Chapter 575
I had anticipated that meeting Vertus de Gradias would lead to a conversation, and knew that Vertus would likely comply with my demands. That led me to choose to take the risk of meeting Vertus directly.
The danger was not that something might happen to me or Vertus during the meeting. The real risk lay in the possibility of trouble later on if anyone found out about our meeting.
Once I met Vertus and we began our conversation, it was not difficult to get to the truth. However, I did not expect Vertus to willingly offer to show me exactly what they were doing.
Vertus ordered Sabioleen Tana to evacuate everyone from the research building for about three hours.
I, of course, would still change my appearance, but it was not advisable for anyone to see the emperor entering the laboratory with an unknown person.
After Sabioleen Tana left to relay the orders, Vertus and I sat in an empty dining hall, talking as we waited for the preparations to be made.
“How is Charlotte doing?” Vertus asked.
His expression was hard to read. Although they had once hated each other enough to want to kill one another, at some point, Vertus had begun to feel sorry for Charlotte.
Vertus had ordered Charlotte to be publicly executed, but his true intention was to call me to the capital, and I had taken Charlotte away.
Vertus had always wanted to save Charlotte.
“She’s handling her own affairs. She’s better than when she was in the imperial palace,” I replied.
“Thank you, Reinhart,” said Vertus quietly, with a sad and self-depreciating look.