Sister I am the Queen in This Life [Novel] Chapter 113

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Translator: Harry Potta
Chapter: 113
Chapter Title: The Ungrateful Ones
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Ippolito thought his father was suggesting they pin his murder on Lucrezia. His narrow eyes widened as he stared at his father. What startled him wasn't guilt, but the urgent fear of being caught.

*He already knows I was involved?!*

But Cardinal de Mare was speaking in a slightly different context. He had no idea his son was the culprit. He simply intended to cast out his wife—no, his mistress—for the sake of the family's honor.

"You still have your whole life ahead of you. You're just a sapling. You haven't established yourself yet, nor have you married."

Cardinal de Mare said, looking at Ippolito.

"Your mother has been all but convicted as a murderer in the streets. If this continues, that Scampa fellow, or whatever his name is, will soon accuse Lucrezia before the 'Royal Court'."

"What?! The 'Royal Court'?"

This was a situation all nobles desperately wished to avoid. The 'Royal Court' was a temporary tribunal where an ad hoc judge, appointed by the king, would arrive on-site to investigate a case from all angles before delivering a verdict. If the king appointed a rival as the ad hoc judge, the situation could become exceedingly difficult. All too often, it resulted in public humiliation, with fairness thrown to the dogs. Even if it didn't come to the worst, the ad hoc judge, under the pretext of investigating the case, would often scrutinize the family's accounting ledgers or financial status, things entirely unrelated to the crime. This information would be relayed directly to the king. Afterward, the palace would either impose disciplinary measures based on the findings or, even if nothing was found, pressure the noble family into making a "donation."

"If your mother is condemned as a murderer by the 'Royal Court', do you think your future will be so bright?"

Ippolito was silent.

"Who would give their daughter to the son of a murderer! You know this better than anyone. You need a woman with a title."

To be precise, he needed an only daughter with a title and no brothers. Preferably a countess or higher. Such women were rare and held their heads high. All sorts of men vied for their attention—the second sons of high nobility who couldn't inherit titles, newly rich merchants, and handsome gigolos alike all sought such a woman.

"...Your mother is now nothing but a burden to the de Mare family."

Cardinal de Mare gritted his teeth.

"I should have cut her off during the black magic incident. I let my feelings drag this on for too long, and now look where we are."

"Father!"

"Ippolito! I know she's your mother, but use your head and think! If she had been caught during the black magic incident, we would have all been dragged away by the inquisitors and killed!"

It was the absolute truth, so Ippolito couldn't argue with his father.

"It's time to put an end to this. Let's give her up."

"..."

Ippolito remained silent, his head bowed. On the surface, he looked like a dutiful son, unable to defy his father's command to cast out his mother, yet unwilling to abandon her. In reality, however, his mind was already turning over a different set of calculations. There were three things Ippolito had to hide from Cardinal de Mare. First, that the murder of the maid was more his fault, Ippolito's, than Lucrezia's. Second, that Maletta had been carrying his child. Third, that Ippolito himself might not be Cardinal de Mare's son.

*If only Mother... if only Mother disappears, no one will ever know, right?*

The only other person who could blab about this, Maletta, was already in the next world. He didn't know how much his maternal family in Taranto knew about the secret of his birth, but they had kept their mouths shut for over twenty years, so it was unlikely they would stir things up now. Besides, what proof could there be? These kinds of affairs were so secretive that physical evidence rarely remained. Unaware of the wicked calculations spinning in his son's mind, Cardinal de Mare laid out his plan.

"We'll bring in the bereaved family and reach an agreement. We'll tell them we will kill Lucrezia ourselves and hand her over, so long as they announce that it was all a misunderstanding."

"…!"

"Paola Scampa's death was an unfortunate accident caused by vicious vagrants, the de Mare family was wrongly implicated due to a misunderstanding, and Lucrezia de Rossi died of an illness."

It was a very... tempting offer.

"I will go and negotiate with the Scampa family and the representatives of the local guild."

The Cardinal clicked his tongue, thinking that neither his butler, Niccolo, nor his own son was of any use.

"You will relay this to Isabella."

Even so, Cardinal de Mare carefully passed the most unpleasant part of the task to Ippolito. He didn't want to be the one to tell his eldest daughter, who was especially close to her mother, 'I'm going to kill your mother today.'

"We'll reach a conclusion today and carry it out tomorrow or the day after. Proceed accordingly."

In the end, Ippolito didn't object.

"...Yes, Father."

* * *
Ippolito couldn't suppress his complicated feelings. She was his mother, after all. Lucrezia had never spared anything for him. But at the same time, if Lucrezia took the fall for everything, Ippolito would be a free man.

*What if Mother reveals that Ippolito was the one who actually brought in the vagrants?*

Then the name the enraged vigilantes of the local guild would be screaming for would not be Lucrezia de Rossi, but Ippolito de Mare.

*Then... I wouldn't be able to stay in San Carlo anymore, would I?*

It was customary for a nobleman who committed murder to live in exile in another city or country for several years. They would typically slip back home after a decade or so, once everyone had forgotten the incident.

*It's only been a few days since I returned from Padova... Besides, I'd miss my chance to marry. No, I can't let that happen.*

Having made up his mind, Ippolito went to find his sister, Isabella. She was in the young ladies' drawing room. He knocked on the door.

"Yes, come in."

As he opened the door and entered, he saw Isabella immediately. She was sitting at her desk, reading 'Meditations.' Her attitude had changed markedly since her confinement had ended. She looked up to see who had entered and answered with surprise.

