Chương 53: 1st Recursion: Hamlin County (5)

Even before the break of dawn, chaos had descended inside the Imperial Palace.

The Empress had called for an emergency meeting for her vassals. She did attempt to summon the court representatives and the commanders of the knight orders, but her request was immediately denied.

The Emperor didn't give her that power.

"Your Highness, the Empress, we can't allow the Obelisk to take over the investigation!" A Viscountess exclaimed as she slammed her hands on the armrest of the couch.

The other noblewomen nodded at the woman's words eagerly. On the other hand, the Empress was silent while massaging her forehead with her fingers. She stared icily at the cup of tea that was being prepared in front of her.

At present, there were seven noblewomen surrounding the Empress. They all looked uneasy, hesitant on where to fixate their eyes.

The Empress drew in a lungful of breath, earning the attention of her visitors. They moved towards the edge of their seats as they awaited her words.

"The Emperor has already made a decision. It will be difficult for us to overturn that. We can't even ask for an audience with the Obelisk. They keep refusing my request."

"Well, the fire has been put out by the Obelisk sorcerers. They only want the rights for a private investigation." A Countess said prior to taking a deep breath, "They won't negotiate, Your Highness. They've already gotten what they want."

Rather than answering, the Empress took a long sip of her tea. All of a sudden, a knock was heard on the door. A maid shortly entered and bowed her head at the Empress.

"Your Highness, Countess Orelia Hamlin has arrived."

The Empress shot up from her seat and replied, "Let her in, now!"

The maid stepped out to inform the Countess, the latter promptly making her entrance.

"Your Highness, I apologize for my belated arrival. I had to sort out some problems."

"That's all and well. Come here, we have a lot to talk about."

Countess Hamlin quickly walked towards where the noblewomen were seated. Being the youngest that she was, she took the seat farthest from the Empress.

"Your Graces, I apologize once more for my lack of punctuality." The Countess spoke as she bowed for a second time.

The noblewomen didn't respond to the Countess. They just looked at her as if they've seen something repulsive.

Since she didn't have enough time to clean herself up, the Countess' dress was riddled with patches of sooth and burnt at the edges. At the least, she had washed her face. Still, her hair was unkempt, her lips scaly dry. Her eyes were red and a bit sunken.

The sole person who didn't take offense at her appearance was the Empress. The only thing that mattered to the Empress was to take the lead in the investigation.

"So, what's the news, Countess Hamlin?" The Empress asked as she sat back.

"The knights have erected a barrier to enclose the affected areas. Those who don't have permission from either the leader of the Obelisk investigators or the Commander of the Third Order cannot enter."

"Commander of the Third Order? Do you mean Commander Vatar Halkias?"

"Yes, Your Highness,"

Immediately after, the Countess called one of the maids and requested a glass of water. In the meantime, the Empress was contemplating the overall situation. She started biting the nail of her thumb, her brows deeply knitted.

"No matter what we do, Commander Halkias won't heed our wishes. Can any of you think of a way?"

Her query was met with silence from the noblewomen.

Similar to the Empress, it was their husbands who held real influence. None of them inherited their own title. With that being said, their options were limited.

With her quivering hand, the Empress lifted her teacup.

"Your Highness, within that vault, there is no proof that will lead to any of us."

As she heard the Viscountess' utterance, the Empress lowered the cup without taking a single sip. Her Highness looked at the Viscountess straight in the eye.

"You're right. You're right, Viscountess. We're just going to lose close to ten million yalnas. We can get those back again in no time. For now, our priority is to evade being called by the court."

The other noblewomen agreed to the Empress' sentiments. But there was one among them who wasn't the least bit glad.

Countess Hamlin dropped the glass of water on the table while keeping her head down. She bit her lip hard, trying to stop herself from articulating her feelings.

'They want to use me as a scapegoat! These damn elders!' She screamed inside her head while suppressing her urges.

"Countess Orelia Hamlin, you're aware of what we're trying to say, aren't you?"

"Embezzlement and illegal transportation of gold and gems will give you a maximum of ten years, depending on the amount. Time will pass."

"Don't worry. We won't let you take the fall on your own. We'll make sure to get you a reduced sentence."

"You'll be doing the Empress a favor. It will be an honor for you. I'm sure she will take care of the remnants of your family while you're away."

The Countess didn't bother listening to the inputs of the noblewomen. She refused to understand a single word that they're saying. She didn't even want to look at their faces that would surely display their greed.

She hoped to drown out their voices by closing her eyes. Right then, the door swung open and hit the wall. The Empress and the noblewomen were startled as they glanced at the entryway.

"Well, well, well, it's such a distasteful scene to see all of you gathered here." The Marquis, who just made a spectacular entrance, spieled.

The Empress was once again forced out of her seat. She quickly made her way towards the Marquis, only to question him.

"What are you doing here, Marquis Benedict?"

"What else for? Countess Orelia Hamlin asked me to join your little gathering. Were you not informed," Marquis Benedict let a grin show on his face, "Your Highness?"

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