Chapter 372. Viscount Roteschu’s Intervention (1)

Translator: Aura / Editor: HB168

Problems continued to arise one after another, increasing Sovieshu’s anger like an iron ball falling down a steep slope.

The next day, Viscount and Viscountess Isqua’s trial began, but their testimony was unexpected.

“What does this mean?! How can they defend Rashta?!”

At Sovieshu’s roar, all his secretaries fell silent. They didn’t know what to say because no one had anticipated this.

“It’s absurd.”

Sovieshu smiled helplessly and tightly squeezed the armrests of his throne.

Since the Western Empire had provided evidence that the Isqua couple had attempted to murder Evely and demanded severe punishment, the couple would be unable to avoid punishment. Faced with this difficult situation, Sovieshu thought they would naturally blame Rashta, even if she was not really involved.

Sovieshu knew that Rashta was a runaway slave and, although he had not brought the Isqua couple forward, he was convinced that they were not Rashta’s real parents. In some cases, it was possible for adoptive parents to develop a bond with a child similar to that of real parents. However, the Isqua couple had not raised Rashta, and they had known each other for such a short time that they were unlikely to have formed such a bond.

But at the public trial, the couple firmly denied that Rashta had anything to do with their crime, despite people’s doubts.

It was certainly a brave act. Not even all real parents would do this in the face of severe punishment. Because of this, people began to whisper that Rashta really seemed to be the Isqua couple’s daughter. They wouldn’t have done this if Rashta was not their real daughter.

“Is Rashta really not involved?”

“…”

Marquis Karl preferred to keep his thoughts about the Isqua couple to himself. Rashta may not have been involved, but many people try to drag others when they fall. Also, he had learned from Baron Lant that the couple frequently received large sums of money from Rashta. He didn’t expect such leeches to be grateful and loyal in the face of punishment.

“What will you do, Your Majesty?”

“What can I do? It bothers me, but I can’t charge her with a crime that is not recognized by the true perpetrators.”

Sovieshu answered coldly after he finally managed to calm down.

Although he had planned to bring Rashta down by exposing her crimes one by one, starting with the Isqua trial, there were still many ways to remove Rashta from the position of empress.

He wouldn’t try to arbitrarily blame her for this crime because it might cause people to doubt the veracity of other crimes.

But once Sovieshu reluctantly decided to let it slide, an unexpected person intervened.

***

“I didn’t expect to see you here so soon.”

The Isqua couple, who were sitting against a wall inside a cell, suddenly raised their heads when they heard a man’s voice.

The man approached the cell. It was Viscount Roteschu.

Viscount and Viscountess Isqua’s expression became rigid when they saw his unpleasant face.

Rashta used to say a lot of bad things about Roteschu. Naturally, the Isqua couple had a bad impression of him.

Such a man approached them now that their pride was wounded and they were miserable.

Viscountess Isqua asked, coldly,

“What do you want?”

She showed no hesitation, but Viscount Roteschu laughed derisively,

“You are stupid, pathetic bastards.”

In response to the offensive remark, Viscount Isqua became furious and stared fiercely at Viscount Roteschu.

“What are you doing here? Did you come to mock our situation? If so, you’ve come to the wrong place. We didn’t even try to kill that bitch Evely, and even if we were framed with false evidence, we won’t be severely punished for the attempted murder of a commoner.”

Viscount Isqua smirked as he continued to speak.

“But in your case it’s different. You dared to introduce your own blood into the imperial family, which is tantamount to conspiring to usurp the throne. Shouldn’t you worry about your own neck first?”

They didn’t dislike Viscount Roteschu enough to lash out at him in this way, but the couple was cornered. Only the determination to protect their daughter Rashta allowed them not to give in, but it was difficult to bear people’s finger-pointing.

Since Viscount Roteschu would soon be in a worse situation, they tried to calm down a little by insulting him.

Roteschu should have looked scared, but he only smiled bitterly.

‘Would any of this have happened if, instead of trying to find Rivetti, I had cracked down on Alan?’

He suddenly thought of that. After he asked Rivetti to return to the estate, he went to the mansion in the capital to find out what had happened while he was away searching for Rivetti. He learned that Alan had taken Ahn to the imperial palace to meet with Sovieshu and then with Rashta.

It was like oil in one hand and fire in the other.

As much as it bothered him that the Isqua couple blamed him for this, Viscount Roteschu reluctantly acknowledged it.

“That’s right.”

The couple hesitated due to his honesty. But then, Viscount Roteschu laughed cruelly and sarcastically.

“Although my neck is in danger, I don’t regret anything because I’ll die to protect my family. But what about you? Didn’t you try to kill your real daughter for the sake of a fake daughter you didn’t even raise?”

Viscount Roteschu clicked his tongue as if it was a wonderful thought.

“You won’t be able to rest in peace when you die.”