The Emperor and the Knightess

Suddenly, people began to shout out, “Lady Tory must be intoxicated from the scent of the ice wine.”

“Or perhaps she already had a taste? Maybe Lady Tory drank a little too much tonight?”

“Her maids should be reprimanded. They obviously weren’t taking care of their lady very well tonight. How could they let their lady get this drunk? This is unacceptable.”

At the mention of them, Lady Tory’s maids began to move quickly. Cekel remained still, but the other maids surrounded Tory, who was still trembling uncontrollably. Tory was in shock and fear that she was powerless against her maids’ hands.

Lucius the First, who has been quiet until now, gestured for the maids to step away from Lady Tory. He ordered, “I want to hear more from my wife. Leave her be.”

The maids hesitantly stepped back from Tory. Lady Tory, panting helplessly, supported herself by leaning against the table. Marquis Seeze, who was watching Tory, looked calm. Marquis Seeze slowly said to the emperor, “Your highness, I think that perhaps my granddaughter is confused. She must be very intoxicated, and she must think she is dreaming. I apologize for her rudeness.”

“No, I think you are wrong, Marquis. I don’t think my wife is drunk at all. And even if she is, I would like to hear her out. What she’s saying is very interesting. Aren’t you curious too, Marquis Seeze? Don’t you want to know what my wife has to say about you?”

Lucius the First waved his hands to quiet the marquis. He leaned forward from his chair and turned towards Lady Tory.

“My lady, please continue.”

The banquet room became very quiet and cold. The nobles became confused about what was happening in the room. Was the emperor teasing his wife or was he taking her accusation seriously? It was impossible to tell.

Sir Ainno gestured to Sir Mahogal to move the guards around a little inside the banquet hall. Everyone was staring at Lady Tory. The Acreian nobles, who were watching her warmly just a moment ago, now glared at her coldly. Tory could feel the iciness from their stares. Her teeth began to chatter, but she continued with her words, “T… this bottle is poisoned.”

Someone shouted a question, “What kind of poison?”

“I… I don’t know.”

Tory’s eyes wavered anxiously. As soon as she answered, some of the nobles began to laugh loudly. One of them yelled, “My Lady Tory, I think you are drunk. Why don’t you return to your room and rest a little?”

Tory replied, “I don’t know what kind of poison was put into this wine, but I am certain it is poisoned! M-my guess is that it is something that would harm a woman. Marquis Seeze gave me this bottle to give it to Lady Stra. He was trying to poison her. If you investigate this wine, you will find out that I am telling the truth!”

People did not believe in Tory’s words. Most thought that she was just drunk and talking nonsense. It couldn’t be helped because her logic did not make sense. One needed solid evidence to accuse someone, but all Tory offered was a bottle of ice wine. It was true that the bottle had to be from Marquis Seeze, but to accuse him of poisoning it? This didn’t make sense. And Lady Tory also didn’t know what kind of poison was used, which made her argument even stranger.

Marquis Seeze said calmly, “This is a false accusation.” He didn’t bother explaining himself. Marquis Seeze just looked at Lady Tory coldly.

Tory said desperately, “I am telling you the truth, your highness! This bottle of wine is poisoned. It has to be! Marquis Seeze gave me this bottle and told me to make sure Lady Stra drinks it.”

Marquis Seeze said to Lady Tory with a frown, “Lady Tory, please stop. You are embarrassing me and everyone here.”

“No! This bottle is poisoned! I am telling you! This wine needs to be tested!”

Suddenly, one of Lady Tory’s maids ran towards her, “Lady Tory! Just stop!” As if by an accident, the maid pushed the bottle and the glass off the table. The priceless wine spilled all over the floor. Poliana watched in disgust.

‘I didn’t think of the maids. I missed it.’

Only

Poliana has been so focused on the men that she didn’t even think of watching the maids, who were gathered behind Tory. The maid who spilled the wine kneeled on the floor. She bowed her head down so low that her hair became wet with the wine on the floor. The maid begged, “Please forgive my rudeness, your highness, but I cannot just watch anymore! It is true that this bottle was poisoned, but it was not Marquis Seeze who did it! It was Lady Tory! She is the one who poisoned it! I could not say anything until now because I wanted to be loyal to my lady. The last thing I can do for her now was to spill this wine so you could not test it. If you did, you would find out what kind of horrible poison she put in it…”

Tory closed her eyes. Her trembling eased a little, and suddenly, she began to laugh. Poliana was shocked to see Tory laughing in this situation. Tory’s smile was now that of resignation. Tory said to her maid, “I thought you were loyal to me.”

“My lady! You shouldn’t have poisoned the wine…!” The maid began to cry and the other maids ran out to kneel in front of the emperor as well. They said to him, “Your highness! Lady Tory has been jealous of Lady Stra ever since the phantom pregnancy incident! Her jealousy has been becoming uglier, and we, her maids have been the target of her anger, until now… When Lady Rebecca became pregnant, Lady Tory’s envy became much worse! There has been a rumor recently that Lady Stra is pregnant, and that is why Lady Tory tried to poison her! Lady Tory is a stupid woman! Please punish her!”

“You must punish her, your highness!”

All of Lady Tory’s maids, except for Cekel, kneeled in front of the emperor and begged him to punish their own lady. Cekel remained standing and looking pale like a ghost. This was what the tension inside the lady’s quarters meant. The maids were planning to betray Lady Tory.

Tory’s eyes were still closed. She knew this might happen, which was why she considered telling this to the emperor in private. But Lucius the First has been very busy lately with work. He rarely visited the lady’s quarters, and when he did, he went to see Stra. If Tory went to see the emperor, people were going to notice, especially her maids. Tory has been waiting for a long time, but she never was given time to be alone with the emperor.

Her maids used to be her childhood friends. They grew up together in Acreia, but now, Lady Tory was all alone. Tory knew that from day one, she would be known as the crazy woman. She would disappear quietly after tonight. Would history even remember her?