ITMWG 117

Chapter 117 …

“…”

Altair, who had been listening calmly, furrowed his brows for the first time.

“Where did the rumour originate?”

“They say it started in the downtown area. Some fancy woman was talking to the merchants…”

“Melissa Vine, I presume.”

“That’s how it seems.”

Altair still frowned and tapped the table with his fingers.

“What’s the rumour about?”

“That’s…”

“It’s fine, tell me everything.”

Altair firmly ordered Blan, who was hesitating.

Left with no choice, Blan let out a long sigh and began to tell Altair everything he had heard.

“It is said that Baroness Aylesford is infertile. The Marquis had a medical certificate, but it was leaked out during the chaos of the Marquis’s downfall. The Marquis had been keeping it hidden to protect his niece. The Baroness knew about her condition, but she kept it a secret and got married.”

“Yes, my lord!”

When Altair finished the rest of the rumours without the need to even hear them, Blan looked at him, startled.

Blan was anxious, thinking that his lord might lose his mind and go after those who were spreading those rumours.

However, Altair was composed, contrary to what he had guessed.

In fact, the smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth seemed to be something of amusement.

Altair Aylesford was smiling from ear to ear.

At the bizarre sight, Blan’s mouth fell open, dumbfounded.

D-did he finally lose his mind?

That must be the case.

Altair would not be smiling in this situation unless he had lost his mind.

The situation was so dire that even the great Altair was losing his mind!

While Blan was clutching his head in frustration, Altair was thinking of something completely different.

Altair understood the situation perfectly.

If Nadia had not intended it, she would not have let the rumour spread like this, so the fact that the rumour spread like this was a more positive sign.

She was sure that Leon could improve her condition.

If Nadia was sure, Altair could believe it.

Altair sighed in relief and wiped his face with both hands.

Nadia recovered. It was truly fortunate.

Of course, Blan, who had no idea about the situation, was genuinely upset.

“What should we do now, my lord? We will soon discuss the issue of disposing of Marquis Vine and Madame’s inheritance… Now that the fact that she is infertile has been revealed, it’s going to be controversial.”

Yes. There would be a heated argument and a battle of truths in front of everyone.

I also know exactly where Nadia wants to be.

She was trying to destroy Melissa’s trump card in front of everyone.

It was a very bold move.

The smile on Altair’s lips grew even wider.

An official disposition was made against the Marquis, and he was stripped of his title, leaving the position of Marquis of Vine vacant.

Now, a fierce debate was about to take place over who should take that position.

There were two candidates, Nadia and Melissa.

Of course, if it weren’t for ‘that rumour’, the nobles would have peacefully decided to return the title to Nadia.

However, Melissa successfully led the debate on the argument ‘Is Nadia Vine really worthy of becoming a Marchioness?’ by spreading ‘that rumour’ throughout the capital.

In the end, the Emperor decided to summon Melissa to appear before the major nobles and confirm the truth, and today was the day that his decision would be made.

“The Emperor himself will make the judgment… Aren’t you nervous?”

Marie trembled as she tied the ribbon of the coat that wrapped her body tightly.

Even Marie, who was usually calm, seemed to be nervous because it was the day that an important decision would be made.

“Don’t worry. The truth is in our hands, so what are we worried about?”

“Still, people who don’t know anything will criticise you indiscriminately…….”

“Madame…”

When Nadia calmly answered and tried to comfort Marie, she seemed moved.

“How could someone who was always afraid of appearing in front of people have grown so much!?”

“There’s no need to be so emotional….”

Nadia coughed in embarrassment and looked around, and Cain, who was waiting in front of the carriage, quickly escorted her.

“There’s not much time left. The main character usually appears last, but it would not be nice to be late, so we should hurry a little. Are you ready?”

“Of course.”

When Nadia nodded vigorously, Cain smiled and bowed.

“Then, madame, this knight will take you safely to your destination!”

Here we go again.

The Emperor’s questioning was held in the court where she had argued with her uncle.

It was not a formal trial, but it seemed like an inevitable decision due to the lack of space to accommodate so many people.

When they arrived at the court, Melissa had already taken her seat proudly.

It was the seat of the accuser where Nadia had once stood when she went against her uncle.

The only seat left was the seat of the accused, so she had no choice but to stand there.

Melissa lifted her chin and snorted as if she had already won.

Since it’s not a formal trial, the seat doesn’t matter anyway.

Nadia casually looked at Melissa as she bit her lip in indignation.

Seeing her reacting so vigorously to every action of hers, Nadia thought she must have had a lot of energy.

