Unbeknownst to Me, I’m Secretly Dating the Emperor — Chapter 11

...LINA?

CO—

CONNIE?!

YOU...

HOW ON EARTH...

ARE YOU LIVING SUCH A LUXURIOUS PRISON LIFE?!

I DON'T KNOW.

Thanks to hat, I'm just enjoying it like a vacation!

Step inside, please.

HE SAID SAFETY WOULD BE GUARANTEED, BUT TO THINK HE'D GO THIS FAR...

THEY STARTED DECORATING IT LIKE THIS SHORTLY AFTER I WAS BROUGHT HERE.

COME TO THINK OF IT, LINA, WHAT BRINGS YOU HERE?!

DON'T TELL ME YOU GOT ARRESTED TOO?!

DON'T WORRY, IT'S NOTHING LIKE THAT.

I SOMEHOW GOT CONNECTED WITH HIS MAJESTY'S CLOSE AIDE.

THEY ALLOWED ME TO CHECK IF YOU WERE DOING WELL.

WHAT A RELIEF. I WAS WORRIED YOU GOT DRAG- GED INTO THIS TOO.

SOMEONE FROM HIS MAJESTY'S SIDE CAME BY A WHILE AGO AND TOLD ME MY CHARGES WERE DROPPED.

!

SO I WONDERED IF YOU HAD TAKEN THE FALL INSTEAD...

Far from it, you got connected with His Majesty's close aide!

How did this even happen, Lina?!

you're doing great~!

...IT'S A LONG STORY.

I'LL TELL YOU EVERYTHING WHEN YOU GET OUT.

IT WON'T TAKE THAT LONG.

BY NOW,

HIS MAJESTY, WHO IS SAID TO BE SWIFT AND RUTHLESS...

MUST HAVE DRIVEN THE REAL CULPRIT TO THE EDGE OF A CLIFF.

A WEEK LATER, NEWS OF THE DUKE OF CAMELOT'S DETENTION SPREAD ACROSS THE REALM.

-THE CORRUPT DUKE OF CAMELOT’S FACTION BOUND UNDER IMPERIAL LAW-

CHARGES OF EMBEZZLEMENT, BRIBERY,

AND CREATING SLUSH FUNDS BY SIPHONING THE IMPERIAL BUDGET WERE EXPOSED.

BASED ON A MOUNTAIN OF EVIDENCE SECURED FROM THE ESTATE,

THE NOBLE ACCOMPLICES WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE CRIME WERE ALSO ARRESTED.

PARTICULARLY, WHEN IT BECAME KNOWN THAT THE EMPEROR HIMSELF LED THE PROCESSION

WHEN THE INSPECTORATE RAIDED THE DUKE’S ESTATE,

THE EMPEROR’S CRUELTY ONCE AGAIN BECAME THE TALK OF THE TOWN.

ON THE OTHER HAND...

Constance—!!

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR SAFE RETURN!!

Oh, my~ You shouldn't have~~

TO THINK IT WAS ALL A FRAME-UP, YOU REALLY WENT THROUGH A LOT.

YOU AREN'T HURT ANYWHERE, RIGHT?

Of course, I'm totally fine—!

AHEM!

I'M GLAD NOTHING HAP- PENED.

I ALSO HEARD THE NEWS THAT DONOVAN WAS ARRESTED LAST NIGHT.

THAT JERK MUST HAVE BEEN THE REAL CULPRIT!

INSTEAD OF HELPING HIS SUBORDINATE, HE TRIED TO SHIFT HIS OWN GUILT...

What a scoundrel deserving of divine punishment!

A GUY LIKE THAT SHOULD ROT IN PRISON FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE.

DON'T YOU THINK SO, DIAZ?

WELL... HIS MAJESTY WILL HANDLE IT AS HE SEES FIT.

FLATTERING HER NOW AFTER BADMOUTHING HER BEHIND HER BACK.

DO YOU THINK YOUR KARMA JUST DISAPPEARS LIKE THAT?!

I'll Give You A Taste Of Your Own Medicine Later!

COME ON, LET'S CONTINUE THE CELEBRATION LATER,

IT'S WORKING HOURS SO EVERYONE RETURN TO YOUR SEATS.

OKAY~

HOLD ON A SECOND, LINA.

DO YOU HAVE A MOMENT BEFORE WE START WORKING?

I HAVE SOMETHING TO SHOW ONLY YOU.

...OH MY GOD.

WHAT IS ALL THIS?!

A pouch full of gold coins?!

IT'S THE DAMAGE COMPENSATION I RECEIVED FOR THIS INCIDENT.

As expected, financial therapy is the best kind of therapy, isn't it?

Though it's probably a drop in the bucket compared to the seized slush funds!

AH, COME TO THINK OF IT...

I HEARD THE DUKE OF CAMELOT LOST HIS TITLE AND HAD ALL HIS ESTATE AND WEALTH CONFISCATED.

EXACTLY! YOU HEARD IT TOO?

