Chapter 248. The Proof of Blood, Part IV
Of course, he did not believe that the deaths of the Duke of Kiellini or Ivana were suicide. He had been thinking the Duke of Kiellini's behavior was strange. He couldn't believe that Duke Kiellini had contacted Francis like that if he was interfering with the future of Prince Killian, the fiance of his daughter.
But Ivana's letter solved all the questions. The princess being a fake made him able to connect everything. They killed the Duke of Kiellini and Ivana to hide the secret. He came straight in with confidence. But the princess was confident that she was going to get the Proof of Blood.
The Duke had to make a decision in a short time, and decided to believe his feelings. So far, his feelings had never been wrong. They might think that if they went out confidently, he would back down, saying he mistook it. But he couldn't let it go. There must have been something there, and he had to find out what. This was an opportunity, a chance to break the Prince down for certain!
"It is painful for me to raise such suspicion. But it's not comfortable for me to just bury my daughter's last letter. Please help me find out that my daughter's suspicions were wrong, and that this old man misunderstood."
Killian glared for a moment at Duke Dudley's plausible words. "Then let's pick the number of people who will leave for Vicern and take a break for a while before we leave. The sooner this happens, the better."
After the team of investigators sent to Tilia returned, he had to reveal that the princess was a fake. Only then could the deaths of Duke of Kiellini and Ivana be blamed on the work of Prince Killian.
When the Emperor's permission fell, the Duke of Dudley began to recruit people who would go to Vicern and be witnesses to the Proof of Blood.
"Marquis Oswald, Duke Miguel, Duke Martin, Duke Haint, these four people were chosen as formal witnesses. We'll be leaving in exactly three hours, so let's meet in front of the Magic Square."
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When people left the conference room after the long meeting, the Duke of Dudley approached Lady Raviel. "You need to speak to me for a while."
Killian gazed at him with frightening eyes and blocked him from Lady Raviel. "That's difficult, the Duke. We need to protect Lady Raviel from this side. Take her to the Asta Palace!"
The Duke of Dudley was angry at the sight of Killian calling knights as if he had done something bad. "Your Highness, I'm not going to do anything to the daughter of the Raviel family. I just wanted to ask her a few questions."Despite the Duke's protests, Killian confirmed that Lady Raviel was leaving the conference room surrounded by knights and turned around. "The Duke, Lady Raviel is now the benefactor of saving Princess Kiellini's life, but she is also guilty of participating in the abduction. I can't allow anyone's contact with her until a formal trial is held and I can determine all this."
Killian walked out of the conference room with Julietta, ignoring the Duke of Dudley trying to say something. As soon as he returned to the Asta Palace, he was greeted by aristocrats waiting in the hall, and Killian embraced Julietta strongly. "You don't know how anxious I was when you were away for only half a day. When I can't see you like this or you disappear, I get so nervous, and I hate it."
Julietta hugged Killian too. "It's not over yet. We have a long way to go."
Killian unwrapped his arms, lifted her face, and kissed her for a long breath. "Be ready to leave for Vicern after the meal comes. Your luggage has arrived from the Kiellini mansion."
Killian expressed his regrets by pouring small kisses around her mouth again and went out, and Vera came into the bedroom.
Outside the lounge, Killian asked the waiting Valerian, "What about Lady Raviel?"
"I sent her to the room in the west side with a maid. The Raviel family have already entered the Imperial Castle," replied Valerian.
"You have to keep an eye on them until we get back from Vicern. You should be especially careful that Francis can't approach."
"Yes, Your Highness. His Majesty sent his knights. He ordered no one should approach them, since they are important witnesses."
"Okay. What about Francis?" Killian wondered about the whereabouts of Francis, who had not been seen all morning.
"As soon as Marquis Marius went down to Tilia, he called on Lady Anais. I think he doesn't care about people's eyes anymore." Oswald said sarcastically, slanting his lips.
"Doesn't he know about the death of Mrs. Anais?"
"I think so. Prince Francis's bedroom is inaccessible until he calls for someone."
Killian remained silent for some time, tapping the sofa's armrests with his fingers. "Bring the troupe leader and Phoebe. I should resolve the suspicion over the poison case by using her as an illegitimate child of the Duke."
"The princess said she would hold off making Phoebe the Duke's illegitimate child until this is over," Oswald spoke up carefully.
Yesterday Valerian reported to Killian what had happened in Tilia and shared the thoughts of Count Adam. It was natural to have the Duke's illegitimate child deliver his will to appease the sudden suicide of the Duke of Kiellini.
"I will explain it to Julietta. Bring Mrs. Grayson with Phoebe. Before the investigation team that went down to Tilia comes up, we must make sure that the death of the Duke of Kiellini was suicide. It's better for her to show up when we're not around."
Valerian remembered what the princess had said in the carriage. The Prince and the princess knew exactly what was more effective if something happened when they were away, and the Prince was giving him an order. 'How can they be so alike?'
"And I'll have to kill Lady Anais."
At Killian's words, Valerian came to his senses after a brief second of thought.
"Kill?" Oswald asked again, as if he was surprised.
"Marquis Anais keeps being indecisive. Moreover, Francis's calling Lady Anais to his palace without paying attention to other people's gazes is a declaration that he will take her as his Queen," Killian deduced coolly.
"Anyway, we will bring down Prince Francis and the Duke of Dudley in the poison case, and punish Lady Christine for the kidnapping." Oswald was concerned that if they were in a hurry to kill Christine, things might go wrong.
"We won't be able to weave both Francis and Duke Dudley into the poison case. There is a good chance that Duke Dudley and Marquis Marius will take over. If so, it should be difficult to punish Lady Anais, who is the niece of the First Queen and will be Francis's Queen. Even if we deprive her of her noble status for trying to harm Julietta, if Francis takes her as his Queen, she will recover everything."
"There will be nothing to be afraid of when she comes to the Imperial Castle," Oswald sighed.
"I'd be glad if I could get Francis with this incident for sure, but it won't be easy. So we have to kill her. We don't know what else she will do next. Maybe she'll try to poison Julietta again..."
At Killian's words, Oswald nodded. "Marquis Anais will appeal to the princess with fatherly love, and ask her to forgive again."
"He'll get her sympathy. Julietta will have no choice but to forgive her again."
Valerian glanced at the bedroom as he listened to the two men's conversation. It was not true. It was clear to him that the current princess would not easily forgive them.
"How are you going to handle this?" Oswald asked.
Killian laughed at Oswald's question. "Tell Mrs. Grayson to find a way to get rid of Lady Anais so that only the Marquis and his successor will remain in the Anais family in the near future. Say it's my order," Killian spoke mildly, as they heard the sound of the bedroom door opening.
"I want Mrs. Grayson to get rid of her while Julietta is in Vicern, but if there's no way, tell her to kill her before the end of the month."
Mrs. Grayson would carry out Killian's order by any means. Julietta came out as Valerian tried to answer. Killian reached out to her, seeing her in her favorite jacket dress. As her little hand clasped his, he smiled widely with an unknown sense of pride. "This is happiness!"
"What happiness?" she asked him.