To the Love Born in the Lowest Place

Meanwhile at that time, Emmett was sitting across the table from Marquis Arendt.

“Hmm, what brings our Duke here?”

A woman with messy red hair grumbled, leaning back in her chair. The table was piled high with books. Though she was clearly wearing noble attire, her haggard face and sloppy posture made it hard to believe she was from the upper class.

The head of the Arendt Marquis family, Ida Arendt.

She pushed up her large round glasses and continued speaking.

“Well, I know why you’re here, so let’s be honest.”

She put a pipe to her mouth, but noticing Emmett’s gaze, put it down as if showing consideration.

“Is someone’s head going to roll? Just know that I absolutely won’t cooperate.”

“…If you listen to my story until the end, you might change your mind.”

“Ah ah. I won’t listen. It would be troublesome if I got tempted.”

Even with Duke Lartman in front of her, Marquis Arendt maintained an attitude of complete disinterest throughout. However, Emmett knew well that this was Marquis Arendt’s typical attitude.

“I’ve brought information that even you don’t know.”

“Hmm, you think I’ll fall for that.”

But her eyes were full of curiosity as she said this.

“It’s about the last descendant of the Gracia family.”

“Ah, that baby? In the end, it didn’t make it past 100 days and died of illness. Well, it’s obvious who caused the death. Or are you talking about that 70-year-old? I think that person died not long after too.”

Marquis Arendt muttered like this, then looked at Emmett’s expression and grinned.

“But that’s not who you’re talking about, is it? Who exactly is this last descendant of Gracia, hm?”

Now there was madness in Marquis Arendt’s eyes as she said this. Seeming to have forgotten her resolve not to listen to Emmett’s words, she looked at him with eager eyes.

“Alright, tell me. So who is the last descendant of Gracia?”

* * *

“This is…”

At that time, a letter bearing the emblem of a crowned snake arrived at the Hamelsvoort mansion. It was the emblem of the Steinberg imperial family. Even upon receiving this letter, which would be no different from an invitation from hell for other nobles, the Hamelsvoort couple didn’t panic.

“It’s because Liv has become Duke Lartman’s wife.”

“Well, His Majesty must know what that means.”

The Hamelsvoort family, who had been on the side of the temple and not fully following the imperial family until now, was showing some openness to the imperial family by forming a connection with the Lartman family. While they couldn’t be called completely friendly with the imperial family, they weren’t entirely hostile either.

However, the moment they opened the envelope, their expressions turned pale.

[Walter Hamelsvoort, the eldest son of the Hamelsvoort family, is to enter the imperial palace.

—August Steinberg.]

“E-Enter the palace? Walter?”

It was never a good thing when the Emperor summoned nobles. The couple knew well what happened to those who caught his interest. If he had called for Liv, they would have understood, but why was he calling for Walter? As Lady Hamelsvoort showed her anxiety, the Count tried to comfort her.

“D-Dear, it will be alright. His Majesty might be interested because Walter just returned from the Merna Empire.”

“Y-Yes, that’s right.”

They anxiously relayed this information to Walter. And Walter…

“I see. Understood.”

He showed a calm smile and prepared to enter the imperial palace. His appearance was so composed that it made those watching him feel deflated.

“W-Walter, you must be careful with your words in the palace.”

“Yes, Mother. Don’t worry. When have I ever made a mistake… Anyway, I won’t give you cause for concern.”

On the day Walter entered the palace, the whole family came out to the entrance to see him off. Even Liv, who was ill, came out holding Hildegard’s hand and looked at Walter with a pale face.

Walter smiled gently at them before confidently boarding the carriage.

And that day, Walter didn’t return home.

* * *

“Wow, so that’s how it was!”

Marquis Arendt’s eyes sparkled as she listened to Emmett’s story. Emmett briefly relayed to Marquis Arendt the story he had heard from Hayden. The Gracia family had disappeared due to August, but one descendant of the family still remained.

“Ah, Duke. I never imagined. It was really, really an interesting story.”

By now Emmett was starting to find Marquis Arendt a bit unsettling, but he nodded with as composed a face as possible.

“The rest is as you already know.”

“I see, so that’s why you said you would punish Hayden Schulze… I thought you were going to subject him to labor worse than death in the Lartman Duchy like before, but you were actually protecting him?”

