Chapter 167

Helena recalled the foreboding prediction that she had received when the Marianne’s group left Roshan.

But the sleeping star had not yet opened its eyes, while the star of Zephyrus fell without notice. It was not yet clear whether the prophecy was a good or evil sign, but it was as distant as sunlight at night, and the greed of those who lived on the earth would grow.

“But the waiting may be longer and tougher than you think.”

Helena calmly closed her eyes. She prayed silently, ‘Oh God, have mercy on the poor!’

***

On June 14, an obituary began to circulate at dawn in the capital Milan. It was about Duke Hubble.

People on Noble Road were shocked by the sudden news. Although the duke was humiliated by the emperor’s decree and had his mansion searched the day before, he still maintained his status as a powerful duke. There was no aristocrat who did not know the meaning and influence of his name not only in the capital Milan but also in the whole empire.

His power and fame in the aristocratic society embodied the pinnacle of the yearning of all nobles of his age. His name, passed down from generation to generation, was associated with all kinds of strong and elegant words, and the honor and practical authority of his family were also as solid and brilliant as the diamond.

So, none of them imagined that Duke Hubble could disappear so easily and suddenly.

Indeed, some aristocrats who doubted the credibility of that information had moles spy on his mansion, but what they heard was not that it was somebody’s mischievous disinformation, but that people at his mansion were solemnly preparing for his funeral.

“It doesn’t make any sense. How did Duke Hubble suddenly die? How could this happen…”

Marianne was one of those who did not immediately believe his obituary.

“I can’t believe it, but it’s clear that the obituary from the duke’s mansion is true. The funeral will be held tomorrow… Are you going to attend? ”

“Of course I will. But…”

She looked down at the obituary again. She slowly touched the notice written in neat handwriting slowly with her fingertips and finally stopped.

“Soon everyone in the capital will know about his death, right?”

“Maybe they will.”

“Do you know any other news related to this? For example, the cause of his death…”

Mrs. Charlotte sadly dropped her eyebrows at her sharp question, making an expression as if she was proud of Marianne’s bold question but felt sorry for that at the same time.

Mrs. Charlotte knew that the moment Marianne first entered the Elior Mansion, she was a naive but kind lady who was pretty unpredictable. She knew how to use and love what she had naturally like breathing, but she was very bad at protecting someone or protecting herself with that power.

But now her green eyes shining before Mrs. Charlotte showed she was no longer naive. Clearly, she wanted to read the flow of the truth and the unfolding development first rather than praying for the peaceful rest of the dead.

“There is a rumor that has begun to spread along with the obituary.”

“I knew it. What is that? ”

“It seemed that there was a rumor that the cause of the duke’s death was suicide.”

Marianne frowned at Charlotte’s answer.

“Suicide? Don’t you know that Duke Hubble would never commit suicide? Even though the emperor put him under house arrest, he didn’t have any hard evidence that the duke was guilty without question…”

“According to the maids, it was his son Elias who first confirmed the duke’s death. He allegedly found the will with the duke’s body. ”

“His will?”

“I have no way of knowing the exact details of his will because Sir Elias seized and kept it, but it seems that the people at the mansion heard him crying loudly and lamenting. They had the impression that Elias cried because his father had been humiliated by the treason charges, given his enormous service and contribution to the empire through several generations. Not to mention the fact that he was stripped of his office and his mansion and estates were searched. He must have felt it as a great shame …”

“According to the maids, what he complained about while crying was like a speech, so they could overhear.”

Marianne’s expression grew gloomy. Mrs. Charlotte nodded lightly.

“Wasn’t it Ober who compiled an investigation report that played a decisive role in pinpointing Duke Hubble as the suspect? Doesn’t everyone know that?”

“They would know. The fact that Duke Hubble had a quarrel with Duke Kling, the chief of the palace affairs, at his office of the Interior Ministry, was also spread. If they heard about it, they must know that Mrs. Chester was responsible for compiling the investigation report.”

“Despite that, did Sir Elias blame the emperor for his harsh decision, arguing that made his father commit suicide?”

“Yeah, that’s right to the best of my knowledge.”

Marianne bit her lip unconsciously. Cordelli, who was watching her nearby, suddenly rummaged through her pocket and took out a handkerchief then pat her trembling lips with it. When Marianne turned back and looked at her, Cordelli shook her head wildly. Her worrisome actions made Marianne all the more disturbed. Perhaps even this woman with a warm and precious heart could be sacrificed in the name of political strife, just as the power and glory of Duke Hubble, which never seemed to crumble, transformed into a short and shallow obituary.

Marianne sighed and raised her head as if she decided something. Her vivid green eyes shone brightly.

“Madame, in my opinion, this seems to be Ober’s trap. I can hardly believe that Duke Hubble committed suicide for that reason. Of course, there’s no such thing as never, but the probability is too low. There are reasons why people don’t believe it easily, right? ”

“Well, I think I can speak a little more strongly than you think. Duke Hubble was never the type of person who commits suicide,” Mrs. Charlotte said firmly.

As she agreed with her opinion, Marianne quickly continued her logical argument.

“Do you remember what you told me last time? Sir Elias had been reduced to the status of a minor duke for a long time because of Duke Hubble’s wielding full power in the family. You told me he might respect his father on the surface, but you were never sure how he thought of his father deep down.”

“Of course, I remember. ”

“Maybe I should feel shameful and bad about this, but I thought at that time I could make use of Sir Elias. It’s too hard for him to betray his father, but if you look at Ober and His Majesty, they are related by blood. So, if I had a chance to use him, I thought it was not necessarily bad to use him in my favor. ”

Mrs. Charlotte smiled faintly. After all, Marianne couldn’t change her nature. Only a few moments ago Marianne showed a steely heart and firm determination to go to the battlefield and wield a sword, but she was saying she felt shameful for toying with the idea of using Elias.

She thought perhaps Marianne’s greatest weapon was her goodness.

“So, what I mean is that if even a naive person like me thought of using Sir Elias, it is very possible that Ober or Mrs. Chester might have thought of using him.”

“Absolutely. That makes sense.”

“Right? That son of a bitch, Ober…”

Marianne clenched her fist hard. The thin obituary crumpled in her hands.

Stunned again, Cordelli patted the back of her hands.

But this time she couldn’t release the anger. She quivered with indignation from head to toe. Her anger quickly spread through the blood vessels soon gave way to her complex thoughts about Ober’s motivation and Hubble’s murder.

Duke Hubble was one of her many enemies, strictly speaking. He was an object that she had to defeat by all means, and at the same time, the chief of those sharing the same goal with Ober. Maybe he might be responsible for fabricating the accident in Roshan. Considering the power he abused and all kinds of evil things he had done until now, it was probably the most legitimate and logical end of his life.

If she were asked whether murdering Duke Hubble was the right way to solve the problem, Marianne could never agree. This was not a just punishment but murder by someone’s greed. The duke’s death was not for a better world, but a tragedy orchestrated for one person’s interests.

This kind of logical reasoning of the murder of Duke Hubble confused her.

She asked herself, ‘This is an incident involving a man’s death. But is it right for her to use his death as the weapon for her political interests? Of politics? If not, do I have to stop to avoid it when there is more injustice and betrayal on the road ahead?’

“Madame?”

“Yes, Lady Marianne?”