# 73
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At Flora Rinco's sudden appearance, the alarm bells of her instincts rang loudly, and Grace stopped all movement. A very ominous premonition swept over her entire body like a sudden disaster.
Flora appeared while everyone's eyes had turned to the Inspector. This couldn't be a coincidence.
At that moment, a chilling sensation, like cold water brushing against the riverbed, swept over my body. My palms became wet, and my heart pounded. It was not a sensation that would simply pass by. This was because I had experienced this unpleasant chill a very long time ago.
It was the day of my parents' funeral. As it was the funeral of the Duke and Duchess of Taylor, countless nobles had flocked from all over. As I knelt before my father and mother's coffins in the chapel filled with mourners, the same chilling sensation as just moments ago licked up the back of my neck.
'sonny.'
A voice like a devil's whisper flowed down the rim of my ear and tightened my small heart.
'If you don't want to become like your parents, live quietly, very quietly—just breathing.'
Tears of terror trickled down her chin in droplets. On that day, Grace dared not even turn her head or roll her eyes. Swept up in the fear ingrained in her instincts, she simply wept until the ceremony ended.
How much I regretted that day, time and time again.
Come sit here. Let's have a cup of tea. It's a perfect time for a cup of tea.
Grace turned her head toward Flora as she poured the tea. A part of Flora's long, flowing pink hair swayed ever so slightly. In a place with no wind.
Grace walked while turning her right wrist.
The prediction that the Inspector would be a game changer was wrong. Grace snatched the teapot Flora was holding by surprise and swung it with all her might toward Flora's right side.
“What the hell, ah!!!”
The teapot struck someone and shattered, wetting her hand, but she felt no heat. The moment Grace pressed Flora's body onto the table, a sharp blade sliced through the air where Flora had been. Clutching the shards of the broken teapot, Grace shouted outward with all her might.
Is anyone there!!!
The real 'game changer' of the Marquis Rinko family was none other than Flora Rinko.
* * *
Execute the author.
The moment Ivanka Tyrien's confident voice rang out, the hall was enveloped in a deafening silence. Then, in an instant, a small commotion arose.
"what?"
"They're telling me to execute Crimson Isaac?"
Ivanka widened her already round eyes even further and placed both hands on her hips.
“Punish the author for the crime of insulting His Imperial Majesty!”
If someone were to ask her how she was able to seize such great power, Ivanka would tell them this.
Predict your opponent, but become someone you cannot predict.
It was a very easy task for Ivanka Tyrien.
The nobles unconsciously followed etiquette and customs, but she had no interest in such things. The etiquette and customs ingrained in their subconscious defined the behavior of the Deccan nobles, and in almost all cases, Ivanka's predictions were exactly right.
Even now, it is the same. To think they couldn't step forward and were all just blinking their eyes and watching the situation. She was confident she could keep everyone gathered here in this hall all night regarding the execution of Crimson Isaac.
However, unfortunately, there was something she overlooked,
“It looks like the Inspector General’s mission this time is not to deliver a congratulatory message, but to stir up discord.”
The man sitting beneath the eagle banner also did not regard etiquette or customs as even the dirt under his fingernails.
When Ivanka flinched and turned around, the Duke had his long leg crossed over his opposite knee. Naturally, he had no choice but to sit leaning back, a posture that made him look extremely authoritative. Needless to say, his expression was extremely disrespectful.
You say you grew up on the Wall of Death, but do you not know proper etiquette toward the Inspector General?
Ivanka quickly turned her gaze to her godmother, Eliza, who was sitting beside her. Since she is a princess, surely she wouldn't be as rude as the Duke...?
If you came to congratulate them, just do it nicely and leave. Don't cause trouble at someone else's house for no reason.
“…….”
This side was certainly not less, if anything.
As if the grandson happened to resemble his grandmother, the expressions on their faces were identical, as if stamped out of a mold. Far from being shaken by the order to kill Crimson Isaac, neither of them even blinked an eye.
However, it was an undeniable fact that Crimson Isaac had clearly committed a rude act.
“How can you speak like that when you do not know what rudeness the author committed against me!”
"It might be understandable if it were Joseph or Sirius, but there's no way Crimson would do that."
“…I mean, just how terrible was that rude?”
