Episode 88
“Let’s do it that way.”
Richard’s eyes flickered momentarily at Philip II’s calm response.
A deathly silence swallowed the room as everyone turned their gaze to Philip II and Richard.
”…I was willing to end this quietly if you apologized formally here and now, but if you insist on this course, I have no choice. Don’t blame me.”
No matter how much Richard thought about it, he couldn’t make sense of the situation.
‘What is this? Is he bluffing?’
Philip II should be well aware of the predicament he’s in, so why is he reacting like this?
‘Or does he think I’m bluffing with a fake letter?’
From Philip II’s perspective, it would be hard to believe that the Viscount of Limoges had been caught. After all, they were in the same boat, and betrayal seemed unlikely. Moreover, since the documents were secretly taken from the Viscount’s mansion, they probably don’t even know they’ve been compromised.
Philip II might have concluded that Richard was merely acting.
Still, something felt off. Such composure couldn’t come from mere speculation.
But even if this was all an act…
‘No, it doesn’t matter. There’s no escape for them. What I have is the real deal, stamped with the royal seal.’
Richard held the winning card, so there was no reason for him to waver. He took a deep breath and began reading the letter aloud.
“These are letters exchanged between Viscount Ademar V of Limoges and His Majesty Philip II of France, detailing their conspiracy. You can see the detailed instructions!”
The sudden revelation caused a stir among the nobles.
“Viscount Limoges?”
“Is this all a plot by France?”
“No way… there must be some misunderstanding.”
“But it looks like it has the royal seal.”
The commotion didn’t die down, and even Cardinal Lothaire, who should have mediated, seemed half-dazed.
“Uh… Your Majesty Richard, may I verify this?”
“Of course. In fact, why don’t you read the rest for us, Cardinal?”
“The Viscount of Limoges buried treasures found in his domain and those secretly transported from France in Auvergne and Provence, and looted them?”
The fragmented voice revealed how flustered the usually composed cardinal was.
Richard wasn’t finished. He triumphantly presented more evidence taken from the Viscount’s mansion.
“There is more. The Viscount disguised his soldiers as Holy Roman Empire troops to loot treasures from Auvergne. Or rather, to reclaim them. They must have thought we were the ones looting in Provence as well.”
“The records here detail the financial transactions meticulously. But why would the Viscount leave such evidence?”
“You can infer from the letters. The Viscount repeatedly demands the promised rewards from the king. He must have kept these as leverage, fearing France might renege. If they tried to cut him off, he planned to take them down with him.”
Not only the cardinal but also experts from the Holy Roman Empire scrutinized the documents, finding no signs of forgery.
Under the intense scrutiny from all sides, Viscount Ademar V of Limoges sprang to his feet, shouting.
“Lies! Why would I betray? Your Majesty! After all my loyalty, how could you frame me like this? It’s unjust!”
To an outsider, he might have seemed genuinely wronged, but the evidence was too damning.
To preempt any forgery claims, several handwriting experts had been brought in, leaving no room for escape.
“Here are the letters Ademar V sent me. Let’s compare them. If they’re fake, I’ll take responsibility.”
Heinrich VI, who had been listening quietly, supported Richard’s words.
“We’ve brought our own experts for cross-verification. Let’s determine the truth swiftly.”
“If you’re so wronged, Viscount, just wait a little longer. If they’re proven fake, I’ll cut off my arm as an apology.”
The Viscount flinched.
The experts approached the table, carefully comparing the letters.
Richard took the opportunity to survey the room.
Marshal, who had played a crucial role in resolving the situation, stood motionless, staring intently at one spot.
Curious about what held Marshal’s gaze, Richard turned his head to find it fixed on Philip II.
Despite knowing there was no escape, Philip II’s demeanor remained unsettlingly calm.
Even if he didn’t cause a scene like the Viscount, shouldn’t he at least deny the accusations?
Just as suspicion began to take root, Philip II, who had been silent, chuckled and spoke.
“Now that all the pieces are in place, let me conclude this.”
Even after the letters were fully revealed, Philip II showed no reaction.
I immediately sensed something was amiss.
No matter how composed someone is, when cornered unexpectedly, they can’t help but show some reaction.
Yet Philip II hadn’t shown a hint of surprise from the start.
Instead, he maintained a serene smile, as if he had anticipated this outcome.
‘But even if he expected this, handling the situation shouldn’t be easy.’
