Marquis Fahlcrantz, makes a move.

“And, after searching through the empty mansion, I found this………”

Maya showed a singular small bottle with some kind of liquid inside.

“And that is?”

“………a tabooed drug, [Apium].”

And with that, everything was connected.

From the moment he tried to court Liz, Wilhelm had already been using this drug to manipulate Anne, to monitor us…….no, Liz specifically.

I imagine he probably would have liked to have Maya under his control at first but, perhaps because he was unable to do so, he changed his target to Anne instead.

But.

“Just how did Wilhelm manage to get his hands on this prohibited drug?”

Even if he was from a Duke’s household, he was just the young son of the family. Getting his hands on a tabooed item like this shouldn’t have been so easily possible.

In that case, was his father, the Duke, in on it all………?

“Also, in regards to this [Apium], it can only be obtained from the Eastern lands. Meaning……..”

“Meaning the Svalier family have been getting it directly from one of the eastern countries or, getting it from someone connected to a eastern country, correct?”

The Svalier family’s territory was already located at the eastern borders of the Baldyk empire.

And there was only one eastern country that shared borders specifically with their territory’s borders.

——–the  Rujia Empire, a land of intense cold that was said to rival even the Baldyk Empire in size.

I simply can’t imagine the Svalier family directly making trade deals with any other eastern countries while skipping over the Rujia Empire either.

Then, this drug called Apium must be coming from the Rujia Empire.

“Lord Rudy………”

“Yeah. This is not a fun thing to talk about at all but, I’m starting to see the threads that led to Anne betraying us.”

How did Wilhelm have the power and resources to offer backing to all the ex-robin faction nobles?

Why did Oscar choose to stick with Wilhelm over me even when he knew the backing I had?

The answer to it all is the fact that he had the Rujia Empire behind him.

“Liz, Maya, it’s time we go and meet Marquis Fahlcrantz. This has now far surpassed the scope of things that we alone can handle.”

“”Yes!””

Ignoring that it was still late at night, we got on the carriage and quickly headed back to the Fahlcrantz mansion.

On the way.

“………..Anne, may not have betrayed us entirely after all.”

I muttered.

“Lord Rudy……..it might be exactly as you say. Anne, really didn’t betray us till the very end.”

Liz, sitting beside me, quickly nodded and agreed.

As if, she was trying to make a statement to Maya, who was sitting in front of us.

“Then, what we can do now is to make sure that we don’t waste her sacrifice or her feelings.”

Maya raised her head, and then looked at both me and Liz.

Her amethyst eyes were brimming with resolve and emotion.

“Come, we have arrived.”

“”Yes!””

We got down and greeted the middle aged man…….head butler Morten, and asked him to take us to meet Marquis Fahlcrantz asap which he quickly acquiesced.

“Prince Rudolf, apologies for the wait.”

“Likewise, apologies for showing up at such a late time.”

We kept the greeting with the Marquis and Lady Teresa quick and short as well as they arrived in the reception room, and we quickly seated ourselves.

“As for the matter at hand, I assume it has to do with Anne and that Svalier brat, yes?”

“Indeed. Maya.”

Upon my signal, Maya put the bottle of liquid…Apium, on the table in front of him.

“This is something she found while searching the Svalier family’s townhouse. Maya searched the place inside and out but she didn’t find a single servant there. It was completely deserted.”

“hmm………….”

Staring at the bottle, Marquis Fahlcrantz growled.

Lady Teresa had a stern expression on her face as well.

And then.

“Kuku…………”

Suddenly, marquis Fahlcrantz began to chuckle.

Wh-what’s happening now……..?

“you know, since this matter had been mostly contained to the underground side, I was feeling a bid vexed from being unable to move on the surface. But now, I have a just cause.”

“ah………..”

It was true. If the Marquis had moved just because of Anne’s betrayal, it would have become a battle between the top of the nobility and the top of the military, and the entire empire would have descended into utter chaos so he couldn’t help but hold his hand.

However, owning and abusing taboo drugs, and with Anne its legit proof, now he could publicly denounce the Svalier family himself.

“With this proof, I will immediately go and ask the Emperor to give me the authority to arrest Lord Svalier. Prince Rudolf, may I ask you to accompany me as well?”

“Of course! It would be an honour!”

“Good.”

Marquis Fahlcrantz looked at me and nodded with satisfaction.

“Morten, you go with Maya to keep an eye on Wilhelm at the dorms and get ready to arrest him at a moment’s notice. The instant I get approval from the Emperor, we will let him taste the pain he made Anne suffer through.”

“Understood.”

“Please leave it to me.”

Upon Lady Teresa’s words, Morten and Maya both gave a respectful bow.

Both of their eyes were shining with a fiery blaze.

“Liz, will you wait for me here to return? I promise, I will come back to you with the best result possible.”

“Yes………I will wait for Lord Rudy here. Let that man taste the hammer of justice.”

“Yeah!”

Seen off by Lady Teresa and Liz, we headed to our respective carriages.

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