The Duke and the Grand Madam's expressions were more scathing and indifferent than anyone Ivanka had ever seen. As if by prior agreement, the two narrowed their eyes while making frustrated noises, and Ivanka's face turned unbearably red.
“Even though he was aware that I am the Inspector, the representative of His Imperial Majesty, he dared to say that he would search my carriage! Furthermore, he refused to apologize even when I demanded it; what else could this be but an insult to His Imperial Majesty?!!”
The moment she said that, a crack appeared for the first time on the Duke's face, which had been indifferent to the point of arrogance until now. Ivanka thought to herself, 'Of course, that makes sense,' when the Duke gestured straight toward her back.
“Crimson!”
At his call, Crimson, who was standing behind the Imperial Knight, moved. He brushed past Ivanka and soared onto the platform as if flying.
"this!"
While Ivanka stared at him with a bewildered look, Crimson whispered something into the Duke's ear. At that, the Duke's demeanor changed instantly, like a wind shifting in direction.
* * *
The 'Invisible Ones' disappeared after the assassination of the late Duke and Duchess Taylor.
Why did it disappear?
Serving at the Wall of Death was a process of seeking the answer to that question. Ares searched and scoured the area outside the wall, digging into the reason why they had been forced to vanish without a trace. Thus, about five years after leaving the Wall of Death, he realized.
It is not that they have vanished without a trace, but that they have reached a point where they can no longer reveal themselves.
It was certain that they, too, had been brought to a state of annihilation by assassinating the two ducal couples who could be called the bedrock of Deccan.
In that case, is there a possibility that they will return?
The remaining five years were a process of seeking the answer to that. Since the answer could not be found outside the wall, I turned my gaze elsewhere. It was to the village of fugitives. And there, I found the answer.
There is a possibility that they could return at any time. The problem was when their army would be formed.
There was something inside the carriage.
The moment he heard those words, Ares's five senses sharply awakened.
“Take a portion of the article into the castle and search. There is a high probability they will search where the documents are…”
Ares trailed off as he was giving orders to Crimson. His eyes fell upon Jesse Moulton, who was conveying something to Mrs. Rexton. Mrs. Rexton turned to look at him with a worried expression, wondering what Jesse had said. Ares rose from his seat without further thought.
"dismissal!"
Ivanka's figure went out of focus. I could feel the monster inside me, ready to burst out at any moment, struggling desperately to escape. Ares strode down the platform and spoke to Eliza.
“Please welcome the Inspector on my behalf, Grandmother. I have somewhere to go briefly.”
However, Ivanka Tyrien blocked him again.
“Your Excellency! Then what are you going to do about the punishment for Crimson Isaac?”
A sense of revulsion beyond disillusionment welled up inside him. Ares stared silently at Ivanka, who was glaring at him with a fierce look. He felt Ivanka flinch, as she had been glaring with wide eyes as if she would never back down.
Ares spoke as if spitting out each syllable.
Do you think the Inspector General is on the level of the Emperor?
“…….”
“If you have come carrying the Emperor’s insignia, show the dignity befitting it. My knight merely did his duty, so if you are dissatisfied, tell her to go to the Empress and formally protest to me.”
With those words, Ares hurriedly stepped down from the podium as if leaping over it.
When Jesse, who had been among the nobles, pushed his way through the crowd to reach the main gate of the hall, Ares was already passing through. As soon as he caught up with him, the Duke asked.
"Andrew must be by Grace's side, right?"
Jesse prided himself on having been through his fair share of hardships and not feeling fear in most matters, but his hands trembled at the ice-cold question.
“The Young Lady ordered me to take the documents to the dungeon. I was told to move the documents and tell His Excellency that he must keep an eye on this side...!”
Ares ran before Jesse could even finish speaking. He ran like a madman, just as he had run at the Wall of Death to survive and to save others. He didn't even feel the snowflakes, which had just begun to fall, scratching his cheeks. He jumped over stairs and cut across the flowerbeds, paying no heed that his feet were a mess.
Why did you come?
I wish you would ask that with an innocent face. I wish you would just give a doll-like smile, saying it would have been enough to simply station a few knights, and I would turn around feeling embarrassed and relieved.
“Please, Grace.”
I ran faster, feeling a vicious anxiety rising to the tip of my throat.