Chapter 134: The Crown Prince’s Revelation  

After the safe return of Saintess Yuria, the remaining issue was the punishment of the Crown Prince.  

Due to his special status as the Crown Prince, Arthur de Fabian was not immediately sent to trial but was instead dragged to the audience chamber of the imperial palace.  

The trial was presided over by Pope Melvin of the Holy Temple, with the Emperor seated beside him.  

Arthur entered the audience chamber dressed in his full ceremonial uniform as the Crown Prince, from head to toe.  

“Let go of me! I’ll walk on my own! Let go!”  

Arthur tried to shake off the arms of the guards, but his hands were bound by the restraints he himself had created, leaving him unable to resist properly. His face, swollen and bruised from Xavier’s punches, was grotesque.  

He was forcibly made to stand before dozens of nobles. In truth, this was less of a trial and more of a procedure to confirm his crimes and officially depose him as Crown Prince.  

From his elevated seat, Pope Melvin, dressed in a white priestly robe adorned with golden embroidery and wearing a pointed white hat, looked down and spoke.  

“Crown Prince Arthur de Fabian has committed the crimes of kidnapping, imprisoning, and assaulting Saintess Yuria Auguste, the Duchess of Auguste. Furthermore, he attempted to falsely accuse Lucas Lacuni Moirai, the King of Moirai, of these crimes. As a result, the King of Moirai is now demanding a peace agreement.”  

“A peace agreement?! How disgraceful it is to negotiate with the Beast Kingdom, Your Majesty!”  

“Oh, how could this happen! No matter how wrong His Highness the Crown Prince may have been, the demands of the Beast Kingdom are outrageous.”  

“Why not just ignore them? They call it a peace agreement, but it’s clear they intend to revise all the terms that previously favored the Empire to their own advantage.”  

“If we agree to a peace agreement, the businesses of our noble houses that rely on dealings with the Beast Kingdom will collapse.”  

A heated debate broke out among the ministers over the peace agreement. The opposition was overwhelming, as many nobles had profited from the unequal relations between the two nations.  

“I have no excuse.”  

The Emperor, seated beside the Pope, seemed hesitant and unable to display the charisma of a sovereign ruler. His son’s actions had turned the situation against him.  

“So much chatter.”  

At Xavier’s single remark, the audience chamber fell silent as if a pin had dropped. Though he looked visibly exhausted, the aura emanating from his robust physique was overwhelming.  

“The ones who have suffered the most are the saintess and the Auguste family.”  

“……”  

The Emperor opened his mouth to speak at Xavier’s presence.  

“Duke Xavier, I apologize. The imperial family will compensate you on a national level.”  

“Your Majesty. As the head of the Auguste family, which has defended the Empire from the Beast Kingdom for hundreds of years, I, Xavier Auguste, can no longer pledge my loyalty to the imperial family. From now on, I will not involve myself in any wars against the Beast Kingdom. Therefore, I request that Your Majesty sign the peace agreement. This is the compensation that the Auguste family and Saintess Yuria desire.”  

“Ah!”  

“Duke Auguste!”  

“How could this be!”  

Xavier’s statement caused an uproar in the audience chamber.  

In essence, he was saying, ‘If you don’t want the peace agreement, then the Auguste family will step back, and you can defend the Empire on your own.’  

Naturally, all the blame shifted to the Crown Prince.  

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, why did you kidnap the beloved saintess and commit such acts? Furthermore, how could you falsely accuse the king of another nation? Now Duke Auguste says he will no longer defend the Empire. How will you take responsibility for this?”  

“……”  

“Not only the citizens of the Empire but also neighboring nations, including the Beast Kingdom and other small states, who received help from the saintess during the Carbo plague, are protesting vehemently.”  

“I am well aware of that.”  

“To think someone like this would lead Brillante. Honestly, our house cannot serve him.”  

“Nor can ours.”  

The great noble houses, influenced by Xavier’s statement, began questioning the Crown Prince’s qualifications.  

It wasn’t just the common people who were indebted to the saintess. Nobles, whether for political reasons or because they had personally benefited from her healing, also held her in high regard.  

“Your Majesty! Your Holiness! I am innocent.”  

Arthur looked up at the Emperor and the Pope.  

“The Crown Prince may speak.”  

With the Pope’s permission, Arthur began to speak without hesitation.  

“Xavier Auguste has deceived everyone. He entered into a fake marriage with the saintess and fooled you all!”  

A dreadful silence fell over the audience chamber. The only sound was Arthur’s voice.  

“That’s why I tried to retrieve the saintess for the sake of the imperial family!”  

“Will you take back those words?”  

Xavier’s cold voice filled the chamber like a chilling wind.  

“I have proof!”  

Arthur began fumbling with his bound hands, searching his uniform. But, of course, there was nothing in the freshly changed uniform. He suddenly remembered he had entrusted it to Count Willem.  

“Search the Duchess of Auguste’s cabinet immediately! Open a portal and investigate now, and you’ll find the evidence!”  

Arthur looked up at Emperor Charles, seeking his support. Melvin added a word of caution from beside the Emperor.  

“Your Majesty, do not make a mistake. Are you truly going to listen to the Crown Prince’s words?”  

