Chapter 753
Matthew said in a low voice, "I've reviewed it as well, Your Highness. Fortunately, it records the origins of those women, allowing us to inform their families."
"Have the retrieval teams returned?" Rafael asked.
"Not yet. The well is very deep and has been sealed for a long time. The stench must dissipate before anyone can descend. The team reported descending, but encountered numerous decayed and swollen bodies, impossible to retrieve. These corpses are hindering the recovery of other remains."
"Are the coroners on-site? Request the Royal Citadel dispatch assistance," Rafael commanded.
"They've already been sent."
"Good. Have the weapons been accounted for? I need to report to the palace," Rafael inquired.
"Yes, the inventory is here." Matthew quickly produced a ledger from the table and handed it to Rafael. "Everything is categorized for your review."
Rafael opened the ledger. It listed 1,000 bows, 500 crossbows, 380 bundles of arrows (100 arrows per bundle), 800 sets of full armor, 300 longswords, 300 spears, 300 short knives, 600 swords, and three barrels of gunpowder. Over 1,000 additional weapons—axes, iron rods, and whips—were also listed.
Such a quantity of weapons, if claimed for residential defense, would be unbelievable. Furthermore, regulations regarding armor are extremely strict. Even royal residences are prohibited from possessing full metal armor. Rafael possessed a set, but solely for personal use, not for his soldiers. Estate guards wore leather or wooden armor, neither permissible outside the estate—a violation punishable by varying penalties depending on severity and the degree of attention it receives.
Even if Matthew could explain the other weapons, the crossbows and armor alone could be considered treasonous.
Rafael turned to Carissa. "I'll go to the palace. This evidence could strip Eleanor of her title as a grand princess." Stripping Eleanor of her title would facilitate the investigation. When it came to torture, Eleanor was intimately familiar with the process.
Carissa replied, "Alright, go ahead. I'll review other testimonies and investigate noblewomen with frequent dealings with Grand Princess Eleanor. We need to ask the right questions."
She considered Yuvan's household, specifically Molly and Fiona, a top priority. While they hadn't interacted much with Eleanor in Valken, they'd visited Harmony Palace several times since returning to the capital. Furthermore, Yuvan and Eleanor's shared upbringing by Ruth created a bond warranting inquiry. This would also unsettle Yuvan, making him regret his return to the capital. Had he remained in Valken, this turmoil would have bypassed him.
Rafael took Florence's two notebooks to the palace.
Salvador examined the weapons count, his blood boiling. "Eleanor has some nerve! How dare she harbor treasonous thoughts and plot against the kingdom!"
Derek quickly pleaded, "Please calm down, Your Majesty!"
Salvador's gaze darkened as he turned to Rafael. "Interrogate her. Use any means necessary to force her to reveal the mastermind."
Rafael replied, "Your Majesty, she's still a grand princess. The royal family is exempt from such methods in public investigations."
Salvador's voice turned icy. "Issue an edict revoking her grand princess title and expelling her from the royal family. Make her a commoner!"
"Understood!" Derek hurried off to draft the edict.
Rafael added, "Your Majesty, the other two ledgers detail the concubines abducted for Henry over the years. More than 180 women were involved, over a hundred murdered. Currently, approximately 40 survive. All the boys were killed, while the girls were integrated into noble families. Investigating this will require considerable effort."
Salvador took the ledger, horrified by the revelations. Treason was one thing, but such cruelty was another. Such a person from the royal family disgraced the entire lineage.
"Direct Royal Citadel Governor Anthony Klein to assist the Capital Guard in investigating these cases," the king seethed. "We must ensure justice for the deceased, the living, and their families."