Her Graceful War Song

Chapter 767

After a few days, everyone who needed to be interrogated at Harmony Palace had been interrogated. Rafael felt it was time to question Eleanor.

Carissa was heading to Ironridge Estate to see Jessica today, while Rafael would be interrogating Eleanor. It was a coordinated effort from both sides.

Eleanor had been locked in the dungeon for about five days. At first, she pretended to have lost her mind. When she realized that tactic wasn’t working, she stopped resisting, seemingly resigned to whatever fate awaited her.

At least, that was how it appeared on the surface.

In the interrogation room, the aunt and nephew sat across from each other.

Eleanor still wore the plain clothing from the Emberfest Festival night, but after days in the dungeon, her garments were wrinkled and her hair was disheveled. She looked drained, with dark circles under her eyes. In just a few days, she had lost a significant amount of weight, making her skin sag and giving her an aged appearance, as if she had aged five or six years overnight.

Sudden weight loss in middle age could be harsh, and it showed on her, especially since she had always had a sharp disposition. Now, her looks reflected her inner bitterness.

Rafael spoke first, “You kept those concubines locked away in the dungeon for a long time. Now that you find yourself in the same situation, how does it feel?”

Eleanor looked up and suddenly smiled. “It’s far worse than Harmony Palace’s dungeon.”

Rafael continued, “The king has issued a royal edict stripping you of your title. Today, the Royal Citadel’s governor will be visiting your residence to conduct a formal search.”

Eleanor raised her eyebrows, her tone laced with sarcasm as she said, “What difference does it make if my title is gone? What does it matter if I’m no longer a grand princess? I am still of royal blood. My father was King Augustus, and my mother was Lady Chloe. No one can change that.”

Her words dripped with irony and were tinged with a hint of resentment. It was as if being the daughter of Augustus was more of a curse than a blessing.

Rafael maintained his calm demeanor as he went through the motions and asked, “Where did those weapons come from? Why were you plotting rebellion? Who is behind this?”

Eleanor smirked, a flicker of defiance in her expression. “It’s pointless to ask. Since I’ve already been accused of treason, let it be a beheading if that’s what they decide. If they want to execute my entire family line, then let them do so. This is how treason is judged, isn’t it? Just relay my words to the king

verbatim.”

Rafael chuckled softly. The idea of executing her entire family line would also include him and Salvador. Furthermore, since she was married, that included her husband’s family as well. The Marquis of Grovehill’s family would certainly thank her for that.

Understanding the implication behind her mention of family annihilation, he added, “Don’t worry. His Majesty doesn’t intend to go that far. You also don’t need to fear for Jessica, provided she wasn’t involved in the rebellion.”

Eleanor lowered her gaze, suppressing the only remaining attachment she had to this world–her daughter.

“Whatever. I don’t care,” Eleanor finally said, lifting her head to look at Rafael. She despised being seen through and hated feeling manipulated. “If you want to kill her, then go ahead. It’s not like she’s living a happy life anyway.”

ed.. are

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“You still haven’t answered my question. Where did the weapons come from? Why plot treason? Who’s behind it? You’ve already been demoted to a commoner. If you don’t confess, we’ll have to resort to torture, and you won’t have anyone but yourself to blame,” said Rafael, his voice cold and distant.

“Why wouldn’t I confess?” Eleanor blinked innocently. “I am, after all, of noble birth and cannot withstand the Supreme Court’s punishment. Those weapons were naturally provided by my backers. The armor? I had someone steal it from the Ministry of Defense’s workshop. You must have already examined it. It’s identical to what the ministry uses. As for the one pulling the strings…”

She placed her hands on the table, a glint of cold cunning in her eyes.

“My dear nephew, it was you who directed this, wasn’t it? You said you wanted to be king, and that you wanted me to assist you with everything I had.

“But why would I help you? Naturally, it was because you discovered the tragic fate of the concubines who died in my palace. You held my greatest weakness, so I had no choice but to assist you. Surely, you wouldn’t dare to act without taking responsibility, would you?”

The scribe hesitated for a moment, and Rafael turned to him. “Record this accurately. Make sure every single word is noted and submitted to the king for review.”

The scribe nodded. “Yes, Your Highness!” NôvelDrama.Org holds text © rights.

Eleanor burst into laughter. “How amusing.”

Rafael replied, “Yes, it is quite amusing. Now, tell me more. When did I start using the matter of your palace’s concubines to threaten you? Where did I first mention my desire to rebel and ask for your help? Who was present at the time? How did I keep in contact with you whilst on the battlefield? Did we exchange any letters?”