CHAPTER 34 (1). DECLARATION OF REGENCY
CHAPTER 34 (1). DECLARATION OF REGENCY
No, to be precise, she was taken aback, but Rosemond was a woman who didn't reveal the appearance of being surprised by anything. She was already too crafty of a politician to reveal such emotions and expressions from one-on-one confrontations. She asked Patrizia with an expression showing disbelief.
"Your Majesty? What in the world do you mean…?"
"Your Majesty, the examination is over."
Before she could continue her words however, the physician intervened, and Rosemond was quite displeased by the unintentionally blocking of her words but did not reveal what was going on inside her mind. Patrizia seemed to encourage the results, as she made her chin tense, and the court physician gave the results quickly.
"Fortunately, His Majesty's body was not seriously injured because of Your Majesty's use of sculler… He seems to be not getting up for some other reason."
"Then what your words mean is that you do not know when His Majesty will wake up?"
"I apologize but, that is the case, Your Majesty."
Lucio said this with a regretful expression, and Patrizia momentarily felt hopelessness. In any case, the first reason was that because of her, someone irrelevant to the situation was in this condition, and the second reason was that if it was flipped around and if not for him, she would be in that state, or worse, perhaps already dead.
Patrizia momentarily closed her eyes and took the time to calm down her feelings, but that time did not last long. She quickly opened her eyes and asked the imperial physician the same thing.
"So you mean, you do not know when His Majesty will wake up?"
"I am sorry."
"…"
When this turned out to be true, Patrizia glanced around at everyone with a calmer look than before. Everyone in the area looked very nervous, waiting for what words would come out from the young Empress's mouth.
In a voice that was neither large nor small, she spoke as such.
"Since His Majesty is in a coma, according to Imperial law, all matters of the empire are to be determined ultimately by the power that belongs to myself, the Empress. Is that right?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. Until the Emperor awakens, Your Majesty must act in place."
At the words of one of the nobles, Patrizia spoke as if it was a proclamation, without any hesitation.
"I cannot guarantee when the Emperor's consciousness will be restored, and as of now, I declare that I, Patrizia Leila Les Grochester, am the regent of the Great Marvinus Empire. Does anyone have any objections to this decision?"
"No, Your Majesty."
Voices of consent could be heard from all over the place, and Patrizia raised up her bent knees to look over Lucio. Instead of looking around at all the nobles with her tall height, she stared at only one person, Rosemond. She had to finish what she had tried to say earlier.
"In the midst of the impending crisis, at the end of the cliff, I asked the assassins who tried to kill me. Who in the world… would be the culprit behind this insane action. In fact, it is standard to not tell me but… They must have thought that I was going to die soon in their hands."
"Who is it, Your Majesty?"
"I can't forgive anyone who dared to undermine the Emperor and Empress of this empire."
Patrizia almost burst into laughter at the voices of the knights coming from all over, but barely held it in, and without hesitation, opened her mouth.
"They said the Emperor's mistress ordered the murder of the Emperor's wife."
"…"
It wasn't very awkward to feel the cold silence, as it was felt for the second time, just like the previous one. Patrizia turned her head and looked at the Duke of Efreni. She asked in a calm voice.
"Duke Efreni."
"Yes, Your Majesty. Please speak to me."
"I am not fully certain. Anyone who dared to condemn the Emperor and Empress, what should I do as punishment?"
"Your Majesty, that is…"
Surprisingly, the Duke of Efreni was unable to speak properly, and Patrizia was taken aback as she naturally expected a quick response would follow, but soon demanded an answer from him.
"Why can you not speak? Is there something different from what I know and what you know?"
"No, Your Majesty."
"However, it is strange that you can not speak. Ah, perhaps the truth is you are the culprit behind this?"
"Never, Your Majesty. I apologize for the late reply."
The Duke of Efreni coughed a few times, and then gave the answer she wanted to hear.
"Anyone who dares to condemn the Emperor and the Imperial Family is to be punished by Imperial law, and to be decapitated, regardless of age or gender."
"Decapitation…"
It was a word that pleased her, but Patrizia had already known it. It would not be so easy to put Rosemond to death with words from her.
She was definitely the Empress of this empire, and currently the regent, but it was really difficult to put a person to death in the absence of evidence. It would count as tyranny even if the opponent was not Rosemond.
Of course, she or Lucio, who knew the situation, could be understood by Rosemond on a broader scale, but in the eyes of others, it could just be interpreted as the Empress's desire to bury one mistress due to jealousy.
She didn't want that. It didn't matter if it looked dirty and crude, but she was afraid it would catch up to her and bring her down later. Whether it was revenge or repayment, it was good to be clean and unobtrusive. The same was true for work itself, and for her future self.
Of course, that didn't mean that she just had to step back.
"Captain of the Guards."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Right now, arrest Lady Phelps and take her towards the Imperial Palace."
At those short words, the Captain of the Guards faithfully followed her words. Rosemond's movement was limited in an instant, and she glared at Patrizia as though she would kill her. Since Lucio wasn't present anymore, she didn't need such things as fake expressions anymore.