Chapter 1724: Chapter 1724
The only sound in the dining room was the rustle of Jenkins turning the pages. Even though she had already heard the gist of the matter from him, seeing the hard proof for herself made Miss Windsor press a hand to her forehead as if she were about to faint.
She respected Queen Isabella, viewing her as an important elder. Learning that she had committed such a terrible wrong—especially that it had been done for her sake—sent a wave of grief and sorrow through Miss Windsor that left her dizzy.
Jenkins quickly reached out to steady her, then saw Miss Windsor clutch at her heart. But before Jenkins could speak, she gritted her teeth, sat up straight, and waved a hand.
“It’s nothing, I’m just a little tired... Please, continue your conversation.”
A quick check revealed no abnormalities in Miss Windsor's life spirit, so Jenkins simply nodded and took her hand, ready to heal her the moment anything else went wrong.
“Do you wish to question any of this?”
He gestured with his free hand at the documents before them and looked at the old woman.
“Oh, so you found out.”
Her tone was as casual as if she had hidden a tin of fish, only for her own cat to find it.
She shifted in her chair and then asked Jenkins:
“Since you’ve found out... what, then, have you come here for today?”
“You’ve condemned me. What will you do next?”
The question caught Jenkins off guard. While he could, he would not become a murderer. He knew this country needed stability. For a moment, her words left him speechless. He had expected her to deny everything; the arguments he had prepared were all centered on explaining the evidence in those texts and papers.
As he tried to organize his thoughts, Queen Isabella took advantage of the brief silence to turn to Miss Windsor.
“And you, Jessica. You didn’t just happen to run into Jenkins outside and decide to accompany him to see me, did you?”
Miss Windsor's lips parted, but she quickly lowered her head, clearly unsure how to answer. Watching this, Magic Miss couldn't help but shake her head, feeling a pang of sorrow for the girl who had been unwittingly caught in the center of this tragedy.
“Don’t you feel even a shred of remorse? Or guilt?”
Jenkins suddenly interjected, and Queen Isabella stopped pressing Miss Windsor.
That was all the old woman said.
“You are the monarch of this country. Even with this evidence, when I think about it, there isn’t a single law that can bring you to justice...”
That was the unreasonable nature of this era. Though a parliament existed, this was no constitutional monarchy. The monarch's authority was absolute.
“Even if I were to expose this, I can already imagine everyone would try to stop me. Even my staunchest supporters would urge me to abandon any attempt to reveal what you’ve done. After all, this country needs a reliable leader right now. As long as you haven’t betrayed the nation’s interests, something like hiring assassins can be temporarily forgiven.”
“It’s good that you understand this. I was worried you were one of those young men blinded by righteousness. Jenkins, if you wish to be king, you must understand that this world is not simply black and white. You must understand that not every matter needs a resolution, and that not every crime can be punished... This is good. You are even more exceptional than I thought.”
“How can you say that without blushing?”
Jenkins questioned again, feeling a profound sense of irreconcilable conflict between his own values and those of the old woman sitting before him.
“Blush? I forgot what that felt like many years ago.”
“Then you feel no guilt?”
“You’ve already asked that question. Of course I feel guilt. I am an ordinary person, but...”
The old woman's eyes turned to Miss Windsor, her gentle gaze tinged with a hint of relief.
“...it was all for a greater interest.”
Miss Windsor's lips pressed together even more tightly. Jenkins worried she might bite through them.
Jenkins hesitated, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the table. He looked back at Queen Isabella. She said nothing, merely watching him, waiting for him to decide what to say next.
“I cannot punish you, but this evidence is enough to prove you have gravely violated the High Tower Accord.”
“And what of it? Haven’t Tackwen and Salsi II violated it as well? Yet just two hours ago, they were sitting in the conference room, laughing and joking with me.”
She paused for a moment before stating her conclusion:
“No matter what I have done, at this point in time, no one will make me pay the price. I must exist as the monarch of this country. This is not a request from anyone; it is a necessity.”
She looked at Jenkins, then her gaze shifted back to Miss Windsor.
“Jessica, this has nothing to do with you.”
“No, how could you...”
Miss Windsor's hand, clutching the pages, tightened unconsciously, her nails tearing the paper. Jenkins gently placed his hand over hers again.
“Don’t be upset. This has nothing to do with you.” Nᴇw ɴovel chaptᴇrs are published on NoveI[F]ire.net
On this point, at least, Jenkins and Queen Isabella were in agreement. Neither of them wanted Miss Windsor to be dragged into this.
“I will not become queen. Under any circumstances.”
Her hand held by Jenkins, Miss Windsor took several deep breaths as if she couldn't get enough air, but her expression remained resolute. Jenkins truly admired a girl like her.
After a long moment, Miss Windsor looked at the Queen and said:
“This has to stop. Don’t harm Miss Capet, and don’t harm anyone else. It’s meaningless... Regardless, since I have chosen to support Jenkins, I will absolutely not change my mind...”
She snatched up the papers.
“There must be no more victims.”
But Queen Isabella offered no promises. She lowered her head to look at her dinner plate again, her hands resting on the table, her expression blank. The sight was strangely terrifying.
Jenkins sensed something was amiss, but his Eye of Reality could not detect any suspicious aura.
He turned to look at the restaurant's French windows. Both Magic Miss and Hooded Man, caught in his gaze, jumped in surprise. They had thought no one could see them.