“Now that the parties involved are here, let’s begin.”

The Emperor looked at her and Melissa alternately, resting his chin on his hand.

Judging from the strange and sharp suspicion in his gaze toward Nadi, he seemed to think that the rumour Melissa had spread might be true.

It was a natural reaction, since the rumour was so specific.

The Emperor asked Melissa first.

“Yes, that’s right.”

Melissa opened her mouth with a trembling voice, her shoulders hunched, seemingly nervous under the Emperor’s gaze.

“My-, my father left a medical diagnosis in the safe, and it-, it was clearly written there. She, Nadia, is infertile.”

“Then Marquis Vine, no, Avar Vine, knew that his niece was infertile, but he married her off to another family?”

“T-That must be because Nadia begged him to keep it a secret! If it were known that she was infertile, she wouldn’t be able to marry anyone, and if that were to happen, she would die of old age, living alone!”

“Infertility is definitely fatal…”

The Emperor agreed, his eyes gleaming.

“So, where is that diagnosis?”

“T-That…It got lost during the chaos in the family…That- that’s how the rumours spread!”

She couldn’t possibly say that she went to threaten Altair and got the diagnosis stolen.

Nadia could not help but laugh at Melissa, who was somehow trying to make things sound plausible.

The Emperor also turned to her as if asking whether she had something to say.

Without delay, Nadia bowed politely and gladly took the opportunity to speak.

“This is all nonsense, Your Majesty.”

“Hmph. You can’t get out of this situation with such a lie!”

Before Nadia could say anything, Melissa raised her voice and bowed her head in front of the Emperor.

“Your Majesty, I don’t have a diagnosis, but if she gets examined by a doctor, another diagnosis can be made right away. I would like to request that you call the imperial doctor for a fair diagnosis.”

“Very well. If the rumours are true, we will quickly find out if she gets examined by a doctor.”

The doctor’s diagnosis was the most certain and simple proof.

When Melissa boldly insisted on calling a doctor, the nobles gathered began to stir.

Even before the results came out, Nadia could feel them all whispering and looking at her with hostile eyes.

“What do you think, Baroness? Will you agree to it?”

It sounded like a suggestion, but it was actually a unilateral order that she couldn’t refuse.

But she decided not to follow the order. There was no need to do so.

“Your Majesty. I know my condition better than anyone else. The Imperial Palace is busy with its heavy workload, and it shouldn’t waste time examining someone like me. It should use all its time for Your Majesty and the Imperial Family.”

“You see, Your Majesty! She is refusing to examine you because she’s lying! She is just talking nonsense!”

Melissa raised her voice in pride.

The Emperor’s gaze toward Nadia also became sharper than before.

“Are you refusing to examine, Baroness?”

“I am not refusing, I am telling you that there is no need for that. I am not infertile. I can prove that right here and now.”

“In what way?”

“About that…”

Nadia carefully untied the ribbon of the coat that Marie had tied tightly. Following, the coat that had been wrapped around her entire body fell down, revealing her body as it was.

On this day, she wore a mermaid dress with a design that showed off her body shape.

“(Gasp!)”

She heard the nobles who had taken their seats gasping in surprise.

Melissa also rubbed her eyes with her hands, looking baffled as she noticed her swollen belly.

“Huh, huh…? Why, why is your belly…”

Nadia ignored Melissa and calmly lowered her head toward the emperor.

“I am pregnant. Being infertile means not being able to get pregnant, but since I am with a child, I can proudly tell you that the rumours floating around are false. I am not infertile, Your Majesty.”

“Huh…That appearance certainly…”

Even the emperor seemed speechless.

No one in this room would have thought that the rumour would be destroyed in a wink like this.

A heavy silence descended on the courtroom.

The silence was broken by the loud sound of a chair tipping over.

He looked completely dazed.

‘Surprise!’

Nadia smiled at Altair and whispered softly with her lips.

But it was such a big surprise that Altair froze like a statue and couldn’t move.

“Stomach, stomach…Yes…It’s clear that you’re putting something in your stomach and deceiving people…”

At that moment, Melissa, who was on the stand as the accuser, started talking nonsense with a half-crazy expression and ran straight towards her.

“You swindler! What did you put in your stomach? Can’t you take it out right now?!”

Melissa’s eyes were drowned in madness.

Before Nadia could even dodge, Melissa pounced on her.

(Thud-!!)

Her body fell to the ground with a loud noise.

T/n: Both Nadia and the baby better be safe and sound otherwise Mellissa, b*tch, ur death will come earlier than planned