"Brother? What brings you here?"

Ippolito stepped inside and took a seat on the sofa next to the desk.

"Isabella. This is about Mother."

Isabella furrowed her pretty brow.

"I heard there's a crowd gathered out front."

Since being released from her confinement, she had been wearing modest clothes and simple adornments. At a glance, she was a truly pure and radiant beauty. But while she had refined her appearance, it seemed her coarse nature remained untamed. She spoke harshly, disparaging the people gathered in front of their home with irritation.

"Why isn't Father forcibly dispersing them? Why is he listening to all that ridiculous nonsense? They're just commoner rabble. He should just have the guards scatter them, and it would be over."

"Isabella. It's not that simple."

Ippolito explained to Isabella, to the best of his ability, what accusations Lucrezia was facing, how far the rumors had spread, and why Cardinal de Mare had to listen to their demands. Of course, he completely omitted his own involvement. Isabella was shocked to learn that the story of her mother ordering an unrelated commoner girl to be killed and beheaded had spread throughout San Carlo.

"What? That rumor has spread all over San Carlo?"

"Yes, and that's not all. An investigation from the palace could be coming soon. That Scampa fellow is apparently trying to accuse our family before the 'Royal Court'."

Isabella trembled at the continued bad news, but she quickly sensed that something was off. Ippolito was laying out the potential dangers in a threatening manner, as if exaggerating the misfortune. He hadn't said a single word about what they would do next or how they could defend themselves.

"...So what are you trying to say, brother?"

*Here comes the main point.* Ippolito reluctantly dragged out his words. He also made sure to change the subject of the sentence.

"Father..."

Isabella's violet eyes fixed on her brother.

"He says we should give Mother up."

"What?!"

Isabella shot up from her seat.

"And you agreed to it?!"

Ippolito trailed off, making an excuse.

"It wasn't for me to agree or disagree. It was all Father's decision..."

"Kill Mother? Brother, how could you?! Are you even human?"

*I can take insults about my parents, but not about myself.* At her accusation, Ippolito flared up.

"Oh? Then what are you going to do?! Do you have some brilliant idea?"

He pointed a finger at his beautiful sister.

"It's over if the royal investigators show up! You, can you stand being the daughter of a murderer if Mother is convicted by the 'Royal Court'?!"

Ippolito continued, seething.

"Will you try to find a husband while carrying that weight? Who would take you!"

Hesitation filled Isabella's beautiful violet eyes. A hint of fear was there, too. *The convent is not an option.*

"Right now, it's just a rumor. If we reach an agreement with the family and announce that 'it was all a misunderstanding' and 'Lady Lucrezia died of an illness,' people won't speak ill of the dead anyway, and she'll be forgotten over time."

Ippolito glared at Isabella.

"Do you have a better idea? If so, spit it out!"

Inwardly, he also thought, *Isabella better not come up with a good idea.* Lucrezia had to die alone, taking all the secrets with her. That was the only way for him to live. Fortunately for Ippolito, Isabella, unlike their half-sister, was not a child whose wit sparkled in such situations. Instead, Isabella did what she did best. Her violet eyes welling with tears, she threw herself at her brother and began to beg.

"Is that really the only way? How can you talk about killing Mother! Isn't there another path?"

With tears clinging to her glistening eyes, Isabella pleaded with her brother.

"Brother, you're good at this kind of thing! Do something!"

Isabella actually knew very well how to manipulate Ippolito. If she gently prodded him with the keyword 'incompetence,' she could make him move like a puppet to her will. But today was not a good day for that. Ippolito had his own hidden agenda, and the insinuation of incompetence on top of it made him furious.

"Damn it! Everyone just clings to me and gives me hell!"

He shoved his sister away.

"Am I a god? Can I do everything? If I could, I'd be in the palace at San Carlo, not lounging around here!"

Ippolito shot up from his seat.

"Anyway, that's what's going to happen, so just be aware. I've done my part and told you."

Ippolito slammed the door to the young ladies' drawing room on his way out. Isabella stared at the door with a bewildered expression. But she did nothing. She could have run to her father and pleaded with him through tears, or rushed to her mother and urged her to flee immediately, but Isabella simply sat quietly in the room and turned to the next page of 'Meditations.'

* * *

"So in the end, she doesn't want her marriage prospects ruined, but she wants her mother saved."

*Crunch!* Sancha bit into the snack she was holding.

"Exactly. She wouldn't say 'save mother even if it ruins my marriage prospects' if her mouth were torn open."

Ariadne and Sancha had overheard the entire farce between Ippolito and Isabella from Arabella's room. The young ladies' drawing room was connected to Isabella and Arabella's room by a single door. From the now-empty Arabella's room, the conversation in the drawing room could be heard as clearly as if it were happening right next to them. Now back in Ariadne's study, the two were discussing the situation.

"'Miss Rossi' is a bitch, but after how she raised them... Ippolito and Isabella are the worst."

"Seriously... Miss Rossi reaped a poor harvest with her children."

"If this is karma, then she's truly getting what she deserves."

Ariadne said, taking a bite of a snack.

"Sancha. Keep your ears open throughout the house. Especially report to me in real time how Father himself is moving, and where the butler Niccolo is and what he's doing."

"Yes."

"I have a feeling they're going to lock up 'Miss Rossi' soon."

And less than half an hour later, her words became reality.

* * *

"Lady Lucrezia, come with us."

"What is this? Who sent you!?"

"She's being noisy. Drag her out!"

Dragged away by the household's men, Lucrezia came to her senses in the northern cellar.