When Rodmenlin sipped the tea brewed by the maid and once again saw the notoriously ill-reputed Empire Princess, his eyes brightened instantly.
Though rumors about this princess were widespread and scandalous, very few had actually met or even seen Willis in person.
Rodmenlin himself had only caught a few distant glimpses of Willis before, having only once met her closely during a session at the Imperial Court.
Back then, Willis carried herself with a grace and etiquette that contradicted the malicious gossip, and beneath her beauty was a delicate, almost heart-stirring youthful charm.
Now, Willis wore a simple white dress, a red ribbon draped from her snowy neck, cinched neatly at her waist.
The simplicity of the outfit only emphasized her elegant beauty and noble aura—the very image of a Holy Lotus.
Her fiery red hair flowed gently in the breeze, and the moment Willis entered, the entire room seemed to be filled with fragrance and the breath of spring.
Rodmenlin hurriedly rose to pay his respects, but Willis raised a hand to signal him back to his seat.
Yet, even the High Inquisitor himself failed to notice the fleeting look of disappointment that crossed Rodmenlin’s face when Willis sat down far away on another chair.
“You may all leave now.”
With a wave of her hand, the surrounding guards and maids took their leave, remaining at a distance.
Then, the Empire Princess turned her gaze toward her guest.
“High Inquisitor, have you come because there’s been progress in the case?”
Her lips parted softly, her voice melodious and gentle. Were it not for her notorious reputation, she might have contended for the title of the Empire’s most beautiful woman.
Suppressing the stirrings in his heart, Rodmenlin cursed himself for feeling such ripples over a mere girl at his age.
He quickly stood and bowed.
“My outward reason for coming is as such, but in truth, I wish to speak with Your Highness about the current affairs of the Imperial Court.”
“Oh?”
Willis crossed her legs and asked, “The Emperor has already reached a conclusion on court matters. Do you, High Inquisitor, hold a different view?”
“I would not dare… but—”
Rodmenlin glanced around cautiously, then clenched his teeth. The earnest determination showed plainly on his round, honest face.
“But I have something to say to Your Highness…”
“Go on,” Willis said, clearly disinterested, as if she didn’t really want to hear it.
The next moment, Rodmenlin threw out a question.
“Your Highness, aren’t you curious?”
“Curious about what?”
Willis feigned ignorance.
“You were attacked just yesterday morning. Normally, the Church of Judicature would have intervened immediately, and your inauguration speech would have been postponed or canceled.”
“Yet Emperor himself attended and insisted you complete your speech. Under those circumstances… you were unprepared, even injured…”
Rodmenlin paused to gauge Willis’s expression, and she merely gave him a look that said, ‘Continue.’
He had gambled correctly.
“Isn’t that a way of expecting your inauguration to fail? I’ve also heard Vice Dean Mark, along with some professors, deliberately made things difficult for you…”
Rodmenlin’s words were clear. Willis scoffed lightly, then asked slowly,
“Rodmenlin, do you know how many times your words would have sentenced you to death? In any era, sowing discord between father and daughter, especially in the royal family, is a capital offense.”
Upon hearing this, Rodmenlin trembled and prostrated himself on the floor, shouting repeatedly, “I dare not! I only speak based on facts, standing up for Your Highness’s justice!”
Quite the actor, though terribly clumsy.
Is there truly no one who can act properly in this world?
Willis sighed helplessly.
“Enough, High Inquisitor. There’s no one else here, so no need to perform. Speak plainly—what else do you want to say?”
“Your Highness!”
Rodmenlin stood and bowed again.
His tone shifted.
“But after your nighttime attack, the Emperor’s handling was completely different—he personally intervened and summoned all of us officials to the palace for a scolding…”
“In fact, he’s been waiting for us to name the culprit—!”
Rodmenlin stopped short, refraining from naming the individual.
Willis understood his meaning immediately, something she herself was unclear about.
Emperor Rubas’s attitude after Willis’s two assassination attempts was inconsistent, but if the rumors that the Emperor disliked the Empire’s Second Princess were true, then it made sense.
“So, Rodmenlin, you’ve come to me asking for a favor?”
Willis clearly knew the name Rodmenlin refused to say—Nightfall.
That underground organization belonging to Willis!
Though many were unaware of Nightfall’s existence, let alone its leader, that did not mean the Church of Judicature and the Emperor were ignorant.
A simple investigation into Nightfall would lead straight to Willis.
But the people who attacked Willis last night were from Nightfall?
How ironic.
If Rodmenlin revealed this at court, Emperor Rubas would likely order the organization’s extermination immediately.
Rodmenlin’s silence wasn’t merely to protect Nightfall for Willis’s sake.
In his mind, he probably believed Willis still needed this organization and didn’t want the Empire to destroy it.
But to Willis, Nightfall was already riddled with holes—whether it existed or not no longer mattered.
Previously, Willis had little communication with the Church of Judicature and a distant relationship with Rodmenlin.
Now, she was curious why he acted this way.
This goodwill was sudden, but it must have a reason.
“I dare not!”
Rodmenlin shook his head hurriedly.
“I’ve only heard rumors that the Emperor wishes to establish another agency or organization to divide the Church of Judicature’s power in the Empire…”
Willis was momentarily stunned.
This was explosive news, yet it was still only speculation and not urgent.
Narrowing her eyes, Willis voiced Rodmenlin’s true intent.
“So, High Inquisitor, you believe the Emperor is using my assassination attempts as an excuse to rebuke your failures, to scapegoat you for letting enemies infiltrate the Imperial Capital, and thus to weaken your power by creating a new faction?”
“And also to diminish my strength, to secure his throne and suppress the ambitions of his own children?”
Upon hearing this, Rodmenlin collapsed in terror, “I dare not! I have never thought such things!”
His voice cracked, but the performance was obvious—he seemed afraid Willis would see through him.
“Dare not? Or never thought so?”
The Empire Princess quietly countered.
Silence fell heavily over the hall.
This kind of speculation was no small matter. If leaked, neither of them would have an easy time.
Rodmenlin would surely face severe punishment and implicate his family.
As for Willis, though not necessarily punished, daring to maliciously question her own father’s intentions would lead to no good.
Whether this turned serious or not all depended on the Emperor’s attitude.
So these matters must remain private—leaking it would harm both parties.
But now that it was out, Rodmenlin’s purpose had been fulfilled.
He added fuel to the fire.
“Your Highness, haven’t you considered that the world is full of ruthless, malicious people? Your actions to us might be mere trifles, yet there are countless greater evildoers deserving criticism…”
“But why is it that throughout the Empire, your infamy spreads so fiercely, yet no one internally hinders you?”
With these words, Rodmenlin’s spear seemed aimed at the Emperor, attempting to bind Willis to his cause.
And in truth, if Rodmenlin’s intelligence and guesses were correct, neither of them had a way out.
Willis smiled faintly. “It seems, High Inquisitor, that your visit today is all-or-nothing.”