With the evidence so clear, who would believe any attempt to cut ties?
However, Philip II’s composure was so unshakable that many were still willing to hear him out.
I was personally curious about how this sociopath planned to escape this predicament.
After all, the initial goal of preventing war had been achieved, so I had nothing to lose regardless of the outcome.
It would be ideal if Philip II’s power waned, but even if he managed to cut ties and escape, his credibility would surely suffer.
Of course, Richard, who now harbored near-hatred for Philip II, spoke with a voice dripping with disdain.
“All the pieces are in place, you say? If you’re suggesting an apology and taking responsibility, I’m all for it.”
“Hmm… I suppose an apology is in order.”
Philip II nodded calmly and continued.
“I’ve been observing because I wasn’t aware of the specifics of Viscount Limoges’ actions. So, this is how the letters were exchanged.”
Richard scoffed, and Heinrich VI furrowed his brow in disbelief.
“You speak as if you’re a third party. Can’t you see the evidence of your conspiracy with the Viscount?”
“Judging by that alone, your conclusion is understandable. But let me ask one thing.”
Philip II elegantly picked up the Viscount’s letter and placed it before Heinrich VI.
“The handwriting of Viscount Limoges has been verified. But is the person he corresponded with truly me?”
So that’s his angle.
When we retrieved the letters from the Viscount’s mansion, Richard and I verified whether Philip II himself was the author.
Richard had exchanged many letters with Philip II, so it wasn’t difficult.
But Philip II had cleverly prepared an escape route.
“Though it bears the royal seal, the correspondence is with the Count of Boulogne, not me. I have no memory of writing this.”
“Lies!”
Perhaps driven by desperation, the Viscount, who had been cowering under the nobles’ scorn, shouted.
“Isn’t the Count of Boulogne your childhood friend?”
“He was a dear friend, but that’s entirely separate.”
“Don’t be ridiculous! Do you take me for a fool? When I demanded proof that the plan was the king’s idea, the Count gave me this letter with the royal seal. This very letter!”
His words were shockingly disrespectful to a foreign king, but no one stopped him.
The debate was too intriguing.
“The royal seal…”
Philip II feigned a troubled look, examining the letter again.
Richard, watching, threw out a curt remark.
“We’ve already compared it with official documents, so spare us your deceitful excuses.”
“This is quite the predicament. It seems I’ve become quite the villain. But I understand. Given the circumstances…”
“I must admit, it’s partly my own negligence that allowed things to spiral out of control like this.”
“Still trying to lie to the very end, I see…”
“Let me clear up any misunderstandings by explaining everything. This tragedy was orchestrated by Count Renaud I of Boulogne, who impersonated me and manipulated the poor Viscount of Limoges.”
Is he seriously using this as an excuse?
Richard and Heinrich VI exchanged incredulous glances, wondering if they were being mocked.
Even Cardinal Lothaire, who was supposed to be neutral, sighed softly and joined the conversation.
“Your Majesty… as much as I want to, I can’t believe that.”
“And why is that?”
“Well, to put it bluntly, it sounds like you’re just trying to cut your losses.”
Richard chuckled, nodding in agreement. “The Cardinal has said exactly what I was thinking. While I commend your caution in not writing the letters yourself, if you thought you could just wash your hands of this so easily, I’m truly disappointed. Do you really take us for fools?”
“Cut my losses, you say. So, King Richard, you believe I’m trying to pin all the blame on my subordinate because things didn’t go as planned?”
“Isn’t that exactly what you’re doing? According to you, Your Majesty, a subordinate plotted this scheme under your name without your knowledge. I find that hard to believe.”
If a noble had used the royal seal without permission, it would be a serious issue. It’s hard to believe that someone like King Philip II would be completely unaware and do nothing.
“When did I ever say I was completely unaware?”
“Just a moment ago, you clearly said…”
“I only mentioned that I didn’t know the specifics of how it was carried out. I had a general idea of the situation. And as proof of that…”
Bang!
At King Philip II’s signal, one of his knights placed a large chest on the table.
“I hope this demonstrates my sincerity, even if just a little. I must warn you, the contents might be a bit gruesome.”
As the knight slowly opened the chest, its contents were revealed.
”…Gasp!”
“What on earth…”
Heinrich VI instinctively turned his face away, while Richard furrowed his brow.
Inside the chest was none other than a human head.