APPARENTLY, HIS MAJESTY WAS RAGING TO EXECUTE HIM ON THE SPOT,

BUT EVEN THE PRO-EMPEROR NOBLES HELD HIM BACK, ASKING HIM TO CONSIDER THE CAMELOT FAMILY'S LONG HISTORY.

Is that true?

THE DUKE OF CAMELOT WILL BARELY ESCAPE WITH HIS LIFE AND FADE INTO THE BACK GROUND OF HISTORY...

...But!

What does that matter to a commoner like me?!

AFTER ALL, THE PERSON WHO FEEDS YOU AND GIVES YOU MONEY IS THE BEST~

LONG LIVE THE EMPEROR, OR RATHER, LONG MAY HE REIGN~!

EVEN IF HE IS A CRIMINAL, HE'S A DUKE OF THE EMPIRE,

YET HE TRIED TO EXECUTE HIM IN A SINGLE STROKE...

AS EXPECTED, A TERRIFYING PERSON...!

I already knew it, but...

I SHOULD NEVER GET ENTANGLED WITH HIM AGAIN AFTER THIS. For the sake of my peace -ful life...!

OH, BY THE WAY, LINA.

THE FOUNDATION DAY FESTIVAL IS COMING UP SOON. ANY PLANS THEN?

RIGHT, IT'S ALREADY THAT TIME OF YEAR?

ESPECIALLY SINCE THIS IS THE FIRST FESTIVAL HELD SINCE HIS MAJESTY'S RETURN!

RUMOR HAS IT IT'LL BE THE MOST SPLENDID FESTIVAL IN HISTORY!

MOREOVER, FOR THE FIRE- WORKS ON THE EVENING OF THE LAST DAY,

A WHOPPING~ 300 MAGES WILL BE MOBILIZED!

300 MAGES?!

No matter how busy you are, you can at least watch the fireworks on the third day.

Let's go together, I'll buy you some- thing delicious at the night market! You know I've hit the jackpot now!

SURE, SOUNDS GOOD.

Yay~ That's a promise! Let's party hard to celebrate my release!

ALRIGHT, THEN LET'S GET INSIDE AND FINISH UP OUR WORK QUICKLY.

Because I'd hate to work overtime that day under any circumstances...

ON THIS FOUNDATION DAY FESTIVAL, LET OUR TEMPLE

ALSO PRAY FOR THE REGENCIA EMPIRE.

IN THE NAME OF GODDESS MINOS,

I BESTOW BLESSINGS UPON THIS LAND.

IN THE DAILY LIVES OF ALL IMPERIAL CITIZENS,

MAY PEACE AND TRANQ- UILITY RE -SIDE...

SECOND DAY OF THE FESTIVAL

WORK HELL

TO SPEND THIS ENCHANTING FESTIVAL ENTIRELY AT WORK...

SOMETIMES I THINK PRISON WAS BETTER THAN THIS PLACE...

STILL, I’VE MOSTLY WRAPPED THINGS UP.

ARE YOU STILL FAR FROM FINISHED, LINA?

AH, YEAH. I STILL HAVE A BIT MORE TO DO.

SINCE ANDREW NORPEN GOT DETAINED ALONG WITH DONOVAN,

ALL THEIR WORK GOT DUMPED ON ME.

WHAT?!

HOW IS THAT FAIR, DAMN IT...!!

That useless jerk until the very end!!

SHOULD I HELP YOU OUT A BIT?

NO. IT'S ALMOST OVER, SO YOU CAN HEAD OUT FIRST.

CONNIE, YOU GOT CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE LAST TIME FROM DOING DONOVAN'S WORK FOR HIM.

IT'S JUST MORE COMFORTABLE FOR ME TO HANDLE IT MYSELF.

I THINK I CAN LEAVE ON TIME TOMORROW, SO DON'T WORRY.

LINA...

ALRIGHT, THEN DON'T OVERDO IT, OKAY?

YEAH. GET HOME SAFELY, CONNIE.

...IT'S ALREADY THIS LATE.

SHOULD I STEP OUTSIDE FOR A BIT TO GET SOME FRESH AIR?

...OH,

THE IMPERIAL PALACE IS BUSTLING EVEN AT THIS HOUR.

RIGHT, TODAY IS THE DAY THE MASQUERADE BALL IS HELD, ISN'T IT?

A social party for the nobles...

IT HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH ME,

BUT IT IS ONE OF THE MAJOR EVENTS OF THE FESTIVAL.

I SHOULD JUST WORRY ABOUT WHAT TO EAT WITH CONNIE TOMORROW...

WHAT...

...WHAT?!

AN ASSASSIN?!

KYA...

!

KYAA...!

ARGH...

HOLD ON, MISS DIAZ!

CALM DOWN.

...?!

...IT'S ME.

...WHAT BRINGS YOU HERE, SIR LOHAS?

SHH!

IS IT THIS WAY?!

HE COULDN'T HAVE GONE FAR!

...MISS DIAZ, I'M TRULY SORRY.

I'LL EXPLAIN THE DETAILS SLOWLY, SO-

COULD YOU, PERHAPS...

HIDE ME?