The Emperor glanced briefly at his son, who was restrained by the guards, and then spoke.  

“Do as the Crown Prince says.”  

“Your Majesty, are you turning against me?”  

“Duke Xavier, I simply wish to clarify the truth.”  

It was the moment when the Emperor’s desire to save his son overpowered his judgment as a ruler.  

The imperial mage responsible for managing portals opened a space. The guards and their captain entered the portal, heading to the Auguste estate.  

Arthur’s expression, which had been lifeless, gradually revived with excitement.  

“You won’t have to search long! Hahaha!”  

As Arthur had said, the guards quickly returned to the audience chamber. All eyes were on the guard captain, waiting for his report.  

“Captain, speak.”  

The guard captain, his face a mix of shame and resentment, glanced at the Crown Prince before bowing his head.  

“Yes, Your Holiness. …There was nothing. The saintess herself opened the cabinet’s safe for us, but all we found were pouches of gold coins.”  

“That… that can’t be! They’re conspiring to frame me!”  

Arthur, in a frenzy, leaped from his spot, only to be subdued by the guards.  

The Emperor turned pale as a sheet and looked at Xavier, who avoided his gaze.  

“No! Margaret assured me! Yes, Willem knows. There are photos!”  

“Your Highness, Count Willem has confessed that the photos were fabricated.”  

Melvin held up a report he had already received.  

“That… that can’t be.”  

“According to Count Willem, the Crown Prince bribed one of the imperial mages to open a portal and kidnap the saintess. Furthermore, Margaret, an informant, was found dead downstream of the western mountain river. She had also confessed to being instructed by the Crown Prince to poison the duke and duchess with henbane.”  

“Willem, you bastard!”  

Arthur stomped the floor of the audience chamber in rage, causing the nobles to click their tongues in disgust. Was this truly the same elegant and courteous Crown Prince they had known?  

Whether he realized everyone was watching or not, Arthur continued to rant.  

“Yes! That’s right! Xavier Auguste is a beastman who turns into a cat. He’s cursed!”  

A crazed grin spread across his face as he spewed his madness.  

Xavier silently glared at the Crown Prince with a hardened expression.  

“I can’t watch this any longer. Your Highness, stop this! It’s disgraceful!”  

“Where are these absurd lies coming from? You’ve already fabricated the marriage story about the duke and duchess. Enough is enough!”  

“Does the saintess not see through such lies?”  

The once-silent nobles began speaking in unison.  

“You fools!”  

“Your Majesty, the Crown Prince’s crimes have been fully revealed. Depose him and make him answer for his sins. Let us not endure this disgrace any longer.”  

Before Melvin delivered the final verdict, he sought the Emperor’s agreement.  

“The Crown Prince is still young. If he atones for his sins and reflects on his actions, he could become a fine ruler.”  

“Your Majesty, are you making excuses?”  

“He is my only heir.”  

For Emperor Charles, Arthur was his only son, making it difficult for him to make the right decision. However, a wise advisor always provides their ruler with sound counsel.  

“Your Majesty, if this continues, enraged citizens may rise up and demand a new imperial family for Brillante.”  

“!”  

“If you’re concerned about an heir, the Empress’s position is vacant. Take a new Empress or a consort and produce another successor.”  

“Yes, Your Majesty. Depose the Crown Prince and make him pay for his crimes. We urge you to establish a new successor.”  

“Our house cannot serve Arthur de Fabian as Crown Prince. We desire a different heir.”  

Dozens of nobles voiced their agreement.  

The Emperor closed his eyes tightly.  

Rosia, my late Empress, forgive me. My incompetence has wronged both you and Arthur.  

“I hereby depose Arthur de Fabian as Crown Prince and approve the peace agreement demanded by the King of the Beast Kingdom.”  

“Noooooooo! Deposed? A peace agreement? Ughhh!”  

Arthur’s face swelled red as he glared at his father in shock before collapsing backward. He foamed at the mouth as he fell, and the Emperor shut his eyes tightly at the sight.  

Arthur de Fabian’s official deposition was immediately decided and publicly announced. He suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and was left paralyzed, sentenced to life imprisonment in the central prison located in the western valley of the capital.  

Count Willem, too, was sentenced to the same punishment for conspiracy and sent to the central prison. However, in exchange for cooperating with the investigation, his daughter’s safety was guaranteed. The Willem family was demoted to baronet status, allowing Doris Willem to maintain the family’s noble lineage, albeit barely.  

The traitor within the Auguste household who had attempted to poison the duke and duchess with henbane was also captured. She was caught by tracking hounds while trying to flee the ducal estate on the night of the Crown Prince’s deposition.  

“Woof woof!”  

“Ahhh!”  

“Seize her!”  

“S-spare me! I didn’t do anything wrong. The Crown Prince made me do it!”  

The hound bit into the bag slung over the fleeing maid’s back, tearing it open and spilling pouches of gold coins and jewels onto the ground.  

This was the same maid who had once been praised by her senior for bringing water to Margaret on her first day. She had spread rumors about Rosetta among the other maids based solely on Margaret’s words.  

And finally, the date and location for the peace agreement between Brillante and Moirai were confirmed.  

It was soon the beginning of spring.