Chapter 370 370-Nora's Conspiracy
As night fell, Howard pretended to leave but stealthily sneaked back into the castle, catching a perpetrator red-handed!
The cloaked figure, recognized by Howard, was a military officer from the Habsburg family, brought by Nora after the conquest of the imperial capital.
The link became clearer when Howard recalled that the open space on the second floor of the castle was arranged under Nora's suggestion to Alonso.
The evidence was almost unmistakable.
Although Howard was still unsure of Nora's motives for harming Alonso, it was evident that the culprit was not getting away.
Waiting until deep into the night, Howard quietly approached Alonso's room.
He hid in the room next door, closed the door softly, and pressed his ear against the wall to listen to the sounds from Alonso's room.
Soon, the sound of footsteps echoed in the corridor – the distinct clicks of high heels and the thuds of leather boots.
Howard heard two people entering Alonso's room.
Through the wall, the voices were muffled, but he could vaguely make out a man and a woman conversing.
The woman sounded hesitant, mentioning Howard.
The man, unconcerned, believed Howard would be oblivious to their actions.
Howard continued listening until he suddenly heard the mention of some drug.
Based on his conjecture and reasoning, this was no ordinary medicine but a poison keeping his vassal Alonso bedridden!
Suddenly, Howard burst out of his hiding place, smoothly opening the door to Alonso's bedroom.
There, he saw the two figures, one on either side of the bed, about to administer the drug to Alonso.
The man, startled, turned to Howard and exclaimed in panic, "Ah? It's you!"
Having already identified the man, Howard decisively commanded him to kneel.
Conflicted by a mix of emotions, perhaps due to a guilty conscience or Howard's high esteem in the nation, the man eventually abandoned any thought of resistance and slowly knelt down.
Indeed, this was the same person Howard had met before, an army officer from the Habsburg family brought by Nora.
Howard's gaze turned coldly towards Boshni, saying nothing but merely looking at her with an imposing demeanor.
His eyes were icy, and until the investigation was clear, Howard couldn't be sure if Boshni was also involved in this conspiracy.
However, it was Boshni who had informed Howard of Alonso's illness, a fact unknown to him initially.
Logically, this suggested that Boshni shouldn't be part of the criminal group.
Pointing first at Alonso and then at the medicine in Boshni's hand, Howard asked, "What has happened to my vassal? What is this substance you intended to administer?"
Boshni pursed her lips, remaining silent.
Three days later, the investigation results were out.
Boshni had conspired with Nora, attempting to assassinate Alonso and divide his titles among themselves.
Howard was furious and deeply disappointed in Boshni.
In a room surrounded by guards armed with weapons, Howard, with a downcast gaze, asked Boshni, "Can you explain why you did this?"
Boshni lowered her head, speaking in a barely audible voice, "I thought I could keep it from you. Nora said that as long as you were in the dark, the other nobles in the country wouldn't dare to object to this matter, risking offending you."
Howard spoke slowly, emphasizing each word, "So, you intended to use me as a pawn in your game."
Boshni continued in a soft voice, "I thought, with your eagerness to leave, you wouldn't be concerned with domestic affairs and believed this matter wouldn't cause any trouble."
Howard snorted coldly, "Trouble? If your plan hadn't been discovered, my vassal Alonso would have been killed by your actions!"
The drug brought by the male officer sent by Nora was a slow-
acting poison.
If administered to Alonso, it would have made his illness seem like a common disease, undetectable but ultimately lethal over time.
Boshni hung her head in guilt.
Howard, filled with disappointment, said, "The world is undergoing constant changes, and our nation's borders are continuously shifting. The internal affairs of the country are far from stagnant. What were you in such a hurry for? If you desired more lands, you could have organized an expedition to the New World. Why did you feel the need to murder your husband for his wealth?"
With nothing to say in her defense, Boshni remained silent.
After staring at her for a long ten seconds, Howard turned and walked away.
He spoke to Portia, the Minister of Espionage waiting outside, "Handle it as you see fit."
Howard then slowly walked out of the room and descended the castle stairs to the ground level.
A blacksmith was at work, children playing and frolicking nearby.
Looking back up at the noble quarters of the castle, Howard thought to himself: The heights of power are not always enviable; they may only make those residing there more susceptible to evil.
A child, running playfully, bumped into Howard's knee.
Howard crouched down, conversed amiably with the child for a few moments, and then walked off towards a more open space, lost in his thoughts.
The Habsburg officer had already been dealt with the day before, and today, it was Boshni's turn.
As for Nora, currently in the heart of the Oli region, she was next on Howard's list.
Although Nora held no noble title, her membership in the Habsburg family still commanded respect from the populace.
This made her presence in the Oli region akin to that of an uncrowned monarch.
The people of the Oli region were unfamiliar with Howard, and his image was somewhat tarnished due to his invasion of the capital with a large cavalry from the Oungria region.
This was a disadvantageous aspect of Howard's rule.
Prince Maximilian, overwhelmed with guilt for the nation's defeat, now also supported Nora's cause, leading to an unprecedented unity within the Habsburg family.
In such a reality, it was challenging for Howard to take action against Nora.
Without concrete evidence, forcibly apprehending Nora could potentially incite a revolt from the Habsburg family and the citizens of the capital.
In the Oli region, the public sentiment was largely in Nora's favor.
Most citizens blamed Maximilian for the region's decline and credited Nora for its prosperity.
Howard arranged a meeting with Nora.
Under the willow tree by the lakeside at dusk, their stance might have seemed romantic to an onlooker, but both knew the meeting was fraught with tension.
Howard brought up the matter concerning Alonso, expecting Nora to accept her punishment gracefully.
Nora, however, avoided discussing this issue and instead proposed that if Howard wished to leave, he could entrust the country's governance to her.
Nora began, "Howard, I've heard from Catherine that you truly wish to leave. You want to embark on adventures, and I don't oppose that; in fact, I'm quite supportive. You can leave this unprecedentedly powerful Oli region in my hands. As a person dearly loved by the people of Oli, I can help you stabilize the situation here."
Howard glanced at the lake beside Nora, noticing the fish swimming in it.
He said, "Even if you can stabilize the native people of the Oli region, what then? The Oli region's east-west stretch is merely from Tyro to the capital. Is that the extent of the Oli Kingdom I fought for? No. Even if you can satisfy the people of the Oli region, how would you manage relations with the people of Oungria and other areas? You're not the best candidate for this."
Nora, clad in a deep blue silk dress and wearing a tulip-shaped ornament, responded, "I know I can't look after the entire kingdom. After all, this so-called Oli region is mostly comprised of Oungria and the Balgen Peninsula. But if you don't entrust the kingdom to me, then to whom? Do you know someone who is beloved by the people across the Oli region, Oungria, the Balgen Peninsula, and even the Constantinople Castle area, to whom you can entrust the nation? That's an impossibility. It's better to leave the nation in my hands. At least I can guarantee the satisfaction of the Oli region's populace."
Howard shook his head firmly and said, "Let's not talk about that now. You need to explain your actions regarding Alonso. You sent someone from your Habsburg family to his castle to collude with Boshni and harm Alonso. You must be aware of the gravity of your actions. Now that the plot has been exposed, will you surrender yourself, or are you preparing for a desperate struggle?"
Nora's voice became hoarse, and after coughing, she responded, "Why must you demand an explanation from me? Aren't you planning to leave? If you're set on leaving, why bother with all this?"
Howard, losing his patience, harshly spoke a few words to Nora before departing.
The next day, Howard instructed Golan to apprehend Nora, only to face unanimous opposition from the members of the Habsburg family.
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