Emmett flinched because she knew about his previous actions. It was because he felt guilty about the evil deeds he had committed until now. However, Emmett soon put on a calm face and continued speaking.

“So has your mind changed a little?”

“Hmm, Duke. Of course, it was an interesting story.”

Marquis Arendt’s voice became slow again. She fidgeted with an unlit cigarette in her hand.

“It was interesting, really interesting… But.”

She stared at Emmett with her yellow eyes.

“If you had told just this much to anyone else but me, it wouldn’t have worked at all, you know?”

“…”

“You should have come with the whereabouts of that descendant and suggested putting them on the throne, not just throwing out one piece of information and suddenly talking about committing treason, you know?”

At these blunt words, Emmett’s face hardened. But Marquis Arendt giggled as if she found Emmett’s expression amusing.

“Alright, that’s enough. To be honest.”

“Yes.”

“It seems promising.”

Emmett’s eyes widened at this unexpected answer. He had thought she would definitely refuse. He had actually come to Marquis Arendt with a half-gambling mindset. But he was also half expecting to gain at least some small information from her.

“Hmm, I told you, didn’t I? That it wouldn’t have worked if you told anyone else but me. But I can see it. The information you didn’t say.”

“What?”

“How much have you told others?”

“…I haven’t told anyone.”

“Why? Afraid it might become dangerous?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“But there’s no need for that. From what I can see, those idiots wouldn’t guess at all…”

Marquis Arendt raised the corner of her mouth in a smirk.

“That the last descendant is Liv Lartman.”

At that moment, Emmett stood up abruptly, making a sound as his chair was pushed back. As he instinctively looked around and put his hand on his waist where his sword was, Marquis Arendt reassured him as if to say it was alright.

“Ah, don’t worry. No one is listening.”

“…How did you know?”

“Hmm, it’s obvious, isn’t it? Looking at you, it seems like you already have that last descendant with you. There’s someone who recently surprised the capital with the fact that she receives God’s love. Isn’t it really obvious?”

“But…”

“Of course, most idiots might not be able to figure out exactly who the Gracia descendant is even if they heard this story. Who would think that the precious Gracia descendant would be the naive woman who was called a ‘fake Saintess’ in social circles until recently? The image of the Gracia family they recall is far from the impression of Liv Lartman. For most people, a member of the Gracia family would be close to a noble and perfect royal from birth.”

She pushed her glasses, which had slid down to her nose, back up again.

“But it’s hard to find someone without prejudice like me…”

“Do you think His Majesty the Emperor knows this fact as well?”

“Ah, you need to explain that. So what has His Majesty the Emperor done with that last descendant until now?”

“When my wife wouldn’t die no matter what he tried due to God’s protection, the Emperor imprisoned her in Abgrund and never opened that door again. She escaped from Abgrund in the middle through God’s power.”

“My goodness, Abgrund. He really is a cruel person.”

Marquis Arendt shook her head exaggeratedly.

“So His Majesty the Emperor doesn’t know that your wife is the Gracia descendant, right?”

“…That’s correct.”

“Ah, don’t worry. I have no intention of telling His Majesty the Emperor.”

“What’s your reason?”

“It’s simple.”

For a moment, madness flashed in Marquis Arendt’s eyes again.

“Because it’s interesting.”

“…”

“This is interesting enough. Worth betting my life on.”

Marquis Arendt was truly an unpredictable person. He knew she was very interested in information and knowledge and had a personality that pursued fun, but to this extent…

“Well, since His Majesty the Emperor still doesn’t know that your wife escaped from Abgrund, that’s why you’re both alive and walking around outside now. But you must have become desperate? Seeing as you’re revealing all the facts to me and asking for help.”

“…To be honest, that’s correct.”

“Because she proved that she turned her back on the imperial family by showing her power at the temple? And on top of that, the secret about her origins might be revealed if something goes wrong?”

“Both are correct. Moreover, because of that incident, His Majesty the Emperor has already used ancient magic to place a curse on my wife. Because of that, she is currently in a seriously ill state.”

“Aha, I see. That’s why you left your wife in the capital and came alone. But…”

Behind her glasses, Marquis Arendt’s eyes glinted as they caught the light.

“From what I can see, your wife might be in danger right now, you know?”