always try to hide the viscount’s visits, and she had even kept a lock of her baby’s hair. With each new discovery, the viscount’s words sounded more and more plausible.

Viscount Roteschu gave a sigh of relief when he thought Sovieshu was no longer suspicious of him, but the Emperor’s inquiry was not over.

“Where is Rashta’s slave trade certificate?”

“What?”

“You told Koshar about it.”

He heard about that?! The viscount flinched in surprise, while the Sovieshu looked down at him coolly.

Worried that the Emperor would say “Why did you keep it without destroying it?” and find fault in him, Viscount Roteschu quickly prostrated himself on the ground.

“I left the certificate to the Bear Corporation, and it’s likely Lord Koshar went there to take it.”

***

After the meeting with Viscount Roteschu, Sovieshu visited Koshar personally at the Troby mansion.

Koshar was surprisingly quiet as he remained locked in his room on the second floor. Although he was not allowed to leave, he was served meals and the room was furnished with a bathroom. Sovieshu did not intend to converse with the man for long, and immediately went to the point.

“You will be banished.”

Although he had known Koshar and Navier since childhood, Sovieshu never had a good relationship with the elder Troby brother.

Koshar did not look surprised at Sovieshu’s proclamation, as if he had been expecting it. In fact, Koshar replied in cold sarcasm.

“Do you know what your little plaything is like?”

“I heard everything. Well done.”

Sovieshu did not rise to Koshar’s provocation, which only further stoked Koshar’s anger.

“Well done?”

“If it hadn’t been for you stepping forward I wouldn’t have known what happened in the past.”

Sovieshu spoke casually, and he looked around the room.

“Where is Rashta’s slave certificate?”

“Well, I had a hunch about the fellow with one ear and a big mouth, but what a light tongue he has.”

“Preferable to you who has light fists and mind.”

Sovieshu smiled. Koshar stared back with cold eyes and returned the grin.

“Of course.”

Sovieshu frowned at Koshar’s sudden change in attitude, and the reason for it soon became clear.

“The certificate came from the Bear Corporation. But one of your knights confiscated it.”

Sovieshu looked at him with skepticism, but Koshar continued on breezily.

“Of course, I thought it was under your orders. But judging from your reaction, that’s not true, is it?”

He laughed and spread his arms wide.

“Feel free to search this place. I really don’t have it.”

“…”

Sovieshu gave Koshar a steely glare and ordered Marquis Karl to find the certificate. However, after running through the premises with a fine-toothed comb, it was nowhere to be found. Men were also sent to the Bear Corporation, and they confirmed that Koshar had indeed taken the certificate.

The men scoured the mansion again, while Sovieshu sat down on a parlor room couch with his arms folded. However, no matter how thoroughly the men searched, no certificate was found. Sovieshu’s anger started to grow. With the certificate gone, Rashta could potentially be under suspicion as a slave in the future.

‘Was it the Empress’ doing?’

Sovieshu remembered that Navier knew that Koshar had been detained in his home only a few hours after it happened. Many of the knights were loyal to Navier. Because she disliked Rashta, she would never hand him the certificate even if it was in her possession.

Sovieshu’s brow furrowed in suspicion.

‘I’ll have the men search the Empress’ room while she’s absent.’

Sovieshu left the mansion empty-handed, but before he did so, he spoke to the Troby couple.

“Duke Troby, Duchess Troby. Do you know that your son has done everything he could to kill my baby?”

“I heard yesterday.”

“I will not officially place blame on your family for the Empress’ sake. But Koshar is hereby banished from this country.”

Although Duke Troby had been informed by the Emperor’s guard of the incident, he stumbled when he heard the severe punishment. The duchess grabbed the duke’s arm to support him, and she glanced at Sovieshu.

Sovieshu’s heart skipped a beat when he saw the resemblance of her eyes to Navier’s, but he continued on firmly.

“Keep in mind that while exiled, Koshar has no legal authority in the Eastern Empire, and will be imprisoned as soon as he crosses its borders.”

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