Duke Lance’s death sentence was confirmed. All property he possessed was confiscated, his title expropriated, and his land returned to the state.

Despite all this, the Duke of Lance was still hopeful.

A close source of Lyle’s speculated that someone might have contacted him inside the prison. The duke should have been terrified and could not have had such confidence in these last moments otherwise. He was a transparent person without character or resolve.

Lyle ordered that his execution date be decided and prepared by the end of the month. It was to be a public execution, with his neck cut off.

The investigation was expanding to those close to the Duke of Lance. Those involved in the procurement, manufacturing, and transportation of weapons and magic tools were captured. That investigation was still under way because manufacturing such a large quantity of weapons should have been previously reported to the state.

When it came to magical devices, a third power, not the Magic Tower, was under suspicion. A name seemed to appear on the surface, but those related to him disappeared one after another.

Seira’s vacation also came to an end while Medea was contemplating whether or not to talk about the Dark Tower. And it finally seemed that Lyle had the space to think deeper about the case.

Strictly speaking, he seemed to feel compelled to revisit the case from the beginning. It was because the Dark Tower was thoroughly cleaning its traces and they could hardly find a clue.

“Medea, how did you notice that the gifts brought to the Empress’s Palace were mixed with magic tools? Not even the wizards of the Imperial Palace had noticed.”

He asked the same questions as Becca, so Medea did not lose her composure and gave him the same answers as she did to Becca as well.

“Well… … It was thanks to the brooch that Luke gave me. Magical items have a certain pattern.”

She may have given him the same explanation, but Lyle was sharper and harder to fool then Becca.

“… … There is a lot of furniture in this room with the same decoration, but I didn’t ask the wizard to inspect it. Even though it’s a piece of furniture we use every day.”

At his words, Medea hurriedly looked around the furniture in the bedroom. It was as he said. Not all of them, but there were rare pieces of furniture with such a design.

“Medea.”

Feeling an ominous energy, she bit her lip and shut her mouth. Lyle frowned at her.

“I know what you look like when you lie. So you’d better give me an honest answer right now.”

What are you hiding from me?

At those words, Medea kept her mouth shut as if her mouth was sealed with glue.

Lyle sighed lightly and looked back at the maids.

“Everyone get out.”

Like a flock of sheep seeing the shadow of a wolf, the maids hurriedly vacated the bedroom. Medea was also about to escape, but he grabbed her waist.

“The Empress remains.”

“Uh- didn’t you say everyone?”

Lyle pulled her into his arms and whispered sullenly in her ear:

“The Empress is not ‘everyone’ isn’t she a special person?”

Quickly, the maids vacated the room and shut the bedroom door. Hearing the sound of the door closing, Medea turned around.

“Why? What are you hiding? Why are you trying to run away from me? I… … You know I can’t hurt you.”

As he spoke, Lyle pulled down the hem of her dress. Kissing her exposed slender shoulders, he untied the waistband of her dress. It seemed that his technique of taking off her clothes was getting better and better.

“Th—there’s nothing to hide, I, ah… … .”

Her thin indoor dress fell to the floor, and Lyle’s seemingly sluggish, yet impatient touch, in turn, pulled her underwear off.

Lyle buried his face in the back of her neck while capturing Medea’s exposed breasts with both of his hands from behind her.

“You keep trying to run away. Your emperor wants to love you, but what are you running from? Umm, Millie… … .”

A rosy bump stood up stiffly in his lewd hand. Medea felt her underside getting wet quickly and clasped her thighs together.

Lyle wasn’t unaware of it. She struggled as he stroked her belly and her lowered hand poked between her legs as if it were natural.

“Ha-huh, unn… … . your majesty… … .”

“Wasn’t it the Empress herself who said it was okay to be rough? I clearly remember that adorable voice, in fact, I can’t forget it.”

Lyle squeezed her breast and licked her nape. He lightly bit her. At that chilling yet thrilling sensual stimulus, she twisted her body. His fingers found the gap between Medea’s legs and dug into her soft spot.

“Oh—Huh!”

His long, hard fingers burrowed in, and teased her favorite spot. Medea shook her head at the sense of an unbearable foreboding.

“No—Your Majesty… … . Ahhh… … . There, uh… … .”

“It feels so soft and hot… … . I feel tempted every day. Even just the smell of your body makes me go crazy because I want to push mine into this place.”

“Ahh, I’m not provok— Ah! Oh my… … !”

Swallowing down saliva, Medea let out her moans. Overflowing love juice ran down her thighs and down to her calves. Although she was shy, she enjoyed Lyle’s touch.

“This lovely Empress… … I can’t punish you for lying, so I can’t help but love you this way. Now… … . What are you hiding from me, Medea?”

While whispering, he teased the spots where she was most sensitive. Medea’s back bounced and twisted as she sobbed.

“Ah! nothing… … . Ugh—”

“I told you that lies wouldn’t work… … .”

Lyle licked his lips and increased the number of his fingers. Medea gasped as the volume of digits playing with her insides grew.

“Even if you weren’t lying, I’d still want to harass the cute empress… … You don’t think I’ll just forgive you, do you?”

“Oh, no! Lyle… … . Ah, ah! no… … .Ah—whoa, ah!”

Peaking, Medea soon drooped limp afterward. He quickly hugged her and headed for her bed.

This time, it’s no use calling my name with that pretty voice, Lyle whisper and ran across the bedroom to the bed.