Chapter 168
A chilly atmosphere spread through the banquet hall. They began to glance at each other, watching for reactions. The nobles present knew. There was no way Hildegard, the Emperor’s closest confidant, would intentionally try to insult the Emperor, so it was certain that someone had framed her.
Even if Hildegard had really made a mistake, in the end, a ’person who framed her’ would be needed. Because the Emperor wouldn’t try to punish Hildegard.
"Hildegard, who did you hand that gift to?"
"Um... it was a servant wearing gray clothes. That is... the servant in charge of gifts at the entrance of the banquet hall."
Before Liv could respond to those words, Greta, reading Liv’s thoughts, quickly issued an order.
"You go and bring that servant."
The servant who had opened the gifts disappeared outside the banquet hall following Greta’s order. A moment later, a servant entered the banquet hall with an anxious face and quickly knelt before Liv.
"Your Majesty, I’m truly innocent! I don’t have the authority to open gifts, and the gifts were immediately transported through someone else as soon as I received them!"
"How were those gifts transported?"
"Martin took them. That is... the servant working with me in the banquet hall."
This time, the servant named Martin was brought before Liv.
"I immediately moved it to the room next to the banquet hall where gifts are stored. I also never opened the gifts during that process!"